Issuu

SPECIAL SECTION: THE FACES AND VOICES OF LEADERSHIP IN THE CAPITAL REGION

2020

e g u o R n o t in Ba

ALOHA: Wymar Federal Credit Union is the repeat winner among small- and medium-sized companies.

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Issue Date: Sept BPTW Ad proof #4

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received by the close of business today. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2020. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

8 TIME

MBOBR Management Team

Best of the

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It is our 10th year sponsoring Best Places to Work. We are looking forward to the virtual event on September 15th. Hope you join us live!

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Twitter.com/MBOBR

YouTube.com/MBofBatonRouge

Instagram.com/mb_BatonRouge

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A WINNING TEAM IN BATON ROUGE AND BEYOND People who work in insurance are often asked how they got their start in the industry. Most will say they “fell into it,” but at BXS Insurance, many proudly say they “lucked into it.” Their careers are one of change, growth and opportunity. BXS Insurance teammates build each other’s successes and take pride in serving their communities in 31 offices across eight states. Our dedication to service extends beyond providing the highest standard in insurance brokerage services. With a focus on local philanthropy, we are passionate about identifying and meeting needs directly impacting the diverse communities where we live. Want to join us? Visit

www.bxsi.com/careers.

Congratulations to our Business Report Leadership Academy alums, Aimee Kilpatrick and Melissa Zornes.

1. BXS Insurance is a wholly owned subsidiary of BancorpSouth Bank. 2. Insurance and Investment products are: •Not a Deposit •Not Bank Guaranteed •Not insured by FDIC or other Government Agency •Not a Condition of any Bank Loan, Product or Service •May go down in value. 3. BXS Insurance is an insurance agent and not an insurance carrier. 4. Always review your policy for coverage terms and conditions. © 2020 BXS Insurance. All rights reserved.

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

COLLIN RICH IE

COURTESY MORAN CONS TRUCT

ION CONSULTANTS

ON THE COVER: Photo by Collin Richie; photo illustration by Hoa Vu

s t n e t n o C Introduction: Places that put the ‘team’ in ‘teamwork’

HI E

COLLIN RIC

SMALL & MEDIUM COMPANIES

1st Place: WYMAR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ‘Strong communication’ makes the difference Cultivating a team atmosphere is a key behind Wymar Federal Credit Union being recognized as a regional leader in workplace culture.

11 Rounding out the top five Small & Medium companies 14 List: (15-249 employees)

LARGE COMPANIES

1st Place: HOME BANK ‘We really are like a family’ A flat hierarchy and a workplace culture steeped in homespun positivity enables Home Bank to help its small business customers weather any storm.

23 Rounding out the top five 28 List: Big companies (250-plus employees) 30 Executive feedback 4

LEADERSHIP

40 Julio Melara: The pursuit of leadership In Their Own Words: Leadership advice 43 from top business voices in Baton Rouge 44 Todd Graves on core values 45 Gloria Moncada on mentorship 45 Paul Mainieri on team building 46 Kenny Nguyen on creating thinking 47 Sean Reilly on generational change 47 Todd Stevens on crisis management 48 Ann Forte Trappey on delegation and trust 49 Padma Vatsavai on taking risks

51 Leadership Academy Alumni

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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YO U R PL A T FO R M 158 ATTORNEYS. 8 OFFICES. 2 STATES. 1 CULTURE.

For the seventh year in a row, our law ﬁrm’s positive and supportive culture has made our platform one of the best in Baton Rouge. Find out how to put our platform to work for you at keanmiller.com/careers.

And, please join us as we congratulate our most recent Leadership Academy graduates, Chelsea Gomez Caswell (2020) and Benn Vincent (2019).

LOUISIANA BATON ROUGE NEW ORLEANS SHREVEPORT LAFAYETTE LAKE CHARLES TEXAS HOUSTON THE WOODLANDS L I N DA P E R E Z C L A R K , M A N AG I N G PA R T N E R

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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Issue Date: BPTW 2020 Ad proof #1

2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

CONGRATULATIONS,

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The 50 companies on this year’s Best Places to Work list demonstrate what it means to care about employees, serving as a model for other businesses.

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Places that put the ‘team’ in ‘teamwork’

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THERE ARE PLENTY of good companies to work for in the Capital Region: companies that provide a decent paycheck and basic benefits. And there are also a lot of great companies to work for: companies that go a step further with additional fringe benefits, company events and flexible work schedules. But it takes a lot more than good salaries, solid benefits packages and the occasional casual Friday to be one of the Capital Region’s Best Places to Work. Companies on the seventh annual list go above and beyond to put their employees first. That’s because they know that if their employees are happy and engaged on the job, then they’ll take ownership of their work and protect the brand—and bottom line. If you’re lucky enough to be an employee of one of the Best Places to Work, you work hard and you play hard—and this year you’re dealing with a pandemic. So while last year may have been filled with tickets to sporting events, company crawfish boils and holiday parties, today it’s about keeping connected and engaged with remote-working employees. To compile this year’s list, Business Report once again partnered with the Greater Baton Rouge Society of Human Resource Management to discover what makes a great workplace in our community, as well as provide participating employers insight into what their employees think. Independent national firm Best Companies Group surveyed companies that chose to participate. For-profit companies and nonprofits as well as publicly and privately held companies are all eligible to participate, so long as they have a facility in Baton Rouge and a minimum of 15 full- or part-time employees working in the nine-parish Capital Region. Contract employees are not included in employee counts or surveys. To ensure credibility, organizations with fewer than 25 employees are required to have an 80% or better response rate on the employee survey. The first portion of the assessment involves a questionnaire about company policies, practices, demographics and benefits. The second portion involves a randomly selected group of each company’s employees, who respond—anonymously—to 78 statements on a five-point agreement scale as well as a handful of open-ended questions and demographic inquiries. Best Companies Group analyzes and ranks participating firms on eight core focus areas: leadership and planning; corporate culture and communications; role satisfaction; work environment; employees’ relationships with supervisors; training, development and resources; pay and benefits; and overall employee engagement. If you want your company to be considered for inclusion on next year’s listing of the Best Places to Work, go to bestplacestoworkbr.com and sign up for notifications about the 2021 survey.

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

‘Strong communication’ makes the difference Cultivating a team atmosphere is a key behind Wymar Federal Credit Union being recognized as a regional leader in workplace culture. BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

1 m u i d e M & l l a m S st

Companies

Wymar Federal Credit Union 37269 La. 30, Geismar / wymarfcu.com Products and services: Founded by a small group of Wyandotte Chemical employees in the late ‘50s, this credit union serves only BASF Geismar employees, offering banking services to workers and their immediate family members. With more than 4,000 members, the credit union manages more than $100 million in assets. Total employees: 17 Standout bonuses or benefits: Annual cash bonuses, flexible schedule, bonus program, profit sharing, company-paid staff training, birthday cash bonus. What employees love: Crawfish boils, tailgates, Christmas party with catering and cocktails, holiday celebrations, jeans days, book study with the CEO. Coronavirus response: Remote working, closed lobby and used night drop slot on door to cash checks and process transactions, started a business texting service, offered financial assistance programs for employees and developed a new pandemic response policy.

FOR EMPLOYEES OF BASF’s 1,600-person Geismar facility, banking is exceptionally personal. The company’s affiliated credit union, Wymar FCU, is located within the plant complex and is known for the kind of relationship-based service associated with community banks. Launched by employees of the former Wyandotte Chemicals Company in Geismar 62 years ago, a facility later bought by BASF, Wymar FCU is a recognized regional leader in workplace culture. It also earned the Best

Places to Work top spot for businesses with less than 50 employees in 2019. Continuing to serve customers seamlessly and maintaining a high-quality work environment throughout the pandemic has been a key objective of Wymar’s management team, says CEO Ronnie Stephens. “Strong communication has made all the difference,” Stephens says. “That includes making sure our customers are informed about all the changes that have been going on and

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COLLIN RICHIE

keeping our staff informed so they can perform. The teamwork has been incredible.” During the stay-at-home order that shuttered business operations in Louisiana in April, Stephens held daily management team Zoom meetings to canvas staff needs and smooth workfrom-home kinks. Employees who needed to remain in the bank to do their jobs did so with the addition of new safety measures that remain, like social distancing markers and plexiglass germ barriers. Others

transitioned to home offices with support from the bank’s IT team. “Everyone really stepped up and continued to serve our members and do their jobs well,” Stephens says. The relative ease with which Wymar’s employees handled the events of the last several months stems from a work environment already steeped in trust and support, says Executive Vice President Stephanie Frederic. “We’ve spent a lot of time over the last few years cultivating a team,” Frederic says. “We want

our employees to know we care about them. Lately, we’ve tried to remove the stress so that they can feel safe and continue to serve our customers.” In a normal year, the 17-person Wymar team would meet regularly for face-to-face book clubs, training sessions and themed lunches. Employees would also enjoy birthday and workplace anniversary celebrations and participate in team-building activities at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and 13th Gate Escape Room.

