Baton Rouge Reporter

Baton Rouge, LA (March 6, 2023) – The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) Friday announced its 2023 strategic priorities and reviewed its 2022 outcomes at its Annual Meeting presented by Kean Miller. BRAC’s five-year, regional strategic plan, BRING IT!, and the 2023 annual priorities may be viewed at brac.org/bringit. 

“When we launched the BRING IT! strategic plan last year, we were issuing the business community a challenge. A challenge to collaborate, to be bold, and to be relentless in the pursuit of a better Capital Region,” said Adam Knapp, BRAC president and CEO. “And that’s exactly what they did. 2022 built a strong foundation for the remainder of our strategic plan, which we will capitalize on in 2023 to focus efforts on talent attraction, public safety, and our fast-growing renewable energy sector.” 

Outcomes of BRAC’s 2022 annual plan spanned each focus area of its five-year strategic plan, including launches of initiatives like BR Works, the Talent Action Collaborative and the Drive Minority Business Accelerator powered by ExxonMobil. BRAC saw 12 new business entries to the market or expansions of existing businesses, representing $2.5 billion in capital investment. Additionally, BRAC advocated for and secured $1 billion in funding for a new Mississippi River Bridge, which has been a long-standing goal within the community. 

The organization will build on last year’s successes with a focus on six priorities in 2023:  

• Launch a national talent marketing campaign; 
• Position the Capital Region as a global leader in transitional energy; 
• Plan and launch a marketing strategy to boost perceptions in the Baton Rouge Area; 
• Join forces on crime initiatives; 
• Launch the stand-alone analysis and consulting firm, Riverbend Research; and 
• Plan and prepare for a redevelopment fund to spur reinvestment in underserved areas. 

BRAC has already made considerable progress this year on the initiatives outlined above. So far in 2023, BRAC: 

• Worked with Visit Baton Rouge to launch the request for proposals to creative agencies for the national talent marketing campaign and expects to select an agency by the end of March
• Announced REenergize the Gulf Coast, an online community and event series which will feature the rise of new low-carbon technologies that are transforming the US Gulf Coast economy 
• Assisted with the formation of SafeBR, a newly formed coalition seeking to work together to create a united response to restoring safety and strengthening the region 
• Established Riverbend Research, a standalone analysis and consulting firm conducting research for private and public clients 

BRAC’s five-year, regional strategic plan, BRING IT!, may be viewed at brac.org/bringit. 

About the Baton Rouge Area Chamber  

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) is an aggressively ambitious regional economic development organization with a bias for action. BRAC seeks to push Baton Rouge beyond the status quo, unleash its potential, and support a vibrant business community that believes the finish line does not exist. BRAC seeks to accelerate economic opportunity in the Baton Rouge Area, for everyone, through BRING IT! Baton Rouge, its five-year, regional strategic plan. Learn more about BRAC at brac.org. 

Original source can be found here.