Generation USA, an independent nonprofit founded in 2014 by McKinsey & Company, said it has graduated over 30,000 people from its programs globally. The majority of Generation graduates leave the program with job offers, the nonprofit says, and 81% are employed at three months post-graduation at salaries two to six times higher than their previous earnings.

“We’ve designed our new programs specifically for workers who are unemployed, underemployed, facing job displacement due to automation, or further challenged by the pandemic to be delivered at scale; and as always, providing both technical and professional ‘soft skill’ training and support,” said Sean Segal, Generation CEO.

This initiative is a part of Verizon’s Citizen Verizon plan to prepare 500,000 individuals for jobs of the future by 2030. Verizon is investing over $44 million over several years in Generation to help close the opportunity gap for workers and increase access to digital skills.

Through GNO Inc.’s signature workforce program, GNOu, the organization led the effort to solidify an institutional partner in the region to host the Generation program. In partnership with New Orleans Business Alliance and Delgado Community College, the group is coordinating industry introductions to assist with graduate placement and further industry-led curriculum development. GNO, Inc. and partners invite employers in the region to collaborate and place graduates in meaningful, high-wage employment career paths.

“Preparing local talent for the workforce is paramount to maintaining a strong regional economy,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc. “We’re thrilled to see our region included in this initiative and look forward to seeing local residents benefit from this tremendous opportunity.”

The technology-focused program is completely free and will be offered at Delgado Community College.

“We are thrilled to provide the training for this much needed opportunity in New Orleans,” said Arlanda Williams, vice chancellor for workforce development and institutional advancement of Delgado Community College. “Through this initiative we will give the participants the tools they need to reroute their career and enhance their quality of life.”

New Orleans is currently among seven other major cities within the U.S. that was selected to host this initiative. The other cities include Dallas, Las Vegas, Memphis, Miami, Seattle, Spartanburg, S.C., and Washington, D.C. Additional cities will be announced next year with the goal of reaching 22 cities by the end of 2022. The goal within the New Orleans region is to graduate between 400-600 graduates yearly and for post-graduate opportunities, the goal is provide at least 80% (320-480) of the graduates internships, apprenticeships, continuing education, or full-time jobs.

To read the full article, click here.

“The Delta Regional Authority is proud to invest in the NextOp program,” said DRA federal co-chairman Chris Caldwell. “Connecting our nation’s highly skilled veterans with in-demand industries will positively impact economic growth throughout Louisiana.”

NextOp began its Louisiana operations in early 2018 in partnership with GNO Inc. and the New Orleans Business Alliance. In that time the organization has successfully placed more than 300 local veterans into civilian careers. Their team works one-on-one with veterans to help translate their military training and experiences into civilian career pathways, connecting veterans to job openings that match their skill sets and providing guidance through the job hiring process and beyond.

“This investment in NextOp’s programming will significantly impact NextOp’s ability to support the veterans and military members in Louisiana and increase our program’s reach into the rural communities of the state,” said Ben Armstrong, Louisiana regional manager of NextOp. “Most importantly, it is going to give the employers of Louisiana greater access to the incredible Louisiana veteran talent already available, and those returning home from their service in the near future.”

To read the full article, click here.

Gov. Edwards presented his vision at the inaugural meeting of the Climate Initiatives Task Force he created earlier this year. Offshore wind energy will be one of many strategies pursued by the task force to curb the growth of greenhouse gas emissions that have reduced air quality, contributed to coastal erosion through sea rise, and increased the severity of weather events.

“I have asked Dr. Walter Cruickshank and the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to help us establish a task force of federal, state and local officials who will build a blueprint for renewable energy production in the Gulf of Mexico,” Gov. Edwards said. “This is not some ‘pie in the sky’ promise of economic opportunity. We already have an emerging offshore wind energy industry, and Louisiana’s offshore oil and gas industry has played a key role in the early development of U.S. offshore wind energy in the Atlantic Ocean.”

