ESTBA Economic Development Update Breakfast w/ Chris Masingill

1000 Caruso Boulevard,Slidell LA 70461

13 May, 2021

Description

Join us for this breakfast meeting with special guest Chris Masingill, who will provide an update on economic development activities. $25 per person- Doors open at 7:30, breakfast served at 8:00, followed by presentation. Chris Masingill has been the CEO of St. Tammany Corporation, the lead economic development organization in St. Tammany, since 2018. Prior to joining STEDD, as a U.S. Senate-confirmed presidential appointee, Masingill served as the federal co-chairman of the DRA from 2010-2017. The DRA works to improve regional economic opportunity by helping to create jobs, build communities and improve the lives of the 10 million people who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state Delta region. As federal co-chairman, Masingill answered to a board composed of the governors of the eight states. In Masingill’s seven years as federal co-chairman, the DRA leveraged more than $90 million in DRA funds into nearly $1.6 billion in total private- and public-sector investments in Delta communities. Overall, DRA investments under Masingill assisted in the creation and retention of more than 5,700 jobs. Almost 3,000 workers received training for 21st-century employment. He has a proven track record of creating sustainable, collaborative partnerships with a variety of local, federal and state agencies, as well as with business and community leaders, legislators and nonprofit organizations. As part of his plan to increase the DRA’s transparency, accountability and program capacity, Masingill instituted a strategic and proactive communications program to increase stakeholder and public awareness of the DRA. Prior to leading the DRA, Masingill served the state of Arkansas as Governor Mike Beebe’s director of intergovernmental affairs and chief policy advisor for economic and community development. During that time, he was also tasked to serve as the Arkansas recovery implementation director for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. His key areas of expertise include economic development; community revitalization and creative placemaking; small business development and entrepreneurship; workforce training and development; disaster recovery and resilience; public safety and law enforcement; and strategic organizational management and planning. Masingill holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Science with a minor in business administration from Texas Wesleyan University. He also holds professional designations for economic development, project management and emergency management and disaster preparedness.