rankings INVESTORS BOARD OF DIRECTORSEXECUTIVE COMMITTEEBill Hoffman Chairman of the Board Woodward Interests, LLC
Maura Donahue Chair-elect of the Board DonahueFavret Contractors
Michael Hecht President and CEO Greater New Orleans, Inc.
Phil Gunn Treasurer Postlethwaite & Netterville
Mark Spansel Secretary Adams and Reese
Ronnie Slone Chair, Policy Committee The Slone Group
Patricia LeBlanc Immediate Past Chair LeBlanc Fantaci Villio
Dale Benoit Print All
Mike DeBoer GE Capital
Tommy Faucheux The Dow Chemical Company
Melissa Gibbs Gibbs Construction
Jim Hudson First Bankers Bank
Mike Illanne Chevron
Gay LeBreton Chaffe & Associates
John Little International Properties
Carlo Mulvenna Pan American Life Insurance Group
Greg Rusovich Transoceanic Development
BOARD OF DIRECTORSBill Aaron Aaron, PLC
Danica Ansardi Ansardi Financial
Michele Avery LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors
Jerry Bologna Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission
1100 Poydras Street, Suite 3475 New Orleans, LA 70163
504.527.6900 | www.gnoinc.org | @GNOINC
Susan Bonnett Northshore Community Foundation
Michelle Bourg Entergy
Patricia Brister St. Tammany Parish Government
Sean Burkes Burkes Engineering
Henry Coaxum Coaxum Enterprises
Richard Cortizas Jones Walker
Karen Deblieux Capital One Bank
Greg Fiern LCMC Health
Henry Friloux Echo Venures
Cherreen Geggenheimer Jefferson Parish
Lee Giorgio Select Properties
Rick Haas Latter & Blum
Ben Hales New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans
Tara Hernandez JCH Development
Karl Hoefer IBERIABANK
John Hollowell Shell
Scott Howard Regions Bank
Wan Kim Smoothie King
Leigh King Cox Communications
Bill Langenstein Chaffe McCall
Wayne Lee Stone Pigman
Gary Lorio Whitney Bank
Ti Martin Commander’s Palace
Todd Murphy Jefferson Chamber of Commerce
Warren Murrell Peoples Health
Roger Ogden Ogden Development & Investments
Mike Palamone Urban Systems
George Pivach Venice Port Complex
Stephen Reuther St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce
Natalie Robottom St. John the Baptist Parish
Taryn Rogers Valero
Ashton Ryan First NBC Bank
Bobby Savoie Geocent
Ryan Seal Washington Economic Development Foundation
Jay Seale Seale & Ross
Melonie Stewart Entergy
Lizette Terral JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Warner Thomas Ochsner Health System
Dan Wagner Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Guy Williams Gulf Coast Bank & Trust
Matt Wisdom TurboSquid
ADVISORSKevin Lin Entrepreneur
Steve Nosacka Town of Gramercy
Fernando Rivera South Louisiana Veterans Health Care System
PAST CHAIR EMERITUSBill Hines Jones Walker
Leslie Jacobs Strategic Comp
Marty Mayer Stirling Properties
Suzanne Mestayer ThirtyNorth Investments
Bill Oliver William A. Oliver Enterprises
Patrick Quinlan Ochsner Health System
Henry Shane Favrot & Shane
UNIVERSITY EX-OFFICIOF. King Alexander Louisiana State University
John Crain Southeastern LA University
Dale Doty River Parishes Community College
Michael Fitts Tulane University
Peter Fos University of New Orleans
Norman Francis Xavier University
Larry Hollier LSU Health Sciences Center
Walter Kimbrough Dillard University
Joan Davis Delgado Community College
Earl Meador South Central LA Technical College
Victor Ukpolo Southern University of New Orleans
William Wainright Northshore Community Technical College
Tommy Warner Nunez Community College
Kevin Wildes Loyola University
BOARD MEMBER FAVITORDavid Darragh Reily Foods
David Fennelly Associated Terminals
Jay Lapeyre Laitram
Mary Matalin Political Advisor
PINNACLE INVESTORSblue moon fundCapital One, N.A.ChevronCity of New OrleansEntergyJPMorgan ChaseThe Kresge FoundationLouisiana Economic DevelopmentLouisiana Office of Community DevelopmentNew Orleans Business AllianceThe Rockefeller Foundation U.S. Economic Development AdministrationWalton Family Foundation
