Don Pierson has served as assistant secretary and chief business development officer of Louisiana Economic Development (LED) since January 2005. His responsibilities include the oversight and implementation of key economic development programs, including industrial recruitment, existing business and industry support, and small business development.

A certified economic development professional, Pierson has 20 years of economic development experience. For 17 of those years, Pierson served as executive director of the Greater Bossier Economic Development Foundation in Louisiana’s Northwest Region. He was appointed by former Gov. Mike Foster in 2000 to the Louisiana Economic Development Council and in 2001 to the Department of Economic Development Reorganization Task Force. Four years later, former Gov. Kathleen Blanco appointed Pierson to serve as assistant secretary of LED, and in 2008, Gov. Bobby Jindal reappointed Pierson to continue his service as assistant secretary. 

Pierson is past president of the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association, the Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Executives Association and the Shreveport-Bossier Home Builders Association. He was also a member of the board of directors for the Southern Economic Development Council, an organization with representatives from all southern states.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Pierson served for five years as an airborne and ranger qualified infantry officer in the 82nd Airborne Division.

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