Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Crowne Plaza - Baton Rouge

We’re only a few weeks out from our BIGGEST event of the year. Tickets are on sale now for the 2024 LABI Annual Meeting happening on February 21st in Baton Rouge! We will have a morning panel with legislative leadership, and Governor Landry has been invited to give our keynote lunch address.

You can purchase tickets HERE. The early bird discount is available through February 2nd.

Susan Bonnett Bourgeois, a former longtime nonprofit head, will helm the Louisiana Department of Economic Development under Gov. Jeff Landry, Landry announced in a release Thursday. "Susan is exactly what this department needs to move Louisiana’s economy forward and put us on the playing field with our southern neighbors," Landry said. "I look forward to the great work she will do for our state." Bourgeois spent 16 years as the president and CEO of the Covington-based Northshore Community Foundation, a philanthropic organization that helps fund emergency relief and other charitable services in south Louisiana. Bourgeois left that post last year. She is currently the president of SBB Consulting, according to Landry's release.

LED CEO Roundtables is an award-winning program that provides a platform for leaders of second-stage companies to share insights and knowledge on topics such as accounting, marketing, human resources and leadership development. Roundtables allow participants to learn and understand how to incorporate best practices and new strategies into their businesses. Applications must be submitted by the March 31 deadline. The program begins in July. Groups of 15 to 18 eligible participants are selected in each region and meet 10 times over the course of a year. CEOs from companies with $600,000 to $50,000,000 and employ at least 5 employees, but not more than 99 employees are encouraged to apply. For more information, contact Taylor Boudreaux, program manager of LED Small Business Services, at 225-342-4680.

Keep Louisiana Beautiful Business Sustainability Workshops

Keep Louisiana Beautiful has partnered with LifeCity to conduct three workshops throughout the State of Louisiana to help businesses and organizations take meaningful actions to be more environmentally responsible. Come learn how small changes in the way you do business can lessen your environmental impact and increase your sustainability efforts. Workshops are free to attend and open to all businesses. 

Locations and Dates:

• May 8: Baton Rouge - Baton Rouge Area Chamber 564 Laurel St. Baton Rouge
• June 6: Ouachita Parish - Tower Plaza 1500 North 19th Street, Monroe
• June 13: Calcasieu Parish - SWLA Economic Development Alliance, the SEED Center on McNeese Campus 4310 Ryan Street, Lake Charles

Learn more and register HERE.

Last week we hosted a free training called "Hosting Candidate Events." If you've been wondering if your chamber should host one, which type of event would be the best fit and how to keep it focused on business, check out the recording here. 

Be sure to save the date (February 22 at 10am ET) for this month's training: How to Fund Your Advocacy Program (even before you build it). Click here to register and hear from a panel of chamber execs how they fund their successful advocacy programs.

Happy early Valentine’s Day! I love chambers and the work they do in communities, and Starfish Partnerships was created to make a difference in the lives of others, one person and one group at a time. I invite you to read our latest blog post on “What’s love got to do with it?” here: https://www.starfishpartnerships.com/blog/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it. On another note, we are excited to launch the All Things Chamber Digital training program – our give back program! This program is sold through the association with $100 of each purchase to them so, check your association website to purchase. Lastly, I know what it’s like to be in your shoes and sometimes, you may need assistance and you just aren’t sure who to call. I invite you to schedule a free, no strings attached, chat with me to see if we are the right partner to help you. Reach out to me by email to schedule a chat: teri@starfishpartnerships.com

The Chamber and Economic Development has announced the resignation of Megan Duhon who will step down as CEO on January 31, 2024. Duhon has accepted the position of Director of Economic Development at One Acadiana, the region’s economic development organization, where she will continue to work for a better Acadia Parish and Acadiana. The Chamber's Chairman and Board of Directors are actively engaged in the search for a successor to build upon the foundation laid by Duhon and previous leadership.

In January, a group of young professionals kicked off a new initiative, the Emerging Leaders Program, during which they began planning for a year filled with networking, learning about the Broussard community, and understanding how they can give back. The group will meet every other month.

