Baton Rouge Business Report [October 2023]

OCTOBER 2023 • BUSINESSREPORT.COM

10-YEAR

Secrets of the 2023

ANNIVER

SARY

BEST PLACES TO WORK in Baton Rouge

INSIDE • Top benefits & perks • Proven recruiting strategies • What employees love • Learn from companies who made the list every year

$5.95

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CONTENTS

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News 78 Beyond the Blue horizon

OCTOBER 2023 • BUSINESSREPORT.COM

The proposed sale of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana to Elevance Health is sparking fears across the state of future price increases.

10-YEAR

82 Blitzing blight

Can a new data-focused approach change the trajectory in Baton Rouge?

Secrets of the 2023

Publisher

in Baton Rouge

The population explosion in once-rural Livingston Parish is raising development questions while putting a strain on schools and roads.

86 ‘Fed up with all these stupid texts’

Political campaigns are bombarding voters with text messages, but are they effective?

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8 Cultivating culture

INSIDE • Top benefits & perks • Proven recruiting strategies • What employees love • Learn from companies who made the list every year

ON THE COVER Learn the Secrets of the 2023 Best Places to Work

11 5 Things to Watch This Month

Photos courtesy AccuTemp Services, Home Bank, LaPorte CPAs Business Advisors, REV, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, Taylor Porter

13 Jon Gordon: Why integrity matters

Design: Hoa Vu

Intelligence

SAR Y

BEST PLACES TO WORK

84 Growing pains

21

ANN IVER

14 Whitney Johnson: The unsung heroes of everyday mentorship 15 Thought Leader: Expanding your business 17 Briefing: News, notes and charts to keep you in the know 21 Business Lunch: Beausoleil Coastal Cuisine 24 Entrepreneur: Ross Armstrong 28 Feedback from our readers

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CONNECT WITH US:

businessreport.com

Viewpoint 100 Rolfe McCollister Jr.: Determine our destiny by voting

Your Business

facebook.com/businessreport

x.com/brbizreport

102 The List: Private high schools 105 Company News 108 Moving Up

instagram.com/brbizreport

110 Recharge: Renita Williams Thomas | Traveling

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BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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01MK7923 08/23

For life’s moments, big and small.

We’re here with the strength of the cross, the protection of the shield.

The Right Card. The Right Care.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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PU B LI S H E R B R I E FI NG

Publisher: Julio Melara

EDITORIAL

Cultivating culture IN MY CONVERSATIONS with CEOs and other executives throughout the Capital Region, their biggest battle these days isn’t for market share or innovation. It’s fighting the war for talent.

As we went to press, Louisiana’s unemployment rate was at a historic low: 3.3%.

The good news is, we know how to win the battle. And that’s what this edition of Business Report is all about.

Success is not just about competing in the market. More than ever, it’s about competing for hearts and minds to build the high-performing teams essential for competitiveness.

I’m proud to say this is our 10th year celebrating the Best Places to Work in the Capital Region. I know that honoring those companies who have purposefully forged an exceptional work environment and sharing their strategies in these pages will inspire me and many other CEOs with ideas to reshape our own cultures for success.

This year, a record 75 companies small, medium and large grace our list. You’ll note some familiar names (in fact, on page 68 we feature the only four companies that have made the list all 10 years) but also a number of new ones—a sure sign that the competition is more fie ce than ever.

In reviewing this year’s winners, I noted several trends in what makes a Best Place to Work.

Looking at the employee engagement survey results for companies that made the list, two key areas stand out that underscore the importance of competitive benefits packages and work-life balance in attracting and retaining top talent: • Employees’ satisfaction with their benefits surged from 82% in 2022 to an impressive 89% in 2023.

• An overwhelming 91% of employees from winning companies reported being content

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with their work-life balance, up from 86% the previous year.

