Iberia Parish President Larry Richard was named chairman of the Acadiana Planning Commission after the APC announced its new board members and officers Monday.

The nine-member board governs the regional planning commission. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars was elected APC vice-chair and Lafayette Mayor-President Joshua Guillory joined as a new member and was elected secretary-treasurer.

Chance Henry, president of the Acadia Parish Police Jury, and Dane Hebert, president of the Vermilion Parish Police Jury, also joined the planning commission as new members.

“Acadiana has tremendous assets as a region. By coming together, we leverage, rather than compete, with each other, giving Acadiana local, state and national prominence,” Richard said in a prepared statement. “This means better infrastructure, jobs, development and a higher quality of life for Iberia Parish and for Acadiana.”

“St. Martin Parish has worked closely with APC to bring Acadiana together as a leader in the Louisiana Watershed Initiative,” Cedars said in the statement as well. “Our waterways can be one of our greatest assets while also being our greatest challenge. I look forward to the development of the much needed hydraulic and hydrological science that is needed to make data driven watershed decisions.”

“I am pleased and honored to have been elected Treasurer of the Acadiana Planning Commission,” Guillory said. “I look forward to working with Chief Executive Director Monique Boulet, the board and all of our Acadiana stakeholders to bring business, investment and jobs to our regions utilizing tax incentives such as Opportunity Zones.”

Boulet said the Acadiana Planning Commission is very excited with the leadership team.

“With our Opportunity Zones Initiative receiving national recognition from the White House and Forbes Magazine to our pioneering work with Louisiana Watershed Initiative, broadband and transportation, APC is developing best practices in each of these areas while becoming the catalyst Acadiana needs for dynamic and sustainable growth in our urban and rural areas,” Boulet said.