Greater Louisville Inc.
Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) is an organization that promotes the growth of businesses in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, and the surrounding counties.
History
In 1862, 220 firms paid $1 each to join the Louisville Board of Trade. Prior to that, there was a Merchants Exchange that met monthly during the 1850s on the southeast corner of Second and Main. In 1913, a Convention Bureau was formed. And, in 1943, GLI began as the Louisville Area Development Association (LADA), established by mayor Wilson Wyatt. By 1950, LADA had absorbed the Board of Trade (established in 1862), the Retail Merchants Association and the Convention Bureau. It was renamed Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce, and was one of the first such groups accredited by the United States Chamber of Commerce.
The Louisville Development Committee was launched in 1971 to promote Louisville nationally, using direct mailings of Louisville magazine, published by the Chamber. The chamber also revitalized the Kentucky Derby Festival in the 1970s by providing car pooling and business support services.
In the 1990s, the chamber moved to the Commerce Center at 600 W. Main and sold Louisville magazine. In 1997 the Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce merged with the Greater Louisville Economic Development Partnership, which had been founded in 1987, and in January 1998 the board voted to rename the chamber as Greater Louisville Inc. In 1978, Leadership Louisville[1] was launched at The Chamber. This program, designed to broaden the horizons of local leaders, continues to grow and now operates out of separate offices.
In early 1998, GLI became a strategic economic development partner with Metro Louisville Government, leading business attraction and expansion responsibilities for the Louisville area. Also in 1998, GLI launched EnterpriseCorp[2] to assist fast-growth, entrepreneurial companies, and launched a new Workforce initiative to retain and recruit qualified workers for the region.
GLI moved into its new (and current) headquarters building at 614 W Main in downtown Louisville in 2002. In 2009, GLI launched the Greater Louisville Internationals Professionals (G.L.I.P.) program[3] to attract and retain international talent in our community. The first of its kind in the nation, the program creates networking, professional development, mentoring, and attraction opportunities for international professionals across the region.
In early 2015, Greater Louisville Inc. partnered with surrounding economic development organizations in Kentucky and Southern Indiana to form Advance Greater Louisville,[4] the Regional Economic Development Partnership, which accelerates regional economic growth and raises awareness of the community both nationally and internationally. The Advance Greater Louisville partnership represents all counties in the Louisville metropolitan area.
President/CEO
- K. P. Vinsel (1950–1966). Former University of Louisville professor
- Charles F. Herd (1966–1983). Previously headed Knoxville's Chamber of Commerce
- James O. Robertson (1983–1991). Economic development expert
- Robert H. Gayle (1991–1996)
- Douglass Cobb (1996–1997)
- Steven Higdon (2000–2005)
- Joe Reagan (2005–2011)
- Craig Richard (2012–2014)
- Kent Oyler (2014–present)
See also
References
- ↑ "Leadership Louisville Center". Retrieved September 2, 2016.
- ↑ "EnterpriseCorp". Retrieved September 2, 2016.
- ↑ "Greater Louisville International Professionals - A GLI Initiative". Retrieved September 2, 2016.
- ↑ "Economic Development - Greater Louisville Inc.". Retrieved September 2, 2016.