Empowering Louisiana's Economic Developers

Welcome to LEADing Louisiana,

the quarterly newsletter of the Louisiana Economic Alliance for Development,

where insight drives action, impact fuels progress, and innovation shapes the future of economic development in Louisiana.

What's Included in this Edition:

From the Helm: Messages from LEAD's leadership

Connect & Collaborate: Where Louisiana's economic leaders come together

Power Up: Opportunities to learn, grow, and lead

LEADing Policy & Advocacy: Insight on policies that are shaping Louisiana's future

Inside LED: Strategy, Innovation, & Impact: A look at what LED is focused on

LEADers Making an Impact: Recognizing the professionals and projects shaping the future

Maximizing Your Membership: Get the most out of being part of LEAD.

From the Helm

A Message from Stacy Romero,

Executive Director

As we close out the first half of 2025, I want to say THANK YOU! Your support and partnership have fueled LEAD’s recent growth and made it possible for us to deliver meaningful programming and connections across Louisiana.

In just a few short months, we’ve nearly tripled our membership, hosted two professional development courses, one of which is IEDC-accredited, and brought together over 50 economic development professionals for our first-ever LEAD Day at the Capitol. We also played an active role in this year’s legislative session amplifying the voices of our members and advocating for policies that strengthen our communities.

Looking ahead, we’ve got lots more in store for 2025: two additional professional development training courses and our annual membership conference this fall, as well as continued outreach across the state. We’re building something strong, and it’s all thanks to the support of partners like you.

As we move into the second half of the year, I invite you to get involved through events and committees and consider serving as a sponsor. And if you’re not yet a member, we’d love to welcome you. Join us as we work together to move Louisiana forward.

With gratitude,

Stacy Romero

Executive Director, LEAD

stacyr@louisianalead.org | (337) 962-7991

A Message from Russell Richardson,

Board President

LEAD Members,

I hope you're all having a great summer!

Lately, two words have been top of mind: teams and winning especially as we’ve been deep in baseball season. Jay Johnson nails it for LSU: “Tough and together.” My son’s high school team lives by a similar motto: FAMILY – Forget About Me, I Love You. Both teams won their championships this season, adding to their already impressive legacies.

Like these successful teams, winning in economic development takes toughness, togetherness, and a strong sense of FAMILY.

When I reflect on the projects I’ve worked on, I think of the countless emails, calls, texts, and meetings, both virtual and in person. Every interaction requires applying the right skills to move a project forward, while also navigating different personalities and motivations. From RFP responses and impact models to site due diligence, incentive negotiations, and community outreach, every step is part of a complex, emotional journey. If you’re lucky, it ends with something to celebrate.

But above all, the most critical factor in winning is the team. Whether you're leading the charge or supporting from behind the scenes, the teams that succeed are built on trust and authentic relationships.

As LEAD looks ahead to the fall and our annual meeting, I hope you’ll join us in continuing to build those relationships - the kind that help your teams keep winning.

Best,

Russell Richardson

2025 LEAD President

Meet the Team Behind the Mission

We're grateful to the dedicated economic development professionals who are committed to guiding LEAD forward in 2025. Click here to get to know our board members and learn about the experience they bring to the table.

Connect & Collaborate

Where Louisiana's economic leaders come together

Save the date for LEAD’s 2025 Annual Conference on October 14-15!

Get ready for a powerful experience of connection, conversation, and big-picture thinking about the future of economic development in Louisiana.

This year’s event will feature:

Thought-provoking keynote speakers
Dynamic panels on workforce, innovation, and industry growth
Insights from site selectors, business leaders, and state officials
Networking opportunities to connect with peers from across the state.

You won’t want to miss it, so mark your calendar and click here to reserve your seat now. And stay tuned because speaker announcements are coming soon!

Interested in sponsoring the conference?

Partner with LEAD to showcase your organization’s commitment to Louisiana’s economic future. Sponsors receive high-visibility branding, exclusive access to decision-makers, and the opportunity to be part of the statewide conversation. Click here to learn more or contact Stacy today by email at stacyr@lousianalead.org or phone at (337) 962-7991 to learn more about sponsorship opportunities and secure your spot.

Power Up

Professional development opportunities to learn, grow, and lead

Our Real Estate Development and Reuse course is in the books! We welcomed participants from across Louisiana for two days of in-depth, practical content led by 14 expert speakers. Designed specifically for economic developers and civic leaders, this course provided actionable tools and strategies to support revitalization efforts to drive stronger outcomes in communities across the state.

A huge thank you to our incredible speakers for sharing their time and expertise, and to LED for sponsoring this impactful training. Their continued support is helping us grow the capacity of Louisiana's economic development professionals.

