BRAC Raises $2.49M in Early Commitments Toward 2026 Strategic Plan

New regional, five-year plan to be unveiled February 3

Baton Rouge, La. (November 9, 2021) – Today, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) announced that early funding campaign efforts have raised $2.49 million in annual commitments from the business and philanthropic community for its upcoming five-year regional strategic plan. The plan, its goals, and priorities will be publicly announced at a campaign launch celebration on February 3. The funding campaign is ongoing and will continue to build on this positive early momentum.

“For over a decade, BRAC has been the organization to get things done on behalf of the region’s business community,“ said Ralph Bender, CFO of Manship Media and chairman of BRAC’s Board of Directors. “BRAC’s 2026 strategic plan is driven by investor feedback and data, and the business community has responded by reaffirming, and in many cases expanding, its financial commitment to accelerating progress. I encourage every business in the region to consider supporting and engaging in BRAC’s work.”

Funders to date include the following 123 organizations, listed alphabetically. These organizations have committed to supporting BRAC’s five-year strategy through 2026, and join BRAC’s annual investor base of more than 1,300 regional organizations:

A. Wilbert’s SonsEnginuity GlobalNeighbors Federal Credit Union
Ad SourceExxonMobilNexstar Media Inc.
Adams and Reese, LLPFaulk & Winkler, LLCOchsner Health
Associated Grocers, Inc.Feigley CommunicationsOur Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Atmos EnergyFishman Haygood, LLPPacTec
Bank of St. FrancisvilleGallagherPetroleum Service Corporation
BASF CorporationGator MillworksPhelps Dunbar, LLP
Baton Rouge Area FoundationGeneral InformaticsPlusOne Design l Construction
Baton Rouge Clinic, AMCGerry Lane EnterprisesPostlethwaite & Netterville
Baton Rouge Community CollegeGMFSProvidence Engineering & Environmental Group, LLC
Baton Rouge General Medical CenterGuarantee Restoration ServicesRed River Bank
Baton Rouge Telco Federal Credit UnionGuaranty CorporationRegions Bank
Baton Rouge Water CompanyHancock WhitneyRepublic Services
BBQ GuysHannis T. Bourgeois, LLPRoedel Parsons Blache Fontana Piontek & Pisano
Benny’s Car WashHR SolutionsRyan
Bernhard Capital PartnersHunt, Guillot & Associates, LLCSeaside Healthcare
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of LouisianaIBERIABANK / First HorizonShell
Boh Bros. Construction Co. LLCiHeart MediaSparkhound
Bonton AssociatesJani-King of Baton RougeSSA Consultants
Brightside Social ServicesJones Walker, LLPStar Service, Inc. of Baton Rouge
Brookwood Properties, LLCJPMorgan ChaseStonehenge Capital
C.H. Fenstermaker & AssociatesKean Miller LLPStuart & Company General Contractors, LLC
Campus Federal Credit UnionKurz & Hebert Commercial Real Estate, Inc.Stupp Corporation
Capital Area Finance AuthorityLaPorte CPAs & Business AdvisorsTaylor Porter
Capital OneLard Oil CompanyTeam Automotive Group
Cardiovascular Institute of the SouthL’Auberge Casino and HotelThe Advocate
CareSouth Medical & DentalLaunch MediaThe Celtic Group
Cintas CorporationLee Michaels Fine JewelryThe Lamar Corporation
Civil Solutions Consulting GroupLemoine CompanyThe Newtron Group
CMA Technology SolutionsLipsey’sThe TJC Group
Coca-Cola Bottling CompanyLoadstar Product Handling Services, LLCThermaldyne
Coleman Partners Architects, LLCLofton Staffing & Security ServicesThreeSixtyEight
Community Coffee Company, LLCLouisiana CompaniesTilt
Cornerstone Government AffairsLWCCWAFB
CortecLyons Specialty Company, LLCWampold Companies
CoxMacLaffWHLC Architecture
CSRSManship Media/WBRZWoman’s Hospital
Cumulus MediaMAPPWRKF
DowMary Bird Perkins Cancer Center 
ECS Southeast, LLPMcGlinchey Stafford PLLC 
Emergent MethodMesh 
EMR Southern RecyclingNAI Latter & Blum 

“Our organization would not exist without the financial support of the regional business community,” said Adam Knapp, president and CEO of BRAC. “Unified regional leadership, guided by a shared strategy, will unleash Baton Rouge’s potential and help push us beyond the status quo.”

BRAC will publicly reveal its new campaign, flagship goals, an updated purpose statement, and more, at a campaign launch celebration on February 3 at Electric Depot. Current and prospective BRAC investors, elected leadership, and partner organizations are invited to attend. More details and registration are available at brac.org/events

BRAC’s last five-year, regional strategic plan, Think Bigger, concluded in 2020. The organization elected to pause the launch of the next campaign until 2022 to focus its efforts on helping the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Outcomes of BRAC’s work over the Think Bigger era can be found in its 2020 Annual Report.

Businesses interested in supporting BRAC’s work may contact Senior Vice President of Investor Development Emi Gilbert Henry at emi@brac.org.

About the Baton Rouge Area Chamber  

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) leads economic development in the nine-parish Baton Rouge Area, working to grow jobs and wealth and improve the region’s business climate and competitiveness. Today, BRAC investors include more than 1,400 small businesses, mid-sized firms, large industry, and entrepreneurial startups, as well as individuals and organizations that support business and economic development. In this capacity, BRAC serves as the voice of the business community, providing knowledge, access, services, and advocacy. More information is available at brac.org.  

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