I am one who believes in “best practices” and learning from the experiences of others. That is the basis behind the annual canvass trip hosted by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and the city of Baton Rouge. A group of about 140 people from the community visited Richmond, Va., last month. Past trips have gone to Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; Portland, Ore.; and Raleigh, N.C.
Richmond is a capital city, river town and home to universities. It is similar in size to Baton Rouge and facing many of the same challenges. Chairman of this year’s trip was Julio Melara, president of Business Report, publisher of 225, and my business partner. He shared with me his lessons learned from the trip which were:
• “The downtown development was a great example of how an urban core can be revitalized through integral cooperation of public and private partnerships. Virginia Commonwealth University has been a major force in revitalizing and linking their campus and downtown. New businesses and affordable housing have all been a key to helping them keep their young talent.”
• “One of the major reasons Richmond continues to do a good job in retaining talent in their region is because of issues relating to quality of life. They have an extensive bike trail system [something we need in B.R.], a strong and proud sense of history among the citizens and numerous museums. This, coupled with a much broader community more engaged in the arts than B.R., contributes to a greater quality of life.”
• “Richmond, like B.R., has racial challenges. They’re fighting poverty and housing issues. However, one big lesson was how they are creating partnerships to transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy and sustainable communities. They are making progress and helping to increase land values. This is beginning to attract private developers. This meant fighting the status quo, leaders taking risks and setting aside egos. Something we can learn from.”
• “The biggest lesson for me personally: It was evident that Richmond is ahead of us in collaboration. There, the black, white, public, private, young and old leaders were working together more often than not, and therefore, they’re making progress on several fronts. They have lots of challenges, like all cities, but I was impressed with the level of unity and commitment. It was Henry Ford’s quote that came to mind after the trip: ‘Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.’ That’s the lesson our business and community leaders need to remember as we reflect on the growth of Richmond, Va.”
Melara applauded the job that Adam Knapp and Nicole David of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber did in arranging the trip, as well as Mayor Kip Holden’s commitment from the city-parish.
While some in our community have criticized these trips in the past, their minds are simply closed to new ideas and better solutions. We don’t have all the answers in Baton Rouge—and we must continue to seek, learn and grow to address our old problems, as well as new challenges.
But the bottom line is results—and I challenge the chamber, mayor and everyone on that trip to collaborate, apply the best lessons learned and make positive change happen in 2009.
Jindal, Moret deliver jobs for La.
While the rest of the nation reels from the recession and suffers thousands of layoffs, Louisiana bucks the trend and is announcing new jobs, expansions and retention of jobs. The announcements below covered different parts of the state and all came in the last six weeks. Nice work.
• Gov. Bobby Jindal announced that Pilgrim’s Pride reached an agreement to sell its Farmerville plant to Foster Farms: “This is a major victory for the people of northeast Louisiana—and our entire state. This agreement will save more than 1,000 direct jobs and keep hundreds of chicken growers in business. I want to thank Pilgrim’s Pride and Foster Farms, along with Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain and Sen. Mike Walsworth and the other officials in the area.”
• Jindal joined Schlumberger officials to announce an expansion of Schlumberger’s operations in Shreveport. Schlumberger is a leading oilfield services company and this project represents a $48 million investment that will retain 120 jobs and create 400 new jobs within three to four years. An additional 250 construction jobs are estimated over a yearlong construction period.
• Jindal joined Performance Energy Services to announce an expansion of the company’s facility in Houma. The company will develop 5 acres at the Port of Terrebonne. This project represents a $26 million capital investment that will retain 800 jobs and create 350 new jobs within five years at an average salary of more than $55,000 plus benefits.
• Jindal and Computer Programs and Systems Inc. President and CEO J. Boyd Douglas announced the expansion of CPSI operations to Monroe. CPSI, a health care IT company, is opening up a new call center in Monroe that will create 40 new jobs in the first year and 100 new jobs within four years with a payroll totaling $1.9 million plus full benefits.
• Jindal and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret joined Southland Steel Fabricators Vice President Joey Lombardo to announce plans to expand Southland’s existing facility in Greensburg. The project represents a $1.5 million capital investment that will retain 141 jobs and create 35 new jobs, with an average salary of $36,000.
Change is happening in La.
The governor isn’t just working on new jobs but is looking to change state government and the future for Louisiana. Here are a few other items, in addition to tackling the budget deficit, that Jindal has announced recently:
• Jindal announced a proposal for eliminating 22 state boards and commissions that are no longer active or essential. A longtime advocate for eliminating boards and commissions, Rep. Mert Smiley, will introduce legislation to remove these 22 from the state rolls. In addition, the governor said his administration, in collaboration with the State Senate, has already abolished 68 boards and commissions that were inactive, yet still on the state books.
• Jindal called for the extension of six existing tax credits that are set to expire or sunset at reduced levels. The six tax credits include four entertainment industry tax incentives and two innovation tax incentives.
• Jindal is forming an Innovation Council to bring together educators, top entrepreneurs and community leaders to formulate a strategy for building up the state’s knowledge-based economy. Moret says the council will help the state develop and implement targeted policies, programs and investments that could go further in promoting a knowledge-based economy in Louisiana. “We will bring together academia, the business community, economic development and workforce leaders, as well as some of Louisiana’s leading entrepreneurs to cultivate and foster Louisiana’s innovation ecosystem,” he says.
