Jefferson Davis Parish Named Louisiana Development Ready Community

JENNINGS, La. – Louisiana Economic Development recognized Jefferson Davis Parish as the state’s newest Louisiana Development Ready Community in a presentation Friday at the Gator Chateau. The parish becomes the 51st participant in the community development program, now in its 14th year.

The Louisiana Development Ready Communities program helps participants become more competitive for new investment and jobs by guiding selected communities through the process of creating and implementing a strategic economic development plan. By following its plan for multiple years, participants leverage local assets and address unique challenges to empower business growth in their communities.

“On behalf of LED, congratulations to the many community leaders and public officials in Jeff Davis Parish who have worked so hard to position Louisiana’s Southwest Region for new business attraction and existing business retention,” LED Secretary Don Pierson said. “The Louisiana Development Ready Communities program is making a difference for communities across Louisiana, by sending a clear signal to investors and quality job creators that our cities and parishes have taken the necessary steps to ensure their businesses have the support they need to succeed.”

The parish economic development department, chamber of commerce officials, tourism partners, and business and organization leaders from across the parish were all part of the team that helped secure the LDRC designation. Through the distribution of community surveys, town hall meetings and multiple committee meetings, the team identified strengths and opportunities for additional growth, all directed at positioning the parish for enhanced economic momentum.

“Jeff Davis Parish is proud to be named a Development Ready Community, which is another step in our pursuit to move the parish forward and attract new businesses and industry to our area,” Police Jury President Steve Eastman said. “We now have a plan of action for our parish which includes improvements to infrastructure, economic development, quality of life, and marketing and communication. We want to thank our parish economic development staff as well as Louisiana Economic Development for their work in helping us attain this designation.”

“This is a great day for Jeff Davis Parish,” said Creed Romano, President & CEO of Jeff Davis Economic Development. “Certification as a development ready parish is the culmination of the hard work, foresight, and commitment of our parish leadership, elected officials and members of our steering committee to make Jeff Davis Parish an even greater place to live, work, and visit. I thank LED for providing their expertise, time, resources and support throughout this process.  We are now ready to begin the implementation of our three-year action plan to ensure our parish’s continued growth and success.”

For more information about the LDRC program, visit the LED website or contact LED Director of Community Competitiveness Stacey Duvic at stacey.duvic@la.gov or 225.342.4703.

About LED
Louisiana Economic Development is responsible for strengthening the state’s business environment and creating a more vibrant Louisiana economy. It is the only state agency in the U.S. accredited by the International Economic Development Council, boasting a wide range of award-winning programs and projects routinely ranked among the nation’s best. In 2021, LED attracted 64 new economic development projects representing over 18,100 new direct and indirect jobs, 9,700 retained jobs and more than $20.5 billion in new capital investment. Explore how LED cultivates jobs and economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana, and promotes business opportunity for employers of all sizes at OpportunityLouisiana.com.

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