CAPSTONE INVESTORSAdams and ReeseBlue Cross and Blue Shield of LouisianaThe Dow Chemical CompanyFirst NBC BankIBERIABANKJefferson Parish GovernmentJones, WalkerNorthshore Community FoundationRegions BankSt. Tammany Parish GovernmentWhitney Bank
PILLAR INVESTORSBP AmericaBiz New OrleansBoh Bros. / BroadmoorFavrot & Shane CompaniesGoldring & Woldenberg FoundationsGulf Coast Bank & TrustLaitramLCMC HealthNew Orleans PelicansNew Orleans SaintsOchsner Health SystemPeoples HealthReily Foods CompanyShell Exploration & ProductionStirling PropertiesSuperior Energy ServicesSurdna FoundationWWL-TV
ANCHOR INVESTORSAssociated TerminalsBanner Automotive GroupBarriere Construction Co.Bart’s Office Furniture RepairsThe Boeing Company Bollinger ShipyardsBusiness First BankCanal BargeCheniere EnergyCoats RoseCommander’s PalaceCORE Construction ServicesCory, Tucker & Larrowe, Inc.Cox CommunicationsCrescent Bank & TrustCrystal Clear Imaging East Jefferson General HospitalGE CapitalGibbs ConstructionGoldman Sachs 10,000 Small BusinessesHannis T. Bourgeois Harrah’s New Orleans CasinoHyatt Regency New OrleansInternational Matex Tank TerminalsJefferson Business CouncilKelly Hart & PitreKent Design BuildLakelawn Metairie Funeral HomeLandis Construction CompanyLatter & Blum
LLOG ExplorationMcMath Construction NANONorthshore Business CouncilOgden Development & InvestmentsPan-American Life Insurance GroupPelican Energy ConsultantsPhelps DunbarPlaquemines Association of Business & IndustryPlaquemines Parish GovernmentPort of PlaqueminesPostlethwaite & NettervillePricewaterhouseCoopers Pyramid AudioRain CIIRazorlineRoy Anderson Corp.Sheraton New Orleans HotelSmoothie KingSoutheastern Louisiana UniversitySt. Charles Parish GovernmentSt. James Parish GovernmentSt. John the Baptist Parish GovernmentStone Pigman Walther WittmannTransoceanic DevelopmentTulane UniversityTurner IndustriesUNO Research & Technology Foundation ValeroWaldemar S. Nelson & Co.Woodward Design+Build
CORNERSTONE INVESTORS365 ConnectAdvantage Capital PartnersAquiana Springs WaterBellwether Technology CorporationBrennan’s Restaurant Chaffe & AssociatesChenevert ArchitectsCity of KennerCornerstone Government AffairsCorporate RealtyCrescent Crown DistributingCSRS Daul Insurance AgencyDickie Brennan Restaurant GroupDonahueFavret ContractorsFishman HaygoodGCRGlobalstarGulf States Real Estate ServicesGuster W. McIlhenny Family FoundationHarbor Towing & FleetingHRI PropertiesHumanaHuntington IngallsKean MillerLauricella Land The Lemoine CompanyLevel 3 CommunicationsLookfarLoyola University New OrleansMary Freeman Wisdom FoundationMathes Brierre ArchitectsThe Mosaic CompanyNalco - An Ecolab CompanyNOLA Motorsports ParkPhillips 66The Pond CompanySalmen CompanySalmen Family South Louisiana BankSouthwest AirlinesSt. Bernard Parish GovernmentTangipahoa Parish GovernmentTCI PackagingTelemundo New Orleans
Trapolin-Peer Architects UTSI Venice Port ComplexWashington Parish GovernmentWegmann Dazet & Company
PARTNER INVESTORSAcadian Ambulance ServiceAdvantous ConsultingAll South Consulting EngineersAssociated Office SystemsAudubon Nature InstituteBaker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & BerkowitzBrian Gibbs DevelopmentChaffe McCallCoca-Cola Bottling CompanyColdwell BankerCon-Tech InternationalDCL Mooring & RiggingDidier ConsultantsDixie MillThe Domain CompaniesDuplantis Design GroupDurr Heavy ConstructionEagan Insurance AgencyEcho VenturesThe Ehrhardt GroupErnst & YoungFidelity HomesteadFM ServicesGameloft GoToInterviewGulf Coast Office Products Hertz Investment GroupHGIHome BankThe Hornsby GroupHUB InternationalJ.V. Burkes & AssociatesJacobs TechnologyJCH DevelopmentJefferson Chamber of CommerceJones Lang LaSalleJos. A. Bank ClothiersThe