Shreveport Listed Most Economical Place to Do Business in Southeast USA
The 2008 Edition of KPMG’s Competitive Alternatives Guide to International Business Location lists Shreveport the most economical place to do business in the Southeast USA.

The study compares business competitiveness for more than 100 cities in ten countries: Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The study measures the combined impact of 27 significant costs components that are most likely to vary by location, as applied to 17 different business operations. The basis for the cost comparison is the after-tax cost of startup and operation, over a 10-year planning horizon. The report also presents a comparison of a variety of non-cost factors that can influence the attractiveness of locations to business.

Cities are ranked based on national cost results by industry and operation and overall cost results by region and city. Business costs are expressed as an index, with the United States being assigned the baseline index of 100.0. A cost index less than 100 indicates lower costs than the US. A cost index greater than 100 indicates higher costs than the US. For example, an index of 95.0 represents a 5.0% cost advantage relative to the US. Shreveport’s index is 92.7.
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Learn About Fair Share Program The City of Shreveport’s Fair Share Program enforces the city’s policy of providing and ensuring contracting/purchasing opportunities for small and economically disadvantaged businesses. The ultimate goal of the program is to enhance economic development in the area through the growth and development of these businesses. Keynote Speaker Karen Barnes of the City of Shreveport will share how you can participate in the Fair Share Program at a special meeting and luncheon co-sponsored by the Northwest Louisiana Government Procurement Center on Tuesday, April 22 from 11:30am till 1pm at the Chamber Plaza, 400 Edwards Street, downtown Shreveport. Reservations for the luncheon meeting catered by Chick-fil-A must be received by Friday, April 18. Admission is $8 per person. For reservations and more information contact Jennifer Whittington, Procurement Technical Assistant at the Northwest Louisiana Government Procurement Center at 318.677.2530 or jennifer@nledf.org. More

MBC to Share Tips on Preparing Personal Business Plans presented by Nancie Bushnell, Capital One’s Vice President of Business Banking at the upcoming Minority Business Council meeting. The luncheon meeting will be held on Thursday, April 17 at 11:45 a.m. at the Clarion Hotel, 1419 E. 70th St. in Shreveport. More

Chamber Awarded 5-Star Accreditation from U. S. Chamber of Commerce Recently in Washington, D.C., the U. S. Chamber of Commerce awarded the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce with a 5-Star Accreditation for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures and positive impact on the community. Of the almost 7,000 chambers in the United States, only 306 are accredited; and only 41 of these are designated as a 5-Star Accredited Chamber of Commerce. In addition to being among the top Chambers of Commerce nationwide, the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce also has the distinction of being the only Chamber of Commerce in Louisiana to receive the highest honor of accreditation and prestigious 5-Star rating. More

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