Baton Rouge Business Report, January 2023

CHRIS CUMMINGS , founder and CEO of Iconic Moments

Storage capacity has nearly doubled to accommodate up to 2,000 containers.

The successful public/private partnership between the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and SEACOR AMH has produced steady increases in the number of containers handled at the Port’s barge terminal.

As a result, a project to create nearly 4 acres of additional paved container storage capacity has been successfully completed. The yard is now capable of handling approximately 2,000 containers including containers measuring 40 feet, versus 20 feet.

Meet the Big Red Beast.

A 20% efficiency gain in container operations at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge is just one positive outcome of the Port’s new, deep-reach container stacker known as The Big Red Beast.

With a telescopic boom for stacking four containers high, shorter loading and unloading times have helped meet the increasing demand for container shipping services between Baton Rouge and New Orleans for area customers. The addition of the custom-made stacker is another component of the Port’s recent expansion of its successful container operations.

For more information, contact Greg Johnson at (225) 342-1660.

2425 Ernest Wilson Drive • P.O. Box 380 • Port Allen, LA 70767-0380

PH: (225) 342.1660 • FAX: (225) 342.1666 • www.portgbr.com

THE

Photograph by Collin Richie

A Lifetime of Building.

The breadth of experience and history of GOTECH includes:

• Planes, trains, buses, and automobiles. Don’t forget New Orleans streetcars!

• Runways, highways, bridges, and railways -- all things transportation.

• Leadership, teamwork, a culture of quality, and engineering excellence. We are confident you’ve traveled on a runway, road or bridge that GOTECH provided a role in completing.

GOTECH has an established record of building and engineering – a LIFETIME of Building.

Looking forward, where do you want to go with GOTECH?

On February 11, 2023, GOTECH celebrates our 42nd anniversary and we ask you to join us as we continue our hard work, energy and determination to fulfill clients’ needs and desires. With our foundation of stellar clients, partners, and team members, along with projects in the pipeline, GOTECH is well-positioned for a robust future.

Envision your future with GOTECH. Imagine working with a firm where teamwork, quality and excellence are valued. Have confidence in knowing GOTECH will work hand-in-hand to assist you every step of the way. With GOTECH, expect to have your goals fulfilled!

We invite you to visit https://www.gotech-inc.com today to learn more about GOTECH and a LIFETIME of Building!

8383 Bluebonnet Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70810 Phone: 225-766-5358 www.gotech-inc.com

GOTECH GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO BEST SERVE CLIENTS, PROJECTS, AND PARTNERS.

Construction Engineering & Inspection

LSU LAKES

Study people at the top

AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR and publisher Malcolm Forbes believed that the best way to learn about a business is not by studying the bottom line, but by studying the person at the top.

That conviction remains at the heart of our mission for Baton Rouge Business Report in 2023.

For four decades, we’ve shared inspiring stories of the entrepreneurs and executives who impact the lives of those who live here and who are the reason the Capital Region economy flourishes.

But as the company enters its 41st year, we are transforming to become an even more powerful resource for business—innovating and expanding the way we deliver that information.

Whether in the pages of this magazine, our Daily Report newsletter, social media feed, awards and events, or in our growing leadership training opportunities and custom content-focused Studio E, Business Report’s quest for delivering local content and insights impacting our audience will never stop growing.

For the first time, we’ll bring you the Capital Region 500, highlighting influential leaders in the community. We’re launching Strictly Business, an interview-style webcast focused on successful leaders, as a forum for sharing their insights, perspectives and ideas. And we’re planning exciting new programming for our Influential Women in Business event.

In this issue of Business Report, you’ll see our new focus immediately reflected in the opening pages, aptly named “Intelligence.” Here, you’ll find business expertise from those with proven success. We’re introducing regular columns tackling leadership and business strategy from bestselling author and keynote speaker Jon Gordon and Thinkers 50 honoree Whitney Johnson.

We’ll be focused on relevant information and data designed to help you strategize including tips from the experts to help you improve the way you do business.

We invite you to let us know how we’re doing. We’d also love for you to share your story ideas about those you believe are doing remarkable things in our region. Email us at editors@businessreport.com.

The best is yet to come!

Julio Melara, Publisher

Publisher: Julio Melara

EDITORIAL

Chief Content Officer: Penny Font

Associate Publisher, Executive Editor: JR Ball

Managing Editor: Allan Schilling

Online News Editor: Deanna B. Narveson

Staff writer: David Jacobs, Eric L. Taylor

Digital content editor: Dillon Lowe

Contributing writers: Sam Barnes, Chelsea Brasted, Tom Cook, Holly Duchmann, Emily Kern Hebert, Maggie Heyn Richardson

Contributing photographers: Don Kadair, Tim Mueller, Collin Richie

ADVERTISING

Sales Director: Kelly Lewis

Senior Account Executive: Marielle Land-Howard

Account Executives: Emma Dubuc, Meredith LaBorde, Gabi Bivins Porter, Matt Wambles

Advertising Coordinators: Devyn MacDonald, Brittany Nieto

STUDIO E

Director: Taylor Gast

Multimedia Strategy Manager: Timothy Coles

Corporate Media Editor: Lisa Tramontana

Account Executive: Judith LaDousa

MARKETING

Marketing & Events Coordinator: Taylor Falgout Events: Abby Hamilton

ADMINISTRATION

Business Manager: Tiffany Durocher

Business Associate: Kirsten Milano

Office Coordinator: Sara Hodge

Receptionist: Cathy Varnado Brown

PRODUCTION/DESIGN

Production Manager: Jo Glenny

Art Director: Hoa Vu

Senior Graphic Designer: Melinda Galjour

Graphic Designers: Emily Witt, Ashlee Digel

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Audience Development Director and Digital Manager: James Hume

Audience Development Coordinator: Ivana Oubre

Audience Development Associate: Catherine Albano

A publication of Melara Enterprises, LLC

Chairman: Julio Melara

Executive Assistant: Brooke Motto

Vice President-Sales: Elizabeth McCollister Hebert

Chief Content Officer: Penny Font

Chief Digital Officer: Erin Pou

Chief Operating Officer: Guy Barone

Chairman Emeritus: Rolfe H. McCollister Jr.

Circulation/Reprints/Subscriptions/Customer Service 225-928-1700

email: circulation@businessreport.com

Volume 41 - Number 6

©Copyright 2023 by Melara Enterprises, LLC. All rights reserved by LBI. The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report (USPS 721-890 ISSN 0747-4652) is published monthly by Louisiana Business Inc. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Business address: 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Ste. 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Telephone (225) 928-1700.

Periodicals postage is paid at Baton Rouge, La. Subscription rate is $96.00 for 12 issues, with 2 additional issues published annually in April and December.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, 9029 Jefferson Hwy. Ste. 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited material— manuscripts or photographs, with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed. No information expressed here constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities.

Going Above and Beyond in Baton Rouge.

5 THINGS to watch this month

TWO IMPACTFUL speakers will share their best advice at Business Report’s Elevate Your Leadership and Your Team 2023 event on Feb. 1. This breakfast and networking session will feature Swoz Consulting CEO Scott Wozniak and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and entrepreneur Patrick Leddin. Wozniak will discuss ways to build great customer service experiences and Leddin will talk on how to disrupt your industry. Get more information and tickets for the event at BusinessReport.com/events.

OUR LADY OF THE LAKE Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge and Children’s Hospital New Orleans have entered into a partnership, with CHNO taking over day-to-day operations of OLOL’s Baton Rouge pediatric facilities this month under a co-managed approach that will involve committees comprising leaders across the two hospitals. The eventual plan is to create a statewide network for children’s specialty care. The partnership has also ramped up competition in the local pediatric care sector.

BUSINESS REPORT’S annual Leadership Power Breakfast is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Crowne Plaza in Baton Rouge. This year’s event is all about “Building for the Future” with featured speakers LSU President William Tate, Baton Rouge Area Foundation CEO Chris Meyer and Congressman Garret Graves. This invitationonly event will begin at 7:30 a.m.; check your email from Business Report for details and how to RSVP.

THE BATON ROUGE Planning and Zoning Commission will meet at City Hall on Jan. 17 On the agenda is an expansion to the Rouzan development off Perkins Road that would increase commercial and office space as well as add more homes.

HOW THE STATE runs, and, in turn, legislation impacting small businesses gets passed will be discussed at a joint special legislative committee meeting Jan. 19. The committee has been tasked with assessing how Louisiana schedules its legislative sessions and for how long lawmakers will meet for each session.

“We have a deep and abiding commitment to improving lives in measurable, impactful ways that evolve from evidence-based research and study.

—William F. Tate IV, LSU president

Swoz Consulting CEO Scott Wozniak (See page 36 for a related Q&A)

TIM MUELLER

Grit is key to your success

ANGELA DUCKWORTH, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, identifies grit as the No. 1 predictor and factor of success. It’s not talent, title, wealth or good looks. It’s grit, the ability to work hard for a long period of time toward a goal; to persevere, overcome, and keep moving forward in the face of adversity, failure, rejection and obstacles.

This is important to remember because whether you are attempting to turn around a company, grow a startup, build a winning team, or move a successful organization to the next level, success doesn’t happen overnight.

greater than all the negativity and naysayers.

2. Know your “why”: The power of purpose not only fuels positivity, but it also drives grit in a big way. When you know your “why,” you won’t let obstacles get in your way. When your purpose is greater than your challenges, you won’t give up. My dad was a New York City police officer. Each day he left the house, my mom feared that he wouldn’t come home. He risked his life every day. Why? Was it the paycheck? Not at all. He didn’t make much, but he worked for a bigger purpose. He had a duty and a purpose to make New York a safer place, and that kept him going.

any of the circumstances outside you. It’s created by the love you have inside you—love for what you do, for your team, for the organization you serve, and for the world you want to change. The love and grit that you possess on the inside will create the life you experience on the outside.

GORDON is a

speaker and bestselling author of multiple books including The Energy Bus, The Power of Positive Leadership and The Power of a Positive Team. His clients include Campbell’s Soup, Dell, Publix, Southwest Airlines, Snapchat and Truist Bank as well sports teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Rams. Connect with him at www.JonGordon.com

Anything worthwhile takes time to build. Along the way a leader will face countless challenges, failures and setbacks that will become roadblocks unless they find a way forward. Positive leaders have grit and find a way to navigate the roadblocks or run through them to move closer to their vision and goal.

Grit keeps you moving forward through the sting of rejection, pain of failure, and struggle with adversity. When life knocks you down, you may want to stay down and give up, but grit won’t let you quit.

Here are five ways you and your team can cultivate grit:

1. Know what you want: Grit starts with knowing what you truly want. When you know what you want and you can see it, you will work hard and persevere in order to achieve it. That’s why having a vision for the road ahead is so important. When the world doesn’t see what you see and it thinks you are crazy for seeing it, your vision of what you want and the grit to keep going must be

3. Love it:  If you don’t love it, you’ll never be great at it. If you don’t love it, you won’t work to overcome all the challenges to keep doing it. If you love what you do, you won’t quit when the world says you should. You will continue to show up every day, do the work, and discover that success is not created by other people’s opinions. It’s not created by what the media and fearful news say. It’s not created by

4. Embrace failure:  A big part of positive leadership and grit is knowing that you will fail along the way, but you don’t allow failure to define you or stop you. Failure is a big part of your path to success. It’s not your enemy. It is your partner in growth. It doesn’t define you; it refines you. If you didn’t fail, you wouldn’t build the character you need to succeed. When you have grit, you fail and you move forward. You see it as an event, not a definition. You leave the past and let it go.

5. Ignore the critics; do the work:  Positive leaders don’t lead because they want recognition or enemies. They lead because there is something they must do, build, create, transform and change. They lead because it’s who they are and what they are meant to do. However, with leadership comes scrutiny, praise, criticism and attacks. A leader could find a cure for cancer and would still have some people criticize them for it. There was even once a leader who transformed the world by feeding the hungry, healing the sick and loving the unlovable, and yet he was killed for it. If you are a leader, expect to be attacked. Positive leadership doesn’t mean you won’t be criticized. It means you have the grit and belief to overcome it.

The No. 1 predictor and factor of success is not talent, title, wealth or appearance. It’s grit.

JON

top

Mark the moment to motivate your team

LET’S FACE IT, it’s been a tough few years, and many expect 2023 will be no less challenging.

When we are in the middle of oppositional events, we can feel stuck, our energy so depleted in dealing with the day-to-day, we aren’t aware of how much we’ve grown. We don’t stop to celebrate the fact that we’ve started taking a two-minute walk between calls, that we closed a deal, or that we can now define cryptocurrency with 95% accuracy, because we didn’t meet the bigger goals into which those accomplishments fit.

Instead of noting our accomplishments, we treat most situations as win or lose, and we lost. But we didn’t lose, we made progress. We learned, and we grew, but we were too distracted by other concerns to notice; if we don’t look for and pay attention to growth, we can miss it.

How can we discern our progress, when it doesn’t happen in big leaps but in small, incremental steps? We learn to mark the moment.

In theater, marking the moment is defined as “a dramatic technique used to highlight a key moment in a scene.” It’s like using a spotlight to focus attention. In our non-theatrical, personal and career endeavors we might equate this to mindfulness—with a twist.

At Disruption Advisors, when we facilitate a leadership retreat—the purpose of which is always to inspire and unlock growth in people and their organizations—the first thing we do is invite individuals to share an achievement they want to celebrate. Studies have found that celebrating even very small milestones activates the parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system. It induces a state of calm and confidence. We feel more

confident that we can accomplish whatever lies ahead.

Most of us, most of the time, relinquish opportunities to celebrate. We move on to the next task as quickly as possible. We act as though it is contrary to efficiency and productivity to relish, even briefly, reaching our objectives.

The opposite is true.

When we pause to celebrate, we remind ourselves and others that, although we may be at a launch point of one growth curve, or the bottom of what we call the S-curve of learning—a map that articulates the growth journey—we can also be in mastery, or the top phase of the S, on another growth curve.

one), taking another step toward the launch of a new product, or wrapping a project. It doesn’t need to be an Everest-sized mountain to be worthy of a celebration, a pause to mark the moment.

Every day, every week, there are moments to mark. How do we do this as individuals or with our teams? This is the formula we use in our coaching work:

• Identify what we want to celebrate. What have we worked on or completed recently that was satisfying, and why?

• Reflect on who helped us reach this point. Acknowledge them. Look for the non-obvious, non-banner support also.

• Embrace the bit of sadness, or poignancy. Especially at the end of larger projects, we may mourn the end of a meaningful journey.

• Ask, “Having accomplished this, what else might be possible?”

We can do this personally. We can do it professionally. We can do this with our team.

The launch point is thrilling, but also slow and laborious. It can be intimidating or even downright terrifying, stimulating our sympathetic “fight or flight” nervous system. We may want to give up on ourselves. We feel ourselves losing.

We counter this by identifying ways in which we are in mastery, even the little milestones we achieve along a bigger growth curve. We acknowledge that frequently, if not daily, we have summited a mountain. Perhaps it’s completing our five major tasks for the day or having a conversation with a team member where they feel seen. Maybe it’s completing an article (like this

Don’t wait until the end of the year, or even of the quarter. Being mindful about what we’ve succeeded in doing gives us a flood of the feel-good neurochemical dopamine. It improves relationships and our general sense of well-being. It keeps us in the fight, despite the obstacles. Maintain motivation by spotlighting even small summits scaled, early and often.

When we mark the moment, we draw a symbolic line between what was and what will be. Like a child who measures themselves every year and puts a mark on the wall, it gives us the opportunity to celebrate how much we’ve grown, and the momentum to keep us moving forward.

WHITNEY JOHNSON is CEO of Disruption Advisors, a leadership development company, and has 1.8 million followers on LinkedIn. You can reach her at: whitney@ thedisruptionavisors.com.

When we mark the moment, we draw a symbolic line between what was and what will be.

CHAIRMAN & CEO: Mark Fallon

SPECIALTY: Environmental services, resiliency, sustainability, energy solutions, technical and data solutions, program management, and critical infrastructure

FOUNDED: 2017

1200 Brickyard Lane, Ste. 202 833.862.7846 APTIM.com

APTIM

ON THE RECORD:

APTIM is an industry leader with headquarters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and more than 4,000 teammates worldwide. APTIM specializes in environmental services, resiliency, sustainability, and energy solutions, as well as technical and data solutions, program management, and critical infrastructure. Our dedicated team has experience and expertise to provide integrated services and solutions to government agencies, commercial and industrial clients, and energy customers. APTIM commits to building a sustainable future for our communities and natural world and creating a more inclusive, equitable environment that celebrates diversity of our people.

OFF THE RECORD:

On December 15, APTIM celebrated the grand opening of its new headquarters on The Water Campus in Baton Rouge, the international company’s hometown. With the office’s proximity to the Mississippi River, downtown Baton Rouge, and its new neighbors—who share APTIM’s priority of making the Gulf Coast more resilient—the move symbolizes APTIM’s growing relationship with the community and the state. The Water Campus is the country’s first major center dedicated to the study of coastal restoration and sustainability. A proud Louisiana company, APTIM has executed several projects that enhance the resilience of the state’s infrastructure, economic prosperity, and safety.

ASHLEY ROBINSON KNAPPS serves as human resources manager for Baton Rouge-based Enginuity Global. Previously, she was director of human resources for HR Solutions.

“Employers should look internally at their own wellness. If you are stressed, more than likely your employees are, too. Stress doesn’t always start at the office but companies can help their employees have a better mentally healthy environment. A mentally well employee will be more productive and happy, and employers that go out of their way to show they care will see a difference.”

FOCUS ON EMPLOYEES’ WELLBEING AND HOW THEY ARE DOING. We often associate the year’s end with reviewing an employee’s performance, but Knapps suggests a different type of review, emphasizing to employees that management and company leaders want them to start the new year with a healthy mindset.

ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO SET

PERSONAL GOALS. Consider organizing a wellness event, and reach out to your benefits administrator with your carrier representative to see what wellness options are available. Knapps recommends holding a wellness and health screening day. Offer healthy options in the break room such as fruits and bottled waters.

TAKE A BREATH. Set aside time on the company calendar for daily breaks. Knapps suggests employees get up and walk the stairs, take a walk outside, or simply take a moment to do a minute meditation or close their eyes for breathing exercises. Often breaks are associated with lunch periods, but employers should consider helping employees find a mental break during each day to clear their minds.

What’s your strategy for retaining top talent?

