Region Q3 2021

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REGION Q3 2021

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Contents

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS, INC. Q3 2021/VOLUME 2/NUMBER 3

Greater New Orleans, Inc. President & CEO Michael Hecht Senior Vice President of Business Development Grady Fitzpatrick Chief of Staff Rachel Shields Vice President of Brand & Marketing Matt Wolfe Research Manager Harrison Crabtree Vice President of Advancement Sara Bradford Renaissance Publishing Editor Topher Danial Art Director Ali Sullivan Account Executive Meggie Schmidt

6 Letter from the President 8 About Greater New Orleans, Inc. 10 By the Numbers 12 StudyNOLA

Demonstrating the educational power of the region with a new online tool

17 HBCU Startup Internship Program

Correcting inequalities in opportunity through a partnership-led program

21 Economics & Costal Restoration

Inside the business community’s efforts to restore and protect the coast

24 Business Profile

How Ampirical Solutions is lighting the way for Southeast Louisiana

Production Designers Rosa Balaguer Meghan Rooney Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne

26 Emerge Summit

Unifying young professionals in Greater New Orleans and beyond

28 In Conversation

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3475 New Orleans, LA 70163 (504) 527-6900 gnoinc.org

Karen DeBlieux and Capital One Commercial Banking’s mission to “Change Banking for Good”

30 Photo Gallery 32 Newsflash

Fresh Food Factor

Region is produced for Greater New Orleans, Inc.

by Renaissance Publishing, LLC 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 | Fax (504) 828-1385 myneworleans.com | bizneworleans.com

TO ADVERTISE

Contact Meggie Schmidt at (504) 830-7220 or email Meggie@myneworleans.com Copyright 2021 Region, GNO, Inc., and Renaissance Publishing, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without consent of the publisher.

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REGION Q3 2021

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

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elcome to the Q3 2021 issue of REGION magazine.

It has been a challenging few months, with Hurricane Ida and the continuing impacts of COVID. GNO, Inc. and partners have worked continually to help those impacted by the huge storm, especially our partners in Jefferson, and the River and the Bayou regions. That said, there has also been some remarkably good news for Greater New Orleans, that should be noted and appreciated.

First, homegrown Greater New Orleans startup Levelset announced that it had been acquired for a stunning $500M. Founder Scott Wolfe, Jr. grew up in the construction business in St. Bernard Parish. He went away to SMU for college, where he learned computer coding, and then returned to New Orleans to get a law degree from Loyola University. Scott started Levelset (then called zLien) in 2012, to help building contractors and suppliers get paid faster for their work. The first formal money into Levelset came from the New Orleans Startup Fund, a nonprofit evergreen early-stage investment fund started and incubated by GNO, Inc., and supported by an EDA capacity-building grant.

The Startup Fund invested $75,000 into Levelset, which was leveraged to then close nearly $400,000 of additional New Orleans angel investment. In the following years GNO, Inc. provided a range of on-going assistance to Levelset, including accessing incentives; finding and training workers; evaluating real estate; and public relations. Levelset’s $500M exit is a record for Louisiana, and the second-largest construction-tech acquisition in history. The good news is the Levelset has committed to work with GNO, Inc. to continue to grow in New Orleans, and the exit will result in over $185M being injected back into the Greater New Orleans economy, via Levelset employees and investors.

Second, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) was ranked as the number one large airport in North America for customer satisfaction, based on J.D. Power’s 2021 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, which was released on Sept. 22. MSY was also ranked #1 in Food & Beverage and Retail.

The annual study surveys passengers in six categories (in order of importance): terminal facilities; airport arrival/department; baggage claim; security check; check-in/baggage check; and food, beverage and retail. In the large airport category of 10 to 32.9 million passengers per year, MSY achieved a score of 844 based on a 1,000-point scale. MSY’s #1 ranking represents remarkable improvement from #28 in 2016—fifth from the bottom—and reflects the impact of the new terminal, better services, and increased flights, including international.

Finally, while Hurricane Ida created significant wind damage, there was no surge damage in the areas protected by the $15B flood defense system constructed after Hurricane Katrina. Despite huge seas, St. Bernard, Orleans, and Jefferson (inside the system) took on no water. This is a testament to our ability to mitigate weather risk, and shows that we can now do the same for the other parishes in our region.

What all of these wins show is that Greater New Orleans can do big things: record-breaking entrepreneurship; world-class transportation; and life-saving infrastructure. We must continue to dream—and act­—big.

MICHAEL HECHT GNO, Inc. President & CEO

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IN A RUSH? WE KNOW: we’ve got a lot to say. Skim through the big concepts by looking out for our GNO Highlights.

ABOUT GREATER NEW ORLEANS, INC.

RELATIONSHIPS. RELEVANCE. RESULTS.

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reater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) is the economic development nonprofit for the 10-parish region of southeast Louisiana.

GNO, Inc. is built on a simple but broad mission: To create a region with a thriving economy and excellent quality of life for everyone.

The key is GNO, Inc.’s two-pronged approach to economic growth: by focusing on business development, the alliance aims to attract, retain and develop businesses that will employ our future workforce, propelling our economy forward and upward. This initiative is coupled with a concurrent nurturing of the business environment: by proposing, promoting and facilitating policies that improve conditions for business operations, GNO, Inc. ensures that businesses and corporate leaders are

positioned for long-lasting success.

For GNO, Inc., it is not enough to simply serve the community: we must also be a part of it. Real influence and significant change starts from within, and the alliance’s presence in the community is evident and expanding. Working together with the business community, regional stakeholders and all levels of government allows GNO, Inc. to coordinate, consolidate and catalyze action on key issues and opportunities, effectively maximizing job and wealth creation and creating systemic impact.

