(ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La.) — On Aug. 27-28, business and community leaders from St. Tammany Parish will visit Baldwin County, Alabama, to research the county’s successful partnership model for practicing economic development. The canvasing trip will familiarize St. Tammany leaders with Baldwin County’s best practices for collaboration, business development, community development and tourism.
“Economic development is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” said Chris Masingill, CEO of the St. Tammany Parish Development District, the economic development organization for St. Tammany. “We’re going to Alabama to take a look at one successful model, because we want to learn how another community leverages its assets. We want to be proactive, we want to build regional relationships, and we want to engage in a mutual learning process that benefits us and our Gulf Coast neighbors in Baldwin County.”
The canvasing trip is being organized through the Northshore Regional Partnership Board, an alliance of business-friendly organizations in St. Tammany Parish. In a 2016 Northshore Visioning Project study, Baldwin County was identified as a community with similar assets and challenges; its economic development framework was noted as a potential model for St. Tammany Parish to consider.
“Experiences like these, not only create regional partnerships, they also give us insight into what’s working in Baldwin—a place very similar to our Parish. We then have the opportunity to adapt what we learn and like to our own community, thereby creating our own distinct model for St. Tammany,” said Pat Brister, St. Tammany Parish President. “There’s a reason best practices are called best practices. These processes are meant to be repeated and implemented in the places they can bring about the best result.”
Visitors from St. Tammany will be hosted by the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance. Business leaders and elected officials in Baldwin County will deliver presentations on tourism, chamber administration, business development, economic development, education and sports tourism.
A delegation of staff and board members from the following agencies will be attending:
- East St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce
- Northshore Business Council
- Northshore Community Foundation
- Northshore Regional Partnership Board
- St. Tammany Parish Development District
- St. Tammany Parish Government
- St. Tammany Parish Tourist & Convention Commission
- St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce
“It’s always a good idea to understand the proven strategies and to adopt them, if they fit your needs,” said Todd Richard, chair of the Northshore Regional Partnership Board. “We sincerely admire the accomplishments of our Baldwin County colleagues and appreciate their willingness to share their experiences with us.”
St. Tammany Parish leaders aim to return from Baldwin County next week with new ideas for strengthening St. Tammany’s economy and serving its residents.
###
About St. Tammany Parish Development District
The St. Tammany Parish Development District is a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana created by the Legislature in 1992 to foster business development and advance sustainable commerce. Our organization leads economic development in St. Tammany. We seek to preserve and promote the quality of life by strengthening and supporting vibrant economies. For more information, call (985) 809-7874 or visit www.stpdd.org.
#2