Kenny Nguyen

ThreeSixtyEight

“Your company must have a sense of purpose—people stay where they feel like they have a stake in the work they’re doing. Help break down silos for employees and introduce them to the right community, outside the company’s walls, that embraces them and their interests. Also, when you retain someone, you also retain their spouse and you need to take a holistic approach to meeting the family’s needs. What are you doing as a business to offer value to the family?”

Mary Ellen Slayter Rep Cap

“You need to adjust opportunities for your employees. If they’re looking for growth, give them access to formal training and new kinds of projects, but if someone is looking for more stability or flexibility, those opportunities won’t matter. Understand what stage of life that person is at, what they value most, and then give them that. I have a number of part-time employees—I would rather adjust people’s schedules and keep a good employee at 20 hours instead of zero. I don’t want to lose them.”

Mathew Laborde

Elifin Realty

“At Elifin, we have an owner-partner track so every agent in the company can conceivably be a part owner of the company one day. It’s a goal that people can progress to—it’s tangible and laid out for achievement. It’s about viewing the relationship with top talent as a partnership instead of just an employment. Top talent always has choices, whether it’s to be on their own or at another company, and top talent doesn’t like to be stationary or stagnant.”

Childhood comes and goes in a blink. We’re here through the stages of your life, with the strength of the cross, the protection of the shield. The Right Card. The Right Care.

COLLINRICHIE

COLLINRICHIE FILEPHOTO

500 500 THE C A P I T A L R EGION 500

A GUIDE TO Community Leaders of Influence

IN THE CAPITAL REGION

Advertising in the Capital Region 500 will put your brand in the hands of the region's most influential business leaders in Baton Rouge. Be a part of this special edition that will align your business with 500 leaders spanning 40+ industries.

To reserve your space in this special issue, contact Kelly Lewis at klewis@businessreport.com today!

Executive

AWARDS

Business

Hall

Hall

Young

Business of the Year (100 or more employees): Benny’s Car Wash

Business of the Year (fewer than 100 employees): Orion Laboratories David Slaughter

All of this year’s honorees will be profiled in the March edition of Business Report and honored at a gala on Wednesday, March 14, at the Crowne Plaza Baton Rouge. Sponsors of the event are Franklin, Capital One, Hannis T Bourgeois and Genesis 360.

Net new residents who moved into the Baton Rouge metro in 2021, according to BRAC research.

Nominate: Go to BusinessReport.com/ events for details; the nominating deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3.

BOOK REVIEW

Develop and expand your leadership abilities through daily exercises and challenges designed to help you grow into the leader you want to be while preparing you for the job you were made to have. That’s the premise of  THE 5 WEEK LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE,  Wall Street Journal bestseller by Patrick Leddin. The book has 35 daily challenges to develop leadership skills as well as habits to get you noticed—and promoted.

BONUS: Leddin will be in Baton Rouge Feb. 1 to speak at the Elevate Your Leadership and Your Team event.

Nominations are open for the 2023 class of Influential Women in Business. The awards honor professional women making an impact in the Capital Region.

DIGITS

Report and Junior Achievement will honor six Baton Rouge individuals and companies at the 2023 Business Awards & Hall of Fame gala in March. This year’s winners, as selected by a panel of independent judges, are:

of Fame Laureate Jim Roland, CEO, Window World of Baton Rouge

of Fame Laureate Bill Borne, founder and CEO, Amedysis (posthumous)

of the Year: Tina Holland, president, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University

Businessperson of the Year: Mathew Laborde, president and CEO, Elifin Realty

Justin Alford

Number of property insurers to either go broke or flee Louisiana since 2020’s Hurricane Laura, causing a crisis in the property insurance market and prompting state Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon to propose an incentive program to lure more companies to write policies in the state. Absent that, Donelon wants legislators to address the problem, preferably in a special session.

Baton Rouge District Judge

during a December hearing granting a preliminary injunction to stop Sheriff Sid Gautreaux from diverting a portion of BREC’s 2022 property tax collections— nearly $2 million—into a state retirement fund. BREC filed a lawsuit in November arguing that the remittance, which has been happening with BREC and other parish taxing entities since 1989, is illegal.

“This is not an easy decision because there are pension retirement funds that are at stake. However, the court is duty bound to follow what’s consistent with the law.”

RONALD JOHNSON

“Most big things take time to achieve. I am a fast mover and like to see results quickly. But over the years I’ve grown to learn that timing is everything and that persistence is often more important than speed when it comes to getting things done.”

BEVERLY HAYDEL is president and CEO of Sequitur Consulting

MENTORSHIP

WALK-ON’S SPORTS BISTREAUX served up its latest restaurant prototype—the Wildcat—which debuts with a franchise location in Central. The smaller design has seating for 200-plus diners and the big selling point is it requires less upfront costs and more layout efficiency and flexibility for franchisees.

8.3

EV chargers per 100,000 residents in Louisiana, ranking the state last on a per capita basis, per software firm CoPilot. Louisiana officials say they are working to expand the charging network, aided by $73 million in federal funds.

- consulting - tax - technology

At P&N, our foundation is a traditional accounting firm, but our approach and services are anything but conventional. We thrive on challenge and are problem-solvers at heart. Calling on the collective knowledge of the 550+ members of our team — whose experience spans multiple industries — we create custom approaches backed by data, delivered by nationally-recognized professionals who help clients translate risks and challenges into actionable opportunities. When you work with P&N, you can expect experienced guidance, leading-edge technology, and scalable support from our wide suite of services.

pncpa.com

Postlethwaite & Netterville. A Professional Accounting Corporation

Creating Clearer Paths For Client Success.

assurance

DESIGN DIGITS

The Mentor: MONIQUE CENANC, former Jones Walker partner and currently assistant general counsel and corporate secretary for Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

“Monique continues to mentor and guide me. A few standout practice points are the importance of teamwork— regardless of seniority—personal connections and always being meticulous.”

ALEXANDRA LAYFIELD is a partner and corporate & securities team leader at Jones Walker LLP.

AMY MARTIN

Winning over today’s customers requires salespeople to be BOLDER, HIGHLY INNOVATIVE, and MORE SKILLED than ever before. Business Report’s Selling Academy will sharpen your sales skillset, re-energize you and grow your confidence in new ways. We’ll touch on the latest selling techniques, how to reframe your mindset, and tap into your sales potential to make the most of your personal skillset.

The SELLING ACADEMY will help you:

Develop and maintain the right mindset to flourish in sales Increase your closing ratio Give you the tips and skills to overcome objection

Build relationships that lead to more sales

Develop the art of asking effective questions to reveal customer needs … PLUS much more!

This customized sales program is for sales people with 1-5 years of experience.

Coming in March! Participation is limited

Scan here to apply TODAY or email Brooke@businessreport.com

1 toKeySuccess

Speed Bancroft

SPEED BANCROFT WAS inspired to research food automation technology after a sour experience with a fast-food worker in a drivethru window in north Louisiana in 2015. He had recently sold his stake in The Outdoor Shopper, a televised shopping show that he started in 2009, and was in an “idea creation phase” of life. For the next two years, he traveled to shows learning about food and automation technology and he developed his own bench-model prototype of a hamburger robot. Since then, he’s pivoted to an automated pizza concept and a fridge concept that serves a variety of items. “It’s all about raising capital,” Bancroft says. “Raising capital is difficult.

You have to be tenacious about it and can’t have quitting in your mind—ever.”

As of December, Bancroft estimates Speedy Eats has raised about $825,000—more than $330,000 of which came through online crowdfunding. Bancroft expects to open his first automated restaurant concept, Speedy Eats Fridge, in the spring, with plans to install the fridge outside of The House, a bar in Tigerland, and serve burritos, wraps, subs and nachos. While it’s designed as a walk-up concept, he plans to design future ones as drive-thrus.

—By Holly Duchmann • Photography by Don Kadair

Bin 77 Bistro

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLIN RICHIE

Address: 10111 Perkins Rowe, Ste. 160

Phone: (225) 763-2288

Website: bin77.com

Cuisine: Modern American

Partners: Kelwin and Linda Clark and Brian and Tiffany Dykes; culinary director Jonathan Breaux

Scene: Wine-centric eatery in Perkins Rowe

Pricing: $$

In Bin 77’s elevated steak and frites, flat iron steak is marinated and cooked first by sous vide before a quick trip to the grill. Drizzles of veal and herb aioli add creamy richness while chimichurri brings tangy pop. Any sauce remaining is great for dragging the accompanying crisp French fries. The meal feels right for blustery January, but the restaurant has plenty of salad options for resolutioners. The Thai features crisp greens and cabbages, pickled carrots, fresh herbs, peanuts and wontons in spicy peanut dressing. Order it on the side or as an entrée.

To see more photos, please go to BusinessReport.com

THE STEAK AND FRITES AT BIN 77 is the perfect meal on a chilly January afternoon while those still sticking with their New Year’s resolutions should consider the Thai salad, which can be ordered as either a side or as an entrée.

ROUNDTABLE

SPONSORED BY:

When top cardiovascular care is your priority, choose Ochsner Baton Rouge. As one of the largest cardiology practices with multiple locations across the Greater Baton Rouge area, Ochsner’s team of cardiologists and surgeons work closely with each patient to develop a customized healthcare plan that is both targeted and effective. From routine diagnostics to specialized procedures, Ochsner heart specialists are equipped to provide optimum care in cardiovascular medicine.

Do you need to be seen today? We offer appointment times to fit your needs. To learn more, visit ochsner.org/batonrouge

AdamM. InterventionalCardiologyPatient

Freddy Abi-Samra, MD

Desiree Dawson, MD

Mokhtar Abdallah, MD

Mark Awolesi, MD Michael Bernard, MD

Pavan Malur, MD

Sapna Desai, MD

Patrick Delaney, MD

Brian Jones, MD

Selim Krim, MD Bahij Khuri, MD

Shafi Mohamed, MD

Douglas Mendoza, MD

Robert Rokowski, MD

Zhe Zheng, MD

Jose Tafur Soto, MD

Kathy Trahan President/CEO Alliance Safety Council

MEET THE ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTS

Craig Stevens Owner/Founder Genesis 360, LLC

Leak IV President/CEO Bank of St. Francisville

Let’s Talk About It

BATON ROUGE CONTINUES to feel the effects of hardships and challenges from recent years— the pandemic, inflation, mass job resignations—but recovery seems to be just around the bend.

For the past five years, Business Report has invited influential thought

leaders to a unique roundtable to gather their opinions on some of the most critical issues facing our community. Topics include the economy, technology, quality of life, workforce issues, diversity and more. In these pages, leaders highlight the challenges of the past year, how they

managed them, and how they hope to create a new and stronger vision for 2023.

Comments made during the roundtable have been edited and condensed for clarity and for space. Read and share the online version at businessreport. com/2023Roundtable.

Carter

Chuck Daigle

CEO Ochsner Baton Rouge, Lake Charles & North Louisiana

Lionel Johnson Jr. Mayor St. Gabriel, LA

Zelma Frederick Baton Rouge Office Managing Attorney McGlinchey

Sitting left to right: Carter Leak III, Founder, Chairman Emeritus, Carter Leak IV, President and CEO; Standing left to right: Conville Lemoine, Chairman of the Board, Douglas Dupont, Baton Rouge Market President

We are having to do more with less people and things are changing so quickly ... I think the biggest issue is getting people tooled for new jobs and doing a gap analysis, helping and giving them good information, aggregating a lot of content, helping them make choices on where they should be going and what they should be doing. Our parents taught us to go to college and that you can be anything you want to be. I think we really need to work backward. Many universities chase grant funding that is important to research, but it doesn’t directly serve the local workforce community. Paying attention to our local workforce and helping them find those opportunities to raise their standard of living and help them navigate all the complexities that are going on right now, creating a way to integrate the information, the pipeline, the people. A lot of people are throwing darts at it right now. Everyone has great systems and data, but we are just now integrating it in a way that’s creating intelligence for what we need to be doing next.

—Kathy Trahan

We are still coming out of the post-pandemic world. Infrastructure, economic disparity, education—it is all a conglomerate. At the end of the day, there are a lot of great efforts in the public, private and nonprofit sectors to minimize and close those workforce gaps. Right now, we are all so splintered ... we need to collaborate and make progress towards one thing. If it’s finding gaps in education and jobs and where different skillsets are needed to make progress, then that is what we need to do. But we must have collective impact and come together because the problems are bigger than any single organization.

—Zelma Frederick

In my world, it is infrastructure, specifically transportation and stormwater infrastructure. We do know there is progress on the LA 415, I-10, and I-12 widening, and the replacement of the intracoastal bridge. And with LA 30 widening and a new MRB hopefully coming soon, we are looking at a lot of construction happening at the same time in a small vicinity.

And of course, any progress made on rail infrastructure between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is a win. As it relates to stormwater infrastructure, the one piece missing is bringing all parties together. The state has made some leeway but it still remains a competitive venture rather than a collaborative venture. I believe that if Iberville, EBR, Ascension and Livingston all of them at the table looking at infrastructure issues, great progress could be made holistically rather than in pockets or in silos.

—Lionel Johnson

What is the most pressing issue facing South Louisiana and Baton Rouge?

Iwas playing golf with somebody a couple of weeks ago and he said he wanted his daughter to go to LSU for college but she wanted to go to Alabama. Then there was the shooting that happened off of Government Street and he said, “You know what, Alabama doesn’t look too bad after all.” So my thought was if this one individual is thinking that way, how many more people are thinking that way? And how does that affect my business? The short-term fix, I think, is doing what the military has done for years and that is to use technology. Why don’t we have more cameras in more places? Why are we not using drones? The police department says it’s 20% of the people who are causing 80% of the crimes—it’s just a matter of catching them. So why don’t we just implement more technology? The long-term fix is how do we keep families together? Statistics show that rising crimes are parallel to the rising number of families abandoned by fathers. Scholars indicate that a 10% increase in children living in single-parent homes typically leads to 17% juvenile crime. Criminals capable of sustaining marriage gradually moved from a life of crime after they get married. The father’s involvement in raising children is a great buffer against a life of crime. So I think that we have to educate young adults on the adverse effects of having kids out of wedlock. This is not a Roe vs. Wade or pro-life or pro-choice issue. We educate kids on the use of drugs and alcohol. Why do we not educate them on the potential broader issues is of having kids prior to marriage? That’s the short-term and long-term fix for me, realizing that crime is the elephant in the room for across our nation.

—Craig Stevens

We have got to do a better job of letting our students in the educational system know what is out there, so we can get an earlier entrance and career interest in the healthcare fields. Most high school students do not know what a medical laboratory scientist is, or what an imaging technologist is. There are some great jobs out there and great careers that support the economies and families that our kids just don’t know about. So the question is how do we keep our young talent here within Louisiana? Secondly, I think we have got a great opportunity with economic development. We have some great projects on the horizon. Those projects, economic development, and a healthy workforce provide more opportunities, more resources, and more engagement. In order to solve some of the problems that we have, we have got to have a strong economic fabric. I think we have a great opportunity at this point in time moving forward while the nation is in a more difficult time.

—Chuck Daigle

Ilive in St. Francisville and I can’t tell you how many people over the last two years have come to me and said, “I want to move to St. Francisville. I want to move away from the crime.” That’s the number one issue for Baton Rouge in my opinion, and I could not agree more with what Craig says. I think he hit the nail on the head. It’s family, it’s the church and it’s the community schools. We have got to figure out how to make those things a priority. That’s what holds a community together and builds up men and women to see their purpose. If they see purpose and opportunity, then they will have hope and will thrive.

—Carter Leak IV

As a country, we have the ability, capacity and the resources to move towards sustainable energy, but 80% of the globe still needs fossil fuel to survive. Many countries couldn’t heat an incubator for a newborn baby or provide electricity to hospitals or schools without it. The rising interest rates and inflation are being exacerbated by logistics issues that are hampering both manufacturing and project completion thereby forcing companies to delay paying their bills until they can complete the jobs and bill for the work. This in turn is creating a climate where bid escalation on future projects to compensate for cash flow issues is becoming the norm. With respect to the labor market, we are seeing interest in receiving transitional skills for the energy sector. How do plumbers, pipefitters and electricians get trained and tooled up to build, maintain and repair the wind and solar farms? What about the increasing need for electric vehicle charging stations? It’s all about balancing competing priorities. Our goal is to help soften some of the logistics issues by helping workers learn any place and anytime with mobile job aids and performance support tools. We are working to give the industries we serve the support they need when they need it and where they need it as opposed to forcing the workers to travel. We hope to keep our local labor force competitive.

—Kathy Trahan

IIn the coming year, we will continue to see new regulations and laws about cryptocurrency, cannabis, and a focus on green energy. Our firm has recently gotten into the cannabis industry. We opened a Seattle office with a dynamic and energetic leader in the industry. Despite being based in Seattle, she is doing a lot in Louisiana, because federal and state laws are still out of step when it comes to marijuana. What’s interesting about this industry is that it is not solely about cannabis. It’s about companies who happen to be “touching” cannabis and how that touches everything that we are all doing already. It’s touching banking, as these entities need loans and banking products to facilitate their business. It’s touching employment, when workers with a medical marijuana prescription fail a drug test. For cryptocurrency, what happens when your employee wants to be paid partially in cryptocurrency? That hits the tax world. Who is going to pay the taxes on that? Do you value it at the time of the transaction? Do you value it at some point in the future time? In the energy sector, we are watching legacy industry giants adapt to green energy, monitoring the complexities of things like carbon capture and excitement of new offshore wind farms.

—Zelma Frederick

Inflation and recession. I know that is in the forefront of everybody’s mind and obviously, with the stand the Federal Reserve is taking with increasing interest rates, it can change the economic picture pretty quickly. Economist Loren Scott says the Capital Region should remain in pretty good shape and not see many of the recessionary issues that the broader economy is going to see. We have seen layoffs already with national technology firms and that is likely going to continue, but I am hopeful and positive about our local economy. Look at Europe and what they pay for natural gas and the problems they are having with geopolitical issues compared to the natural gas pricing in the U.S. The amount of investment from sources from out of the country coming into south Louisiana and what that does for the local economy, trucking jobs, and everything else was a big “aha” moment when Loren laid all that out. I believe it has a positive impact on us.

