Welcome to the second issue of REGION, the official publication of Greater New Orleans, Inc.!
We are pleased to present an update of GNOfuture, the strategic plan for the next ten years of Greater New Orleans. GNOfuture is the road map for GNO, Inc.’s resource allocation and key tactics for 2020 – 2030. The goal is expressed in GNO, Inc.’s mission statement: To create a region with a thriving economy, and an excellent quality of life, for everyone.
As I stated in my end-of-the-year message, the world will not be the same post-COVID, but there is hope and real opportunity for the Greater New Orleans region on the other side. COVID-19 did not change the economy, as much as accelerate preexisting trends – and Greater New Orleans is naturally well positioned to benefit from these changes, which include:
• Rising dominance of logistics – New Orleans was founded on logistics, and no one else can offer our river, rail, airport and road multi-modal combination
• Reshoring of technology – The low cost / high culture business case of Greater New Orleans is extremely attractive to tech companies looking to bring jobs back to the US
• Onshoring of manufacturing – A similar trend, over a longer time horizon, will happen with manufacturing. Our logistics, workforce, and low utility rates make GNO a natural location
• Healthcare trends – Our regional institutions are national leaders in these areas like telemedicine and infectious disease; we also have great opportunity in neurodegenerative diseases
• Lifestyle trends – Greater New Orleans is already seeing remote workers, Louisiana ex-pats, and others, leaving dense, expensive places like NYC and San Francisco, for the more hospitable clime of the New Orleans market
Yes, there is a lot of work ahead of us, but we will prosper once again in 2021, as one region.
Let us begin 2021 with a heartfelt “Thank you!” to the staff, board, investors and partners of GNO, Inc. and the region.
We truly appreciate your extraordinary collaboration.