Greater Louisville Economic Development Partnership

Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) is an organization that promotes the growth of businesses in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, and the surrounding counties.

In 1862, 220 firms paid $1 each to join the Louisville Board of Trade. Prior to that, there was a Merchants Exchange that met monthly during the 1850s on the southeast corner of Second and Main. In 1913, a Convention Bureau was formed. And, in 1943, GLI began as the Louisville Area Development Association (LADA), established by mayor Wilson Wyatt. By 1950, LADA had absorbed the Board of Trade (established in 1862), the Retail Merchants Association and the Convention Bureau. It was renamed Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce, and was one of the first such groups accredited by the United States Chamber of Commerce.

The Louisville Development Committee was launched in 1971 to promote Louisville nationally, using direct mailings of Louisville magazine, published by the Chamber. The chamber also revitalized the Kentucky Derby Festival in the 1970s by providing car pooling and business support services.

In the 1990s, the chamber moved to the Commerce Center at 600 W. Main and sold Louisville magazine. In 1997 the Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce merged with the Greater Louisville Economic Development Partnership, which had been founded in 1987, and in January 1998 the board voted to rename the chamber as Greater Louisville Inc. In 1978, Leadership Louisville was launched at The Chamber. This program, designed to broaden the horizons of local leaders, continues to grow and now operates out of separate offices.

In early 1998, GLI became a strategic economic development partner with Metro Louisville Government, leading business attraction and expansion responsibilities for the Louisville area. Also in 1998, GLI launched EnterpriseCorp to assist fast-growth, entrepreneurial companies, and launched a new Workforce initiative to retain and recruit qualified workers for the region.

GLI moved into its new (and current) headquarters building at 614 W Main in downtown Louisville in 2002. In 2009, GLI launched the Greater Louisville Internationals Professionals (G.L.I.P.) program to attract and retain international talent in our community. The first of its kind in the nation, the program creates networking, professional development, mentoring, and attraction opportunities for international professionals across the region.

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