—Carter Leak IV

We will continue to promote our Healthy State initiative. Part of our goal is to get Louisiana off of 49th and 50th in health status and rankings. Many of these things are lifestyle behaviors and educational issues, whether that is smoking or obesity or infant mortality. We serve as a catalyst to get others in the state to promote more healthy living, more preventative health, and lifestyle changes. On the other side of that from a statewide and a national perspective, we are really having to go back to the workforce development piece within healthcare. Coming out of the pandemic, the healthcare system has leveled out in terms of not having the acute spikes in Covid cases and death and so much uncertainty, but now we are faced with a workforce issue. The average age of a nurse, for example, going into the pandemic, was about 47 years old. Many folks have retired. We have got a compounding aging population that needs more care and so we are dealing with a pretty acute workforce shortage which is causing labor costs to go up significantly. If you look at 2019 versus 2022 on a statistical basis, our labor costs for taking care of somebody are up 43%. We are 70% government-funded and so it’s going to take a while for the system to adjust in terms of the amount of reimbursement that flows to the system versus the cost to the system. Our role is to solve some of that through innovation and technology ... to continue to try to deal with the workforce shortage but also to continue our responsibility to keep the quality of care improving while we lower the cost.

—Chuck Daigle

The interest rate hike—its pros and cons, its positives and negatives on both sides. There’s Newton’s law. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So in my space, the negative effect is that the cost of borrowing money has gone up. If you need to borrow money to expand or buy new equipment, that is costing you more money today than it did two weeks ago. The positive side ... the demand is going down on construction materials. We needed the demand to go down so the prices would go down. They probably won’t go to the pre-pandemic level but we are seeing decreases in prices. In the IT sector, the positive is that you have big tech laying off thousands of people whether it is Twitter or Meta. Amazon announced that 10,000 people are being laid off. That’s good for small IT companies like us where we gobble some of that talent even if they are in a remote location and pay a fraction of the salary that big tech is paying them. So I think that the opportunities and the wins for us are being able to get some really good IT talent.

—Craig Stevens

Look for more announcements of industrial modernization and plans to improve efficiency. President Biden announced a plan for the production of materials used in manufacturing batteries for electrical vehicles.

Koura of St, Gabriel is set to receive $100 million from USDOE. More announcements like that— industries modernizing and reshaping their facilities, all with the idea of producing more environmentally friendly products. The other big thing for 2023 is municipal elections in the spring. The mayor and council will pave the way for what happens in St. Gabriel specifically, and then later in the fall, we will have our state elections. Certainly this will have an impact over the next four years and beyond.

—Lionel Johnson

In your individual sectors, what will be the biggest news in 2023?

Microsoft Teams has allowed us to share information so being in different locations is a lot easier. It has made it more efficient and easier to actually have real conversations. It has been a game-changer in a positive way. We are also working with our core providers and planning an upgrade to all of our technology over the next several years. Technology is a constantly evolving and must be designed to simplify the lives of our customers and employees.

—Carter Leak IV

For us, it is figuring out what the customer needs from a technology perspective. In the chemical industry, one of our clients performed their own safety training which involved watching a computer screen just like they have been doing for several years, and answering certain questions at the end. We have been able to provide them with software where they can use virtual reality headsets. For example, the employee is on a scaffold and it is not stable, and you give them the opportunity to show what kind of decision they are going to make. Are you going to take your safety harness and attach it to something? It gives them the real-time effects of what happens if they make the wrong decision. You visually see yourself falling to the ground with these headsets, so it really takes the safety piece to a whole different level. You feel the experience and the reality of what happens if you make the wrong decision. Those are the kinds of things that are new and exciting.

The veteran-owned Genesis 360 provides innovative facilities management services, from large scale expansion projects to small repair and maintenance tasks.

It’s a It’s a What technology or innovation will you be using in the new year?

We continue to refine some of our remote monitoring with chronic disease management for those patients who qualify, whether it’s hypertension or diabetes—and the results have been pretty phenomenal in terms of keeping people at their controlled rates and keeping them healthy. All that data converts and goes to a care team every day. That continuous monitoring lets us make changes in real-time without a visit to the provider’s office and keeps people out of the emergency room. We continue to invest in those.

We also have Connected MOM digital technology. It’s for pregnant women and it monitors blood pressure, fetal heart tones, all of those things. Again, it gives continued connection with the care team on an ongoing basis. We are working on fall risk technology (for elderly people) connected to smart phones and Apple watches. We are working to put that back into our MyOchsner app to make sure that we are making it available to seniors or others at risk for falling. I think home monitoring will be a big growth area for us. It’s effective and cost-efficient.

—Chuck Daigle

—Craig Stevens

The Alliance Safety Council’s Emerging Technologies Center provides an environment conducive to design thinking and development and delivery technologies that transform the adult learning experience.

We are turning the corner with technology and embracing it much more. For law enforcement, we are looking to implement some technology throughout the community to help aid with the solving and prevention of crime. Our Public Services sector’s biggest concern is wastewater and stormwater management—so we are embracing companies such as Compliance Envirosystems, LLC (CES), where we get real time and streamed production of cleaning of storm drains and culverts that our residents will be able to see and track. Administratively, we’ve just had a revamp of our website and are looking to consolidate payment pieces such as permits, licenses, property taxes, and utility bills with new online software.

—Lionel Johnson

Coming out of the pandemic, we had employees who said, “Hey, I have had a great career, but I have had enough.” Some of our jobs that are lower paying have been infiltrated with competition from other industries as wages have gone up. So we have more people with more choices. In addition, we have had a remote workforce. Whether that’s information systems or supply chain folks who had other options. You don’t have to necessarily live in the same city or the same state to work for the same company. We have had to digest that. Obviously, we had a lot of folks just tired and worn out and a lot of manifestations of mental health issues, all of those things. We are trying to do a better job as an organization, meeting people where they are, providing appropriate flexibility and more balance within their job and families. We make sure they can see the future, a set-out path, and that hey, there are opportunities for you to grow and develop and to use your gifts and talents within the organization. I have seen us become a better organization because of it.

—Chuck Daigle

Of our 104 employees, we have about 25 on the technology and content teams that all went to work remotely as the type of work they did could be done remotely. We found the teams were more productive as they could be focused. This is not always the case as it requires an individual to be self-disciplined to work independently. As time went on engagement became an issue. We had companies poaching our technology team members and offering 30% increases that our budget couldn’t support. Some folks said, “I can work from home so, why not go to the highest bidder”. I worry about these choices. We are already seeing layoffs in many sectors with the recession looming. Those individuals that jumped for wage increases will have a resume that shows they are individualistic and opportunistic, not necessarily team-centric. It may even be the last ones hired will be first ones laid off in the company they jumped to. We operate on a system geared towards maintaining our culture and the language of our culture through supporting certain behaviors and recognizing and hiring and terminating based on those behaviors. All these behaviors tie back to asking what’s next, driving for results, helping to foster an enjoyable workplace, doing the right thing, and helping others succeed. Even if people left (our company), if they had given everything to the organization, we said, “Hey, we understand. We appreciate all that you have done for us, and we wish you the best. We hope that sometime in the future that we will see you again. It may be when the world changes again, but we want to maintain those relationships.”

—Kathy Trahan

Well, on the construction side, it is a little more difficult to do. But take for example, managed services and help desk operations. We have the technology to know if a customer calls a help desk, how many rings before someone answers? How long are they on the call? Is it a repeat call? Just to be able to get the data helps us understand ... is this person napping or is this person taking care of the customer? So the technology offers the ability to allow certain IT folks to work from home. You don’t have all the bells and whistles to measure every moment of every day—you have to be deductive in that space. It’s no different, I guess, than with someone locked up in the office. You don’t know exactly if they are performing ... so it’s the same thing with the work-from-home in certain situations. We embrace it where we can because we understand that in this day and age, this is how it is.

—Craig Stevens

We’ve had a remote work policy in effect since the start of the pandemic, and many of our employees work hybrid schedules or remotely. From home, I found it much harder to manufacture those happenstance conversations where you might be going to make a cup of coffee and you say, “Hey, glad I saw you. Didn’t you once have a case like this?” or “What do you think about this?” For example, some of our paralegals have said, “if I could have just 2 days a week at home, that would be awesome.” Sure, let’s try it out. Just have a set day so we can plan, but of course, some days we might need you in the office. This flexibility has been a way to meet our employees’ needs while still keeping servicing our clients’ needs as our main priority. Personally, I love to pick up my kids from carpool and when I need to, I will take out my laptop, hook up to VPN (it’s seamless now), and answer emails or get ahead on administrative work. For me, the ability to pivot makes my professional life and personal life balance a lot better because if I want to sit in carpool and still be productive during that downtime, I can. It’s equipped us to be much more flexible.

—Zelma Frederick

Founded in New Orleans, McGlinchey Stafford now has 17 offices nationwide. The firm’s Managing Partner (Michael Ferachi) is here in Baton Rouge, its second-largest office. McGlinchey was named among the “Top Law Firms for Women” this year.

How has the Great Resignation and a remote workforce changed your company?

It’s a

A CITY OF PRIDE, PROGRESS & POSSIBILITIES

St. Gabriel is a city with many advantages. Our public services, our police protection, our youth programs, our senior programs, and our economic development efforts are just a few of the benefits that we take seriously.

Uniquely situated to partner with world class industry, our state’s Capital and our region’s educational powerhouses, St. Gabriel offers our resident’s a lifestyle unlike any other in the Capital Region.

The residents of St. Gabriel, both corporate and residential, have an impact on the city as a whole. Our partnerships are leading us to become a city of excellence and achievement moving forward.

As you can imagine, the legal field is behind the eight-ball in this area. McGlinchey is really proud of our efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially recently. We’re undergoing a rigorous certification program called Mansfield Certification, which aims to give underrepresented candidates better access to jobs, career advancement, and leadership in law firms. We have also been involved with and recognized by an organization called the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) since its founding. Through that partnership, we offer training programs and scholarships for summer clerkships for law students, to give them that early access to the law firm experience. We’ve received the LCLD’s top honor 3 of the past 5 years, and we were named one of the Top Law Firms for Women in 2023. We’ve also expanded our benefits to cover things like domestic partnerships, gender reassignment surgery, and expanded our parental leave policies.

Another thing that we offer from a client-facing standpoint— and that Kristi Richard and I have had success with locally – is thinking creatively to develop flexible arrangements that support small, women- and minority-owned businesses. We want to be with you when you are small and grow with you, so that when you are rocking it, we are there with you, too. We are navigating that process to help set these companies up for success.

—Zelma Frederick

This is an easy one for us. The city of St. Gabriel is actually a majority/minority city. So we naturally check off many of the boxes, but not just with our staff. With our hiring of internal and external staff, and with our contracts, we ensure that there is an element or target that diversity is always met.

—Lionel Johnson

It’s a

St. Gabriel features residential communities and a strong industrial base. It is the newest and now largest city in Iberville Parish, and was incorporated in 1994.

For me, it’s when I traveled in the military and worked in corporate America. My staff in corporate America was 95% women. I saw the resiliency of women and single-parent moms ... so I am trying to bring that to the construction arena, which has been a male dominated space for so many years. You have seen some of our ads where we will have women wearing construction hats. Women can do just about anything a man can do and, in many cases, better. I am just trying to onboard that.

—Craig Stevens

Ochsner Health has been providing high-quality clinical and hospital patient care since 1942, and boasts a team of 36,000 employees and 4,600 providers.

Inclusiveness is one of our six core values. Our workforce is representative of the entire population and different backgrounds mean we get the best product. What we are trying to do is move that forward. How do you do that? With scholarships, mentorship programs, leadership development programs, career ladders, and workforce development initiatives.

—Chuck Daigle

There are so many facets to diversity and inclusion. It’s also about your mindset and background, not just the color or shape of your skin. When I was 30 years old, it was called affirmative action. I went into a male dominant industry, electronics and electricity, because the other fields weren’t interesting to me and I felt I had a better shot at getting a technical job because they needed women in those industries. I never once thought I would be given a job if I wasn’t qualified. I think the mindset that we are looking for is a growth mindset. We want workers to bring their A-game. We want them to play like a pro. Baton Rouge is a majority/ minority city just by virtue of our labor pool demographics. Sometimes you have to zoom out and take everything into consideration.

—Kathy Trahan

We are very close to this issue in our schools in West Feliciana and we are serious about developing our relationships with kids. We have hired young men and women who really don’t know what they want to do and have never had access to the financial world. So we give them an opportunity as an intern or full-time out of high school if they are not looking to go to college, allow them to be a teller or customer service representative, then try to open the doors to lots of careers. Banking will not be the thing for all of them, but look at all these other careers that are out there. They are interacting with all these other businesspeople. So that is something that we have made a priority from a diversity perspective. Being a small town, you get to develop relationships at a deep level and invest in kids, and in that way, you’re investing in the future.

—Carter Leak IV

How are you trying to impact diversity and inclusion in your organization?

It’s a

Craig Stevens has a degree in IT and as an as a officer in the Air Force, he was responsible for implementing IT systems across several platforms. Craig guarantees your technology needs will be handled with precision and attention to detail like no other. Craig and Genesis 360’s commitment to excellence are reflected in their being named Business Awards company of the Year 2022, SBA’s Louisiana Firm of the Year 2022, INC 5000 fastest growing company in America 2022. Craig was also recently awarded SBA’s 2022 Business

People are discovering this hidden jewel that we call St. Gabriel. We have a great community: Even though we are a city, we still have a rural feel with very low crime and a good educational system. Geographically, we are 10 minutes from Tiger Stadium, 10 minutes from the Mall of Louisiana and Tanger Outlet, and 45 minutes from New Orleans. In that regard, we are in a great geographic position. In St. Gabriel, you can come home and be at home and I think that people love that. Our mantra has been, “Come on home to St. Gabriel; we’re closer than you think.”

—Lionel Johnson

McGlinchey is in growth mode overall right now, and the pandemic has caused quite a shake-up in the legal field, as it has for many of us. People are looking for flexibility and a company that cares about them as a person, not just as a worker. My goal for the Baton Rouge office is that we grow and become even more deeply rooted here. Something we are working on locally is addressing the disparity and diversity in the legal profession in general. It is interesting, being a female attorney typically counts as some layer of diversity in the legal community, which is not always in line with other industries. The firm is working hard, and I’m working hard in Baton Rouge specifically, to go beyond that and to think of diversity more holistically. Our office is fortunate to have Southern Law and LSU Law, and we can recruit in New Orleans and Mississippi College and even beyond. But it’s a little bit hard because a lot of that talent doesn’t want to stay in Baton Rouge. So how do I make them fall in love with our family and our culture, so they will want to stay here and make it better here and improve that issue here in our local community?

—Zelma Frederick

Talk about growth: What is driving it & how are

responding? What is the solution?

We have been serving the Capital Region for 45 years and it is exciting to actually open a new branch in Baton Rouge. We have hired some really talented people over the last couple of years. Douglas Dupont has done a great job and we have grown a lot of relationships in Baton Rouge. Putting something on the ground is exciting and we are able to serve people in a fuller capacity and do so by growing.

—Carter Leak IV

Fortunately, we have multiple facilities that are geographically dispersed and positioned to be accessed using multiple routes to save time and energy. We also are nested in many of our major contractors’ offices so that training and pre-employment checks can be done in a timely manner, so they are job-ready sooner and with less travel. We are seeing that because of the shortage of workers, there is an increasing number of workers who go back and forth from Texas to Louisiana and come from other places because these areas are short of a particular skillset. So, the remote training is going to be very helpful for those out of state. We will continue to be as fluid as possible and available 24/7 when and where they need us.

—Kathy Trahan

To crime ...

Education and opportunities for workforce development are key. People have to have hope and a vision. They’ve got to have a path in life that says I am going to be a contributor in society. I am going to be able to support myself and my family if I so choose. The more investment we put in—whether that is education, workforce development or economic growth, it leads to more people with a brighter future, which will lead to less crime. That’s the economic fabric that we have got to focus on.

—Chuck Daigle

It’s a

To the supply chain issue ...

We had a recent situation at an Air Force base where they had an emergency termination for the incumbent for not performing services. They called us to take over the contract (this was in September). We gave them our price and they accepted. But they wanted them to mobilize in 10 days. Where am I going to get $1.7 million of equipment from? So I had my guys in the field and we were going through the newspaper and finding used trucks because we just couldn’t get them from a dealer. We were going to leasing companies and saying, ‘Rather than leasing, can we buy this piece of equipment?’ So we just figured out how to pivot. Once you say yes and sign that contract, it’s all yours so figure it out. And it worked. Pre-pandemic, it would have been easy to go to one dealership and get all our equipment, but that is not a viable solution in today’s market conditions. We realize if you say no, the government or commercial clients, they will just go to the next company who can figure it out. So in my business, the answer is always yes, then figure it out.

—Craig Stevens

you

Bank of St. Francisville is celebrating its 45th Anniversary this year and has opened its first branch in Baton Rouge on Highland Road. Another branch and offices are coming soon.

Difference Makers 10

INDIVIDUALS

WHO ARE ELEVATING BATON ROUGE THROUGH THEIR VISION, WORK AND RESEARCH.

Compiled by JR Ball

Anthony Kimble

IT WOULD BE too easy to suggest Anthony Kimble is a successful developer making an impact by helping revitalize north Baton Rouge. In truth, the hometown guy who left to get an education and play football at Stanford has done so much more since his return. His rise—both in community importance and respect—has been meteoric since raising $5 million in 2020 through friends, family and crowdsourcing to invest in the Baton Rouge community. Included in his portfolio is the restoration of the Electric Depot in Mid City as well as renovating houses in largely neglected areas of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. More than bringing residential and commercial properties back into commerce, Kimble also invests his time teaching the value of wealth building, property ownership and financial literacy to those in the traditionally underserved north Baton Rouge community. Perhaps not well known in every circle—yet—Kimble is one of Baton Rouge’s most important voices.

Founder, CEO • Kimble Properties

Jay Johnson

JAY JOHNSON arrived as CFO of Lamar in October 2019 with significant experience in public companies and—perhaps more importantly—working with capital markets and real estate investors. With Lamar having converted to a REIT five years earlier, Johnson’s expertise and focus on engaging traditional REIT investors—who are typically unfamiliar with out-ofhome advertising—has paid significant dividends for the company. Lamar saw its valuation grow to a record-high of $12.27 billion by the end of 2021, up 48% from the $8.31 billion just prior to his arrival, and as of Dec. 16 sat at $9.54 billion amid a turbulent economic climate. This much is clear: The Bastrop native, who received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a degree in economics from Morehouse College, has been a driving force in the growth of one of Baton Rouge’s most important companies.

Gordon McKernan

GOOD LUCK NOT seeing the name, image or likeness of injury attorney Gordon McKernan around Baton Rouge. He’s everywhere. On billboards. On television commercials. His numerous offices around town are on well-traveled streets, hallmarked by giant flags—including the firm’s headquarters which can’t be missed by drivers slogging along in I-10 traffic. Self-promoting attorneys aren’t exactly new, but McKernan stands out as the very visible face in the new world of college athletics. Since mid-2021 when the rules controlling what student-athletes could earn were suspended, McKernan has gone all-in, signing 39 players (at last count)—including 32 LSU athletes or commitments—to NIL deals. And it’s not just football players; McKernan has agreements with 15 members of the LSU women’s basketball team, making him almost as important to the team’s success as its Hall of Fame coach, Kim Mulkey.

