Iberia needs to target its market and try to lure new business, industry and skilled workers to the Teche Area.

At an Iberia Industrial Develop-ment Foundation Business Adviso-ry meeting Thursday, plans were laid out regarding a new strategy of which New Iberia and Iberia Parish will take advantage.

Jim Edmonson of Whittaker Associates, an economic consulting firm based in Holland, Mich., presented the plan he called a “target market/lead generation program.”

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Edmonson said the goal is to develop a list of 180 qualified leads of companies either looking to expand or relocate that would be a good fit for Iberia Parish.

The list is due for completion by June and will offer the city and parish insight to which industry sectors they might want to devote more attention.

Whittaker Associates has identified six sectors in which to concentrate the search. Those industries include aviation, research and development, technology, oil and gas, metal fabrication and manufacturing.

There were several local industry representatives on hand to add to Whittakers’ initial list.

Fran Thibodeaux, executive director of the Iberia Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she would like to see tourism, film and recreation added to that initial list of target industries.

Trevis Badeaux, public relations and marketing coordinator for Dauterive Hospital, said health care should make the list as well.

IDF executive director Mike Tarantino said health care was the fastest growing industry in the area in 2003 before the most recent oil and gas boom.

Edmonson said the area has an advantage in attracting retail businesses as well, because retail cash is still flowing locally, unlike most other regions in the country that seem to be tightening up spending.

He asked the panel to tell him why industries should consider moving to Iberia Parish.

“We are an inter-modal parish,” Tarantino said. “We offer air transportation, highway, rail and water, not to mention our location half way between the two enormous Southern markets of Houston and New Orleans.”

The board chairman for the Greater Iberia Chamber of Commerce, Gerald Faulk, said the strong work ethic that exists in South Louisiana could be a selling point.

Other representatives at the meeting also added the parish’s educational system, availability of land for development, level of civic participation, good weather, quality of life and low land and housing costs as reasons for Iberia being a choice spot for relocation.

“The idea of this project is to get the word out beyond state boundaries to skilled labor and diverse industries that Iberia Parish is a good place to work and live,” Tarantino said.