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SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE: 2021 SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE

MAY 2021 • BUSINESSREPORT.COM

2021

Influential

WOMEN in BUSINESS HONORING 9 WOMEN LEADERS WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CAPITAL REGION.

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Why do business and industrial leaders consistently place their confidence in Kean Miller? HERE ARE 65 REASONS THEY TRUST KEAN MILLER AS THEIR COUNSEL.

We are proud to recognize them in this special issue of the Baton Rouge Business Report.

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CONTENTS

Publisher: Rolfe H. McCollister Jr.

EDITORIAL

2021

Influential

WOMEN in BUSINESS HONORING 9 WOMEN LEADERS WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CAPITAL REGION.

Editorial director: Penny Font Executive editor: JR Ball Editor: Stephanie Riegel Assistant editor: Allan Schilling Online news editor: Deanna B. Narveson Staff writer: Caitie Burkes Digital content editor: Mark Clements Contributing writers: Sam Barnes, Tom Cook, Maggie Heyn Richardson Contributing photographers: Brian Baiamonte, Marie Constantin, Don Kadair, Tim Mueller, Collin Richie

ADVERTISING

Sales director: Kerrie Richmond Senior account executives: Marielle Land-Howard, Kelly Lewis Account executives: Mary Katherine Bernard, Mandi Bryant, Taylor Fountain Advertising coordinator: Brittany Nieto

CORPORATE MEDIA

Editor: Lisa Tramontana Content strategist: Allyson Guay Multimedia Strategy Manager: Tim Coles Account executives: Judith LaDousa Client Experience Coordinator: Studio E: Nicole Prunty

CUSTOM PUBLISHING

Sales director: Erin Palmintier-Pou

MARKETING

Chief marketing officer: Elizabeth McCollister Hebert Marketing & events assistant: Taylor Floyd Events: Abby Hamilton Community liaison: Jeanne McCollister McNeil

ADMINISTRATION

Assistant business manager: Tiffany Durocher Business associate: Kirsten Milano Office coordinator: Tara Lane Receptionist: Cathy Varnado Brown

PRODUCTION/DESIGN

Art director: Hoa Vu Graphic designers: Melinda Gonzalez, Emily Witt

COVER STORY - PAGE 27

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

PUBLISHER’S VIEW 6 Civil service board must go

STARTUP 8 Big Story: Is Louisiana a fossil? 9 Data Bank: Numbers tell the story 11 3 Things to Know: David Lasseigne 13 Entrepreneur: Albina Brahimi 15 Design: Blue Zoo 16 Tom Cook 17 Bottom Line: Economic indicators

NEWS

VIEWPOINT

51 To the internet and beyond Local retailers have been upping their e-commerce game while also juggling the challenges of keeping their brick-and-mortar stores open during the pandemic.

79 The Big Picture

55 Reach out and touch someone Keeping in contact with remoteworking employees—and showing you care about how they are doing—is proving vital to the health of your workforce … and business.

80 Random Thoughts

YOUR BUSINESS 83 Company News 88 Moving Up 92 Flashback: 2007 94 Passion: Michael DiResto

SPECIAL SECTION: SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE 2021 Page 59 CONNECT WITH US:

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A publication of Louisiana Business Inc. Chairman: Rolfe H. McCollister Jr. Executive assistant: Tara Broussard President & CEO: Julio A. Melara Executive assistant: Brooke Motto Circulation/Reprints 225-928-1700 email: circulation@businessreport.com Subscriptions/Customer Service 225-421-8181 email: subscriptions@businessreport.com Volume 39 - Number 12 ©Copyright 2021 by Louisiana Business Incorporated. 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 $59.00 for 12 issues, with 3 additional issues published annually in April, May 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.

18 Business Lunch: BRQ

businessreport.com

Audience development director and digital manager: James Hume Audience development coordinator: Ivana Oubre Audience development associate: Jordan Kozar

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BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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PUBLISHER’S VIEW

Civil service board must go

ROLFE MCCOLLISTER JR. WHY DO WE still have the Municipal Police and Fire Civil Service Board that was created in 1974 when Gov. Edwin Edwards and AFL-CIO head Victor Bussie reigned in Louisiana? Interesting that two of the five seats go to union members. Stacked deck. This reminds me of one of those vestiges from the past, like the old Charity Hospital system, that needs to go away. This unelected board can reverse key personnel decisions that could jeopardize public safety— and further mistrust between the police and some segments of our community. The mayor, on the other hand, is elected and appoints a police chief who should have the freedom to run the department. This board can—and often does—impede that and it is ridiculous and unnecessary. The decision last week by this board to reverse the firing of Siya Creel by Chief Murphy Paul is the latest example. Who does the public expect to run the city police department? Who do they hold accountable? The answer to both is the chief, not the union. But it appears the union controls the civil service board that ties the hands of the chief. I agreed with BRAC’s letter in support of Paul, sent to the board by BRAC President Adam Knapp, which said, “We see the need for a strong, disciplined and well-managed police force that pursues long-lasting solutions to our community’s persistent rate of violent crime. We support the need for the chief of police to manage his department pursuant to clearly stated personnel duties, policies 6

and procedures. Moreover, we support that it is critical for the police chief to be able to remove from the force any officers who violate the department’s policies and procedures or act in dereliction of their duties.” Do we need a civil service board? No. Those functions could be handled elsewhere by others. For those who feel they have been unfairly treated, as with any employee in the public or private sectors, they can turn to the courts. That is, in fact, what Creel did, who currently has a federal case pending against the department. At the hearing, Creel got his job back but was given an 87-day unpaid suspension. The firing should of been upheld. Both sides now have the option to appeal the decision to the district court. Paul said he had no plans to do so. Creel’s attorney, though, did say an appeal is planned because they seem to want the job and the past money. And they don’t seem to be dropping the federal suit either. So, despite a 14-hour hearing, Creel’s lawsuits will continue in district and federal court. So why do we need the civil service board when the courts will ultimately decide? This archaic system created by the unions to protect union jobs should be abolished. Let’s quit wasting our time playing old political games and tying the hands of those in charge of public safety. WILL LOUISIANA TAX REFORM FINALLY HAPPEN? Is this the year? PAR calls it a “fiscal crossroads.” (Check out their commentary at parlouisiana.org.) There have been numerous discussions on tax reform over the years, both inside and outside of the state Capitol. But the past few weeks has seen the Legislature begin taking some action. There is still a lot of time on the clock, however, and nothing is yet across the goal line. The governor, legislators and business groups know something must be done about our outdated and complex structure—but what and how? And the public has yet

to speak at the ballot box. Senate President Page Cortez, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder and the heads of the House and Senate tax committees, all Republicans, seem committed to the cause. But there are key questions and tax issues on the table, including: • Are whatever changes implemented revenue neutral? • Will they favor a flat tax or graduated rates? • What about the corporate franchise tax? • Who has the courage to tackle special tax breaks? • How about eliminating the state federal income tax deduction? • Are new personal and corporate income tax rates on the horizon? • Can centralized sales tax collections win approval? • What’s the future of the inventory tax? • What will constitutional amendments look like? Gov. John Bel Edwards opposes any bills that would cause budget shortfalls. Republicans oppose anything that appears to raise taxes. The need for tax reform is long overdue and opportunity is knocking. The challenge is always “how?” Who gives up what? So where does it end? The game is far from over, but Louisiana needs a win for tax reform. WOMEN LEADING THE WAY Congratulations to the 2021 Influential Women in Business featured in the issue. Each is making their mark and, together with successful women across our community, are leading the way into the future. We salute this year’s honorees and all those honored in the past. Baton Rouge is fortunate you call this home. I would also like to thank the women here in our company for their leadership and commitment to excellence. They represent more than 75% of our team. We appreciate all they do. WHAT DO THE NUMBERS SAY? It appears after the new census

that some states will be getting more congressional seats, some will be losing one. Fortunately, Louisiana will be holding on to its six. We steadily gained population from 2010 to 2016 but then we started a decline and have stayed flat. This should be a concern. To no surprise, Texas gained two new seats in the U.S. House. Florida also picked up one. But look at a few that are losing a seat and ask yourself, “Why?” Places like California (Los Angeles and San Francisco) for the first time ever, Illinois (Chicago), New York (New York City), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) and Michigan (Detroit). What’s up? Is it home prices, politics, taxes, public safety or remote work? Will all of these issues make the urban centers less attractive to live and work in? I am sure the next census will confirm this, but I am betting the answer is already “yes.” HONORING DAVIS RHORER The Metro Council has renamed City Hall Plaza the Davis S. Rhorer Plaza. Davis’ son, Davis Rhorer Jr., told the council, “It recognizes a vision he had to connect our civic, cultural and governmental institutions together into one common core where everyone can come together.” Rhorer, who passed away March 8 from COVID-19, served as executive director of the Downtown Development District for 34 years and was a leader in the revitalization of the downtown area. We are all grateful for his legacy. TOP HIGH SCHOOLS According to the latest ranking from U.S. News and World Report, our Capital Region has six schools in Louisiana’s Top 20. Congratulations to Baton Rouge Magnet High, No. 6; Liberty Magnet High School (formerly Lee High), No. 8; St. Amant High School, No. 13; Zachary High School, No. 14; LSU Laboratory School, No. 16; and Holden High School, No. 17. Congratulations to the administrators, faculty, staff and students for finishing at the top of the class. Well done.

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE WORK STUDY PARTNERS AND SPONSORS FOR

INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE

Call 225.615.7479 or visit CRISTOREYBR.ORG to learn more.

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ISTOCK

STARTUP

TH E B IG STORY

Is Louisiana a fossil? 1 BIG THING: Like it or not, the world is going green … and Louisiana is digging in its heels. WHAT YOU READ: In the same late April week that the Biden administration committed to cutting the nation’s carbon emissions in half by 2030, the Louisiana Legislature was considering legislation that would end tax incentives to develop solar farms and increase registration fees on electric and hybrid vehicles. WHY IT MATTERS: World markets are shifting toward renewable resources and even the nation’s major automakers—notably, General Motors—are on board. Yet, Louisiana appears somewhat unwilling to take advantage of the opportunity to be a leader in an emerging market by clinging to policies that support the economic models of the past. • A measure by powerful House Speaker Clay Schexnayder

that was making its way through the legislative process as of late April would direct the Louisiana Department of Economic Development to suspend tax incentives, subsidies, and other public financial support for utility scale solar projects. Though HCR40 faces an uncertain future, the fact that it was filed at all speaks volumes about legislative priorities. • At least three other bills in the House and Senate would disincentivize the purchase of vehicles that run on alternative energy. One would remove a tax credit on the purchase of electric vehicles. Another would impose a $400 fee on owners of electric vehicles and a $275 fee on hybrids. Environmental groups say they’re not opposed to paying their fair share of revenue measures that fund roads and bridges, but they want those fees to be in line with what the owners of gas-guzzling vehicles pay (which is less than $100).

BIG PICTURE: Texas, for all its Red State swagger and fossil fuel activity, is, once again, light years ahead of Louisiana in the renewables space. The state leads the nation in wind-generated electricity and is among the leading states in solar energy potential, according to the nonpartisan U.S. Energy Information Agency. As of 2019, more than $50 billion had been invested in Texas in wind and solar power alone. Louisiana has underutilized agricultural land, so why is it so slow to come around? “It doesn’t make sense,” says David Dismukes, executive director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies. “We should be taking advantage of every opportunity we can.” • It’s not all hopeless. Billions of dollars in planned investments in facilities that will process renewable diesel and other “green fuels” have been announced in recent months, suggesting that investors see potential for

repurposing existing energy infrastructure and agricultural resources. • Last month alone, Grön Fuels received air permitting approval for a $9.2 billion renewable diesel facility at the Port of Baton Rouge; Strategic Biofuels announced plans for a $700 million renewable diesel plant upriver in Columbia; and CF Industries announced plans for a green hydrogen facility in Donaldsonville, and more such projects are planned for the future. WHAT’S NEXT: The oil industry is panicked over the Biden administration’s moratorium on new offshore drilling beginning in 2022, which will almost certainly have an adverse impact on jobs and revenues in Louisiana. Look for opponents of the moratorium to conflate that issue with the need for investment in renewables. The two are not mutually exclusive but in politics it’s easier to explain complex issues in binary terms. —Stephanie Riegel

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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DATA BANK

Numbers tell the story

5.5%

CONGRATULATIONS

ISTOCK ARTS

Real GDP decline in Louisiana in 2020, among the steepest declines in the South

Vanessa!

72%

Baton Rouge residents who favor legalizing both medicinal and recreational marijuana use

67%

Louisianans who favor legalizing both medicinal and recreational marijuana

Truck drivers and nurses The two most high-demand occupations last quarter in the Capital Region

42%

U.S. business owners who reported job openings that could not be filled

You’ve certainly made a big impact for Sparkhound! Sparkhound is a Digital Automation and Managed Infrastructure firm helping businesses maximize the potential of technology. Digital Automation We model and improve your organization’s processes through industry knowledge, strategy, and technology innovation to create operational efficiency and actionable data.

Managed Infrastructure

Number of named storms predicted to form this hurricane season

80,000

Proposed square footage for new Floor & Decor retail business to be located near Costco

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SOURCES: Bureau of Economic Analysis; Louisiana 2021 Marijuana Poll, conducted by JMC Analytics and Polling; Baton Rouge Area Chamber; preliminary Planning Commission agenda; National Federation of Independent Business; Colorado State University, S&P Global.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2021. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

SPONSORED CONTENT

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

SPONSORED BY:

Getting ahead:

new corporate partnership through the Flores Executive MBA Flex Program offers students the opportunity to work on consulting projects that utilize their classroom skills on real world business issues. The LSU Flores MBA Program is competitive and highly regarded in national and regional markets, fostering learning, leadership, and networking in a global business environment. In March 2021, Baton Rouge-based company Smalls Sliders partnered with the students in LSU’s Flores Executive MBA Flex Program to host a business challenge event. This virtual competition gave students a chance to work on a short-term consulting project and present results to the partner company. Smalls Sliders is a streamlined operation specializing in cooked-to-order premium slider burgers. The restaurant is a partnership between New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees, Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar co-founder Brandon Landry, Jacob Dugas (MBA’12) and Flores MBA Instructor Scott Fargason. “The talent within the Flores MBA Program is the same type of talent we aspire to include in our business. I’m confident that this partnership will help us to make prudent decisions moving forward as

‘Real world’ Executive MBA consulting projects are helping to further careers in Baton Rouge

we look to expand our footprint in Baton Rouge,” says Smalls Sliders co-founder Jacob Dugas, LSU Flores MBA class of 2012. Located conveniently on Nicholson Drive, Smalls plans to open a second location soon in the Bluebonnet Village Shopping Center. In preparation for the Business Challenge, teams of students spoke with Small Sliders company representatives to discuss the challenge, project scope, and industry-relevant information. The Flores Executive MBA Flex format provides new opportunities for its students. “Throughout the Flores EMBA Flex Program, students have opportunities to work on consultative projects with companies, delivering solutions to those companies in real-time,” Flores MBA Director Dana Hart says. “This level of experiential learning allows our students to not only add value to area companies, but it’s also a great way for the students to consistently work with a network of peer MBA students to maximize the overall potential of their MBA experience.” Chris Stogner, the Safety & Critical Control Leader at Triconex and a student in the Flores EMBA Flex class of 2022 was thrilled with the experience. “The opportunity to work with Smalls Sliders in a consultative manner helped

ingrain the learnings from academic material by putting it to work in a real-world application,” Stogner says. “The business challenge format fostered an environment of healthy competition, and the diversity of talent among the teams allowed us as students to learn from each other’s experience as well as provide Smalls Sliders with a broad range of meaningful recommendations to help achieve their goal of growing their business in a structured and profitable manner.” Like Small’s, other businesses partnering with Flores EMBA Flex students will benefit from the program with fresh ideas and input from tomorrow’s industry leaders. In the Flores EMBA Flex Program, students will have an opportunity to gain insights with some big companies throughout their time at LSU: • Acadian Ambulance • Ochsner Medical Center • Houston Rockets LSU’s Flores MBA Flex Program offers fulltime, one-year, and online tracks with schedule flexibility for those wishing to pursue their MBA from a nationally recognized program. Visit lsu.edu/business/mba to learn more and follow @LSUFloresMBA on social media.

The Smalls Sliders consulting project offered Flores EMBA Flex students an opportunity to apply our knowledge and skills in solving a real world problem. The ‘Shark Tank’ style competition challenged teams to work collaboratively in determining and presenting our customized solutions to experienced business leaders, while staying true to the Smalls Sliders brand. This project was a fun way to get better acquainted with my classmates, but also provided a unique networking opportunity with EMBA alumni, faculty, and the owners and investors of Small Sliders. PRISCILLA SIMPSON, EMBA Flex Class of 2022 Director of Events & Operations, Shaw Center for the Arts

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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STARTUP

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING

3 THINGS TO KNOW:

JASON LASSEIGNE President and COO, Sparkhound

Lasseigne’s stepdad was his most influential mentor. An Amite native, Lasseigne grew up working tank jobs with his stepfather, a welder, across the South. While the labor was brutal, Lasseigne learned the meaning of hard work—a lesson he credits as invaluable to his career. “A week doesn’t go by where I don’t think about how hard he worked.”

His first job out of LSU took him across the world. A summer internship with IBM led to an opportunity with IBM’s Global Services upon graduation. For nearly six years, Lasseigne bounced across the country and as far as Belgium and Tokyo in his job. “You learn so much from traveling and many of the experiences have stuck with me.”

DON KADAIR

While he’s worked in the technology industry, Lasseigne points to process improvement as his passion and career focus. “My goal is always to make things better, more efficient. Companies are often so focused on the outcome that they create a bit of a mess trying to get there. There’s nothing more fun than cleaning that up.”

Date night with daughter Anna Rea “There’s nothing more special than her and I going out to dinner, having alone time and hearing about her day.”

Golf with friends “We are so hard on each other but it is all in fun. We love each other like brothers.”

ISTOCK

COURTESY JASON LASSEIGNE

FAVORITE THINGS:

Scotch “The more peaty, the better.”

UMAMI Japanese Bistro “We sit at the sushi bar and just let the chef make whatever he can dream up. Sake is always a must.”

Cars “Since I was a young boy I’ve been infatuated with them. The faster, the better.”

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University was founded by influential women nearly 100 years ago. Thank you for carrying on their legacy.

Sr. Martha Ann Abshire • Laeisha James Barnes • Catherine Blanchard • Jan Breen • Denise Gillespie • April Graham • Charla Johnson • Danielle McNamara • Lindsay Mullins • Grace Ann Ourso • Laura Poche • Rhoda Reddix • Nicole Scott • Tinicia Turner

5414 Brittany Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70808 | (225) 768-1700 | franu.edu 12

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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STARTUP

ENTREPRENEUR

Albina Brahimi Owner, Jabby’s Pizza

WHAT THEY DO: Artisan pizza

ADDRESS:

18303 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge

NEXT GOALS: Expansion

“It’s rewarding seeing your restaurant packed and to see customers return every week. You know you’re doing your job right when they come back.”

PREP Albina Brahimi left her home in Kosovo as a teenager with her family to escape war, moving to Baton Rouge in 1999. “I didn’t speak English and didn’t know about Louisiana. I had no idea where we were going or what we were going to do here.” She enrolled in a local college with the intent to study nursing, but PTSD from the war caused her to change her major to health care administration, and ultimately she began a career in banking after graduation. “Banking, I liked it, but it wasn’t what I loved. Food has always been a passion for me. Ever since I was a little kid I dreamed of opening a restaurant.”

PREHEATING In 2019, with the encouragement of her husband and children, she quit her job at a local bank and began catering, all the while fostering her dream of owning her own restaurant. She credits family friend and local restaurateur Alfred Kulici, owner of La Contea, for helping her get into the business. He told her Jabby’s Pizza, located off Highland Road, was for sale and suggested she check it out. “The way I felt when I saw the brick pizza oven, I knew I could make the best pizzas in that oven. I texted him right away, ‘I’m in, 100 percent.’” She took over the business from its previous owners at the end of October 2019, immediately changing the recipes for the doughs and sauces. “I wasn’t nervous about buying the business because I know myself, I know how hard I work and know what kind of food I push out.”

