In August, LEAD welcomed economic developers and civic leaders from across Louisiana to McNeese State University for a two-day Workforce Development course. Expert speakers led sessions on workforce competitiveness, talent attraction, emerging worker pipelines, and statewide programs equipping participants with actionable strategies to strengthen communities statewide.

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.

Come for the course, stay for the conference!

Join us on October 13 & 14 at BRAC, just prior to LEAD's Annual Conference, for AI for Economic Development, a course designed to help practitioners understand, apply, and integrate artificial intelligence into their economic development work.

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

Louisiana Doubles Down on Business Growth

Earlier this month, Governor Jeff Landry launched four new initiatives to give Louisiana businesses more tools and opportunities to thrive:

• Source Louisiana – A new statewide directory that makes it easier for prime contractors and large-scale projects to identify qualified Louisiana businesses of all sizes. Source Louisiana allows businesses to showcase their services, certifications and capacity, ensuring that more Louisiana companies are in the pipeline for opportunity. The platform is available now at SourceLouisiana.com. Louisiana businesses are encouraged to go online to register, verify and update their information as soon as possible.

• Driving Louisiana Opportunity Tour – LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois and her leadership team are embarking on a multi-day, multi-stop tour to meet directly with driver companies across Louisiana. As part of LED’s record-setting goal of 800 business retention and expansion visits this fiscal year, the tour will highlight the people and companies fueling Louisiana’s economy while listening firsthand to business needs and opportunities.

• Project Lightning Speed – Governor Landry has signed an Executive Order directing LED to formalize its winning, unified approach to economic development. By streamlining efforts across state agencies through designated cabinet-level liaisons and formal interagency coordination, “Project Lightning Speed” ensures projects move at the speed of business and secures Louisiana’s competitive advantage for years to come.

• Ensuring Louisiana Participation – At the Governor’s direction, LED is reviewing policies to further encourage and promote the use of Louisiana businesses in projects that utilize state incentive programs. Options under consideration include the adoption of new programs and aligning future state incentives to transparent, documented Louisiana vendor participation.

Learn more: Landry Unveils Bold Plan, Creates Pipeline of Opportunity for Louisiana Businesses

2025 SEDC Annual Conference

A delegation of LEAD members attended the 2025 Annual Conference in Oklahoma City, showcasing Louisiana’s presence on a regional stage. Executive Director Stacy Romero joined several LEAD board members and supporters in representing our state, while LEAD Board Vice President Mandi Mitchell, Board Member Rob Cleveland, and LEADer's Circle Sponsor Ed Jimenez of Entergy took the spotlight on a panel focused on the landmark Meta Data Center win in north Louisiana.

The conference featured dynamic sessions on economic development strategy, innovation, and impact across the south, providing fresh ideas and valuable connections to bring back home. Louisiana was well represented, and our delegation’s participation underscored the strength and collaboration of our statewide network.

Board Vice President Mandi Mitchell on the Power of Louisiana’s Ports

This quarter we highlight an important national perspective from our Board Vice President, Mandi Mitchell, who recently authored an article for the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) titled “Ports of Louisiana: Driving Regional Growth, National Impact.”

“The scale of Louisiana’s port system is staggering,” Mandi wrote, noting that nearly 20% of all U.S. cargo and 60% of the nation’s grain exports move through Louisiana. “Louisiana’s water access is indispensable to the U.S. port system and the broader economy. Without them, the nation’s exports would slow, costs would rise, and supply chains would face serious disruptions.”

We encourage you to read Mandi’s full article to learn more about the critical role Louisiana’s ports play in shaping both regional competitiveness and national economic strength: Read here

CLECO & Entergy Earn National Recognition

We’re thrilled to celebrate CLECO and Entergy for being named among Site Selection magazine’s 2025 Top Utilities: Making the Connections for Excellence in Economic Development.

Some highlights from the Site Selection recognition include:

• CLECO’s long-standing reliability, its work on development-ready sites, and its investments in green energy and utility infrastructure in Central Louisiana.
• Entergy’s significant project wins, its certified site development efforts, and its support for large capital investment and job creation across its service territory, including ambitious data center announcements.

As valued LEADer's Circle Sponsors, CLECO and Entergy are not only supporters of our work, but their leadership also extends into our governance. Amy Thibodeaux of CLECO and Jim Bourgeois of Entergy serve on LEAD’s Board of Directors.



We encourage you to read the full article to learn more about how CLECO and Entergy are building infrastructure, driving regional competitiveness, and making foundational contributions to economic growth. Read here

Louisiana Central Launches Regional Planning Effort

Louisiana Central has kicked off a 10-parish initiative to shape the region’s economic future through a new strategic plan. Over the next 100 days, their team will travel across Central Louisiana, host listening sessions, and invite public input through a regional survey. Read here