In Ascension Parish, the question isn’t whether growth is coming—it’s whether local businesses are ready to grow with it.
With billions of dollars in industrial investment in the works for the parish, leaders say the parish is entering a defining moment. The Ascension Chamber of Commerce is shifting to make sure small businesses are not left behind, from offering traditional programming to becoming a strategic connector between area businesses, industry and leadership.
“The chamber is working to ensure small businesses are not on the sidelines for this economic expansion but are actively in it,” Chamber president and CEO Donnie Miller says. “The center of our strategy is connecting local businesses to these projects.”
Through targeted monthly luncheons, industry-specific events and small-group roundtables, the chamber is creating opportunities for direct access—connecting local businesses to meet firms like Chevron and Shell face-to-face.
“The business community has been accessible, understanding and really collaborative,” Miller says.
Growth is already reshaping parts of the parish, particularly on the west bank near Donaldsonville, but Miller emphasizes the impact will be parishwide. Roughly 75% of the chamber’s 600 members are small businesses located outside that core industrial footprint. Ensuring those companies benefit from expansion is a central focus, he says.
Beyond business matchmaking, the chamber is also leaning into education. Rather than taking advocacy positions, Miller says the organization aims to “bring down the temperature” on certain hot topics through communication.
The organization is monitoring the current legislative session—specifically the Ascension Parish delegation—to give updates on bills regarding the workforce, insurance and industrial development and carbon capture.
Looking ahead, the chamber has a slate of events to keep the momentum going. On May 5, the organization will host its annual Young Ascension Professionals crawfish boil, where locals can hear the latest about petrochemical, energy sector and energy bills in session. A chamber member luncheon on May 14 will focus on small businesses with a panel discussion highlighting supplier opportunities and best practices for working with major industry players.
Over the summer, Miller says the organization plans to host an energy education event with partner groups to help the community better understand where local industries are headed over the next decade.
“This is a defining moment for Ascension Parish,” Miller says. “It’s our responsibility to make sure we can translate that growth into opportunity.”
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