BAKE

While some businesses have downsized during the pandemic, Brahimi has expanded hers. Earlier this spring, Brahimi expanded Jabby’s to Thibodaux, in Lafourche Parish, after buying and rebranding an existing pizza shop, and she has plans to open a restaurant in Prairieville this summer. However, there have been challenges. While Brahimi estimates business has doubled since last year, increases in food costs have been a burden. Brahimi attributes the business’s survival to her frugality. “We would like to expand as much as possible. But we will grow more as the right time comes. Right now, we have a lot to do.” —By Holly Duchmann • Photography by Brian Baiamonte

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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

SPONSORED CONTENT

FOR THE RECORD

Louisiana National Bank PRESIDENT/CEO: Brian Woodard

SPECIALTY:

Traditional Banking

FOUNDED: 1905

www.ln.bank 6919 Corporate Boulevard | Baton Rouge 225.214.8482 2001 N. Trenton Street | Ruston 318.255.8482

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ON THE RECORD:

A true community bank, Louisiana National Bank (previously First National Bank) has eight locations in Louisiana with approximately $300 million in assets and 80 employees. Its latest expansion opened in Baton Rouge at 6919 Corporate Boulevard.

OFF THE RECORD:

As the bank took the natural next step in expanding into the Capital Region, it also adopted a new name—Louisiana National Bank—to better distinguish who they are and who they now serve. The ownership, officers, and management of the bank remain the same, though the expansion does warrant additional leadership. Louisiana National Bank is proud to welcome Board Member Mike Polito and Baton Rouge Market Leader Alex Mahon to the team. Louisiana National Bank takes pride in being integrally involved in the communities it serves and is committed to providing Baton Rouge with the same high level of service that it has provided to North Louisiana since 1905.

4/29/21 1:04 PM

STARTUP

REAL ESTATE

DESIGN

BLUE ZOO

Mall of Louisiana, 6401 Bluebonnet Blvd., Suite 1123, Baton Rouge PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM MUELLER

Owner: Wes Haws Architect: Holden Architects Contractor: Martinez Construction Cost: $775,000 Completed: April Use: Aquarium FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION: “We see children every day become immersed in this underwater world of creatures, most of which they have only seen in books or in animated videos. It is an exceptional and exhilarating learning experience.” —Wes Haws, founder and owner, Blue Zoo

1. Blue Zoo aquarium recently opened in a 16,000-square-foot space on the first floor of the Mall of Louisiana. The aquarium offers 30 unique attractions and guests can interact with stingrays, urchins, starfish, reptiles and birds. 2. The shark room and playroom couples a 20,000-gallon shark tank with water play tables, mermaid story time setting and pirate ship playhouse. The shark tank includes whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, golden heart triggerfish and a shovelnose guitarfish. 3. The aquarium includes both fresh (pictured) and saltwater fish as well as reptiles and birds. 4. The saltwater room in the single-floor aquarium provides space for educational seminars and lectures. Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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STARTUP

REAL ESTATE

Residential market enjoys a banner year

TOM COOK EVERY YEAR THE commercial investment division of the Baton Rouge Board of Realtors puts on the TRENDS Real Estate Seminar. In 2019, I wrote the residential market segment for the Great Baton Rouge Trends in Real Estate publication, which was based on information from January 2019 to December 2019, just as the pandemic was taking control of our lives. At the same time, oil prices were falling and the consensus

was that the residential market might be in for a slowdown. That proved wrong. The residential real estate market saw record gains, according to my 2020 study. The 2020 data includes all sales reported to the Greater Baton Rouge Area Multiple Listing Service. Sales reported to the MLS represent over 80% of the residential real estate transactions in the Baton Rouge MSA. The study included over $3 billion in sales. The COVID-19 pandemic has had very little impact on the Greater Baton Rouge residential market. The increase in dollar volume from 2019 to 2020 was 21.95%. The average annual increase in dollar volume for the previous four years was 4.99%. The market also experienced an increase in the median home price from $207,000 in 2019 to $220,000 in 2020, a 6.28% increase, while the increase for the previous four years averaged 2.59%. Inventory also decreased.

The median months’ supply dropped by 28.57% from 2019 to 2020. Homes also sold more quickly, decreasing from a median days on market in 2019 of 34 to 26 in 2020, a 23.53% drop. The question is, what is driving this phenomenal residential market? Truly nothing like this has occurred in the last 40 years. Connie Kyle, managing residential broker at C.J. Brown Realtors, says the same thing. “Good houses are selling in the first few days; many of them are getting offers above list price, Kyle says. “I have never seen it like this.” In fact, nobody has a real handle on why it is happening. Meanwhile, the apartment market seems to be holding its own with regard to occupancy rates. Craig Davenport, a partner with the appraisal firm Cook, Moore, Davenport and Associates, says his study of the apartment market indicates the area’s average vacancy rate is about 10% and

has not increased over the last 12 months, meaning tenants are not moving out and purchasing homes. Job growth does not appear to be driving it, since unemployment has risen due to COVID-19. When I surveyed local agents and asked why this was happening, I got a variety of answers, but all point to the historically low interest rates as the main reason. I must agree with that assessment, I spoke to Saun Sullivan with DSLD, one of the nation’s 30 top homebuilders and the largest homebuilder in our region, and asked him what should I tell people at the TRENDS seminar this year about the residential market. He said, “Tell folks to stay sober, this won’t last forever.” I tend to agree, but right now there is no end in sight. Tom Cook of Cook, Moore, Davenport and Associates has been an independent real estate appraiser for more than 20 years

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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ECONOMY

The bottom line

N/A

Sales tax collections in East Baton Rouge Parish for February 2021 were not released by city-parish officials prior to publication.

17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10

UNEMPLOYMENT TRACKER

$223,000

Median home sale price for East Baton Rouge Parish for March 2021

238 235 232 229 226 223 220 217 214 211 208 205 202 199 196 193

REAL ESTATE TRACKER

J A S O N D 2020 13-month comparison

F M 2021

$23.3 MILLION

F M A M J J A S O N D J F 2020 2021

SALES TAX TRACKER J F M A M J J A S O N D J 2020 2021

56 54 52 50 48 46 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 26

Rigs operating inland and offshore Louisiana (as of April 23)

RIG TRACKER

24 23 Collective revenue (millions)

13.0 12.0 11.0 10.0 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.8 4.6 4.4 4.2 4.0 3.8 3.6 3.4 3.2 3.0 2.8 2.6

Tax dollars (millions)

6.6%

East Baton Rouge Parish unemployment rate in February 2021

Unemployment percentage

The latest indicators giving insight on how well Baton Rouge’s economy is performing. BY HOLLY DUCHMANN

Sales price (thousands)

STARTUP

Total revenue earned by Baton Rouge’s three riverboat casinos in March 2021

22 21 20

CASINO REVENUE TRACKER

19 18 17 16 15 10 0 F M A M J J A S O N D J F 2020 2021 13-month comparison

A M J J A S O N D J F M A 2020 2021

SOURCES: U.S. Department of Labor, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, East Baton Rouge Parish Finance Department, Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors, Louisiana Workforce Commission, Louisiana Gaming Control Board.

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STARTUP

TASTE

BRQ

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON • PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLIN RICHIE

NO SURPRISE FROM its name, BRQ’s focus is largely barbecue. But at lunchtime, one of its biggest sellers is chef-partner Justin Ferguson’s riff on the ever-popular fried chicken sandwich. “It’s a bit different, and really good,” says Ferguson, who spent weeks testing the right balance of flavors on his wife, Amanda. “We do a fresh, never-frozen breast and serve it with an agave arbol and guajillo chili barbecue sauce.” The assembly begins with a 24-hour brine, a consistent first step for all of BRQ’s meats, Ferguson says. “We use honey from my fatherin-law’s bees, water, kosher salt, apple cider vinegar, apple juice and herbs,” Ferguson says. The breast is dipped in a wet batter of buttermilk and Crystal hot sauce and dredged in seasoned self-rising flour, which Ferguson says produces a lighter fry than all-purpose flour. The fried breast is perched on a brioche bun, along with a slather of smoked jalapeño ravigote (a creamy sauce similar to remoulade), a cool complement to the sauce’s peppery punch. The sauce is made from dried arbol and guajillo chilies roasted and pureed with water to form a paste that is combined with apple cider vinegar, agave and seasonings. The result is a sweet, sticky sauce that’s fiery, but not overpowering. Finished with lettuce and tomato, the sandwich is further enhanced by a side of scratch-made coleslaw, or any other side dish on the menu. In late March, BRQ opened a new 4,000-square-foot open-air patio, more than doubling the restaurant’s capacity.

While barbecue is the focus at BRQ, a lunchtime favorite is the spicy fried chicken sandwich, with the fried breast, along with a slather of smoked jalapeño ravigote, perched on a brioche bun. The blueberry gimlet is among seven craft cocktails on a drink menu that also features classic cocktails, wine and a variety of beer selections. BRQ recently opened a 4,000-square-foot open-air patio, more than doubling the restaurant’s capacity.

Address: 10423 Jefferson Highway Phone: (225) 372-2674 Website: brqrestaurant.com Cuisine: Competition-style pit barbecue; Gulf seafood Executive chef/partner: Justin Ferguson Scene: Smart casual vibe; large patio Pricing: $$-$$$

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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S P O N S O RED C O N TEN T

CELEBRATING 55 YEARS

An American Success Story GERRY LANE ENTERPRISES

Family

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Fairness

Legacy

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S P O N S O RED C O N TEN T

(From left) Eric Lane, Ashton Lane Duhon, Tyler Lane

Gerry Lane Enterprises AN AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY BASED ON COURAGE AND CHARACTER

s the Gerry Lane Chevrolet sales team huddles for its morning sales meeting, company president Eric Lane can’t help but think of his father. A hardscrabble, principled businessman driven by integrity, the late Gerry Lane established a culture of earning his customers’ repeat business through a simple commitment: to treat people fairly. Now a third generation family-run company, Gerry Lane Enterprises is led by Eric, and his son, Tyler, and Cedric Patton. Cedric joined the company as a salesperson in 1983 and became a partner in 1994. Eric’s daughter, Ashton Lane Duhon, is Director of Human Resources for the Enterprises. Ashton’s role enables her to connect with the company’s most valuable asset: their employees. She helps coordinate various events and

opportunities to recognize those who make the company so special. She firmly believes that everything in the business starts with the employees, and that their happiness is a vital component to the company’s success. By personally handing out company newsletters each month to employee, she is able to pour into the lives of her co-workers as they pour into hers. She says, “It’s the little things that set us apart. We can’t control every aspect of the business, but being a consistent presence in the lives of those that matter most is a great start.” Eric routinely stops by each of the company’s dealerships to deliver a few words at their sales meetings, deploying the same down-to-earth values his dad espoused over the course of his 60-year career. “When customers walk in,” Eric says,

“they’ll probably tell you they’re looking for a specific kind of vehicle. But we drill down deeper, and ask them what they need the vehicle for. You might find that what they really need costs less than what they originally wanted. Our job is to help them find the right solution.” Close a sale with integrity, says Eric, and you’ll have a customer for life. Recognized locally and nationally for longstanding success in sales, professional ethics and community commitment, Gerry Lane Enterprises is rooted in the gutsy persistence of a small town Oklahoman who wouldn’t quit. The company, which includes Gerry Lane Chevrolet, Gerry Lane Cadillac and Gerry Lane Buick-GMC-Hummer, is one of the Capital Region’s most recognizable and respected names in business.

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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DAVID WOOD

S P O N S O RED C O N TEN T

How It Began G erry Lane would see incredible success over his lifetime, selling more than $10 billion in automotive sales, and owning multiple dealerships on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in Baton Rouge, but he grew up in rural poverty. Born to sharecropper parents in Oklahoma, Lane knew what it was to struggle. He left home at 22 to find work in San Diego, California. Cars were the rage in sunny, southern California in the early 1950s, and Lane wanted to try his hand at selling them. Before he could begin, however, he had to sell himself. “My dad was turned down three times by the Ford dealership before they finally gave him a chance,” recalls Eric Lane. “The manager finally told him, ‘Take this car downtown and try to sell it. If you can’t, you’re fired.’” Lane had no choice but to succeed. By the end of his first week, he’d sold a total of five cars. Affable, confident and honest, he flourished in automotive sales, moving to Los Angeles, and becoming one of the city’s most successful salesmen.

When the Los Angeles dealership where Gerry Lane worked went out of business, its parent organization recommended him for management positions in Houston, New Orleans, Kansas City, Baltimore and Baton Rouge. He visited Houston and New Orleans, passing on both, and drove through Baton Rouge as an afterthought. He was surprised at the community’s potential, he would say later, and he accepted a position as sales manager at Capital City Ford in 1957. Six months later, Gerry Lane was hired by another local dealership, Herbert Polk Chevrolet. He flourished at Polk Chevrolet, managing operations there from 1958 to 1966. During that time he told his wife and confidante, Faye, that he craved owning his own dealership. No one in his family had ever owned anything, and he knew he had the right instincts to succeed. Polk rejected Lane’s offer to buy into the dealership, so he kept looking for opportunities, mentioning his intention to anyone who would listen.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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S P O N S O RED C O N TEN T

“I watched my father make many business decisions over the years that were based on doing the right thing for other people.” —Eric Lane

Gulf Coast Growth I n 1966, an opportunity emerged to buy the Gulf Chevrolet dealership in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Gerry Lane jumped at the chance. Now a dealer, he did things his way, holding motivational sales meetings and hiring the most talented service department mechanics he could find. His strategies helped transform what had been a languishing operation. Under his leadership, sales increased by 487%, the largest for any General Motors dealership in the country that year. Less than two years later, Lane parlayed that success into the first of business wins. He became the majority partner in what would become

Harvey-Lane Chevrolet in Pascagoula, at which point the Lanes moved their family, which also included children Saundra and Eric, from Baton Rouge to Pascagoula. Eager to grow his holdings, Lane later bought Pascagoula Pontiac, Lucedale Chevrolet and Jacobs Chevrolet in Gonzalez with Lamar Smith. Predicting America’s move to smaller, fuelefficient cars, Lane purchased his first import dealership, Burnham-Lane Pontiac Toyota, in 1969. In 1972, he joined Mid-South Diversified and invested in banking, life insurance, auto parts and supplies. In 1977, Lane also added a Nissan dealership to his Gulf Coast holdings.

Words to Live By In a sales meeting over 30 years ago, Gerry Lane shared these words to live by:

This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is important because I’m exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, not loss; good, not evil; success, not failure—in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for it.

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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S P O N S O RED C O N TEN T

A Life Well Lived “Anyone from anywhere can be a success at any time. It just takes courage to leave the past behind, take action on your dreams, and make friends out of strangers. But it’s not as hard as you think. Simply be the servant and one day you’ll be the master.”

1953

1966

At age 22, Gerry Lane moved from Oklahoma to California and began his career as a car salesman in San Diego.

Lane bought his first car dealership in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

1950

1960

1970

1980

1957

1987

Lane moved to Baton Rouge to work for Capital City Ford.

Lane bought Polk Chevrolet and began to focus on the Baton Rouge market.

1990

Through the Years Gerry m et Eric pose many celebriti es with blu esman an during his lifetim d Baton e. Rouge n Here, he and ative Per cy Sledg e.

with her ont center) Faye Lane (fr en. dr hil dc an gr children and

a, Faye and Eric, Saundr

Gerry Lane

Gerry and his belove d wife Faye shortly be fore his de ath in 2013 .

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S P O N S O RED C O N TEN T

Life Lessons

long the way, Gerry Lane shared his business acumen with his children. Eric Lane would follow in his footsteps in automotive sales, and Saundra Lane would start the company’s own advertising arm, The Lane Agency. Gerry Lane TV commercials won hundreds of awards and thousands flocked to their events. “It was an exciting time,” says Saundra, who retired in 2018. Working in the family business was earned, not assumed, Eric recalls. “I started at 14, and worked every Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon as a janitor. He started me out at the very bottom to understand the company. Every summer, he would move me around to different departments. I’ve done every single job in a dealership.” That awareness, says Eric, helped him become a stronger leader when he joined his father in the company in 1987. “I can tell somebody how to do their job better because I’ve done the job before,” says Eric, who raised his son Tyler similarly. Like his dad, Tyler’s first job in the business was working as a janitor.

Tyler Lane with Josh Teekel, Gerry Lane Chevrolet General Manager.

Ride ‘em, Cowboy GERRY LANE’S LONGTIME support of the Angola Prison Rodeo wasn’t just about writing a check. It was about a belief in basic kindness. For many years, Gerry and Faye Lane attended the rodeo, with Faye, the former International Oil Queen of Tallulah, Louisiana, opening the event on horseback while carrying the American flag. Today, Eric and Tyler Lane carry on this tradition by riding in the rodeo’s grand entrance. Eric also still fulfills one of his father’s favorite personal traditions during the rodeo weekend. He buys 100 bags of fried pork cracklins from the rodeo’s cracklin’ vendor and distributes them to sequestered inmates who are waiting to ride. “My dad would go over and talk to them, and hand out the cracklins,” says Eric. “He’d tell them good luck today, and God bless you.” Lane’s involvement with the Angola Prison Rodeo helped the event return significant funding to the prison, at no cost to taxpayers. The rodeo funds 18 churches on the property, as well as educational programs that help inmates master skills and trades. Forty percent of the inmates at Angola will be released, and Lane knew that such programs are essential for a successful transition back into society.

Before he passed away in 2013, Gerry Lane routinely participated in the grand entrance at the Angola Prison Rodeo. Mrs. Lane carried the American flag at the rodeo for more than 25 years.

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S P O N S O RED C O N TEN T

Calling Baton Rouge

n 1987, one of Gerry Lane’s earliest dreams became a reality. He purchased the Polk Chevrolet dealership, and began expanding his business interests and community involvement in Baton Rouge. By 1994, the company had sold all of its Mississippi dealerships and was solely focused on the Capital Region. The Lane family’s involvement in Baton Rouge has been significant, and includes serving on dozens of nonprofit boards and supporting a wide range of groups, including Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, the YMCA, the Angola Prison Rodeo, 13th Gate, the LSU Ag Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, E. J. Ourso College of Business and others.

Cedric Patton with Faye, Eric and Lisa Lane present a gift to the LSU Foundation Gerry Lane Scholars Fund.

Eric Lane recalls his father’s deep personal commitment to the causes he supported. As a cancer survivor, Gerry Lane was compelled to help raise significant funds to support Mary Bird Perkins. Millions of dollars have been raised in conjunction with Karnival Krewe of Louisiane, which raises funds for Mary Bird Perkins, as well as Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center. As a faithful member of the YMCA, Lane said yes when the organization asked him to sponsor the Y’s youth sports league T-shirts. The tradition started in the summer of 1989 with a $1,200 contribution for summer camp shirts for children who otherwise couldn’t afford them. But the Lanes didn’t stop there. The tradition grew to include the organization’s many youth sports and now tallies more than $2 million in T-shirts donated. The 13th Gate, the top-rated haunted house in the nation, has been sponsored by the Lane Family since the attraction opened in the old LSU pig barn. Its growth has been amazing and visitors arrive from all over the country. Many movies have been filmed there as well. And as a member of the Louisiana State Penitentiary board, Lane applied his business smarts to help the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola become self-sustaining by making the biannual Prison Rodeo a financial success.

Outta the Park Baseball and business are part of the Lane family legacy TENS OF THOUSANDS of Baton Rouge children have played baseball through the Capital Area YMCA, and when they hit the diamond on Saturday mornings, they wear T-shirts provided by Gerry Lane Enterprises. Under sunny skies and amid cool spring breezes, kids enjoy the crack of the bat, the thrill of a hit and the joy of a clutch catch. Like many of the family’s philanthropic endeavors, the T-shirt contribution carries personal meaning. Baseball was an important part of Gerry, Eric and Tyler Lanes’ lives. Before he moved to California to pursue car sales, Gerry Lane played for a New York Yankees farm team. He intended to pursue the Major League, but had to return home to Oklahoma to care for his ailing father. Eric Lane played baseball at Tulane University and spent four years playing for the San Francisco Giants and the Cleveland Indians farm teams. And Tyler Lane played college baseball at LSU Shreveport, the University of Central Arkansas and Millsaps College until a recurring shoulder injury forced him to hang up his cleats. Baseball, says Eric Lane, is the perfect training ground for the car business. “You experience lots of failure and disappointment, but you don’t let it get you down,” Lane says. “It’s all about learning to not quit. If you fail 70% of your times at bat, you’re still a .300 hitter.”