Even so, it’s clear that it doesn’t matter how many incentives you offe —if you aren’t building the right culture, you’ll continue to lose the talent battle. From the survey: • Doing things as a team is paramount. It’s heartening to see that despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the sense of togetherness has persevered. Of course, this is south Louisiana, so crawfish boils remain a beloved tradition. If you’re not hosting one, you’re in the minority. Other faves: Top Golf, escape rooms, and cheering on sports teams.

• When it comes to driving employee engagement, some factors prevail year after year.

Employees thrive when they genuinely enjoy what they do and believe in their leadership.

A commitment to producing high-quality products and services, making progress at work, and fair compensation have consistently ranked high on the list of engagement drivers. And, of course, having fun at work is essential.

But this year, we observed a noteworthy shift in priorities. “Being treated with dignity, not just as a number,” took the top spot as the No. 1 driver of engagement. In short, it’s about respect.

Peter Drucker is credited with musing that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I have to agree. As we know from those who have made it to the top of the Best Places to Work in the Capital Region, winning the talent war begins with a winning culture.

The best is yet to come!

Chief Content Officer & Executive Editor: Penny Font Corporate Media Editor: Lisa Tramontana Managing Editor: Allan Schilling Online News Editor: Deanna B. Narveson Staff writers: Holly Duchmann, David Jacobs, Domenic Purdy Digital Content Editor: Dillon Lowe Multimedia News Producer: Oscar Tickle Contributing writers: Sam Barnes, Emily Hebert, Maggie Heyn Richardson Contributing photographers: Don Kadair, Tim Mueller, Collin Richie

ADVERTISING Sales Director: Kelly Lewis Account Executives: Emma Dubuc, Nancy Bombet Ellis, Meredith LaBorde, Ethan Shipp, Matt Wambles Digital Operations Manager: Devyn MacDonald Customer Success Manager: Paul Huval

STUDIO E Director: Taylor Gast Creative Director: Timothy Coles Content Strategist: Emily Hebert Account Executive: Judith LaDousa

MARKETING Marketing & Events Coordinator: Taylor Falgout Marketing & Events Assistant: Cadon Ardoin Events: Abby Hamilton

ADMINISTRATION Business Manager: Tiffany Durocher Business Associate: Kirsten Milano Office Coordinator: Sara Hodge Receptionist: Cathy Varnado Brown

CREATIVE SERVICES Director of Creative Services: Amy Vandiver Art Director: Hoa Vu Senior Graphic Designers: Melinda Gonzalez Galjour, Emily Witt Graphic Designer: Ashlee Digel Design Consultant: Carlin Mumphrey

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Audience Development Director and Digital Manager: James Hume Audience Development Coordinator: Ivana Oubre Audience Development Associate: Catherine Albano A publication of Melara Enterprises, LLC Chairman: Julio Melara Executive Assistant: Brooke Motto Vice President-Sales: Elizabeth McCollister Hebert Chief Content Officer: Penny Font Chief Digital Officer: Erin Pou Chief Operating Officer: Guy Barone Chairman Emeritus: Rolfe H. McCollister Jr. Circulation/Reprints/Subscriptions/Customer Service 225-928-1700 • email: circulation@businessreport.com Volume 41 - Number 15

Julio Melara, Publisher

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

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

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

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited material— manuscripts or photographs, with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed return envelope.

Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed. No information expressed here constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities.

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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Congratulations to our Baton Rouge team!

We are honored to be recognized again as a top workplace, which is only possible through the dedication and hard work of our team members. Their commitment to our core values and providing exceptional customer experiences sets us apart.

BLUEBONNET | CORPORATE | LONG FARM | SHERWOOD home24bank.com | Member FDIC

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Thank you to our team for voting us on the Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge!

BBP brings more than 30 years of expertise in instrumentation, analytical, valves and control systems to the Southeast region.

Since our founding, BBP has upheld the values of like, trust, and commitment to our customers and employees. We partner with leading manufacturers to deliver Automation Innovation to thousands of customers across a wide variety of industries.