But while social distancing has stymied those activities for now, the executive staff has found ways to foster camaraderie. Employees have been encouraged to enroll in online training opportunities to sharpen new skills. The management team has hosted virtual happy hours and circulated Mike Anderson’s restaurant gift cards to give everyone a night off from cooking. Strong relationships with members and quick turnaround times related to customer needs helped Wymar surpass its targets this summer. In July, the credit union clocked its highest monthly loan volume ever. The surge is due to customers refinancing their mortgages or open home equity lines of credit and is not related to the Payroll Protection Program loans that have kept banks slammed nationwide. “Our staff has been great about communicating these options to our members,” Frederic says. “They’ve really risen to the occasion.” In 2019, business grew 8.37%. Year to date, Wymar has grown 12.5% in assets size to $131 million. It currently ranks 14th in the nation for credit unions in rate of funds returned to members, according to annual tracking by Callahan & Associates. Among Wymar’s employee benefits is an annual bonus program based on the team meeting annual goals as well as each employee’s own performance. The staff can track progress throughout the year through monthly updates. Such benefits have helped employee retention remain consistently high. “We believe one of the best indicators of the health of an organization is the tenure of their staff,” Stephens says. “We are proud to have two employees with over 10 years, two with over 20 years and one with 41 years. The overall average tenure is 9.95 years.” Staff has grown from 12 to 17 since 2014. Stephens says a silver lining from the pandemic has been the ability of employees to remain productive while working from home. Space for new team members might be an issue, but telework could solve that. 2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

2nd

m u i d e M & l l a Sm Companies Moran Construction Consultants LLC

Founded in 1968 as a general construction company, Moran Construction Consultants evolved into a consulting company in the 1980s and has assisted clients on projects nationwide and especially in the Gulf South. Based in Baton Rouge, the company has 19 employees.

Standout bonuses or benefits: • Monthly health incentive competitions • Pets allowed at work

N CONSULTANTS

Coronavirus response: • Most staff working remotely from home • All meetings held via conference call or video • Desks placed 6 feet apart • Masks, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes distributed to staff

COU RTESY MOR AN CONSTRUCTIO

What employees love: • Monthly massages • Pie bake-off • Free monthly audible book

888.769.8841

CampusFederal.org 2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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3rd

2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

m u i d e M & l l a Sm Companies First National Bankers Bankshares Inc.

NATIONAL BAN KSHA COU RTESY FIRST

Coronavirus response: • Pandemic policy expanded for business continuity and continuing company operations, including requirements for hand sanitizing, personal hygiene and facial Standout bonuses or benefits: • $2,500 quarterly bonus for catching coverings • Internal photo and phishing hack attempts • Floating holiday and birthday holiday information sharing system launched so that staff • $250 wellness benefit for fitness Issue BPTW 2020 AD proofcan #2keep in contact while club Date: membership • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. working from home What employees love: • Jeans Friday • Annual tailgate • Computer purchase program offering discounts and interest-free loans

RES

With a staff of 159, First National Bankers Bankshares is a financial services corporation serving the management and financial needs of community financial institutions across the nation. Based in Baton Rouge, the company also has offices in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received by the close of business today. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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Issue Date: BPTW 2020 Ad proof #2

NATIONAL BAN KSHA COU RTESY FIRST

RES

PROUD TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A BEST PLACE TO WORK The LDS Group has been committed to partnering with our dealerships to provide the best products, training, income development and local customer service since 1977.

FOR DEALERS, BY DEALERS 9016 BLUEBONNET BLVD | BATON ROUGE | 225-769-9923 | THELDSGROUP.COM

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

m u i d e M & l l a Sm Companies Gresham Smith

Founded in Nashville, Tennessee, Gresham Smith offers a wide range of creative and design services including architecture, construction management, engineering, environmental and sustainability services, experiential design, interior design, landscape architecture and site development. The company has been operating since 1967.

Issue Date: Sept BPTW Ad proof #1

SHAM SMITH

Standout bonuses or benefits: • Support for professional licensure • Time and budget allocations for celebrating personal and professional successes • Gym membership reimbursement

Coronavirus response: • Videoconferencing • Daily team huddles and one-on-one check-ins with employees • Company-wide confidential survey to help executives understand what’s working well and what needs improvement • Annual Celebration shifted to a virtual event • Coronavirus information site created on company’s intranet.

COU RTESY GRE

What employees love: • Company-sponsored eldercare assistance for employees with aging family members • Telecommuting and flexible work schedule options • Team building art class

2019

2020

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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5th

m u i d e M & l l a m S Companies The Pangburn Group Inc.

The Pangburn Group Inc., based in New Roads, offers comprehensive recordkeeping solutions for nonqualified benefit plans and employer-owned life insurance. With nearly 60 employees in the Capital Region, along with satellite offices in Monroe and Miami, Pangburn services businesses, nonprofits and financial institutions of all sizes across the nation.

Standout bonuses or benefits: • Flexible work hours • Shout-out board in break room

HB20-BOBR-V2-8.875x5.pdf

8/17/20

COLLIN RICH IE

Coronavirus response: • All staff telecommuting • Masks, cleaners, sanitizers and enhancements to technology made available to employers while they work from home • Flexible return-to-workplace policies • Videoconferencing

What employees love: • Annual seafood boil with T-shirts and kickball • Annual holiday party with band • Community outreach activities

9:57 AM

CMY

Congratulations to all of our employees for making Home Bank one of the best places to work in Baton Rouge. Home Bank team members volunteer at a work day at Thrive Academy.

Home24Bank.com 2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

Best Places to Work

Joseph F. Quinlan President and CEO

Banking

Gresham Smith 10000 Perkins Rowe, Suite 280 Baton Rouge, LA 70810 greshamsmith.com

Bert Moore State leader for transportation

Engineering

The Pangburn Group Inc. 301 Major Parkway New Roads, LA 70760 pangburngroup.com

CMA Technology Solutions 8180 YMCA Plaza Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70810 cmaontheweb.com

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

Brian E. Pangburn CEO

Financial services

Chad LeMaire Owner, president and CEO

Technology

ThreeSixtyEight 212 S. 14th St., Suite B Baton Rouge, LA 70802 threesixtyeight.com

Kenny Nguyen CEO

Advertising/PR/ marketing

MAPP 344 Third St. Baton Rouge, LA 70801 mappbuilt.com

Michael A. Polito President and CEO

Construction

136

Sigma Consulting Group Inc. 10305 Airline Highway Baton Rouge, LA 70816 sigmacg.com

Miles B. Williams President

Engineering

Red Six Media 319 Third St. Baton Rouge, LA 70801 redsixmedia.com

Matt Dardenne, Kristen Rushing, Joe Martin Co-owners

Advertising/PR/ marketing

Baton Rouge Youth Coalition 460 N. 11th St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 thebryc.org

Lucas Spielfogel Executive director

Nonprofit

National holiday parties; surprise blue jean days; n holiday dress up contests; bonus program set with department goals; profit sharing; book study with CEO; $50 cash for birthday; anniversary awards

WORKPLACE CULTURE

Monthly massages; frequent contests, celebrations, crawfish boil, and parties; pets are allowed at work; flexible schedules; monthly health incentive competition; free audible books; employee lunches

159 12

SUSTAINABLE GREEN PRACTICES

First National Bankers Bankshares Inc. 7813 Office Park Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70809 bankers-bank.com

Construction

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

John Moran Managing member

PTO FOR VOLUNTEERING

Moran Construction Consultants LLC 601 Saint Charles St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 morancc.com

WELLNESS PROGRAMS

Ronnie L. Stephens President

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

Wymar Federal Credit Union 37269 Highway 30, P.O. Box 457 Geismar, LA 70734 wymarfcu.com

401-K/RETIREMENT PLAN

Financial services

PROFIT SHARINGS

INDUSTRY

NEW HIRE REFERRALS

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

COMPANY ADDRESS WEBSITE

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Companies with 15-249 U.S. employees

Wellness benefits; birthday/holiday parties; annual picnic; computer purchase program; professional n growth opportunities; Blue Jean Friday; employees participate in company surveys and express ideas

Team building activities and parties; professional n development opportunities; work/family balance philosophy; firm-wide celebration honoring employees; career ladder and owner opportunity