Gerry, Eric and Tyler Lane all played baseball at the collegiate or professional level, and the family is a big supporter of LSU’s program.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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S P O N S O RED C O N TEN T

Family Tradition G erry Lane was driven both by a desire to succeed personally, and to help make life better for others, says Eric. “He enjoyed other people having a good life because his parents were dirt poor,” says Eric. “I watched him make many business decisions over the years that were based on doing the right thing for other people.” For example, says Eric Lane, when his father bought a dealership, he would allow salespeople to keep their seniority instead of saving money on benefits by starting the clock anew. In fact, Lane was a pioneer in providing benefits to employees, offering retirement and hospitalization before his peers nationwide. And he constantly found ways to treat customers fairly, believing that inspiring loyalty would increase profitability in the long run. That commitment is something shared by Eric, who first joined the business in Pascagoula in 1987. Eric and Cedric Patton, an invested owner in the company, ran the dealership there and then moved to the Gulfport store. After the sale of the Gulfport dealership in 1991, Eric and his wife Lisa

Every member of the dealership’s team is considered a critical part of the Gerry Lane family.

moved their family to Baton Rouge. By 1994, Eric and Cedric were running the Gerry Lane Buick-GMC Saturn, Hummer and Chevrolet dealerships. But Eric, like his father, believed in doing the right thing. When the economy plummeted in 2009, and General Motors went bankrupt, many dealerships refused to honor warranties and rebates. Gerry Lane dealerships took the bold move of fulfilling warranties and rebates when other dealers didn’t, accruing about $500,000 in costs that GM would finally pay back three months later. Fortunately, a federal bailout came through. Eric had stuck to his commitment to do the right thing, and by doing so, had likely gained customers for life. Now, Tyler Lane is poised to lead the company, bringing new energy, skills and awareness to the role. He follows the same work ethic and integrity of his father and grandfather—to treat everyone fairly and to inspire people to believe that any goal, no matter how grand, is achievable with the right mindset.

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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COVERSTORY

2021

Influential

WOMEN in BUSINESS HONORING 9 WOMEN LEADERS WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CAPITAL REGION.

espite the many challenges, they find a way to make it all look so easy. The high-pressure careers. The growing families. The service on local boards and volunteer efforts at area nonprofits. The 2021 Influential Women in Business balance all these demands— and more, including a pandemic. Of course, it’s not easy—and it hasn’t been a leisurely climb for any of this year’s nine honorees. And while their personal

and career paths are varied, there are a few common threads that emerge when speaking with the honorees about how they’ve reached this point in their lives. They take risks. They persevere in the face of failure. They have strong support networks. They believe in themselves. And at the end of a long day, they know how to decompress and recharge for the next challenge that awaits them. For 24 years now, Business Report has been honoring the incredible women

in our community who are making the Capital Region a better place to live, work and play. As you’ll learn in their profiles on the following pages, this year’s honorees have already achieved much, but they’re not anywhere near the finish line. Along with the profiles, the 2021 Influential Women in Business will be celebrated at a special luncheon on May 19. Tickets are on sale now at brwib2021. eventbrite.com. Individual tickets are $55; a reserved table of 10 is $550.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLIN RICHIE Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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COVERSTORY

Paula P.

DAVIS LOUISIANA STATE REPRESENTATIVE Commercial real estate agent, Waters & Pettit Commercial Real Estate

“You can rise to any level as long as you WORK HARD and are COMMITTED TO YOUR GOALS.” 28

he majored in political science at LSU, but Republican state Rep. Paula Davis says her career ambitions didn’t originally include a run for public office. She spent several years in governmental relations and then served as deputy commissioner for the Department of Insurance. When she was encouraged to run for a seat in the Louisiana House, her initial reaction was to dismiss the idea immediately. But, after sleeping on it and getting the blessing of her family, she decided holding office would be a good fit for her after all. Davis grew up in Breaux Bridge, a small city in St. Martin Parish. She graduated from Breaux Bridge High School at 17 and immediately moved to Baton Rouge to start summer school classes as a freshman at LSU. She and her husband, John, have been married for 22 years, and they have one daughter, Hayden, a senior at Auburn University. “I wanted to go into politics as a lobbyist or in governmental relations. I never anticipated actually running for office,” Davis says. When she first mentioned the idea to her father, his immediate reaction was, “You go girl.” That was what Davis needed to hear. Davis first ran for the House District 69 seat in 2015, and was reelected in 2019 to serve a fouryear term. She currently serves as chairwoman of the House Commerce Committee and is a member of the House Executive Committee, House Select Leadership Committee, Joint Select Committee on Louisiana Economic Recovery and the governor’s Resilient Louisiana Commission. Davis says watching her daughter on the campaign trail learning about hard work and how to have real conversations with people was “fun and impressive to watch.” During a stop for lunch at a McDonald’s, Davis says her daughter was wearing her campaign T-shirt when another young woman approached and told Hayden she thought her mother was inspiring.

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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With a nationwide push for more women to run for public office, Davis says she hopes she can serve as a role model. It’s important for women to know they can be anything they want to be, Davis says. “You can rise to any level,” she says, “as long as you work hard and are committed to your goals.” During her first term, addressing infrastructure needs in the Baton Rouge area was a high priority. Her objective remains making sure more money is dedicated to the construction of roads in order to alleviate the traffic jams residents face every day. “When you’re sitting in traffic for an hour and a half a day, that’s less time you could be spending with your family,” she says. Now, as the first chairwoman of the House Commerce

Committee, Davis says her goals are diversifying the state’s economy and attracting businesses to Louisiana. “My love is economic development,” she says. “We want businesses to stay here, expand here, and we want to attract more businesses to the Baton Rouge region.” During her second term, Davis says some issues not previously on her radar have caught her attention. In 2019, she spearheaded efforts to tackle Louisiana’s opioid epidemic, authoring a bill requiring residential treatment facilities to give patients with opioid-use disorders access to medication that would block the drug’s effect. “That was a piece of legislation where I thought, ‘I’m doing something here, and it’s going to make a difference,’” Davis says. —Emily Kern Hebert

BIO Hometown: Breaux Bridge Age: 47 Family: Spouse, John B. Davis, and daughter Hayden E. Davis

Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Years with company: Louisiana House of Representatives, 5 years; Waters and Pettit, 4 years

MILESTONES 2002: Is the first woman appointed Deputy Commissioner over Office of Property and Casualty at the Louisiana Department of Insurance. 2015: Becomes the first woman Republican elected to the Louisiana Legislature by East Baton Rouge Parish voters. 2018: After years of special sessions and temporary budget patches, the first-term state representative brokers a deal to end the so-called fiscal cliff and avoid hefty cuts to public colleges, tuition aid, health care and most public safety programs. 2020: Becomes the first female state representative to be appointed as chair of the House Commerce Committee overseeing legislation related to banking, communications, maritime navigation, consumer protection, tourism and other trade and commerce issues.

Q&A Life-changing experience Leaping out of a perfectly good plane at 14,000 feet and traveling toward the ground at over 100 mph. Skydiving was a life-changing experience, helping me appreciate being fully present and taking on big challenges. Worst advice “Go ask your husband, he’ll explain it to you.” That didn’t work out so well for the person who gave me that advice. Advice for young women The sooner you realize that women run the world, the sooner you will have the confidence to take on the world.

• Hosted phone systems

• School Intercom Systems

• Digital & IP telephones

• Sound-masking Systems

• Patient Response Systems

Local Service & Support Since 1961 WWW.EXECUTONELA.COM Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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COVERSTORY

Y Yolanda J.

DIXON

SECRETARY OF THE SENATE, LOUISIANA SENATE

olanda Dixon didn’t have a vision or a plan to be the first. She just set out to do her work thoroughly and to the best of her ability. The rest—the promotions, leadership roles and recognition—has followed. Dixon is the first woman and first African American to serve as secretary of the Louisiana Senate. She was elected to the position by Senate members in January 2020. Previously, Dixon served as the first assistant secretary of the Senate, director of the Legislative Bureau, Senate senior counsel, director of the Judiciary and Government Division for the Senate, and senior attorney to the committees on Senate and Governmental Affairs, Local and Municipal Affairs and Judiciary “A.” Prior to joining the Senate staff, she was an attorney with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. Dixon says when she began working for the Senate in 1988, she found the Legislature exciting, particularly the behind-thescenes workings and how regular people could influence proposed legislation. “That seed of an idea often comes from a problem brought to a legislator’s attention

“I have done some things that HAD NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE in this community. Young women can look to what I’ve done and realize that THEY, TOO, CAN DO IT.” 30

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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by a constituent,” she says. After working as an attorney for the Senate, she transitioned to working for the Senate Education Committee. Dixon credits Armond Brinkhouse, the former state senator and education chairman, with influencing how she works, describing him as “a very experienced, no-nonsense person. He knew the bottom line, what the facts were, and he was going to move quickly and deliberately,” Dixon says. In addition to her work in the state Senate, Dixon is heavily involved in civic activities in the Baton Rouge community, serving on several boards and doing volunteer work. Her first experience volunteering was through her college sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and from there, her time serving with the Junior League of Baton Rouge expanded her horizons for volunteer work. As the research and development

chair, she was tasked with moving the organization into a more focused area of volunteer work, settling on early childhood issues. After serving as a committee vice president, she was elected president of the organization’s Baton Rouge chapter—the first African American to hold the office. “I have done some things that had not been done before in this community,” Dixon says, hesitant to refer to herself as a trailblazer. She adds, “Young women can look to what I’ve done and realize that they, too, can do it.” Dixon says her parents instilled in her a strong work ethic and the importance of honoring her commitments. She says she also lives by the quote, “To whom much is given, much is required.” “There is always a need for people to help others who need assistance in a community,” she says. “I feel like I have to do it.” —Emily Kern Hebert

COMING IN JUNE

REAL ESTATE

R E P O R T The Essential Resource to Real Estate in the Capital City

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION PU T YO U R ME S SAGE WHERE IT MAT TERS!

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL

BIO

RETAIL

Hometown: New Orleans Age: 62

COMING IN JULY

MILESTONES 1983: Graduates from law school. 1995: Is named the senior counsel at the state Senate. 2003: Becomes director of the Judiciary and Government Division of the Louisiana Senate. 2004: Elevates to the role of first assistant secretary of the state Senate. 2020: Becomes secretary of the Senate by a vote of state senators.

Q&A Life-changing experience The death of my mother as it required me to be more focused on my work-life balance. First experience as a leader Being president of the Junior League, which taught me about time management and, as a leader, that it is most important to set just a couple of goals. Otherwise you end up accomplishing nothing. Necessary workplace changes The day when gender is not a factor in who serves in the highest levels of (public) office or in companies. I look forward to the day when we simply seek the best qualified person for the job.

Advice for young women Be in charge of your own destiny. If you invest in yourself, and in other women, we can change workplaces to reflect what they actually are—places in which women play a crucial role. Don’t let others put you in a niche or a box of what they think you are capable of doing or achieving. Own your journey.

TOP100

Years with company: 33 years

P R I VAT E C O M PA N I E S

Family: Spouse, John Edward Dixon

VISIONARIES LEADERS CREATORS INFLUENCERS DECISION-MAKERS Directly engage those who make things happen in their business and our community. BRTop100.com

Reserve your ad space now in both of these special issues. Contact Kerrie Richmond at krichmond@businessreport.com Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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COVERSTORY

Vanessa

GRAHAM FOUNDER AND OWNER, VGRAHAM LLC

“When you first get into business, you want to PERFORM, PERFORM and PERFORM, but now we really focus on scoping out what it takes to HELP A CLIENT meet their goals.” 32

tarting her own financial management firm was a natural evolution for CPA Vanessa Graham, whose career spans large and small firms and sitting in the CFO seat several times over. Her company, VGraham, is a boutique operation that provides outsourced financial and controllership services to small and midsized businesses representing a range of sectors. It has grown significantly over its nine-year tenure, earning a spot in LSU’s Top 100 companies for the past four years. Graham and her staff of 10—all women, as it happens—bring a deep bench of experience in the accounting world, having earned stripes in both Big Four firms and in specific industries. The company provides customized solutions to businesses representing health care, oil and gas, manufacturing, construction, marketing and more. Current clients see anywhere from $1 million to $70 million in annual revenue. “They may need systems and workflow improvement, or other back office issues that need to be brought in line,” Graham says. “They may want to expand, and they need credit, and their financial institution needs forecasting and financials. Whatever the case, we’re going to produce deliverables in a way that allows the client to use them for many purposes.” Graham and her team pride themselves on not just providing compliance and technical expertise, but in adding value and helping clients plan for the future by taking a deep dive into their operations. Solutions and strategies aren’t boiler plate; they’re tailored to address a client’s short- and long-term goals. Graham’s objective is to remove doubt from a business owner’s mind through smart systems and solid forecasting. “The number one thing we provide is the support a business needs to make a decision,” Graham says. “We are going to be accurate about it, because we’re going to get to know you well.”

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Accounting was a natural fit sustaining member as well as a for Graham, whose father and former Dancing for Big Buddy mentor, Page Ogden, was a bank participant. executive. Graham earned a deCurrently, Graham serves as gree in accounting from LSU, secretary/treasurer of the Mary then went to work for KPMG. Bird Perkins Cancer Center, She later left the firm to join the and is a mentor with the Young management team of one of her Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton clients, Appro Systems Inc, a Rouge. She balances her volunsoftware development company teerism and career with raising for the financial industry. During 12-year old twins. Graham’s seven-year stint at Graham’s experience has Appro, the company saw signifitaught her a lot, including how cant growth, helping it to attract to operationalize two key oba buyer, Equifax. After the sale, jectives: providing clients with Graham stayed on to work with technical support and offerEquifax for two years, but didn’t ing innovative solutions to their want to relocate to its headquarproblems. ters in Atlanta. Baton Rouge was “When you first get into busihome. ness, you want to perform, perHer commitment to the Capital form and perform,” Graham Region has been demonstrated says, “but now we really focus on through steady volunteerism. She scoping out what it takes to help has served on numerous boards, a client meet their goals.” including First United Methodist The secret, she adds, is Church, the Rotary Club of communicating. Baton Rouge, the Early Learning “It’s number one,” Graham Center, Thrive, the Louisiana says. “Communicating with our Tech Park Admissions Issue Date: APRIL Council Ad proof #2 clients is absolutely key.” —Maggie Heyn Richardson and therespond McMains • Please by e-mailChildren’s or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS ISCenter. unless approval revisions Development Sheorisfinal also are received by the close of business today. a• Junior of Baton Rouge AdditionalLeague revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

BIO Hometown: Baton Rouge Age: 47 Family: Husband, Brent, and twin children, Bennett and Olivia, 12 Years with company: 9 years

MILESTONES • Passes CPA exam and begins working for KPMG. 2000: Working as controller for Appro Systems Inc., company receives capital in a round led by GE Capital, fueling both turnaround and growth that leads to the 2005 sale to Equifax. Remains with Equifax following the sale, playing an integral role in the integration of its new acquisitions with the company’s systems and processes. 2000s: Works as CFO in the portfolio companies of private investors, gaining significant knowledge and experience in a variety of areas outside of the typical finance office, particularly as these entities were in either a turnaround phase or a significant growth phase. 2012: Opens VGraham in 2012, providing outsourced CFO services to small businesses. 2017: After five years, company earns a spot in the LSU Top 100 Fastest Growing Tiger Businesses, eventually rising to No. 9 in 2019. The award is awarded based on percentage growth rate and is a testament to consistent year-over-year growth. 2016, 2020: VGraham continues its success despite major economic disruptions in the market (2016 flood, pandemic in 2020) by supporting clients facing the same market conditions.

Louisiana Office Solutions Co.

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COVERSTORY

Susanne

HALL

WEST REGION VICE PRESIDENT, COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO., UNITED

hen Susanne Hall spoke at Coca-Cola UNITED’s first-ever women’s conference in March, one of the things she told the more than 400 virtual attendees was what it meant to have a mentor who refused to let her fail. That mentor, Hall recalled, knew the young woman in internal auditing wanted to make the jump to sales, so he guided her in a way that allowed her to use her financial background. “He gave me that opportunity,” Hall says. “I knew he wasn’t going to let me fail, but I surely was not going to let him down, so I learned quickly to work hard and be a leader.” That early lesson, Hall says, has stuck with her and it’s why as vice president for Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED’s west region she stays focused on servant leadership. “I make sure the team has what they need, but I also see it as me being the kind of mentor to those that really need clarity on where they want to go,” Hall says. “I had mentors that really gave me a boost and told me, ‘I got you, you’re going to do great, and I’ll be there every step of the way,’ and that’s sometimes just what people need.” Hall, a New Iberia native, graduated from the University of New Orleans with a degree in accounting, and became a CPA in 1991. However, soon after leaving financial roles with Tabasco and landing within the Coca-Cola system, she discovered an interest in sales.

“Don’t think the path you want to take is not achievable because you MAY NOT SEE IT AS TRADITIONAL.” 34

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“Don’t think the path you want to take is not achievable because you may not see it as traditional,” Hall says. “I was afforded so many opportunities to do so many different jobs over my 25 years (with Coca-Cola), and it made me grow and learn and gave me that unbelievable opportunity when I could sit here and feel so lucky that the little girl from New Iberia got a chance to experience everything I got to experience—but it’s because I took a nontraditional path.” Hall’s career with the CocaCola system began in 1996, and eventually took her to Atlanta for a dozen years. In 2015, she returned to Louisiana along with her husband, Steve, whom she met at Coca-Cola UNITED and who still works for the company, to lead a merger between Coca-Cola UNITED and another bottler.

Throughout it all, Hall says, she’s never lost her passion for the brand. “I still get goosebumps when I see a Coke truck going down the street,” she says. Part of that passion, she says, is because of Coca-Cola UNITED’s core values, which put their associates first. That was a particular challenge in 2020 because of not only the pandemic but the seven named storms that impacted the company’s footprint. “We’ve had to pivot like everybody else (but) it’s always thinking of my associates first,” she says, “and understanding how things that we deal with dayto-day affect them. … One day, when I retire, I hope that’s what our team will say: That I was a servant leader, an empathetic leader.”

CELEBRATING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

—Chelsea Brasted

BIO Hometown: New Iberia Age: 51 Family: Husband, Steve Hall, and daughter, Caroline Geldart Years with company: 25 years

Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #2 www.fw-cpa.com | 225.927.6811 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. 6811 Highway • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or finalJefferson revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

MILESTONES 1991: Graduates from University of New Orleans with a degree in accounting and a minor in information technology; passes the CPA exam later that year. • Working for two of the most recognized trademarks in the world: TABASCO and Coca-Cola. 1991-2021: Following a nontraditional career path, holds a variety of jobs in accounting, sales and marketing as well as operations.

is pleased to announce that

2013: Becomes one of the highest-ranking woman operators in the CocaCola System as senior vice president of region sales for the company’s east region, a territory from the Canadian border to Puerto Rico.

Jennifer R. Dietz

2019: Founding board of directors member for the Boys and Girls Club of Louisiana.

has joined the firm as Partner

Q&A Proudest business achievement That a little girl from New Iberia could—and would—become one of the highest-ranking female operators in North America for Coca-Cola. I don’t take that for granted, and because of it I want to be a mentor for other women so they can reach their goals and achieve their dreams. Worst advice Early in my career I was cautioned to work harder to ensure my talent was noticed. I took this advice to heart before finally realizing I did not have to work harder than others, I needed to work smarter than others. Balancing my career and family was my priority. Advice for young women As women in a male-dominated industry we don’t always believe we can reach the highest levels. However, set your goals high and don’t be afraid to stretch yourself to reach them. Find a great mentor who can walk with you along the career journey.

JOHN P. WOLFF, III

MARTIN E. GOLDEN

JENNIFER R. DIETZ

ANDREW BLANCHFIELD

BRIAN T. BUTLER

TIFFANY T. KOPFINGER

EDWARD F. STAUSS, III

TORI S. BOWLING

CHELSEA A. PAYNE

KIRK L. LANDRY

VIRGINIA J. MCLIN

SYDNEE D. MENOU

COLLIN J. LEBLANC

C. REYNOLDS LEBLANC

GEORGE A. WRIGHT

CHAD A. SULLIVAN, R.N.J.D.

RICHARD W. WOLFF

COLE C. FRAZIER

CHRISTOPHER K. JONES

JOHN N. GRINTON

MARY ANNE WOLF, P. E.

