BATON ROUGE, La. – Gov. Jeff Landry has signed legislation designed to “overhaul the state’s approach to economic development and revitalize business investment and job creation throughout the state.”
SB 494, known as the “Positioning Louisiana to Win” bill, changes the organizational structure of Louisiana Economic Development, the state agency focused on creating new workforce opportunities.
The June 11 bill signing coincided with LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois’ announcement of her senior leadership team.
“Today we are taking the first big step toward restoring Louisiana’s position as the economic powerhouse of the South,” Landry said at the event. “We have always had the most skilled and dedicated workers, the richest natural resources and the best location for national and international commerce in the country. Now, with the signing of this bill and the leadership of Secretary Bourgeois, we can finally take full advantage of all the things that make Louisiana so special and give our workers and their families the future they deserve.”
The legislation establishes a private sector-led board – the Louisiana Economic Development Partnership – charged with developing an economic development strategic plan and advising on policies, programs and initiatives.
An LED spokesperson said the legislation “provides the agency with flexibility to operate at the speed of business by exempting it from state procurement and technology services bottlenecks.”
“Louisiana has a historic opportunity for investment, jobs, growth, innovation and global impact,” Bourgeois said. “But we can’t seize that opportunity unless we dramatically change our approach. The passage of SB 494 clears a path for that transformation to occur. I want to thank the bill’s author, Sen. Beth Mizell, and House Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Daryl Deshotel; the House and Senate leadership; and the entire State Legislature for their unwavering support. With the governor, legislators, stakeholders and business leaders pulling in the same direction, and a talented and energized LED leadership team in place, realizing our state’s extraordinary economic potential is now within reach.”
Bourgeois was joined at the bill signing by her newly appointed executive team:
- Anne Villa, Deputy Secretary
- Rachel Shields, Chief Engagement Officer
- Paige Carter, Chief Business Development Officer
- Joshua Fleig, Chief Innovation Officer
- Ileana Ledet, Chief Economic Competitiveness Officer
- Mark Lorando, Chief Communications Officer
- Chelsea Harris Dufrene, Executive Director, LED FastStart
- Chris Stelly, Executive Director, Louisiana Entertainment and Director, Legislative Affairs
- Robin Porter, Executive Counsel
LED said the new legislation aligns the agency’s organizational framework with the best practices in Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia. It also follows the recommendations of a study commissioned by the Committee of 100, a private nonprofit organization whose members include CEOs of leading private and public companies and Louisiana university presidents.
“Other states have had capabilities and structure we lacked at LED,” said Adam Knapp, CEO of the Committee of 100. “It’s important that this bill was based on independent, national research of best practices in other states. Today’s bill signing marks a new day in Louisiana’s aggressive pursuit of economic development.”
