2018 Leaders of the Best Places to Work

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LEADERS OF THE

BEST PLACES TO WORK Meet the executives leading some of Baton Rouge’s Best Places to Work 2018. Here, they share methods for building an award-worthy workplace culture. We are proud to present these leaders and the innovative ideas that landed them on this year’s Best Places to Work list.

GALLAGHER & CO. Amanda Hamilton, Area President Brad Fife, CIC, Area President

PELICAN STATE CREDIT UNION Jeffrey K. Conrad, Chief Executive Officer Melissa Ott, Chief Financial Officer Annette Thames, Chief Operations Officer

RED RIVER BANK Tracy Rutledge, Commercial Group Leader Karen Boss, Retail Market Manager David Thompson, Market President

WYMAR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Ronnie Stephens, Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Frederic, Executive Vice President

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, September 25, 2018

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LEADERS OF THE

BEST PLACES TO WORK

Ronnie Stephens Chief Executive Officer

Stephanie Frederic Executive Vice President

Wymar Federal Credit Union 37269 Hwy 30 Geismar, LA 70734 225.673.7191 wymarfcu.com IN 1958, seven Wyandotte Chemical employees established Wymar Federal Credit Union. The last 60 years have seen immense growth and Wyandotte Chemical is now known as BASF. Wymar FCU kept its focus on members and employees by remaining a single branch with a single field of membership.

There is a wonderful relationship of trust, loyalty, and family between the BASF employees and Wymar FCU. It feels like a family business because to them, it is one.

CEO Ronnie Stephens ensures that his employees feel the love through valuable incentive programs, benefits, flexible hours and fully-paid training opportunities. Wymar FCU believes in “people helping people” both inside the credit union and out.

Wymar FCU’s partnership with BASF is strengthened even more through charity work. Wymar FCU employees give back to organizations like the American Heart Association, United Way and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

A Wymar employee is someone with a passion for helping people. The goal is not just to cash checks, but to educate and improve the financial health of their members. The credit union looks for candidates who strive to learn, grow and build on relationships with fellow employees and members.

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BUSINESS REPORT, September 25, 2018 | BusinessReport.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

LEADERS OF THE

BEST PLACES TO WORK Meet the executives leading some of Baton Rouge’s Best Places to Work 2018. Here, they share methods for building an award-worthy workplace culture. We are proud to present these leaders and the innovative ideas that landed them on this year’s Best Places to Work list.

GALLAGHER & CO. Amanda Hamilton, Area President Brad Fife, CIC, Area President

PELICAN STATE CREDIT UNION Jeffrey K. Conrad, Chief Executive Officer Melissa Ott, Chief Financial Officer Annette Thames, Chief Operations Officer

RED RIVER BANK Tracy Rutledge, Commercial Group Leader Karen Boss, Retail Market Manager David Thompson, Market President

WYMAR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Ronnie Stephens, Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Frederic, Executive Vice President

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, September 25, 2018

61

LEADERS OF THE

BEST PLACES TO WORK

Ronnie Stephens Chief Executive Officer

Stephanie Frederic Executive Vice President

Wymar Federal Credit Union 37269 Hwy 30 Geismar, LA 70734 225.673.7191 wymarfcu.com IN 1958, seven Wyandotte Chemical employees established Wymar Federal Credit Union. The last 60 years have seen immense growth and Wyandotte Chemical is now known as BASF. Wymar FCU kept its focus on members and employees by remaining a single branch with a single field of membership.

There is a wonderful relationship of trust, loyalty, and family between the BASF employees and Wymar FCU. It feels like a family business because to them, it is one.

CEO Ronnie Stephens ensures that his employees feel the love through valuable incentive programs, benefits, flexible hours and fully-paid training opportunities. Wymar FCU believes in “people helping people” both inside the credit union and out.

