2017 Baton Rouge Diversity Leaders

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DIVERSITY LEADERS Companies and communities are becoming more globalized. That’s why it’s more important than ever to recruit and retain an inclusive team that can develop fresh ideas to meet the needs of the whole marketplace. A team that is both multicultural and gender-diverse can help drive innovation, boost creativity and enhance recruitment, as well as help a business capture more of the market. Business Report is proud to present these local executives and professionals at companies in the Capital Region that are leading the way in diversifying the workforce.

JONES WALKER LLP GERRY LANE ENTERPRISES TIGER ATHLETIC FOUNDATION COMMUNITY COFFEE CO.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, February 28, 2017

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Raedtha Vasquez Luis Leitzelar Richard Cortizas Partners

Jones Walker LLP Four United Plaza 8555 United Plaza Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 248-2000 joneswalker.com RAEDTHA VASQUEZ, Luis Leitzelar and Richard Cortizas, partners at Jones Walker, all knew from an early age they wanted to become attorneys. Vasquez says her vision of success embraces the idea of living and working in a community in which everyone matters and diverse perspectives are valued. Fostering diversity in the workplace starts with saying, “We want people from all walks of life to be part of our organization, she says. Leitzelar agrees, noting that the managers/ owners of a business must make diversity and inclusion part of their strategic plan by developing a mission and metrics for holding people accountable for achieving those objectives. Leitzelar says the rising generation of professionals should promote and not avoid the topics of diversity and inclusion, and actively encourage cultural competence and sensitivity toward others. Cortizas, the firm’s Diversity Committee chair, says he believes the first step for an organization is to establish an appreciation for others’ perspectives as one of its core values. Once established, more formal programs will fall into place and help achieve the desired results.

His advice to rising young minority professionals is to work hard. “The world is always changing,” Cortizas says, “and you need to be creative and flexible in order to track and adapt to developments, whether that’s new technology, new ways of doing business or new opportunities.”

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BUSINESS REPORT, February 28, 2017 | BusinessReport.com

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LEADERS

Cedric Patton Dealer

Gerry Lane Enterprises 6615 Florida Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 926-7010 gerrylane.com CEDRIC PATTON offers the following advice to young rising minority professionals: “Stay the course, don’t quit and never give up.” Patton began working at Gerry Lane Chevrolet in Pascagoula, Mississippi, 33 years ago. He attended Southeastern Louisiana University on a football scholarship and graduated with a marketing degree. A college professor recommended the car business as a possible career. Patton worked as a salesman, where he consistently was a top performer. That got him promoted to sales manager at Gerry Lane Nissan in Pascagoula. He worked his way up to general manager and then became a dealer in 1999 at Gerry Lane Buick-GMC in Baton Rouge. His goal for 2017 is to help his employees become even more successful, and he hopes to one day have more franchises. Patton credits his father with providing the best piece of career advice. As his father told him, “Don’t let the people that work with you or for you be the reason you fail. Your success is up to your work ethic.”

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, February 28, 2017

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Alicia Vidrine Tiger Athletic Foundation LSU-PMAC North Stadium Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (225) 578-4823 lsutaf.org ALICIA VIDRINE, vice president and CFO of Tiger Athletic Foundation, never imagined she would rise through the ranks to hold such an important position at the age of 34. After graduating with a master’s degree in accounting from LSU, Vidrine’s first full-time job was with TAF. After a few years, she was promoted to accounting supervisor, then to director of accounting and finance, and eventually to CFO. “My work is very rewarding,” Vidrine says. “I get to help lead an organization that allows people to give back to the university they love. Plus, we have a direct impact on student-athletes achieving their goals and getting an education.” She says one of the keys to fostering diversity in the workplace is making sure the leadership of the organization values the input of people from all backgrounds. “If the only people that we listen to are those who think or act like us, we put limits on ourselves without realizing it,” she says. “Everyone’s unique background and experiences can have a substantial effect on brainstorming processes and propelling organizations forward.”

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BUSINESS REPORT, February 28, 2017 | BusinessReport.com

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Annette Vaccaro Community Coffee Co. 3332 Partridge Lane, Building A Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (800) 525-5583 communitycoffee.com ANNETTE VACCARO, senior vice president, treasurer and chief financial officer of Community Coffee Company, has the following advice for rising young minority employees: “Have a strong work ethic and be a continuous learner, and your results will speak for itself.” Vaccaro got her start with Community Coffee in 1998 as the controller. She was promoted to director of finance and then treasurer and chief financial officer, before being elected senior vice president in 2014. She says her most important professional achievement is being part of the team that grew Community Coffee from a small company to a super-regional company with a national customer base.

Sharon Hall Community Coffee Co. 3332 Partridge Lane, Building A Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (800) 525-5583 communitycoffee.com COMMUNITY COFFEE’S Sharon Hall began her career in the Navy, and she was able to attend night classes and complete a degree in business administration. Now at Community Coffee as the director of supply chain, she has found as a leader that inclusion builds morale and trust, which strengthens team participation and accountability towards a desired outcome. “I believe there should be some visual signs that a company is in tune to the diverse world in which we live and is willing to have that represented in the work place at all levels,” she says.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, February 28, 2017

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