From workforce development and coastal stabilization to fiscal and criminal justice reform, GNO, Inc. is driven by results. It’s helping to create a robust and growing middle class and, in the process, ensuring our region’s continued prosperity.

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PARISHES OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA

JEFFERSON ORLEANS PLAQUEMINES ST. BERNARD ST. CHARLES ST. JAMES

LOUISIANA STATE GOVERNMENT Louisiana Economic Development

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST ST. TAMMANY

PARISH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

STAKEHOLDERS

Our Investors Parish Government

Jefferson Orleans

Colleges/ Universities

Plaquemines St. Bernard

Legislators

St. Charles

Business Community

St. James

Nonprofits

St. John the Baptist

Influencers

St. Tammany Tangipahoa Washington

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MEDIA

PUBLIC

PROSPECTS

TANGIPAHOA WASHINGTON

BY THE NUMBERS

Greater New Orleans

BY THE NUMBERS Q3 2021

An economic snapshot of Greater New Orleans’ 10-parish market EMPLOYMENT & ECONOMY STATISTICS

POPULATION

1,454,796 31% of Louisiana’s population resides in Greater New Orleans

EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS

$49,296

Metro Average Annual Wages SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, Q1 2021

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 2020

SECTOR OVERVIEW: HEALTH SCIENCES JOBS

80,363 AVERAGE SALARY

ECONOMY

46,070

671,096

SOURCE: BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS,

SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS,

NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED, Q1 2021

NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED 6/21

Private Establishments

Civilian Labor Force

$60,830 GDP

$7.3B SOURCE: EMSI

54,794 Unique Job Postings SOURCE: EMSI AUG 2021 DATA

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9%

Regional Unemployment

FAST FACTS: TRANSPORTATION & TRADE

TRADE

$17.8B

Value of Exports from the New Orleans Metro Area

ANNOUNCEMENTS RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS Levelset Levels Up New Orleans post-Katrina startup Levelset, which helps building contractors manage billing and payments, has been acquired

by Procore for $500M. This represents the biggest startup exit in Louisiana history, and the second-biggest construction tech acquisition in U.S. history.

MSY Ranked by J.D. Power The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is ranked as the number one large airport in North America for customer satisfaction, based on J.D. Power’s 2021 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. MSY was also ranked #1 in Food & Beverage and Retail.

Chalmette Refining Gov. John Bel Edwards and PBF Chalmette Refinery Manager Steven Krynski announced the company is studying the possible conversion of an idled refinery unit into a renewable diesel production complex. The refinery’s parent company, PBF Energy, would make a $550 million capital investment to retrofit a hydrocracker unit with new technology to accommodate renewable diesel production.

The project also would include construction of a pretreatment unit that will allow Chalmette Refining to create non-fossil feedstocks from soybean oil, corn oil and other biogenically derived fats and oils.

#7

largest U.S. metro measured by value of exports SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU;

COST OF LIVING & REAL ESTATE

OVERALL COST OF LIVING GNO Region: 99.3 U.S. Average: 100 SOURCE: EMSI

REAL ESTATE OFFICE Local Vacancy: 8.3% National Vacancy: 12.2% Local Rent: $19.50/ft2 National Rent: $34.00/ft2

U.S. EXPORTS BY METROPOLITAN AREA, 2021 Q1 & Q2

Local Inventory: 52.7M ft2 TRAFFIC

INDUSTRIAL Local Vacancy: 3.7% National Vacancy: 4.6%

Hours each year spent per person in traffic congestion

Local Rent: $7.90/ft2 National Rent: $9.50/ft2

That’s 20 hours less than the national average

Local Inventory: 81.3M ft2

SOURCE: INRIX TRAFFIC SCORE CARD, 2019

SOURCE: COSTAR 2021 Q3

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RANKINGS RECENT RANKINGS Louisiana is #5 in USA for Growth in Digital Entrepreneurs —Amazon New Orleans is ranked #1 for Logistics and FTZ Imports —Business Facilities #1 State for Workforce Development/Talent Attraction (FastStart, 11th consecutive year) —Business Facilities Louisiana Earns “State of the Year” —Southern Business and Development New Orleans Has Youngest Entrepreneurs in USA —LendingTree New Orleans is the #4 Most Entrepreneurial Metro in USA —Cloud Kitchens

GNO, Inc.’s mission is to create a Greater New Orleans with a thriving economy and an excellent quality of life, for everyone. For more information about the market, or help with your business, please contact our Research and Business Development team: Harrison Crabtree Senior Associate, Research and Policy hcrabtree@gnoinc.org • 504.527.6987

Grady Fitzpatrick Senior Vice President of Business Development gfitzpatrick@gnoinc.org • 504.239.3525

*Due to data collection methods, previous GNO By the Numbers are not directly comparable

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HIGHER EDUCATION

StudyNOLA

An innovative website promotes higher education in Southeast Louisiana

BY SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TAFUR

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hen people around the world think about New Orleans, they likely imagine Mardi Gras parades, spicy Creole food, jazz music, and other cultural characteristics that have made the city famous. Unfortunately, higher education—and New Orleans as a place to learn rather than to party— lies much further down the list for most folks.

But Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) and its partner organizations—such as Louisiana Economic Development (LED) and the Louisiana Board of Regents—are hoping to alter miscon-

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ceptions with a new online tool that accurately presents southeast Louisiana as a region rich with academic opportunities.

This past March, the nonprofit launched StudyNOLA—a website that compiles the 13 universities and colleges housed throughout southeast Louisiana. Like GNO, Inc.’s talent attraction site DestinationGNO, StudyNOLA proves that New Orleans is not simply a place for entertainment.