Escape room event; scavenger hunts; top golf outings; strong employee friendships and team n spirit; flexible work hours; Indian holiday celebrations; community outreach activities; social committee

Discounts at YMCA to promote employee health and wellness; early leave for holiday weekends; annual crawfish boil and holiday party; holiday events; monthly birthday/anniversary celebrations

Monthly half-day Fridays; annual team retreat; quarterly field trips; lunch-n-learns; pantry n stocked with snacks; Surprise & Delight budget reserved for parties and fun; work from home Wednesdays

Celebrations for all holidays; fun days and outings to promote camaraderie; LSU home game n tailgates; women in construction week; charity gold tournament; virtual happy hour and town hall meetings

Fantasy football league; annual crawfish boil; n rainy day scavenger hunts; flexible work schedules; profit sharing; family atmosphere

Friday afternoon Think & Drinks; random games to relieve stress; eat lunches together; all opinions n are heard, respected, and responded to; ridiculous/silly contests and outings; frequent potlucks

Team field trips and spirit week; regular mental n health check-ins and licensed professional counselor on staff; professional development; relaxed dress code; caregiver leave Researched by Best Companies Group

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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Best Places to Work

Catapult Creative Media Inc. 8231 Summa Ave., Suite A, Baton Rouge 70809 catapultcreativemedia.com

DNA Workshop 235 S. 14th St., Baton Rouge 70802 dna-workshop.com

Hannis T Bourgeois LLP 2322 Tremont Drive, Baton Rouge 70809 htbcpa.com

Transformyx LLC 6867 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge 70810 transformyx.com

James DuBos CEO

Faulk & Winkler 6811 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge 70806 fw-cpa.com

Tommy LeJeune Managing partner

Accounting

Stuart & Company General Contractors LLC 4320 S. Jeffrey Drive, Baton Rouge 70816 stuartandcompany.com

Duane L. Mizell President and CEO

Construction

Peoples Bank 805 Hospital Road, New Roads 70760 thefriendlybank.com

Stephen P. David President and CEO

Taylor Porter 450 Laurel St., Suite 800, Baton Rouge 70801 taylorporter.com

Bob Barton Managing partner

Legal

Patrician Management 8027 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge 70809 patricianmanagement.com

Alex V. Lewis President and owner

Real estate

The LDS Group 9016 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge 70810 theldsgroup.com

J. Keith Decell President

Virginia Huling President

Adversiting/PR/ marketing

Dyke Nelson, Abe Kinney Owners

Architecture

Jay A. Montalbano Managing partner

Accounting

Technology

Banking

Insurance

120

118 10

135

PTO FOR VOLUNTEERING

Food outings; dry-erase tables and walls, standing desks, walk breaks; company Christmas party; n extra week of PTO at end of year; wellness program with rewards; culture club plans employee fun days

Employee fun days and outings; flexible time off; n use employee ideas/contributions to improve the company; allow employees 10% of their time to work on special projects; supports non-profits

WORKPLACE CULTURE

Employee birthday celebrations; annual company n out-of-town retreat; occasional lunches provided for staff; holiday events; wellness program with rewards

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

WELLNESS PROGRAMS

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

401-K/RETIREMENT PLAN

Technology

SUSTAINABLE GREEN PRACTICES

Calvin Fabre President and owner

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

Envoc 1800 City Farm Drive, Bldg. 1, Suite B, Baton Rouge 70809 envoc.com

PROFIT SHARINGS

INDUSTRY

NEW HIRE REFERRALS

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

COMPANY ADDRESS WEBSITE

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Companies with 15-249 U.S. employees

Monthly team building activities; quarterly companywide team building events; daily n acknowledgements of awesome service; work from home options; collaboration tools; holiday events and other parties

Chair massages, game night, complimentary dinners; free lunch and snacks; parties, holiday n events, and early office closures on Fridays; advancement opportunities; mentorship; flexible work schedules

Company crawfish boils, Thanksgiving lunch, n fishing trips, and spa days; employee birthday celebrations; relaxed work atmosphere and flexibility; benefits package

Employee appreciation day; Friday breakfast, tailgate, and spirit days; generous benefits n package and bonus program; home cooked meals for trainings and special events; crawfish boil; charity events

Flexible work schedules; opportunities for community involvement; firm events for employees and family members throughout the year; paid overtime; CPA exam-expense reimbursement; holiday parties

Trivia contests; virtual concerts; halloween costume party; after-hours drinks; emphasis on n volunteering in the community; competitive salaries; generous 401k and health benefits; town hall meetings

Employee crawfish boil; weekly employee n breakfast; annual Christmas party; staff that is always there to help; annual retreat in Destin, Florida

Annual holiday contests with prizes; casual Fridays; Christmas party; employee of the month n celebration; ongoing training opportunities; friendly 401k match program; generous benefits contributions Researched by Best Companies Group

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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• Additional r

Carefully chec

This ad design ©

2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

Best Places to Work

Padma Vatsavai CEO

Technology

Shawn Folks CEO

Restoration

112

Technology

Labarre Associates Inc. 8385 Rushing Road E. Denham Springs, LA 70726 labarre-inc.com

James Labarre CEO

Vinformatix 801 North Blvd., Suite 120 Baton Rouge, LA 70802 vinformatix.com

Guarantee Restoration Services 11811 Dunlay Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70809 guaranteerestoration.com

Lipsey's 7277 Exchequer Drive, P.O. Box 83280 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 lipseys.com

Laurie Lipsey Aronson President and CEO

Wholesale distribution

Gatorworks 10988 N. Harrells Ferry Road, Suite 12 Baton Rouge, LA 70816 gatorworks.net

Brian Rodriguez President

Advertising/PR/ marketing

LWCC 2237 S. Acadian Thruway Baton Rouge, LA 70808 lwcc.com

Kristin W. Wall President and CEO

Insurance

225

Emergent Method 200 Laurel St., Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70801 emergentmethod.com

Nicklos Speyrer President

Consulting

Guaranty Corporation 929 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 guarantymedia.com

Flynn A. Foster President

Broadcasting

Commerce Title & Abstract Co. 2051 Silverside Drive, Suite 160 Baton Rouge, LA 70808 commercetitle.com

Walter L. Comeaux President

Real estate

136

Food trucks; 2nd Friday lunch with contests, trivia, n and challenges; crawfish boils, tailgates, and holiday parties; employees can give to charity of choice; yearly wellness fair; after hours outings

Free monthly lunches; quarterly events such as n fish fry tailgates and family days; community service opportunities; monthly fun days; wellness programs; living room style informal meeting room

Massage chair; lounge room; family-like community; frequent social gatherings; comfortable open workspace; paid time off to volunteer

Employee council; employee advancement; snowball day; Women of GRS

March Madness events; annual crawfish boil and holiday party; soft-serve ice cream machine in n kitchen; casual Fridays; wellness program with health coaching; silencer room for relaxation and quiet

Work/family balance; fun and positive workplace; n option to attend client events after hours; regularly catered lunches; educational courses

SUSTAINABLE GREEN PRACTICES

Shawn Usher CEO

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

Sparkhound LLC 11207 Proverbs Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70816 sparkhound.com

PTO FOR VOLUNTEERING

Construction

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

WELLNESS PROGRAMS

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

Legal

Cypress Title LLC 1800 City Farm Drive, Bldg. 3 Baton Rouge, LA 70806 cypresstitle.com

PROFIT SHARINGS

130 10

Bryan Denison, Jason Dupree, Johnny McKay Owners

NEW HIRE REFERRALS

INDUSTRY

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

COMPANY ADDRESS WEBSITE

401-K/RETIREMENT PLAN

Companies with 15-249 U.S. employees

Outdoor office space; regular opportunities for one-on-one time with leadership to share ideas; n employee gift-matching to a nonprofit of their choice; paid volunteer time; creatively designed office

Daily relaxation sessions to reduce stress; quarterly competition with games; monthly fun n activities and gatherings; standing desks; small group meetings with CEO; personal development opportunities

Weekly happy hours with team-building exercises; n holiday parties; individualized recognition and rewards; remote work opportunities; tuition reimbursement program; wellness stipend

Surprise announcements allowing employees to n have extra PTO before a formal paid holiday; company crawfish boil; halloween costume contest

WORKPLACE CULTURE

Pets-at-work policy; regular employee outings and n parties; work-from-home program; personal and professional support; cost-only title service when purchasing real estate; catered lunches Researched by Best Companies Group

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2020. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

SPONSORED BY:

Divorce from traditional healthcare: Find out about a new, cost-effective alternative

or businesses large and small, health insurance is likely the second largest operating expense after payroll. There is now an alternative to the expensive traditional models that continue to increase in cost every year. Direct Primary Care (DPC) offers an option to provide higher quality employee healthcare in a more cost-effective way. DPC is similar to concierge or VIP medicine but with additional benefits of: • 1.5 hour visits • Unlimited visits with no additional deductible or copays • 24/7 direct access to the physician with telemedicine capability • On site dispensing of medication at wholesale cost • Access to labs, imaging and subspecialists at discounted pricing. Even with the additional service, DPC is much more affordable, typically between $50-75 month depending on age. How? The administration of insurance claims accounts for almost 70% of the overhead in a traditional primary care practice. Traditional practices overcome this by seeing more patients, spending on average 12 minutes per patient, and relying on expensive diagnostics and referrals to make up for the lack of direct patient contact. DPC clinics do not participate in traditional insurance networks. By ridding themselves of the burdensome overhead, they are able to see fewer patients and actually get to know the patient and their medical history to make accurate diagnoses without overreliance on labs and imaging. Paradoxically, providing higher quality care actually drives cost down. Businesses can leverage the DPC model by utilizing partially self funded insurance plans supplemented with a reinsurance policy. On average, DPC clinics have been shown to reduce employer health spending by 20-40% annually. Moderate sized businesses have demonstrated savings of $270 per employee per month by utilizing this model. For a business utilizing a premium based health insurance plan those savings are retained by the carrier. However for businesses that utilize self funded insurance plans, those saving are retained by the company. Combining a partially self funded insurance plan with DPC can provide a world class health experience for employees with dramatic decreases in employer health care spending.

QUESTIONS: • Can my business self insure? Each case is different, but we have developed plans for groups as small as 25. Our partners underwrite on an individual level and can tell you whether this is a viable option for you. • What about labs, imaging and subspecialists? We contract directly with those entities with average savings of 400-500% below traditional insurance reimbursement. • What is my exposure? We design a plan with a reinsurance policy that limits your individual and aggregate exposure. Sasser Direct Primary care was founded by Dr. Charles Sasser. He grew up in Livingston Parish and graduated from LSU. After

graduation, he began a career in the military, serving as a pilot in the United States Marine Corps and later transferring to the Air Force. He proudly served on active duty for 16 years before deciding to pursue a new career in medicine. Returning to Louisiana, he graduated from LSU Health Science Center in New Orleans, where he also completed his internal medicine residency. Dr. Sasser can speak to you in detail about how to structure a plan to provide high level concierge medical care for your employees while significantly reducing your healthcare costs. Visit sasser-dpc.com or contact him at (225) 286-7171 or csasser@sasser-dpc.com.

BUSINESS OWNERS ARE TALKING:

“

Vivid Ink Graphics decision to go with Direct Primary Care and Dr. Sasser in particular has been one of the best decisions we made this year. While it’s led to definite cost savings, the really big benefit has been in our employee morale and satisfaction with our health insurance. Prior to DPC, most of our employees would have said we had adequate to good health insurance. Today they’d say, we have excellent health insurance and oddly enough the ones that were the most skeptical are now the biggest advocates for DPC. Several employees have come to me personally to express their gratitude for setting up DPC with Dr. Sasser.

”

—Stephen St.Cyr, Vivid Ink, Baton Rouge and New Orleans

Radiology and Labs at deeply discounted cost

Medications dispensed at clinic at wholesale prices

No scheduling fees or co-pays

THE BENEFITS

Free diagnostic testing & labwork drawn on site Access to your medical records

Monthly billing. No long term commitments

Same day or next day appointments 24/7 access via text, phone, email or video chat

Unhurried appointments

House calls and after hours visits (additional fee)

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

‘We really are like a family’ A flat hierarchy and a workplace culture steeped in homespun positivity enables Home Bank to help its small business customers weather any storm. BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

s e i n a p m o C Large Home Bank

www.home24bank.com

Products and services: Chartered in 1908 as Home Building and Loan, Home Bank has grown to become one of the nation’s most stable lending and financial institutions. Through the years, the company has expanded to serve markets in Acadiana, Baton Rouge, New Orleans and the Northshore, as well as Natchez and Vicksburg, Mississippi. Total employees: 457 Standout bonuses or benefits: Monetary incentive for overnight work-related travel, job shadowing and cross training, flexible hours. What employees love: Home Bank Helps Fund, a charitable giving program; Halloween costume contest; annual “get together” visits; employee contests; jeans days. Coronavirus response: Remote working, workload rotations for positions less compatible with telecommuting, expansion of telemedicine benefits, ban on all business travel, restrictions surrounding employees’ personal travel, technology investments for remote working.

SHORTLY AFTER THE coronavirus pandemic dramatically altered the workplace as we know it, Home Bank circulated to each of its 450 employees a pair of cozy, company-branded socks—a zany gesture intended to lighten the mood and signal an all-in-this-together attitude. “It sort of said, ‘we’re going to get through this,’” says Senior Vice President and Baton Rouge Market President Chris Harrell. “At a time when you couldn’t get together physically anymore, it was a way to show that we’re like a family.” Home Bank prides itself on a workplace culture steeped not only in homespun positivity, but employee growth and on-the-ground efficiency. The Lafayette-based company has 40 locations across south Louisiana and Mississippi, including four in Baton Rouge. Its deliberately flat hierarchy gives employees direct access to managers, and managers access to executives. This takes decision-making out of silos, pushing it down to the branch level where developing relationships with customers is expected and encouraged. The pandemic has kept the 112-year institution busy. Harrell’s team has helped scores of Baton Rouge business owners, both existing customers and newcomers, secure Payroll Protection Program funds as they fight to survive the coronavirus downturn. The process has at times been beset with shifting guidelines. “From the time when the law was created to where it ended up, it looked completely different,” Harrell says. “Everyone was constantly having to adjust to what the program expected. I was really proud of our team.” Harrell says Home Bank’s loan officers worked long hours to ensure business owners got the relief they were seeking. “It gave our teams an incredible feeling of accomplishment to be able to help small businesses keep people employed,” says Harrell. “That’s our job as a community bank, to do things that strengthen the local economy.”

Banking Center Manager Reynold Lagarrigue says Home Bank’s organizational structure and culture fosters strong communication between the top brass and decision-makers on the ground. “I’ve worked at larger banks before,” Lagarrigue says, “and having your managers’ ear and their time—you can’t put a number on how important that is. It’s huge.” Fellow Banking Center Manager Kelvin Luster agrees. “Home Bank’s team building, employee training and

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COLLIN RICHIE

communication are excellent,” Luster says. “It sounds cliché, but we really are like a family here.” Luster adds that Home Bank excels at ensuring new hires are workplace ready through a robust training program. And existing employees can upskill through refresher classes on customer service, lending products and other development modules. Harrell says one of the things he misses most in the COVID-19 era is hosting monthly bankwide meetings during which 15 of his local managers would share

updates and ideas. “I really look forward to getting back to those meetings,” Harrell says. “There’s a lot of dynamism that happens. I learn from our team and they learn from each other.” Service is also a big part of the culture. “We’ve been heavily involved in community activities,” Luster says. The bank has adopted the charter boarding school Thrive Academy, where employees provide financial literacy education

and donate time to beautification projects on the school’s grounds. Bank employees also participate in Junior Achievement. During an annual cookout, executives grill steaks and shrimp for employees to show their thanks. Home Bank’s list of eight core values includes repeatable mantras such as we are humble, we invest in the community and we make people smile—guiding principles that employees take seriously. Harrell says these values fuel a willingness to meet

customers’ needs. That, coupled with empowerment, means that the teller you ask about a loan might actually be able to start the process for you, rather than handing you off to a customer service representative. “When I think about what stands out at Home Bank,” Harrell says, “it’s a culture of people being helpful. New employees are told there is no one here you can’t go to for help. We want to do everything we can to make sure people are comfortable and confident in their jobs.” 2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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Our People

deliver Service Beyond Comparison.

L We are so grateful to our staff for always working together and providing their unique perspectives to deliver innovative solutions to our community bank customers. Thank you to our employees for stepping up to the challenges in 2020 and for making FNBB one of the Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge.

