COVINGTON, La. (press release) – St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation (St. Tammany EDC) has named Russell Richardson as its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following a national search. He will succeed Chris Masingill, who has led the organization for seven years and will transition to serve as President and CEO of Louisiana Central—the regional economic development organization based in Alexandria serving a ten-parish area of Central Louisiana.
“I am honored to join the team at St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation,” said Richardson. “I look forward to working with our elected officials, partners, stakeholders, business and industry leaders, community leaders, and residents across the parish as we continue to position St. Tammany as destination of choice for businesses to locate, advance, and thrive.”
A proven leader in the economic development industry with deep roots on the Northshore, Richardson brings more than a decade of experience from across Louisiana. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of business development at the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), the regional economic development organization for the Capital Region. In this role, he oversaw business development across the nine-parish region, helping secure $20 billion in new investment and more than 7,800 jobs.
“When we started our search for a new CEO, we cast a net across the U.S. to find an experienced executive and economic development practitioner who could hit the ground running, immediately form trusted relationships in our community, and accelerate the momentum we have in St. Tammany Parish and across our local economy,” said Joan Coffman, Chair of the St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation Board of Commissioners. “We were so pleased to find that our ideal candidate, Russell Richardson, was just down the road—bringing with him incredible experience, clear leadership skills, and strong familiarity with our area as a longtime former resident. We are excited to have Russell take the helm of our organization and to see the success we know will follow him as we welcome him home to St. Tammany.”
Prior to BRAC, Richardson was a senior business development manager at Louisiana Economic Development, where he managed a portfolio of over 60 domestic and international projects, securing more than $1 billion in capital investment across the state.
“As a Northshore native, Russell brings a deep understanding of our community’s unique strengths, challenges, and opportunities,” said Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois. “Couple that with a broad and proven track record in economic development leadership, and he is uniquely positioned to lead St. Tammany EDC into its next chapter of innovation, growth, and success.”
As CEO, Richardson will lead St. Tammany EDC’s strategic efforts to attract investment, support business success, and foster a resilient, competitive economy across St. Tammany Parish. He will be responsible for advancing the organization’s mission to position St. Tammany as a premier destination for talent, business growth, and long-term prosperity through collaborative engagement and relationship building.
“St. Tammany is known across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region for being an amazing community with a strong quality of life where people want to live,” Richardson continues. “My vision is to build on that foundation to ensure our parish economy helps reinforce and support that reputation, leveraging economic growth and opportunity to take St. Tammany to even greater heights.”
Masingill will continue to serve as CEO through August 22 to support a smooth leadership transition before Richardson formally assumes the role.
About St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation
As the economic development organization for St. Tammany, St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation (St. Tammany EDC) serves as the comprehensive resource center for business services throughout the parish. St. Tammany EDC’s services include business retention, site selection, workforce development, research and data services, state and local incentives, business attraction, talent retention, certified site development, relocation support, and marketing St. Tammany. Since the organization’s launch in 2018, St. Tammany EDC facilitated business expansion and attraction announcements representing over $291.9 million in capital investment and 2,299 new and retained jobs in St. Tammany Parish. For more information about St. Tammany EDC, please visit stttammanyedc.org.
