Young Alumnus Tops LSU 100 On April 26, the LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute celebrated the third annual LSU 100: Fastest Growing Tiger Businesses during an honoree luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Baton Rouge Hotel. Companies were individually recognized, according to their ranking; Cordina New Orleans Cocktails was honored as the No. 1 company for 2013. “It is an honor to be recognized as the No. 1 company of this year’s LSU 100,” said founder Craig Cordes. “You never know when you’re going to come up with the next big business idea, and we are thrilled that ours has taken off like it has. I encourage anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit to go for their goals. Who knows, you might have the next number one idea!” Cordes is a 2006 finance alumnus of the E. J. Ourso College of Business. The LSU 100 celebrates the success of former LSU students and recognizes the impact of LSU on the local, regional and national economies. The 100 fastest growing Tiger busi-
2013 No. 1 Tiger Craig Cordes (left) is congratulated by 2012 No. 1 Tiger Robert Byrnes (middle) and 2011 No. 1 Tiger David Braddock (right).
nesses were identified independently by Postlethwaite & Netterville, which calculated each company’s compounded growth from 2009-11. “The LSU 100 provides the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute a wonderful opportunity to engage our alumni and promote interaction and mentorship with current students,”
said Lisa O’Beirne, LSU SEI director of development. The 2013 LSU 100 class includes nine businesses that are veteranowned, 14 that are family-owned, 30 that operate internationally, and 25 were honored by LSU SEI for the third consecutive year. www.lsu100.com
Bridging the Gap A recent donation from the Credit Bureau of Baton Rouge Foundation allowed University College’s Summer Scholars program to increase its 2013 cohort by five students, to 38 students from across the state. The eight-week summer bridge program prepares under-represented minority students to make a successful transition from high school to LSU. Scholarships cover tuition, housing and meal costs for participants, who receive extensive academic, career and personal counseling and take part in programs and workshops designed to maximize their academic success. “Our foundation takes an invested interest in education,” explained CBBR Foundation President Layne R. McDaniel. “We do a lot with K-12th grade education, but Summer Scholars allows us to assist kids who get out of high
Paul Ivey, J. Terrell Brown, Layne R. McDaniel, Robert Schneckenburger, Annette L. Yancy, W. J. “Dub” Noel Jr., and Stephen M. Lousteau
school and don’t know what to expect when they get to college. We can bridge that gap from high school to freshman year, and aid students in creating a clear path to success.” Robert Schneckenburger of CBBR Foundation said, “When you see the statistics ... and measure the program’s
successes, it’s pretty amazing. It really is. You fund things that work, and this works.” “LSU is never going to be the LSU we want it to be without this kind of support,” University College Executive Director Paul Ivey said of the gift. www.lsu.edu/universitycollege
Cornerstone | Summer and Fall 2013 | LSU Foundation
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