< Previous98 JULY 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO NDXC Technology dedicated its New Orleans Digital Transformation Center on Poydras Street in New Orleans in May. In November, the company, a global end-to-end IT services provider, announced it would create , new direct jobs in New Orleans over the next fi ve years in what will become Louisiana’s largest technology-focused economic development project to date.New Orleans, Lafayette burnish their IT center credentials.3,000 JobsLouisianaST A TE SPO TLIGHTby MARK ARENDmar k .ar end@ site s ele c tion.c omNew Technology Centers Will Create NearlyImage: Getty Images100 JULY 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO NThe arrival of DXC Technology, formed in April 2017 by the merger of CSC and the Enterprise Services Division of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, cements Louisiana’s position as one of the fastest-growing software and IT destinations in the U.S., following major projects by EA, CenturyLink, IBM, CSRA, CGI, GE Digital and others in the past decade. DXC will hire approximately 300 IT and business enterprise professionals during 2018, then ramp up to 2,000 jobs over five years and an annual payroll exceeding $133 million by 2025.The State of Louisiana is funding a $25-million higher education initiative to expand the number of degrees awarded annually in computer science, management and STEM-related fields (science, technology, engineering and math). The Louisiana State University System, University of Louisiana System, Southern University System and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System will guide the initiative through their campuses. Patterned after prior software and IT initiatives in Louisiana, the DXC Technology project represents the state’s largest single higher-education investment in a private-sector workforce partnership.The LSU Economics & Policy Research Group performed an economic impact analysis estimat-ing the DXC Technology project will translate to $64.3 million in new Louisiana taxes, $868.4 mil-lion in new Louisiana earnings and total econom-ic output of $3.2 billion from 2018 through 2025.In addition to 2,000 new direct jobs, Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 2,257 new indirect jobs, for a total of more than 4,250 new jobs in the state’s Southeast Region. Company officials identified New Orleans as a talent-laden, culturally diverse, high quality-of-life city that would appeal to the technology professionals it will hire for the Digital Transformation Center. Research Park Anchor Adds Weight CGI, a global IT and business consultancy, is expanding its Lafayette IT Center of Excellence and creating 400 new direct jobs, bringing employment to 800 over the coming years at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Research Park, and at a second Lafayette Parish site to be determined. Statewide, CGI’s employment will reach 900. In March, CGI announced the Lafayette IT Center of Excellence had surpassed the original full-employment target of 400 professionals. Now, the company will build on that baseline with a second phase of growth. The announcement marks the completion of an amended Cooperative Endeavor Agreement, or CEA, among the State of Louisiana; CGI Federal; UL Lafayette; the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, or LEDA; Louisiana Economic Development, or LED; and Ragin Cajun Facilities Inc., the university affiliate that owns and manages the 50,000-sq.-ft. (4,600-sq.-m.) facility where CGI is located at the UL Lafayette Research Park. In May 2016, Gov. Edwards and CGI dedicated the $13.1-million IT center, which serves as an anchor for the research park. “Since opening our campus facility in 2016, we have continued to measure success in many different ways, including the time and resources our employees have committed to community engagement, whether through youth-oriented STEM education and environmental sustainability projects, or our successful ongoing collaboration with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette,” said Dave Henderson, who serves (continued on page 106)4,25725The combined number of initial DXC technology center jobs plus resulting new indirect jobs in Louisiana’s Southeast RegionThe number of millions of dollars that Louisiana is devoting to a higher education initiative to expand the number of degrees awarded annually in computer science, management and STEM-related fields A D VER T I S E M E N T102 JULY 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO NThree leading Louisiana advocates of STEM preparation represented Louisiana at the inaugural State-Federal Science Technology Engineering and Math Summit hosted by the White House Of ce of Science and Technology Policy in Washington, D.C., June 25th and 26th. They were Dr. Calvin Mackie, founder of STEM NOLA; AT&T Louisiana President Sonia Perez; and Susana Schowen, director of workforce initiatives for Louisiana Economic Development’s LED FastStart® program.The State-Federal STEM Education Summit convened state STEM leaders, including of cials from governors’ of ces, educators, workforce and industry representatives, state policy experts and non-government organization executives. They participated in the development of a new federal ve-year STEM education strategic plan in compliance with the America COMPETES Act of 2010. “Louisiana has enjoyed remarkable success in STEM strategies throughout our education system and our economy,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards, when naming the representatives prior to the summit. “From STEM Pathways in our K-12 schools, to advanced manufacturing centers linked with the Benteler Steel/Tube and Sasol mega-projects, to higher education STEM initiatives — Louisiana is connecting real-world STEM jobs with cutting-edge education. Through smart partnerships, we’re attracting thousands of new jobs with leading