The Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce hosted its first industry summit on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Louisiana Tech University’s Davison Athletics Complex. This industry summit, sponsored by Gibsland Bank & Trust, focused on a discussion of housing-related challenges and opportunities in Ruston-Lincoln Parish.
Terrell Smith, City Manager of Marshall, Texas, served as the keynote speaker and discussed strategies that the City of Marshall has deployed to support housing opportunities for its residents, including neighborhood revitalization, housing choices, and sustainable communities. The Housing Summit also featured two panels comprised of local industry leaders from a variety of sectors, such as real estate and banking. Mayor Ronny Walker served as panelist, providing insight into the City of Ruston’s perspective.
“As we work to continue Ruston’s growth, we’re excited to have an ongoing conversation with community partners on housing trends and specific needs,” said Mayor Walker. “I’m encouraged by the attendance and support shown at today’s summit to tackle the issue of housing in our community and ensure Ruston can thrive.”
The Housing Summit is the Chamber’s first event of this type and was attended by industry leaders and business owners relating to the housing industry. The Ruston-Lincoln Chamber is committed to hosting two industry summits each year to facilitate a community-wide conversation about a specific topic.
“We’re excited to bring together local leaders and business owners and provide an opportunity for them to connect and collaborate about critical issues that are affecting this community,” said William Dearmon, President and CEO of the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. “I’m grateful to those in the business community who participated in today’s conversation on housing challenges and opportunities and look forward to continuing the dialogue to address housing challenges in Ruston-Lincoln Parish.”
For more information about future Chamber events, visit www.rustonlincoln.org.