Off the coast of Rhode Island, Lafayette-based Aries Marine Corp. and Galliano-based Falcon Global LLC are Louisiana liftboat operators that helped develop the nation’s first commercial offshore wind farm — Block Island. For that project, Metairie-based Keystone Engineering provided design assistance and Houma-based Gulf Island Fabrication built foundation jackets and piling.

“Renewable energy like offshore wind can help the state cut its emissions and do its part in avoiding the worst impacts of climate change,” said deputy director Harry Vorhoff of the Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities. “I applaud Governor Edwards for opening the door, so we can take a hard look at how and where renewable energy is deployed in the federal waters off Louisiana’s coast. I look forward to working with BOEM and coordinating this effort across federal, state, local, and tribal governments.”

In a recent letter, Gov. Edwards asked the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s acting director, Dr. Cruickshank, to establish the task force that will coordinate commercial leasing proposals for wind energy in federal waters off Louisiana’s coast. That effort will create a business path for development of wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico.

A single 600-megawatt wind farm in the Gulf would produce an estimated 4,400 jobs and $445 million in economic output during the construction phase, based upon modeling by U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Operations would contribute 150 new permanent jobs, along with an estimated $14 million in annual spending. By 2035, industry forecasts suggest U.S. offshore wind energy capacity could grow to 22 gigawatts through $70 billion of new capital investment in manufacturing and port infrastructure, as well as 45,000 new direct jobs.

“Louisiana possesses numerous important sectors of our economy, including longstanding and significant contributions from the energy industry,” LED secretary Don Pierson said. “As technology and expertise advances, we should explore additional opportunities in energy, such as offshore wind. Some of the state’s offshore oil and gas service-providers have already played a key role in the early development of offshore wind projects off the East Coast, so it makes plenty of sense to pursue that renewable energy source and the associated economic benefits.”

Part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Ocean Management commissioned a pair of three-year studies to determine the technical feasibility and economic potential of offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Mexico. Both studies were completed in 2020 by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which estimates the Gulf of Mexico could produce 10 percent of U.S. wind energy.

“Offshore wind is an exciting and multifaceted opportunity for Louisiana,” said president and CEO Michael Hecht of GNO Inc. “Wind is a natural extension of Louisiana’s energy industry and employs many of its existing sectors like offshore marine services. Wind is also an advanced manufacturing opportunity, with the world’s largest wind turbine blades already under development in New Orleans. Finally, wind will help support Louisiana’s growing reputation as a leader in environmental management.”

To read the full article, click here.

Gov. Edwards presented his vision at today’s inaugural meeting of the Climate Initiatives Task Force he created earlier this year. Offshore wind energy will be one of many strategies pursued by the task force to curb the growth of greenhouse gas emissions that have reduced air quality, contributed to coastal erosion through sea rise, and increased the severity of weather events.

“I have asked Dr. Walter Cruickshank and the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to help us establish a task force of federal, state and local officials who will build a blueprint for renewable energy production in the Gulf of Mexico,” Gov. Edwards said. “This is not some ‘pie in the sky’ promise of economic opportunity. We already have an emerging offshore wind energy industry, and Louisiana’s offshore oil and gas industry has played a key role in the early development of U.S. offshore wind energy in the Atlantic Ocean.”

Off the coast of Rhode Island, Lafayette-based Aries Marine Corp. and Galliano-based Falcon Global LLC are Louisiana liftboat operators that helped develop the nation’s first commercial offshore wind farm, Block Island. For that project, Metairie-based Keystone Engineering provided design assistance and Houma-based Gulf Island Fabrication built foundation jackets and piling.

“Renewable energy like offshore wind can help the state cut its emissions and do its part in avoiding the worst impacts of climate change,” said Deputy Director Harry Vorhoff of the Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities. “I applaud Governor Edwards for opening the door, so we can take a hard look at how and where renewable energy is deployed in the federal waters off Louisiana’s coast. I look forward to working with BOEM and coordinating this effort across federal, state, local, and tribal governments.”