Through personalized attention and superior responsiveness, we take pride in being a company our customers value doing business with. At BBP, our employees enjoy coming to work where they can solve new challenges daily. Learn more about our team on our website at bbpsales.com/careers.

1.800.229.4142 | BBPSALES.COM

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BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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I NTELLIG E NCE I N S IG HT

5 THINGS

to watch this month 1 WHAT DOES IT take to lead in a crisis?

Business Report’s Strictly Business sits down with Dr. Craig Greene, a surgeon at Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic who also represents the Baton Rouge district on the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Greene will share leadership insights into his work as a physician as well as his efforts to help navigate the PSC. Register at strictlybusiness. businessreport.com and get more information at businessreport.com/ events.

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THE BATON ROUGE Area Chamber is inviting all of its investors to BRING IT! To BRAC on Oct. 18. BRAC staff will be available to answer any questions about business and the Baton Rouge community and discuss the organization’s projects, initiatives and upcoming events. Get the details at BRAC.org/events.

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4

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ELEVANCE HEALTH’S ACQUISITION of Blue Cross

THE WEST

LSU IS CELEBRATING

and Blue Shield of Louisiana is still worth watching. The two health insurers withdrew their proposal to have Indiana-based Elevance acquire the state’s leading health insurer in a $2.5 billion deal in late September. The acquisition was set to go before the Louisiana Department of Insurance early this month after it was pushed back from August. Now, it’s up in the air again, with company officials saying they plan to resubmit the proposal at a later date. Read more on page 78.

Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce is hosting a one-day event for Capital Region manufacturers and distributors at the Crowne Plaza on Oct. 12. Supply Chain Baton Rouge 2023 aims to help businesses gain insight into industry trends, engage in conversations about business development, and get the latest on the changing supply chain landscape. Get more information about the event at bit.ly/SupplyChainBR.

the 2023 LSU 100: Fastest Growing Tiger Businesses list at a gala Oct. 20 at L’Auberge Casino Hotel.

While an unranked list has been out since late August, LSU will reveal at the gala how each company stacks up. The LSU 100 is a competitive annual program recognizing the 100 fastest-growing LSU graduate-owned or LSU graduate-led businesses. Companies must apply each year to be considered for the list.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

THANK YOU TEAM

for making LDS one of the “Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge”

FOR DEALERS, BY DEALERS 10543 S. GLENSTONE PL. | BATON ROUGE | 225.769.9923 | TOLL-FREE: 800.272.8000 | THELDSGROUP.COM

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BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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I NTELLIG E NCE LEAD E R S H I P

Why integrity matters win today but you’ll lose in the end.

Turn on the news and you’ll often hear the stories of leaders who achieved the pinnacle of success in their careers, yet their lack of integrity brought everything crashing down around them. The ripple eff ct of their wrongdoing damaged the reputation of their organization, destroyed their credibility and devastated relationships with the people they cared about most.

In my work with numerous individuals and organizations, it has become clear that integrity has never been more important.

So much is at stake, and so many things improve when you do things the right way over time—reputation, legacy, fi ancial success, upward mobility at work, team unity, family and relationships.

In this spirit, I want to let you know about a book I wrote with Alex Demczak called The Sale. The main character, Matt, has an opportunity to make a multimillion-dollar sale that will make him rich. But to do so he may have to sacrifice his integrity. The book’s outcome and Matt’s future hinge on his decision.

ISTOCK

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

SPEND JUST A few minutes on social media and you will see a lie that is pervasive in our society. Thelie says that your success, fame and fortune are the most important things about you, and that you need to achieve those things no matter the cost— even if it means compromising your morals, cheating the system or hurting others in the process.

Many people believe that pushing others to the side while elevating themselves to get ahead is just part of the process on the path to success. But what if there was a better way? What if you could be wildly successful without sacrifici g your soul? What if there was a secret to true and lasting success?

I believe the secret can be found in a frequently overlooked and underutilized principle: integrity.