Chief Financial Officer • Lamar Advertising Company

Attorney / Owner • Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys

DON KADAIR

Chris Cummings

CHRIS CUMMINGS IS on a mission to save history—in an innovative way. Inspired by a desire to preserve the stories of his family after his mother was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, Cummings launched Pass It Down in 2015, an award-winning digital exhibit design platform that transforms how museums and cultural institutions engage their visitors. From that venture came Iconic Moments, an NFT marketplace that works with institutions to engage visitors digitally and drive revenue even if the visitor doesn’t enter the building. In short, the company is creating limited-edition NFTs of art and historical records that not only preserve them digitally, but also drive revenue for museums while allowing history to be seen, and shared, by a wider audience. Over the past year, 170-plus institutions—including the White House and the Women’s Suffrage National Monument—from more than 15 counties have either approached or are working with IM. The LSU graduate and a 2022 BREW High-Stakes Pitch winner is also working with Proctor & Gamble, Porsche and Ford Motor Company to bring their respective archives to life. The company is also one of five winners of the United Nations World Summit Award in the category of Best Innovation Globally in Culture and Tourism— and the only winner from the U.S. in any category. In October, IM launched Art Pass, a membership program for the company, and more than 35,000 people signed up for the 1,200 available passes in the first four days.

Founder, CEO • Iconic Moments

Nguyen

WHEN MOST OF us think about the Shell Chemicals Geismar facility what comes to mind is a slew of multisyllable, hard-to-pronounce words—like “ethylene glycol” and “alpha olefins”—that through the wonder of chemistry eventually become products we use in our everyday life. Yet the Ascension Parish compound managed by Louisiana native Dai Nguyen is much more: It’s also a key facility in the evolution of Shell’s global business model, which not only focuses on netzero emissions and sustainable products but also on working more closely with the communities its facilities call home. Growing up in New Orleans, Nguyen’s parents wanted him to become a doctor. Not wanting to go through the long educational grind he opted instead on chemical engineering. Today, the 32-year Shell veteran—motivated by working outside his comfort zone, new challenges and transformation—is tasked with managing the facility that’s at the epicenter of the company’s strategic plans. Nguyen, an advocate for early childhood education, is also heavily involved in the community, sitting on the boards of the Capital Area United Way, BRAC, the Louisiana Chemical Association and The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge.

Dai

General Manager • Shell Chemicals Geismar

Marie Constantin

MARIE CONSTANTIN for most of her adult life has been known as an award-winning photographer who, among other subjects, so beautifully captured the image and spirit of Mother Teresa. She’s been on a new mission in recent years: a citizen activist drive to clean up the trash-filled waters around Baton Rouge while emerging as a leading apostle of a comprehensive stormwater management plan as well as more effective garbage trucks in East Baton Rouge Parish. A member of the Louisiana Stormwater Coalition, Constantin has become the public face—and its most vocal advocate—for the cause. And her work, along with that of her fellow coalition members and allies, is having an impact, shining a bright spotlight on our litter problem and its wideranging impact as well as advocating for best-practice solutions.

Mike Wampold

MIKE WAMPOLD has been making a difference on the Baton Rouge landscape for some two decades, whether it’s taking an eyesore and vandalized abandoned concrete dormitory on one of Baton Rouge’s business thoroughfares and converting it into The Renaissance Hotel, developing downtown’s first spec Class-A office building with II City Plaza or building luxury condos with spectacular lakefront views of LSU. His current projects are equally audacious. Once known at the Chase Towers, Wampold has rebranded them as I & II Rivermark Centre and both will undergo renovation. Though happening in larger downtown settings, Wampold is the first to convert what had been an office tower into a mixed-use I Rivermark Centre, a blend of retail, office and residential. Leasing on one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments located on floors eight through 21 began in September. Equally bold is his mixed-use, quasi-TND Harveston development off Bluebonnet Boulevard near Nicholson Drive. While several phases of the residential side of the project are complete, what makes this project stand out is the scale of the office, retail and commercial projects that will soon begin to break ground. Though Wampold generally prefers to remain out of the spotlight, his resume of impressive residential, multifamily, office and commercial projects makes it hard to keep him off Baton Rouge’s main stage.

COLLIN RICHIE

Citizen Activist • Louisiana Stormwater Coalition

Real Estate Developer • Wampold Companies

Dr. Philip Schauer

IF THERE IS such a thing as rock stars in medicine, then Dr. Philip Schauer is one of them. Known as a pioneer in bariatric surgery and internationally recognized as an expert in the medical fight against obesity and diabetes, Schauer was recruited here in 2021 to work with the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center to put Baton Rouge on the global map in the treatment of obesity and diabetes. A bold goal, no doubt, but why not? Schauer previously played a key role in doing that for the Cleveland Clinic bariatric program, lifting it from nearly last place in Ohio in 2004 to one of the top centers in the world. Prior to his departure, the clinic was in the top 1% in bariatric surgeries performed and tops in the country for bariatric research publications. Schauer believes the program at Metamor has the potential to be larger and more comprehensive than what he helped build in Cleveland. Not only does Louisiana have the highest rate of severe obesity in the U.S., but the strategic plan calls for the facility to be a national and international destination treatment center. A gastric bypass procedure pioneered as a result of research done by Schauer—who has performed more than 8,000 operations for obesity and diabetes—showed that as many as 83% of patients with diabetes can go into full remission after the surgery. Not enough? On the immediate horizon is the opening of the first comprehensive pediatric obesity center in the state, in collaboration with OLOL, as well as the availability of new obesity medications, many of which, Schauer says, were tested at Pennington.

JENNIFER BUTLER was given a first-year target goal after being hired for a newly created position by Postlethwaite & Netterville in 2020 to grow the firm’s existing disaster management and recovery business. Ten months into the job, Butler obliterated the projected number, landing business above that undisclosed number by a four-figure percentage. Recognized as an expert in the disaster recovery field, Butler has spent nearly 20 years in leadership roles with organizations dedicated to preparing for, mitigating and recovering from natural and man-made disasters, including a stint with the Water Institute of the Gulf. No doubt, Butler and her team are an asset for P&N, yet also provide another economic growth opportunity for Baton Rouge. The Capital Region, along with south Louisiana, is known as a national—and often international—leader in numerous areas of disaster and crisis management and Butler is opening another avenue of excellence that aids those in crisis, boosts the bottom line and provides new economic opportunities for the area.

COLLIN RICHIE

Professor of Metabolic Surgery and Director Metamor at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Jennifer Butler

Director of Disaster Management and Recovery • Postlethwaite & Netterville

Dr. Gunjan Raina

THE ONLY FEMALE concierge physician in Baton Rouge, and one of the youngest in the country, Dr. Gunjan Raina is taking a pioneering approach to medicine—and not simply because she’s working in the semi-nascent field of concierge medicine, where patients pay a fee for various conveniences like same-day appointments and 24/7 physician availability. What makes Raina different is the crusadelike mission she’s on to counsel, educate and, when necessary, cajole her patients into leading a healthier physical and emotional lifestyle. As one patient says, “She’s an all-in physician with a passion.” Patients say this is the benefit of having such a close relationship with their primary care doctor, suggesting the $1,800 annual fee is more than offset by a healthier way of living that reduces other medical expenses. Raina, who advocates for vegan and alcohol-free living, is carving out a niche fighting obesity not only with her patients but also through her efforts across the community—as well as in India and Canada where she also practices.

COLLIN RICHIE

Concierge Medicine • Heal 360º / MDVIP

CALMING EFFECT: While the multiple-bid advantage experienced by sellers in mid-2022 is a thing of the past, Kendra Novak, a broker who is also president of the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors, predicts a slowing market won’t swing to one that favors buyers.

rates for higher borrowing costs on their next property.

James says the slowdown may induce less experienced agents or older agents nearing retirement age to drop out of the business. Going the extra mile—following up with past clients, continuing to advertise, posting videos to social media—becomes even more important in a less active market.

“You have to get down to the nitty-gritty,” he says. “A lot of people think this job is easy.”

Wyatt Graves of Kaizen Home Sales & Services says we are moving toward a balanced market but are not there yet.

The supply of new houses is not increasing quickly, Graves says, which makes it harder to shift to a buyer’s market.

“In some cases, it feels like a buyer’s market, but that’s just because it was such a hot seller’s market,” he adds.

Housing’s new normal

BY DAVID JACOBS

EVERYONE WHO PAYS attention to such things knows the housing market in the Capital Region, along with most other places across the country, spent most of last year slowing down.

In November, closed sales in the Baton Rouge area were down about 37% compared to the previous November, while sales were down almost 14% for the year to date, according to the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors.

So what does that mean for 2023? Probably not a housing crash, but when real estate agents and builders were asked about their expectations for the year, “creativity,” “diversification” and “options” for consumers were the most popular buzzwords.

Kendra Novak, the local Realtor association’s new president, says the “crazy frenzy” in which homes are drawing a flurry of multiple

offers, often above the asking price, appears to be over.

But does that mean buyers will have a clear-cut upper hand over sellers? Maybe not. Novak sees more of a correction in which the market is returning to normal.

“I think it’s going to be a balance,” she says. “Sellers aren’t going to just give up everything. Negotiations are still going to be taking place.”

The Capital Region’s housing market has its ups and downs but generally doesn’t see the extreme boom and bust cycles other places sometimes experience. Even the 2008 crash didn’t cause the local market to crater, though the region was not unscathed, notes real estate broker Darren James.

James also sees a “neutral, balanced market” unfolding, adding that his group has been staying busy. Whether that trend tips into a true buyer’s market will depend on mortgage rates, he says.

Average interest rates for home loans ticked down a bit late in 2022 but were still more than double what they were a year before, causing potential buyers nationwide to hesitate. Meanwhile, many sellers are holding off listing their homes, unwilling to trade in their current

Graves says giving customers more options will be key in 2023. He says his firm can help sellers find immediate cash offers for their properties and offers a “fix and list” option for sellers who need to move but can’t afford to upgrade their properties before the sale.

“Our job has shifted to be more of a critical thinker,” he says. “We have to get creative.”

BUILDING IN THE NEW YEAR

Bryan Aucoin, founder of Meridian Homes, started out in the renovation business before moving into custom building. When his phone stopped ringing late last year, he got back into renovations to diversify his revenue.

Sky-high costs for building materials were beginning to come down late last year and Aucoin expects that trend to continue. But he is concerned about new building codes raising the cost of construction, adding that some of the new standards aren’t necessary in south Louisiana’s climate.

“I think that 2023 is going to be very slow,” he says, though he expects things to pick up in 2024. “Everything I do is going to depend on the interest rates.”

The Home Builders Association of Greater Baton Rouge is planning for a weaker 2023 but expects a rebound to begin late in the year or in

DON KADAIR

Drop in annual Baton Rouge-area home sales through November 2022 compared to the previous year.

the first half of 2024, as the Federal Reserve eases off its efforts to tamp down inflation and interest rates fall back, says association President and CEO Karen Zito.

Multifamily and single-family construction is expected to decrease, while remodeling and renovation may see “a nominal gain,” she says. There will be a learning curve as builders and local officials adapt to this year’s code changes, Zito adds.

Distinctive Homes founder Tyler Watson says his firm works to diversify revenue when times are good, so there’s something to fall back on when needed. Having investment properties that produce rental income likely will come in handy this year.

Builders may not be able to rely on spec sales, Watson says, and some who jumped in with both feet back when borrowing money was basically free may find themselves in trouble. He says his company spends some money marketing custom builds, though the benefits must be weighed against the costs; ultimately, positive word of mouth is more valuable.

That said, Watson is hoping for a more “normal” sales pattern by the middle of this year and is predicting a better year for builders than many in the industry.

“We’re going to have to be more creative,” he says. “I don’t think it’s going to be doom and gloom.”

A TUMULTUOUS RIDE

Rising interest rates and a sluggish economy dragged down the 2022 Baton Rouge residential market.

$265K /1,290

$260K /1,200

$255K /1,110

$250K /1,020

$245K /930

$240K /840

$235K /750

$230K /660

COMING SOON

FEBRUARY 2023

Cover Story: Most Expensive Homes

List: Residential Real Estate Firms, Commercial Real Estate Firms

Special Advertising Section: Black History Month, Top Resources in Real Estate

MARCH 2023

Business Awards + Hall of Fame

List: IT Consulting Firms

APRIL 2023

List: Hospitals, Specialty Hospitals, After Hours Clinics, Outpatient PT, Physicians Groups

Special Advertising Section: What’s New in Healthcare, Meet the Physicans Profiles

“In some cases, it feels like a buyer’s market, but that’s just because it was such a hot seller’s market.”

WYATT GRAVES, owner-broker, Kaizen Home Sales & Services

THERE’S A GOOD chance you’ve heard MasteryPrep’s origin story by now. Baton Rouge High School graduate Craig Gehring earned perfect scores on the ACT and SAT college admission tests, but rather than attending an elite university, he started a test-prep company.

After about a decade in business, MasteryPrep opened its next chapter in November when New York City education investment firm Achieve Partners bought the Baton Rouge company. While the price was not disclosed, the parties involved say the investment is substantial and will allow the firm to expand its workforce and its reach to more students.

Master of his domain

“MasteryPrep is a double-bottom-line company,” Gehring says. “We’re a business, but we’re very focused on creating a social good, and Achieve is directly aligned to our mission and our ethos.”

The sale is also a win for MasteryPrep’s local investors, who will receive a cash payout, equity in the new version of the company or a mix of both. Some of that money will find its way back into the local entrepreneurial ecosystem in 2023, helping to stand up or grow other companies.

The acquisition sends a message to local entrepreneurs, potential entrepreneurs, and anyone who might be in a position to financially support their efforts: It can happen here.

“The hope is that those returns are going to find their way back as seed money for more entrepreneurs in the area,” Gehring says. “I hope that we’re part of a virtuous cycle.”

SPREADING THE WEALTH

BY DAVID JACOBS

MasteryPrep provides college readiness services and resources preparing students for the SAT, ACT, TSIA-2, EOC and WorkKeys tests, partnering with schools and districts to help level the standardized

assessment playing field, the company says.

MasteryPrep has ranked among the Inc. 5000 “Fastest Growing Companies” for several years. Business Report named Gehring “Young Businessperson of the Year” for 2020.

While a sale to an out-of-state firm often means the local company is moving away, Gehring plans to keep his home base at the Nexus Louisiana Tech Park on Florida Boulevard. Stephen Loy, executive director for the tech park, says Gehring will continue to serve as a coach for other entrepreneurs at the park, adding that the acquisition will spur reinvestment into other Louisiana startups.

“You have one acquisition, one company that is successful and spreads out the wealth,” Loy says.

“Those people either create other companies or invest that wealth in other companies because this one was successful.”

This is the second significant exit for a portfolio company of Innovation Catalyst, a local nonprofit venture development organization that works to promote formation of new tech companies. The first was Waitr, now known as ASAP.

CEO Bill Ellison says Innovation Catalyst took 10% of its return in equity and 90% in cash, which can now be invested in other early-stage companies. OfficerReports, a tech park firm that provides software for security guard companies and is expanding into supporting remote work for all sorts of businesses, is the first beneficiary, he says.

“The return was pretty substantial relative to what we put in originally,” says board chair Veneeth Iyengar. “This is exactly how this process is supposed to work.”

Ellison, who also directs the Red Stick Angel Network, says Gehring was the first entrepreneur to pitch Red Stick’s accredited investors in January 2020.

“You could tell Craig was just a superstar,” Ellison says. “Everyone liked his vision and how he was going about achieving it.”

He says most investors would prefer to bet on a “grade A” founder with a “C-type company” rather than the other way around.

SMART MOVE : Craig Gehring passed on attending an elite university to launch MasteryPrep and eventually sold the company a decade later a win for investors who backed his vision.

“A good founder can make a lot of hay with a company that doesn’t have a fantastic business model,” Ellison says. “In Craig’s case, it’s a fantastic jockey and a fantastic horse.”

The bet paid off sooner than anyone expected when MasteryPrep issued the Red Stick investors a dividend in year two, which is basically unheard of, Ellison says. They’re now getting an exit after less than three years, rather than the seven to 10 years that would be more typical. Some eschewed cash and took only equity, choosing to let it ride with the expectation of future growth.

THE CAPITAL PIPELINE

Startup funding is in a global slowdown. Venture capital investment for the third quarter of 2022 totaled $81 billion, down by $90 billion (53%) year over year and by $40 billion (33%) quarter over quarter, according to Crunchbase News. However, optimists say the $290 billion of committed capital to VC firms represents “dry powder” that could reenergize the startup market

in 2023, the Harvard Business Review notes.

The Capital Region has never been a magnet for VC funding, nor does it have many angel investors.

The region has plenty of wealthy people, they just don’t necessarily include early-stage tech-enabled companies as part of their portfolio, Ellison says.

But investors across south Louisiana made a killing with MasteryPrep, which could inspire

others to adjust their thinking. The Red Stick group started with 18 investors and now has more than 40 members, and Ellison hopes to grow that number this year. And the federal government is sending up to $113 million our way through the State Small Business Credit Initiative. Louisiana entities can use the money to match privately raised funds to invest in startups, Ellison says, though strings will of course be attached

SPREAD YOUR WINGS Tips for aspiring angel investors

Make sure you’re qualified Accredited investors need to have earned more than $200,000 (or $300,000 with a spouse) in each of the last two years and reasonably expect to earn the same for the current year, or have a net worth over $1 million individually or with a spouse, excluding the value of a primary residence.

Know where to find deals. Many angel investors have a network of founders and entrepreneurs in their area of expertise or participate with an established group. The Angel Capital Association can help you find a group to join, while organizations such as AngelList, Angelsoft, Funding Post and Microventures showcase investment opportunities.

Pelican Advisory Group is a comprehensive risk & wealth management firm located in Baton Rouge, LA. Established in 1991 by Randall Richardson, we have grown to a team of over a hundred experienced specialists providing a blend of sophisticated insurance and risk management strategies, wealth management and business planning concepts.

We’re dedicated men and women focused on offering our partners and clients intelligent ideas for growing and keeping assets across generations and lifetimes.

and it could take years to fully deploy those dollars.

Local entrepreneurs often say there isn’t enough startup capital here, while investors sometimes say there aren’t enough worthwhile deals. This year, we might begin to find out who’s right.

