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"CHAMBER 101: MAKING THE MOST
OF YOUR INVESTMENT"
CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP ORIENTATION
& OPEN HOUSE
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Make your Chamber Membership work for you. We encourage our new Chamber members to attend one of our upcoming two Membership Orientation meetings. This is your opportunity to meet the Chamber staff, introduce your business, and familiarize yourself with the variety of benefits we offer in order to get connected.
At each orientation, you will meet the Chamber's executive leadership and receive an informal presentation covering all you need to know to start making your Chamber membership work for you.
Topics covered include:
Plan of Work
Chamber Committees
Networking Events
Upcoming Special Events
Member Services
Programs
Whether you're a new or existing member, Member Orientation is a great way to start maximize the value of your Chamber membership.
Please RSVP for one of the following dates:
September 5
8:30 am - 9:30 am
or
September 16
5 pm - 6 pm
Seating is limited, please RSVP at 318.442.6671. For more information, contact �Lindsey Morone.
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FORT POLK PROGRESS RELEASES ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT REGARDING POSSIBLE FORCE REDUCTION
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LEESEVILLE, LA - Fort Polk Progress, in response to the Department of the Army's Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment (SPEA) for the Army 2020 Force Structure Realignment and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI), released in June, has engaged the services of Business Development Advisors (BDA) to analyze: 1) the economic impact of Fort Polk on surrounding communities in Louisiana, and 2) the expected negative impact of a proposed force reduction of 6,500 troops and Army civilians on the same locations.
BDA's analysis builds on the work performed in2013 for Louisiana Economic Development, in which DBA, working with the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness, calculated the economic impact of defense spending and defense contracting in Louisiana and eight regions of the state. BDA was also asked to review and comment on the socioeconomics analysis prepared for the Army 2020 Force Structure Realignment Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment (SPEA), which also assessed the potential impact of a loss of 6,500 Army positions.
"Considering direct, indirect and induced effects, our preliminary findings are that a force reductions of 6,500 troops and Army civilians at Fort Polk would cost the State of Louisiana $864 million in statewide sales; $567 million in income; $30 million in state and local taxes; and nearly 11,000 total jobs," said Michael Reese, chairman of Fort Polk Progress.
Click the Fort Polk Progress logo to view the entire press release.
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CREST INDUSTRIES CEO KENNETH ROBINSON ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION, EXPANSION OF PRECISION CUTTING SPECIALTIES IN EUNICE
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EUNICE, La. - Gov. Bobby Jindal and Crest Industries CEO Kenneth Robison announced the company is acquiring the assets and will expand the workforce of Eunice-based Precision Cutting Specialties Inc., or PCS. Crest, based in Pineville, Louisiana, will invest $5 million to develop a new cutting, machining and fabrication facility in Eunice and add new machining centers to existing PCS equipment. Crest will retain 18 PCS jobs, and the expansion project will create 20 new jobs averaging $50,000 per year, plus benefits. LED estimates the investment will result in an additional 24 indirect jobs, for a total of 44 new jobs in the Acadiana Region.
Gov. Jindal said, "After prior headquarters and new plant expansions in Louisiana, Crest Industries is again on the move with another investment in our state. Now, with additional resources and the skilled workforce of Precision Cutting Specialties, Crest can further position itself as a manufacturing leader in the energy sector. Crest Industries is a great template for how Louisiana businesses, as well as other investors, can thrive by accessing our state's best-in-the-nation business climate, skilled workforce and world-class infrastructure. We're excited that Crest and PCS will be bringing new jobs to Acadiana."
Founded in 1958, Crest Industries serves a global market in the electric utility, commercial and industrial electrical contractor, forestry and energy industries. The acquisition will enhance the ability of both Crest Industries and PCS to provide high-quality goods and services to meet the increased demands of industries served by both companies.
Click the Crest Industries logo to view the entire press release.
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You are receiving this email because you are a member of the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce. Don't forget to add [email protected] to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox!