Weâ€™re excited to be expanding our offices in Baton Rouge.

bankers-bank.com

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

2nd

s e i n a p m o C Large DU NBAR

Phelps Dunbar LLP

COURTES Y PH ELPS

Founded in 1984 with three attorneys, the Baton Rouge office of Phelps Dunbar was the first regional office for the company. The law firm has since grown to 520 employees that specialize in business and casualty litigation at the trial and appellate levels in both state and federal courts. The firm also handles business and lending transactions as well as employment law. • Added FFCRA paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave • Incorporated a Slack workspace to engage employees including Standout bonuses multiple channels such as or benefits: #phelps-pets, #phelps• Anniversary gifts connection, #phelps-parents, • Discretionary annual bonus #phelps-fit, #phelps-quarantineCoronavirus response: cooking • Work from home and flexible • Added an app that sends a daily return-to-workplace plan health acknowledgment that must • Videoconferencing be completed by each employee • Updated retirement plan policy before entering the building each Issue Date: Septaccess BPTWto funds Ad proof #2 giving staff easier day

COURTESY PHELPS DUNBA

What employees love: • Staff appreciation lunches • Annual crawfish boil • Book club

OUR TEAM MAKES THE DIFFERENCE! CONSECUTIVE

YEARS!

Congratulations to all of our employees for making Sigma Consulting Group one of the best places to work in Baton Rouge.

ENGINEERING & SURVEYING “where quality and innovation design our future”

Providing Engineering, Surveying and Project Delivery services to governmental, industrial, and private sector clients along the Gulf Coast since 1987.

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

3rd

s e i n a p m o C e g Lar

GMFS Mortgage

Founded in Baton Rouge in 1999, this local mortgage lender specializes in residential mortgage products for customers in the South. With 255 employees, GMFS Mortgage has grown to 13 locations across the Southeast. What employees love: • Annual crawfish boil • Family dinner night • Raising money for community support initiatives

COURTESY GMFS MORTG

Coronavirus response: • Majority of workforce moved to remote working • Flexible return-to-workplace plan for staff • Social distancing with customers and limited face-to-face interactions • Additional pandemic emotional and financial support resources for remote workers, including telehealth counseling, financial assistance, and on-demand nutrition, fitness and mindfulness classes

AGE

Standout bonuses or benefits: • Plaques and gifts for anniversary milestones • Work-from-home flexibility

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s e i n a p m o C e Larg BXS Insurance

Standout bonuses or benefits: • Sales incentives rewards and performance-based bonuses • Bonuses for earning licenses and certifications • Pandemic bonus Amazon e-gift card

Coronavirus response: • Chromebooks issued for employees to work from home with webcam access • Nonessential business travel canceled • COVID-19 time-off codes added into system • COVID-19 family support time, in case employees need to take time off to care for family • Employees who use less than 40 hours of COVID-19 family support time receive $500 bonus

COURTESY BXS INSUR

What employees love: • Mardi Gras parade with crowned king and queen • Fundraising events for charity • Handwritten birthday notes from CEO

ANCE

With more than 600 employees, BXS Insurance is among the nation’s largest insurance firms. The insurance brokerage company, a subsidiary of BancorpSouth Bank, was rebranded to BXS Insurance in 2018.

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

5th

s e i n a p m o LargeC Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Founded in 1927, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is one of the world’s largest insurance brokers and risk management services firms, with client-service capabilities in more than 150 countries. Gallagher’s Baton Rouge office opened in 1980 and offers brokerage and consulting for human capital and property risk management. What employees love: • Anniversary gift program • YoPro, an in-company young professionals organization • Half day of work every two weeks

UR J. GALLAG HER

& CO.

Standout bonuses or benefits: • $5,000 bonus employee of the year award • G3, a selection of future leaders who receive career development opportunities

COU RTESY ARTH

Coronavirus response: • Work from home • Biweekly check-ins • Online meetings Issue Date: BPTW 2020 Ad proof #1 • Return-to-workplace • Please respond by e-mail or fax plan with your approval or minor revisions.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received by the close of business today. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2020. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

THANK YOU to our employees for voting us a

BEST PLACE TO WORK SEVEN YEARS IN A ROW!

OVER

YEARS

OWNING AND MANAGING REAL ESTATE

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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Issue Date: BPTW 2020 Ad proof #3

THANK YOU TO OUR TEAM

We are proud to be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work.

ENGINEERING | PIPELINE SERVICES | DISASTER RECOVERY STAFFING | EPC SERVICES | OWNER’S REPRESENTATIVE

1.866.255.6825 | information@hga-llc.com

www.hga-llc.com

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

312

Health care insurance

2,438

Kyle Viator Market president

Health care insurance

7,200

Jack Hunt Vice president

Consulting

442

Jeffrey K. Conrad President and CEO

Banking

303

Phelps Dunbar 400 Convention St., Suite 1100 Baton Rouge, LA 70802 phelps.com

P. Ragan Richard Baton Rouge managing partner

Legal

520

GMFS Mortgage 7389 Florida Blvd., Suite 200-A Baton Rouge, LA 70806 gmfsmortgage.com

Tee Brown President

Residential mortgages

255

BXS Insurance Inc. 4041 Essen Lane, Suite 400 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 bxsi.com

A. Steve Allison Regional president

Insurance

642

Gallagher 235 Highlandia Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70810 ajg.com

Amanda Hamilton Area president

Risk management

18,000 11

The Lemoine Company LLC 15555 Airline Highway Baton Rouge, LA 70817 lemoinecompany.com

Erika G. Fortenberry CFO

Construction

307

Kean Miller LLP 400 Convention St., Suite 700, P.O. Box 3513 Baton Rouge, LA 70802 keanmiller.com

Linda Perez Clark Managing partner

Legal

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana 5525 Reitz Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70809 bcbsla.com

I. Steven Udvarhelyi President and CEO

AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana 10000 Perkins Rowe, Suite 400 Baton Rouge, LA 70810 amerihealthcaritasla.com

Hunt Guillot & Associates LLC (HGA) 9357 Interline Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70809 hga-llc.com

Pelican State Credit Union 3232 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70816 pelicanstatecu.com

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

457

WELLNESS PROGRAMS

Banking

PTO FOR VOLUNTEERING

Chris Harrell Market president

Industry

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

Home Bank 3524 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70816 home24bank.com

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

PROFIT SHARING

COMPANY ADDRESS WEBSITE

NEW HIRE REFERRALS

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

401-K/RETIREMENT PLAN

Companies with 250 or more U.S. employees

SUSTAINABLE GREEN PRACTICES

Best Places to Work Workplace culture

Annual Halloween costume and decorating contest; frequent n events including family days and market visits; employee contests with prizes; jean days

Book club; holiday events and parties; staff appreciation week; n fitness challenges; numerous parties throughout the year; financial support for employees in difficult situations; wellness program

Annual crawfish boil with employee recognition awards; n annual Christmas party; employee support; free cancer screenings; work from home options; wellness programs; nutrition and mindfulness classes

Remote work, flex time, paid family leave and special family n events to promote work-life balance; career development; holiday activities; fundraising and volunteer opportunities

Office-wide celebrations; Krewe de Care philanthropy n committee; employee newsletter; YoPro young professional organization; fun committee; training/career development; networking for future leaders

Wellness walks; dress up days; large lunch room where n employees eat together; holiday party; intern bootcamp; team step competition; fund for employees in need; Lemoine Engineering Advancement Program

Frequent parties, celebrations, and contests; on-site health n and wellness events; pay 100% of healthcare cost; on-site yoga; annual Christmas party; year-round employee engagement events

Work-life balance and flexibility, paid volunteer time; on-site n wellness activities, including health fair, counseling, flu shots; personal and professional development; diversity educational programs

Art therapy, virtual wellness activities, associate massages, n health challenges, money seminars, nutrition seminars, and weekly meditation sessions; associate communications; paid volunteer time

Potlucks and birthday parties; work half days on Fridays; n wellness contests; social events; personalized benefits help from human resources; assistance to employees with chronic or terminal illness

Walk-around snack carts; company-sponsored tickets to n sporting events and galas; book club and mentorship program; annual family reunion; generous retirement benefits; work from home program Researched by Best Companies Group

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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Best Places to Work

Red River Bank 5063 Essen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70809 redriverbank.net

David K. Thompson Market president

Banking

333

IEM 8550 United Plaza Blvd., Suite 400 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 iem.com

Brad Tiffee, Amy Stewart, Michelle Croney Directors

Consulting

477

Louisiana Healthcare Connections 8585 Archives Ave., Suite 310 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 louisianahealthconnect.com

Jamie Schlottman President and CEO

Health care insurance

41,146 12

eQHealth Solutions 8440 Jefferson Highway, Suite 101 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 eqhs.com

