40404040404040 40404040404040404040 4040404040404040 40404040404040404040 404040404040404040 FORTY UNDER 's
40
PAGE 35
Dana Stumpf, 37
Ashley Thomas, 27
Gambit > bestofneworleans.com > october 30 > 2012
CAO, DURR HEAVY CONSTRUCTION PRESIDENT, GENTILLY LANDFILL FOUNDER, SAMSON LLC Dana Stumpf believes soccer is the sport of the next generation in New Orleans, a belief that led her to found Samson LLC, a program to facilitate soccer camps and community programs for local youth in 2008. “Soccer is the world’s sport,” she says. “It was so fascinating to me that it is popular everywhere else but the U.S. However, that is steadily changing.” Shortly after founding Samson, Stumpf’s family’s business, Durr Heavy Construction, purchased the minor league soccer team, the New Orleans Jesters. Stumpf says she wanted the team to be “a uniquely New Orleans brand focused on the NOLA family regardless of their background, race or culture.” In 2012, she gave the team to NOLA Soccer Academy (NSA), the nonprofit community/youth affiliate of the Jesters that works with organizations such as the Carrollton Boosters and Big Easy Sports. Stumpf stresses that the Jesters and NSA are focused on quality development and players’ overall experience rather than massproducing average players. “We want kids and families to truly learn about the beautiful game and become fans for life,” Stumpf says. “We focus on development both on and off the field.” Besides her passion for youth and soccer, Stumpf spends her time as the Chief Administrative Officer at Durr Heavy Construction, as well as president of Gentilly Landfill. Stumpf says her passion for New Orleans has inspired her involvement in the city. “I only have the right to expect certain things of my community if I am willing to contribute and work hard to get them,” she says. — MARGUERITE LUCAS
36
OWNER, CREATIVE VIBE OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, TOTAL COMMUNITY ACTION PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER
Ashley Thomas founded Creative Vibe because she believes small businesses should be able to market themselves as well as large corporations do. The New Orleans native and Xavier University graduate’s idea for a company providing graphic design, T-shirt design and photography services won her an $18,000 start-up fund from the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit that supports entrepreneurship. “My mission is to provide affordable, accessible and quality graphic design services to all business owners,” says Thomas, a graphic designer and photographer. Thomas is the outreach and communications specialist at Total Community Action (TCA), a nonprofit that provides a range of services to families in need; she also has performed design work for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Roots of Music. Through TCA, Thomas conducts a summer program to teach young people graphic design, which they can develop into marketable skills. Her work with the TCA prompted the National Community Action Agency to invite her to make a presentation at the group’s annual conference. Creative Vibe has done design work for New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Roots of Music, and Thomas also finds time to maintain the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship’s website as a volunteer. She plans to continue working in the community and hopes to become a wellrecognized name in New Orleans, all while helping business owners help themselves. — MARTA JEWSON
cabrini
XaViEr PrEP
SacrED HEarT
“Crescent Berry Classic”
“Yellow Jacket”
“Cardinal Crave”
Chocolate Hazelnut with Strawberries, Waffle Cookie and Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Hazelnut with Waffle Cookie, Brownie Bites and Caramel
Pomegranate with Strawberries and Shaved Milk Chocolate
nEwMan
DOMinican
“Newman Greenie” Original with Fruity Cheerios, Organic Fruity Bears and Chocolate Chips
biSHOP McManUS “King’s Berry Blast” Mango with Blueberry, Strawberry and Mango
McGEHEE “Hawk’s Hazelnut Crunch” Chocolate Hazelnut with Strawberries, Chocolate Hazelnut Wafer Rolls and Rosted Hazelnuts
DE la SallE
UrSUlinE
“Dominican Danger!”
“Cavalier Delights”
“U-A Nutty Lion”
Chocolate Hazelnut with Chocolate Chips, Waffle Cookie and Cookie N’ Cream
Original with Raspberry and Mochi
Chocolate Hazelnut with Chocolate Chips, Toasted Almonds and Coconut