CATHERINE S. GIERING

Keogh, Cox & Wilson, Ltd. • 701 Main Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802 • 225.383.3796

keoghcox.com Andrew Blanchfield, Managing Partner

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COVERSTORY

Stephanie

MANSON CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

“I’m trying to help my (teenage) daughters be FIERCE and KIND.” It’s also something that has helped her rise through the ranks at OLOL over more than two decades. 36

hen Stephanie Manson thinks of the difficult year her staff faced during the pandemic, the first thing she pictures is a hallway filled with IV pumps, poles and drips. Manson, chief operating officer for Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, knows the coronavirus brought with it unparalleled challenges for Baton Rouge. But it also brought out the best in the people she leads. “We’re used to high touch (care),” Manson says, something that became less possible at the height of the pandemic, so hospital staff members rigged together a system that would allow them to care for patients without entering rooms. “It was neat—very creative and innovative. With every new challenge that came, we thought about a way to conquer it.” That fortitude and the

motivation to constantly improve is something Manson learned early. A Houma native, Manson grew up with parents who taught her to work hard and to treat others well. It’s something she looks to instill in her two teenage daughters. “I’m trying to help my daughters be fierce and kind,” she says. It’s also something that has helped her rise through the ranks at OLOL over more than two decades. After earning her master’s in health administration at the University of AlabamaBirmingham, Manson returned to Louisiana to begin her career at OLOL as an administrative fellow in 1998. She’s been there ever since, taking every opportunity offered to her—even if she wasn’t sure it was the exact right fit at the time. “Having an openness to where you’re being called is important,

and each time the organization had a need and someone saw I could fulfill that need, I trusted that, and I trusted the people calling on me to make a difference,” Manson says. “It’s worked.” Manson will celebrate three years as OLOL’s chief operating officer in July, a role she assumed from Terrie Sterling, who was Manson’s first supervisor after she finished her residency. “She really gave me a shot,” Manson says of Sterling, herself a former Business Report Influential Women in Business honoree. “I reported to her for 15 or so of my 23 years here, so she definitely has made an impact for me.” Manson has also been deeply impacted by the hospital’s founders, Catholic sisters who traveled to Louisiana from France in the early 20th century. “I think about any day that

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might have been a hard day, and I think about what their journey was like,” Manson says. “They’ve developed this massive health care service across the state, and it’s inspiring to me. … I bring in my faith life, and from a health care standpoint, we are invited every day into the lives of people in some of their most scared and vulnerable moments, and it’s a huge responsibility, and it’s an honor to be on that journey with patients and their families.” As Manson looks to the future, her goal is to continue providing excellent health care while creating the most desirable environment for her team to work. In fact, she wants the hospital system to become such an in-demand workplace that there is a waiting list to get hired. “I try to live every day so when I put my head on my pillow every night … I try to stop and say, ‘What have we accomplished? What’s been good about this day?’ And have I done my very best to serve?” Manson says. “I try to make that answer ‘yes’ every day.

BIO

Q&A

Hometown: Houma

Proudest business achievement Leading the implementation of a statewide electronic health record (EHR) and revenue cycle system for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (OLOL’s parent company), a multiyear, $315 million project. The primary project goals, EHR integration at six hospitals, was completed on time and under budget.

Age: 47 Family: Spouse, Briggs Manson, and daughters Anna Claire, 17, and Lilly, 15 Years with company: 20 years

MILESTONES 1998: Earns Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA) and MBA degrees from University of Alabama-Birmingham, earning outstanding student award for UAB’s MSHA program. 2004: Receives Top 40 Under 40 award from Baton Rouge Business Report. 2007: Achieves Fellow status (board certification in health care management) from the American College of Healthcare Executives. 2009: Promotion to vice president, operations at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. 2011: One of eight recipients of the Tomorrow’s Leaders Award by the Catholic Health Association. 2015: Promotion to interim chief information officer and executive director for Epic Electronic Record Implementation for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System.

First experience as a leader As a young and inexperienced leader as director of admissions at OLOL, with responsibility for a 24/7 department with over 50 team members, I relied on the expertise of those team members to guide the way. I learned so much from them and it was an invaluable leadership lesson I have carried throughout my career. Team members are the experts and know what needs to be done; our job as leaders is to listen, support, remove barriers and let them shine.

2018: Earns promotion to senior vice president and chief operating officer at OLOL.

—Chelsea Brasted

WE CARRY EACH OTHER It’s how we do things in Louisiana during times of challenge. We’re stronger together and we know our strength lies in the helping hands of our neighbors. So let’s wear a mask and protect one another. And protect the life we love. 01MK7496 R3/21

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COVERSTORY

Yvette

MARSH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TALENT MANAGEMENT, LSU FOUNDATION

prevailing adage in the development world is that donors don’t give to causes, they give to people with causes, placing the burden of success squarely on the person doing the asking. That’s the world in which Yvette Marsh operates: making sure the LSU Foundation is staffed with the highest level of talent, and ensuring team members find satisfaction in their work. As executive director of talent management for the LSU Foundation, the university’s main fundraising arm, Marsh oversees all aspects of human resources for the 83-employee organization, including recruitment, leadership and professional development, performance management and more. Her 25-year career in the field includes serving as director of training and development for LSU, and working as a management consultant with SSA Consultants. Marsh’s devotion to LSU is palpable. She speaks fondly of the institution, and is, herself, an alumna, having earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a master’s degree in information systems and decision sciences and a Ph.D. in human resource education and leadership development. Her charge at the LSU Foundation has been to transform workplace culture to be more open, positive and productive as the organization tackles a $1.5 billion campaign, its largest to date. “I have always believed that employee culture is the true lifeblood of an organization,” Marsh says. “The bottom line is, it’s all about employees and the level to which they are engaged. I took very strategic and intentional steps to move that needle.” One of the strategies Marsh has used has been to place a premium on recognition, she says, an intangible but essential component in creating a productive workplace. The foundation was a Best Places to Work finalist in Business Report’s annual roundup in 2019. Annual employee recognition is important, she says, but so is giving regular kudos. Marsh started a quarterly high-five program

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Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #2

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received by the close of business today. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS

women

that encourages peers to recognize one another for a job well done. The program was slow to catch fire, she says, but once it did, it spread quickly throughout the organization. “Today we are inundated with nominations, and some of them are just the most beautiful and authentic pieces of prose you will ever read,” Marsh says. “It’s part of who we are now and it’s branded our culture as one of aspiration and appreciation.” Marsh has also sharpened the foundation’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. “We took deliberate steps to be a workplace of belonging, in small and large ways,” Marsh says. “That includes increasing diversity on the board and on staff, and creating employee network groups that have become part of the fabric of our organization.” Male employees are in the minority at the LSU Foundation, so

they get their own affinity group, as do women, Black employees and millennials. Each group is assigned a sponsor to help close the gap between issues that emerge and the organization’s leadership. As institutions of higher education go, LSU is still fairly new to philanthropy, says Marsh, so ensuring the foundation has a steady supply of talent is a key component to its success. Recruiting, however, is not so easy. The perfect candidate profile is an LSU alum with higher education fundraising experience. “Because that profile is scarce,” says Marsh, “I’m trying hard to broaden the pipeline of talent and change the hearts and minds of people in other careers who can make excellent fundraisers.” It’s a challenge, Marsh says, but that’s what she enjoys about the job. Like the best fundraisers, she takes a “no,” as just a “not yet.”

OVER A NICE STEAMING LATTE, we build one another up through networking, open discussions and activities around topics critical to our personal and professional advancement. Dima has made an impact on Baton Rouge over the last eight years that has literally shattered glass. She inspires others to reimagine their potential and grow into leaders. Join Dima and the amazing group of women focused on the future of business. Email her today at Dima@DimaGhawi.com with the subject “Leadership & Lattes” to be invited to join her for a COMPLIMENTARY session!

BUILDING women

DIMAGHAWI.COM

—Maggie Heyn Richardson

DIMAGHAWI.COM/GROUPS

BIO Hometown: Baton Rouge Age: 57 Family: Spouse, Andre, and sons Blaise, 30, and Ryan, 27 Years with company: 8 1/2 years

MILESTONES 1998: Joins LSU, leading the initiation to develop the first formalized training program for staff. 2002: Earns a master’s in information systems and decision sciences while also working a full-time job. 2012: Joins the LSU Foundation, launching its first talent management program; is later promoted to executive director. 2016: Earns Doctor of Philosophy alongside her youngest son who graduates with a master’s in geology. 2018: Directly influences the LSU Foundation’s inclusion in Business Report’s Best Places to Work honors, an accomplishment repeated the following year. 2019: Receives the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Kiwanis Club of LSU.

Q&A Life-changing experience My less than stellar academic performance during my undergraduate years was a jarring wake-up call, one that quickly made me realize that it was solely my responsibility to set the direction of my life and career. Worst advice A person should join an organization that has built-in comfort zones or cliques, especially those based on race and gender. While I understand the benefits of familiarity and affinity, there is also much to be learned and gained from the uncomfortable and the unknown.

Congratulations Morgan Stanley is proud to congratulate Jay Rousseau for being named to Forbes’ 2021 list of America’s Best-in-State Wealth Advisors. Being named to the list for three consecutive years (2019-2021) is a testament to your experience, professionalism and dedication to your clients. Thank you for 33 years of service and for carrying forward the culture of excellence at our firm. Jay Rousseau Executive Director | Financial Advisor 400 Convention Street, Suite 400 Baton Rouge, LA 70802 225-237-3110 jules.j.rousseau@morganstanley.com Source: Forbes.com (February, 2021). Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors pay a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. For more information, see www.SHOOKresearch.com. © 2021 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

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COVERSTORY

Kenya

MESSER PRESIDENT AND CEO, LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

larity came early to Kenya Messer. Soon after becoming an admissions counselor as a young professional, Messer quickly came to realize that her career would be in higher education. There was no turning back. “I was bit by the bug of being a student advocate, supporting students in being successful—that’s a theme throughout my entire career and trajectory,” Messer says. “What drove me in the work that I do is the fact that institutions of higher education are essential to moving society forward. They are our places of transformation.” But, as Messer says, “no one does anything alone,” and she’s made it a priority to ensure she helps create pathways to and through higher education. That approach has landed Messer in a variety of roles, from the classroom to student life and administration. “It’s always about the students, no matter where you sit, ” she says. Today, Messer serves as president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. “I had (an early) colleague who said, ‘the work we do is a ministry,’” Messer recalls. “And at that moment, I began to understand that leadership is a service.” That perspective was also shaped by Messer’s upbringing. The child of parents who arrived in Chicago as part of the Great Migration, Messer says her family’s faith provided her with an anchoring foundation that would serve her in her approach to her work. “I grew up understanding to whom much is given, much is required,” Messer says, noting the opportunities and mentorship she’s received throughout her career. “We are put on God’s earth to be of service, and that’s fueled me throughout. … Over time, that morphs into leadership.” As a leader in higher education, Messer has approached each institution as an anchor, too: Not only do colleges and universities serve students, but they also serve the broader community through research, service and economic impact. “The work that’s happening

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here is changing the trajectory of lives,” she says. As Messer looks to the future, creating more of those kinds of changes is exactly what she hopes to do. “I want to … provide more opportunities for more folks to have those transformative experiences in our institutions and beyond, and secure more resources to be able to do that,” Messer says. “Louisiana is such a resource-rich state, and we’re in a place to have such a great opportunity to make an impact and contribute.” Asked recently about the biggest lesson she’s learned in her role at LAICU, Messer had a tough time coming up with a specific answer. “I don’t know if I’ve met my biggest obstacle at this point, so for me in this position, it’s continuing to learn and to be open to all the possibilities that lie ahead,” she said. “To think about what might be next and how we might begin to think about moving our organizations to the next level … that’s my focus.”

BIO

Q&A

Hometown: Chicago

Life-changing experience The premature birth of our son caused me to reevaluate my priorities in work and life, prompting me to shift and refocus on my own health and well-being.

Age: 52 Family: Spouse, Quentin Messer Jr., and three children, Quentin III, Alexandria and Erica Years with company: 1 year

MILESTONES 2005: Becomes the inaugural vice president of student development and enrollment management at Wilberforce University in Ohio. 2008: Receives a doctorate from Columbia University in New York. 2012: Earns induction into the Consortium of Doctors LLC. 2016: Chosen as a delegate for the Louisiana delegation of the French Consulate, Martinique and Guadeloupe, French West Indies. 2019: Is a member of the Leadership Louisiana class of 2019. 2019: Is named a Fellow of the American Academic Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C.

First experience as a leader As freshman dean at Columbia University in my 20s the responsibility was immense. Fortunately, I was supported by strong mentors and our organization was well-resourced, healthy and productive. I took advantage of the mentorship and opportunities for professional development, internal and external to my organization, and always accepted increased responsibilities while taking the initiative to learn and lead. A central lesson was to remain committed to student success and to lead with the students in mind. Proudest business achievement During these unprecedented times, I am thankful and very proud of the work that we are doing in leadership and support of LAICU colleges and universities as they impact our region, nation and world. LAICU institutions live into their missions and that commitment and care for their communities is evidenced as they are on the forefront of COVID-19 response, research and vaccine rollout.

—Chelsea Brasted

Rhonda Alexander Kristy Baker Heather Ballard Brittney Banta-Troxclair Amanda Barham Dawn Barker Chris Bartlett Lilly Bateman Sydney Bergeron Heather Biondo Garnette Brignac Mary Lee Bringaze Kay Browning Crystal Bryan Samantha Burns

Surgical Specialty Center O F B AT O N R O U G E Alice Bussolati Beatrice Butler Barvon Cador Krystal Campbell Holly Cespiva Yolande Charles Aimee Charlet Kassie Claverie Ray Cobb Candice Coffey Bethany Cox Traci Curtis

Alisha Davis Laura Dicharry Katie Eckert Karen Estela Bree Fairchild Jimmy Falterman Kelli Fountain Morgan Frioux Megan Gilleon Stephanie Gilliland Katherine Gold

Lanie Guidry Crystal Guillory Monette Hanks Jennifer Hodges Carla Johnson Larae Johnson Angela Kennerly Cara Kiger Kari Kleinpeter Jeryn Ladouceur Jacob Laprarie Amanda LeBlanc

Wendy LeBlanc Odessa Linsangan Nicole Manzella Jill Marbury Elizabeth Martin Megan McDaniel Giselle Melancon Debbie Miller Courtney Montelius Carolyn Munson Melinda Murchie

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Kari Ulrich Jamie Van Huis Tameka Veal Laurie Venable Caitlin Vinning Belinda Wallace Tara Watson Hanna Weems Deana Wilkinson Dianne Wilson Lauren Wiltenmuth Marissa Windon Margot Wood

21 Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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COVERSTORY

Dianna R.

PAYTON CEO, YWCA OF GREATER BATON ROUGE

n 2020, billionaire philanthropist and writer MacKenzie Scott made headlines by donating $6 billion to charity, part of a pledge to give away most of her wealth over the course of her life. One of the organizations to land this philanthropic equivalent of a lottery ticket was the YWCA of Baton Rouge, which received $2 million from Scott with no strings attached. The organization, led by Dianna Payton, caught Scott’s team’s attention because of the innovative ways it has been tackling its twofold mission: eliminating racism and empowering women. Payton, a social worker with extensive experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, took over as CEO of the YWCA in 2016, guiding the organization from near closure to solid ground and national recognition. Payton had previously served as director of community investment for the Capital Area United Way. Payton’s transition to the YWCA came with an unexpected surprise. In her first few days on the job, she and the board of directors were informed that the 53-yearold Baton Rouge nonprofit was on the verge of financial ruin. “I was told by the CFO that we were completely broke and couldn’t make payroll,” Payton says. “And I was asked to spend my time deciding whether the organization should survive or not.” Payton and her board asked for and received an emergency donation from Baton Rouge philanthropist John Noland to pay staff and sustain operations, and from there, she began righting the ship. The agency ended 2020 with a $7 million budget, a staff of 61 and a growing list of new programs that support marginalized and BIPOC women. One of those programs is an emergency fund for nonviolent women who sit in jail because they can’t raise bail. Without bail, they can lose their jobs, housing and custody of their children before ever going to trial. “We did research on the issue of bail, and looked at models around the country,” Payton says. “And we created the only bail fund in the nation that provides case management along with emergency bail funds, including help with housing, unemployment, mental health

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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and trauma counseling. Our goal is to help women become self-sufficient, and you do that by providing wrap-around services.” Payton has also been behind growing a keystone YWCA program, Early Head Start, which provides free child care for parents with children from birth to age 3. The YWCA now runs two Early Head Start sites, having taken over one previously operated by the city-parish. Demand remains high, with more than 200 families on the waiting list. Thus, Payton has spent the last couple of years partnering with the East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority and Build Baton Rouge to create two additional Early Head Start locations. One is an $11 million Early Childhood and Women’s Development Center at the forthcoming reimagined Ardenwood Village, a dated housing development that will soon be rebuilt with a $29.5 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods Grant. The second will be part of a Plank Road development that will also house

mixed-income apartments and Build Baton Rouge’s new offices. Payton has also led the YWCA’s creation of full-throated emergency services for victims of domestic abuse. “With domestic violence up during COVID, we have literally been rescuing women, sending Ubers, putting them up in hotels and giving them everything they need to get out and not go back,” Payton says. The emergency services are just part of the plan, however. Payton says the YWCA is now partnering with the city of Baton Rouge and the Louisiana Housing Corporation to build permanent apartments for survivors. The apartments will be furnished and move-in ready. They are scheduled for completion by May 2022. “We don’t want survivors to have to think about anything except for leaving,” Payton says. “That’s how you set women up to be successful.”

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—Maggie Heyn Richardson

BIO Hometown: Natchitoches Age: 41 Family: Single with a host of nieces and nephews Years with company: 5 years

MILESTONES 2005: Becomes a researcher for Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s Office of Public Policy. 2010: Writes and manages the state’s National Emergency Grant and Re-Employment Plan following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill for the Louisiana Workforce Commission. 2012: Becomes an international grant writer for Virginia-based Hanover Research. 2015: Leads the development and implementation of the first competitive grants process for Capital Area United Way in its 90-year history. 2016: Is named CEO of YWCA Greater Baton Rouge. 2017: Appointment as board chair of the East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority. 2017: Earns a Forty Under 40 award from Business Report. 2019–2021: Chosen Louisiana Ambassador for The United State of Women.

Q&A Life-changing experience The moment I fully understood the magnitude of my staffs’ livelihoods being dependent upon my actions and abilities to lead and produce. It’s not just about me, and I constantly think of the betterment of those for whom I am responsible.

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COVERSTORY

Sasha

THACKABERRY VICE PRESIDENT OF ONLINE AND CONTINUING EDUCATION, LSU

ack in 2018, LSU could never have predicted how fortuitous a decision it was to hire Sasha Thackaberry. The university had recruited Thackaberry, a noted online learning pioneer, to broaden its distance learning portfolio, a strategy that would deliver Louisianans and out-of-state students convenient options for completing degrees, individual courses and professional certifications. Thackaberry had a sterling reputation in the field, having helped scale Southern New Hampshire University’s online learning infrastructure to a national level, and introducing e-learning systems to Ohio’s Cuyahoga Community College, with more than 26,000 students. At LSU, Thackaberry hit the ground running, modernizing the flagship university’s approach to online courses and degrees options, adding concierge services to support new users and providing technical assistance to hesitant faculty who never imagined the importance of converting traditional classes to a virtual format. The work helped give LSU a significant head start when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the university to reimagine operations. Thackaberry and her team worked closely with university departments to ensure faculty could quickly shift their courses online, enabling students to continue learning without serious complications. It was a wartime effort, says Thackaberry, smoothed by two years’ worth of work already underway. Pandemic aside, online platforms are now seen as game changers for higher education institutions, especially public ones like LSU. Distance learning enables the onboarding of large numbers of students without altering the physical footprint. A school can also tap into the entire country for potential students. And within the state, online programs are seen as a game changer for lapsed students to graduate. In Louisiana, 22% of working age adults have some college, but no degree, according to the state Board of Regents. “There’s a huge opportunity to serve these kinds of students,

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and it’s our responsibility to do so as a land grant institution,” Thackaberry says. Now that LSU’s online infrastructure has been designed and built, Thackaberry is focused on scaling it to accommodate demand. Old school paradigms have shifted, she says, and incoming college students fully expect to have online options along with traditional classroom experiences. When she arrived on the job in 2018, LSU had about 800 students enrolled in online degree or certificate programs. Under her leadership, that number has jumped more than fourfold to 3,500. In addition, the university has also gone from supporting nine full online degree and certificate programs to 71. Thackaberry’s longterm goal is for LSU to enroll 30,000 students in online degree programs, nearly matching faceto-face enrollment. “Our growth is going to be just tremendous over the next several years,” she says. —Maggie Heyn Richardson

BIO

Q&A

Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

Life-changing experience There were times when I was told that I couldn’t or wouldn’t be capable of doing something. The change came when I stopped thinking of those as limitations and, instead, thought of those negative thoughts as fuel for my quest to actually do the thing they said couldn’t be done. It provides endless energy.

Age: 42 Family: Spouse, Peter Voinovich, and two children, Molly Claire Thackaberry Voinovich, 10, and Spencer Peter Thackaberry Voinovich, 7 Years with company: 3 years

MILESTONES 2002: Begins first full-time job as a teacher in the city of Cleveland. 2007: Earns first entirely online-focused position in education at WVIZ / PBS Ideastream, an education technology agency in Ohio. 2010: Receives Innovation of the Year Award through the League for Innovation. 2011: Publishing of first peer-reviewed article, “Having it all: The hybrid solution for the best of both worlds in women’s post-secondary education” in Distance Learning; also begins consulting work. 2014: Receives the Open MOOC Award of Excellence from Site Awards for OpenCourseWare Excellence (ACE). 2017: Earns Ph.D. in higher education administration, with a research focus in competency-based education, from Kent State University. 2018: Begins “dream job” at LSU. 2019: Delivers the keynote speech on redesigning higher education for the digital student at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) South conference.