“We are a metro, of only a few other metros in the nation, that has a high concentration of higher education institutes per capita,” says Josh Tatum, who supervises GNO, Inc.’s

workforce development program. He cites Pittsburg, Atlanta and Boston as other examples of areas with abundant higher-ed offerings.

“Our goal with StudyNOLA and workforce development initiatives is to figure out ways to market, brand, and build capacity in our region to create strong workforce pipelines that are attracting new businesses, but also retaining existing businesses and indutries,” says Tatum. “StudyNOLA builds our ability to attract businesses, but it also illustrates the diversity of educational opportunities that one can take advantage of here in the region.”

Tatum notes that those diverse educational institutions include everything from law schools, architecture schools and medical and dental schools to two- to four-year private and public colleges and HBCUs. In addition, three MBA programs are housed in the region.

Tatum and his team researched what states such as Texas and Colorado were doing to attract both international and domestic students, and used their findings to develop the concept of StudyNOLA. GNO, Inc. hired Development Counsellors International (DCI) to design the site, since this firm specializes in economic development websites and tourism marketing.

“What you will find is a one-stop-shop hub that has information about all the schools here in the region,” says Tatum, citing StudyNOLA’s direct appeal to international students.

“There has been a huge international student population here in New Orleans. And so this site is meant to provide resources for those students that are looking to come study here, both international and domestic.”

StudyNOLA connects prospective students to consulates, offers information on New Orleans by beautifully illustrating the local culture and provides clear guidance on what to do if there is an emergency—such as a hurricane. Site visitors can embark on virtual tours of neighborhoods and calculate the cost of living in the city.

There is also a section featuring Q&As with student ambassadors. The students note their backgrounds, describe their academic journeys and aspirations, and share a glimpse of what it’s like to study in New Orleans.

When it comes to selecting a college or university, prospective students can take a quiz to see which school suits them best and, if they are curious about post-college opportunities in Greater New Orleans, can examine internship and professional opportunities. By using the “Your Career Path” tool, they will encounter links that lead them to job sites and an interactive map of regional businesses.

“You can go through the quiz and, say you’re looking for a small school in a rural area or a big school in a suburban area, there’s something out there for everybody,” says Tatum.

To that end, he says students around the world may not even realize certain schools exist in southeast Louisiana.

Susana Schowen, the director of Workforce Initiatives for LED FastStart, agrees that it is necessary to share this knowledge with the uninitiated for a multitude of reasons.

“I think the idea of promoting New Orleans as a center of intellectual excellence, as a place where people can thrive and find a good quality of life while they are studying—and then find high-quality employment opportunities and the

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place that they would like to raise children—is a huge asset to all of our people here,” says Schowen.

That focus is central to her own work, as LED FastStart is a state workforce training program that provides free employee recruitment, screening and training development and delivery for new or expanding companies.

Schowen says Louisiana has a limited number of people who are highly skilled in fields like advanced manufacturing, IT cyber security, and healthcare, but she notes that this is a problem on a global scale.

“We handle that problem in two ways: in the short term, we recruit highly skilled mid-career professionals to move to Louisiana for jobs,” says Schowen.

“Second, we grow our own talent pool through our colleges and universities.”

Not only does recruiting talented students help the local economy, it opens up opportunities for all Louisiana students, she says.

“We do believe very strongly in the power of diversity, so bringing in people from a wide variety of backgrounds will simply make them part of a stron-

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ger workforce and will contribute to innovation and excellence in the New Orleans region,” Schowen says.

Once students are sold on the idea of Greater New Orleans as the right location for their education, regional schools provide the training sought by Louisiana industries.

“The skills of the future are about thriving in highly dynamic environments and highlighting a place that has traditional academic and intellectual excellence—but also universities that understand they are moving into the future,” says Schowen. “Potential industry partners are ready to work with them.

And that’s a very powerful message to our young people who are considering studying here: there are jobs here, and deep engagements, and they can be confident that their skills will be relevant to what’s needed in the future.”

Both GNO, Inc. and LED FastStart are further aided by the Board of Regents, a state agency that fosters talent by promoting high-quality, affordable postsecondary education for all. One of their goals is to ensure that 60-percent of all working-age adults (ages 25 through 64) throughout the state hold a degree, or a high-value credential, by 2030.

“We consider ourselves advocates for opportunity,” says Kim Hunter Reed, Louisiana’s Commissioner of Higher Education. “It is our job to talk about the power of education, and to advocate for talent development across the state—not as a higher education initiative, but as a state initiative.”

In 2021, Reed successfully led ef-

forts to secure additional state funding of more than $100 million, the largest strategic investment in Louisiana higher education that the state has seen in more than a decade.

“When we think about education to employment, there are two sides of the same coin—that coin being opportunity,” says Reed. “We can’t really think about a vibrant region, vibrant communities and strong families without thinking about those credentials that allow people to have social mobility, and that allow people to reach their unlimited potential. And so the higher education experience is foundational

to a strong region and a strong state.”

Reed is a fan of the StudyNOLA initiative and hopes students explore the site and consider the academic opportunities available to them.

“We have adults; we have veterans; we have foster youth,” Reed says. “We have a full range of individuals who are enrolling in our colleges and universities, and we want students to know there is a place for them in these institutions, and we look forward to serving them well.”

As Tatum, Schowen and Reed suggested, the entire Southeast Louisiana region will benefit from StudyNOLA’s success, since the schools promoted on

the site attract the talent necessary to strengthen the workforce and economy.

But, as Tatum points out, StudyNOLA also shows what the region offers beyond the typical clichés and tourist attractions.

“We are more than just Bourbon Street. We are more than just the French Quarter and swamp tours,” says Tatum.