In a recent letter, Gov. Edwards asked the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s acting director, Dr. Cruickshank, to establish the task force that will coordinate commercial leasing proposals for wind energy in federal waters off Louisiana’s coast. That effort will create a business path for the development of wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico.

A single 600-megawatt wind farm in the Gulf would produce an estimated 4,400 jobs and $445 million in economic output during the construction phase, based upon modeling the by U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Operations would contribute 150 new permanent jobs, along with an estimated $14 million in annual spending. By 2035, industry forecasts suggest U.S. offshore wind energy capacity could grow to 22 gigawatts through $70 billion of new capital investment in manufacturing and port infrastructure, as well as 45,000 new direct jobs.

“Louisiana possesses numerous important sectors of our economy, including longstanding and significant contributions from the energy industry,” LED Secretary Don Pierson said. “As technology and expertise advances, we should explore additional opportunities in energy, such as offshore wind. Some of the state’s offshore oil and gas service-providers have already played a key role in the early development of offshore wind projects off the East Coast, so it makes plenty of sense to pursue that renewable energy source and the associated economic benefits.”

Part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Ocean Management commissioned a pair of three-year studies to determine the technical feasibility and economic potential of offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Mexico. Both studies were completed in 2020 by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which estimates the Gulf of Mexico could produce 10 percent of U.S. wind energy.

“Offshore wind is an exciting and multifaceted opportunity for Louisiana,” said President and CEO Michael Hecht of GNO Inc. “Wind is a natural extension of Louisiana’s energy industry, and employs many of its existing sectors like offshore marine services. Wind is also an advanced manufacturing opportunity, with the world’s largest wind turbine blades already under development in New Orleans. Finally, wind will help support Louisiana’s growing reputation as a leader in environmental management. With this in mind, GNO Inc. thanks Governor Edwards for his request to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that they evaluate wind development off Louisiana’s coast.”

To read the full article, click here.

The new direct jobs will provide an average annual salary of $45,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the expansions will result in 25 new indirect jobs in Livingston and Washington parishes, for a total of 45 new jobs in the Capital and Southeast regions of the state. The firms also will retain 24 existing jobs.

Brightside Clinic in Denham Springs and Bogalusa are mental health outpatient clinics, and the adjoining Everso offices provide access to health care using real-time electronic visit verification, telehealth technology and compliance software tools. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Brightside has seen 25 percent month-over-month increases in patient referrals.

“In times of challenge and uncertainty, it is important for all Louisianans to take particular care of their mental health and well-being,” Gov. Edwards said. “The expansions of Brightside Clinic and Everso Systems are designed to allow their organizations to serve a larger number of Louisiana residents and to allow our citizens to take better care of themselves and their loved ones.”

At the Brightside Clinic, the new roles to be created are clinical social worker, mental health counselor and licensed clinical director. The jobs at Everso Systems include psychiatrist, registered mental health nurse practitioner, office manager, billing and coding manager, and operations manager.

“Brightside Clinic, coupled with the innovative and collaborative support of Everso, is a progressive pivot for mental health, utilizing leading technology,” Roquemore said. “We envision a world where mental health treatments are proactive and preventive – reducing the rate of crisis intervention as a treatment plan, where both annual mental health and physical exams are standard practice. Brightside and Everso are engaged, innovative and intentional in our actions. We are committed to making whole-person wellness a reality for the communities and individuals we serve.”

Brightside Clinic in Bogalusa will create five new jobs, which LED estimates will result in three new indirect jobs, and the Bogalusa Everso office will create five new jobs, which LED estimates will result in nine new indirect jobs.

“A salaried impact of $450,000 in the Bogalusa region alone is huge; however, the impact on our Bogalusa residents’ emotional well-being is a priceless impact,” said Bogalusa Mayor Wendy O’Quin-Perrette. “I would like to thank Brightside and Everso for investing in our community and all their hard work in making our city a better place.”