Hardest lesson learned Failing forward. I’m achievement-based, so I hate failure. But failing is also the most powerful tool for success. Approaching incremental failures as learning opportunities toward a future greater success was a hard lesson to learn. First experience as a leader I was a choreographer when I was very young and I led the way I had been led. Dance is principally being told what, when and how to do something and then repeating it until it’s as close to perfect as possible. That method does not translate well when leading a team, so I had to be very intentional about learning how to lead. I make all sorts of poor assumptions about how people act based on how I would approach something. I have to ceaselessly question my own perceptions, how I interact with the team, and how I can get better as a leader.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WOMEN

2021

LEADING the WAY

CAROLINE MAYS leads a cross-functional team to engage small and diverse businesses. The team formed in early 2020 to recharge the site’s local supplier diversity efforts. Caroline earned her mechanical engineering degree from Southern University and joined ExxonMobil more than 20 years ago. She has held various engineering and managerial positions within ExxonMobil. She has been recognized for her outstanding professional contributions, employee engagement activities, and community involvement as a corporate ambassador. Known as a change agent for inclusion and diversity, she serves in several capacities with local organizations. Caroline and her team are committed to creating economic opportunities for small and diverse businesses, especially in the north Baton Rouge corridor. Through the program, ExxonMobil has been able to bring more diversity of thought and experience into its supply chain and most importantly, open the door of opportunity to suppliers in the communities where the company operates.

ExxonMobil Baton Rouge

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Refinery Controls Advisor

BARBARA BECKMANN became the first female engineering student to graduate from Ole Miss in 1961 and she hasn’t stopped making “firsts” since. In fact, she’s the first to celebrate 60 years of service with ExxonMobil worldwide. Although there was no position for a young, new engineering graduate, she received an offer to work in the computing department as a computer analyst. Barbara learned a lot through the years, especially as one of the first women to do checks in the field. During her supervisor assignment, she saw her entire section turn over twice and has witnessed several mentors and even mentees retire as company executives. Barbara says that during her career, what she has enjoyed most is working with people from various locations across the United States and the world. We congratulate Barbara Beckmann on her 60 years of service with the company.

CAROLINE MAYS

Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #2

ExxonMobil Baton Rouge

Senior Economic Advisor Light Ends Business Coordinator

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BARBARA BECKMANN

Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #1

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Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #1

This special section salutes Baton Rouge women in business by sharing information about their background, experience and leadership styles. All of them are major contributors not just to their companies, but to their communities as well. These are women who set a positive example and “lead the way” every day through hard work, focus and dedication.

BECKY WALKER

Principal Designer and Owner

The Design Studio of Louisiana BECKY IS a licensed interior designer and owner of The Design Studio of Louisiana. The Design Studio is a full service, turnkey interior design firm specializing in residential, commercial and multifamily interior design and planning. With more than 25 years of interior design experience under her belt, Becky has successfully completed numerous projects along the East Coast and Gulf Coast. Her team’s services include residential interior design and consulting, creation of construction specification documents, 2D and 3D renderings, commercial and multifamily space planning and design, traditional neighborhood development design and home staging for real estate. The Design Studio continues to execute smart, functional and first-class design solutions for the Baton Rouge community and beyond. Check out www.tdsola.com, on FB or Instagram @thedesignstudiola.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ADONICA PELICHET DUGGAN

RENITA WILLIAMS THOMAS

SHELLY WILLIAMSON ESNARD, PA-C

Baton Rouge Alliance for Students

In Loving Arms HealthCare for Kids

Williamson Cosmetic Center

Chief Executive Officer

BATON ROUGE native Adonica Pelichet Duggan is trailblazing a new path for students in our community as the founding CEO of Baton Rouge Alliance for Students, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering families, elevating community, and engaging leaders in the education sector. As a mother of four and champion of educational equity, her goal is to drive Baton Rouge toward a future in which parents, community members, and policymakers partner to achieve the shared goal of an excellent education for every student. Adonica has a long tenure of advocating for students in our city. She previously served as the Executive Director of External Affairs with New Schools for Baton Rouge after an extensive track record of success with both the East Baton Rouge and Zachary school systems. Combined, these experiences will serve her as she works to transform education in our city at a systems level. Adonica is an LSU graduate with a B.A. in Mass Communications, a Forty under 40 recipient, and part of the Leadership Baton Rouge class of 2019.

A LEADER in the pediatric day health nursing field, Renita Williams Thomas has 25 years of nursing experience. A Baton Rouge native, she holds a master’s degree in nursing from Southern University School of Nursing. In Loving Arms HealthCare for Kids was founded in 2012 and its growth is due to her hard work and dedication troubleshooting the needs of families. Her company recently moved to a 7,800-square-foot state-of-the-art facility and can care for up to 70 patients. Williams Thomas provides skilled nursing, therapy, and education for medically fragile children. Common conditions include rare genetic syndromes, ventilator dependent, tracheostomy, complications of prematurity, conditions requiring specialized treatment, etc. Williams Thomas is authentic and passionate, making her clients more successful navigating care and creating a sense of community for the families.

Center Director/Partner

SHELLY WILLIAMSON ESNARD has been at the forefront of aesthetic medicine in Louisiana for over 20 years. Since 2001, she has taken Williamson Cosmetic Center from one location to three (Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, and Gonzales) and has guided its practitioners to provide the widest range of cosmetic procedures using the latest technology available in the field of aesthetic medicine. For more than a decade, Shelly has served as a national faculty trainer for Allergan where she trains other health care providers on the art and science of Botox Cosmetic and Juvederm. As a result of the many requests to share her expertise in the field of injectables and lasers, she established her training company, The Aesthetic Platform (TAP) in 2014. Shelly serves on the AAPA’s Constituent Relations Work Group and the Louisiana Academy of Physician Assistants Board of Directors where she continues to support and advocate through successful legislation. She spends her free time with her husband and three children.

MEREDITH HAMBLEN

RACHEL SAIA

VANISSA MURPHY

Scott Law Firm

SAIA Auto Consultants

Quality Engineering & Surveying, LLC

MEREDITH HAMBLEN plays a crucial role in the success of The Scott Law Firm’s Business Immigration sector. Her vast experience and contributions help businesses and HR managers build an immigration strategy supported by the right policies to attract top foreign talent. By taking on this heavy lifting, she leaves organizations able to focus on building great teams with the right people in the right positions. Meredith’s passion for helping those in need is an inspiration not only to those in her field, but also to others she encounters. “She brings an energy to the workplace and practice of law that few people have. She is a true inspiration to all women and people who want to be successful,” says Founding Partner Paul Scott. In short, Meredith places all her spirit and dedication into everything she does, making her an exceptional lawyer, friend and advocate for those who work with her.

RACHEL’S DEDICATION to her SAIA Auto Consultants team, her community and her family are unparalleled. In addition to fulfilling her multi-faceted role maintaining and continually improving the systems in our office, she has been instrumental in building the business twice—from its inception and again after flooding and relocating in 2016. With her encouragement and hands-on support, she continues to help the team overcome obstacles and achieve new successes. Away from the office, Rachel plays an active role in the community and uses her expertise to serve as assistant treasurer of both Charity Ball Association of Baton Rouge and Elan Cotillion. Somehow Rachel balances all of this while she and her husband work together to raise three amazing children.

MRS. MURPHY is a founding member of Quality Engineering & Surveying , LLC, and actively leads QES in a positive direction while guaranteeing that the foundation, company culture, values and beliefs remain intact. She acts as an ambassador for QES, ensuring that the company’s brand and spirit are visible across all marketing platforms and business lines. As a woman who overcame the challenges of building a successful engineering firm from its conception, Vanissa is a pillar of QES and adds a perspective that is fresh and pioneering. She is a champion of community outreach and a remarkable woman who represents the company with all her heart and passion.

Attorney

Chief Executive Administrator/Owner

Office Manager

Chief Communications Officer

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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LISA CATALANATTO Chief Financial Officer

Valluzzo Companies LISA CATALANATTO joined Valluzzo Companies in 2008 and brings incredible knowledge and experience to her role as Chief Financial Officer on a daily basis. The growth and expansion of the company over the past decade would not have happened without Lisa’s skill, dedication, and expertise. Most weekends she can be found cheering on her favorite team at a sports game and she’s an active member of Our Lady of Mercy Church. She enjoys giving back to the community through Junior Achievement and their Finance Park Program, introducing personal finance planning to middle and high school students. From the smallest of details to the biggest of ideas, Lisa makes everyone around her better. We thank her for helping lead Valluzzo Companies and the Baton Rouge community.

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Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #4

A NATIVE of Baton Rouge, Alissa Carpenter attended LSU and graduated with a B.S. in Finance. Alissa is the Regional Finance Manager for Gallagher, the largest insurance brokerage in the state. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the financial health of 16 states and manages a team of five financial analysts. Last year, she played an integral role in one of the largest and most complex transitions of financial data and accounting functions in company history by taking a publicly traded company to New GAAP accounting. Alissa’s leadership and commitment to excellence, both professionally and philanthropically, is unrivaled. Outside of the workplace, she is passionate about raising awareness for Down Syndrome and is actively involved in the DSAG of Baton Rouge. She and her husband Justin are the proud parents of two children—Presley, 5 (born with Down Syndrome) and Pierce, 2.

PASSIONATE ABOUT the transformation of CEOs, Business Owners and workplace cultures, Meredith serves as an executive coach, skilled facilitator and workshop provider aimed at continuous professional development that increases the effectiveness of leaders. As a result of 24 years as a founder and partner in an accounting and tax practice, Meredith realized that success in business is more than just the numbers. Through empowering others to make better decisions, develop positive cultures and teams, profitability, and retention soars. Meredith’s bold and courageous conversations produce results. As a Vistage Chair for 7 years, Meredith leads, facilitates, and coaches 36+ CEOs in two roundtables. The formation of her employee communication program Game Changers as well as her co-facilitation of workshops based on Brene’ Brown’s book - Dare to Lead, Meredith is leading and adhering to her motto of Be the Change.

Gallagher Global Brokerage Inc.

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Meredith Eicher and Associates, LLC

Regional Finance Manager Mid-South and South-Central Regions

Executive Coach

ALISSA CARPENTER

Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #2

MEREDITH EICHER

Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #4

SINCE JOINING our team in 2006, Kristin has played in integral part in the success of Gallagher Baton Rouge branch’s operations. She has worked her way from an account manager to Client Services Director, and she now manages 30 team members and is responsible for the day-to-day service operations. She was instrumental in the implementation of our client service team reorganization. She is vital in holding our teams accountable for executing and maintaining our standards in order to deliver topnotch client service. One of Kristin’s favorite Gallagher tenets is Tenet 12: “No department or person is an island.” She brings a team-oriented approach to her work, making sure everyone feels supported and valued, and she ensures that they have the tools and resources available to get the job done.

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Gallagher Global Brokerage Inc.

Client Services Director

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KRISTIN SMITH

Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #1

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• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #3

Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #4

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

MICHELE KRIEG

Director of Operations, Gulf States

Gallagher Benefit Services Inc. WITH OVER 17 years of experience, Michele has played a fundamental role in shaping our Gulf States branch. Her talents have led to several leadership positions at Gallagher. Upon joining our branch as an account manager, she moved on to become the director of training and is now the Director of Operations for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Michele is the heart of our branch and truly cares about the success and development of each employee. She is instrumental in managing the staff through any crisis and has proven this through COVID19, hurricanes, returning to work, and more. Michele truly is a jack of all trades. She is a two-time cancer survivor, foster and adoptive parent, and an amazing friend and mentor. She lights up a room and always makes everyone feel valued and supported at both the personal and professional level.

FELICIA YOUNG Founder/Owner

Higher Minds of Education FELICIA D. YOUNG, M.Ed. is well known for her proficiency in financial aid and scholarship preparedness within the higher education industry. As owner and operator of Higher Minds of Education, she aids in the educational and professional development of students and adults to help them become strong candidates for the local, state, and national workforce. She provides statewide resources and support services that help create some of the best and brightest students in the country. Felicia was recognized as the 2018 ACT Workforce Champion and Ambassador of the Year at the Zachary Chamber of Commerce. If you are looking for an innovative approach to your education, Higher Minds of Education can help. “Don’t slip through the cracks of education … excel!”

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

KRIS CANGELOSI

MARSANNE GOLSBY

TAYLOR KLEINPETER-KENNEDY

Cangelosi Dance

Marsanne Golsby Communications

Kleinpeter-Kennedy Pool Services, LLC

KRIS CANGELOSI is the Capital area’s expert for dance education and performing arts. She is the artistic director of Cangelosi Dance Project where she trains students daily ages 8-18 in classical ballet, contemporary dance and engages students in choreographic projects through stage, outreach programs and competitions. Kris was one of the 2014 Influential Women in Business, 2014 Arts Leadership Award from the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development and loves Mardi Gras season where she served as Queen Artemis 2016, KKDL Ball Captain 2017, KKDL Duchess 2015, Krewe Mystique Ball Captain 2013 and Krewe Mystique Queen 1980. Kris is active in the community with Big Buddy Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for a Cause with The Arc East Ascension and other community projects.

MARSANNE GOLSBY is described as a brilliant marketing strategist by Jeff Kleinpeter (KleinpeterKennedy Pools) who has worked with her for 16 years. “She has helped me improve my own communication skills in ways that have helped make me and my companies more successful,” he says. “She is an expert at media relations and has generated dozens of positive news stories about our team’s accomplishments and the value we bring to our customers. She writes the content for our websites, manages our social media presence, and crafts the messages for our display ads. Beyond her professional skills, she has personal attributes that are even more important. She is personally dedicated to the success of all her clients and is adept at finding opportunities that others might miss. I rely on her, I trust her, and I am so glad she is a vital part of our team.” You can find her at marsannegolsby@gmail. com and www.marsannegolsby.com.

JEFF KLEINPETER describes his daughter Taylor Kleinpeter-Kennedy as essential to the success of his businesses—Kleinpeter-Kennedy Pool Services, LLC, Kleinpeter-Carollo Pool Services, LLC, and Waterscape Pools. Taylor does bookkeeping, invoicing, and taxes for all three companies. “Her first love is marketing, but she performs those vital tasks with such skill and dedication that shows me she is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed,” Jeff says. Taylor and her husband Tommy Kennedy are in the process of building their dream home and business in rural St. Helena Parish. When completed, Two Keepers Farmstead will have tiny houses, a fishing lake, hiking trails, and opportunities for visitors to experience life on a working farm. “Taylor is laying the groundwork for success in the future, while helping our family businesses thrive now,” her father says. “I am so proud of her!”

DAWN VICK, MD, FAAP

EBONIE FARLOW-EDWARDS Founder and Chief Executive Officer

President and Chief Executive Officer

Baton Rouge Clinic

Compassion Design, LLC

HOPE Ministries of Baton Rouge

Owner

Pediatrician

AS A primary care physician for over 20 years, I have the privilege and honor of taking care of many children and families in our community. I quickly learned the value of empathetic listening to my patients and/or their caregivers, which often leads to a diagnosis without a lot of testing required. Listening, being an effective communicator, and the constant pursuit of knowledge are my core values as a pediatrician. This past year has been difficult and stressful for those not only in our country, but across the world due to the pandemic. I have intentionally worked to keep a positive, calm attitude in this challenging unprecedented time, staying hopeful and optimistic for the families I serve. I passionately apply these same principles and values in my participation locally and statewide in Baton Rouge Leadership and Louisiana Leadership.

Marketing Consultant

EBONIE FARLOW-EDWARDS is a servant leader whose professionalism, compassion, and consistency are key to the successful execution of work. A native of Baton Rouge, she is the founder and CEO of Compassion Design, LLC, where she takes her clients’ goals and turns them into strategic designs, helping them reach their full potential. Ebonie seeks to leave her clients with a branding legacy through the designs she creates for them— designs that will help them build sustainable businesses that they and their families can be proud of for generations. She is a wife, mother, and business owner who holds her faith dear, and credits her success to God and her family. For information on how to take your company’s brand to the next level, email info@compassiondesignbr.com or visit compassiondesign.onfotomat.com.

Business Manager

JANET C. SIMMONS

JANET’S PASSION for people and desire to help them move forward, combined with extensive business and nonprofit experience, equip her to lead with innovative approaches to poverty alleviation. HOPE’s Client Choice Food Pantry provides supplemental food for 1,000 families yearly using a dignified choice approach. The Way to Work Sustainable Workforce SOLUTIONS©, HOPE’s workforce development division, moves individuals toward self-sufficiency by helping them get and keep employment. Janet’s business experience was crucial in developing and implementing HOPE’s social enterprise Understanding the Dynamics of Poverty, diversifying its funding sources and maintaining stability. The Way to Work offers corporate retention services, including executive/leader consulting, professional development workshop Understanding Your Workforce, and employee coaching and training to increase retention for Louisiana businesses.

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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NEWS RETAIL

To the internet and beyond WHEN JOSHUA HOLDER isn’t helping the customers who wander through Time Warp Boutique choose from an assortment of vintage clothing, he’s uploading photos of those ’60s frocks and ’70s bell bottom jeans to Etsy, eBay and occasionally Instagram in hopes of expanding revenues beyond the four walls of his eclectic Government Street store. Though Time Warp had been investing in e-commerce long before the pandemic, Holder began infusing more money into the boutique’s online presence in 2020, when his business saw online sales nearly double from the prior year. Those investment dollars, which reflect a roughly 30% uptick from years past, have largely gone toward payroll costs, inventory and marketing. Despite the positive results Holder has seen so far from his increased investment, he doesn’t sugarcoat the oftentimes-trying level of work and commitment it takes to maintain solid online operations while also running a brick-and-mortar store full time. “If you’re going to be online, you have to put the time in,” says Holder, who posts up to 20 garments weekly on Time Warp’s online platforms. “It has to be on your list of to-dos every single week to list new, fresh items, so that when people do reach your shop online, you keep them coming back. You have to constantly put fresh content on there, or people lose interest.” With the rise of e-commerce companies like Amazon, which is scheduled to open its Baton Rouge fulfillment center in late 2022, many local retailers have found themselves in similar situations, having to split their focus between digital initiatives and brick-and-mortar operations. As a result, they’ve been forced to

COLLIN RICHIE

Local retailers have been upping their e-commerce game while also juggling the challenges of keeping their brick-and-mortar stores open during the pandemic. BY CAITIE BURKES

WARPED REALITY: Joshua Holder has seen business increase since boosting the online presence of his vintage clothing store, Time Warp Boutique, but keeping his e-commerce offerings fresh while also running the Government Street store has been a challenge.

make difficult decisions about where to direct their investment dollars. Some have weighed how much should be spent on a website versus refreshing and remodeling their stores. Meanwhile, others have asked whether employees should tidy up store shelves and aid customers or pick and pack online orders. These are questions Holder asks himself on a daily basis. But ultimately, he believes that rather than choosing one or the other, it’s important for retailers to be smart about balancing an in-store sales strategy with a savvy online strategy, the latter of which has allowed his boutique to regularly ship garments to countries like Australia, France and Canada. “You will evolve with your store throughout the years,” Holder says. “List good stuff at a good price, and you’ll grow with your customer base.”

