BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Baton Rouge Area Chamber announced Monday that President and CEO Adam Knapp is leaving to be the new CEO of the Committee of 100 for Economic Development, a statewide group of leading business executives.

“I am honored to have been selected for this important role, and to have an opportunity to serve a statewide mission. I have been impressed with the ambition of the C100 Board to move Louisiana forward at this crucial time for our state. I appreciate the confidence they have placed in me to represent the state’s top leaders in business and academia to accomplish their goals. I intend to hit the ground running on day one.” Knapp said in a news release.

Committee of 100 said in a news release that he was selected after a nationwide search. Knapp led BRAC since 2008, and he’ll start his new position on Nov. 1.

David Mullens, the 2023 BRAC board chair, said the board will work to create a successful leadership transition in the coming weeks.

“Fortunately, we have a very talented senior leadership team and staff, a strong regional economy, and a compelling, five-year strategic plan guiding our work. Adam leaves our organization at a time when it is stronger than ever, with a clear purpose and agenda for the future,” he said.

Mullens said that during his tenure, Knapp almost doubled the number of BRAC’s investors over three major campaigns and played an influential role in keeping economic development as a priority in politics.

Knapp also helped pass statewide and local legislation every year since 2008, Mullens said.

Before joining BRAC, Knapp served as economic development policy advisor for two Louisiana governors, worked at Louisiana Economic Development and was the deputy director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority following hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

“The vision and energy Adam will bring to C100, coupled with his proven track record of advancing business and industry growth, is exciting for our organization and Louisiana, as a whole,” said C100 Executive Committee Chair Wayne Brown, founder and senior vice president of Brown Builders, Inc. of Bossier City. “We are fortunate to have had such a committed and experienced leader in retiring CEO Michael Olivier to guide C100 for the past 14 years. I know that we will be well-positioned under Adam’s leadership to continue to drive positive change that will improve the economy and quality of life for all Louisianans.” 

Read the statement from Mullens below.

On behalf of our Board of Directors, I want to thank Adam for his service to BRAC and the Baton Rouge Area as our President and CEO. We have a very talented senior leadership team and staff, a strong regional economy, and a new five-year strategic plan guiding our work. Adam leaves our organization at a time when it is stronger than ever, with a clear purpose for the future.  

Much has changed since he started with us in 2008, but his commitment, leadership, and energy level has not. As we looked back at his tenure, BRAC has landed more than 200 business development projects throughout the region, helped pass statewide and local legislation in every year since 2008, nearly doubled the base of BRAC’s investors over three major campaigns, and played an influential role in keeping economic development as a priority in political discourse. He helped lead the way for BRAC to secure a major building renovation to create the David E. Roberts Center for Economic Development. From crisis responses spanning from Hurricane Gustav to COVID, he helped BRAC be an invaluable service that has been able to rise to the urgency of the moment. Because of the consistent quality of its teams, the organization has been ranked multiple times as one of the top state economic development organizations in the United States and in the South.   

We appreciate his dedication to BRAC and wish him the best of luck.  

BRAC will convene its Board leadership in the coming days to prepare our next steps in this leadership transition. Our investors, members, and stakeholders can have confidence that we will look to fill this position of President and CEO with the best talent for the organization, business community and the Baton Rouge Area.

2023 BRAC Board Chair David Mullens