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The nationally acclaimed East Baton Rouge Parish Library continues to expand services for the business community.
Our resources deliver up-to-date training and new tech initiatives so local businesses’ employment and research needs are met at a level that helps them compete globally.
The Library is a community service organization that provides access and connects people to information, resources, materials, technology, and experiences to make a positive difference in their lives.
Our Main Library and 13 branches provide programs and resources for all ages that add to the quality of life for business professionals and their families.
The Library’s SMALL BUSINESS SERVICE includes free programs, resources and tools to help your business grow, and
offers free one-on-one consultations with Business Librarians.
They can guide you in the use of robust tools such as Reference USA, Mergent Intellect, and Gale Business: Plan Builder, a step-by-step online planning tool for starting, managing and optimizing your business or nonprofit. They can even offer concierge service to design a curated collection of Continuing Ed courses for you and your staff. Contact them at smallbusiness@ebrpl.com.
As we grow our workforce development and emerging technology offerings, the Library also diligently strives to assist in the forward momentum of Baton Rouge’s development. We will continue responding to your needs, working toward growth and development.
Check us out at ebrpl.com.
Crowned the parks and recreation national champion in 2022, BREC won the prestigious Gold Medal for excellence in park and recreation management for the third time in its history.
Founded in 1946, BREC spent the past 76 years creating a system to improve the health, environment and quality of life for all residents in East Baton Rouge Parish.
BREC was among the first in the nation to achieve national accreditation and has been reaccredited every five years since meeting 150 rigorous standards.
BREC offers 175 parks with a unique mix of facilities which mirror the rich history and natural resources in the region including a state-of the art children’s museum, swamp nature center, zoo, historic home, observatory, performing arts
theatre, equestrian park, art gallery, arboretum, botanic garden, five golf courses, and a 30,000 square foot extreme sports park.
Since the community approved the Imagine Your Parks plan in 2004, BREC constructed twelve community parks, six dog parks, a family-sized water park, a growing trails system, two new conservation parks, seven splash pads and much more.
“I believe parks are the solution
Back, from left: Aneatra Boykin, Andrea Roberts, Jim Fleshman, Mike Raby, Dr. RaHarold Lawson and Tracy Fountain. Front, from left: Brandon Smith, Superintendent Corey Wilson and Reed Richards.to almost everything as they bring diverse people together, make communities safer, provide protection against flooding, attract young professionals and new business while contributing to economic development,” BREC Superintendent Corey K. Wilson says.
“We are excited about all of the transformational projects underway right now and are preparing to kickoff of a year-long planning process
to create a third Imagine Your Parks master/strategic plan. We could not succeed without the support of our community and believe your input is the secret to our success. As we like to say, ‘You imagined, we delivered Gold.’”
We will soon ask you to imagine with us again as we continue working to make East Baton Rouge a better place to live, work and play. Please visit brec. org/GoldMedal to learn more.
Vinformatix is a woman-owned technology company in a maledominated industry. We develop next generation tech solutions for public sector agencies, nonprofits and private businesses. With a team as diverse as our community, we’re dedicated to putting Baton Rouge on the map for top tech cities.
Over the years, Vinformatix supported several nonprofits, including The United Way, Young Entrepreneurs Academy, American Heart Association, Walls Project and others.
Our CEO Padma Vatsavai serves as Chair of East Baton Rouge Parish School System Foundation Board to help students achieve
success. She also serves on the board of the Baton Rouge General Hospital Foundation.
We aggressively go after and win federal contracts, bringing new capital into our economy and providing exciting challenges to our local workforce. This is how Baton Rouge attracts and retains top talent—by creating opportunities for diverse individuals and building a more equitable future for all of us.
At Vinformatix, we know that running a successful business is more than increasing revenue—it’s supporting our local community. That’s why we’re as dedicated to supporting Baton Rouge as we are to serving our customers.
Vinformatix CEO Padma VatsavaiFor the past three decades, Superior Restaurant Group has been positively impacting Louisiana communities through quality food, excellent service, and a spirit of giving. Superior Grill on Highland Road quickly became a local favorite for sizzling fajitas and fresh margaritas after opening its doors in 2017. From happy hours to memorable meals, Highland Road Superior is the place to eat in Baton Rouge.