“In the coming months, there are going to be a lot of funds with a lot of money,” Ellison says. “Are we going to have enough deal flow? That’s a good question.”

Practice due diligence. What are they going to do with the money? Who are the other investors? Do they have a minimum viable product? You’re an angel, not a bank or a venture capital fund, so you can sit on the sidelines as long as you want until you find a deal that you like.

Check the resumé. Some investors say they’re mainly betting on the founders’ talent and drive, not so much the business plan.

Be patient. You might have to wait 10 years or more before that startup is ready to make a rewarding exit.

Spread the wealth. Angel investing is risky because startups often fail. Some angels invest in dozens of companies in hopes of finding that shooting star that makes it all worthwhile.

Aiming Higher

If you’re looking for better ideas for you and your business, give us a call.

Pictured from left to right are Cristin Page, Nicole House, Seth Richardson, Beth Davis, Michelle Owens, Kevin Richardson, Sean Davis, Mark Bagwell, Lisa Richardson, Randall B. Richardson, and Matthew Theriot.

Investment advice through Pelican Investment Advisors, LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Pelican Investment Advisors, LLC is not a Broker/Dealer.

BY ERIC L. TAYLOR

WHEN SWOZ CONSULTING

CEO Scott Wozniak was first starting out on his career path he had big dreams and a grand vision. But he soon realized that good intentions are not enough to become successful. Since then, he’s worked with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Disney, Nucor Steel and Chick-fil-A, and learned the essential, real-world strategies that make them successful.

Wozniak will be the keynote speaker at Business Report’s Elevate Your Leadership & Your Team 2023 event Feb. 1 at HPC Arena. In his presentation, he’ll reveal the

systems and methods that legendary brands use to turn regular customers into raving fans.

Business Report recently spoke to Wozniak to find out more about his leadership philosophy and what it takes to turn any organization into a legendary brand.

Q: What got you interested in how brands become successful?

A: I had the wonderful blessing and unique opportunity of being exposed to some big brands early on. In high school, I knew the Cathy family that owns Chick-fil-A, as well several other families in that category. My friends were titans of industry. That early exposure to greatness is what got me interested. I learned about how they work. My familiarity with them gave me the audacity to think that I could figure out what greatness looks like. I started off working for nonprofits. I saw that their leaders had grand dreams and designs about changing the world, but realized that their methods simply weren’t working. That’s when I realized that having a grand vision is a necessary component if you want to go be great, but it’s not sufficient. This was one of my biggest insights.

Q: You often talk about how a business can become a “legendary brand,” but how do you define that term?

A: A legendary brand is a brand that defines its category. It’s the one that everyone else benchmarks themselves against. It’s a brand that has raving fans, not just satisfied customers. They love the brand, talk about it all the time and it’s emotionally important to them. Yes, legendary brands are financially successful. But becoming a legendary brand is less about chasing money and more about creating an amazing customer experience that turns into really cool financials downstream. A legendary brand has two engines. We have a customer experience engine and an employee engagement engine. Each is a predictable system where you “wow” your customers and engage your employees. If you can do

that predictably, then you can become a legend in your category.

Q: Can a small business become a legendary brand, or is it something that only global companies can achieve?

A: Any business can 100% become a legendary brand. When we think of legendary brands, we typically think of global brands. But I’ve helped a wide variety of companies become a legendary brand. If you’re a Baton Rouge construction firm, you just need Baton Rouge to think of you as the legendary brand in the local construction space. If you’re a Baton Rouge restaurant, it doesn’t matter whether the Atlanta crowd thinks you’re hot or not. You just need Baton Rouge people to walk in your doors. You don’t have to be globally famous to be successful. Local fame is just as valuable to you as the global kind.

Q: How do most leaders fall short of making their organization a legendary brand?

A: The single most common mistake I see leaders make is thinking that the organization’s success is tied to how hard they themselves work. But everyone works hard. The leaders who don’t work hard go out of business. In the early stages, when you’re just starting a company, then your success is somewhat dependent on how hard you work. However, when you shift into a leadership role, your job is no longer to do the work yourself but to make everyone else better at doing their work. If a leader can’t overcome that, then the business can’t be great, no matter how good.

Q: How does someone know whether they’re a good leader?

A: They can ask themselves two questions: First, do they see that there’s deeper meaning, satisfaction and joy in being a leader who has a positive impact by empowering others? Second, do they know how to do it? My passion is answering those questions by giving leaders the tactics and tools they need to make their brand legendary.

PROVEN RECORD: Scott Wozniak, CEO of Swoz Consulting, has worked with some of the world’s most known brands including Disney and Chick-fil-A.

MISSIONBR

SPONSORED BY:

EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY

You Search – We Find!

The nationally acclaimed East Baton Rouge Parish Library continues to expand services for the business community.

Our resources deliver up-to-date training and new tech initiatives so local businesses’ employment and research needs are met at a level that helps them compete globally.

The Library is a community service organization that provides access and connects people to information, resources, materials, technology, and experiences to make a positive difference in their lives.

Our Main Library and 13 branches provide programs and resources for all ages that add to the quality of life for business professionals and their families.

The Library’s SMALL BUSINESS SERVICE includes free programs, resources and tools to help your business grow, and

offers free one-on-one consultations with Business Librarians.

They can guide you in the use of robust tools such as Reference USA, Mergent Intellect, and Gale Business: Plan Builder, a step-by-step online planning tool for starting, managing and optimizing your business or nonprofit. They can even offer concierge service to design a curated collection of Continuing Ed courses for you and your staff. Contact them at smallbusiness@ebrpl.com.

As we grow our workforce development and emerging technology offerings, the Library also diligently strives to assist in the forward momentum of Baton Rouge’s development. We will continue responding to your needs, working toward growth and development.

Check us out at ebrpl.com.

Crowned the parks and recreation national champion in 2022, BREC won the prestigious Gold Medal for excellence in park and recreation management for the third time in its history.

Founded in 1946, BREC spent the past 76 years creating a system to improve the health, environment and quality of life for all residents in East Baton Rouge Parish.

BREC

BREC was among the first in the nation to achieve national accreditation and has been reaccredited every five years since meeting 150 rigorous standards.

BREC offers 175 parks with a unique mix of facilities which mirror the rich history and natural resources in the region including a state-of the art children’s museum, swamp nature center, zoo, historic home, observatory, performing arts

theatre, equestrian park, art gallery, arboretum, botanic garden, five golf courses, and a 30,000 square foot extreme sports park.

Since the community approved the Imagine Your Parks plan in 2004, BREC constructed twelve community parks, six dog parks, a family-sized water park, a growing trails system, two new conservation parks, seven splash pads and much more.

“I believe parks are the solution

Back, from left: Aneatra Boykin, Andrea Roberts, Jim Fleshman, Mike Raby, Dr. RaHarold Lawson and Tracy Fountain. Front, from left: Brandon Smith, Superintendent Corey Wilson and Reed Richards.

to almost everything as they bring diverse people together, make communities safer, provide protection against flooding, attract young professionals and new business while contributing to economic development,” BREC Superintendent Corey K. Wilson says.

“We are excited about all of the transformational projects underway right now and are preparing to kickoff of a year-long planning process

to create a third Imagine Your Parks master/strategic plan. We could not succeed without the support of our community and believe your input is the secret to our success. As we like to say, ‘You imagined, we delivered Gold.’”

We will soon ask you to imagine with us again as we continue working to make East Baton Rouge a better place to live, work and play. Please visit brec. org/GoldMedal to learn more.

VINFORMATIX

Vinformatix is a woman-owned technology company in a maledominated industry. We develop next generation tech solutions for public sector agencies, nonprofits and private businesses. With a team as diverse as our community, we’re dedicated to putting Baton Rouge on the map for top tech cities.

Over the years, Vinformatix supported several nonprofits, including The United Way, Young Entrepreneurs Academy, American Heart Association, Walls Project and others.

Our CEO Padma Vatsavai serves as Chair of East Baton Rouge Parish School System Foundation Board to help students achieve

success. She also serves on the board of the Baton Rouge General Hospital Foundation.

We aggressively go after and win federal contracts, bringing new capital into our economy and providing exciting challenges to our local workforce. This is how Baton Rouge attracts and retains top talent—by creating opportunities for diverse individuals and building a more equitable future for all of us.

At Vinformatix, we know that running a successful business is more than increasing revenue—it’s supporting our local community. That’s why we’re as dedicated to supporting Baton Rouge as we are to serving our customers.

Vinformatix CEO Padma Vatsavai

SUPERIOR GRILL

For the past three decades, Superior Restaurant Group has been positively impacting Louisiana communities through quality food, excellent service, and a spirit of giving. Superior Grill on Highland Road quickly became a local favorite for sizzling fajitas and fresh margaritas after opening its doors in 2017. From happy hours to memorable meals, Highland Road Superior is the place to eat in Baton Rouge.

But Highland Road Superior’s commitment to excellent service goes beyond the dining room. The restaurant is actively involved in the Baton Rouge community as a supporter and friend of

various charitable organizations, including Best Dressed Ball and Blue Ribbon Soiree with the American Cancer Society, and several different local educational institutions.

“The restaurant industry is committed to service, and for us, that means a lot more than offering great food in a fun atmosphere,” says Brian Whitley, General Manager of Highland Road Superior. “When we opened five years ago, it was important to us to give back to the community that welcomed us, and we’ll continue to carry that philosophy with us as we grow. We want Baton Rouge to know we’re here, and we care about our neighbors.”

ALZHEIMER’S SERVICES OF THE CAPITAL AREA

Since 1983, Alzheimer’s Services has been the local resource for those affected by Alzheimer’s in the Greater Baton Rouge area.

Through educational events, support groups, and social events for those impacted, we provide a hand to hold and guidance to navigate the Alzheimer’s journey. We also offer respite relief for caregivers through Charlie’s Place Activity and Respite Centers in Baton Rouge and Gonzales or the Respite Reimbursement Program, which provides funds for inhome respite.

We strive to always be the proactive example for best practices in dementia care to meet the needs of those we serve.

Increasing awareness of our organization and the help we can provide as early as

possible can assist caregivers in making plans to provide the best quality of life for their loved ones, while also alleviating unnecessary stress.

Dr. Jamie Huysman, PsyD, LCSW, CFT, has noted that “education is the least offensive, least intrusive way to connect meaningfully to caregivers.”

Alzheimer’s Services is dedicated to providing education programs and support services in an effort to teach, care for, and connect with those in our community affected by Alzheimer’s and other memory-related impairments.

We look forward to continuing to be the local one stop resource for those affected by Alzheimer’s and their caregivers through continually expanding and improving programs and services.

Alzheimer’s Services’ Directors: Treasure White, Respite Director; Barbara Auten, Executive Director; and Debbie Little, Development Director. Not shown is Ellen Dunn, Program Director

BATON ROUGE ALLIANCE FOR STUDENTS

CEO Adonica Pelichet Duggan

At the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students, we believe an excellent education is every child’s birthright. We focus on empowering families, elevating communities, and engaging leaders for student success.

We aim to ensure Baton Rouge’s bright future by uplifting the potential of every child in every area of our community.

We believe our city must commit to choosing young people over adults by creating a community where all students can receive an excellent education. We must ensure students are at the forefront of school improvement decisions in Baton Rouge.

We also believe families deserve agency in partnering with schools to ensure student success. Our Baton Rouge Youth Voice Initiative engaged over 500 students about the education they were

receiving and helped amplify student voices for change.

Recognizing that our work is best done in service to and partnership with the community, last year, we invested in building community and supporting organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for Baton Rouge students and their families. These Community Building Grants were a commitment to further the Alliance’s goal of creating a strong and vibrant community.

Finally, we believe that real change can only be achieved by uniting a diverse student-centered coalition of engaged leaders.

Our CHANGEMAKERS network has grown to over 125 community leaders and advocates who have gained a better understanding of education in Baton Rouge through leadership development.

FACILITIES MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT

Steven Davis, CEO and Frank Feduccia, Controller

Quality. Teamwork. Pride. Passion. Integrity.

Those are Facilities Maintenance Management’s core values.

And we live by those values not only in our business, but in our giving and philanthropic efforts.

Our company is proud to work with the Bella Bowman Foundation, among other charities in the Baton Rouge and surrounding areas.

FMM’s partnership with the Bella Bowman Foundation has been going strong for more than 10 years. Kim and Trey Bowman have been wonderful to

work with. Their commitment to the foundation that creates and supports research initiatives for pediatric brain cancer, funds educational opportunities and offers nonmedical comfort care to sick children and the families who care for them is second to none. The joy and happiness this foundation brings to children and families who are faced with health challenges is heartwarming, to say the least.

FMM is proud to partner with the Bella Bowman Foundation and looks forward to bringing smiles to children’s faces in some of the more difficult times of their lives and the lives of those who care for them.

GUARANTEE RESTORATION SERVICES

Guarantee Restoration Services has served the Greater Baton Rouge area since 1974. Initially, we began as a carpet cleaning business and evolved throughout the 1980s and 1990s to be able to better serve the city’s needs by focusing more on fire and water damage restoration.

The impact we have had starts with our employees and building our team. Our company has grown through adapting, advancing and continuing education. We pride ourselves on the company culture that we have created. As we have focused on professional growth, we have also grown as a company. Almost 49 years later, we have five strategically located offices

in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, and Jackson and Gulfport, Mississippi.

Over the past six years, there have been several weather events that have really brought GRS to the next level. From the Great Flood of 2016 to Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Ida, we have the experience and expertise to handle any size loss from water, fire, mold, or any other property damage emergency.

As we look to the future and the next 10 years, we expect to add three to five new facilities. These areas include Shreveport, Louisiana; Lake Charles, Louisiana; Pensacola, Florida; and Mobile, Alabama. Our team looks forward to serving our communities and ensuring continuity of lives and businesses for years to come.

CEO Shawn Folks stands in the vault warehouse of his company’s corporate headquarters on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge.

INVESTAR BANK

Asense of commitment to community and service remains at the heart of Investar Bank’s mission. Since its founding in 2006, the bank recognizes that success reflects its connections and relationships with customers and communities. Staying connected to customers and the causes that impact our communities remains a priority as the bank grows and expands across the southeast.

In 2022, Investar Bank committed more than $250,000 to 140 local organizations across its communities. From education and the arts to economic development and medical research, the bank supports local groups with resources to help improve and better serve their communities.

Through its in-house Affordable Housing Grants program, the bank funded 22 grants totaling $52,323. These grants provided low to moderate-income

first-time homebuyers with down payment or closing cost assistance.

The bank’s culture of commitment goes beyond simply providing monetary support by encouraging staff to get involved and give back. Last year, Investar Bank employees logged nearly 500 volunteer hours with 55 local organizations, embracing the institution’s call and commitment to service.

As the banking industry evolves, Investar Bank will continue developing innovative ways to deliver its products and services anchored by a commitment to serve customers and our communities.

“For us, it’s about relationships,” says President & CEO John D’Angelo. “Our mission is founded on building relationships that create value and opportunities for customers and their communities. We do this through our commitment to community service.”

John D’Angelo

President & CEO and Holly Hidalgo-DeKeyzer, Regional President & Executive Vice President.

LOUISIANA SECRETARY OF STATE –COMMERCIAL DIVISION

When Louisianians visit the Secretary of State’s office, the Commercial Division is their first stop.

The division has several key responsibilities: to provide Louisiana businesses timely and efficient service in the certification and registration of documents; the processing of legal services documents and communication of business licensing information and to make such information concerning these business entities available to the public; and to ensure the quality of the notary database.

Any residents of Louisiana who would like

to become a notary public start the process with the Secretary of State’s Office. While the Commercial Division’s office is the physical front door to the Secretary of State’s office, geauxBIZ serves as the virtual front door. geauxBIZ is the division’s service that gives current and potential business owners a single place to go for all the necessary information to operate within the state. It is a perfect example of streamlining a process to help the consumer—in this case, business owners. Approval for all licenses and permits still comes from the individual agencies, but geauxBIZ is a clearinghouse for regulatory information.

Tricia Wood, Commercial Specialist; Kiyana Patton, Commercial Manager; Amanda Baker, Commercial Administrator; Jewel Moore, Assistant Commercial Administrator; and Quincy Mouton, Small Business Liaison

EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH HOUSING AUTHORITY

What impact is EBRPHA having on Baton Rouge?

East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority (EBRPHA) is investing in Baton Rouge’s future by bringing capital investments to build sustainable neighborhoods, families, and lives. Through substantial public and private investments, EBRPHA is creating revitalized communities surrounded by services that families need to move up the economic ladder.

EBRPHA has access to federal funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The agency was also awarded a $30 million Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) grant to transform the Ardendale neighborhood. EBRPHA injects another $32 million annually with property owners to provide quality housing to our families.

With public-private partnerships, EBRPHA will invest $480 million in the Baton Rouge economy over the next five years.

EBRPHA and Partners Southeast, its real estate development arm, work collaboratively to transform neglected neighborhoods and the lives of families who live there.

The efforts EBRPHA and Partners Southeast are augmented by a diverse group of community organizations to provide ACCESS to education, health and wellness, career opportunities, recreation, and arts.

With these tremendous resources, families gain stability, upward mobility, and a better quality of life.

EBRPHA is grateful to public and private partners who support our mission. Together, we are changing lives in Baton Rouge.

East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority Board of Commissioners Dianna Payton and Al Barron at the new Cypress Pinchback.

THE DAWN OF a new year is a time for resolutions. Most of us make them. Or resolve to avoid them.

Setting the cynical among us aside, January is the place to be for the hope springs eternal crowd.

Possibilities too daunting in December today seem easy-peasy. Just add determination, willpower and a dash of grit.

Flush bank accounts, that corner office with a view, a sub-4-hour marathon and a killer beach-worthy body are all there for the taking when the Earth starts its new orbit around the sun.

Hell, we even understand crypto in January.

An economic development resolution

Humbug to crooner Andy Williams, January is the most wonderful time of the year.

Unfortunately, January’s joy too often gives way to the forlorn of February. It’s the month where—for many of us—dreams go to die.

Twenty-eight demoralizing days of devolution and despair.

February is the month where the bank account will forever rise with the arrival of the next paycheck before the balance gets flushed as the maxed-out credit card bills arrive. It’s the month where we’re still toiling in the soulless green cubicle, the only sub-4-hour running we’re doing is four laps around the track and our body remains that of a beached killer whale.

I’m one of these people and have a drawer full of discarded gym membership cards, a shelf or two crammed with mint condition self-improvement books and wardrobes ranging from semi-fat to extra fat to double fat proving the point.

That’s in the past.

Let’s resolve to be different this year.