“The expansion of Brightside and Everso is an exciting development in Washington Parish, and I am proud of their accomplishments,” said Executive Director Ryan Seal of the Washington Economic Development Foundation. “In this challenging year, I am delighted to see that our entrepreneurial community is growing in order to address the needs of our people. This expansion will mean more than just new jobs and economic activity; it will support the mental health of our community.”

“The combined expansion of Brightside Clinic and Everso Systems is an exciting development for the State of Louisiana and a testament to the hard work of the Washington Economic Development Foundation,” said President and CEO Michael Hecht of Greater New Orleans Inc. “The innovations these companies are making in mental healthcare and health-based software development are essential for the continued diversification of our regional economy, and these new employment opportunities will provide strong job options for our residents.”

Brightside’s office in Denham Springs will create five new direct jobs, which LED estimates will result in three indirect jobs in the region. The Everso office in Denham Springs will also create five new direct jobs, which LED estimates will result in 10 new indirect jobs.

“We are pleased that Brightside Clinic and Everso will add to the growing health care sector with their expansion in Denham Springs,” said Mayor Gerard Landry of Denham Springs. “The additional healthcare capacity created to serve our residents is welcome.”

“We are excited to see the expansion of both companies, because small business is important to sustained economic growth in Livingston Parish,” said President and CEO David Bennett of the Livingston Economic Development Council. “The owners have demonstrated their ability to develop synergies in existing and emerging markets that will drive economic prosperity in the parish.

“The value of telemedicine to social services and mental health has never been more critical, and we are thrilled to support this expansion and the invaluable benefit it brings to the Capital Region,” said President and CEO Adam Knapp of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. “Our team has had the pleasure of working with Evon over the past year and looks forward to supporting her continued success with our partners at the Livingston Economic Development Council.”

Everso and Brightside have participated in LED Growth Network programs facilitated by the department’s Small Business Services team. In 2019, LED earned the International Economic Development Council’s Gold Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, based on the strength of LED’s suite of small business programs. To facilitate the additional growth of Brightside and Everso, the companies are expected to utilize the state’s Quality Jobs Program.

To read the full article, click here.

Avondale Marine was awarded over $9.8 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to convert an aging wharf at the site into a modern cargo dock, according to a news release from the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission. It will improve traffic flow and allow the company to handle cargo more efficiently, the release said.

“This represents a significant step for the continued repositioning of the former Avondale Shipyard site,” said JEDCO president and CEO Jerry Bologna. “This infusion of funding will continue to create jobs and investment at the Avondale site and will create new opportunities for growth. JEDCO is proud to support this project and we look forward to remaining a steadfast partner to the long-term development of Avondale Marine.”

Avondale Marine, a joint venture between T. Parker Host and Hilco Redevelopment Partners, purchased the 254-acre site in 2018 from Huntington Ingalls, Inc. They plan to turn it into a multimodal private terminal by redeveloping cranes and docks along the Mississippi River and connecting waterborne vessels with manufacturing, fabrication and distribution facilities onshore.

The project has the potential to create 2,000 jobs, officials have said, with crane and piling capacity that could potentially support loads larger than other sites around the state.

In a statement thanking Gov. John Bel Edwards and Louisiana’s congressional and state delegation for their help in securing the grant, T. Parker Host CEO Adam Anderson asked that “all stakeholders remain engaged and motivated as we overcome future challenges together to put Avondale back to work.”

Other entities involved in the effort include Greater New Orleans, Inc., Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson Business Council, Westbank Business & Industry Association, World Trade Center New Orleans and elected officials on the local level.

To read the full article, click here.

The site is sponsored by Chevron and is designed to be used by businesses looking to attract talent to the region and professionals interested in moving to the region. Destination GNO will help showcase what life in greater New Orleans has to offer.

“As talented workers move into the area, they will now have a fully featured online relocation guide to help explain the ins and outs of living in greater New Orleans,” said Michael Hecht, Greater New Orleans Inc. president and CEO. “Destination GNO also ensures that local companies have a valuable tool within their recruitment arsenal, effectively increasing their bandwidth during the hiring process.”

