IEDC New Orleans 

Justin Heather, of counsel in the Vorys Houston office and a member of the firm's economic development incentives practice, participated in a panel at IEDC New Orleans on October 26.  The title of the panel was "Winning Global Investment in a Tariff Era: Incentives, Site Selection, and the New FDI Playbook." 

The panel focused on how economic developers have an opportunity to position their communities as attractive destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the face of tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty and supply chain realignment.  Panelists discussed current FDI and trade trends, what international investors are prioritizing in site selection decisions and how communities can better market themselves to foreign companies. The discussion also examined opportunities to create or tailor incentives specifically for FDI projects, including leveraging Foreign Trade Zones, workforce development programs, investment tax credits, research and development incentives and federal initiatives such as the CHIPS Act and advanced manufacturing tax credits.