Photo by Shamus Pons
The environment for economic development continues at a brisk pace in St. Tammany Parish. With the ongoing relocation of corporate headquarters to our community and a steady stream of inquiries from companies seeking expansion or establishment in St. Tammany, the Economic Development Foundation remains busy.
As our nation emerges from an economic downturn that has had global repercussions, Louisiana – and St. Tammany in particular – has weathered the storm quite well. Although certain market sectors have been more impacted than others, the overall data reflect positively on our business community, labor force, and local and state governments.
Part of our mission is to work tirelessly to ensure that the positive indicators remain so. To that end, the EDF recently generated a Five-Year Plan to guide our actions and growth over the next half-decade.
Among other goals, our Five-Year Plan includes the development of at least 3,000 new jobs with an average salary above the local mean. This will require ongoing work with parish and municipal governments as we all work to keep the business climate not just friendly, but exceptionally appealing. This will also entail a continuation of our commitment to constantly seeking out companies with expansion plans that are suitable for our environment.
A huge element of business recruitment and retention is the cultivation of a qualified labor force. Already, St. Tammany can boast a school system that is among the best in Louisiana and the nation, and our state university system continues to improve on its already excellent reputation. Too often, we hear that students take advantage of the educational opportunities in Louisiana only to leave for higher-paying jobs in other states. We are working to reverse this trend.
So, as we recruit commercial enterprises with labor force needs, we must all work to enhance the availability of skilled labor at all levels. Recent steps in Baton Rouge, including some spearheaded by local legislators, will improve the offerings in the Community College and Vo-Tech System. Not all quality jobs are “white-collar,” and especially since Hurricane Katrina, there is a tremendous need for skilled labor in the trades who augment the work of architects, engineers, and real estate developers. All of these components feed and fuel the diverse economy we are proud to have.
In short, we cannot recruit business without available labor, and we cannot retain labor without the jobs to employ qualified workers. Working with our partners in the I-12 Alliance, including Southeastern Louisiana University, we aggressively market St. Tammany Parish as a destination for new business AND as a suitable location to finish an education, raise a family, and become an integral part of our community.
All of these activities, of course, require funding. Nothing happens in a vacuum, and nothing can happen without the cash flow and resources to make these dreams a reality. The EDF is very lean: Operating with an annual budget of about $300,000, we employ four full-time staff and numerous other vendors who complement our mission. To expand our work in this ever-changing and constantly challenging environment, however, will require additional funds, and we will soon undertake a campaign to recruit investors in our efforts.
It is important to remember that EDF works to balance our recruitment with the extraordinary quality of life we already claim. Our low crime, high education standards, constantly improving infrastructure and rich amenities make St. Tammany a desirable place for virtually everyone. Not all businesses, however, are desirable for us.
When we mention “economic development,” too often people think of “smokestack industry.” While all industries have a place in our global and expanding economy, not all are suitable for all areas. We seek business for St. Tammany that is clean and green, with an emphasis on companies that offer good jobs in low-impact industry and whose employees want to be a part of the community – not just tenants who pass through on their way someplace better … although someplace better than St. Tammany Parish is hard to even imagine.
As we implement our Five-Year Plan and work to expand our solid base of investors, we will continue to work in the best interests of our parish and our community. Everyone can play a role. Tell your friends and family in other places that St. Tammany is the place to be. For those who left a few years ago, invite them back. Speak well of our community every chance you get. The next person you tell might be the CEO of St. Tammany’s next booming business.