Sincerely,
The Central LA Chamber of Commerce
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| THANK YOU FOR SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT FOR FORT POLK |
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Over the last several weeks, the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Fort Polk Progress in a public comment period to show support for keeping Fort Polk's current troop strength and placing it on a track for future growth. As of Monday evening, Mike Reese, Chairman, Fort Polk Progress reported that he has tracked a total of 17,000 letters sent on behalf of Fort Polk from the communities surrounding the post. He said there are possibly thousands more that were sent directly to the Army's direct e-mail address that Fort Polk Progress was unable to track. The Army will release the final totals once letters of support are counted for the 30 installations at risk for cuts. The letters are in response to the US Army 2014 Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment that proposes a possible cut of 6,500 troops at Fort Polk as well as potential cuts at 29 other Army facilities due to budget reductions.
"We thank the central Louisiana community for stepping up in great numbers to show their support for Fort Polk," said Deborah Randolph, Chamber President. "Thousands of the letters sent to the Army were from our area of central Louisiana. We also thank our mayors, legislators and other elected officials for being a part of this important campaign."
Randolph said the Chamber will continue to partner with Fort Polk Progress to advocate for the post by communicating its value to decision makers at the Pentagon and in the halls of Congress.
The public comment period ended yesterday, August 25. This will be followed up by listening sessions in the affected communities this spring of 2015, with a final decision on cuts expected in June of 2015. The Chamber will communicate the date and time of the Fort Polk community listening session.
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LOUISIANA'S BRIGHT ECONOMIC FUTURE
WAS THE TOPIC OF
AUGUST'S STRATEGIC LUNCHEON
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The economic future of Louisiana, especially here in central Louisiana, seems to be a bright one according to C.R. "Rusty" Cloutier, President and Chief Executive Officer of MidSouth Bank, NA, and MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. in Lafayette, Louisiana. Cloutier was the guest speaker at the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce August Strategic Luncheon, held on Thursday, August 14 at Convention Hall at Alexandria City Hall, sponsored by MidSouth Bank.
Cloutier spoke on economics in today's America, Louisiana's current job growth, and the completion of I-49 and its impact on Alexandria. He revealed that, in comparison to the rest of the US, Louisiana's economy is in fair shape mainly due to the state's oil and gas commodities. It is because of these natural resources that Cloutier believes Louisiana's economy will boom over the next 10 to 15 years, as new businesses travel to Louisiana to take advantage of readily available fuel and its low cost.
Cloutier says central Louisiana will be vital in this new business boom. As these new businesses set their sights on south Louisiana, they'll also encounter hurricanes and unruly coastal weather, making central Louisiana a prime location to build storage facilities and warehouses and bringing new jobs to the area. This will also affect the urgency of completing I-49 from Kansas City, Missouri, to New Orleans.
Cloutier is the past chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Fannie Mae in Washington, DC, and past chairman of the Independent Community Bankers of America. In addition, he is a former member of the Securities and Exchange Commission Advisory Committee on Smaller Public Companies, a former director of the New Orleans branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta as well as Energy Advisory Council. He is currently a member of the Nominating Advisory Committee for the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta.
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EXPERT ADVICE TO HELP YOU GET IT ALL DONE, BETTER. |
Put your brain on autopilot for the small stuff.
Some super productive people don't waste their time on the small daily decisions that take up much of our brain space. Prerna Gupta, Chief production officer of social music app Smule says she's able to tackle big picture problems by eating the exact thing for breakfast and lunch every day. She calls it "reducing decision fatigue."
Author: Kathleen Davis, Leadership Editor for FastCompany.com. Previously, she has worked as an editor at Entrepreneur.com, WomansDay.com and Popular Photography magazine.
Source: http://www.fastcompany.com/3024252/11-expert-tips-to-help-you-be-more-productive-in-2014
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YPG OF CENLA TO HOST
"THIRD THURSDAY"
NETWORKING HAPPY HOUR
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The Young Professionals Group of
Central Louisiana will host a
"Third Thursday"
Networking Happy Hour!
Thursday, September 18, 2014
5:00pm to 7:00pm
Location TBA
 
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RIBBON CUTTING
CELEBRATIONS
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click on the photo to view
Pearl Nails
Yapha Physician Services
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