MONROE - RUSTON, LA — Two North Louisiana companies today earned the 2016 Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Award from Trade & Industry Development, a leading national site selection magazine. IBM in Monroe, LA and Monster Moto in Ruston, LA won in the Community Impact category, which honors companies that have made the most notable impact on communities.
IBM announced in February 2015 it would open a 400-job Innovation and Application center in Monroe. When the IBM facility is built on an 88 acre mixed use development across from CenturyLink, it will be the base from which the company will provide software technology services to clients, including CenturyLink, the third largest telecommunications company in the nation. IBM will also partner with CenturyLink on research, development and product innovation initiatives.
Currently, IBM has located a Client Innovation Center at Tower Place in Monroe, where IBM provides a variety of IT and consulting services to clients from maintenance and support of existing business systems to testing and new application development.
“It's an honor to be recognized for the work IBM has done over the past 12 months to build and grow our new IBM Client Innovation Center in Monroe. There's always a lot of interest in our Center, and we received incredible support from our business partners at CenturyLink as well as the greater Monroe community. We look forward to strengthening these relationships in 2016 as we continue to grow. We are always looking for candidates to join the IBM team in Monroe, so please visit our site ibmmonroejobs.com for information on job opportunities," said Chris Bartlett, IBM Client Innovation Center Monroe - Center Leader.
The impact of the IBM project in Monroe is far-reaching. The project represents a multifaceted, transformational partnership that will include expanded higher-education programs related to computer science. The University of Louisiana at Monroe will expand its computer science and computer information systems programs, while Louisiana Tech and Grambling State University will expand their technology programs in related areas, such as cyber engineering and data analytics. The three universities will foster a technology workforce that will nurture North Louisiana’s emerging technology corridor. This deal will be a catalyst for future economic growth opportunities.
Monster Moto also won the CiCi Award for Community Impact because of the huge economic impact for the City of Ruston, a small town with nearly 23,000 residents. The company announced in April 2015 it would establish a headquarters and manufacturing facility in Ruston for the assembly of minibikes, go-carts and other youth-oriented vehicles. Monster Moto will create 287 new direct jobs over the next decade, with an average salary of $46,800, plus benefits.
"We are thrilled to be a part of the vision for economic expansion laid out by Mayor Ronny Walker and the broader community leadership of Lincoln Parish. Culturally, Ruston is an ideal fit for our outdoor focused products and customers, and we are fortunate to have access to this terrific community's workforce. Our facility in Ruston will be a critical differentiator for us as we continue with our rapid growth," said Alexander J Keechle, CEO, Monster Moto.
Monster Moto relocated its manufacturing operations from China to Ruston, due in part to a public-private partnership that will build a 100,000-square-foot facility for Monster Moto at the former site of Ruston’s municipal airport. The partnership was led by Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker.
“The Ruston community is very happy to see Monster Moto receive this award and be recognized for bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States. Company executives have already become very involved in the community. We know this is just the beginning of great success for Monster Moto and the City of Ruston,” said Mayor Walker, City of Ruston.
“These CiCi Awards are a testament to the public-private partnerships which resulted in the recruitment of IBM and Monster Moto to North Louisiana. The collaboration between CenturyLink, higher education institutions, and state, local and regional economic development groups brought IBM to Monroe. That same teamwork led to Monster Moto locating in Ruston,” said Scott Martinez, NLEP President.
IBM and Monster Moto continue North Louisiana’s track record of winning the CiCi Award. IntegriCo Composites in Springhill won the CiCi Award in 2015. Benteler Steel/Tube won the CiCi Award in 2013, and CenturyLink received the CiCi Award in 2012. Read more about the
CiCi Award Winners.
About North Louisiana Economic Partnership
North Louisiana Economic Partnership, an Accredited Economic Development Organization, provides professional economic development services to the 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. Its vision is for North Louisiana to be a thriving region-a destination for high quality talent, innovative companies, and global investment.