Regional employers are encouraged to use the site during relocation efforts to help incoming residents become familiar with the area’s neighborhood options. Additionally, the site includes an HR portal for hiring managers to access relocation materials and a database of notable talent available in the market.

“Chevron believes in contributing to the communities where we work and live and is proud to call Louisiana home,” said Leah Brown, public affairs manager for Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit. “By sponsoring this innovative website, we are supporting economic growth in a 10 parish region. With one visit to DestinationGNO.com, people from around the world can tour multiple neighborhoods, discover our special culture and character, and see why this is a great place to live and do business. Chevron is pleased to continue to be a part of this initiative.”

Destination GNO highlights nearly 50 diverse neighborhoods around the region. The site allows users to select attributes that are most suited towards their lifestyle and provides recommendations on neighborhoods the user may want to consider. It also features information on the region’s vibrant culture, music and food scene, family-friendly activities, education, health care, safety, climate, and transportation. Beyond the lifestyle overviews, the site also describes the industries found within the Greater New Orleans region, including links to major employers and links to job openings.

Features on the site include:

• Neighborhood Quiz – An interactive tool that displays a list of neighborhoods that match up with preferred lifestyle options such as home type, access to activities, neighborhood style, and more
• Industry Overviews – Close-ups of key industries in the region, including highlights of key employers in each sector
• Cost of Living Calculator – Allows users to compare the cost of living in New Orleans to other markets
• Job Search Feature – Real-time feed of job postings in Greater New Orleans
• HR Portal – Provides access to relocation materials for HR managers, as well as a talent referral database for recruiters to share qualified professionals

Both the original DestinationGNO.com and re-design are sponsored by Chevron. The company’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit is headquartered in Covington, La., and has been a longstanding GNO Inc. investor and partner on economic development in the Greater New Orleans region. To find out more about Chevron’s civic and charitable collaborations, visit www.gomsocialinvestmentreport.com.

To read the full article, click here.

Monty Sullivan, president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, said the state has already gotten hundreds of inquiries since the effort began Sept. 14. “There is clearly a huge demand out there,” Sullivan said.

The effort is called “Reboot Your Career.”

The program hopes to retrain people in 8-to-12 weeks at reduced tuition rates, so completers can enter jobs or a career path where more certification and education can pave the way for advancement.

The job list was compiled with input from regional economic development leaders in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and elsewhere, including the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and GNO Inc.

The posts include health, including nursing assistants and medical assistants; transportation, including crane operators and car and truck repair workers and construction workers, such as carpenters, electricians and plumbers. Other areas are information technology, manufacturing and electrical power-line installers.

The state did something similar after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, which spurred the training of 16,000 new construction workers.

“We know that education is critical to restarting this economy,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed. “This is a centerpiece of the work. The community colleges were made for this moment.”

Liz Smith, senior vice president for economic competitiveness at BRAC, praised the program and said community and technical colleges stepped up in 2016 when the state needed construction workers.

“I think they have a proven track record to be able to do this,” Smith said. “You see across the country short-term training is a very helpful answer for a large number of unemployed workers.”

Smith said her group shared with state officials its job board — called BR Works — that includes more than 1,000 jobs posted by employers.

Those most in demand include technology, health care, business, construction trade, law and digital art design.

The push to get the word out on “Reboot Your Career” began with a 15-second video during the Saints game Sept. 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

More ads are planned at reduced rates throughout the football season, including CBS college games in the 2:30 p.m. Saturday slot.

The $10 million program is being financed with part of the state’s education share from the $2.2 trillion stimulus package called the CARES Act approved earlier this year by Congress.

Louisiana’s slice included $50 million in discretionary dollars for higher education and public schools.

Gov. John Bel Edwards allocated $15.5 million for colleges and universities, and $10 million of that pot will finance the retraining.

The pandemic has upended the state’s economy, like it has nationally.

The Baton Rouge area lost 52,800 jobs, or 12.7% of employment, over a roughly one-month period starting in March when a stay-at-home order was imposed to combat the coronavirus, according to the Louisiana Economic Outlook.

