Rebuilding our Infrastructure for a Sustainable Environment

Local Observations and Current Challenges of our Post Catastrophe Revitalization

Cox’s Story

In August 2005

Our system was in disarray, we lost services to our customers in Orleans, St. Bernard, Jeffersonand St Charles. Our crisis team (senior managers) was permanently housed in our Baton Rouge headquarters.

October 2005 We guesstimated we were looking at a loss of 40% of our customer base and were dealing withsevere human capital shortages. (Non-emergency employees were displaced from New York to California)

Cox’s Rebuild• We began an aggressive rebuild in early

October 05• By January 1st of 06 we were able to feed

72% of our market and service 89% of our returned customers

• Then our attention turned to a long term region strategy which led to commitments from our parent company of over 500 million U.S. dollars for the next 4 years

At a GlanceCox New OrleansBasic subscribers before Katrina: 257,000 (homes connected)Basic subscribers end 2006: 183,000Decrease: 74,000 (homes lost)Service area: Orleans, Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Bernard parishes.

Challenges (one perspective)

• The entire Gulf Coast is in competition for residents (human capital)

• We need to choose to perform our activities differently than other communities (metropolitan areas) – show the strength of our levees and the ports

• A sustainable long term strategic position requires trade-offs (Michael Porter, Harvard Business School) - Look for opportunities that compliment the tourism and sociocultural difference of Orleans, and manage crime.

• Reposition ourselves to match other communities when things work-well, but work on bringing in innovation through technology based schooling as a catalyst to growth

When asked - am I concerned about the future?

I quote Colin Powel –

who says, “ think perpetual optimism! ”