Glen J. Golemi President and CEO

Health care insurance

404

b1BANK 500 Laurel St. Baton Rouge, LA 70801 b1bank.com

David R. "Jude" Melville President and CEO

Banking

670

Issue Date: BPTW 2020 Ad proof #3

SUSTAINABLE GREEN PRACTICES

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

Cutting-edge technology to make work easier and fun, n including virtual reality training; employee assistance during times of need; quarterly potluck lunches; free car washes; employee appreciation day

LSU-themed dress up days; jean days; annual employee celebration/gala; ice cream truck

Offsite fun events; casual dress; company events that enhance n camaraderie and relieve stress; King cakes at Mardi Gras, samosas at Divali, and "holiday fun week" in December; company crawfish boil

Spark program that rewards employees for innovative ideas; n employee appreciation week with prizes and gifts; wellness program; free continuing education credits; volunteer opportunities

Annual crawfish boil; companywide activities and celebrations; n home-cooked meals; holiday parties; flexible schedules; transparent leadership; remote working options; community involvement

Holiday decorating contests and dress down/up days; dedication to employee success; employee performance bonuses; additional time off

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

WELLNESS PROGRAMS

264

PTO FOR VOLUNTEERING

Services

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

Justin Alford Owner

Industry

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

NEW HIRE REFERRALS

Benny's Car Wash 9611 B Airline Highway Baton Rouge, LA 70815 bennyscarwash.com

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

401-K/RETIREMENT PLAN

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

COMPANY ADDRESS WEBSITE

PROFIT SHARING

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Companies with 250 or more U.S. employees

Workplace culture

Researched by Best Companies Group

D Y K E N E L S O N A R CH IT E C TUR E

Thank you to the DNA team for creating a great place to work 2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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. . . y a s s e Executiv

2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

IN TODAY’S COVID-19 reality, local executives are being put to the test, regardless of company size, sector or industry. Those in the C-suite now find themselves pressured to fine-tune how their company will work remotely, how they will assuage employees’ fears over the pandemic and how they can best implement sweeping change in this

time of crisis. To determine how Baton Rouge’s Best Places to Work are handing these dilemmas, Business Report asked their top executives to share some words of wisdom addressing these topics and more. Responses have been edited for space and clarity. Additional responses will run on BusinessReport.com.

Adjustments as employees work remotely during COVID-19 restrictions

“Changing our focus to outcome-based measurements for our teams. This has created a trust between management and team members, allowing us to be flexible with individual needs while still getting a high level of productivity.” —Jim DuBos, CEO, Transformyx

“Early on, it was critical for everyone in the organization to get comfortable with turning on their cameras and using our video capabilities to the fullest extent. Special sessions were given on how to effectively have a virtual meeting with colleagues, clients and vendors. Going virtual has led to many surprising improvements; we have to work harder at communicating effectively, but it has sharpened our skills, strengthened our teams, and opened doors to business across the country.”

“More frequent communication with employees—whether it’s brief, daily check-ins with managers and their employees, weekly calls with key managers and leadership or monthly calls with all employees. As much as possible, we promote videoconferencing to try to get that in-person feel.”

—Steve Allison, regional president-Louisiana, BXS Insurance

—Jack Hunt, vice president, Hunt, Guillot & Associates

Managing a generational change in the workforce

“We’ve created a culture of mentorship where our established employees take those new to industry and even new to workforce under their wing by way of shadowing, participating and collaborating together. Great ideas don’t always come from the most tenured people; sometimes those who have a new perspective can make the greatest change.” —Amanda Hamilton, Louisiana-AlabamaMississippi area president, Gallagher

“We tend to be very collaborative in our work and our employees have a voice, as well as have an ability to affect change within the organization, which are all items that are supposedly very desirable for the younger generations in the workforce.” —David K. Thompson, Baton Rouge market president, Red River Bank

“We’ve begun reevaluating our traditional hiring model and process to open it up to a more diverse and wideranging field of prospective team members. Also, as we’ve adapted to the pandemic, embracing various generational preferences when it comes to our new working situations.” —Nick Speyrer, president, Emergent Method

“We have adopted a policy flexibility. For example, an employee may need to come in early and leave early; come in late and leave late; work from home to care for children; or continue to work remotely.” —Bob Barton, managing partner, Taylor Porter

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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Issue Date: Sept BPTW Ad proof #3

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received by the close of business today. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

Making your office a better place to work?

“It starts with distributing credit. We try to ensure that leadership takes responsibility for failures and shares credit for successes with the rest of the team.” —Brian Rodriguez, president, Gatorworks

Leading the Way in the Real Estate Industry, in the Capital City. Over 1,400 families served

“Creative thinking is currency. We work best while having fun, being optimistic and thinking freely. That mindset is important to maintain now more than ever.” —Matt Dardenne, owner and creative director, Red Six Media

“We are building a state-of-theart fitness center, staffed during the workweek by Cooper Clinic. When employees exercise together, and return to their workstations discussing the day’s activities, it reinforces our company culture and facilitates further engagement and positive accountability.” —Kristin Wall, president and CEO, Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation

The Houk Group www.RedStickSold.com 225-234-0022 Keller Williams Red Stick Partners | 225-768-1800 8686 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70810 Each office independently owned and operated.

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

Getting employee buy-in on systemic changes or new initiatives

Assisting employees who are either unsettled or worried by the pandemic

“If the change will affect the home life of the team, we allow them to weigh in through in-house surveys, conference calls, and a ‘did we get this right’ post-mortem review.”

“Encouraging staff to shut down their computers and separate from their workday while working from home, and to utilize our insurance carrier’s employee assistance program.”

—Calvin Fabre, president, Envoc

—Bert Moore, Louisiana state transportation leader, Gresham Smith

“The secret is to ask for their advice first. Then we make sure the management team is on the same page regarding the final decision. Our rule in management meetings is you are free to say whatever you think while discussing an issue. However, once a decision is reached, you are not allowed to walk out of the meeting and say, ‘Well, I didn’t agree with the decision.’”

“We have given 80 additional hours of COVID-19 paid time off to employees to use as needed if they are sick, must care for family members, or to use as a mental health break. Employees are also encouraged to utilize our employee assistance program if they feel overwhelmed or stressed.”

—Ronnie Stephens, CEO, Wymar Federal Credit Union

—Dr. I. Steven Udvarhelyi, president and CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

“We were in the middle of one phase of a reorganization, and started a second phase during the pandemic. We had to make sure that we were listening to our managers and that they were listening to their staff throughout the process. Any change has to make the organization more efficient, better distribute the workload and integrate appropriate technology.”

“In addition to minimizing on-site staff to reduce office density, we’ve installed a new HVAC ionization system, which kills viruses, disinfects the air and makes our office a safer work environment. Besides mandatory safety protocols, we provided safety kits which include washable face coverings and hand sanitizer.”

—Brian Pangburn, principal and CEO at The Pangburn Group

When CARE is the heart of your work, it shows.

—Joseph F. Quinlan, III, president and CEO, First National Bankers Bankshares Inc.

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

www.amerihealthcaritasla.com

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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S PE CIAL ADVE RT IS ING S E CT IO N

Best Places to Work

IN GOOD COMPANY People love their jobs for many reasonsâ€”corporate culture, advancement opportunities, pay and benefits, and employee engagement, for example. This special advertising section offers a sample of some of this yearâ€™s Best Places to Work winners, along with details about their company histories, recent challenges, and plans for the future.

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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LOUISIANA HEALTHCARE CONNECTIONS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Jamie Schlottman, CEO and Plan President

A dynamic team based on purpose and passion

LAUNCHED IN 2012, Louisiana Healthcare Connections was established to transform the health of the communities it serves—one person at a time—by delivering better health outcomes at lower costs. Today, it is the largest Healthy Louisiana Medicaid plan with more than 480,000 members and 27,000 in-network health care providers. Their purpose and passion have helped Louisiana Healthcare Connections recruit and maintain a dynamic team of more than 700 employees who believe that a giving spirit defines their company culture. Both in and outside the workplace, the company supports and rewards its employees with special recognition and appreciation programs, free educational opportunities and an unrelenting commitment to a positive work/ life balance. Some of these include a “Key

Contributor” bonus, their “wellDone!” Award, personal “High-Five” shout-outs, custom recognition pins, and “Spark”—a program that rewards employees who share innovative ideas. Louisiana Healthcare Connections consistently scores high in employee engagement and daily demonstrates its internal motto: Do good, have fun, grow careers. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, Louisiana Healthcare Connections transitioned to a 100% work-from-home model, implemented restrictions on non-essential travel, and established safety protocols for employees who work directly with members. The best lesson from this experience has come from their employees, whose unwavering focus and dedication throughout the pandemic has demonstrated the true meaning of resilience.