“You can come here and study at some of the most renowned institutions and gain jobs that range from technology and healthcare to environmental management, and much more. I would say the site hits so many opportunities and goals that we are trying to achieve through economic development.”

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DEVELOPMENT

Creating Opportunity For Entrepreneurs

Over the summer, the inaugural 12-student class of the HBCU Startup Internship program sharpened their business acumen at several burgeoning New Orleans firms and companies

BY WILL KALEC

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concept that blossomed from the shared ideal that everyone should have equal access to entrepreneurial opportunities bore fruit this past summer, when 12 hand-selected students from SUNO, Xavier and Dillard took part in GNO Inc.’s HBCU Startup Internship program.

The program was designed to increase startup activity among HBCU students in the New Orleans region, as well as to correct the inequalities found in the ratio of white-owned businesses and black-owned businesses in the city.

Each 6-week internship provided students with hands-on, paid training in real-world, high-stakes settings where their existing talents could flourish and enhance the startup’s business model.

“Our Economic Mobility Platform was really designed to generate growth and wealth creation for Black GNO residents, and as we know entrepreneurship is one of many keys to wealth creation,” says Jasmine Brown, Public Policy Manager for GNO Inc. “Black entrepreneurship is a very devout focus area of ours with respect to our Economic Mobility platform. Knowing that, and knowing we had the connections to the start-up business community here, the deans at all three schools said to us, ‘You know what would be helpful is mentorship, internships and compensation.’

“So, that’s really what sparked us to form this HBCU Startup Internship.”

After meeting with the college of business deans at all three New Orle-

The HBCU Entrepreneurship ans-based HBCUs— and circumstances.

Internship Program concludSUNO, Dillard, Xavier— “The most imported on July 9, 2021 at Scale Workspace. The program the brass at GNO Inc. ant thing is we didn’t brought together the local partnered with Krewe want this to be a norstartup community to train de Nieux to identify the mal internship experithe next generation of successful entrepreneurs of color, types of startups that ence, where the intern inspire students to become would A) be interested comes into any part of innovative change-makers and increase the innovation capacin hosting interns for the business at a reity of regional startup firms. six weeks and B) promedial level,” Brown vide the optimal envisays. “We wanted our ronment for individual entrepreneurial interns to be specifically exposed to degrowth and development. Additionally, velopment, crafting opportunities for an GNO and Krewe de Nieux sought com- intern to have a ‘start-up experience’ panies with diverse founders who could within the general framework of your personally relate to their interns’ goals business.”

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Ultimately, 12 startups were selected to participate: Catalyst: Ed, Junum, Lucid, Broadmoor LLC, Lookfar, rasa.io, Obatala Sciences, Resilia, Square Button, Torsh, Upriver Solutions and New Orleans BioInnovation Center. Additionally, several community partners were brought in to round out the educational experience. Idea Village organized a day-long bootcamp that prepared students through an interactive start-up intensive, and Phelps Dunbar sponsored The Nuts and Bolts of Launching a Startup, a workshop that offered practical guidance on topics like business formation and intellectual property.

“The idea of creating opportunities for traditionally under-represented youth, increasing the level of exposure, and building that pipeline of budding entrepreneurs and getting them first-hand experience in entrepreneurship in a field like ours…we immediately agreed that our company would not only be a participant in the program, but also support the program in any other manner possible,” says Trivia Frazier, Founder and CEO of Obatala Sciences Inc. “It’s a part of our mission, and it’s a part of my personal mission as someone who would fall in that traditionally under-represented category when it comes to females functioning in a biotechnology company—and African-Americans entrepreneurs founding companies in what we call the ‘Deep-Tech Sector.’”

With the 12 host companies on board, internship organizers then went back to SUNO, Dillard and Xavier and leaned on professors, instructors and other faculty to identify prospective students who would thrive in this type of a program. Not surprisingly, university officials selected several candidates who already ran their own business enterprises—but they also encouraged the participation of several bright students who weren’t on traditional entrepreneurial paths but who could benefit from interning in a startup environment.

One of those students was Lydia Paige Moffett, recent Dillard graduate and current first-year law student at North Carolina Central University. A political science major who spent several years on the Dillard

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Mock Trial team, Moffett landed an HBCU startup internship at Square Button Group, a holding company that operates a Consulting and Construction Services Investment Platform.

“Previously, I had been working for judges in the Civil Court district, small law firms, serving as a file clerk. So I wanted to expand my experience, expand my resume, and really just expand my knowledge,” Moffett says. “It took me out of my comfort zone, but I eventually found my place and found my role with the consulting firm.”

“The thing I loved, and one of the things I took away from the experience,” Moffett continues, “was that my supervisors prepared me for that next level of professionalism going forward. They made time for me where attorneys and judges don’t always have that time.”

As far as matching the right intern with the right company, Brown said GNO, Inc. essentially played ‘matchmaker’ and connected the selected students’ interests and backgrounds with the company expressing a need for such experience. For example, even though Obatala Sciences intern Naomi Winston of Xavier University didn’t have a STEM background or extensive experience in a lab setting, she did have vast marketing and photography acumen that proved incredibly valuable for the company. In a short period of time, Winston was able to complete several marketing packages and saw first-hand how her skillset could be applied to pretty much any field—including, in this case, a biotech firm.

Though the inaugural HBCU Startup Internship Program concluded in July 2021 with a ceremony at Scale Workspace, officials at GNO, Inc. are already assessing feedback from both the participating students and companies and are brainstorming ways to grow and improve the 2022 edition of the program.