New Course Alert!

Join us on August 4-5 at the SEED Center in Lake Charles for Workforce Development Essentials for Civic Leaders & Economic Developers, a hands-on course designed to equip local leaders with the tools and strategies to build strong, sustainable workforce systems in their communities.

*Learn workforce fundamentals

*Align talent with local industry needs

*Explore real-world strategies for community impact

Spots are limited, so click here to register today or reach out to us at training@louisianalead.org for more information.

LEADing Policy & Advocacy

Insight on policies that are shaping Louisiana's future

As the voice of Louisiana’s economic development professionals, LEAD was actively engaged this legislative session, advocating for policies that position our state for long-term prosperity. Our 2025 priorities focus on supporting measures that provide LED with the flexibility and agility needed to compete, securing funding for site readiness, expanding the workforce pipeline, and enhancing tax and business competitiveness.

Below is a list and key highlights of the bills LEAD supported this session as submitted by Policy & Advocacy Committee Chair, Mandi D. Mitchell.

New incentives for high-wage job creation via HB 507, LED’s new High Impact Jobs Program.
$150 million appropriated into a new Site Investment and Infrastructure Fund to support site readiness (HB 433/HB 461).
Workforce-focused policies including expanded work-based learning tax credits (HB 533), incentives for employers’ investments into childcare access (SB 233), and alignment of high school career and tech ed programming with high-demand jobs (HB 161).
Support for infrastructure access to enable data center development through SB 79.
Talent retention efforts like SCR 38 to strengthen college-to-career pathways.

Click here for the full breakdown of these economic development bills and what they mean for Louisiana's future. If you would like additional details on any of the bills LEAD supported, please feel free to reach out to Mandi Mitchell, Chair of LEAD’s Policy & Advocacy Committee.

Inside LED

Updates on Strategy, Innovation & Impact

During the 2025 regular legislative session, Governor Landry and the Legislature took bold actions that align with and enable the execution of Louisiana Economic Development’s new Statewide Strategic Plan — accelerating economic growth, empowering communities, and modernizing the deployment of state economic development tools and resources.

Here’s how the results of the session will fuel a smarter, faster and more competitive LED:

Act 432: “LED 2.0”

This Act further streamlines the structure of the economic development agency to respond faster and more nimbly to market shifts. It also established the first-ever Louisiana Innovation Fund to grow homegrown companies and help startups and scale-ups thrive here at home.

Act 365: Sites and Infrastructure Initiative

This Act allocates $150 million investment for the creation of a competitive, ROI-driven program to prepare shovel-ready sites across Louisiana.

Act 372: High Impact Jobs Program

This Act creates a new wage-growth business incentive that will be available to qualifying businesses of all sizes, beginning July 1, 2025.

Act 446: Major Events Fund

This Act simplifies statewide support for marquee events that significantly elevate Louisiana’s brand globally.

All of these programs and initiatives are either operating under emergency rules, or in the rule making process. More information will be provided on LED’s website as it becomes available.

An updated business incentives guide outlining all active programs administered through LED is now available on the agency’s website at opportunitylouisiana.com/incentives.

SEDC Spotlight

Regional Collaboration, Southern Impact

Join LEAD at the 2025 SEDC Annual Conference in Oklahoma City!

August 10–12, 2025 | Oklahoma City, OK

LEAD is heading to Oklahoma City for the 2025 Annual Conference, and we want you to join us! LEAD Executive Director Stacy Romero and several LEAD board members will be in attendance and we'd love to see a strong showing from across our state.

This year's conference will feature dynamic sessions on economic development strategy, innovation, and impact across the south. And LEAD's Board Vice Chair Mandi Mitchell will moderate a panel discussing the landmark Meta Data Center win in north Louisiana.

Make plans to attend, connect with peers, and bring fresh ideas back to your community. Let's represent Louisiana in OKC!

For more information on the conference and to register, click here.

LEADers Making an Impact

Recognizing the professionals and projects shaping Louisiana's future

A Major Win for the Bayou Region

The Bayou Region just landed its most significant economic development win in over a decade and it’s a game changer. Neuro.io, backed by global neurotechnology leader MindMaze, will invest $100 million to build its first U.S. innovation campus in Houma, creating more than 1,100 direct jobs in AI, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing.

This project is a powerful testament to the Bayou Region’s readiness to lead in tech and innovation, and it wouldn’t have happened without the tireless efforts of Cohen Guidry of T PEDA and Christy Zeringue of COLAB, who helped make this vision a reality. Congrats to our friends in the Bayou Region!

Click here to read the full story about this transformative investment and what it means for the future of the Bayou Region.