What’s the story—and strategy—behind Ascension Parish’s rapid rise as an economic heavyweight?
That’s the focus of the February 18 episode of Strictly Business featuring Ascension Economic Development Council President and CEO Kate MacArthur.
She’ll break down how Ascension quietly became one of Louisiana’s most consequential growth stories—and what business leaders across the Capital Region and beyond should be watching next. The conversation spans everything from the scale and strategy behind the RiverPlex MegaPark to the ripple effects of Hyundai Steel’s multibillion-dollar investment and the growing industrial momentum along the Mississippi River corridor.
Rather than focusing solely on megaprojects, the episode digs into the harder questions that come with fast growth: how to balance heavy industry with fast-growing residential communities, how infrastructure timing can make or break a deal, and how workforce and power constraints are shaping the next decade of development. MacArthur, who is one of Business Report‘s Influential Women in Business, also addresses why Ascension’s strong school performance and quality-of-life considerations increasingly factor into corporate site-selection decisions.
Titled Ascension: Winning the Growth Game, the episode is aimed squarely at C-suite leaders trying to understand where Louisiana’s industrial economy is headed—and how Ascension is positioning itself to manage growth at a scale few regions attempt.