“Because of COVID, in the first year of the HBCU Start-Up Internship, we were much more targeted and precise in our recruitment

DEVELOPMENT

efforts because we had to be,” Brown said. “Our hope next year is to actually visit the campuses, host on-site informationals, attend Career Fairs, to meet students and cast a wider net. Spreading the word and seeing those potential interns face-to-face is something that’s going to be incredibly important.

“But, for Year 1, we couldn’t be more pleased with the experiences our interns had and the feedback we’ve got both from them and the startups that participated in the program.”

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COASTAL RESTORATION

Economics & Coastal Restoration The local business community is invested in saving the coast.

BY MISTY MILIOTO

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long with the many benefits that come with a coastal environment—vibrant wildlife, fresh seafood and accessible waterways—there are distinct challenges that emerge in coastal settings including land loss, flooding and water management. The effects of land erosion can be seen not just in Greater New Orleans and South Louisiana, but in many aspects of the country’s economy that rely on the state’s ports, as well as energy and manufacturing industries.

While these issues may seem entirely environmental, coastal land loss has billions of dollars of economic impact on the nation as a

whole. So, when GNO, Inc., started the Coalition for Coastal Resilience and Economy (CCRE) in 2013, the goal was to engage the local business community in developing sustainable coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana. By having an informed business constituency, CCRE seeks to ensure that businesses will be much more involved in a topic that is paramount to the future of the state and the nation.

CCRE is a neutral, non-partisan group of leaders from the Southeast Louisiana business community that acts as an informed voice of advocacy for sustainable restoration efforts in Louisiana’s wetlands, river, delta and coastline. The organization’s mission is to not only

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COASTAL RESTORATION

market the business case for coastal restoration, but also to leverage dedicated funding and ensure that it is used for its intended purpose (to support projects as outlined by the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan). CCRE also aims to increase commerce for local businesses and the local workforce by engaging them in the implementation of coastal restoration projects.

Caroline Hayes, a member of CCRE since 2017 and recently appointed chair of the organization, says her role is to act as an informed, educated voice; to engage with stakeholders across the region; and to seek out opportunities in which the business community can support sustainable restoration efforts in Louisiana.

“Shortly after joining CCRE as a member in 2017, I was taken up in a seaplane to see firsthand how our coastline had changed,” Hayes says. “I will never forget the shock that raced through me when I had a bird’seye view of how close the water was to the people and home that I love. Combine that experience with the knowledge that nearly two million people reside in the area we call America’s Wetland, many of whom have made their lives and livelihoods near Louisiana’s coast. I very quickly resolved to become an advocate for protecting this place we all hold so dear.”

According to Hayes, Louisiana has lost 2,000 square miles of coastline since the 1930s and could lose an additional 4,000 square miles in the next 50 years. “This crisis has profound implications for the people, ecology and economy of New Orleans, South Louisiana and, in many cases, the nation,” she says. “Addressing the coastal crisis proactively not only staves off disaster, but can also be the impetus for new economic opportunities in water management and adaptation that can grow economic opportunities for everyone.”

A CCRE project that Hayes is especially excited about is a series of videos that is being showcased to students around the state through multiple programs, including the Louisiana Children’s Museum, Louisiana’s Youth Wetlands & Education Outreach Program, the Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development, and the Lighthouse Museum.

“The three videos, produced by Fat Happy Media, describe the complexities of our state’s relationship with the coast from the viewpoint of Mary Anne the Pel-I-Can, an

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COASTAL RESTORATION

animated pelican, who tours the viewers through her surroundings in the wetlands and beyond,” Hayes says. “Her storytelling features details that include the role that levees play in impacting the wetlands, an overview of how the Coastal Master Plan works and the impact that working together as a community can have to help our coast and state.”

Hayes also works on coastal restoration through her position on the board of the Young Leadership Council. In January, the organization started a new initiative called YLCoastal that includes a series of educational seminars, tours and volunteer opportunities for young professionals to become informed, active participants in coastal restoration efforts.

“Having a role in both organizations has allowed me to act as a bridge between the knowledge, network and resources CCRE has garnered with the 500-plus civic-minded young professionals that make up the YLC membership,” Hayes says. “As young professionals, we are the next wave of leadership in protecting our coast and the ones that will be most immediately impacted if the Coastal Master Plan is not implemented.

My sincere hope is that through this partnership, CCRE will continue to grow support for protecting our coast and YLC will have more opportunities to engage our membership in critical volunteer opportunities.”

Hayes, who also works as the VP of Marketing at AOS Interior Environments, says the buildings and architecture of Louisiana are reflective of the region’s rich history and multicultural heritage, and that the preservation of our buildings extends to the preservation of our businesses, our economy, our cultural assets and our unique way of life. “[Hurricane Katrina] is a reminder of what we have weathered in our past, and the fragility of our future,” Hayes says.

“CCRE is doing the kind of work that helps ensure we can always come home.”

In fact, it was Hurricane Katrina that motivated the Walton Family Foundation (a philanthropic foundation begun by Walmart founders Sam and Helen Walton) to invest in coastal restoration initiatives. Senior Program Officer Kristin Tracz manages the foundation’s Mississippi River initiative and a grant portfolio, which seeks to support healthy soils, clean water and a restored and

resilient Mississippi River system.

“As of 2020, we have invested $100 million in coastal restoration efforts along the Gulf Coast,” she says. “We believe the Louisiana coast, with the power of the Mississippi River driving restoration, has the potential to not only protect the communities, natural systems and businesses, but also serve as a model to coastal areas across the world threatened by climate change.”

The Walton Family Foundation chose to work with GNO, Inc., and its partners because of initiatives like those helmed by CCRE, which has shown just how vital a role the business community plays in protecting and restoring the coast.