8585 Archives Ave. | Baton Rouge, LA 70809 | 866.595.8133 | LousianaHealthConnect.com | 34

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b1BANK

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Jack Wilkes, Portfolio Manager Shadonna Franklin, Alternative Delivery Services Specialist

A work environment that meets challenges and creates opportunities

HEADQUARTERED IN Baton Rouge, Business First Bank was founded in 2006 as a bank of choice for community businesses and entrepreneurs offering custom solutions and technology-driven products. Now known as b1BANK, the company has stayed true to this legacy and has grown to over 42 banking centers and more than 600 employees. The company culture is built on specific principles that empower employees to make decisions and guide their interactions with each other, with customers, and with their communities. b1BANK strives to maintain successful relationships with co-workers and customers through continued effort and dedication. Seasoned bankers practice thoughtful and disciplined decision-making in order to be relied upon as key advisors and experts in their field. The work environment is centered around applying knowledge and best practices to meet

challenges and create opportunity. Communication, transparency and the sharing of ideas ensures growth for the organization. Employees are rewarded in many ways, including promotions, leadership opportunities, mentor and community champion designations, recognition in internal communications, and an annual bonus opportunity. When the pandemic hit, the company was in the middle of an acquisition process with Pedestal Bank and had to quickly adjust its plans for system conversion, rebranding of banking centers and onboarding of 200-plus employees. The team learned to be transparent about challenges, adopt new modes of communication, and be open to creative ways to service customers and support employees. Even while working remotely, the company successfully completed the merger with minimal disruption.

500 Laurel St. | Baton Rouge, LA 70801 | 877.614.7600 | b1BANK.com |

| MEMBER - FDIC 2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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GALLAGHER BATON ROUGE

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

(From left) D’Wana Chiles, Paul Gibson, Adam Yglesias, Joey Sylvester, Brad Fife, Mike Tucker, Amanda Hamilton, Nancy Sylvester, Eric Pearson, Kim Breard

A company culture of transparency, inclusion and collaboration

GALLAGHER BATON ROUGE provides insurance, risk management and consulting services to businesses, communities, and people across the globe, focusing on client-centric, expertise-driven solutions. This focus on excellence—characterized by innovation and creativity—is the driver behind every insurance program. The company has been recognized for nine years by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the world’s most ethical companies and is the only insurance firm to receive this designation. As a publicly traded company, Gallagher incorporates its overall culture with each office’s local culture, and understands the importance of employee morale. The company hosts several annual events, including a company crawfish boil and a Thanksgiving potluck as a way to encourage employees to get to know each other

on a personal and professional level. An annual conference honors top performers and those who have gone above and beyond company expectations, and an Employee of the Quarter program recognizes those who have performed well throughout the year. Thanks to having the right technology in place, Gallagher hasn’t missed a beat during the COVID-19 crisis and has adjusted well to the virtual world by growing its online presence and enabling employees to work remotely. Gallagher Baton Rouge has learned that the insurance industry can excel in extremely challenging times when it is founded on a progressive business model. Most important, employees are proud that they have been able to respond to their clients’ needs without disruption.

235 Highlandia Dr. | Baton Rouge, LA 70810 | 225.292.3515 | ajg.com | 36

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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eQHEALTH SOLUTIONS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

(Seated from left) Sean Marchiafava, Glen Golemi, Mayur Yermaneni, (standing from left) Dennis Muckelroy, Marina Brown, BSN, RN, CCM, CHC, Liz Willson, Ron Ritchey, MD, MBA, Chris Gatlin, PHD, MHA, RN, CHC, CHVP, Jessica Elkins, Randy Brown.

Always nurturing a positive corporate culture

eQHEALTH SOLUTIONS was founded under the name Louisiana Healthcare Review in 1986 to handle peer review for Louisiana’s Medicare services. It has expanded its reach into the government and commercial markets, touching more than 10 million lives in all 50 states. The company is clinically driven, IT-enabled and customer-focused. Employees are considered family and the company culture is collaborative with meaningful interactions and transparency among colleagues and leadership. eQHealth ensures that employees reap the rewards of the company’s success. Benefits go beyond health coverage and a 401K match plan to include tuition reimbursement, healthy breakfast options, crawfish boils, tailgating, holiday celebrations, and friendly interdepartmental competitions. And hard work does not go

unnoticed. Every employee helps move the needle in the overall success of the company, but those whose work is exemplary receive special recognition with service awards, public acknowledgment, merit increases and spot bonuses. The organization has adapted to the COVID-19 crisis by leveraging its award-winning IT department to enable its employees to work remotely. Maintaining the highest level of operational efficiency has allowed eQHealth to actually expand its market. It has been a novel time, leaders say, but the team has learned the importance of remaining close while at a distance, and they continue to nurture a positive corporate culture while remaining highly adaptive to the evolving health care landscape.

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2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK

n i s n o s s Le

p i h s r e Lead • 8 high-profile Baton Rouge leaders share their advice

• Meet the alumni of the Executive Leadership Academy

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

The pursuit of leadership

JULIO MELARA YEARS AGO, one of my mentors asked me, “Do you know why there are great world leaders and no great world managers?” After telling him I did not, he replied, “Because leading people is so much harder than managing people.” Over the past two decades I have discovered he was right. There are many perspectives on defining great leadership, the traits of effective leaders and the building of winning teams. I have read numerous books and listened to many podcasts on leadership from Peter Drucker and Warren Bennis to John Maxwell and Patrick Lencioni in the quest for my own personal growth. While there’s a general consensus on the qualities necessary for leading and building successful teams of accountable people, there’s little agreement on the programs required for leadership development. Growing leaders must first define their own path for constant improvement in order to create a culture of leadership designed to achieve better results. This is why in 2017 we launched Business Report’s Executive Leadership Academy in order to help business executives and entrepreneurs elevate their leadership skills. It’s an exclusive program offering the best of personal development, professional growth, leadership exposure and insight from guest CEO speakers. Beginning on page 51, we introduce to you more than 210 alumni who have gone 40

through the Leadership Academy. These individuals are not simply focused on leadership growth to help their companies but also to play a key role in making our community a better place to live. Most of us have read or heard a variety of definitions of “leadership.” My favorite is from author Kevin Kruse who writes, “Leadership is a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal.” Notice the key elements of this definition: • Leadership stems from social influence, not authority or power. • Leadership requires others, implying they don’t need to be “direct reports.” • There’s no mention of personality traits, attributes or even a title; there are many styles and many paths to effective leadership. • It includes a goal, not influence with no intended outcome. The bottom line is the importance of leadership lies in the ability to get things done. Leadership allows you to communicate clearly and then unite your team around your vision. Companies with strong leadership are creative, innovative and agile. They have positive office cultures with a sense of purpose and passion. That is what companies that earn the Best Places to Work designation have in common. Moreover, the best leaders I know are continually looking to improve and grow. Remember, if you are looking to develop excellent leadership skills, turn toward the purpose that drives you. Your purpose is the energy that will keep you going when facing adversity or challenges along the journey. It’s what picks you up and lifts those around you when setbacks present themselves. It is your why. Remember: Great leadership only requires everything you’ve got!

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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Issue Date: BPTW 2020 Ad proof #1

LSU - Tiger Stadium Enhancements

LSU – New Alex Box Stadium

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Renovations and Addition

Our Lady of the Lake LSU Medical Education Building

Helping South Louisiana See Things in a Different Light Thank you, Beau, for your commitment to the team! Congratulations on completing Leadership Academy training. We are excited about the future!

1 5 0 3 5 J E F F E R S O N H W Y. | 2 2 5 .7 5 2 . 5 1 1 2 | D OY L E E L E C T R I C I N C . C O M

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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LEADERSHIP VOICES

InTheir s d r o W n Ow PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLIN RICHIE

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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LEADERSHIP VOICES

s e u l a V e r Co Todd Graves on…

WE ARE GUIDED by our vision, mission, core values and nonnegotiables in everything we do. Our priority is always to do what is right for our crew, our customers and our communities. So whether we are hiring new crew or looking for ways to grow new restaurants, we remain focused on our guiding principles. We work very hard on the front end to ensure that we hire crew that are aligned with our core values and like to work hard and have fun. With industry-leading training and TODD GRAVES is the founder, chairman, support, our focus is not only to reach our CEO, fry cook and cashier of Raising Cane’s. company goals but to help our crew reach their individual goals. We lead by example by creating a culture of appreciation including an entire department whose function is to reward, respect and recognize our crew. We seek honest feedback and listen to our crew and customers. We don’t always get it right and when we don’t, we work hard to adjust and learn from our mistakes. Our success is dependent on our crew being aligned to who we are and what we do. When we are taking care of crew, our customers and our communities, the rest falls into place. COLLIN RICHIE

Issue Date: BPTW 2020 Ad proof #2

—As told to Deanna B. Narveson

LEADING THE WAY WITH SPECIALIZED CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH MEDICALLY-FRAGILE HEALTH CONDITIONS LEADERS CARING FOR OUR FUTURE LEADERS! Congratulations to our own Renita Williams Thomas for graduating from Leadership Academy!

