Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) is an investor-led nonprofit that promotes business attraction and expansion, advocates at the state and federal government levels, creates unique programming to help businesses grow, and implements workforce and talent strategies to advance the regional economy.
The Greater Louisville region is made up of 15 counties surrounding the Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana areas. It’s home to more than 1.4 million people and over 58,000 businesses. The unique advantages of the region’s strategic location (within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the U.S. population), and outstanding quality of life cannot be overstated. Across our region, you’ll find the big-town feel and small-town charm, vineyards and distilleries, industrial centers and multi-acre plots, nature parks and skate parks, private colleges and major universities, sports arenas and ballerinas, farmers markets and hot restaurant scenes, entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies.
GLI is focused on integrating innovation in traditional and emerging industries. Specifically, we focus our economic development efforts around a few key sectors – logistics and e-commerce, lifelong wellness and aging care, advanced manufacturing, food and beverage, consumer and business services, and tech. Our regional economic development offerings include real estate and site selection assistance, workforce and talent resources, data/research support, community networking and connections, as well as site-visit coordination.
To support our regional economic development efforts, and to ensure the growth of our community, we continue to effectively invest in our future by enhancing and ensuring talent pipelines to support growth sectors. Live in Lou, GLI’s talent attraction, retention and development initiative, is the leading effort to increase the talent pool in Greater Louisville and help the existing talent pool grow and expand their skill sets.
Recognizing tech-related positions are our region’s fastest growing job class, Live in Lou’s marketing efforts have centered on attracting working age, degreed tech talent to the region; fostering early interest and experiential opportunities for high school students; re-skilling for adults; and ongoing professional development and networking for those in technology-based careers.
Here are a few ongoing regional initiatives supported by GLI and our membership:
Targeting working age tech talent – GLI has been working to identify and attract tech talent in select cities in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois and Ohio.
Academies of Louisville (Ky.) and Academies of Greater Clark County (Ind.) – These initiatives allow schools, in partnership with local businesses, to offer hands-on education where students can explore and select pathways to guide their high school experience. Learning covers a variety of areas like information technology, health care, business, manufacturing, hospitality, as well 50-plus additional sub-industry avenues.
Jefferson Community and Technical College (Ky.) and Ivy Tech (Ind.) – These training and education providers concentrate efforts on providing low-cost education, training and assessment services that closely link to the region’s industry clusters.
IBM Skills Academy – Announced in 2019, this partnership with the University of Louisville is focused on digital learning and technology skills. The academy will provide curriculum and educational tools concentrated on eight fast-growing tech areas: artificial intelligence; blockchain technology; cybersecurity; cloud computing; Internet of Things; quantum computing; data science; and design thinking.
As the voice of Greater Louisville’s business community, GLI also advocates for a pro-business environment and facilitates business engagement on issues that impact regional competitiveness. GLI is one of only 3% of chambers nationally certified with five-star accreditation status by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, based on GLI’s dedicated policy efforts, effective operations, beneficial programs, and overall positive community impact. GLI was also recognized as “Chamber of the Year” in 2019 by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.
As you plan for the future growth of your company, where your employees will put down roots and raise their families, or where the students of today will be your workforce of tomorrow, choose Greater Louisville.
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