COSTS AND BENEFITS In the grand tradition of meeting customers where they are, a significant chunk of local retailers’ budgets is now directed toward digital advertising. Holder, who is currently advertising almost $200,000 worth of merchandise online, admits it’s costly to promote Time Warp’s listings. However, he says a big investment is necessary for a big payoff. Others are pouring funds into their websites. Madeline Ellis, who owns Mimosa Handcrafted, pays for Userbrain, a service that allows anyone in the world to record themselves navigating her business’s website and assessing how user-friendly it is in real time. “They’re not professionally trained web developers, it’s just the average person, a total stranger, logging onto your website,” Ellis says. “I’ve gotten a cross-section of all different

kinds of customers—an old man in Ohio, a young girl in South Dakota.” Ellis pays slightly less than $1,000 for the first tier of the service, which allows 10 random people to review her website. It’s been a good way for her to clarify the little things she may take for granted when it comes to how Mimosa Handcrafted presents itself as a business, such as by prompting her to explain how the jewelry store sources its metals. While she’s worked with web developers in the past, Ellis prefers the randomized service because it provides instant feedback, which has been faster than professionals she has hired who’ve taken days or weeks to offer suggestions and answer questions. “There are times to pay someone for something, and there are times not to,” Ellis says. “It can be hard to work with an outside Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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RETAIL

group because we’re launching new products quickly, and they can take a long time to respond.” But no matter how accessible a retailer’s website is, Ellis says certain experiences—such as trying on a watch to see how it fits—are challenging to replicate online. To compensate for that, she’s had to get creative. In the early days of the pandemic, Mimosa Handcrafted offered local deliveries, but eventually shifted to simply being more descriptive about different items on its website, where Ellis found more customers were shopping anyway. Online sales have risen some 10% year-over-year, leveling out the revenue loss she endured from the widespread cancellation of festivals and maker’s markets last year. Lately, Ellis has been filming tutorials on how to clean and wear certain pieces of jewelry being marketed, along with “mini-commercials” for other pieces, all of which are being posted on social media. The owners of SoSis Boutique, a women’s clothing store in Port

“You will evolve with your store throughout the years. List good stuff at a good price, and you’ll grow with your customer base.” JOSHUA HOLDER, owner, Time Warp Boutique

Allen, posted Instagram Stories of themselves trying on their merchandise at home and discussing how the clothes fit, showing viewers what size they were wearing so that potential customers could see the clothing on a real person. “We’ve always done those videos, but they became more frequent during the pandemic,” says Annie Claire Bass, who coowns SoSis with her sister Chelsey Blankenship. “I did a lot of those at home in front of my mirror; now that we’re back open, we do them in the store.” In an effort to boost online sales, SoSis offered curbside

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pickup, free local delivery and free shipping. The store also sold hundreds of “LYLAS,” or “love you like a sister,” boxes, which helped offset some in-store revenue losses. Before the pandemic, approximately 80% of the boutique’s revenues came from in-store purchases, says Bass, while 20% came from online sales. Today, the instore to online revenue ratio is closer to 60-40, with overall revenues growing 20% last year. However, the growth in online sales comes with a series of unique challenges—including delays in vendor shipments

triggered by supply chain issues. “USPS, UPS and FedEx are all getting backlogged, then throw in a freeze or a hurricane and a lot of our packages are getting delayed,” Bass says, referencing recent regional weather events that temporarily shut down business. “We try to stay on top of it by partnering with a shipping company so that I can track those packages and know, ‘I’m getting this in from this vendor on this day, so I’m going to release it on this day.’” Along with these issues, local retailers must also be careful to not neglect the appearances of their brick-and-mortar stores. Take Walmart, which saw its stock downgraded earlier this year by a research firm due to bare spots on shelves and unkempt displays, among other aesthetic problems. The coming months may be especially crucial for local momand-pops as they try to lure shoppers back to stores, where sales tend to be more profitable. “We’ve been investing more of our time and energy in-house,” Ellis says. “It’s a more direct connection with the customer.”

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HEALTH CARE

Reach out and touch someone

Keeping in contact with remote-working employees—and showing you care about how they are doing—is proving vital to the health of your workforce … and business. BY CAITIE BURKES

DON KADAIR

AS SENIOR partner PANDEMIC PANIC: The lack of regular human at InHealth Strategies, interaction, coupled with other COVID-19 fears, has a population health taken a mental health toll on many employees, says and well-being conJeff Soileau, senior partner at InHealth Strategies, a sulting company with population health and well-being consulting company. Baton Rouge operations, Jeff Soileau wasn’t particularly surprised to see that many of his clients experienced an uptick in rates of stress and depression among employees during COVID-19. Specifically, InHealth Strategies— which primarily helps health care providers with more than 10,000 employees reduce the cost of their health care spending by improving the health outcomes of employees on the plan—has regular human interaction, couseen at least 75% of each clipled with fears of loss and inent’s employee base identify as fected loved ones, has taken a stressed or depressed, with some toll on many employees’ mental groups reaching 90% over the health. past year. Emotional health is a crucial However, the consulting comcomponent of an individual’s pany found that the organizaoverall health, meaning it ultions in its book of business that timately impacts an organizaprioritized reaching out to their tion’s overall health care costs. A teams—communicating about healthy workforce is also generemployee assistance programs ally a more productive workforce. and other mental health services However, without daily faceavailable—did not see a signifto-face contact, it has been more icant increase in rates of stress difficult for employers to assess and depression within their whether their employees are populations. overworked or taking the right “The groups that didn’t make precautions to safeguard their that a priority, or didn’t have the mental or physical health. In resources to, did see a significant other words, some workers may increase,” Soileau says. “If you be struggling to cope beyond can proactively recognize that what is visible in a video conferyour employees are experiencing ence or phone call. distress, it can prevent a major With many Baton Rouge busispike from happening within the nesses still working remotely, lopopulation.” cal employers are forced to think While COVID-19 has procreatively and adopt new support foundly altered the workplace, it tools. has also shed light on how vital a While InHealth Strategies tracks role employers play in addressing health through annual questionmental health. naires, Soileau says large emThe pandemic forced the maployers are also turning to mood jority of the workforce into trackers, meditation trackers, months of isolation. The lack of

employee claims and daily checkins gauging burnout as ways to keep tabs on the well-being of their workforce. “There’s going to be a shift toward finding ways to monitor health remotely,” Soileau says. “A big piece of it is continuing to train leaders in different ways, and a lot of this will fall on people responding or not responding.” TOP PRIORITY In the Capital Region and beyond, the emotional well-being of workers has become an increasingly important priority among many of the large corporate clients Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana works with, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Stephanie Mills. “Employers have cranked up the volume on this,” Mills says. “It’s being incorporated into lots of benefits plans we see in terms of offering a variety of services for employee assistance, emotional support, hotlines, counseling and therapy, and access to behavioral health providers through telehealth.” For a number of years,

providing confidential outreach options has been a mainstay of best practices in benefits plans. But nowadays, technology plays a key role, says Mills, with the pandemic having accelerated the use of digital platforms and apps as a means of trying to expand human connection in the age of quarantine. Tools like health apps, mindfulness and meditation apps and remote therapeutic services are currently surging in popularity. It’s a trend that BCBSLA has picked up internally, says human resources director John Brown. Even before the pandemic, BCBSLA had begun highlighting the need for employees to take care of their mental health. As part of its annual health fair, the organization incorporated a confidential process through which workers could identify whether they felt in crisis and in need of help, at which point BCBSLA would talk to the employee oneon-one and give them access to counseling services. Though the process wasn’t driven by COVID-19, Brown says he’s grateful its infrastructure was already in place by the time the pandemic hit, noting usage surged and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. However, he says the first step employers must take is establishing a culture that welcomes difficult conversations and keeps people connected. “We’ve done a good job of staying in touch even though we’re physically apart,” Brown says. “Spotlighting individual employees and having leaders show ways to stay connected are equally as important because it connects the dots and shows that we’re all Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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“Employers have cranked up the volume on this. It’s being incorporated into lots of benefits plans we see in terms of offering a variety of services for employee assistance, emotional support, hotlines, counseling and therapy, and access to behavioral health providers through telehealth.” DR. STEPHANIE MILLS, chief medical officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

still in this together.” It can be as simple as encouraging employees to share pictures of their pets on various social channels, says Cindy Wakefield, BCBSLA’s vice president of strategic communications. The company has also transferred meetings of its employee resource groups to online platforms, urging everyone to turn on their camera to make the experience feel more personal. Meanwhile, workers who are no longer able to work off stress at BCBSLA’s onsite gym—which has been closed for the past year— are instead attending the online fitness classes and mindfulness sessions the company’s wellness partners have been hosting via Microsoft Teams or WebX. These examples illustrate how, regardless of the mode of communication, it takes both a “topdown and bottom-up” approach for employers to successfully address mental health in the workplace, Mills says. “From the top-down, what do you need to do to build the workplace culture that says it’s OK to talk about emotional health?” she says. “It’s also about going from the bottom-up to support employees where they are.”

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Throughout this process, employers are bound to encounter various technical issues. Oftentimes, health coaches find themselves playing the role of tech support, teaching workers how to use Zoom or Teams properly amid spotty Wi-Fi connections, computer glitches and audio problems. “It’s a struggle,” Soileau says. “Tech teams at the health organizations we work with are already overwhelmed. … In some places, we saw 100-fold increases in the number of telehealth visits.” But the shift to remote health services still comes with silver linings. For example, moving an in-person weight management employee support group to Zoom expands the geography of who can participate in the meetings, Soileau says. It’s also exposing how underutilized EAPs have been historically while creating a space for them to shine in the future. EAPs can help train employers to overcome certain challenges, he says, such as how to read body language through a computer screen during critical face-toface calls between employees and

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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supervisors. And, considering the rise of so-called Zoom fatigue, they can teach employers the difference between which calls need to be video calls and which don’t. Additionally, the increasing prevalence of monitoring employee health from afar is forming new markets for local entrepreneurs. Tiffany Stewart, director of the Behavioral Technology Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, originally created the MyH.E.A.L.T.H. app for U.S. soldiers, who must stay physically fit while enduring significant challenges and a tremendous amount of daily stress. Later this year, civilian consumers will be able to use the smartphone app to improve their eating, sleeping and exercise habits as well as stress levels. Users can create, log, track and improve health and performance habits with personalized workouts and instructions, custom reminders and personalized expert advice; choose dietitian-created meal plans that fit their caloric prescription; create grocery lists; identify patterns in sleep behavior; and practice stress management with breathing exercises, special workouts and tools to manage mood and anxiety. Stewart says the consumer version of the app can easily be tailored for diverse populations, including corporate wellness programs. However, she stresses the importance of protecting employee data, which she expects to emerge as a key issue as apps like hers become more widespread. “We’ve had companies call us and ask, ‘How can we pivot this for our employees?’” Stewart says. “Using apps that collect employee data has to be done in a way that doesn’t violate confidentiality, so there’s some safety measures that should be in place.” In the future, Stewart hopes to integrate a human component into the MyH.E.A.L.T.H. app that would allow employees to hit a button and talk to a live health coach. “We don’t make healthy changes in a vacuum,” Stewart says. “Sometimes, our ability to engage in health habits relies on our ability to cope and keep positive perspective.”

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BUSINESS REPORT’S

SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE 2021 Starting a

BUSINESS during the

PANDEMIC

The story of four entrepreneurs who took the risk of opening during COVID-19

BRITTNEY PINO Broker/Owner, Brittney Pino & Associates

INSIDE

Resources for business owners

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Opportunities to help small businesses Supporting Growth E-commerce Initiative: establish or expand your e-commerce capabilities Economic Gardening: intensive market research program to help accelerate growth CEO Roundtables: executive peer groups discuss management and growth strategies

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2021 SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE

CONTENTS BUSINESS REPORT’S

SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE

2021

They opened a business during COVID-19

Looking at four entrepreneurs and what each learned by embracing the added risk of launching their dream during the pandemic. RONTRELL BETHLEY: Trell Portable Buildings BRITTNEY PINO: Brittney Pino & Associates PATRICK WONG: BORU Ramen ELMA CARTER: Owner, Pop’N Lash Extensions

Getting down to business

74 74 76

Business incentives

Everything you need to know about starting a company in Louisiana.

Special programs for small business An entrepreneurial ecosystem

From our sponsor THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY is committed to strengthening business, promoting workforce development and supporting entrepreneurship throughout the parish. We continue to enhance our technology services, databases and online resources to meet your needs. COVID-19 forced many businesses to rethink service delivery and training, so we have greatly increased the depth and breadth of the premium business resources offered freely via our website, ebrpl.com/ DigitalLibrary—all you need is your library card. We’re conveniently open seven days a week at our 14 libraries, too. The Digital Library provides access to thousands of free employment training courses, educational assistance programs and business related databases, as well as free online movies, eBooks, magazines, music, foreign language lessons, hobby courses, news, archives and more. We’re especially pleased to present the Library’s SMALL BUSINESS SERVICE to local 62

business owners and entrepreneurs. This service includes free programs, resources and tools to help your business grow, and offers free one-on-one consultations with our business librarians. Contact them at smallbusiness@ ebrpl.com. Business librarians can guide you in the use of Gale Business: Entrepreneurship and Gale Business: Plan Builder, a stepby-step online planning tool for starting, managing and optimizing a business or nonprofit. The program’s intuitive dashboard walks users through five areas to develop a business plan focused on long-term success: Entrepreneur Profile; Business Ideation; BreakEven Analysis; Business Plans; and Financial Projections. This is just one of a number of business tools and skills development resources available FREE through EBRPL’s Digital Library, including Lynda.com, Udemy, Mergent Intellect, ReferenceUSA (now Data Axle Reference

Solutions), LexisNexis, Small Business Reference Center and Sage Business Researcher. To view all library business resources, visit ebrpl.com/Business. The Library continues to upgrade its physical infrastructure with the completion of major renovations for the Greenwell Springs Road and Jones Creek Regional branches. Each branch is modern, high-tech and energy efficient, and will serve as a center for robust community and government activities and meetings, planning, learning and discovery. Design is underway for the new South Branch in Rouzan. These construction projects are fully funded on the pay-as-you-go plan with no bonds or indebtedness, thanks to public support for the Library’s 10-year dedicated property tax. The support you give YOUR LIBRARY makes this all possible. Spencer Watts Library Director

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Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser

Billy Nungesser Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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2021 SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE

They opened a business during COVID-19 BY CAITIE BURKES • PHOTOGRAPHY BY DON KADAIR

BRITTNEY PINO Brittney Pino & Associates

ELMA CARTER Owner, Pop’N Lash Extensions

PATRICK WONG BORU Ramen

RONTRELL BETHLEY Trell Portable Buildings

OPENING OR REBRANDING a business is never an easy task, but setting up shop during a pandemic is an entirely different ballgame. Supply chain issues are inevitable. Shipping delays are the norm, not the exception. And, it’s harder than usual to find enough qualified workers to get the job done. At least, that’s according to several entrepreneurs in the Greater Baton Rouge area who opened their doors or dramatically pivoted operations during COVID-19.

While some of these small business owners are already seeing the fruits of their labor, others are holding out hope that, with loosened restrictions and increased vaccination rates, it won’t be much longer before they also benefit from a rebound of the local economy. Whether they’re selling portable office buildings, Japanese cuisine, single-family homes or cosmetic services, they’re all banking on the same old adage: With great risk comes great reward.

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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Looking at four entrepreneurs and what each learned by embracing the added risk of launching their dream during the pandemic.

RONTRELL BETHLEY OWNER, TRELL PORTABLE BUILDINGS

THOUGH RONTRELL BETHLEY technically opened Trell Portable Buildings before COVID-19, it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that he restructured operations and business boomed. During the statewide lockdown, Bethley— who launched the portable building business on his Airline Highway used car lot in late 2018—began encouraging potential clients to start side businesses out of the buildings. He went from selling three to five buildings per month to 20-40 monthly. “I was just letting people know, it’s a lot of overhead for small businesses to pay these big leases and mortgages,” Bethley says. “If you have a portable building, you can avoid those big costs, custom-design it and work form home. A lot of people said, ‘That makes sense.’” Since the shift, Bethley’s customers have opened a range of businesses, including a

snowball stand, barbershop, beauty parlor, recording studio, seafood business, T-shirt store, boutique, car wash, gym and various office spaces. They’ve also used the buildings as storage units, tiny homes and “man caves” throughout quarantine. But turnaround time has suffered, largely due to a lack of readily available construction materials like wood and metal, coupled with the longer amount of time it has taken for clients to obtain certain permits and licenses as government buildings have been closed. Producing a custom building used to take four to six weeks; now, it takes anywhere from 16 to 20 weeks. In the meantime, Bethley is content with the $285,000 he generated in sales from midMarch to mid-April after the purchases of 54 buildings, including 15 that will house startup businesses.

BRITTNEY PINO

BROKER/OWNER, BRITTNEY PINO & ASSOCIATES FOLLOWING A 16-YEAR career with RE/ MAX First, Brittney Pino decided long before the pandemic that she wanted to launch her own real estate firm so that she could broker her own transactions. And, by her own admission, once she decides to do something, she does it. Since opening her eponymous firm last summer, Pino has kept busy closing on home sales, reflecting local trends. In the first quarter of 2021, exactly 1,445 single-family units closed in East Baton Rouge Parish, breaking an at least 15-year record, with the average sale price during Q1 up 9% compared to the same period in 2020. On the flip side, however, the local market is seeing a depletion of inventory, creating a major housing shortage that Pino doesn’t think will be resolved any time soon. “We’re selling far more homes than we ever

have and listing far fewer homes than we ever have,” Pino says. “Sellers are now worried about listing because they don’t know where they’re going to go.” Still, Pino doesn’t think the housing market is experiencing what it did in 2008, when the bubble burst. With growing buyer demand, low interest rates and the beginnings of a V-shaped recovery, Pino feels confident she’ll be able to list more homes in the future. Pino has hired a small staff of both full-time and contract employees including a real estate agent, videographers, transaction processors and an administrative team to help her manage the steady workload she’s had over the past year. So far, it’s paid off. Last year ended up being Pino’s highest earning in her 18-year real estate career, and she’s already up 30% from 2020, year-to-date, in terms of revenues.

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PATRICK WONG OWNER, BORU RAMEN

PATRICK WONG’S FAMILY planned to open BORU, a ramen and Asian noodle concept, in Mid City’s Electric Depot development in March 2020. Then COVID-19 happened, and the Wongs pushed back the restaurant’s opening date several times until October, at which point they couldn’t afford to wait any longer. Despite years of experience in the local restaurant scene, Wong says the pandemic has forced his family—which already owns Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar, MoMo Tea and Sweet Society—to think outside the box when it comes to how BORU operates. “Forget everything that worked before; these are different times,” says Wong, who runs BORU with his brother. “You have to find different revenue streams, and you have to be more accommodating.” What customers want out of their dining experience is changing. With curbside business proving successful at the Wongs’ other concepts, they’re trying to secure one or two spots at Electric Depot where BORU can also offer curbside delivery, though it’s been challenging. In an effort to lure more patrons indoors, Wong regularly unveils new menu items, from chicken paitan

ramen to sugoi fries. Internally, he’s dealing with other issues. Certain ingredients have been particularly difficult to source from Japan, with most international travel shut down and shipments being delayed longer than usual. It’s also a tight labor market, says Wong, who is having a hard time finding enough qualified employees to staff BORU. Sales aren’t currently following a clear trend line, but Wong hopes to see them steadily increase through 2021 as restrictions loosen and more people get vaccinated.

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ELMA CARTER

OWNER, POP’N LASH EXTENSIONS ELMA CARTER FOUND herself jobless in March 2020, when the casino where she worked was forced to close its doors amid the statewide shutdown. But rather than wallow, Carter saw the moment as an opportunity to pursue a technical certification for eyelash extensions, which she’d been passionate about for years, and become her own boss to generate some income. With federal funds going out to small businesses in droves, Carter thought the early months of quarantine were an ideal time to start a new business. She obtained an SBA loan, which allowed her to acquire most of the items she needed to open a physical location for Pop’N Lash Extensions in January. “It’s a little better than I thought it was going to be—I see three to four people a day,” says Carter, noting revenue is up 60% year-over-year. “Last year, nobody was coming inside or following their normal routines, but things are easing up.” Like many of her peers in the cosmetics industry, Carter has had to prioritize cleanliness and COVID-19 safety precautions in the workspace to make sure her customers feel comfortable enough to stay there for the two-hour lash extension process.

When she’s not stocking up on face masks, disinfectant and other cleaning supplies, Carter is sterilizing surfaces with Clorox wipes and utensils with Barbicide wipes. It’s a little more cleaning than she’s used to, but for Carter it’s now normal.

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What differentiates the Montessori method of learning from traditional instruction?

Montessori education fosters lifelong learners and self-sufficient problem solvers. Learning takes place through the senses, as students manipulate materials to enhance concentration and coordination while interacting with peers. Teachers balance freedom and structure, guiding students along in self-discovery and helping them create their own individual learning plan. Along with the core subjects, children learn responsibility, compassion for others and self-motivation. A 2019 Magnet School of Excellence and National Certified Magnet School, Belfair Montessori Magnet School adheres to Dr. Montessori’s philosophy of education. As Baton Rouge’s only PK3-8th grade public Montessori school, the program provides a unique hands-on learning experience, including middle school teachers who understand how to implement the Montessori philosophy to align with early college readiness, primarily by incorporating learning strategies with purposeful and engaging instruction. Middle school classes at Belfair are characterized as having a student-centered method that permits students to exercise choice, manage their time, and improve their organizational skills. This development of independent self-management is essential to succeeding in higher education and through adulthood. Students participate in collaborative learning activities throughout the school year. By working together and helping each other,

Belfair middle school students gain not only the benefit of the knowledge impacted from completing a task, but also learn how they can help others through their work and appreciate the value of their own ability to reach their goals.

