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From construction and logistics to fine art and megaproject recruitment, leaders across industries keep coming back to the same conclusion: The Capital Region is a place where companies can grow—and keep growing. In conversations with executives who’ve doubled down on Greater Baton Rouge, a clear theme emerges: strong industries, strong talent and a business culture that rewards both ambition and relationships. Here’s why they’re placing their bets here.
Craig Stevens
CEO, Genesis 360
Genesis 360 manages projects across the country, but Craig Stevens wouldn’t want to run it from anywhere else. He cites Baton Rouge’s metropolitan market opportunities and tight-knit community culture as the recipe for growth for his nearly 15-year-old business, which oversees construction, maintenance and IT initiatives for clients. And in recent years, it has cemented its status as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation, gracing The Inc. 5000 list in 2022 and 2023.
When you look at the Capital Region from a business standpoint, what’s the most compelling reason Genesis 360 chooses to grow here?
“For a company like ours, Baton Rouge provides both scale and access. The region is large enough to sustain complex service offerings—construction, facility management and tech-enabled solutions—yet small enough for businesses to build meaningful relationships that accelerate growth.”
What advantage does the Capital Region offer that leaders outside Louisiana often overlook or underestimate?
“Our combination of economic diversity and collaborative business culture. Our region isn’t defined by one industry. It spans industrial, health care, energy, higher education, logistics and government sectors. That creates consistent demand for high-performance companies.”
How has the Capital Region evolved—or improved—as a place to do business during your time in leadership?
“There’s greater emphasis on entrepreneurship, innovation and building a strong talent pipeline. … We’ve also seen improvement in infrastructure, professional services, access to capital and support programs that help companies scale faster and compete nationally.”
If you had to make the business case for the Capital Region to another CEO or investor, what would be the headline of your pitch?
“Baton Rouge: Where strong industries, strong talent and strong relationships converge to fuel sustainable growth.”
Kate MacArthur
President/CEO, Ascension Economic Development Corp.
Much has changed since 2017, when Kate MacArthur took the helm at Ascension Economic Development Corp. Ascension has been the state’s fourth-fastest-growing parish since 2020, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. It simultaneously has generated a flurry of new development, including the 17,000-acre RiverPlex MegaPark set to house facilities for Hyundai Steel, CF Industries and more.
When you look at the Capital Region from a business standpoint, what are the most compelling reasons for organizations to choose to grow here?
“We consistently promote our market’s unique advantages for sustainable business operations. In Ascension Parish, that includes strong local government support, robust infrastructure, skilled talent, superior education and training, a commitment to safety and efficient logistics.”
What advantage does our region offer that leaders outside Louisiana often overlook or underestimate?
“We have a proven track record of landing and supporting large-scale capital projects.”
How has the Capital Region evolved—or improved—as a place to do business during your time in leadership?
“There has been a growing emphasis on partnerships and collaborative policies over the last decade. It has significantly improved living and working locally.”
If you had to make the business case for the Capital Region to another CEO or investor, what would be the headline of your pitch?
“You can build here, hire here and grow here—faster and more competitively than almost anywhere else.”
John Schempf
President, The Newtron Group
The Newtron Group has catapulted across the country since its founding more than 50 years ago, managing national projects and opening regional offices. The specialty electrical construction company reported nearly $1 billion in revenue in 2024, thanks to its contributions to a versatile collection of projects ranging from refineries and energy plants to data centers and electric vehicle production facilities. But its roots remain firmly planted at its Baton Rouge headquarters, notes President John Schempf.
When you look at the Capital Region from a business standpoint, what’s the most compelling reason The Newtron Group chooses to grow here?
“While we have also chosen to grow in other areas of the Gulf Coast and the country, being in Baton Rouge has never been anything but a positive for our company and its growth. We have so many committed employees in this area, and we have customers who we have worked with for many years in the area.”
What advantage does the Capital Region offer that leaders outside Louisiana often overlook or underestimate?
“This goes back to the people. Perhaps leaders from outside of this area don’t realize the amount of skilled labor that exists here. Baton Rouge is home to a number of highly qualified contractors, as well as many industrial owners.”
How has the Capital Region evolved—or improved—as a place to do business during your time in leadership?
“The state’s economic development arms have improved the incentives for companies to invest here. Political leaders have realized that these incentives promote growth in the state and create continued job opportunities for those coming out of school.”
If you had to make the business case for the Capital Region to another CEO or investor, what would be the headline of your pitch?
“Your company can achieve continued growth and be based in Baton Rouge, just like ours has.”
Ann Connelly
Founder, Ann Connelly Fine Art
Ann Connelly was ahead of her time. Long before today’s wave of interest in contemporary artists, she was celebrating them at shows in Baton Rouge. By the time she opened her first gallery in 1998, she had already begun to shift local perspectives on art. And in 2017, she and her husband, Paul Connelly, also changed the retail landscape with the opening of the 2.8-acre Studio Park development.
When you look at the Capital Region from a business standpoint, what’s the most compelling reason Studio Park and Ann Connelly Fine Art choose to grow here?
“We took a chance when we opened our first brick-and-mortar gallery nearly 28 years ago, and we were immediately embraced by the community. When we later developed Studio Park, I wanted to give something back to Baton Rouge—to preserve the tree canopy, celebrate our historic architecture and give people a space that might change the way people talked about the city.”
What advantage does the Capital Region offer that leaders outside Louisiana often overlook or underestimate?
“The talent of the creatives in the area. When we travel to Art Basel in Miami or to shows in Europe, we’re reminded that what we have here is not only special, but it belongs on a parallel international stage. There are so many artists from this area humming on another level of creative intelligence. When I come home, I want to amplify the work of artists speaking our indigenous language.”
How has the Capital Region evolved—or improved—as a place to do business during your time in leadership?
“Art is now being embraced by so many industries—banks, hotels, hospitals. Leaders in this community now look to us as art consultants for projects in spaces like the Watermark hotel or Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.”
If you had to make the business case for Baton Rouge to another CEO or investor, what would be the headline of your pitch?
“We can create what we admire here.”
Kylie Sparks
President, Pipe & Steel
At his company’s holiday party last year, Kylie Sparks shared his vision for 2026: a plan to make Pipe & Steel more efficient, safe and stable as it’s poised for massive growth in the new year. The Denham Springs steel fabrication business is on the cusp of its next big chapter, beginning construction on a $5.1 million facility expansion this year.
When you look at the Capital Region from a business standpoint, what’s the most compelling reason Pipe & Steel chooses to grow here?
“Our area has a very diverse set of industrial facilities, and we are gaining even more diversity as the abundance of natural gas evolves.”
What advantage does the Capital Region offer that leaders outside Louisiana often overlook or underestimate?
“We are situated far enough away from the Gulf Coast to avoid the worst effects of storms while maintaining access to energy. We’re ideally located among interstate systems, and a business like ours can service to the east and the west, from Pascagoula to Houston.”
How has the Capital Region evolved—or improved—as a place to do business during your time in leadership?
“Due to fluctuating energy prices, I think we’re becoming smarter about business diversification. And the Louisiana labor force remains second to none. We have generations of welders and craftsmen, and AI is not going to take those jobs easily.”
If you had to make the business case for the Capital Region to another CEO or investor, what would be the headline of your pitch?
“We’ve outgrown our competitive nature enough to understand that the more businesses that locate in our area, the better it is for our region.”
—As told to Jennifer Tormo Alvarez
Quotes have been edited for brevity and clarity.
This story is part of Business Report‘s Capital Assets edition. Get the entire 2026 Capital Assets edition.
