METAIRIE — From the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission:
Each year, we take an opportunity to look back at JEDCO’s impact on the Jefferson Parish economy. We typically release the previous year’s Annual Report about halfway through our current year, which gives us the ability to celebrate the dynamic efforts, wins, and successes of the JEDCO team and to highlight how last year’s work drives this year’s continued triumphs. I take great pride in sharing the 2021 Annual Report with all of you.
The theme of the Annual Report this year is “At the Heart of the Jefferson Parish Economy” and you’ll see that motif running throughout. In 2021, we conceived a new brand for our Economic Development Services department. In early 2022, we rolled out the new name and the vision behind it. HEART, which stands for “Hub for Expansion, Attraction, Retention, and Talent” encapsulates the role that our team plays in bringing new business to the community, supporting growth, and dedicating resources to workforce development. Beyond the acronym, HEART demonstrates the care with which our team approaches every project. It plays into our focus on Jefferson Parish’s growing medical infrastructure. It elevates the resilience of our community, which has weathered all types of storms together. JEDCO is at the heart of the Jefferson Parish economy.
In 2021, JEDCO welcomed new businesses and industries into the community, launched new campaigns and initiatives, and began to carry out the Jefferson EDGE 2025, Jefferson Parish’s long-term economic development strategic plan. In the Finance Department, 74% of funded loans went to minority-owned and/or woman-owned businesses. Our Strategic Initiatives team helped land JEDCO a major federal grant to assess Brownfield properties in parts of the West Bank. We continued to host new seasons of the Jefferson Parish Pulse podcast and built upon our educational seminar series, Prosper Jefferson. JEDCO never stops moving forward to shape the future of the economy.
Our work would not be possible without the support and collaboration of the elected officials, investors, stakeholders, Commissioners, and business organizations that help to propel our many initiatives forward. The cooperation in Jefferson Parish and around the region makes us what we are: a resilient, competitive, dynamic, innovative destination for business.
