With almost 10 days under his belt in his new position as director of business development for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, University graduate Ryan Cooney is already getting down to business.
Cooney began his work with BRAC as an intern during his senior year and transitioned to project manager after graduating in 2008.
The city of Baton Rouge contracts economic development services to BRAC. In his new position, Cooney said he will manage that contract, which includes helping to keep and grow local businesses and recruiting new businesses to the parish.
“Those businesses are economic driver industries — those which have the majority of their revenue derived from sources outside of the parish — such as manufacture, warehouse and distribution, digital media and software firms,” Cooney said. “It engulfs a wide variety of other.”
Cooney said he would advise University business students to be involved in student organizations and seek mentors on campus.
“There is a wide variety of people I’ve met in my time here that are more than willing to have lunch with me or spend time with me and feed me advice,” he said. “There is always an opportunity for that, for extending yourself and not being afraid to ask