“We’re very excited about CCRE’s work to engage the public and bring on the next generation of coastal leaders,” Tracz says. “[It is important] to ensure that coastal restoration is guided by science and community input, rather than falling prey to political calculations and decision-making. CCRE has also played an important role in bridging the coastal restoration projects with the workforce training and development system in Louisiana, so that Louisianans can take advantage of the jobs likely to be created by spending a billion dollars a year on coastal restoration over the next 10-to-20 years.”

CCRE has already worked with numerous colleges and universities to ensure that

short- and long-term workforce needs are being met. For example, the University of New Orleans is now home to the Coastal Engineering and Sciences (CEAS) certification program, one of the only programs of its kind for coastal management in the country. The program curriculum combines technical skills with background education so graduates are able to lead projects in coastal management.

In addition to helping create a trained and educated local workforce, CCRE also has improved communication between government agencies and private companies. In so doing, companies are creating proposals that better match what the governmental agencies need, and in turn, governmental agencies are developing RFPs that better align with local industries.

“The tremendous investments in coastal restoration that Louisiana and the federal government are making are a perfect driver for ensuring opportunities are equitable and inclusive,” Tracz says. “In Louisiana, we see a real chance to show how a partnership of voices from across sectors—non-profit groups, community leaders, academic partners, business voices, government agencies and faith-based communities—can come together to build tangible progress against the threats of a changing climate.”

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COMPANY PROFILE

Lighting the Way Electrical engineering firm delivers positive impact in Southeast Louisiana and beyond

BY SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TAFUR Matthew Saacks, President of Ampirical

F

ifteen years ago, in an effort to compete on a national level, three St. Tammany residents who were already shining in the electric utility industry launched Ampirical Solutions, LLC. The Covington-based company now comprises nearly 300 employees and a portfolio of electrical transmission and distribution projects that spans the entire country.

“We focus on the high voltage electrical grid throughout the U.S.,” saysMatthew Saacks, the president of Ampirical. “So, if you think of all the transmission and distribution of lines and substations, we design

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and engineer any kind of services or projects associated with that.”

Ampirical has engineered, managed and supported more than 2,000 substation projects, 1,000 transmission line projects and 500 distribution line projects. They use 3D technology to devise the appropriate designs.

In addition to handling the engineering, Ampirical helps with procurement, cyber security, project management and construction management—all while emphasizing the importance of employee health and safety. Saacks says the most exciting aspect of the job enjoys the diversity of challenges

and troubleshooting it requires.

“We like seeing how different utilities throughout the country did their designs— what was different about them, what was unique—and then being able to offer those ideas to customers we came in contact with,” Saacks says, noting how Ampirical encounters numerous geographic impediments while moving from coast to coast.

“If we were going to build the transmission line down here, you have to know what a marsh buggy is and how to build a line through a swamp,” he explains. “But then if you go out west, the soil is very different; it’s

COMPANY PROFILE

Ampirical headquarters based in Covington, Louisiana

Ampirical employee receives drafting plans from plotter.

Ampirical colleagues discuss transmission and distribution line changes.

very rocky, mountainous and hilly, and you’ve got wildfires.”

But the company has proven that they can find solutions to the most pressing problems, and as a result, they have continued to expand their client base.

“Part of it,” Saacks says, “ is convincing utilities that they can trust you to work on their system.”

GNO, Inc. has helped to facilitate Ampirical’s growth by highlighting the benefits of state incentives, “including a brainstorm session as well as educating them on incentives that the company doesn’t currently use,” says Michael Hecht, GNO, Inc. President and CEO. Understanding tax credits was especially helpful when it came to hiring

new employees, says Saacks.

“As you can imagine, growing from three (employees) to 300 in 15 years, all that growth takes a lot of investment right back into the business—whether it’s facilities, a new office building, or computers and software,” he says. “The incentives are helping us plow some of that money back into the business to accommodate that growth.”

Although Ampirical boasts a national reach, the impact of their success is most palpable right here in Southeast Louisiana.

“Ampirical brings sophistication and innovation to our region’s economy,” Hecht says. “As a result, it means that top-tier companies from around the

country are using services designed and deployed by a company in Greater New Orleans, and in parallel, it means that next-generation talent is being trained and attracted into the market.”

Saacks says GNO, Inc.’s workforce development efforts have helped to match Ampirical with qualified locals, yielding even more benefit in a region where several technical colleges and universities offer engineering, drafting or construction management programs.

“GNO, Inc. makes sure we’ve got talent coming through, because the biggest constraint in our industry right now is getting sufficient talent,” says Saacks.

He notes that Ampirical must also contend with the fact that Louisiana is situated between Texas and Florida—two massive states with the power to attract and retain talent. Atlanta, Georgia also appeals to young professionals.

But GNO, Inc., says Saacks, has helped them to compete with prosperous locales, to recruit talent from outside the region, and to reframe how transplants view opportunities in the Greater New Orleans region.

“They come down here and they’re like, ‘Oh, wow, this is not anything like I imagined it.’ And they see the quality of life, and the family ties—and how much that’s a part of our culture—and they fall in love with it.”

And although Ampirical is situated in Covington, Saacks says that being plugged into a community of local businesses has enabled Ampirical to work with resources spread throughout multiple parishes.

“I think it’s nice to see an organization that’s committed to taking that regional approach, and realizing that all of us working together is what’s going to allow us to compete, whether it’s for other companies, whether it’s for talent, or other kinds of business opportunities,” says Saacks. “I think that’s what we need to do to cast a bigger shadow than if we were trying to go it alone.”

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Emerge Summit

A first-of-its-kind regional conference is empowering young professionals nationwide

T

here’s no question that Greater New Orleans is filled with talented young professionals who are well-equipped to become the business leaders of the future—and with their skills and resources combined, their impact on the regional economy could be even greater.

