Two New Orleans-based organizations were among 10 projects selected by Delta Regional Authority for funding through the Delta Workforce Grant Program. GNO, Inc. Development Foundation and New Orleans Technical Education Provider each received a $200,000 grant. GNO, Inc. Development Foundation is working in collaboration with the Louisiana Parole Board and Orleans Parish Office of Workforce Development for Project Rebirth, which will support unmet hiring needs while also providing a second chance through a stable career pathway for re-entry talent. Partners will work together to build awareness, action and employer engagement specifically focused on three sectors experiencing talent shortages: construction, healthcare and manufacturing.
In December 2021, Christa Cotton, CEO of El Guapo Bitters, announced that the company secured $1.1 million in seed funding, which will allow for increased production and raised visibility for its portfolio of cocktail products. This milestone comes on the heels of recent news that the company is building America’s first bitters brewery on Gravier Street in New Orleans. The company has doubled its workforce since early 2020 and will be making 12 additional hires in 2022. El Guapo has also partnered with regional farmers to keep money in the local economy, producing products made with Louisiana strawberries, satsumas, pecans, chicory and more.
Gov. John Bel Edwards and Intralox President Edel Blanks announced the company is investing $60 million to expand its Hammond manufacturing facility. The investment will more than double the facility’s current footprint, adding 300,000 square feet to the 130,000 square-foot building. With the expansion, the company will create 425 direct new jobs, increasing average annual payroll by $10 million. The expansion is set to be complete by the end of 2022 and will increase the Hammond facility’s belting output by 50 percent. The jobs created with the expansion will include non-technical, technical and engineering roles.