Wymar FCU’s partnership with BASF is strengthened even more through charity work. Wymar FCU employees give back to organizations like the American Heart Association, United Way and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

A Wymar employee is someone with a passion for helping people. The goal is not just to cash checks, but to educate and improve the financial health of their members. The credit union looks for candidates who strive to learn, grow and build on relationships with fellow employees and members.

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BUSINESS REPORT, September 25, 2018 | BusinessReport.com

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LEADERS

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OF THE

BEST PLACES TO WORK

Annette Thames Chief Operations Officer

Jeffrey K. Conrad Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Ott

Chief Financial Officer

Pelican State Credit Union 3232 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70816 225.408.6100 pelicanstatecu.com EMPLOYEE WELLNESS is top of mind at Pelican State Credit Union. As the largest state-chartered credit union in Louisiana serving over 50,000 members and 250 employees, the credit union’s culture and growth are contributing to Louisiana’s economy by adding hundreds of new jobs with excellent benefits.

Staffing one of the largest credit union call centers in the state, expanding branches and supporting the community requires increased office support which led Pelican to begin constructing a new Corporate Campus in Baton Rouge on O’Neal Lane (site pictured).

Pelican has a passion for helping others stay financially and physically well. Its leaders are dedicated to motivating and supporting employees in all aspects of their life, and the credit union plans to integrate human health and wellness into the design, construction, maintenance and operations of its future Corporate Campus. Day in and day out, these leaders prove that if you remain committed to fostering a positive, wellness-first culture for employees, they will then deliver that same quality of care to the credit union’s members and the community.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, September 25, 2018

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LEADERS OF THE

BEST PLACES TO WORK

Tracy Rutledge Commercial Group Leader

Karen Boss

Retail Market Manager

David Thompson Market President

Red River Bank 9400 Old Hammond Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225.923.0232 redriverbank.net TWENTY YEARS ago, a group of bankers in Alexandria envisioned giving customers a better way to bank. They succeeded in realizing that vision-and in creating a better place to work. Founded in 1999, the resulting Red River Bank is now the fifth-largest Louisiana-based community bank in the state. The company has a unique culture program that keeps the team focused on its core values and beliefs. Red River Bank celebrates community and encourages employees to volunteer. The company tracks employee service and recognizes the employees who are the most involved with a prestigious award at their annual gala.

Red River Bank employees enjoy their work and love serving their clients. This level of employee satisfaction begins at the top. Every member of upper management is able to call employees by name when they visit a department or branch. Co-workers are encouraged to recognize peers who have gone above and beyond the expected behavior by completing a WOW card.

When everyone is encouraged to speak up and recommend changes to services or products, the bank is more efficient and competitive in the marketplace. The knowledge that they are a valued part of a successful company drives Red River Bank’s employee engagement and ensures the bank’s continued success.

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BUSINESS REPORT, September 25, 2018 | BusinessReport.com

LEADERS

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OF THE

BEST PLACES TO WORK

Amanda Hamilton Area President

Brad Fife, CIC Area President

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. 235 Highlandia Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70810 225.292.3515 ajg.com GALLAGHER WAS founded in 1927 and has grown to become one of the world’s largest and most respected insurance brokers and risk management firms, with client-service capabilities in more than 150 countries. The local Baton Rouge office opened in 1980, and has been a valued partner to the local community ever since.

Even after more than 90 years, Gallagher remains dynamic by building the best possible team. Employees are engaged, encouraged and enthusiastic because their leaders support a culture that promotes employee growth. Gallagher invests heavily in its employees through its awardwinning G3 mentorship program and the Gallagher Summer Internship Program, one of the top 100 internship programs in the country. Gallagher insists on the highest professional standards in the office while allowing room for team building, personal growth, and a healthy work-life balance.

Gallagher is proud to maintain the highest levels of corporate social responsibility, for its clients, employees and its global reputation. They are the only insurance brokerage firm to be honored not once, but seven times in a row as a World’s Most Ethical Company by the Ethisphere Institute for promoting best business practices and standards. Locally and globally, Gallagher is a best place to work simply because they hire, develop and retain the best employees.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, September 25, 2018

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