Working for the future of Louisiana

LA23 is an initiative spearheaded by the Louisiana Association of Business & Industry (LABI) to position Louisiana as a top-tier economic leader in the South by the year 2030.

Designed for all Louisianans

Crafted through thorough research and a vetting process with a broad array of stakeholders, LA23 is a strategic plan with the goal of positioning Louisiana as a top-tier economic leader in the South by 2030.

We are engaging business leaders, outside consultants and issue experts to help develop a roadmap for our state that works not only for Louisiana businesses, but for all Louisianans. LA23 will be released in early Fall 2023, and we will conduct a roadshow to discuss the recommendations and garner support.

At LABI’s Annual Meeting on March 2, Ted Abernathy of Economic Leadership LLC and Stephen Moret from Strada Education Network presented comparative data on how Louisiana stacks up against other states and provided insight on pathways to strengthen our economic and workforce competitiveness through LA23. View the presentation by clicking the button below.

View the Presentation

The Goal

To produce a substantive strategic plan for Louisiana that will:

  • Focus on tangible steps to drive solutions
  • Develop a clear vision for a successful roadmap
  • Provide annual, real-time monitoring and data analysis to ensure we stay on the right path

The Process

In February, we hosted regional listening sessions throughout the state to share the current research, key concepts and solicit input from business and citizens. The second round of sessions will be held during summer. 

How We Gather Data
  • Conduct regional meetings, surveys and polling to hear directly from businesses, industry leaders and local experts
  • Consult national experts for their perspective 
  • Utilize data and research to identify best practices from other states

The Issues

Education & Talent Supply
  • Early childhood education
  • K-12 education
  • Market-relevant workforce training
  • Higher-ed partnerships
  • Cradle-to-career pathways
Economic Development
  • Economic diversification
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Main Street revitalization
  • Emerging industries
  • Incentives
Tax Policy & Business Climate
  • Tax burden/structure
  • Constitutional barriers to changes
  • Legal environment
  • Regulatory environment
Safety & Resiliency
  • Crime
  • Infrastructure
  • Healthy outcomes
  • Insurance Affordability

Our Timeline

Oct — Nov, 2022
Project Organization & Team Building
Nov, 2022 - Feb, 2023
Research & Data Collection
Feb - July, 2023

Stakeholder Engagement & Issue Development

Aug - Nov, 2023
Road Show/Roll-Out
Annual 2024 – 2030
Tracking Progress & Holding Policymakers Accountable

The Team

Beverly Haydel
Founder of Sequitur Consulting

As the founder of Sequitur Consulting, Beverly Haydel has more than a decade of experience working in both the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Her expertise lies in project management, coalition building, stakeholder engagement, public outreach, issue advocacy, policy development and legislative strategy.

Ted Abernathy
Managing Partner of Economic Leadership LLC

Ted is the Managing Partner of Economic Leadership LLC, a consultancy that has led the development of State Economic Development and Economic Competitiveness Strategies for the state chambers of commerce in Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas and for both the state Chamber and the Department of Commerce in North Carolina.

Pat McFerron
President of Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates

Pat McFerron is the President of Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates and is nationally known for his polling and focus group work for corporations and political campaigns. McFerron has been involved in many successful marketing efforts, ranging from those for start-up operations, to Fortune 500 companies and charitable organizations and grassroots lobbying efforts. A veteran focus group moderator, he has directed more than 1,000 specific research projects in 41 states, as well as designed and managed national and international studies. With CHS since 1993, McFerron was Director of Survey Research for 18 years as the firm cemented its national reputation. McFerron is still very active in the day-to-day operations of the call center because he knows reliable data starts with the collection process. In addition to being President of CHS, McFerron is a founding partner of CMA Strategies, Oklahoma’s leading political campaign consulting and lobbying firm. He is William Randolph Hearst Scholar who graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma City University and attended graduate school at The American University.

In The News

March 27, 2023
Editorial: To make the "good lists," we need to do better
March 2, 2023
Effort needed to make Louisiana more competitive, says LABI panel
March 2, 2023
Louisiana needs to rely on data to drive workforce decisions, LABI economic panelists say
January 1, 2023
LABI Reveals Plan to Create Strategic Road Map for State