Greater Baton Rouge Business Report: Guest speaker: Michael Olivier

The Commercial Investment Division is pleased to welcome Louisiana Secretary of Economic Development Michael J. Olivier as the guest speaker at the 2005 TRENDS seminar.

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Olivier's appointment in 2004 by Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco won praise from Louisiana business leaders, referring to Olivier as aggressive, experienced and knowledgeable. Prior to returning to his home state of Louisiana, Olivier had served more than 17 years as the executive director and chief executive officer of the Harrison County Development Commission in the casino and industrial region of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Through his involvement in all aspects of regional economic development, Mr. Olivier has been recognized locally, regionally and nationally. He was awarded the American Economic Development Council's Distinguished Service Award in 1995, 1996 and 1997. Business Week named Olivier Mississippi's Economic Developer of the year in 1999, and in 2002, Southern Business and Development Magazine named him as one of the Top 10 Economic Developers of the Decade.

Olivier holds a B.S. and an M.S. from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and holds the Certified Economic Developer designation from the International Economic Development Council.