Kearney CompaniesKPMGLaPorte CPAs & Business AdvisorsLeBlanc PartnersMahl & AssociatesMedical Executive PartnersMetairie Bank and Trust CompanyMy RecruitingNew Orleans Zephyrs N.O. Steamboat Company/Gray Line ToursNorthwestern Mututal Financial NetworkOMI Environmental SolutionsOmni Air Transport ORX ExplorationPalmisano Contractors Pat O’Brien’s BarPerlisThe Personnel Consulting GroupPoché ConstructionRE/MAX Commercial BrokersSelect PropertiesSizeler Thompson Brown ArchitectsThe Slone GroupStolthaven Teminals Sumit CreditsThirtyNorth InvestmentsTriton DivingVenice Port CoalitionVintage Church of New OrleansWaggonner & Ball ArchitectsWOW Café & Wingery & PJ’s Coffee of New OrleansYoung Leadership Council
GNO, Inc. Named A “Leading EDC In America”> Global Trade
Greater New Orleans, Inc. Ranked Top 20 EDO In The USA> Site Selection
GNO, Inc. World of Work Program Named “Most Effective Statewide Career Awareness and Exploration Initiative”> Louisiana Department of Education
New Orleans Ranked #2 In USA For Number of Women In Tech> SmartAsset
New Orleans Ranked #2 City In North America> Travel + Leisure
New Orleans Ranked #1 In The USA For School Choice> Thomas B. Fordham Institute
New Orleans Named #1 In America For Creatives > SmartAsset
Armstrong International Breaks All-Time Record High for Total Passengers> Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
The Port of New Orleans Sets Cargo Record> The Port of New Orleans
Greater New Orleans is #2 in the USA for Growth of Knowledge Industries> EMSI
Louisiana #4 In USA For Business Climate> Site Selection
Louisiana Ranked #1 In The USA for Workforce Training Program, #3 for Business Climate and High-Wage Manufacturing, #4 for Economic Potential and Best Infrastructure, #6 for Export Value> Business Facilities
Louisiana Receives “Silver Shovel” award> Area Development
SEE OUR FULL LIST AT GNOINC.ORG/RANKINGS
2015YEAR IN REVIEW
LEADING TO THE FUTURE
gnoinc.org/annualmeeting
201520152015
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
Copa Airlines started direct service to Panama City, and over 50 destination in the Americas,
“reopening the Gateway to the Americas”
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Largest NextGen Council to-date; joint Board of Directors and NextGen Council meetings
commenced
Dear Friends,
Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, Greater New Orleans is doing extraordinarily well. By nearly every measure, the region has not just come back from the storm, but is doing better than in decades.
Traditional industries, like manufacturing, are booming, with over $60B in recent announcements. Trade is at record levels, and the Mission to Mars is under construction at Michoud. The economy is also diversifying, with New Orleans’ tech sector one of the fastest growing in America, billons in biomedical investment, and a brand-new sector – Environmental Management – where southeast Louisiana is set to lead the world. Greater New Orleans leads the nation for in-migration of people with college degrees, and Travel + Leisure just named us #2 Best City in North America.
But it is still early days. The lessons of Miami, New York, Research Triangle, and even Singapore tell us that economic transformation is a generational project – and so we still have decades of hard work in front of us. That is why the theme of our meeting this year is “Leading to the Future:” even as we celebrate our progress, we need to commit now to years more of hard work, and to the leadership that will be required to provide the vision, motivation and direction for this effort.
This leadership can take many forms: leadership of a company, of an organization, of a campaign. What is most important is that each of us take ownership of an issue, and commit to seeing it through.