WHAT DIFFERENTIATES MONTESSORI SCHOOLS FROM TRADITIONAL? Montessori schools take a different approach to the education of children. The environment and curriculum are designed from the perspective of how children develop and learn. A systematic method of education, Montessori schools are based upon careful scientific study with foundation and philosophy in three criteria: 1. Multi-age grouping: Belfair blends classes with students from different grades and gives them flexible schedules allowing for blocks of uninterrupted time to pursue their own educational interests. Multi-age grouping lends itself well to peer learning, interaction and socialization. At Belfair Montessori, students are divided into three groups: Primary (PK3, PK4, and kindergarten), Elementary (Grades 1-5) and Middle School (Grades 6-8). 2. Environment: Classroom materials and activities develop physical, intellectual, creative and social independence. Children learn directly from the environment, not just from the teacher. Students thrive at Belfair with elective offerings like

art, band, technology, Spanish and more; many of which can be taken for high school credit. Classroom atmospheres encourage respect for the self and others, social support, cooperative learning and peer-to-peer teaching. 3. Group size: Steadfast is its small class sizes, Belfair provides unique opportunities for social-emotional growth, relationship building, and high expectations both in and out of the classroom. Most instruction is given individually or in groups of two or three. When the child masters a concept, he moves on to the next step in the curriculum and does not have to wait for anyone else to do the same. On the other hand, if a child needs to further explore a concept, he is afforded the time. Ultimately, Belfair’s Montessori program supports each student in finding a place in the community and in becoming a respectful, responsible, and ethical contributor to society. Belfair Montessori’s middle school program promotes the development of adolescents beyond cognitive development. Designed to provide students with an educational experience, Belfair fosters independence in an environment where they can develop their talents, support each other, and work as equals with their peers and teachers. Belfair Middle school students will enjoy a new building January 2022, specifically designed for the instructional needs of adolescents. Visit schools. ebrschools.org/belfair to learn more. Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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2021 SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE

Getting down to business Everything you need to know about starting a company in Louisiana.

1. CHOOSE A STRUCTURE

• Individual or sole proprietorship: A business where only you, or your spouse, own the business, even though you may have employees. • Partnership: A business where two or more people own the business jointly. • Corporation: A business treated by law as an entity. It has a life separate from its owners or stockholders. Many corporations begin as sole proprietorships or partnerships. • Limited liability company: An entity that is an unincorporated association having one or more members organized and filing articles with the secretary of state. It is designed to provide the limited liability features of a corporation and the tax efficiencies and operational flexibility of a partnership. • Foreign corporation: A corporation organized outside the state may obtain a certificate of authority in Louisiana by filing an application with the secretary of state’s corporations section and by appointing a registered agent to accept service of process.

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One of the first steps in forming any new business is to determine the type of business structure you will use. There are several structures to choose from including sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company and limited liability partnership. Each has advantages and disadvantages as well as tax consequences. You may wish to consult a tax practitioner, accountant, attorney or other resource. To operate in Louisiana, register as one of the following:

an income statement and a cash flow analysis. Start with the Small Business Development Center nearest you to develop a plan. Coordinating and Development Corporation What: Publishes a business plan guide. Phone: 318-632-2022 Web: cdconline.org Dixie Business Center What: Offers free counseling and business plan guides Phone: 225-655-0809 Web: dixiebusinesscenter. org Louisiana Economic Development What: Publishes a resource guide. Phone: 225-342-3000 Web: opportunitylouisiana. com

2. DEVELOP A BUSINESS PLAN

A business plan defines your business, identifies your goal and serves as your firm’s résumé. The components include a current and pro forma balance sheet,

LSBDC at Southern University Baton Rouge What: Publishes a business plan guide. Phone: 225-771-2891 Web: louisianasbdc.org/lsbdc-atsouthern-university

LSU’s Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute What: Offers business plan guide and management consultation Phone: 225-578-0313 Web: lsu.edu/business/sei/index.php Service Corps of Retired Executives [SCORE] What: Publishes a guide and hosts workshops, which aids in developing a business plan. Phone: 225-215-0080 Web: batonrougearea.score.org Small Business Administration What: Publishes a business plan guide. Phone: 504-589-6685 Web: sba.gov

3. CHOOSE A NAME

Before you submit articles of incorporation, articles of organization and trade names, the secretary of state’s office recommends you conduct a preliminary check of the corporation or trade name. If the name you want is available, you should formally reserve it with the office or wait for confirmation of your filing before obtaining stationery, business cards, phone listings, etc. Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office What: Preliminary checks and formal

reservations for corporation or trade name. Names can be reserved for a fee of $25 and a period of 60 days. Two 30-day extensions are available upon request. Phone: 225-922-2880 Web: sos.louisiana.gov Note: If you are an existing business coming to Louisiana from out of state and you have a trade name/trademark/ service mark filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, you should contact an attorney. Filings with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office are not cross-checked.

4. REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS

Registration is required on local and state levels for businesses before they can operate. What: Registration is required in the parish where an unincorporated business such as a sole proprietorship is doing business. Phone: 225-389-3960 Web: ebrclerkofcourt.org Louisiana Department of Revenue What: Registration is required for any business engaging in sales of any kind. Phone: 855-307-3893 Web: revenue.louisiana.gov

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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5. OBTAIN AN EIN

AND TAX INFO

An employer identification number, or EIN, is also known as a taxpayer identification number, or TIN. A sole proprietorship that has no employees (and files no excise or pension tax returns) and an LLC with a single owner (where the owner will file employment tax returns) are the only businesses that do not need an employer identification number. The sole proprietor uses his or her Social Security number. All other businesses must apply for a federal EIN. City-Parish Finance Department Revenue Division What: Contact for information regarding local sales tax policies and requirements. Phone: 225-389-3084 Web: brla.gov/635/Revenue-Division Internal Revenue Service What: EINs for those businesses needing to file form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number. Information is also available on income tax withholding and federal unemployment tax forms. Phone: 225-343-8625 Web: irs.gov Louisiana Department of Revenue and Taxation What: Contact for state sales tax registration, state ID number and income tax withholding. Phone: 225-219-7356 [sales] 225219-0102 [income] Web: revenue.louisiana.gov

space at a lower cost per square foot and truck or loading access. Business and professional services tend to look for office buildings or professional centers. You can find searchable databases online with information on available properties. Certificates of occupancy are also issued by the local or parish government upon determination that your type of business is located within the proper zone. City of Baker Inspections Division What: Mandatory zoning clearance/inspections are required along with a business’s physical address. Physical address, survey map, legal description of property, scale of layout proposal and various fees are required for application to change zoning. Phone: 225-778-0850 (Inspections Division), 225-775-5584 (Public Works) Web: cityofbakerla.com/wp/inspections City of Central Municipal Services What: Mandatory zoning clearance/ inspections are required along with a business’s physical address. Physical address, survey map, legal description of property, scale of layout proposal and various fees are required for application to change zoning. Phone: 225-262-5000 Web: centralgov.com

City-Parish Department of Public Works Inspections Division What: Mandatory zoning clearance/ inspections are required along with a business’s physical address. Physical address, survey map, legal description of property, scale of layout proposal and various fees are required for application to change zoning. Phone: 225-389-3205 Web: brla.gov/458/Permits-Inspections

AND SITE

Consider the nature of your service or product and your target market when choosing a location. While retail businesses may desire visibility or easy access for walk-in trade, wholesalers and distributors typically need more

Louisiana Economic Development What: Provides databases on sites and buildings, parishes and communities, geospatial data, geographic suitability and featured megasites. Phone: 225-342-3000 Web: opportunitylouisiana.com

7. OBTAIN PERMITS/LICENSES

Proper federal, state and local business licenses and permits allowing a legal entity to operate in Louisiana must be obtained before the start of business, including permits, occupational licenses and certificates of occupancy.

businesses that will sell food and/or alcohol. Phone: 225-242-4860 Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control What: Any business selling beer, liquor or tobacco must obtain a state alcoholic beverage and/or tobacco license. Phone: 225-925-4041 Web: atc.rev.state.la.us

GENERAL City of Baker Finance Department What: Local occupational license determined by type of business. Requirements include picture ID and corporate charter/partnership agreement and fees, which vary. Phone: 225-778-1751 Web: cityofbakerla.com/wp/finance

ENVIRONMENTAL Department of Environmental Quality What: A range of licenses and permits is granted to businesses in compliance with state and federal regulations. Its Small Business Assistance Program is a nonregulatory, nonenforcement program to help business owners comply with state and federal regulations. Phone: 225-219-5337 Web: deq.louisiana.gov

OLD CONTENT

City of Zachary Inspections Division What: Mandatory zoning clearance/ inspections are required along with a business’s physical address. Physical address, survey map, legal description of property, scale of layout proposal and various fees are required for application to change zoning. Phone: 225-654-6873 [Inspections] Web: cityofzachary.org/city-services/ inspections

6. SELECT A LOCATION

Geauxbiz.com What: Streamlines registration, licensing, permitting and tax process and can direct you to the proper state and local licensing and taxing authorities. Phone: 225-922-2880 Web: geauxbiz.sos.la.gov

Environmental Protection Agency What: Oversees all federal environmental legislation and has jurisdiction over the issuance of various permits and licenses, though this jurisdiction does not extend over all states for all matters. Phone: 214-665-2200 or toll-free 800887-6063 Web: epa.gov Office of Environmental Services What: Oversees permits, licenses, registrations, certifications, authorizations, pre-permit meetings, small business assistance, customer assistance, outreach, complaints and community relations. Phone: 225-219-3181 Web: deq.louisiana.gov/directory/office/ office-of-environmental-services

FOOD/BEVERAGE City of Baker ABC Office What: Businesses selling alcohol must contact the appropriate local office for requirements and fees. Phone: 225-778-1751 City-Parish Attorney’s Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control What: Businesses selling alcohol must contact the appropriate local office for requirements and fees. Phone: 225-389-3364 Web: brla.gov/460/Alcoholic-BeverageControl-Office East Baton Rouge Parish Health Unit Sanitation Section What: Business address, zoning clearance and fees are required from

City of Central Municipal Services What: Local occupational license determined by type of business. Requirements include picture ID and corporate charter/partnership agreement and fees, which vary. Phone: 225-262-5000 Web: centralgov.com City-Parish Finance Department Revenue Division What: Local occupational license determined by type of business. Requirements include picture ID and corporate charter/partnership agreement and fees, which vary. Phone: 225-389-3084 Web brla.gov/635/Revenue-Division Occupational Safety and Health Administration What: Requires no licenses or permits, but employers must display a poster describing relevant rights and responsibilities. Most employers must keep a log of work-related injuries and illnesses, which must be accessible to employees. Phone: 800-321-6742 Web: osha.gov

HOSPITAL/NURSING HOME/CHILD CARE Department of Social Services What: Licenses are required before a day care center can open. Phone: 225-342-0286 Web: dss.state.la.us Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Health Standards Section What: Licensing by the state is required before a hospital or nursing home can open. Phone: 225-342-0138 Web: ldh.la.gov

8. OBTAIN FINANCING

If you are a small business and are unable to obtain sufficient funding through personal and family sources, the U.S. Small Business Administration offers several types of loans to prospective small business owners: loans made by private lenders (usually

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Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office What: Registration is required for corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies. Phone: 225-922-2880 Web: sos.louisiana.gov

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2021 SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE Louisiana State Bar Association What: An attorney will be able to help you comply with the law, check out a business opportunity, prepare legal documents and negotiate deals. Phone: 504-566-1600 Web: lsba.org Office of Workers’ Compensation What: Can help you learn more about your insurance needs as a business, including workers’ compensation insurance. Phone: 225-342-7555 Web: laworks.net

10. KNOW THE LAWS

Starting and operating a business comes with a slew of strings attached. While we can’t print every law for you, here are a few categories along with resources to help you swim through the rest.

FEDERAL

Phone: 225-389-5520 Web: downtownbatonrouge.org Louisiana Economic Development What: Provides financial guidance including: Small Business Loan Program, Business Linked Deposit Program, Microloan Program, Contact Loan Program and Ex-Im Bank City/State Program. It helps with venture capital through the Venture Capital Match Program, Venture Capital Co-Investment Program, Minority Venture Capital Match Program, BIDCO Investment Program, Specialty BIDCO Investment Program and Seed Capital Investment Program. Phone: 225-342-3000 Web: opportunitylouisiana.com City-Parish of Baton Rouge, Office of Community Development What: Coordinates municipal programs designed to foster community and business development including administration of the Restoration Tax Abatement Program, a state program allowing businesses that restore old buildings to pay property taxes at a preapproved rate for at least five years. Phone: 225-389-3039 Web: https://www.brla.gov/855/Officeof-Community-Development

Downtown Development District What: Offers programs to encourage new businesses to move downtown, including the Downtown Low Interest Loan Program, Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, Five-Year Property Tax Abatement on Improvement to Structures, Downtown Storefront Grant Program and Economic Development Zone.

Rural Development State Office What: Finances programs that provide leadership in building competitive businesses and sustainable cooperatives, which help build healthy communities offering decent and affordable housing and essential services that can boost the quality of life in rural communities. Phone: 318-473-7920 Web: rd.usda.gov/la Small Business Investment Companies

What: Privately owned, managed, empowered and licensed by the SBA to provide institutional sources of venture capital for small businesses. Phone: 225-408-3000 Web: stonehengecapital.com U.S. Small Business Administration What: Provides financial assistance, including 7[a] Loan Guaranty Programs, SBA 504 Loan Programs, Community Express Pilot Loan Programs and 7[m] Microloan Programs. Phone: 504-589-6685 Web: sba.gov

International Trade Division What: Information on trade laws and tax exemption for imported items. Phone: 225-342-5361 Web: trade.gov

9. CHOOSE KEY VENDORS

Whatever its size, certain basic services and suppliers will be critical to your business, including legal services, banking and accounting, and insurance. Louisiana Bankers Association What: A financial institution will help you handle all of the transactional necessities of doing business. Phone: 225-387-3282 Web: lba.org Louisiana Department of Insurance What: Can help you learn more about your insurance needs as a business, including liability and other standard coverages. Phone: 225-342-5900 Web: ldi.state.la.us Louisiana Society of CPAs What: Accounting advice and record keeping are essential for doing business. Phone: 504-464-1040 Web: lcpa.org

Occupational Safety and Health Administration What: Information on federal laws and regulations regarding working conditions and employee safety. Phone: 225-298-5458 Web: osha.gov U.S. Department of Labor What: Information on legal requirements and standards about minimum wage, employee compensation and employer record keeping. Phone: 504-589-6171 Web: dol.gov

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banks) that are guaranteed by the SBA. The SBA is not a bank, but extends guarantees or participation when a bank is unable or unwilling to provide the small business’s entire financing by itself. Prior to applying for financial assistance, a prospective small business owner must prepare a business plan, which should identify a market, choose a location, determine capital requirements, project cash flow, establish a credit rating and outline the nature and principles of the business. Loans, venture capital and financing programs are also provided by various state and local agencies.

Foreign Trade Zone What: Information on tax exemption and duties for goods exchanged in the Foreign Trade Zone. Local example: Greater Baton Rouge Port Commission Phone: 225-342-1660

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission What: Information on federal and equal opportunity laws about hiring, firing, recruitment, promotion and retention of employees. Phone: 1-800-669-4000 Web: eeoc.gov U.S. Food and Drug Administration What: Information on federal regulations and the production, marketing, transporting, handling and sale of foods, drug products, medical devices, cosmetics, biologics and veterinary products. Phone: 888-463-6332 Web: fda.gov U.S. Patent and Trademark Office What: Information on applying for a registered patent, brand name or trademark. Phone: 800-786-9199 Web: uspto.gov U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission What: Information on capital formation and federal securities law. Phone: 202-942-8088 Web: sec.gov

LOCAL City-Parish Department of Public Works Inspections Division What: Plans for new or renovated buildings must be approved, and onsite inspections may be required. Phone: 225-389-3205 Web: brla.gov/458/PermitsInspections

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STATE Louisiana Department of Revenue What: Defines several types of taxes that must be either paid or collected by businesses. Phone: 225-219-7462 Web: revenue.louisiana.gov Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office What: Provides information about corporate and trademark registration or partnership agreements. Phone: 225-922-2880 Web: sos.louisiana.gov Office of Workers’ Compensation Administration What: An employer is liable for the related medical expenses and weekly benefit payments of any employee who is injured on their job. Phone: 225-342-7555 Web: laworks.net State Fire Marshal What: All plans for new or renovated buildings must be reviewed by the state fire marshal. Phone: 225-925-4911 Web: sfm.dps.louisiana.gov

Visit ebrpl.com/DigitalLibrary Available 24-7 online ebrpl.com • 225.231.3750 Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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2021 SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE

SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

FROM ENTREPRENEURIAL STARTUPS to small business growth and expansion, Louisiana offers a comprehensive array of educational, managerial and financial programs that cultivate small business opportunities.

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BONDING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Provides access to quality bid, payment and performance bonds at reasonable rates from surety companies when bonding capacity is needed on public or private jobs.

INCENTIVES

ECONOMIC GARDENING INITIATIVE Provides customized core business strategies, market research, qualified sales leads and improved internet and technology tailored to your growing needs.

ARE YOU THINKING about expanding, relocating or staring a business? Louisiana’s tax credits and incentive programs give companies a competitive edge. Here’s a summary of the incentives available through Louisiana Economic Development. You can find more details online at opportunitylouisiana.com/business-incentives.

ANGEL INVESTOR TAX CREDIT Up to a 25% tax credit for individual investors who invest in early-stage, wealth-creating businesses that seek startup and expansion capital. DIGITAL INTERACTIVE MEDIA AND SOFTWARE PROGRAM A 25% tax credit for in-state labor, and an 18% credit for eligible production expenditures.

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ENTERPRISE ZONE Either a $3,500 or $1,000 tax credit for each certified net, new job created and either a state sales/use tax rebate on capital expenses or 1.5% investment tax credit for qualifying expenses. In an effort to promote economic recovery following the pandemic, the Louisiana Legislature recently expanded the program to allow retailers, restaurants, bars and hotels to participate if they have less than 50 employees. That expansion sunsets in mid-2023 ENTERTAINMENT JOB CREATION PROGRAM A 15% or 20% tax credit on annual wages to qualified entertainment companies that create a minimum of five well-paid net new jobs for Louisiana residents. FEDERAL OPPORTUNITY ZONES Provides a federal tax incentive for investors to reinvest their capital gains into Opportunity Funds. INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION Property tax abatement for up to 10 years on a manufacturer’s new investment and annual capitalized additions.

LIVE PERFORMANCE PRODUCTION PROGRAM Up to 25% tax credit for musical and theatrical productions, refundable or transferable on a one-time basis.

MUSIC JOB CREATION PROGRAM A 10% or 15% credit on annual wages to qualified music industry-related companies that create a minimum of three well-paid net new jobs for Louisiana residents. QUALITY JOBS Up to a 6% rebate on annual payroll expenses for up to 10 years and either a state sales/use tax rebate on capital expenses or a 1.5% project facility expense rebate for qualifying expenses. This program was also expanded in an effort to promote economic recovery following the pandemic and is available to retailers, hotels and restaurants. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDIT A tax credit up to 30% to existing businesses with operating facilities in Louisiana to establish or continue research and development within the state. RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT A 100% property tax abatement for up to 10 years for the rehabilitation of an existing structure. SOUND RECORDING PROGRAM A production credit of 18% for eligible production expenditures.

HUDSON INITIATIVE Certification program offers greater access to purchasing and contracting opportunities at the state government level. LOUISIANA CONTRACTORS ACCREDITATION INSTITUTE Offers seminars and courses to small and emerging construction businesses that assist in building a solid foundation of knowledge within the construction industry.

MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION PROGRAM Up to a 40% tax credit on eligible in-state production expenditures, including resident and nonresident labor.

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CEO ROUNDTABLES Peer groups that give executives the opportunity to discuss business practices and management strategies with other executives who deal with similar growth challenges.

LOUISIANA VETERAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM Provides training to give veterans, or a Gold Star spouse, the tools needed to develop their business ideas, including business planning, marketing, financing, capital formation and other aspects of business development. MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ RECOGNITION PROGRAM Connects Louisiana-based small and emerging businesses to technical and developmental assistance provided by mentor companies. SMALL AND EMERGING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Provides for developmental assistance, including entrepreneurial training, marketing, computer skills, accounting, legal and industry-specific assistance. SMALL BUSINESS LOAN AND GUARANTY PROGRAM Provides loan guarantees to banks and other small business lenders in association with the SSBCI ranging from $5,000 to $1.5 million. STEP GRANT Provides financial awards to state and territory governments to assist small businesses with export development. VETERAN INITIATIVE Helps veteran-owned and service-connected disabled veteran-owned small businesses gain greater access to purchasing and contracting opportunities at the state level.

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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Red Stick Angels The Red Stick Angel Network is a wholly owned subsidiary of Innovation Catalyst aiming to accelerate the growth of early-stage innovative businesses into venture-ready companies by providing capital, connections and coaching. Its members are accredited investors, or “Angels,” located in the Greater Baton Rouge area. WEBSITE: redstickangels.org

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INCUBATORS:

An entrepreneurial ecosystem CAPITAL REGION ENTREPRENEURS and innovators have several local resources they can call on to guide them and help them thrive in the regional market. Here’s a closer look at some of the available options local startups can utilize to fine-tune their businesses.