In Loving Arms Pediatric Day Health Center offers a combination of Skilled Nursing, Education and Therapy in a child-friendly environment, likened to a day care setting. Our team of nurses, therapists and early childhood education specialists are trained to handle various cases with the utmost precision, dedication and competence. Health services and transportation are provided. If you are a parent who is looking for quality child health care, please give us a call.

INLOVINGARMS.COM | 225.359.9777 | 2315 HARDING BLVD. BATON ROUGE, LA 70807 44

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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p i h s r o t n e M Gloria Moncada on…

—As told to Holly Duchmann

COLLIN RICHIE

WHAT I HAD coming up were more like role models that I grabbed onto when I really saw someone I admired. When I think about that now, I realize just how much I missed out in having a mentor. Today, I do a lot of mentoring and I see the tremendous benefit it provides for any employee, but especially women, minorities or folks proportionally misrepresented in leadership. There’s a benefit to being mentored, not just by someone who looks like you, but also from someone who doesn’t. Whether it’s a white GLORIA MONCADA is the plant male being mentored by a Black female, or manager of ExxonMobil Baton Rouge. vice versa, there’s relevance and importance to understanding a new perspective, or to understand how that person was able to maneuver and succeed in their own career. Once you have a mentor, the stupid questions are OK. That person is meant to be that safe space to ask those questions and get a real answer that’s personal and not just what sounds right, or what they feel like they should say in that scenario.

g n i d l i u B Team Paul Mainieri on…

THE ABILITY TO communicate is first and foremost. You do not have effective communication with your players or your coaching staff unless the players and the coaching staff actually do what you ask them to do. PAUL MAINIERI is the head baseball coach at LSU. The only time that you would have effective communication is when they actually perform their jobs the way that you would like them to perform. Your ability to communicate with the people who are going to go out there and represent your team is absolutely essential.

—As told to Lara Nicholson

COLLIN RICHIE

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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LEADERSHIP VOICES

g n i k n i h T e G Creativ Kenny Nguyen on…

COLLIN RICHIE

Issue Date: BPTW Sept Ad proof #1

OUR MISSION IS to challenge common thinking so that we can create an uncommon future. That means that we aim to push ourselves and our clients to be brave enough to try new things that if successful will put them in another category versus their competition. Tactically, we first have an “uncommon gut check,” which is a set of 10 internal criteria we measure against KENNY NGUYEN is the co-founder the idea to make sure our work isn’t stale. This checklist and CEO of ThreeSixtyEight. forces us to explore, keeping us from assuming we immediately have the answer. Then, we push for “radical candor,” or the ethos that you should challenge directly and care personally for the people in your organization. On the individual level, this sometimes looks like having uncomfortable conversations that push one another to improve their performance or development. For macro-level, everyone in the company is urged to give as much brutal feedback as possible to one another through “candordomes,” when the entire organization goes open season on a project to get to the root of the best idea. This emphasis on feedback teaches employees that isn’t their work, it’s the agency’s work, and that’s a huge point with creative thinking. Ego is truly the enemy.

—As told to Caitie Burkes

L eading the Way! Congratulations to ASHTON DUHON, Human Resources Manager, our Leadership Academy graduate! We appreciate your dedication to the Gerry Lane team!

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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e g n a h C l a n o Generati Sean Reilly on…

—As told to Deanna B. Narveson

COLLIN RICHIE

HERE AT LAMAR right now we have a little bit of a changing of the guard, as it were. We recently transitioned out our CFO who had been with us for 40 years and hired Jay Johnson. It’s important to make sure that as you go through change and work with people with different experiences you make sure that the lines of communication are open both ways, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. Another essential thing these days is trust; you need SEAN REILLY is the CEO of Lamar Advertising. to trust and that trust has to go both ways. We’ve got regional managers around the country and I have to trust their judgment because I can’t have 200 direct reports. One thing that eases transitions as people retire and new people come in is that at Lamar we rigorously promote from within. By doing that, we have people who understand our expectations and way of doing business. When it comes to working with people from different generations, I believe in being transparent and honest and empathetic, regardless of who is reporting to me. We’ve got a very seasoned senior team right now. They’ve been with Lamar for a long time and as we transition forward it will be with communication, trust and honesty.

t n e m e g a n a Crisis M Todd Stevens on…

COLLIN RICHIE

YOU MUST FIRST recognize that something has changed systemically, step away from the goals you had yesterday, and see things completely differently in order to reexamine the needs of your clients—or, in our case, patients. When COVID-19 hit, our patients faced an incredible dilemma: How could they continue to safely get their cancer treatments? We quickly pivoted from almost everything we were doing that wasn’t concentrated on the safety of our patients and care team members. It also comes down to everyone in the organization having a clear understanding of what your mission TODD STEVENS is the president and CEO means. As a leader, my antenna was on full alert of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. as I talked to team members through conference calls and Zoom meetings to ensure everyone was well-attuned to our purpose. We identified a variety of gaps in our expertise and filled those gaps with internal experts, including someone who now manages our response to global pandemics, and heeded external advice from consultants. To implement these changes, I made sure there weren’t legacy barriers in place. It’s important that executives clear any hurdles for their teams. Throughout the process, we had to communicate constantly with our partners across southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi about why we were doing what we’re doing. Effective communication is a strong measure of leadership.

—As told to Caitie Burkes

2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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LEADERSHIP VOICES

t s u r T & n Delegatio Ann Forte Trappey on…

I WAS WHAT most people consider young when I took over the company 30 years ago (as CEO) after my father died suddenly. It felt like I was drinking from a fire hose. I didn’t want the next generation of leaders to be in that position. I had the opportunity, especially over the last seven or eight years, to allow people to take a lot of responsibility onto their plates. That delegation of responsibilities gave the guys who now own my company the opportunity to ANN FORTE TRAPPEY is the former CEO and current learn, grow and feel comfortable in what are now vice president of outreach for Forte & Tablada. their new roles. I allowed them the opportunity to see how things work and learn what could happen if decisions aren’t made. If I had never delegated authority, it’d be more difficult to feel comfortable in that very important leadership role. Having ownership is one thing, but when owning and leading a company, it’s a big deal to have experience. As far as trust, without trust you have nothing. Employees have to trust that you’re making the best decisions for them. Other leaders have to trust that they have your back. Without trust, you’ve already lost any sort of battle.

B U S I N E SS

RE PO RT

LEADERSHIP A C A D E M Y

LEARN

COLLIN RICHIE

—As told to Holly Duchmann

This EXCLUSIVE Program is for rising executives or small business owners who want to take their leadership to the next level.

CONNECT

GROW

APPLY TODAY FOR SPRING 2021 BRLeadershipAcademy.com

BUSINESS REPORT | BusinessReport.com

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s k s i R g n i k Ta Padma Vatsavai onâ€Ś

COLLIN RICHIE

MOST THINGS ABOUT running a business are risky: bidding on projects, delivering new products, taking a chance on new hires, investing in infrastructure, trying different technologies. Plus, in building your business, you knock on so many doors and most do not open, often for reasons you have little control over.Â So, you have to know your â€œwhyâ€? and you have to want it passionately PADMA VATSAVAI is the founder and CEO of Vinformatix. enough to be willing to fail at it over and over again. In fact, your success is tied to your skill at failing and rebounding.Â Yes, it hurts, but you canâ€™t take it personally. You have to continually reassess the hurdlesâ€”including your own internal barriersâ€”so that you can be more strategic the next time.Â The benefit that comes from that persistence is not only the eventual win, but also the resources you develop along the wayâ€”especially the courage to experiment and explore opportunities you otherwise wouldnâ€™t.

LH_print-ad_leadership_business-report_04.pdf

8/20/20

â€”As told to Lara Nicholson

9:32 AM

CMY

NEW HOMES FROM THE $220sâ€” $600s

New home sales offered by Keller Williams Red Stick Partners. Each office independently owned and operated.

BUILD OR CHOOSE FROM A VARIETY OF MOVE-IN READY HOMES IN OUR 10+ COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT SOUTH LOUISIANA 2020 Best Places to Work | Leadership

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