Our upcoming issue is a special edition, the fifth year of our Bossier Progress section.
As the yearly report that sums up all the advancements in our major economy/business, quality of life, and infrastructure, it’s a real pleasure to be able to share this with our business community. It’s a worthwhile read no matter what side of the river you fall on because, believe it or not, we all need to be successful to achieve our goals.
That’s why we offer up copies to LED, NLEP, the Chambers of Commerce, and entities in the technology/education sector for any recruitment efforts. We also think it’s a great resource for a business leader who is looking at expanding or relocating his or her business. That was the whole goal of why we started our Bossier Progress and Shreveport Progress sections — if we could provide the vital information that makes a new business or talented individual live in Bossier or Shreveport, then we’ve succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.
As part of this year’s effort, you will see some new components, and that’s because we realize to accomplish our goal, we need to have a multi-media approach. Thanks to our title sponsor Willis Knighton Health System, we will be launching a dedicated website in August that will be regularly updated, a monthly email newsletter that collects stories for review, and a series of videos with stakeholders discussing and promoting their area.
We also hope to accomplish a similar issue and platform for Shreveport by the end of 2019/start of 2020. So, stay tuned.
But back to this issue… In the 12 months since our last edition, we’ve seen some major developments — work has begun on a new entrance to Barksdale Air Force Base off I-20/220, new roads and current road expansion is underway, new businesses are bringing new jobs, the cyber industry is making inroads with a federal grant, crime is down, high-water marks were set by Bossier Parish schools, and the parish and city are making improvements in quality of life assets. And, you can read about them across three sections in our special August issue.
They all help illustrate the namesake of this publication, and continue what has essentially been the same message when it comes to our Bossier edition: innovation.
It doesn’t make for much change year to year, but the fact that I have plenty to fill this edition with is good news in of itself. Bossier officials always tout that they’re working on making Bossier better and turning it from what was originally forecasted decades ago to be nothing but Barksdale Air Force Base and farmland into a hub of new industries and creative individuals.
Credit to Bossier leadership whose vision and commitment stayed the course through obstacles and all the people who said it can’t be done. Their achievements have helped make everything we see around us — a National Cyber Research Park, new roads, new homes going up, new stores and restaurants — possible.
I look forward to saying the same thing again next year.
Sean Green is editor and publisher of BIZ. Magazine