Southwest Louisiana’s keys to economic development are regional collaboration and a solid focus on workforce development and infrastructure investment.

Gray Swoope, president and chief executive officer of VisionFirst Advisors, delivered this message during his keynote address at the 121st Chamber SWLA.

Swoope has over 30 years of experience in economic development. He founded VisionFirst Advisors in 2015, which has grown into a respected consulting firm with a portfolio spanning 49 states (North Dakota is his white whale). Vision First works on economic development strategies, workforce planning, site selection, incentive negotiations, and compliance, serving clients including 29 Fortune 500 companies.

Before Vision First, Gray served as Florida’s Secretary of Commerce and President of Enterprise Florida and previously worked as the Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority.

He said that while the definition of economic development varies from person to person, it usually boils down to making a difference by enhancing quality of life, improving economic well-being, and increasing living standards.

“It’s why you’re here today,” he told the banquet attendees. “It’s why you’re working as four parishes together to accomplish these goals. You want to make a difference.”

At the heart of it all is community and family, he said, and family values are important in a world with the greatest “velocity of change” seen in years.

He highlighted rapid changes in the business environment, including the impact of new leadership in Louisiana, national policy shifts, geopolitical issues, and the rise of technology. He warned that the pace of change is greater than ever, and businesses need to adapt to mitigate risks, especially in industries like energy, healthcare, and technology.

Alongside more wide-reaching changes is a flux in workforce dynamics, including issues like “quiet quitting” and the impact of demographic shifts, are significant challenges. He noted that workforce development and adapting to new work patterns will be essential for economic growth.

Economic leaders need to do three things to nurture economic growth: Prepare, understand market changes and opportunities; pursue, actively seek new business and industry investments; and partner, leverage relationships and assets to drive economic progress.

The last “P” is critical for the region. The connectivity of SW La.’s parishes is an attractive “power marker” for investors.

“As a site selector, I could care less for a parish boundary,” he explained. “I could care less for a state boundary, I’m looking at the workforce and the resources of a region. And so that’s important.”

It would be beneficial for SW La. to be a “bear trap. He recounted a time his daughter told him to get sticks, wave them around and make himself see bigger if he ever encountered a bear. The tactic of joining forces and consolidating resources will grab investment attention.

“Being larger than you really are, and talking about the assets of the region, proximity to major markets, the interstates, the connectivity, then you can be the bear and win regionally.”