But Highland Road Superior’s commitment to excellent service goes beyond the dining room. The restaurant is actively involved in the Baton Rouge community as a supporter and friend of
various charitable organizations, including Best Dressed Ball and Blue Ribbon Soiree with the American Cancer Society, and several different local educational institutions.
“The restaurant industry is committed to service, and for us, that means a lot more than offering great food in a fun atmosphere,” says Brian Whitley, General Manager of Highland Road Superior. “When we opened five years ago, it was important to us to give back to the community that welcomed us, and we’ll continue to carry that philosophy with us as we grow. We want Baton Rouge to know we’re here, and we care about our neighbors.”
Since 1983, Alzheimer’s Services has been the local resource for those affected by Alzheimer’s in the Greater Baton Rouge area.
Through educational events, support groups, and social events for those impacted, we provide a hand to hold and guidance to navigate the Alzheimer’s journey. We also offer respite relief for caregivers through Charlie’s Place Activity and Respite Centers in Baton Rouge and Gonzales or the Respite Reimbursement Program, which provides funds for inhome respite.
We strive to always be the proactive example for best practices in dementia care to meet the needs of those we serve.
Increasing awareness of our organization and the help we can provide as early as
possible can assist caregivers in making plans to provide the best quality of life for their loved ones, while also alleviating unnecessary stress.
Dr. Jamie Huysman, PsyD, LCSW, CFT, has noted that “education is the least offensive, least intrusive way to connect meaningfully to caregivers.”
Alzheimer’s Services is dedicated to providing education programs and support services in an effort to teach, care for, and connect with those in our community affected by Alzheimer’s and other memory-related impairments.
We look forward to continuing to be the local one stop resource for those affected by Alzheimer’s and their caregivers through continually expanding and improving programs and services.
Alzheimer’s Services’ Directors: Treasure White, Respite Director; Barbara Auten, Executive Director; and Debbie Little, Development Director. Not shown is Ellen Dunn, Program Director
At the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students, we believe an excellent education is every child’s birthright. We focus on empowering families, elevating communities, and engaging leaders for student success.
We aim to ensure Baton Rouge’s bright future by uplifting the potential of every child in every area of our community.
We believe our city must commit to choosing young people over adults by creating a community where all students can receive an excellent education. We must ensure students are at the forefront of school improvement decisions in Baton Rouge.
We also believe families deserve agency in partnering with schools to ensure student success. Our Baton Rouge Youth Voice Initiative engaged over 500 students about the education they were
receiving and helped amplify student voices for change.
Recognizing that our work is best done in service to and partnership with the community, last year, we invested in building community and supporting organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for Baton Rouge students and their families. These Community Building Grants were a commitment to further the Alliance’s goal of creating a strong and vibrant community.
Finally, we believe that real change can only be achieved by uniting a diverse student-centered coalition of engaged leaders.
Our CHANGEMAKERS network has grown to over 125 community leaders and advocates who have gained a better understanding of education in Baton Rouge through leadership development.
Quality. Teamwork. Pride. Passion. Integrity.
Those are Facilities Maintenance Management’s core values.
And we live by those values not only in our business, but in our giving and philanthropic efforts.
Our company is proud to work with the Bella Bowman Foundation, among other charities in the Baton Rouge and surrounding areas.
FMM’s partnership with the Bella Bowman Foundation has been going strong for more than 10 years. Kim and Trey Bowman have been wonderful to
work with. Their commitment to the foundation that creates and supports research initiatives for pediatric brain cancer, funds educational opportunities and offers nonmedical comfort care to sick children and the families who care for them is second to none. The joy and happiness this foundation brings to children and families who are faced with health challenges is heartwarming, to say the least.
FMM is proud to partner with the Bella Bowman Foundation and looks forward to bringing smiles to children’s faces in some of the more difficult times of their lives and the lives of those who care for them.
Guarantee Restoration Services has served the Greater Baton Rouge area since 1974. Initially, we began as a carpet cleaning business and evolved throughout the 1980s and 1990s to be able to better serve the city’s needs by focusing more on fire and water damage restoration.