STEM employers, such as CenturyLink, DXC Technology, IBM, General Dynamics IT, CGI, GE Digital and many more.”Jeff Weld, senior policy advisor and as-sistant director for STEM education at the White House, said, “Top-down approaches to STEM education can often yield wonder-ful ideas, but it’s at the state and commu-nity level where the momentum happens. State leaders know best what kinds of programs will work in their communities, and where they need the power of the federal government to help drive success in this eld. STEM education is critical to preparing our students for the jobs of the future. We must do everything we can to ensure that federal, state, local, and tribal governments, communities, educators, and private industry partners are united LOUISIANA EXPERTS ADD TO NATIONAL STEM DISCUSSIONImage: Getty Images104 JULY 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO Nfor the long-term success of our nation.”The National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Smithsonian Institution helped organize the event. STEM leaders from all 50 states, as well as U.S. territories and tribes, will attend the summit to illuminate and advance state-federal STEM alignment. MEET THE EXPERTSCalvin Mackie is an award-winning mentor, an inventor, an author, a former Tulane University engineering professor, an internationally renowned speaker and a successful entrepreneur. He is president and CEO of Channel ZerO Group, an educational and professional development consulting company he co-founded in 1992. His STEM NOLA program is designed to help youths in under-served communities across the New Orleans area develop an interest in STEM-based learning activities. He is a board member of the Louisiana Science Technology Engineering and Math Advisory Council, or the LaSTEM Advisory Council. Sonia Perez, as president of AT&T Louisiana since 2010, oversees AT&T operations that include 4,200 employees and the company’s technology deployment and infrastructure investment in the state. She directs teams responsible for implementing public policy, legislative, regulatory and philanthropic initiatives. Under her leadership, AT&T has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to STEM-related programs at both the K-12 and S I T E S E L E C T I O N JULY 2018 105higher education levels in Louisiana. She also is a member of the Louisiana Workforce Investment Council.Susana Schowen, as director of workforce initiatives at LED FastStart®, collaborates with industry, education and workforce leaders to develop strategic solutions that increase the supply of workers in high-demand STEM elds, such as computer science, engineering, data analytics and technical elds. In addition to fueling economic growth, these strategies provide Louisiana citizens with access to high-quality, family-sustaining jobs in the communities in which they choose to live. Schowen serves as co-chair of the LaSTEM Advisory Council created in 2017, under the auspices of the Louisiana Board of Regents, to promote STEM education and careers in Louisiana.Among Louisiana’s unique investments in STEM preparation are:>> Over $65 million in higher education initiatives to boost the number of computer science and STEM-related undergraduate degrees at state campuses in Monroe, Grambling, Ruston, Bossier City, Natchitoches, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Hammond and New Orleans.>> Over $40 million for advanced manufacturing and engineering technology centers in Northwest Louisiana and Southwest Louisiana.>> Over $90 million for cybersecurity and digital media facilities and programs in Bossier City and Baton Rouge.106 JULY 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO Nas president of CGI’s U.S. commercial and state government operations.New Orleans the ‘Clear Choice’Austin, Texas-based Accruent, a developer of physical resource management software, will create new direct jobs in New Orleans and establish a technology center of excellence in the city’s Central Business District. e new jobs will include an average annual salary of $,; Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in indirect jobs, for a total of more than new jobs in Louisiana’s Southeast Region. With clients already in Louisiana, “New Orleans became the clear choice for our next wave of expansion,” according to Accruent CEO John Borgerding. e new offi ce will include teams from several corporate departments, including engineering, support, professional services, human resources, cloud operations, development operations, leadership, consulting, project management and sales. (continued from page )10 10101 011010110 10101 011010110 10101 011010101 0110101100101010111Photo collage by Bob Gravlee; Images: Getty Images S I T E S E L E C T I O N JULY 2018 107 S I T E S E L E C T I O N JULY 2018 107 Aircraft Production Returns to OklahomaWhen California-based Kratos Defense and Security Solutions announced plans for a major expansion in Oklahoma City, the head of the company’s drone division was clear on why it had chosen Oklahoma.“All of the pieces in Oklahoma fi t what we were looking for,” said Steve Fendley, president of Kratos’ unmanned systems division. “We wanted a state that is supportive of the business we’re in, supportive of the military, supportive of advancements in our capability testing, has a close proximity to military bases and has the potential for a fl ight test facility.”Kratos specializes in jet-powered unmanned systems, satellite communications, cybersecurity and warfare, microwave electronics, missile defense and training and combat systems. Oklahoma City will be the site for new tactical drone production. e company’s by G ARY DAUGHTERSgar y.daug hter s @ site s ele c tion.c omST A TE SPO TLIGHTOklahoma S I T E S E L E C T I O N Kratos target drones y against DOD defense systems and simulate incoming missiles and aircraft.Image courtesy Kratos Defense & Security SolutionsNext >