Moreover, new leadership will be required. As the years pass, leadership succession will be critical to ensure not only continuity but also refreshed energy and ideas. The next generation of leaders will need to step up and step in, and in doing so honor the legacy of the first wave of post-Katrina leadership.
I am confident that, together, we can lead to the future. On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff and stakeholders of GNO, Inc. – thank you.
Michael Hecht President & CEO
Since 2008, the economic development organization has been “materially involved” in bringing $12.5 billion of capital investments and 21,525 jobs to the region, officials reveal.
MULTI-YEAR PRIORITIESGNO, INC.
[ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GNO, Inc. “World of Work” named “Most Effective Statewide Career Awareness and Exploration Initiative” by the Louisiana Department of Education
[ STATE FISCAL REFORM Developed Reform for Louisiana’s Future, a comprehensive policy guide for the Governor and Legislature for fundamental structural reform for Louisiana
[ FLOOD PROTECTION & RESILIENCE GNO Urban Water Plan adopted by City of New Orleans in Resilient NOLA Strategy and through Jefferson Parish Elmwood demonstration project; Coalition for Coastal Resilience and Economy met with Secretary of Commerce Pritzker and OMB Director Shaun Donovan
> WORKFORCE• WorkNOLA.com - 5,800+ job postings, 777,464 visits, and 3.9 million page views• Pilot and adoption of Supplemental Course Allocation (SCA) open
enrollment Process shifts course choice provider application cycle to year round structure
• Successful pilot and region-wide launch of GNO World of Work (GNO WOW), deemed the “most effective” career awareness and exploration initiative in louisiana by louisiana Department of education
• gno, inc. and uno Coastal Engineering and Science (CEAS) certificates, nearly doubles the size of the class over inaugural semester, currently enrolling 50 students and working professionals
> PUBLIC POLICY
> MARKETING
> AWARDS
• 1,000+ pieces, including 650 national articles (Bloomberg, Fox, nPr, WSJ, nY times, Forbes, cnBc, etc.)
• led public relations efforts, in partnership with the city of new orleans, around the 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
• gno, inc. Top 20 EDO in uSa [Site Selection] and a “Leading EDC In America” {global trade magazine]
• national association of Development organization Innovation Award, uno coastal engineering & Science certificate Program
• american Planning association national Planning Excellence Award, greater new orleans urban Water Plan
• ceo michael Hecht named among 10 People Making a Difference in Economic Development [Southern Business & Development], one of “North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers” [consultant connect]
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT2015
• Signature legislation – Reauthorization of the Angel Investor Tax Credit through 2017
• Developed Reform for Louisiana’s Future, a comprehensive policy guide for the governor and legislature
• Export-Import Bank – reauthorization of the export-import Bank through 2019
• military – Secured additional funding for FA-18 aircraft, which will support Belle chasse naval air Base
• Trade Promotion Authority – tPa granted, allowing negotiation of the trans Pacific Partnership and the transatlantic trade and investment Partnership
• Economic Development Administration – Funding secured for eDa
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT20152015 was a remarkable year for business development projects in Greater New Orleans, with 9 announcements and two major global events that will bring over $2.3 billion in capital investment to the region. These projects represent a wide range of industry, further diversifying the local economy.
> ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT• copa airlines began direct service to Panama City and 72 destinations in the
americas• launched RES/CON, he premier annual international conference on the
practice of successful resiliency and disaster management• organized teDxneworleans to showcase the systematic progress experienced
by the region during the decade following Hurricane Katrina“
Greater New Orleans, Inc. was selected as a “Leading EDC in America,” a list which recognized organizations which use creative and effective means for attracting business
February 2016, Global Trade magazine
RussiaFERTILIzER PLANT
New YorkBUSINESS ACCELERATOR
New YorkEDUCATION PLATFORM
FinlandLASER ENGRAVING
PhoenixVETERAN HEALTH BENEFITS
LouisianaCHEMICAL TERMINAL
DurhamDIGITAL AGENCY
CaliforniaVIDEOGAME DEVELOPER
New YorkCAPITAL FIRM
DublinTECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
OhioE-SPORTS EVENT
PIN OAK HOLDINGSPOH