If not for you or me, do it for the greater good. Do it for the kids.

We’re Baton Rouge, dammit. The next great American city.

Surely, we can aside our history of personal resolution incompetence and come together as a united community to make Baton Rouge better at something on the business front.

Can’t we?

Try this on for size: Let’s come up with a comprehensive—and realistic—economic development strategy our children and grandchildren can be proud of. You know, the very people fleeing our fair city and parish in alarming numbers.

Seriously, isn’t it time we stopped relying almost exclusively on the spoils of the petrochemical industry and a uniquely powerful public sector for our economic way of life?

To be clear, I’m not knocking the carbon capturing, blue hydrogen producing, chemical compounding ecstasy that is our industrial sector. It’s an economic gorilla that’s powering a lot of jobs—both inside and outside of those heavily-gated, vapor-belching plants—not to mention making quite a few folks pretty darn wealthy.

I get it, somebody’s got to keep all those engineers, industrial contractors, white collar attorneys and financial advisers in business—not to mention gobble up those million-dollar homes and cover those five-figure private school tuition tabs. But show me the rule that says we’ve got to remain an economic one-hit wonder.

Must that be our destiny?

What about festivus for the rest of us?

Not everyone can be a personal injury attorney, work at an Amazon warehouse or win the public sector lottery by scoring one lucrative government contract after another.

Most importantly, how’s what we’ve been doing since the dawn of I-10 congestion working out for us?

Show me where Baton Rouge

is the envy of anyone outside of our football-loving banana republic in a single economic ranking of consequence.

While we wait for an answer, consider this: What does Baton Rouge and the Capital Region have to offer on the economic diversity front?

Set aside, for now, those Silicon Bayou dreams we fool ourselves into believing, and, instead, focus on areas ripe for growth in the here and now.

The good news is we already know the opportunities: health care or life sciences, cybersecurity, water management and disaster management.

Baton Rouge has solid foundations in each of those sectors, but what’s the all-encompassing growth strategy? Not within each respective institution, but something holistic that includes every facet of growing the economy and boosting our quality of life?

Who’s responsible for the aspirational vision board to inspires us, connect the intertwining dots and illustrate how what we’ve been fantasizing about for more than a decade can actually come to pass?

Few places like a good study or plan like Baton Rouge. We’ve got a gazillion of them collecting dust in file cabinets scattered across the city.

Diversifying an economy, it seems to me, requires a detailed game plan—complete with bullet points, flow charts and Canva-generated presentations.

Where is ours?

What’s our step-by-step blueprint?

It also wouldn’t hurt if we stopped lamenting the need for a vibrant entrepreneur ecosystem and maybe got around to the business of actually building it.

Achieve what’s right in front of us and, if successful, those pie-inthe-sky dreams might have a shot of coming true.

This seems like a resolution worth making—and keeping.

Remember … it’s for the kids.

JR Ball is the associate publisher and executive editor of Business Report.

Surely, we can aside our history of personal resolution incompetence and come together as a united community to make Baton Rouge better at something on the business front.

A NEW YEAR always provides a fresh start, giving rise to bright hopes and dreams for the next 12 months. (My sixth grandchild is due to arrive in July, so I am already excited.) We each can choose our mindset: Is the glass half full or half empty?

An optimist, my belief is things can and will get better. I couldn’t get out of bed if forced to think otherwise. What is your mindset for 2023?

No doubt, there are real challenges facing our city, state and country, and many are not easily overcome. But we still live in the greatest nation on earth and have conquered tough times before. Do you remember?

This is a big election year in Louisiana with voters choosing a new governor and state Legislature. What will be your voting criteria:

What does 2023 hold for Louisiana and Baton Rouge?

Leaders with vision and aspirational goals, those you simply think will win—or the good ‘ol boys (and girls) who will make room for you at the trough and prefer doing things “the way we’ve always done them before?”

We must aim much higher than that for Louisiana to compete in a global economy. We owe that to our children and grandchildren in 2023. That’s on you and me.

Fact is, the challenge to embrace change, innovate and create doesn’t start this fall with an election of politicians. That goal will be accomplished more by parents, teachers, mentors, executives and entrepreneurs—like you and me. That is

REFLECTIONS AN OPEN HEAVEN

who can bring about change every day in our homes, schools, companies and community. You can make the difference in 2023. It starts now.

BE BOLD, PLANT NOW FOR THE FUTURE

It’s time for the Capital City to be bold and have aspirational goals for the future. We must build on assets like Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Water Institute of the Gulf and Water Campus, a vibrant downtown, the health district and the lakes project. Aim high. World class.

As stated in the 40th anniversary issue, my dreams remain to have a safe, clean city with a city manager or administrator running the day-to-day of local government while working with a Metro Council with at-large districts. “Choice” should be the key word when providing education options for our children, whether that’s charters, magnets, focused choice schools, private, vouchers or well-performing traditional public schools. My dreams include a strong ecosystem for entrepreneurs, a real City Park, synchronized traffic signals and a signature attraction, like the once proposed ALIVE, on the riverfront.

It’s way past time to be bold, take risks, aim high and make things happen in BR.

I have previously written about missed opportunities in our city from decades ago. But a Chinese proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.”

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

Here’s an idea for our three parishwide elected officials to embrace, based on the adage, “United we stand, divided we fall.”

I would ask the mayor-president, district attorney and sheriff to

HEBREWS 3:16 expresses the value gained when a person draws near to God: “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We are always in need of grace and mercy, and there is a throne of grace that dispenses both as one draws near. We have a high priest, Jesus, who can sympathize with our weaknesses. Jesus was fully God, yet fully human and tempted in all things as we are—yet without sin. This is why we

co-chair a Leadership Roundtable that regularly meets to collaborate on major issues facing our community while discussing how each could contribute solutions for the greater good. A rising tide lifts all boats. They could also share aspirational goals for the parish, helping us aim high while inspiring us about our future.

The group would also include specific leaders as well as representatives of key institutions and organizations that not only have critical resources but also add diversity and wider perspectives—while increasing the odds of innovative ideas.

Here is a suggestion of roundtable members, though I mention a few other considerations at the end: the mayor-president, district attorney, sheriff, our two congressmen, Baton Rouge police chief, Baton Rouge fire chief, mayor pro tem, head of Baton Rouge area legislative delegation, chief district judge, superintendent of East Baton Rouge schools and the heads of LSU, Southern University, Baton Rouge Community College, BREC, Metropolitan Airport, Port of Greater Baton Rouge, the parish library system, Baton Rouge Area Foundation, BRAC and United Way.

Young people must also have a voice, so perhaps add the president of Forum 225 or others. I also believe representatives from the faith and health care communities need to be included. This would be a powerhouse group that when aligned could accomplish anything for our Capital Region.

Having our leaders around the table to build relationships and respectfully discuss issues as a team united—for all citizens to hear— could set a great example and provide a platform for bold solutions in 2023 and beyond. Will we try something new? Let’s take the risk.

can draw near. For we have a sympathizing Savior who will give grace and mercy to us in time of need, for Jesus received them from the Father when He was in need. Jesus was tempted like we are, and it’s why we need grace and mercy in times of testing. For grace and mercy equip us in those times of need to withstand sin in those moments of temptation.

Beloved, draw near to an “open heaven” and receive grace and mercy!

—Jeff Mitchell, Retired COL and Army Chaplain

This feature is a tribute in honor of Business Report founders, Rolfe McCollister Sr. & Rolfe McCollister Jr.

Rolfe McCollister Jr. is chairman emeritus of Business Report and a contributing columnist.

40

Years

Rooted in the Baton Rouge Community

The

We hope you will enjoy learning something new about this Baton Rouge gem, which turns 40 this month.

Our story begins with a group of ladies at St. James Episcopal Church, who began thinking and praying about how they might find a way to meet the needs of a rapidly growing senior population. After researching ideas from around the country, they came upon a fairly new concept, the Continuing Care Retirement Community (today known as a Life Plan Community, or LPC). A LPC was a great answer as it offers gracious, active, worry-free living with all levels of care on one campus and lifetime financial security. St. James Place opened in January 1983 as the first LPC in Louisiana

The St. James Place story is one of blessings and continuous reinvention, responding to new innovations and changing needs and desires of its current and future residents. Today, our 52-acre scenic campus looks as if it was recently built, offering an award-winning lifestyle and state-of-the-art services. We are proud to be part of the Baton Rouge community and are excited about our future.

Blessings, DICK WAGER President and CEO

LEGACY ... A Gift to Families

Forty years ago, Mimi Riché received what she calls the best gift ever from her parents. Now, she is passing it on to her own children. This special gift is moving to St. James Place—where residents and their families can take comfort in knowing everything they need to enjoy long, healthy lives is never far away.

Riché’s parents moved to St. James Place in 1983 soon after it opened. Today, she and her husband Guy are just two of several second-generation “legacy residents.”

“We knew this was where we wanted to end up because we both had great experiences with our parents,” Mimi says.

Guy has fond memories of bringing his grandchildren to visit his mother while she lived at St. James Place. “She would put the baby in her lap, and she had an electric wheelchair,” he recalls. “And she’d zip around, and the baby just loved it.”

Lee and Barrie Griffin are another second-generation couple at St. James Place. “They made great friends here, and the food was good,” Lee says of his mother and his wife’s parents. “They had all kind of activities, and we saw them enjoy life.”

When the time came, their parents progressed from independent living to nursing care. “Knowing that type of care was available onsite was comforting,” Lee says.

Linda Roy’s mother lived a happy, active 20 years at St. James Place. At the age of 100, she was queen of St. James Place’s annual Mardi Gras parade. “It made my husband and I realize that this was where we wanted to be,” says Linda, who now lives at St. James Place, too. “Just coming here and eating dinner with her on Sundays and talking with the staff, we saw that this is pretty close to perfect.”

After the deaths of her mother and her husband, Aaron, Linda was especially thankful to be in such a supportive, stress-free environment. “It’s been such a lifesaver for me,” she says. “We have no responsibilities here. Aaron used to say, ‘It’s like living on a cruise ship.’ You can eat three meals a day. Somebody comes to clean your apartment. And you always have friends around.”

Lee and Barrie Griffin

Mimi and Guy Riché

“Living here has been a gift to my children, just as it was to me when my mother moved here.”

— Linda Roy, current resident

A Secure Life Care Contract

Seniors who move to St. James Place under one of three Life Care Contracts, often in their 70s, come to enjoy maintenance-free living with activities, entertainment, delicious meals and socialization. They are fully independent and with everything they need all in one place, they enjoy an active lifestyle filled with fun and friendship in inviting, secure spaces—and none of the hassles that come with caring for a home or managing evolving health needs.

“Beyond the lifestyle, there is that peace of mind that knowing that as you age and things change, you have all the care and support you need right here,” says President and CEO Dick Wager. “It’s very comforting for residents, but also for their families. They don’t have to worry about a thing.”

The Life Care plan provides many benefits that are not available with a regular “retirement community.” As Baton Rouge’s only Life Plan Community, St. James Place has features and services designed to help residents remain independent as long as possible. And when necessary, there is a wellness clinic, rehab services, assisted living, memory care, and nursing care all on one campus.

Life Care residents pay a one-time entrance fee that helps cover a lifetime of health care costs. “It keeps their future health care expenses lower and more predictable,” says Director of Sales Judy Perry. “There is also a monthly service fee that covers meals, utilities, housekeeping, building and grounds maintenance, transportation and more.”

St. James Place offers many opportunities for residents to socialize—from exercise classes and educational trips to parties and happy hours.

A common refrain among residents is:

“Why didn’t we move here sooner?”

There are many ways St. James Place enriches the lives of its residents. Besides the camaraderie among residents, there is a long list of amenities: a state-of-the-art fitness center, heated pool, nature trails, a creative arts studio, a woodworking shop, a salon, and educational programs, just to name a few. “I enjoy talking with residents and hearing about all their interesting activities on and off the campus,” says Perry. “Many travel extensively, volunteer, and some still work. Old and new friends are often seen enjoying card games, happy hour, club meetings, parties and educational programs.”

St. James Place provides the environment and active lifestyle that help people live happier, healthier lives. “Studies prove that people live longer and more independently in Life Plan communities like ours, than people of the same age living on their own,” Wager says.

Private Pay Residents

St. James Place also provides Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Health Care services to non-Life Care residents based on availability. Private-pay residents choose St. James Place for these services because of their long-standing reputations for excellence.

A Dream

Fulfilled

St. James Place is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, but the initial seeds for Louisiana’s first retirement community were sown much earlier.

1970s: RETIREMENT PROJECT BOARD FORMED

In the 1970s, the late Mrs. Preston Barnes made a bequest to the church that breathed new life into the retirement home initiative. An advisory board was formed, and they went to work to learn everything they could to make what would become St. James Place, a success.

1959: CHURCH MEMBERS SENSED A MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY

It all started in 1959, when members of St. James Episcopal Church came up with the idea of establishing a retirement home. It was a new concept at the time, and one they believed could be a valuable ministry opportunity. With a vision of creating a place where older Baton Rougeans could lead a comfortable, fulfilling lifestyle, a group of women in the church led the effort to develop plans and secure land for the project. Nearly 20 years would pass, however, before their dreams began to move toward reality.

1980: THE PERFECT LOCATION

With plenty of big ideas in hand, the board began its search for the perfect location. One of the board members stumbled upon the ideal site—the former Duplantier Plantation at 333 Lee Drive. A deal was struck in 1980.

1983: THE DEDICATION

Rev. James B. Brown cut the ribbon at the entrance to The Square at the dedication of St. James Place on February 27, 1983.

JANUARY 1983: MOVING DAY

Under the leadership of the first CEO Bill Bivens, the first residents of St. James Place began moving in on January 3, 1983.

The centerpiece of the St. James Place campus is the majestic Duplantier Oak, which has become a symbol of the community’s strength, beauty, character, and vision for the future.

1980s: LEGACY RESIDENTS

From its inception, a top priority for St. James Place has been giving residents and their families alike peace of mind as they progress through different stages of life. Lew and Mary Barnum were two of the earliest residents and their own daughter, Mimi Riché, is a Legacy Resident who currently lives at St. James Place.

2001: HEALTH AND WELLNESS BUILDING OPENS

The H&W Building was a major improvement in services, and included a state-of-the-art Health Care facility on the second floor. The first floor featured a rehabilitation gym, a well-appointed fitness center, a salon, and a restaurant. The previous health care center was converted to an enhanced memory care facility.

A history of distinguished community leadership

Current St. James Place Board of Directors are: (seated from left) Nanette Noland, Mary Larson (Chairwoman of the Resident Association), Kim Sangari; (standing, from left) Gary Field, MD, Steve Jackson, Dick Wager, David Warrington, John Smith, and Fr. Chris Duncan. Not pictured are Trey Roberts, Bishop Shannon Duckworth, George Kurz, and Linda Gibson.

From its inception, St. James Place has been led by a board of directors of volunteer community leaders. The early chairmen, including John Munsell, Lee Griffin, and John Noland, set the organization on a solid path with a standard for excellence.

2023: THE SQUARE

1997: NEW LEVEL OF CARE

In 1997, St. James Place opened its Assisted Living Center, and several years later expanded capacity to meet demand.

A $4.7 million revitalization of the central campus is currently underway, and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2023.

Residents make the difference!

When people move to St. James Place, it doesn’t take long for them to feel at home. Many residents want to continue their lifelong passion of making a difference in the community of which they live. One way they do this here is by getting involved with the Resident Association. The association is actively involved in many aspects of campus life, including buildings and grounds, dining services, activities, and garden committees. Another way to make a difference is through The Foundation.

PROVIDING FINANCIAL SECURITY

St. James Place established a Foundation in the 1990s with its first mission to provide financial security to every Life Care resident. Since these residents will often live here for many years, it is quite possible they may outlive their financial

resources. The Foundation’s John B. Noland Fund has more than $1 million designated for assisting residents, so that every Life Care resident can be assured they will always be able to call St. James Place home.

LEADING IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS

Individually or through the Association, residents often identify opportunities to improve the campus. The Association takes on an active role in assessing opportunities, working closely with management, and when necessary, leading efforts to raise the needed funds through the Foundation. Some examples of projects include dredging and revitalizing our koi pond, adding a path around our lake, adding a pair of swans, building a chapel, and purchasing memorial benches around the campus.

Sketch of the new lobby of The Square

BUILDING A LEGACY

This year, the Foundation took on the challenge of supporting a major renovation of a central area on campus called The Square. The project will cost $4.7 million and will transform the campus when completed this summer. Residents have been actively involved in reviewing designs and providing ideas, and have helped raise $1.6 million. This project would never have been possible, nor would it be as significant, innovative, and functional if not for the efforts of many residents. Our residents really do make the difference at St. James Place.

Resident Bench Committee

Feeding the ducks at the koi pond

Walking path around the lake

AWARDS HONORS

Phelps Dunbar attorney Michael Victorian has been named to the Lawyers of Color Annual Hot List (lawyersofcolor.org), spotlighting early- to mid-career attorneys excelling in the legal profession. Victorian is an associate in the firm’s Baton Rouge office, focusing on labor and employment and commercial litigation. He is also among the firm’s leaders on ESGrelated issues.

APPOINTMENTS MEMBERSHIPS

Ann Halphen of Taylor Porter has become a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. Halphen was inducted as a fellow at the ACTL’s annual meeting in September. Founded in 1950, the ACTL comprises the best of the trial bar from the U.S., Canada and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Halphen

Myron Lawson has been elected chair of the Southern University Board of Supervisors for 2023. Lawson previously served as board chair in 1999 and 2000. He owns a State Farm agency in Alexandria. At the same meeting, Dr. Rani Whitfield was unanimously reelected as board vice chair.

volunteer spokesperson in Louisiana.

Lawson

Mason

Alfred Mason has been appointed state president for AARP Louisiana—the highest state level volunteer position within the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. AARP Louisiana has nearly 450,000 members statewide.

Mason, a Gonzales resident, will lead AARP Louisiana’s volunteer executive council and work to achieve the mission and strategic priorities in communities across the state. He will also serve as principal AARP

Campus Rewards_QR_BRBR Difference Makers_8x4.5_FINAL_v2.pdf 1 12/16/2022 1:54:09 PM

Louisiana Society of Association Executives installed its 2023 board of directors. Anna Zebeau, director of membership growth at Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. – Pelican Chapter, was installed as president; John Wyble, president of Leadership Concepts, was installed as president-elect; and Jamie Freeman, finance director at Tatman Group, was installed as secretary/treasurer. In addition, the following individuals from Baton Rouge were installed as directors: Linda Alwood, owner of Alwood & Associates; Lauren Bergeron, membership services manager at the Louisiana Oil Marketers and Convenience Store Association; Guy Cormier, executive director of the Police Jury Association of Louisiana; Thea Ducrow, CEO of Ducrow Consulting; Ashley Politz, executive director of the Louisiana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; and Nicole Walker, executive director of UpLIFTD.

