State agency realigns positions
Consolidating jobs at the Louisiana Department of Economic Development eliminated two positions, and realigned the agency’s workforce to better serve the state’s job growth needs, LED reported Friday.
Jeff Lynn, currently executive director of LED’s FastStart job-training program, will now serve as executive director of workforce development programs.
The new position combines Lynn’s old position with another existing position: director of the workforce training and development program. Lynn will be responsible for the FastStart program and LED’s expanding efforts to relocate companies to Louisiana. Lynn’s salary will increase from $160,000 annually to $180,000 a year, LED reported.
The workforce training and development program director position was unfilled, so the change did not result in a layoff. The FastStart director position has also been eliminated, said Stephen Moret, secretary of Louisiana Economic Development.
Don Pierson, currently LED’s assistant secretary, will serve as senior director of business development. In this role, he will be responsible for assisting local communities across Louisiana with site development efforts and redeployment of large manufacturing sites undergoing transitions, such as the GM-Shreveport facility, the Avondale shipyard in New Orleans and the Accent building in Monroe.
The reshuffling should not be viewed as a demotion, Moret said.
“Don will remain a member of the senior team and will continue to report to me,” Moret said via email. “He will be working on several of LED’s statewide priorities.”
Pierson’s salary will remain unchanged at $143,500 a year.
Jason El Koubi, currently LED’s director of state economic competitiveness, will serve as assistant secretary. In that position, El Koubi will be responsible for managing LED initiatives and programs related to business intelligence, state economic competitiveness, community development, small business development, emergency response and recovery, and entertainment industry development. El Koubi’s salary will increase from $120,000 to $143,500, because he is replacing former assistant secretary Pierson.
LED will launch a search to fill the director of state economic competitiveness position.
Chris Stelly, currently director of Louisiana film and television and interim executive director of the Office of Entertainment Industry Development, will serve as executive director of the Office of Entertainment Industry Development. In this role, Stelly will be responsible for managing the various incentive programs geared toward film production, digital media, sound recording and live performance industries. Stelly’s salary rises from $90,000 to $108,600.
Stelly succeeds Sherri McConnell, who left her post as executive director last summer. LED will soon begin a search for a new director of Louisiana film and television, Moret noted.
Anne Villa, currently vice president of operations and finance for scientific games company MDI Entertainment, has joined the agency as undersecretary. She will be responsible for accounting and budget control, procurement and contract management and management of the business affairs of the Louisiana Board of Commerce and Industry and the Louisiana Economic Development Corp. Villa’s salary will be $131,000, the same as Kristy McKern, who left several months ago for a job in the private sector.
The consolidation and reshuffling of positions will have a net savings of $148,000 in salaries and benefits for LED, according to the agency’s news release. LED has roughly 124 full-time employees.
“Anne, Jason, Don, Jeff and Chris are talented professionals who offer significant experience to LED as well as a commitment to help Louisiana realize its economic potential. They will do important work for LED and Louisiana,” Moret said in a statement. “I’m delighted they are taking on new leadership roles in the Jindal administration.”