While it may seem counterintuitive, living with integrity and putting the needs of others above your own actually helps build trust and ultimately leads to your own success. Of course, you will need talent to succeed, but integrity and character maximize your talent and lead to the fulfillme t of your greatest potential.

Commitment to doing the right thing isn’t always convenient but your choices reveal your character and integrity, which determine the life and success you create.

Living with integrity isn’t always easy but it’s not complicated. Integrity is following through on your commitments. It’s saying what you are going to do and doing what you said. It’s living by core principles instead of an agenda that violates your principles. It’s being honest and truthful. It’s admitting you were wrong when the data and facts present themselves. Integrity is doing the right thing even when it doesn’t benefit you.

I want to encourage you not to sacrifice your principles for short-term gain. You may

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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I NTELLIG E NCE LEAD E R S H I P

Unlocking your potential: The unsung heroes of everyday mentorship

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

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AN INSPIRING, capable mentor is one of life’s great gifts.

Few of us will achieve our ambitions without the hands extended to give us a lift, without someone who has blazed a trail before us pointing out the hazards to avoid and the advantages to embrace.

Mentoring might be simply defin d as modeling success. When I ask people to name someone who has been a meaningful mentor in their lives, the most common response sounds something like this: “The e are so many. I don’t know where to start.” Likewise, many successful people want to mentor and do; the desire to “pay it forward” in some way is powerfully manifested through personal relationships, charitable enterprises, training initiatives, and other forms of mentorship for those traveling the path beside and behind us.

It’s a mistake to think that mentors are only in the workplace. I have had individuals name parents and grandparents who have been important educational, career and life mentors.

Don’t overlook the example and encouragement of a grandmother or aunt who was the fi st in the family to go to college, or a mother who was a career trailblazer in her time. The ground they broke may be diffe ent than the territory we are conquering, but lessons in courage, patience, perseverance and resourcefulness transcend time and specific situations. Talk to and about the women in your family who have faced barriers and sometimes broken them.

Likewise, fathers, grandfathers and uncles have often had better opportunities and broader experiences. Perhaps they model principles or behaviors you want to emulate.

Talking to and about the experiences of the accomplished men closest to you can provide insight and encouragement to women as well as men.

Spouses/partners are also named as important mentors by many individuals. It’s not uncommon for us to find our life companions have abilities and experiences that

complement our own. Th y can be excellent sounding boards, advisers, guides and supports when we start a new job, face an unexpected challenge at work—or worse. Tho e nearest to us face the same experiences we face in the workplace.

Some of the most influe tial mentoring we will receive in our lifetime occurred when we were much younger. Think about how lessons learned from teachers, coaches and school counselors could be applied to a current situation. Did someone inspire a passion for a certain subject? How can passion for your work serve you now? Did you learn great discipline from a music teacher who expected you to practice an hour a day? How might better discipline help in your current role? Did a teacher or coach demonstrate the truth that there are consequences for actions, both good and bad?

The lesson applies in the workplace.

A mentor can be a boss, particularly one early in our career. Consider the lessons you’ve learned from previous employers. The key attribute of a good mentor is development of strength, skill and values in others. Bosses who take an interest in their workers, help them identify their unique strengths and use them in their roles, and develop an understanding of their employees’ aspirations can be excellent mentors. Look for opportunities to work for and with such leaders and to emulate their practices.

Mentorship fills a gap. It may be a gap in skill set, opportunity, courage or confidenc .

As often as not, a mentor helps fill the gap in our vision—our vision of what could be; our vision of what we could be. The diffe ence between making our mark on the world or not might be the mentor who helps us believe that we have a mark to make, and that making it will make a genuine diffe ence.

One thing that great mentors teach us all: The only diffe ence between another person’s great achievement and falling short might be me.