“The thing I think is really important is we have lost a significant number of jobs since March but not all jobs are created equally,” Sullivan said.

For instance, New Orleans lost 100,000 positions in the service industry.

“People are still hiring, but they are hiring skills,” he said.

“The question is how do we get someone into training … and get them out and working and taking care of their families.”

What students will pay depends on what jobs they pursue.

In some cases, when the state aid is included, there is no charge for tuition.

Other jobs will require a substantial payment for the training, even after the discount.

The federal dollars are good through June 30, and backers hope to land more aid to continue the training beyond that date.

Applicants are not required to have any current degrees.

Officials envision students attending classes at a wide variety of times, including evenings and on weekends, since the average student is 27 years old and often has family responsibilities of their own.

Said Reed, “I do think it says to individuals there are in-demand jobs, there are resources to support you and if you give us eight to 12 weeks we can put you on a path to prosperity.”

The program comes at a time when enrollment is down 7% at the state’s 12 community and technical colleges, part of a national downturn.

The fact that students who attend the schools often have suddenly homebound children of their own is cited as one of the reasons for the enrollment drop.

“They are pausing and saying ‘I am going to hold off on my education until life settles down a little bit,’ ” Sullivan said.

To read the full article, click here.

The Louisiana Main Street Recovery grant program debuted in late July as a way to distribute some of the state’s $1.8 billion in federal CARES Act relief funds to small businesses in the state who have incurred expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program’s creation was a victory for Louisiana Republicans, who advocated for using the money this way instead of sending it to state and city governments.

So far, though, the distribution of funds has been going more slowly than expected.

“It is concerning to me that we put this kind of money aside for small businesses and so little has been used,” said Rep. Barbara Frieberg, a Baton Rouge Republican, during a legislative meeting on Monday.

The Department of Treasury, which runs the program, said that just under 4,000 small business owners have received funds so far. The average grant size is about $9,000 and the average wait time is a “few weeks” More than 6,000 applications have been rejected, meanwhile. One of the reasons is that applicants hadn’t correctly filed taxes or an extension for 2018 or 2019.

$29 million has been dispersed and another $63 million is “in the pipeline” to be paid, so that leaves another $184 million available before the program ends on Nov. 30. Of the grants that have been awarded or approved, $34.2 million has gone to businesses owned by minorities, women or veterans. The stated goal is to reach at least $40 million.

The Department of Treasury said it has made two major changes to the Main Street Recovery program to make it easier for people to access the funds.

First, small business owners who filed tax returns last year may now use those returns to estimate their expenses rather than show receipts.

“There are two aspects of the program that are eligible expenses,” said Rachael Higginbotham of Postlethwaite & Netterville, the accounting firm that’s administering the program, during a Sept. 14 Zoom call hosted by Greater New Orleans Inc. “The first is pandemic-related costs: things like extra cleaning, signage and personal protective equipment. Those are costs associated with meeting public health requirements but there’s a second set of costs that are defined as business interruption expenses. That’s rent, utilities, payroll and all of those normal business operating costs. Quick relief is based off of business interruption expenses only so that’s why we’re looking at 2019 taxes because we’re assuming your businesses expenses from last year are similar to those from this year and that your business interruption calculation can be based off of last year.”

Another big change is that administrators are re-interpreting the rule that applicants must “have customers or employees visit a physical location.”

Now, the litmus test is whether or not you interact face-to-face with customers in any location. For example, electricians and plumbers interact with customers at a home or place of business, so they would qualify, but purely online businesses do not interact face-to-face with customers so they don’t.

“I have a cousin who buys fishing lures and then sells them online,” said Higginbotham. “He’s not eligible because he never meets with customers or employees in person but a lot of others that may not have a physical storefront would be eligible.”

On the Sept. 14 call, Schroder delivered a clear message: if you’ve applied and been rejected, apply again now that the new rules are in place. And if you haven’t applied yet, now’s the time to get it done.