RESOURCES:

Nexus Louisiana Launched as an arm of Louisiana’s Research Park Corp., now known as Nexus Louisiana Tech Park, NexusLA implements regional initiatives that convene, connect and strengthen the innovation ecosystem in the Baton Rouge area and connect entrepreneurial resources across the state. By providing coaching, capital and connections, the organization’s mission is to accelerate the growth of high-potential, tech-enabled companies. The ultimate goal: Improve Louisiana’s ability to compete for jobs, talent and public/ private funding, ultimately helping the state to emerge as a model and resource for accelerating the success of innovation ecosystems. WEBSITE: nexusla.org PHONE: (225) 218-0001 Baton Rouge Area SCORE This nonprofit association provides free and confidential business counseling tailored to meet the needs of small businesses and their personal objectives. SCORE also offers periodic seminars and workshops for both startup entrepreneurs and small businesses already in operation.

WEBSITE: batonrougearea.

score.org PHONE: (225) 215-0080

LSU Innovation Park Located 4 miles south of the LSU main campus, the research park operates numerous business incubators and resources to assist in its goal of creating economic growth. It also offers international trade assistance for companies that wish to export, including training and translation as well as marketing and logistics expertise. WEBSITE: lsu.edu/ innovationpark PHONE: (225) 578-7555 Louisiana Small Business Development Center at LSU The LSBDC at LSU offers highquality technical assistance to existing and startup small businesses as well as small business entrepreneurs in Louisiana, at no cost to clients impacted by the pandemic. The LSBDC services include no-cost business consulting and affordable training seminars designed to help businesses attract customers, improve operations, increase sales and access capital. The LSBDC at LSU office is at 8000 Innovation Park Drive, Building 3000. WEBSITE: louisianasbdc.org PHONE: (225) 578-4842

Louisiana Small Business Development Center at Southern University The LSBDC at Southern University provides individual consulting services, training programs and seminars, and information assistance at no cost for potential and existing small businesses in the Greater Baton Rouge area. WEBSITE: louisianasbdc.org/ lsbdc-at-southern-university PHONE: (225) 771-2891

ANGEL NETWORKS/ VENTURE CAPITAL: Innovation Catalyst Innovation Catalyst, formerly Step One Ventures, is a Baton Rouge-based nonprofit venture development organization formed by community leaders to strengthen and broaden Louisiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and drive new high-tech company formation through education, connections and capital. By collaborating with existing resources in the state, Innovation Catalyst is able to identify, engage and educate Louisiana entrepreneurs by connecting them to the right sources to accelerate their business. WEBSITE: innovationcatalyst. us PHONE: (225) 215-2466

Louisiana Business and Technology Center This 65,000-square-foot incubator houses more than 30 technology startups in the LSU Innovation Park and provides comprehensive consulting services. The center also offers a prototyping facility, ProtoStripes, to create rapid prototypes and computer renderings to expedite commercialization of their products. WEBSITE: lsu.edu/ innovationpark PHONE: (225) 578-7555 Nexus Louisiana Tech Park Nexus Louisiana Tech Park, formerly Louisiana Technology Park, operates as a business incubator located in Bon Carré on Florida Boulevard. It provides high-tech startup companies with the resources to bring their products and services to market quicker. The tech park also has a separate digital media incubator, Level Up Lab. WEBSITE: latechpark.com PHONE: (225) 218-1100 Louisiana Emerging Technology Center Falling under the umbrella of the LSU Research and Technology Foundation, this incubator focuses on the biotechnology, life sciences, agricultural and environmental industries. Designed specifically as an incubator for companies with wet-lab needs, it serves small and startup businesses developing and commercializing university technologies. WEBSITE: laetc.com PHONE: (225) 615-8910 LSU AgCenter Food Incubator This business incubator specializes in the development of emerging food ventures and providing technical services to existing and emerging companies. It is under the umbrella of the LBTC and is located on the LSU campus, adjacent to the Department of Food Sciences.

WEBSITE: lsuagcenter.com/

foodincubator 578-4161

PHONE: (225)

LSU Student Incubator This small business incubator for LSU undergraduate and graduate students is located in Innovation Park. The shared workspace encourages likeminded students to develop ideas into profitable businesses with the assistance of the LBTC staff and community mentors. WEBSITE: lsu.edu/ innovationpark/ student-services PHONE: (225) 578-7555 Pennington BioTech Initiative This incubator is specifically designed for companies that are creating medical devices, medical software and medical technologies. The initiative is a partnership among LSU, the LBTC and Pennington Biomedical Research Center, which contracts out the use of its labs for a fee to companies in the incubator. PHONE: (225) 578-7555 Southeast Louisiana Business Center This business incubator and resource center for startups in Washington, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Livingston and St. Helena parishes is located on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. WEBSITE: southeastern.edu/ admin/slbc PHONE: (985) 549-3199 Level Up Lab Level Up Lab is a project of Louisiana Technology Park that aims to create and bring new digital media companies to Louisiana, building on Louisiana’s focus on the digital media and high-tech sectors. Its services include a motion capture studio, sound recording studio, game design hardware and software, Sony and Nintendo development kits, marketing and accounting, and industry-specific consultation. WEBSITE: latechpark.com/ level-up-lab PHONE: (225) 218-1100 Dixie Business Center Founded in 1992 by DEMCO, this Denham Springs incubator helps fledgling businesses compete by providing shared services as well as 33,000 square feet of office space and warehousing. WEBSITE:

dixiebusinesscenter.org PHONE: (225) 665-0809

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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Congratulations

DIANNA PAYTON the CEO of YWCA and one of the 2021 Influential Women in Business honorees!

The YWCA works to accomplish two important

community and social goals: Eliminate Racism and Empower Women. Through collaborative

relationships with local businesses, public

and private organizations, as well as local

municipalities, we have been a collaborative leader in building community and providing opportunities for families.

11404 Lake Sherwood Avenue N. Suite B | Baton Rouge | 225.383.0681 | info@ywca-br.org Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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Next-level leadership: How to create predictable growth in your business

very business reaches a ceiling to its current revenue, profit, and business valuation. The strategies, tactics, and habits that built the business to its current level of success aren’t the same ones necessary to take the business further. It’s nearly impossible to create sustainable, predictable growth as a lone wolf, and frankly not as much fun either. Leaders need to be inspired, focused, efficient, and accountable. To attain predictable growth, it’s important to step back and gain a broader perspective. Sometimes owners just need a second set of eyes to build the business they wanted from the very beginning. Over the span of his career, Cullen Talley has sold products, managed teams, and launched brand new lines of business. As an EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) Implementer, Talley helps business gain traction, find predictable growth, and drive business value. “Many of the companies I work with are growing,” Talley says. “But without the systems and tools in place they need to support their current surge in growth.” Talley shared some of the tough questions owners need to ask themselves in order to take control and create predictable growth.

DO YOU HAVE A CLEAR AND DEFINED VISION? “Vision” is a word often used but with very few owners clear how to define it or leverage it. If your company lacks an actionable vision, then it doesn’t matter how hard you work or how many hours you or your staff put in, you’ll never be able to achieve predictable growth without a clear vision steering the ship

and providing direction. If you want predictable growth in your business, you have to put in the tactical work of defining your vision as simply as possible. Once it’s in place, share it across the company so it becomes part of the way your team frames its decisions. Your vision evolves with your business, so it should be reviewed and refined quarterly. Talley helps business owners set a clear vision and communicate effectively with their teams to make that vision part of the culture.

DO YOU KNOW WHICH DATA CAN HELP MOVE THE NEEDLE AND HOW TO CREATE ACTION STEPS TO ACTUALLY DO IT? It’s true that data has never been easier to find, but limitless input often paralyzes progress or decision-making unless you know which data matters—and even more importantly—which data doesn’t. The key is basing decisions on the right metrics for your business, the data points that help you project trends plotted along the customer journey. “If the data is overwhelming, then you’ve missed the point,” Talley says. “Once you’ve settled on the metrics to measure, become obsessed with them so you can see around corners and make tactical business decisions moving forward.”

HOW MUCH OF YOUR DAY IS SPENT PUTTING OUT FIRES? If you’re constantly running from one problem to the next, then you’re basically running the company like a kids carnival game. “Sure, Whack-A-Mole is fun, but it’s no way to run a business,” Talley smiles. “Especially if your

goal is predictable revenue and driving business valuation.” The good news is that you can learn to better prioritize, delegate and pre-plan your week using tactics and strategy to predictably position yourself for growth. Cullen Talley can schedule a 30-minute introductory call to discuss a model and proven process to help you gain control.

WHAT SORT OF CULTURE HAVE YOU CREATED? If you want to have predictable growth, you need to invest in the staff and culture at your company. To be clear, businesses with exceptional culture don’t have to say they have great culture because it’s obvious to everyone around them. Just as a magnet attracts and repels objects based on its design, so can your culture attract the right people and repel those that are the wrong fit. Cullen Talley has advised owners and their leaders on growth, execution and accountability strategies that impacted hundreds of employees and created millions in new revenue. He has expanded existing businesses into new channels of distribution, proven business models that returned 11x angel investors capital in under 24 months with a $220M exit and pushed sales increase by more than 20% while reducing costs by nearly 50% in the same period. Visit exitmomentum.com to schedule a 30-minute introductory call to share your current situation with Cullen Talley and be introduced to a model and proven process that makes sense for your company. Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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YOUR BUSINESS

LYNN OEHRLE Baton Rouge Water Works Company

MOVING UP

MICHELLE ADAMS First National Bankers Bank

ACCOUNTING Lynn Oehrle has been elected vice president of accounting for the Baton Rouge Water Works Company. Oehrle has been with the company since 2010 and most recently held the role of controller. Prior to that, she served as accounting manager. She graduated LSU with a degree in accounting and is a CPA. BANKING & FINANCE Ten people were recently promoted at First National Bankers Bank. Michelle Adams, in the Asset Liability Management Division, was promoted to senior vice president. Perry Key was promoted to senior vice president in Loan Review for FNBB Services

PERRY KEY First National Bankers Bank

DIONNE SMITH First National Bankers Bank

Corp. Dionne Smith, in the Asset Liability Management Division, was promoted to senior vice president. Hunter Spedale was promoted to senior vice president and managing director of compliance services for FNBB Services Corp. Heather Spillman was promoted to senior vice president and firm administrator for FNBB Services Corp. Joshua Brunt, relationship manager, was promoted to vice president. Nikki Macon was promoted to banking officer and sales assistant for FNBB Capital Markets. Caleb Stewart was promoted to banking officer and ALM senior analyst I. Brent LeBlanc was promoted to senior compliance auditor for FNBB Services Corp., and Sean

HUNTER SPEDALE First National Bankers Bank

HEATHER SPILLMAN First National Bankers Bank

Polozola was promoted to ALM analyst II. Stephen Damore has joined Home Bank as senior vice president/director of special assets. He comes to Home Bank with 25 years in loan workout and loan risk remediation experience, most recently as loan review segment manager at Hancock Whitney Bank. Damore received his bachelor’s in accounting and MBA from the University of New Orleans and has completed the Graduate Banking School of the South at LSU. Douglas Dupont has been named Baton Rouge market president for the Bank of St. Francisville. Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Dupont earned a

JOSHUA BRUNT First National Bankers Bank

NIKKI MACON First National Bankers Bank

degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi. He joined Bank of St. Francisville as vice president for commercial lending in January 2018. After two years spent developing BSF’s commercial lending and deposit portfolio from the northern part of the state, Dupont returned to Baton Rouge with his family in early 2020. Trent Meyerhoefer has been appointed CFO for BBQGuys. Meyerhoefer brings more than 25 years of financial experience executing global strategy, building disciplined financial operations, and leading corporate initiatives for growing and acquisitive global companies. Prior to BBQGuys, Meyerhoefer served as senior vice

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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CALEB STEWART First National Bankers Bank

BRENT LEBLANC First National Bankers Bank

SEAN POLOZOLA First National Bankers Bank

STEPHEN DAMORE Home Bank

president and CFO for Ranpak Holdings Inc. Kevin Schexnayder Jr. has been named Baton Rouge market president for The First, A National Banking Association. Schexnayder has been in banking in the Baton Rouge area since he started his career in 2007. He graduated from UL-Lafayette with a bachelor’s in business management and currently resides in Baton Rouge with his wife, Krystalin, and their three children.

communication and leadership expertise. In her role, Godfrey will also expand Emergent Method’s diversity, equity, and inclusion focus and work with clients to develop strategies and implement solutions that bring meaningful change to their organizations. Godfrey most recently served as assistant commissioner for public affairs for the Louisiana Board of Regents Sonya Gordon is now managing editor of The West Side Journal, the official journal of West Baton COMMUNICATIONS Rouge Parish. Gordon has more Nikki Godfrey has joined than 25 years of experience in Emergent Method a man-Ad proof #3 writing and local journalism with Issue Date: Mayas2021 ager, and or minor an additional background in pub• Pleaseresponsible respond by e-mailfor or faxleading with your approval revisions. • AD WILL RUN ASvarious IS unless approval final revisions are received within 24 hours supporting clientor enlic relations, radio reporting and from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. gagements that will leverage her advertising. Most recently, her • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

DOUGLAS DUPONT Bank of St. Francisville

TRENT MEYERHOEFER BBQGuys

work has been published in The Advocate and in InRegister and Parents magazines. Gordon has also worked in communications, advertising and public relations for the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, LSU AgCenter’s Burden Botanical Gardens and EBR Schools. Ross Lowinske has been hired by Brew Agency as creative director, bringing more than 20 years of executive level experience to its creative team. Lowinske has a substantial track record of leadership at A-list agencies and bluechip clients creating famous, award-winning work. Notable clients benefitting from his expertise include Sears, GE, Kimberly Clark, Wisconsin Department

KEVIN SCHEXNAYDER JR. The First

NIKKI GODFREY Emergent Method

of Tourism, ESPN, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, and Maine Department of Tourism. Linda Midgett, a Baton Rougebased, Emmy-award winning independent filmmaker, producer and showrunner, has joined Louisiana Public Broadcasting as executive producer. She has more than 600 hours of writing, producing and directing credits on major networks, including NBCUniversal, The History Channel, A&E, and Discovery. As executive producer, Midgett has a hands-on role with the production of Louisiana: The State We’re In and Art Rocks! The Series as well as LPB-produced documentaries.

Congratulations

Representative Paula Davis for being selected as an Influential Women in Business Honoree!

Delivering RESULTS for 10 years! www.thepicardgroup.com

Lafayette Baton Rouge Lake Charles Washington, D.C.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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YOUR BUSINESS

SONYA GORDON West Side Journal

MOVING UP

ROSS LOWINSKE Brew Agency

EDUCATION Dr. Frank Andrews has been named head of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Clinical Sciences department. He has served as the interim VCS department head since September 2020. Andrews joined the faculty of the LSU SVM as a professor in VCS and director of the Equine Health Studies Program in August 2008. His research focus is on treatment and prevention of gastric ulcer disease in horses. HEALTH CARE Mark Callais Jr. has been hired by Radiology Associates as director of operations. Callais brings comprehensive experience in the health care industry ranging from

LINDA MIDGETT Louisiana Public Broadcasting

FRANK ANDREWS LSU School of Veterinary Medicine

financial analysis and data analytics to strategic planning. Callais is a member of the Radiology Business Management Association and is certified as a LEAN Six Sigma Green Belt. HOSPITALITY Tim Kuhlman has been named general manager of Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center. Kuhlman most recently served as regional director of operations for Chesapeake Hospitality. A 23-year hospitality veteran, Kuhlman began his career in the kitchen at the Keystone Resort in Colorado. He has held director positions including managing director of The Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, as well as director of

TIM KUHLMAN Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center

DREW PATTY McGlinchey Stafford

lodge operations at the Moonlight Club in Big Sky, Montana. LAW Drew Patty has been named office managing member in McGlinchey Stafford’s Baton Rouge office. In his new role, Patty will focus on the day-to-day operations and management of the employees and the office. Patty leads the firm’s intellectual property group, co-leads the cybersecurity and data privacy group, and handles a broad range of transactional intellectual property matters and related litigation. NONPROFITS Theresa Langlois is the new executive director of Dream

Teachers, a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to recognizing and rewarding exceptional educators throughout Louisiana THERESA LANGLOIS Dream Teachers and raising public awareness of the true value of the teaching profession. Langlois’ selection comes after 14 years of the organization being run by volunteers. Langlois is tasked with helping the organization expand its programs to reach even more teachers throughout Louisiana. Chris Spencer has been named president and CEO of United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana, effective July 1. Rob Fairly, current president and CEO, will retire at the end of June. Spencer has served as the foundation’s development officer for south Louisiana since 2017. Prior to joining the foundation, he served as a commercial banker, private banker and regional communications manager in a 24-year career with JPMorgan Chase in Baton Rouge and Dallas.

on your Influential Women in Business recognition!

Junior League of Baton Rouge members honored as past Influential Women in Business:

Learn more about the Junior League of Baton Rouge at juniorleaguebr.org

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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YOUR BUSINESS

SPECIAL PROMOTION

2021 Business Awards and Hall of Fame THE BATON ROUGE Business Awards and Hall of Fame banquet took place on March 30 to celebrate this year’s honorees. Business Report President and CEO Julio Melara and Chairman Rolfe McCollister Jr., and Mayor Sharon Weston

Broome presented the awards to those being recognized: Nick Speyrer, president of Emergent Method (Young Businessperson of the Year); Brandon Landry, co-founder and CEO of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux (Businessperson of

the Year); City Group Hospitality (Company of the Year/fewer than 100 employees); and Lipsey’s (Company of the Year/100 or more employees). Homer Knost, founder of Arkel International (posthumous) and Chef John Folse,

In keeping with COVID restrictions to ensure safety, a limited crowd gathered in the Crown Plaza ballroom for the 2021 Business Awards & Hall of Fame event

Chef John Folse (Hall of Fame Laureate), Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, and George Knost, son of Homer Knost (Hall of Fame Laureate)

JR Ball of Business Report, Craig Chumney of Franklin, Paula Dawson of Junior Achievement, and Jay Montalbano of Hannis T. Bourgeois

founder of Chef John Folse and Company, were named Hall of Fame Laureates. The event was hosted by Business Report and Junior Achievement, with presenting sponsors Capital One, Franklin, and Hannis T. Bourgeois.

Congressman Garret Graves and his wife, Carissa

Stephen Hightower of City Group Hospitality, Laurie Aronson of Lipsey’s, Patrick Valluzzo of City Group Hospitality and Nick Speyrer of Emergent Method

Chef John Folse (Hall of Fame Laureate) addresses the crowd

Sherry Melara and Minister Tonja Myles, CPSS

Julio Melara, Brandon and Mackenzie Landry of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux and Paula Dawson of Junior Achievement

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS

YOUR BUSINESS

FLASHBACK

THE YEAR: 2007 The Baton Rouge New Car Dealers Association

Congratulates

PAULA DAVIS

Anyone familiar with Baton Rouge is also well acquainted with the slow crawl of traffic that often swells onto the roads, turning the city into a gridlock. While the city-parish continues to break ground on new MovEBR projects to relieve some of the pressure, we are still years away from seeing relief on the interstates and a new bridge. Traffic, which has plagued the region for years and is still one of the area’s largest challenges, took the spotlight in this 2007 cover story by Business Report, which pointed to complex funding formulas, fractured political leadership, poor planning and decreasing dollars as the driving forces behind Baton Rouge’s history of gridlock.

and the rest of the 2021 Influential Women in Business honorees!

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“WHEN HENRY MANNING opened his dental practice on Perkins Road between Bluebonnet Boulevard and Siegen Lane in the late 1980s, he could get to the office from his Highland Road neighborhood in less than 10 minutes. These days it might take three times that long and, maddeningly, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the bumper-to-bumper traffic. ‘It’s horrible, just horrible,’ says Manning. ‘And you never know what time of the day is going to be the worst. It was bad before Katrina, and it’s getting really bad now.’” —From the May 8, 2007, issue of Business Report

+ ALSO FROM THAT ISSUE ...

The inside SCOOP. Inside your INBOX.

ISTOCK

NO VACANCIES: Despite hundreds of new units going online last year, Baton Rouge struggles to fill demand for apartments. ¿HABLA ESPAÑOL?: Local business owners are learning a second language so their business isn’t lost in translation.

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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Issue Date: May 2021 Ad proof #2

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Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021

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PASSION

COOKING

Michael DiResto EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER

“I cook every night but Sundays are special. I tell people that my definition of heaven is a lot like my Sunday afternoon, especially during football season. I’ve got the TV on in the kitchen with the Saints game playing on mute, music playing, the book I’m reading open, glass of wine in hand and I’ll be making something in the kitchen that takes four hours. I hope when I get to heaven, it’s Sunday afternoon all the time.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLIN RICHIE

BUSINESS REPORT, May 2021 | BusinessReport.com

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