GOING OUT ON TOP

Retiring WBRZ General

Manager Rocky Daboval has been honored as one of the best station managers in the country by trade publication Broadcasting & Cable. “This is more of a lifetime achievement award for the legendary executive,” the magazine wrote of Daboval, adding that his management legacy is “all about relationships.” The publication, which began publishing in 1931 and is considered a go-to resource for television executives, highlighted Daboval’s nearly five-decade career at WBRZ. Daboval will step down this month after nearly 20 years as head of the station. He will be replaced by Trey Schmaltz.

BANKING & FINANCE

Whitney Boyd has been promoted to vice president, Baton Rouge market, with the Bank of St. Francisville, serving in a lead role opening the bank’s first branch. She has 17 years of banking experience, most recently serving five years as assistant vice president and branch manager at The First, ANBA in Spanish Fort, Alabama.

Jennifer Knapps has joined Landmark Bank as assistant vice president, business development officer. With almost 30 years of banking experience, including stints at Regions Bank and Bank One (Chase Bank), Knapps will

focus on business development, primarily lending opportunities in Livingston and St. Helena parishes and the city of Central.

Jerome “Jerry” Vascocu Jr. has been named chief administrative officer for Business First Bancshares Inc. and b1Bank. Vascocu will be the first chief administrative officer for the bank. He has more than 27 years of banking experience, most recently serving as director of commercial banking strategy for First Horizon Bank.

COMMUNICATIONS

Ernie Ballard has been named senior director of communications

This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

and marketing at Pennington Biomedical Research Center following an 18-year career at LSU. Most recently, he served as LSU’s interim vice president for communications and university relations. Previously, he served as media relations director and before that as media relations editor.

LAW

MaryBeth Wilkerson has joined the Adams and Reese Baton Rouge office as government relations coordinator. Wilkerson, formerly the public policy manager for the Louisiana chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, will represent businesses navigating regulatory challenges across local, state and federal governments while also connecting clients’ interests and policy goals to further investment and growth.

NONPROFITS

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Brandy Bones is joining Franklin Associates as vice president of disaster and grant management. Bones, a national expert in disaster management and mitigation, brings 17 years of experience working on the ground to help state and local governments navigate the disaster recovery and resilience landscape.

Andree Miller is now political director for the Louisiana Association

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compete. THRIVE. www.htbcpa.com

WHITNEY BOYD Bank of St. Francisville

JENNIFER KNAPPS Landmark Bank JEROME “JERRY” VASCOCU JR. Business First Bancshares Inc./b1Bank

ERNIE BALLARD Pennington Biomedical Research Center

BRANDY BONES Franklin Associates

MARYBETH WILKERSON Adams and Reese

ANDREE MILLER LABI

GET YOUR NEWS IN BUSINESS REPORT

MOVING UP

Moving Up highlights executive-level promotions and new hires in the Capital Region. Announcements should include the name and title of the professional being hired or promoted, and brief summaries of his or her responsibilities and experience. Accompanying photos should be high resolution: 300 dpi or higher.

COMPANY NEWS

of Business and Industry, while Brian Davis will serve as director of education and small business. Previously, Miller was vice president at Bold Strategies in Baton Rouge, and she also has experience working on Capitol Hill. Davis has served as director for both the House and Senate Republican legislative delegations, and previously worked for Americans for Prosperity, Rep. Rick Edmonds and 3 Strategies. Other staffing changes at LABI include: Lauren Hadden, LABI’s director of civil justice, energy and environmental quality councils and judicial program, will assume the new title of general

counsel while also adding director of health care to her current duties; Mary Beth Hughes is now director of technology in addition to her current role as communications manager.

REAL ESTATE

Justin Landry has been promoted to senior VP of development and finance at Stirling Properties and will become a company shareholder. Landry will grow his role within Stirling’s development, finance and acquisition functions and help the company expand its business plan, growth, profitability and strong business connections.

Company News features announcements about developments at Capital Region companies: new locations, acquisitions, name or branding changes and so forth. We also spotlight professionals who receive business-related awards or honors, accreditations, certifications, appointments and memberships, as well as corporate grants and philanthropy. Accompanying photos should be high resolution: 300 dpi or higher.

NEWS TIPS

Business Report welcomes suggestions and ideas for news stories as well as recommendations for people of interest to feature.

GET IN TOUCH

Email us: editor@businessreport.com

Call us: 225-928-1700 Fax us: 225-928-5019

Mail it to us: Executive Editor, Business Report, 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Ste. 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

THE LEADER IN ELECTRICAL AND INSTRUMENTATION SERVICES

MMR is passionate about people.

It is not equipment, buildings or dollars that have led to our success, rather the compassion, ingenuity and drive to succeed instilled in our people. We strive to support the communities in which we live and work and endeavor to make a lasting impact on the Greater Baton Rouge area.

BRIAN DAVIS LABI LAUREN HADDEN LABI MARY BETH HUGHES LABI

Confidence won’t grow from a superficial understanding of your business. LaPorte goes deep.

When you talk, we listen. But we don’t stop there. We go deeper to uncover important accounting, tax, and advisory needs. LaPorte invests the time and tools to provide strategic, long-term guidance and to build enduring relationships. Combine that with our industry strength, national and international resources, and proactive service—and you walk away with something substantial: deep confidence in your CPA firm.

Accounting firms

Ranked by local accountants and CPAs

PREV. RANK

1 1

COMPANY ADDRESS PHONE | WEBSITE

Postlethwaite & Netterville APAC 8550 United Plaza Blvd., Suite 1001, Baton Rouge 70809 225-922-4600 | pncpa.com

2 2 Hannis T. Bourgeois LLP 2322 Tremont Drive, Baton Rouge 70809 225-928-4770 | htbcpa.com

3 3 Faulk & Winkler LLC

6811 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge 70806 225-927-6811 | fw-cpa.com

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

UPCOMING LISTS:

FEBRUARY Residential real estate firms Commercial real estate firms

ALL LOCAL ACCTS. CPAS LOCAL/ TOTAL EMPS. AUDITS BOOKKEEPING COMPLIANCE CONSULTING FINANCIAL PLANNING PAYROLL QUICKBOOKS SMALL BUSINESS TAX PLANNING/PREP VALUATIONS

4 6

5 4

TWRU CPAs & Financial Advisors 527 E. Airport Ave., Baton Rouge 70806 225-926-1050 | twru.com

LaPorte APAC dba

LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors 8555 United Plaza Blvd., Suite 400, Baton Rouge 70809 225-296-5150 | laporte.com

6 5 Daigrepont & Brian APAC 910 S. Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge 70806 225-927-3760 | dnbcpas.com

7 7 Apple Guerin Co. LLC 6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Suite 1-B, Baton Rouge 70808 225-767-1020 | appleguerin.com

8 9 Chesteen & Associates LLC 2181 Quail Run Drive, Baton Rouge 70808 225-761-4400 | chesteencpa.com

9 8 Provost Salter Harper & Alford LLC 8550 United Plaza Blvd., Suite 600, Baton Rouge 70809 225-924-1772 | psha.com

10 12

Tax Geeks 17424 Airline Highway, Suite 12, Prairieville 70769 877-482-9433 | taxgeeks.com

11 15 Horne

10000 Perkins Rowe, Bldg. G600, Baton Rouge 70810 225-755-9798 | 888-821-0277 | horne.com

16 The Levy Co. APC

13 17

14 14

15 11

412 N. Fourth St., Suite 200, Baton Rouge 70802 225-343-5123 | thelevyco.com

Kernan & Lambert CPAs APC 8989 Interline Ave., Suite A, Baton Rouge 70809 225-923-1129

Frazer & Persac LLC 7520 Perkins Road, Suite 280, Baton Rouge 70808 225-769-4123 | fpcpa.com

Kidder and Schultz CPAs LLC

720 France St., Baton Rouge 70802 225-341-4136 | kidderschultz.com

NR Schoen & Company 4137 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Suite 120, Baton Rouge 70816 225-293-1924 | schoencpa.com

17 19

18

Baxley & Associates LLC 58225 Belleview Drive, P.O. Box 482, Plaquemine 70764 225-687-6630

19

LOCAL/TOTAL LOCATIONS HEADQUARTERS

YEAR FOUNDED MAJOR AREAS OF FOCUS

Dan Gardiner CEO and managing director 119 77 347 553 n n n n n n n n 4/9 Baton Rouge 1949

Jay A. Montalbano Managing partner 85 58 117 145 n n n n n n n n n 2/4 Baton Rouge 1924

Tommy J. LeJeune Managing partner 41 22 53 53 n n n n n n n n n 2/2 Baton Rouge 1984

Sara M. Downing Managing partner 25 16 29 29 n n n n n n n n n n 1/2 Baton Rouge 1948

Wendi Berthelot, Micah Stewart Directors 21 9 27 175 n n n n n n n n 1/5 Metairie 1946

Robert Daigrepont President 18 10 21 21 n n n n n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 1987

Accounting and auditing, tax, business consulting, technology, disaster recovery, grants administration

Tax planning and preparation, audit and assurance, client accounting services, litigation support, business valuation and consulting

Income tax planning, retirement plan design and compliance, outsourced CFO and accounting, consulting, audit and assurance

Accounting, audit, tax, financial planning, business consulting and valuations

Audit, tax, client accounting services (CAS), and advisory services

Audit, tax preparation, bookkeeping, outsourced accounting

J. Guerin, R. Apple, J. Apple, T. Guerin Partners 15 13 17 17 n n n n n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 1987 Attest services, consulting, tax planning/prep, bookkeeping

Chip Chesteen Member 10 5 12 12 n n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 1988 Tax planning and structure, accounting services

Kenneth H. Alford Partner 8 7 16 16 n n n n n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 1940 Tax, bookkeeping and attest services

Srinivas Thouta CEO 6 1 13 20 n n n n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 2008 DNR

Rud Blumentritt Partner 5 4 55 2,300 n n n n n n n n n n 1/15 Ridgeland, Miss. 2008

Gus Levy President 5 4 6 6 n n n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 1995

Construction, financial institutions, franchise, government, health care, public and middle market

Helping small businesses achieve their goals, manage their finances, and minimize their taxes

Hubert J. Kernan, Brent J. Lambert Partners 5 2 7 7 n n n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 1977 Tax

Peggy M. Persac, Shawn Frazer Owners 4 4 5 5 n n n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 1980 QuickBooks, tax and small business services

Lee Kidder, Heather Schultz Partners 4 3 8 8 n n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 2007 Small business/nonprofit accounting and income taxes

Thomas E. Schoen Owner 4 3 7 7 n n n n n 1/1 Baton Rouge 1987 DNR

Margaret Ann Pritchard Managing partner 3 2 5 5 n n n n n n n 1/1 Plaquemine 1961 Governmental audits and tax preparation

Researched by Alaine Keisling

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SHARON WESTON BROOME

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CLINT COINTMENT

OUR BATON ROUGE economy is roaring into the New Year with the lowest unemployment rate and highest student enrollment in history. We continue to attract new families and businesses at an impressive pace. With 2,200 new businesses established since 2020, East Baton Rouge is in the top 20% of US communities for business growth. Retaining students, meeting workforce needs and improving quality of life for all residents is critical to growing our economy. That’s why I have partnered with BRAC to connect young people and employers with opportunities and career training. Also, our focus on crime and public safety this year has led to a 25% reduction in homicides as of the beginning of December. Baton Rouge has an unprecedented opportunity to capitalize on this moment. The secret to our success will be every government agency and community partner pulling in the same direction.

IN ASCENSION, businesses are being built, homes are being sold, and jobs are being created. This region continues to benefit from the industrial expansion along Highway 30, as well as the $10 billion in industrial projects that have been announced on the West Bank.

We continue to partner with industry to solve local problems and enhance industry’s standing in the community. CF Industries has aligned with local government agencies and donated $1 million in funding for the CF Industries West Ascension Early Childhood Learning Center. This will be the first of its kind.

In 2022, Ascension Parish witnessed $17.8 billion in announced projects which will contribute over $91 million in permanent payroll and $1.7 billion in construction salaries.

Ascension is excited about the future! Louisiana is poised for a comeback, and we here in Ascension Parish are happy to lead that charge.

MAYOR PRESIDENT East Baton Rouge Parish

MANARD M. LAGASSE, JR. PRESIDENT AND CEO

Associated Grocers, Inc.

THE INDEPENDENT GROCERY business is versatile, offering new products and conveniences for consumers. We are continuously evolving, while enhancing what our retailers are best known for: excellent value, unparalleled customer service, and fresh quality food. It is a privilege to partner with our independent members and the individuals working within their stores. Our retailers are not merely in the community – they are an integral part of the community.

Associated Grocers, Inc. will continue to innovate in 2023. We will remain committed to the authenticity of our familyowned retailers. We are prepared to navigate any challenges and opportunities in the industry to position the independent retailer to be stronger than ever. Best wishes for a healthy and successful 2023!

THE REAL ESTATE Finance Industry was reminded in 2022 that inflation is not our friend. We saw interest rates double in a five-month period which dramatically shifted the landscape of housing demand. Like in most economic downturns, housing is usually the first sector to feel recession pains and this cycle has been no different. With the higher interest rates cooling down the demand for housing, this has created a more balanced supply of available inventory within the Capital Region.

For 2023, all indications are that mortgage rates will remain at present levels, and while we may see a slight decrease due to the Fed easing the tightening cycle, we don’t expect to see the historically low rates that we enjoyed for a decade following the financial crisis anytime soon.

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JIM FLESHMAN DIRECTOR

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo

AS WE EMBARK upon a New Year, it’s always important to reflect on the accomplishments of the prior year. In 2022, the Zoo made tremendous progress in Phase 1 of our reimagination. This included the near-completion of a new pygmy hippo and colobus monkey exhibit, which is estimated to open in early 2023.

As well, the new state-of-the-art giraffe barn is nearly complete and the public giraffe feeding platform will be completed in early 2024. Countless other improvements are well underway with the ultimate goal of regaining the Zoo’s accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in early 2024. We are confident that we are on the right path to become a world class facility that will make Baton Rouge proud!

Reaching approximately 200,000 community members annually, the Zoo is truly a place where people and animals connect. Those interactions build memories, infuse learning and make an impact on conservation efforts both locally and globally. We hope you’ll come visit us soon and join us in our next exciting chapter –Wild Times are Coming!

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At Assurance Financial, we have positioned our company to be the “go-to” local mortgage lender that has all the products needed for our clients to leverage. We offer new home construction, renovation, firsttime homebuyer, and any other home loan product/service available in the marketplace. While we have grown into a national lender with offices across the country and currently serving 43 states, our roots are entrenched in Baton Rouge, and we continue to be proud and thankful for what the Capital Region has done to help our business prosper. We will continue with our philanthropic partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and, as always, support many local charities and organizations that are important to our community.

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SILVEY

CEO Baton Rouge Clinic

IN 2022, we continued our efforts to build relationships with community partners, recruit physicians, and provide excellent care to our patients. We increased the number of services we offer to our community through the acquisition of several new providers, which included the addition of new specialties, and the opening of our new Behavioral Health department.

At The Baton Rouge Clinic, we believe when advancements in technology are coupled with talented physicians, lives can be changed for the better. Beginning on World Sight Day, we were honored to partner with Google to begin screening the first patients in the United States for Diabetic Retinopathy using Verily’s new Retinal Imaging Platform. It is our hope that our new collaboration will aid in the prevention of blindness through boosting annual screening rates, and promoting early diagnosis and treatment by clinicians.

As we look to 2023, we will continue our efforts to enhance patient access, expand services, and embrace advancements in technology to provide personalized care to our patients. Though we live in a fast-paced, ever-changing world, the Clinic has maintained itself as a regional center of healthcare excellence for more than 75 years. The legacy of the Clinic was the dream our founders, and it is carried on through the work we do today.

ED

WILLIE E. SMITH,

ED.D. CHANCELLOR

WE LOOK TO 2023, with great anticipation and optimism. Following a record enrollment of 9,684 students this past fall, Baton Rouge Community College is well-positioned to continue investing in our students and preparing them for success.

To be successful in the future, colleges and higher education institutions across the country must change from traditional practices to effectively serve a different demographic of adult learners. As BRCC moves forward in the New Year, equity and inclusion for all students will be at the forefront of our mission and values. We take great pride in being the leader and preferred provider of training to those we serve and in our ability to support business and industry human capital demands.

Our focus is on building equitable and prosperous communities for all in the Greater Baton Rouge region. We embrace this role and know how important our college is to the local and state economies. We continue to provide the academic rigor, workforce preparation, and financial support for all of our constituents, preparing them to be highly competitive in the workplace.

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We look forward to a wonderfully productive year as we continue to address Louisiana’s workforce needs through partnership and collaboration with business and industry throughout the region.

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EDGARDO TENREIRO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Baton Rouge General

IN 2023, THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY will continue to see the personal relationship between patients and physicians trump a depersonalized digital experience. However, we will see artificial intelligence make inroads in areas traditionally reserved for clinicians, especially in diagnostics.

In Louisiana, key stakeholders will accelerate work to secure NIH National Cancer Institute designation. The work will require collaboration between our state university, our medical schools, our research institutions and all of our cancer care providers. In addition, narrow networks will grow in importance as large employers look at alternative models to traditional health insurance as a way to lower costs in an inflationary environment.

In Baton Rouge, new CEOs at two of our four hospital systems will open up opportunities for meaningful “coopetition,” anchored around the work all the hospitals perform through the Baton Rouge Health District, and around their move toward a common electronic health record platform.

At the General, we will extend our medical academy model from Park Medical Academy to Capitol High in our continued commitment to simultaneously serve as a model for other industries to make significant commitments to our K-12 school system, to workforce development and to the transformation of Mid City and North Baton Rouge.

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GROW WITH US will be our motto for 2023 and beyond as Baton Rouge General Foundation continues to engage more with our community to impact the lives of our patients and their families. Each day, I’m amazed by our incredible workforce at the General and how dedicated they are to providing the very best care. As we look ahead to 2023, I’m very excited for the opportunity to collaborate with our physicians, care teams, patients and stakeholders to make an even greater impact together. The Foundation team is working closely with our Advanced Robotics Institute, Pennington Cancer Center, Womack Heart Center, and many other service lines to understand and fund top priorities. We are also working across the entire medical system through our philanthropy-funded CARE Initiative to alleviate any barrier to care a patient might face in achieving the very best health outcomes. Without our incredible donors, partners, friends and community supporters, none of these efforts would be possible. Thank you so much for everything you do, and we look forward to working with you all in the new year, and for many years to come. If you would like to learn more about our mission and become involved with our projects, please visit www.brgeneral.org/foundation or email us at foundation@brgeneral.org.

