[Ed.’s Note: This is the second of a 3-part series on the National Cyber Research Park’s impact on Bossier Parish]

When community leaders in northwest Louisiana set out to build the National Cyber Research Park (NCRP), they were pursuing a bold vision. They saw an entirely new economic future, one powered by a highly skilled workforce in an industry new to the area.

The Cyber Innovation Center (CIC) was founded with the task of making NWLA’s future brighter. They laid the foundation for the NCRP, and their efforts bore fruit when General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) decided to build in the park.

“GDIT is a visible example of how a strategic investment in a new workforce can transform a region,” said Kevin Nolten, CIC president. “The company has helped establish our corner of Louisiana as a growing hub for cybersecurity, software development, and technology services supporting missions across the federal government.”

Established as a partnership between General Dynamics and the State of Louisiana, GDIT’s expansion into Bossier City was rooted in a shared belief that the region possessed unique advantages for technology growth. The proximity to Barksdale Air Force Base, the growing ecosystem fostered by the CIC, and a network of higher education institutions all contributed to the company’s decision to invest in Northwest Louisiana. 

The original initiative called for the creation of approximately 800 technology jobs. Within five years, GDIT had exceeded that goal, creating more than 1,000 positions and helping establish a highly skilled workforce.

A 2024 economic impact study conducted by Louisiana Tech University’s Center for Economic Research estimated that GDIT generates approximately $358 million in annual economic impact through employment, consumer spending, and supply-chain activity. The study further projected that the company’s economic impact could reach $3.5 billion over the following decade. 

Those figures underscore the role technology companies now play in supporting economic growth across North Louisiana. They also reflect the broader impact of the partnerships that brought organizations like GDIT to the region in the first place.

For the NCRP, the arrival of GDIT extended beyond job creation. It was a major milestone in the park’s development.

The company became tangible proof that the long-term strategy of building an environment where government, industry, and academia could collaborate was paying off. That major technology employers recognized the value of that vision. 

“I don’t build product; I build people,” Jay Johnson, GDIT vice president of Technology Shared Services Customer Engagement, said at a NCRP forum in November 2025. “The bulk of the GDIT workforce is in Louisiana for a reason: This is a great community with higher-education and community partners.” 

The company’s impact has been felt among the military community. GDIT has tapped into this cultural cornerstone to hire veterans and transitioning service members. According to the company, nearly 30% of its workforce in northern Louisiana consists of former military personnel. 

For many veterans, these careers are an opportunity to remain in the area after military service rather than relocating. That connection has become an important part of the region’s economic development story, helping retain talent that might otherwise leave the area. 

These efforts to build a workforce and work with higher education institutions across the region to create a talent pipeline were all part of realizing a new workforce. But part of that also meant creating something for that workforce to do when they are not at work. 

The historical center of Bossier City along the Red River had languished as an untapped gem for decades. Leadership saw that potential to mirror other hubs in modern cities where young families lived, worked, and played. 

They took the initiative in 2015 to reimagine the area as the East Bank District. This downtown atmosphere would feature gathering space and a walkable shopping/entertainment district.

“The East Bank District is here because of GDIT,” Kevin Nolten said at a public forum on the NCRP last year. “GDIT’s young workforce needed somewhere to go and have fun. That contributes back to the community because it’s something everyone gets to enjoy. We want people to see our quality-of-life components.”

What was unoccupied is now filled with local restaurants, music venues, an events plaza, and a place that residents, new and old, could call their own.

“The more people we can get into our East Bank District, whether that’s going to the restaurants, shopping at the antique stores, or grabbing a snowball…the better it is,” Rich Carroll, East Bank arts building and plaza manager, told Be Bossier in June this year. “The more that we (create space for the community), the better we make this place.”

Looking ahead, both GDIT and the NCRP are positioned for continued growth. GDIT recently extended its agreement to maintain operations at its Integrated Technology Center in Bossier City for another decade. 

As the area’s cyber and technology industry continues to expand along I-20, GDIT remains a powerful example of what can happen when innovation, talent, and opportunity come together with a shared purpose.

“This is a story about vision becoming reality,” said Nolten. “GDIT has been an important chapter in the broader technology ecosystem surrounding the NCRP. Its growth proves that the strategy behind the NCRP was transformational for northwest Louisiana.”