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SPOTLIGHT
JEFF CONRAD
Chief Executive Officer, Pelican Credit Union
“Our greatest strength starts with the fact that Baton Rouge is a large city sitting right on the Mississippi River; we have a major port and six railroad services. The second strength is the petrochemical industry. At one time in the early ’70s, everybody worked for a plant—your dad, my dad, everybody. Houston’s probably number one in petrochemicals, but we’re right behind them as far as industry. The third thing is LSU. Baton Rouge is riding on the coattails of LSU. Everybody knows LSU. Those are the three things that shine more than anything else—assets that Baton Rouge has that others don’t have.“
DAVID CRESSON
President and CEO, Louisiana Chemical Association and Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance
“The petrochemical industry is a cornerstone of our state, and one of the Capital Region’s extraordinary assets. We are the number one direct manufacturing employer in Louisiana, with 35,000 or more employees and tens of thousands of contractors, plus an untold number of indirect jobs related to the industry. Much of that is thanks to our location along the Mississippi River and our abundant supply of natural resources, unparalleled by any other state in the nation. Our decades of industrial expertise and skilled workforce have enabled our state to establish a viable and prosperous industry founded on good chemistry. We have become a national leader in energy production. supporting high-paying jobs, strengthening local economies, and creating investments that benefit our communities.“
CHUCK DAIGLE
Chief Executive Officer, Ochsner Baton Rouge and Lake Charles
“It starts with the people. They’re warm, they’re welcoming, and people here show up for each other. That sense of connectivity in this community is strong compared to other places. Second is higher education. Between LSU, Southern University and Baton Rouge Community College, we’ve got an education powerhouse and huge opportunities to attract new economic development. Third is healthcare innovation. You’ve got innovation leaders between Ochsner, Pennington, LSU, Southern and other providers that bring energy and investment in training and technology. And finally, we’ve got an asset we don’t always take advantage of: every statewide official is in this market for a growing portion of the year. That gives us exposure to the state’s decision-makers.”
CONNIE FABRE
President and CEO, Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance
“Our biggest assets are our central location and what has brought people here for hundreds of years — our infrastructure on the river: pipelines, the port system, and the rail network and natural resources. We are a crossroads for the nation, and that’s what makes our industrial base possible. We have a global reach, yet we’re not too big. Going somewhere like San Francisco, it’s overwhelming. Here, even though we’re globally connected in so many ways, we’re still a manageable, friendly city.”
CHARLES LANDRY
Partner, Fishman Haygood
“No downtown area in America is better situated than Baton Rouge for growth. We have so many available assets, but we need to do more with them. Between Plan Baton Rouge III, the New River Center, LSU Arena and Memorial Park, we’re in a spectacular place project-wise. The LSU brand is also an incredible, but sometimes overlooked, asset that’s just as important to our state as Tabasco or crawfish. And then there’s water. What’s the one thing we have way too much of that becomes a problem every four or five years? Water. Water is going to put us on the map in the next 20 to 25 years. We’re going to be in a position to use existing pipelines to move water from where we have too much of it to places where they need it. Water rights can become a real initiative if we seize the opportunity.”
WILLIE E. SMITH, SR.
Chancellor, Baton Rouge Community College
“Baton Rouge has a thriving community college that is part of the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS). Baton Rouge Community College is a tremendous asset right now. We produce more than 4,200 graduates a year, and less than 20% transfer to our universities. Where do they go? They go to work. So, when you ask what our biggest asset is, I would say BRCC, especially in providing a direct workforce pipeline. For companies looking for reliability and value, BRCC offers both, specifically supporting the workforce needs in Baton Rouge and across the state. We make sure our students are ready for the workforce with short-term, industry-specific training for entry-level jobs quickly, and upskilling in higher-paying technical roles. ”
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