Enter Emerge Summit, the young professionals conference that unites individuals and community organizations to foster networking, education and mutual growth for the next-gen workforce. The Summit returns for its fourth year on December 2-3, 2021, after the pandemic halted plans in 2020.

Rachel Shields, Chief of Staff at GNO, Inc. and one of the founders of Emerge Summit, says the event was created in 2017 after GNO, Inc.’s NextGen Council recognized the need for a unified and synchronous young professionals community.

“There are over 40 young professionals (YP) organizations in our 10-parish footprint,” says Shields. “There is something for everyone and everything, from different cultural groups to specific industry sectors.”

However, Shields and the NextGen Council realized there was no collaboration between those groups, meaning that opportunities and resources weren’t being leveraged to their fullest potential.

“Each of us is out there on our own, creating opportunities, soliciting members and nurturing leadership,” Shields says.

“So, our NextGen Council said, ‘Let’s call a meeting, introduce ourselves and figure out how to work together to impact young professionals in a more efficient, facilitated way.’ That’s how the Summit was born, out of intent to provide an avenue for YP organizations to be a part of a larger network and to provide a platform for young professionals across our region regardless of age, background, interest or experience to talk about issues that impact them in our region and across our nation.”

The original iteration of Emerge Summit was just a one-day event, featuring speakers, networking events and breakout sessions.

That single day was enough to prove that not only was there a need for such a convening, there was also a demand for it. From there, Emerge Summit expanded to a two-day event, growing both its programming and its reach of young professionals both within and around the Greater New Orleans region.

“Registration doubled in size in 2019 with over 400 registrants,” Shields says, “and young professionals are now coming from

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Louisiana, Texas, Florida and all over the Gulf Coast. Over the years, we’ve featured local experts to discuss personal development and growth, economic development and all those things that matter to young professionals today. We also have international research from all over the nation being presented.”

Shields says one of her favorite presentations was a guest speaker from Deloitte Consulting, which conducts an annual survey of Millenials and Gen-Z young professionals and covers issues like the political environment, social issues, personal well being, stress levels, economic mobility and more. Deloitte is expected to return for the 2021 Emerge Summit, which Shields says will include presentations and discussions on pandemic-related issues that might have young professionals questioning their future trajectories and career paths.

“It’s really interesting to think about creating the conference now in a different light,” Shields says. “We feel like the pandemic has given us the opportunity to steer our content toward industry trends and projections for the next decade. No industry or household has been untouched, so we want to focus on all those pivots that have happened and what that means for the future.

If you’re a young professional and you’re looking for that next phase, and questioning if that industry sector still makes sense for you, we want to give you a guiding path for opportunities in the future.”

Shields says attendees at this year’s conference can also expect to discuss topics like climbing the work ladder, multigenerational workspaces and evaluations of industry sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, human resources, energy and more, all of which are major economic drivers in the Greater New Orleans region.

Of course, Shields and GNO, Inc. want to make an impact on young professionals no matter where they are, and if interest and demand continue to grow as they have been, that might soon be a reality.

“In the future, our big plan is for this to become the premiere young professionals conference, where corporate organizations and nonprofits from around the nation can send their employees to Emerge to learn things they can then take back and implement at home,” Shields says. “And of course, who doesn’t want to come to New Orleans for a weekend to connect with likeminded people and learn at the same time?”

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

GET TO KNOW

THE NEXTGEN COUNCIL LEADERS

What is your favorite Emerge Summit memory?

Delaune: I have made wonderful connections at Emerge Summit. The networking has allowed me to make new friends, colleagues and mentors.

Conversations about developing and bettering our region have continued far past the Summit.

But honestly, my favorite memory was sitting next to Big Freedia before she did her interview at the 2019 conference!

Matthews: The multigenerational appeal of the Emerge Summit. Leadership and innovation are contagious, and I have appreciated the moments of support by mentors during event.

What impact do you hope Emerge Summit makes on young professionals?

Delaune: I think Emerge Summit gives young professionals a unique opportunity to learn from each other about topics that are impacting our young professional lives. There are not many other opportunities like this in the city or even the region.

Matthews: My hope is that Emerge Summit provides the practical and applicable insight to enhance the leadership qualities of young professionals. At the same time, provide a safe place for networking and engaging with leaders across industry sectors professional experiences.

Paul Matthews Deputy Port Director, Plaquemines Port Harbor & Terminal District NextGen Council 2021 Chair

Josie Delaune Vice President of People Solutions & Services, Geocent NextGen Council Chair-Elect

What are you most looking forward to in the next iteration of Emerge Summit?

Matthews: I am looking forward to meeting a broader group of emerging leaders like never before as we expect young professionals from across the Gulf Coast and other parts of the country for purposeful connections.

Delaune: I’m hopeful that we can meet safely in person and discuss how the events of the past two years have specifically impacted us as a group. It will give us the opportunity to learn best practices on how to keep moving forward from each other.

DECEMBER 2-3, 2021 • 8:00 AM—4:00 PM The Conference Center on 11 • Pan-American Life Center 601 Poydras Street, 11th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70130

For more information and to sign up for updates, visit emergesummit.co

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PERSONAL PROFILE

In Conversation with Karen DeBlieux The Head of US Corporate Banking and Market President for Capital One Commercial Banking discusses her commitment to uplifting vulnerable communities

Q: How did you get started on your career path?