The impact we have had starts with our employees and building our team. Our company has grown through adapting, advancing and continuing education. We pride ourselves on the company culture that we have created. As we have focused on professional growth, we have also grown as a company. Almost 49 years later, we have five strategically located offices
in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, and Jackson and Gulfport, Mississippi.
Over the past six years, there have been several weather events that have really brought GRS to the next level. From the Great Flood of 2016 to Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Ida, we have the experience and expertise to handle any size loss from water, fire, mold, or any other property damage emergency.
As we look to the future and the next 10 years, we expect to add three to five new facilities. These areas include Shreveport, Louisiana; Lake Charles, Louisiana; Pensacola, Florida; and Mobile, Alabama. Our team looks forward to serving our communities and ensuring continuity of lives and businesses for years to come.
CEO Shawn Folks stands in the vault warehouse of his company’s corporate headquarters on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge.
Asense of commitment to community and service remains at the heart of Investar Bank’s mission. Since its founding in 2006, the bank recognizes that success reflects its connections and relationships with customers and communities. Staying connected to customers and the causes that impact our communities remains a priority as the bank grows and expands across the southeast.
In 2022, Investar Bank committed more than $250,000 to 140 local organizations across its communities. From education and the arts to economic development and medical research, the bank supports local groups with resources to help improve and better serve their communities.
Through its in-house Affordable Housing Grants program, the bank funded 22 grants totaling $52,323. These grants provided low to moderate-income
first-time homebuyers with down payment or closing cost assistance.
The bank’s culture of commitment goes beyond simply providing monetary support by encouraging staff to get involved and give back. Last year, Investar Bank employees logged nearly 500 volunteer hours with 55 local organizations, embracing the institution’s call and commitment to service.
As the banking industry evolves, Investar Bank will continue developing innovative ways to deliver its products and services anchored by a commitment to serve customers and our communities.
“For us, it’s about relationships,” says President & CEO John D’Angelo. “Our mission is founded on building relationships that create value and opportunities for customers and their communities. We do this through our commitment to community service.”
When Louisianians visit the Secretary of State’s office, the Commercial Division is their first stop.
The division has several key responsibilities: to provide Louisiana businesses timely and efficient service in the certification and registration of documents; the processing of legal services documents and communication of business licensing information and to make such information concerning these business entities available to the public; and to ensure the quality of the notary database.
Any residents of Louisiana who would like
to become a notary public start the process with the Secretary of State’s Office. While the Commercial Division’s office is the physical front door to the Secretary of State’s office, geauxBIZ serves as the virtual front door. geauxBIZ is the division’s service that gives current and potential business owners a single place to go for all the necessary information to operate within the state. It is a perfect example of streamlining a process to help the consumer—in this case, business owners. Approval for all licenses and permits still comes from the individual agencies, but geauxBIZ is a clearinghouse for regulatory information.
Tricia Wood, Commercial Specialist; Kiyana Patton, Commercial Manager; Amanda Baker, Commercial Administrator; Jewel Moore, Assistant Commercial Administrator; and Quincy Mouton, Small Business LiaisonWhat impact is EBRPHA having on Baton Rouge?
East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority (EBRPHA) is investing in Baton Rouge’s future by bringing capital investments to build sustainable neighborhoods, families, and lives. Through substantial public and private investments, EBRPHA is creating revitalized communities surrounded by services that families need to move up the economic ladder.
EBRPHA has access to federal funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The agency was also awarded a $30 million Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) grant to transform the Ardendale neighborhood. EBRPHA injects another $32 million annually with property owners to provide quality housing to our families.
With public-private partnerships, EBRPHA will invest $480 million in the Baton Rouge economy over the next five years.
EBRPHA and Partners Southeast, its real estate development arm, work collaboratively to transform neglected neighborhoods and the lives of families who live there.
The efforts EBRPHA and Partners Southeast are augmented by a diverse group of community organizations to provide ACCESS to education, health and wellness, career opportunities, recreation, and arts.
With these tremendous resources, families gain stability, upward mobility, and a better quality of life.
EBRPHA is grateful to public and private partners who support our mission. Together, we are changing lives in Baton Rouge.
East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority Board of Commissioners Dianna Payton and Al Barron at the new Cypress Pinchback.