Broussard Chamber President & CEO, Stacy Romero, will embark on a year-long journey of learning focused on education and workforce development in February. She is one of 35 chamber professionals from 26 states (and the only one from Louisiana!) that have been selected to participate in the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Business Leads Fellowship this year.

The Chamber will welcome Broussard Mayor Ray Bourque as the guest speaker for its February Chamber Luncheon. Mayor Bourque will summarize 2023 successes and share his plan for 2024.

The Chamber is pleased to welcome Kristin Perrin as their new Executive Director.

The New Orleans Chamber Foundation partnered with The Mobile Chamber (Mobile, AL), Jackson County Chamber and Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber (Gulfport-Biloxi, MS), One Acadiana (Lafayette, LA), and Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (Lake Charles, LA) to form the Gulf Coast Chambers Network (GCCN) to combine both the needs and resources of communities along the Gulf Coast to respond to this opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). GCCN was awarded a Phase 1 Strategy Development Grant and selected as a finalist to apply for the Phase 2 implementation grants. These 22 finalists were selected from more than 500 applications from lead applicants representing nonprofits, local government, economic development organizations, educational institutions, and tribal government and organizations. Together, the Finalists represent nearly $800 million. Click here to learn more.

Congratulations to our Chamber President Laci Sherman on graduating and receiving her certificate of completion with U.S. Chamber Foundation 8th Cohort Business Leads Fellowship Program. “I plan to leave the blueprint for the next generation and be resilient on days when I need to be the most! North Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce."  

In celebration of NBRCC 20th Anniversary, the Chamber will host its international fundraiser in Paradise to Italy - Embark on an epic odyssey and discover Italy’s timeless wonder during a 9-day getaway scheduled for October 26 - November 3, 2024! For more information, join our interest list here or email NorthBRChamber@gmail.com today!

The NBRCC membership meeting will commence on February 19 with a focus on Workforce Development and WIOA supportive services.

The Krewe of Nizhoni Women's Group Mardi Gras Parade will take place February 3 in downtown Ponchatoula. Click here for more information.

The Chamber had a strong presence during the 2024 Washington D.C. Mardi Gras held in January. The business highlight of the four-day event is the annual Economic Development Luncheon. As co-host with the Monroe Chamber, St. Tammany was spotlighted before statewide elected and business leaders. As the fourth-largest parish with significant business representation, 2024 was our turn to shine! Click here to read more.

The Chamber’s Board of Directors elected Chris Abadie, senior advisor with Stirling, to a one-year term as its Chairman of the Board before 200 members and guests at its Installation and Awards Luncheon presented by our President-Level Investors. Click here to read the press release.

The Chamber held a business-after-hours networking event hosted by Arena Collective. View photos here.

The Chamber always encourages members and the community to be informed before going to the polls. The Chamber will host a District Attorney Candidate Forum on February 22 at Beau Chene Country Club where candidate Collin Sims and Vincent Wynne will speak. Click here for more information. 

2024 Annual Convention Registration Now Open

#ACCE24 is one of the most anticipated chamber conferences of the year. The event is scheduled for July 16 - 19, 2024 in Dallas, TX. Winners will be announced for Chamber of the Year and communication awards, sales accomplishments will be recognized and we will celebrate our newest CCEs. CLICK HERE for more information and to register for the event.

Nonprofit Forms & Templates

We have collected examples and smart practices of templates that should make Chamber management a bit easier. CLICK HERE for the new document.

Deadline: Friday, February 9 at 5:00pm ET

This is a reminder that the scholarship application for the 2024 summer sites is open! All students, first-year and returning, are eligible to receive Institute scholarship funds. All applicants will be notified of their application status prior to registration launching. CLICK HERE to start your application.

We are holding the 2024-2025 Legislative Public Hearings for Louisiana Highway Priority Program. Pease CLICK HERE for more information.

The dates for the National Travel & Tourism Week have been changed to May 19-25 due to a conflict with another event US Travel is holding. Click here for more information.

LACCE members attended a U.S. Chamber policy briefing in January.