Our Mission & Our Story
The Business Council’s mission is to work to implement clear, predictable laws that foster honest, efficient, transparent and accountable government. The Business Council strives to ensure a competitive business environment that attracts productive companies, individuals and families to our community.
The Business Council of New Orleans & the River Region (Business Council) was founded in 1985 by a group of business leaders committed to promoting and enhancing the business environment of the New Orleans region and the State of Louisiana. Led by James R. “Jim Bob” Moffett, then Chairman and CEO of Freeport-McMoRan, the founding members quickly focused on the overarching aims of fiscal reform and improved government efficiency.
Particularly since Hurricane Katrina, the Business Council has collaborated extensively with government, civic and other business organizations to tackle issues vital to the region’s recovery. To that end, the Business Council has championed and led several important initiatives, including consolidation of the levee boards of South Louisiana, reducing the number of assessors in Orleans Parish from seven to one and the close monitoring of the work by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers pertaining to levee and floodwall construction, wetlands protection and improvements to navigable waterways. In addition, the Business Council has been active in driving meaningful educational reform, especially within the Recovery School District, the Charter School movement, fighting for improvements in the criminal justice system, and in leading the effort to eradicate corruption and self-dealing in governmental affairs . The Business Council is also working tirelessly to deliver additional state and federal funding support toward crimefighting efforts.
The Business Council is comprised of more than 70 CEOs, many of whom are leaders of the region’s largest corporations. These companies, which represent industries ranging from aerospace, banking and oil and gas to maritime transportation, real estate development and manufacturing, have an enormous impact on the economic health of the region. Business Council member companies employ more than 100,000 individuals and generate $2.5 billion in annual revenue.