“We’re doing about $3 million a day now so it’s coming along,” he said. “Our biggest problem, honestly, is how many applications that we have that have been denied. We have a large amount that are denied for not filing taxes, not being current with the Secretary of State or not telling the truth when asked the question, ‘Have you received any prior aid?’ My ask today is to please spread the word. We have several hundred thousand businesses out there that have done all the things they’re supposed to do – file their taxes, going to work every day, doing what they need to do to survive – and they could use this money.”

To read the full article, click here.

“GNO Inc. is excited to onshore these professional jobs to our region,” said President and CEO Michael Hecht of Greater New Orleans Inc. “Our team has worked in partnership with Louisiana Economic Development and JEDCO to help SCI understand the particular combination of cost savings and talented workforce that they will have access to here in greater New Orleans. SCI in Jefferson validates our strategy of bringing great jobs back to the New Orleans region.”

Founded in New Orleans in 1910, Stewart has had a presence in Jefferson Parish for over 100 years. After acquiring Stewart seven years ago, Houston-based SCI retained over 130 corporate jobs in Jefferson Parish. As part of this project, the company is retaining an existing workforce across Louisiana that has averaged 600 employees during the past year.

“Service Corporation International is the industry leader for funeral products and services, with deep roots in Jefferson Parish and New Orleans,” Gov. Edwards said. “We honor the heritage and success of the Stewart family with this expansion project, while also celebrating SCI’s recognition that Louisiana is a smart choice for growing its corporate office, accounting and customer service operations for the future.”

For information about applying for jobs, go to louisianajobconnection.com/companies/sci.

Louisiana Economic Development estimates the expansion will result in 37 new indirect jobs, for a total of 152 new jobs in Jefferson Parish and Southeast Louisiana. The 115 new professionals directly employed by Stewart in Jefferson Parish will perform finance and accounting functions. The company also plans to make a capital investment of approximately $600,000 to convert existing office space for the new personnel.

“Our New Orleans team has demonstrated strong performance in providing essential finance and accounting support for our company and our team of 24,000 associates,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Eric Tanzberger of SCI. “We are pleased to expand our operations in Jefferson Parish and Southeast Louisiana and look forward to welcoming new associates to the SCI family.”

LED, the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission and Greater New Orleans Inc. jointly participated in discussions with SCI about the project. To secure the expansion, the State of Louisiana offered the company a competitive incentive package that includes the comprehensive workforce solutions of LED FastStart® – the nation’s No. 1 state workforce program – and a $200,000 performance-based grant to offset the costs of building improvements. In addition, SCI plans to utilize Quality Jobs Program incentives.

“We are proud that SCI has chosen to make this sizable and impactful investment in Jefferson Parish,” said Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng. “The decision to expand here furthers the SCI commitment to a strong presence in Jefferson Parish while also complementing the teams already located in our community. It speaks to their trust in Jefferson Parish as a destination for business growth and innovation. We look forward to a long-term partnership with SCI and Stewart.”

Some of the new corporate office functions coming to Jefferson Parish represent a recapturing of jobs from overseas.

“Through this project, SCI will bring more than a hundred domestic and overseas jobs into Jefferson Parish,” said JEDCO President and CEO Jerry Bologna. “We are ideally situated to support this and other reshoring opportunities, due to our strong infrastructure and dedicated workforce that allow us to support back-office operations of this sort. We are grateful to SCI for recognizing Jefferson Parish’s potential and continuing to invest in our community.”

In addition to the state incentive package, the Jefferson Parish Council is providing a local performance-based incentive of up to $300,000, paid in installments over four years, to further offset the costs of building out and equipping the space for the new jobs. The company will receive the full incentive amount to the extent it is able to meet annual job creation and job retention targets, as well as a Jefferson Parish residency requirement for a percentage of new positions filled.

Beginning with employment of 81 new people in 2020 and 2021, the company plans to ramp up to the full project employment of 115 new jobs by 2023.

To read the full article, click here.