Shreveport-Monroe, LA – Ashley Busada, Senior Vice President at the North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP), has been announced as a recipient of the 2021 Economic Development 40 Under 40 Award, the biennial award recognizing rising stars under 40 years old in the economic development industry.
The awards program is hosted by Development Counsellors International (DCI), a New York-based integrated marketing firm that works with economic development and travel organizations around the globe, and Jorgenson Consulting, a leading national executive search firm serving organizations in non-profit, economic, and community development industries. An independent selection committee of six economic development professionals and site selection consultants evaluated a record-number of 200-plus nominees.
“This past year has demonstrated the importance of economic development in building and sustaining resilient communities,” said Julie Curtin, president of DCI’s economic development practice. “I’m especially impressed by the diverse perspectives and skillsets of this year’s winners as they lead communities to prioritize new ways of thinking, building inclusive and equitable economies, and bringing an attitude of fresh new ideas to the challenges in the industry. The economic development future is bright with these young leaders.”
“Our team is very proud of Ashley and not surprised she received this recognition,” said Angie White, Interim President of the North Louisiana Economic Partnership. “Ashley has worked diligently over the last year to be responsive to the needs of the businesses we work with as they recover from the impacts of the COVID pandemic and has been our ear to the ground on legislation and other state and federal resources that can benefit communities, companies and residents in our region.”
Ashley oversees NLEP's government relations and advocacy efforts that impact economic development in North Louisiana. Ashley is also part of the Business Development team, which includes recruiting companies to North Louisiana and assisting existing companies in accessing the resources they need to grow here. Ashley is a Certified Economic Developer, as designated by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Ashley is member of the IEDC Young Professionals Committee and is the co-founder and co-director of the Cinderella Project of Shreveport, a nonprofit that provides free prom dresses to junior and senior girls in Northwest Louisiana.
“The economic development industry is in good hands with these rising leaders,” said Todd Jorgenson, managing director and principal of Jorgenson Consulting, Inc. “The communities they represent—from Tuxpan, Mexico to Covington, Kentucky to Québec, Canada—are fortunate to have the smart, innovative ideas of this year’s winners.”
DCI and Jorgenson officially announced the winners Monday night at a virtual awards reception held in conjunction with the International Economic Development Council Leadership Summit.
For more information on the 40 Under 40 awards program and this year’s winners, visit
econdev40under40.com.
About North Louisiana Economic Partnership
The North Louisiana Economic Partnership, an Accredited Economic Development Organization, provides professional economic development services to a 14-parish region of North Louisiana, including lead generation and prospect management. The organization also represents the interests of North Louisiana with a unified voice and as a single point of contact. It acts as a catalyst, a convener, and a connector in the region to ensure that North Louisiana’s economic development potential is realized. Learn more at
www.nlep.org
About DCI
Considered the leader in marketing places, Development Counsellors International (DCI) specializes in economic development and tourism marketing. The agency has designed integrated marketing campaigns for more than 500 cities, regions, states and countries since it was established in New York City in 1960. Services include public relations, branding, research, websites, paid media, and talent attraction.
www.aboutdci.com
About Jorgenson Consulting
Founded in 1992, Jorgenson Consulting has worked diligently over the past 29 years to establish itself as a premier national executive search firm. With a focus on the fields of non-profit, economic and community development, we partner with our clients to help them identify and secure the highest caliber of executive talent. Our goal is to develop a thorough understanding of our clients and leverage that knowledge with our own expertise and resources to source executive talent that can truly serve the organization by yielding economic benefits while also contributing to a community’s competitive advantage.
www.jci-inc.net