The promise of learning something new every day and opportunities for growth have always been top priorities in my career. A trusted mentor recruited me for a position at Hibernia National Bank, which delivered on that promise and more. In my time there, I followed his advice to work in as many roles as possible within the firm—from correspondent banking and treasury management to banking at regional, national and international levels. Another invaluable piece of advice I received was to always be open to change. So when Capital One acquired Hibernia shortly after Hurricane Katrina, a door was opened to even more exciting, challenging opportunities, which included leading the US Corporate Banking team.

Q: Is there a central mission or focus that has propelled your work?

Capital One was founded on the belief that great talent and great technology could revolutionize financial services and democratize credit. This belief continues to drive our mission today to both change banking for good and advance the economic and social opportunities in the communities we serve. This mission informs our team’s work on a daily basis, and I firmly believe that we have a responsibility to leverage our scale, resources and ingenuity to drive toward these outcomes for the greater good.

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Q: You’ve been a key player in connecting community needs to Capital One’s resources.

What has that work entailed (and how might it have evolved) during the pandemic?

The Capital One culture is built around two pillars: Excellence and Do the Right Thing. For us, this means both excelling in the job and doing it with collaboration and adherence to our values. At the start of the pandemic, Capital One quickly mobilized associates across geographic locations and lines of business to take part in giving back to our communities, including long-standing community partners. And as part of a $50 million commitment of new and existing funds to support these nonprofit partners who are serving local communities, we expanded, accelerated and repurposed relief grants to organizations who are focused on food and hunger aid, assistance to small business owners and support for low-income individuals. More recently, we launched the Capital One Impact Initiative, an initial $200 million, five-year commitment to support growth in underserved communities and advance socioeconomic mobility by closing gaps in equity and opportunity. This initiative builds upon Capital One’s core mission to change banking for good, and its priorities around racial equity, affordable housing, small business support, workforce development and financial well-being. I’m so proud to be part of an organization that prioritizes this type of community-driven work and excited to see it continue to come to life over the next few years.

PERSONAL PROFILE

Q: Although you often work on national and international scales, you maintain involvement with several Greater New Orleans organizations. Why is it important to you to remain active in your home community?

My family has been in New Orleans for generations, and I come from a long line of individuals who were resolute in their drive to make our community a better, more equitable place. So it’s not only important for me to give back to the community I love, but to set an example for my own children so that they may carry on that tradition of passion for and commitment to creating opportunities for others. Personally, I serve organizations that focus on youth development here in Greater New Orleans—people that are working every day to make a difference in our community. These organizations include the YMCA, New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, Catholic Charities, Boys Hope/Girls Hope, New Orleans Recreation Dept, LSU Real Estate Facilities Foundation, Jesuit High School, Stuart Hall School for Boys and the Blue Ridge Leaders School.

Q: After more than 30 years with Capital One, which achievement are you most proud of ?

I’ve had the privilege to work on a number of initiatives that I am proud of in my time at Capital One, but it has truly been the opportunity of a lifetime to collaborate closely with so many dedicated, inspiring associates and community partners. A recent example of this is Capital One’s commitment of more than $3 million to eight nonprofit organizations who are addressing critical community needs in financial well-being, education, digital access, workforce development, housing and small business support as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I was so proud to see one of our hometown organizations, The Greater New Orleans Foundation, included as a recipient. These funds will help them offer workforce development program support to displaced hospitality workers, post-hire healthcare workers and entry-level credentialing in epidemiology and environmental management.

Q: What’s the most important piece of advice you would give to aspiring professionals right now?

Of the many lessons the pandemic has taught us, the value of resilience, grace under pressure, and decisiveness are top of mind for me, and I would stress the importance of those qualities to aspiring and experienced professionals.

For those who aspire to leadership roles, I would share that in my experience, great leaders are great listeners. They are catalysts for positive change, and they exude respect, passion, energy and humility in every interaction. And most importantly, they do the right thing, even when no one is looking.

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PHOTO GALLERY

The GNO, Inc. team toured Washington Parish on July 28th. Our staff learned about the International Paper Mill, their solar farm, and the MAXIMUS call center. Washington Parish’s economy is dominated by the manufacturing, food processing, retail trade, and services sectors.

On July 23rd, we celebrated the graduation of our first cohort of participants from the GNO Mechatronics Apprenticeship Program.

This program teaches the fundamentals of mechatronics, a field that incorporates mechanics, electronics, and computer science with manufacturing to increase efficiency. It was created to address the shortage of mechatronics workers in advanced manufacturing jobs.

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PHOTO GALLERY

On July 15th, New Orleans officially welcomed Breeze Airways to MSY! Breeze will be providing nonstop flights to 10 destinations.

This will create 261 new direct jobs and provide more economic development opportunities for New Orleans.

On July 14th our GNO, Inc. team traveled to St John The Baptist Parish. We toured River Parishes Community College, the Port of South Louisiana Executive Airport, and met with local economic and business developers to learn more about the parish’s strengths and weaknesses. St. John has an integrated transportation network that plays an important role in the continued development of the Greater New Orleans Region.

On July 9th, at Scale Workspace, we concluded our HBCU Entrepreneurship Internship Program.

This program brought together the local startup community to train the next generation of successful entrepreneurs of color, inspire students to become innovative change-makers and increase the innovation capacity of regional startup firms. It was a huge success and we are so grateful for our students and partners that helped make this possible!

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NEWSFLASH

Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana’s Fresh Food Factor, located in the Lower Garden District, is expanding its services to provide co-packing for both local and national companies. Co-packing is the process of assembling finished goods or products into final packaging before distribution, and Fresh Food Factor’s move into co-packing will fill a market g aap that has often required local companies to pursue such services outside the state. By sharing resources and leveraging the existing food manufacturing infrastructure in Greater New Orleans, local food and beverage companies will now be better equipped to scale operations within the market and increase their impact on regional wealth and job creation.

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