JEDCO, Jefferson Chamber to host webinar on Business Recovery Resources

(AVONDALE, La) — In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, JEDCO and the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce continue to work closely with our partners to provide access to valuable resources and up-to-the-minute information to aid in the recovery of our businesses, our economy, and our community. Given the impact the storm had on our businesses, JEDCO and the Jefferson Chamber chose to shift the upcoming Prosper Jefferson seminar topic to focus on Business Recovery Resources.

JEDCO and the Jefferson Chamber are building an all-star lineup of local leaders and experts to provide attendees with a list of information, tools, and resources to help local businesses build back better than before. Topics include:

• Hurricane Ida business recovery update
• What businesses need to know from Jefferson Parish about rebuilding, zoning and permitting
• Current recovery resources for businesses
• And More!

Join us Wednesday, September 29th, from 10:00am – 11:15am. The event will be held virtually via Zoom to reach all those impacted by the storm – those who have been able to return and those business owners and residents who have been displaced. The original topic of Social Media will be rescheduled for early 2022.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Cynthia Lee Sheng
Jefferson Parish President
President Cynthia Lee Sheng was sworn into office on January 8, 2020. Cynthia Lee Sheng served as Councilwoman At-Large for Division B in 2015 after serving as the Councilwoman for District 5 since 2009. Cynthia showed an interest in public service early in her life and obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from George Washington University. She is a graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and served for 10 years as a federal law enforcement officer with the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Maryland and Newark, New Jersey. Before running for office and serving on the Jefferson Parish Council Cynthia practiced as a CPA specializing in fraud prevention and litigation support.

Cynthia advocated for the revitalization of Fat City by sponsoring major zoning changes and working directly with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office to combat illegal activity. She also funded the Fat City mural program and commissioned 10 beautiful murals by local artists. She was the recipient of a national award by the American Planning Association for her efforts in changing Fat City. She was also instrumental in bringing the first Trader Joe’s to the greater New Orleans area by working for nearly 2 years with the property owners and neighborhood group over the controversial Tolmas Tract property that has been in litigation for decades.

Cynthia recognized Jefferson Parish’s aging housing stock and established the Neighborhood Revitalization Program which has resulted in the Terrytown Pilot home. Cynthia was also an early advocate for green infrastructure and resiliency as a way to better manage our water resources, reduce subsidence, and help with our drainage capacity.

Dianne F. Sclafani
Culinary & Foodservice Business Development Consultant
La. Small Business Development Center, Greater New Orleans and River Region (LSBDC-GNOR)
Dianne is a business speaker, trainer, and consultant specializing in food businesses. She has over 25 years of practical experience in restaurants, foodservice, culinary education, and food manufacturing industries. Dianne has helped approximately 1,000 new and established local business owners strengthen and expand their businesses. She continues to consultant and coach many industries in developing loan packages and investment pitches. In 2015, she developed and instructed the first New Orleans Culinary Entrepreneur Training Program for Capital One’s Investment for Good Program. The following year she created the first Jazz and Heritage Foundation’s Catapult Culinary Entrepreneur Program in 2016, which was repeated in 2018. She also creates restaurant and food manufacturing seminars for the LSBDC clients across the State of Louisiana. Dianne was honored with the prestigious 2016 Louisiana SBDC State Star Award. Her passion is in building relationships with business owners to help them achieve their business vision for success.