The Bossier Chamber of Commerce marked the fifth anniversary of its NWLA State of the Community Report on Monday, November 2, with an event presented by Willis Knighton Health at the Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites in Bossier City.
Five years ago, the Chamber launched State of the Community with a simple goal– to identify the assets that give Northwest Louisiana a competitive advantage, bring the data around those assets together in one place, and begin tracking where Northwest Louisiana is making progress and where it still needs to grow.
“Today is not only about celebrating what has happened,” said Lisa Johnson, CEO and President of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce. “It is also about asking what these numbers mean for the people who live and work here.”
This year’s milestone report highlighted healthcare, energy, transportation, defense, cyber & technology, education and economic development.
Krystal Critton, director of Community Business Development for the Bossier Chamber of Commerce and curator of this year’s report, pointed to progress across the region.
“Healthcare has grown. Barksdale remains a powerful economic anchor. Our cyber ecosystem has expanded. Airport traffic has grown. Major infrastructure projects have moved from plans to completion,” said Critton. “Northwest Louisiana is attracting a scale of new investment that would have been difficult to imagine when this report began five years ago.”
The event also featured a panel discussion on what major technological investments could mean for the future of Northwest Louisiana. Panelists included:
- Servando Esparza, Amazon Web Services
- Justyn Dixon, North Louisiana Economic Partnership
- F. J. “Josh” Fenn, STACK Infrastructure
Through this report attendees gained a closer look at key economic indicators through data driven insights, a regional perspective and the opportunity to connect with business leaders, elected officials and community partners invested in Northwest Louisiana.
Read the full State of the Community Report at bossierchamber.com/community-