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MIKE EDWARDS DIRECTOR OF AVIATION

THIS HAS BEEN another exciting year of growth and development for BTR. The Airport completed a 5-year strategic planning process, and we’re focused on expanding air service, improving the customer experience, and developing our Aviation Business Park. In 2023, customers can expect to see improvements in the airport terminal with upgraded terminal seating, modernized ticket counters, and new passenger boarding bridges.

But it’s not just the terminal that is expanding, BTR also has hundreds of acres of raw land available for lease that can accommodate a wide range of both aeronautical and non-aeronautical developments. With highly competitive ground lease rates, BTR is the smart choice for your next build to suit expansion.

BTR is still the second-largest airport in Louisiana based on passenger volume. We’re served by the three largest airlines in the world; American, Delta, and United. With daily nonstop service to four of the largest hub airports – ATL, CLT, DFW, and IAH, their global networks provide single connection service from BTR to destinations worldwide.

BTR operates as an enterprise fund, generating its own revenue to fund operations at no direct cost to local taxpayers, making BTR a great value for East Baton Rouge Parish. BTR has an annual economic impact of $1.1 billion dollars and contributes to the creation of 4,500 jobs. When you fly BTR, you’re supporting the local economy.

Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR)

Baton Rouge Community College

PRESIDENT

Baton Rouge General Foundation

PRESIDENT & CEO

Capital Area United Way

FOR 98 YEARS, Capital Area United Way has served our community by leveraging partnerships to advance the common good through education, income stability, and healthy living. Our work in mobilizing volunteers and resources to address the complex issues our region has faced over the years following floods, hurricanes, and most recently, the Covid pandemic, has played a vital role in our community’s recovery from such devastating events.

As we look forward to the year 2023 and beyond, Capital Area United Way remains committed to building upon its rich past of engaged and impactful community support. Quite simply, our focus is to continue finding ways to connect engaged volunteers to meaningful opportunities, your donated resources to community needs, and the rich legacy of our past to a brighter, more resilient future.

Please join us as we Live and Work United for a brighter future for all.

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SIKES, CRNA, MBA, ACHE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

DPI Anesthesia

DPI HAS FACED many great challenges over the years and yet, has continued to grow exponentially. The Anesthesia specialty is dealing with an aging population, a substantial labor shortage, annual revenue cuts by insurers and an opioid crisis of epidemic proportions. Despite these challenges, DPI is poised for another huge year of organic growth in 2023. DPI’s values-based practice model has proven to be a great recruiting tool which has top notch providers giving safe anesthesia using some of the most current techniques which require far less opioids. Our executive team does a tremendous job finding creative ways to partner with our facilities and surgeons to ensure we are fully staffed to provide the best experience for our patients.

H. BROOKS LEWIS, CCIM

PRESIDENT & CEO

Citizens Bank & Trust

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD to the challenges and opportunities of 2023. While economic conditions will likely remain volatile, we are confident that we are equipped to help meet the business and financial needs of the Greater Baton Rouge community. In keeping with our ideal of being a trusted partner, Citizens Bank and Trust will remain agile and continue providing the products and services that assist our customers in reaching their goals. We wish all our customers and business partners a safe, healthy, and prosperous 2023.

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SPENCER WATTS

LIBRARY DIRECTOR

YOU SEARCH – WE FIND! The nationally acclaimed East Baton Rouge Parish Library continues to increase services, offering up-to-date training resources and new tech initiatives to help businesses compete globally.

Our programs and resources add to the quality of life for business professionals and their families. The Library’s SMALL BUSINESS SERVICE includes free programs, resources and tools to help businesses grow, including consultations with business librarians. They can guide you in the use of robust tools such as Data Axle, Mergent Intellect, and Gale Business: Plan Builder. Skill Mill, our newest platform, even delivers VR and AR training. Staff also offer concierge service to design a curated collection of Continuing Ed courses for you and your staff. Contact them at smallbusiness@ebrpl.com.

JOHN

East Baton Rouge Parish Library

GEORGE BELL

RONALD J. FALGOUST

PRESIDENT AND CEO

First American Bank and Trust

FIRST AMERICAN BANK AND TRUST celebrates 113 years of service to the citizens, businesses, and organizations of Southeast Louisiana. Strength, independence, and innovation are traits that have become pillars supporting the Bank as it looks ahead to the future.

The Board of Directors is committed to making our region stronger while retaining its top core value of customer service. It is this commitment that has helped expand the Bank’s footprint from a single-branch bank in St. James Parish to serving 11 parishes with 25 offices.

The Bank’s mission is to meet the financial needs of Southeast Louisiana’s businesses and citizens while delivering high quality customer service. The Bank has become a leader in the community banking industry by offering innovative products equal to those of national banks but with the personal and caring touch that only a fellow local bank can provide. It’s the spirit of First American, a banking tradition since 1910.

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O. BENNETT

KRISTIN WALL

BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL growth continue to drive a robust economy in Livingston Parish. Low interest rates, better business outlook, and strong demand was the recipe for record-setting investment in the last two years. Multiple major projects moved forward leading to the single largest industrial investment and the largest total investment, in parish history.

Major companies such as Weyerhaeuser, Ferrara Fire Apparatus, and Bercen, LLC expanded their presence in the parish with significant investment and commitment to retain and grow their workforce. In total, six projects will spend over $190 million, retain over 700 jobs, and add another 157 direct new jobs. Northshore Technical Community College’s new campus is growing and helps to provide a strong workforce pipeline to support industrial growth.

Livingston Parish is growing, but still maintains that smalltown feel. For more information about the Livingston Parish advantage, visit our website at www.ledc.net.

IN 2022, LWCC celebrated our 30th anniversary. Since our founding, our purpose has been to help Louisiana thrive. Today, we’ve put a broader lens on that purpose through the Louisiana Loyal movement, seeking to create greater economic prosperity for the state and our fellow citizens. Together with our employees, agent partners, and policyholders, we are celebrating and elevating Louisiana through our core business and innovative initiatives.

From providing businesses with unique benefits through their workers’ comp policy, to assisting injured workers, to bettering our community through volunteerism, we are making a positive impact. Our work continues to be validated by benchmarks such as Ward’s 50 top-performing companies, demonstrating that you can do well by doing good.

As we look toward LWCC’s next 30 years, I am excited to see how we continue to influence positive change for ourselves, our community, and our state. Together, we are Louisiana Loyal. Always.

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KEN NAQUIN

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN and around East Baton Rouge looks to be on an uptick for 2023. When you factor in the MOVEBR road program, the additional transportation infrastructure funds from the IIJA, which Senator Cassidy was the only Louisiana Congressional vote for the funding measure, the school work in Ascension, Livingston and EBR, it looks very promising for infrastructure and building contractors. Our now decades old problem of workforce and now material availability are hurdles we have to get over. The cost of construction rose almost 20% in 2022 over 2021 and we anticipate a similar increase for 2023. LAGC will continue to provide the construction industry the service that allows contractors to bid work, build timely and at the lowest costs and to prosper during this construction boom.

DAVID

PRESIDENT AND CE0

Livingston Economic Development Council

CEO Louisiana AGC

PRESIDENT AND CEO

LWCC

DON PIERSON SECRETARY Louisiana Economic Development

THE LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT team is laser-focused on creating jobs and economic opportunity for the people of our state. To be effective, we strive for success across a broad range of economic activity, from small family-owned businesses to the largest multi-national conglomerates. We begin 2023 having achieved exceptional success at both ends of that spectrum.

Louisiana’s programs to foster business growth and entrepreneurship are recognized among the nation’s best. The U.S. Treasury rewarded that ability to ramp up resources for small business growth by allocating Louisiana $113 million in the State Small Business Credit Initiative. Those federal funds will benefit businesses statewide for years to come, especially in underserved urban areas and rural communities struggling to attract business capital and investment.

CHUCK SPICER, FACHE

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Meanwhile, national and international corporations continue to announce major economic development projects that leverage Louisiana’s unique business advantages. Total capital investments have exceeded $10 billion in each of the last three years. Since 2016, more than 350 economic development projects have launched, representing nearly $90 billion in investment and more than 70,000 jobs. Sustaining that momentum in 2023 is our priority as we work for the prosperity of our state and its people.

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JAY HARDMAN, P.E. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OUR LADY OF THE LAKE HEALTH has been rooted in mission and service to the Baton Rouge community since 1923. This year, we will celebrate 100 years of bringing quality healthcare to our region and with it a commitment to continuing to expand access to the highest quality of care with the region’s leading providers through initiatives like the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the state of Louisiana. Our mission is rooted deep in faith and commitment to bring a Spirit of Healing to Baton Rouge and beyond.

Our priority will be to continue down a path of smart growth with a focus on oncology, cardiology, neuroscience, orthopedics and children’s health. We also look forward to celebrating one year of our historic partnership with LSU as Championship Health Partners. Together, we are setting a new standard for healthcare delivery, research and education.

Everything we do this next year will be to serve our patients, their families, our team members and our community. We owe it to the people who have trusted us for almost 100 years and to all those patients to come through our doors in the next 100 years. We remain dedicated to our mission to serve and look forward to 2023.

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TODD GRAVES

THE PORT’S PUBLIC FACILITIES handled 15,864,370 short tons in 2021, compared to 13,355,767 short tons in 2020, an increase of 18.8 percent. There were 235 ship calls at the docks, a 24 percent increase over the previous year.

Our deep-water terminal on the Mississippi River is now capable of docking three deep-draft vessels simultaneously. With the completion of our “northern-berth” rehabilitation four deep-draft vessels will be possible. This project will enhance our maritime capabilities by enabling increased movement of liquid bulk cargoes resulting from the ability to berth additional and larger post-Panamex ships.

The GRON FUELS, LLC renewable energy project is slated to be a $9 billion project located on Port property. According to company estimates, construction is expected to begin in the coming year.

In 2023, we will continue to work closely with all private/public partnerships, Port stakeholders, and maritime interests along the Mississippi River to promote international commerce and trade to create jobs and investment opportunities within the Port region.

2022 WAS ANOTHER GREAT YEAR for Raising Cane’s as we served our customers 330 million times and partnered with over 33,000 local organizations as we gave back $25M to our local communities. We grew to over 675 restaurants, across 35 states – including opening our first restaurants in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Florida. Along with all that growth came endless opportunity for our Crewmembers. In 2022 alone, we created over 13,000 new jobs and promoted over 1,500 Crewmembers internally. I am proud that this year we were recognized by Forbes as a top employer for Diversity, New Grads, and Women, as well as being named a top brand to work for in our industry by QSR Magazine. Despite all our growth, we have remained true to who we were when I founded Cane’s 26 years ago, at the north gates of LSU’s campus. I never imagined that we would reach the success we have, and I remain grateful to the community of Baton Rouge for all their years of endless support.

Port of Greater Baton Rouge

FOUNDER, CEO, FRY COOK, CASHIER Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers

PRESIDENT

Our Lady of the Lake Health

PAUL MATTHEWS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Port of South Louisiana

DESPITE THE CHALLENGES that 2022 brought, including historically low Mississippi River levels, the Port of South Louisiana saw an 8% growth in tonnage in the first three quarters (167.8 million tons vs. 181.8 million tons) compared to 2021. As the nation’s leading grain exporter and one of the largest tonnage ports in the Western Hemisphere, our Port is feeding and fueling the world. Many of our industry partners are expanding and business leaders from around the globe have expressed interest in locating in our jurisdiction. Our team is also working hard to unlock resources, learn about new technologies, explore regional solutions to economic and workforce development, strengthen existing relationships and forge new ones. Through these efforts, the Port of South Louisiana’s best days are ahead and 2023 will bring opportunities that will not only benefit our Port but will strengthen the economy of our region and state.

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STAN LEVY FOUNDER AND CEO SASSO

CHANGE CAN CREATE opportunity. It’s no secret this past year flipped many sectors on their heads. But history shows that businesses that continue to push through tough times come out in a better place than they were before. An ever-changing economy provides a great opportunity for business leaders to pivot their way of doing things and make room for innovation and progress.

At SASSO, we are, first and foremost, problem solvers, and we put our clients’ goals at the center of all that we do. As we strive to drive results for the brands we partner with, we understand the versatility needed to best serve them.

Our marketing agency had a record year in 2022, growing both in revenue and headcount, which we attribute to a year of doing great work. We take pride in strategically and creatively finding solutions to our clients’ biggest obstacles, working with a variety of brands in our great state, throughout the country and abroad.

With proven success across all marketing, advertising and communications disciplines, SASSO is prepared to help your business make 2023 your best year yet.

JAMES “JAY” T. THOMPSON III

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

SITECH Louisiana

IN 2022, THE SPEED OF INNOVATION has improved drastically, specifically in the technology sector. With the chaos and crisis of the past few years, people have found a way to push through hardship and work to create new and innovative ways to solve problems. Over this past year, we have gained so much insight and learned new skills that we can bring to our clients, who, in turn, use these recent technological advances to help improve their work.

For example, Drone Technology has significantly improved the practical ways we can use it in the field. From using drones with thermal imaging that help detect when equipment is overheating to using drones over extensive marshlands, our clients have improved the quality and efficiency of their work. Learning these new skill sets helps our business and countless others improve how they’re making a difference in their communities.

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We look forward to another year of innovative milestones, new learning objectives, and increased infrastructure-related projects and improvements. Helping build a better Louisiana starts with helping build better individuals – individuals with better understanding, better resources, and better tools to help them positively impact the world around them.

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DENNIS J. SHIELDS

PRESIDENT-CHANCELLOR

Southern University SystemSouthern University and A&M College

HAPPY NEW YEAR! As we approach the midpoint of the traditional academic year, as well as the midpoint of my first year as president-chancellor of the nation’s only historically black university system, I have a great deal of optimism for the upcoming year.

Together our concerted work as administrators and business and community leaders will continue to focus on the student experience, and student outcomes. This has become increasingly more important to ensure their successful transition from the classroom to the workplace. For generations Southern University graduates have made significant contributions in the educational, business and professional communities of the city, state, and nation. We are uniquely positioned to enhance the lives of our students and provide them with the tools to succeed. These successes are achieved by the continued support of our business and legislative partners.

The Southern University System, producing outstanding graduates and responsible citizens.

CHRISTEL SLAUGHTER, PHD CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER SSA Consultants

AS WE LOOK forward to 2023, the SSA Consultants’ team is optimistic and ready to help our clients develop innovative strategies to take advantage of the opportunities ahead. The amount of capital that will be invested in south Louisiana over the next few years is stunning and will create both challenges and opportunities for organizations in the Capital region. Talent shortages will continue, but businesses who are investing in their people will be poised to receive the biggest payoff. Executive coaching and leadership development programs such as the Business Report’s Leadership Academy can help organizations build effective leaders, a key strategic advantage in the race to retain top talent. Many of our clients will be revisiting their strategic plans in Q1 with an emphasis on new, creative ways to develop and maintain a high performance culture given the changing workforce and work environment. We look forward to watching them grow and achieve even greater success in the year ahead.

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JERELL THOMAS

DESPITE COVID DISRUPTIONS , a volatile economy and material and labor shortages, the home improvement market has continued to flourish, with 2022 projected spending at $624 billion, up nearly 20% from the previous year.

And Baton Rouge-based, family-owned Window World is proud to be among the leaders in this development.

Over the past 25 years, we have brought our total sales volume to well over $100 million to become the #1 installer of replacement windows in Baton Rouge as well as in the U.S., while earning recognition from Qualified Remodeler and recently, for the eighth time, a place among the Inc. 5000 companies.

However, it’s been said that success can breed complacency, so our focus is not on what we have done, but what more we can accomplish.

While our data on customer satisfaction continues to show high marks in our Louisiana, Texas, and Florida markets, we are steadfast in researching, developing, and implementing ways to improve. Not only in service, but in materials, workforce, company management and community involvement.

We look forward to the new year with a deep appreciation of the success we have enjoyed in this community and in this great country.

URBAN RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT CORPORATION (UREC) is dedicated to ensuring that our neighbors are residentially sound for current and future generations.

UREC is rehabilitating local real estate and constructing three neighborhoods in North Baton Rouge that will create homeownership and rental opportunities for local families, grandparents raising grandchildren, and senior adults.

We’re also collaborating with partners in Plaquemine and Baker on high demand rural development initiatives.

In Plaquemine, UREC serves as the developer on a project where New Horizon Community Development Corporation’s is building 8 multi-family rental units. Half of the units are complete, and the remaining units are slated for construction this year.

We are also partnering with the City of Baker and Louisiana Housing Corporation to rehabilitate 10 homeowner-occupied homes this year.

To prepare future leaders, UREC Academy is working to ensure that more high school students have access to Industry Based Credentials as well as college and career readiness opportunities.

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Our collective work and partnerships continue to Build Today’s Communities for Tomorrow. To learn more, visit urecbr.com.

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YWCA IS PASSIONATE in their mission to improve the lives of women in our community and to eliminate racism. They take the “W” in their name seriously. The organization provides resources to women through education, career development, and high-quality affordable early childcare. The two “Y” sponsored early childcare centers jumpstart children’s preschool development to enhance their future lives. YWCA through its sponsors, grants and donors is also able to provide resources for mental health, teen pregnancy, and families in need, each aimed at reducing poverty and crime. The YWCA sponsors a “Week Without Violence” each year to raise awareness of domestic violence. Individuals who died because of domestic violence are remembered and others are encouraged to transition to safer lives. The Community Bail Fund is a groundbreaking program to provide bail for nonviolent offenders. This fund removes the community’s financial burden and allows the nonviolent offenders to support themselves and their families while awaiting trial. Annually the community comes together to celebrate the YWCA’s achievements during the Spring Brunch which in 2023 will feature the inspirational and award-winning actress, author, and activist Jane Fonda as its keynote speaker. The YWCA is proud of its positive impact on Baton Rouge.

PRESIDENT

Window World of Baton Rouge

DIANNA PAYTON

CEO YWCA

CARL DILLON

PRESIDENT & CEO

Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation (UREC)

Kevin Whalen

Founder, Rally Cap Brewing Company

“The beach engages all of my senses. Even just sitting at a beach bar, I can sit there and smell the salt in the air, see the crashing waves and sunset, and hear the water. My trips to the beach make everything else melt away and get me to the next month.”