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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I NTELLIG E NCE THOUG HT LEAD E R

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Scaling a new business concept

THE SMART MOVE IS LIVINGSTON PARISH

Taking a new concept for a business and scaling it for expansion can be tricky—especially if the growth you envisioned includes expanding your company’s footprint with new brick-and-mortar shops. Will Edwards, founder of Kolache Kitchen, shares lessons when it comes to expanding and franchising your business.

THE BIGGEST LEARNING curve came from

1 the first expansion—going from one store to two.

It was roughly two years after opening his first location of Kolache Kitchen off LSU’s campus that Edwards decided to expand with a second location in Baton Rouge in the spring of 2015.

“For me, not being able to be in two places at once and monitor everything was a huge hurdle,” he says. “I quickly realized that after the first week of having the second store.”

IT’S ALL ABOUT the staff. Edwards suggests

2 promoting someone from within the company

to either step up as manager of the flagship location or at the new location. “For your own sanity, before you expand, you want to make sure you have someone who understands the brand and the concept to be able to make decisions when you can’t be there.”

CONVENIENT LOCATION GREAT SCHOOLS COMPETITIVE LAND & INCENTIVES BUILD, MOVE, GROW OR EXPAND

WITH CORPORATE-OWNED 3 EXPANDING stores in new markets tests opportunities. “After opening the second and third [corporateowned] locations, I felt confident that we would be able to franchise. Because we were able to replicate it in two different markets, I knew we could grow.”

DON’T SELL A franchise to just anyone. The main thing

4 Edwards looks for when choosing a new franchise partner is past experience operating restaurants. Preferably, he prefers partners with experience managing multiple units. “There’s no room for error in the franchise business,” Edwards says. “You don’t want to open up somewhere and it not turn out how you wanted. … People are paying for that prior success and proven concept. You want to make sure you’re setting up your franchises for success.”

11640 Burgess Ave. | Walker, LA 70785 225.686.3982 | info@ledc.net | WWW.LEDC.NET @LivingstonEDC | @Livingston_EDC Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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Loadstar aspires to be the industry's premier product handling and site logistics provider. We perform at the highest level of safety and quality, while delivering operational excellence and innovation to our customers. Loadstar is proud to be recognized as one of 2023 Best Places to Work.

Through our knowledge, values and safety standards, Loadstar has earned the trust of leading companies across the industry.

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I NTELLIG E NCE B R I E FI NG

B IG STORY

A new leader for LABI THERE’S A NEW leader for what is arguably the most powerful nongovernmental organization in the state: The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.

Will Green (right) returns to LABI after having worked there on civil justice and employee relations for two years under former CEO Stephen Waguespack. Waguespack, who had led the organization since 2013, stepped down in March to run for governor.

Green, an attorney who practiced worker’s comp defense for about five years, departs his role as president and CEO at the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association at a pivotal time for Louisiana business.

“I’m very fortunate to be walking into an amazing situation,” Green says, while praising LABI’s board and staff. “It’s an exciting time in the state.”

After Louisiana’s fall election, the state will have a new governor, plus

the turnover of nearly one-third of the Louisiana Legislature. LABI has a team that lobbies lawmakers when the Legislature is in session.

As LABI’s top executive, Green will also promote the association’s agenda throughout the state. He’ll also help LABI gear up for next year with a new, expansive agenda.

Last month, LABI released its new strategic plan, which calls for phasing out the state’s personal income tax and raising the gasoline tax. The plan contains a mix of familiar goals for the business lobby—including centralizing sales tax collection and tweaking the Industrial Tax Exemption Program—and new initiatives such as calling for a cabinet-level talent development office in state government.

At press time, a start date was pending. Jim Patterson, LABI’s vice president of government relations and longtime point person at the Legislature, has been filling in as interim president.

D IG IT

ADVICE

“Ego is the enemy, and relationships will always take you further than money.”

Richard Spears, Realtor and owner, Prime Properties Group at Keller Williams First Choice

$181M

Money requests from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for disaster recovery spending that did not adhere to program rules, according to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office. A total of $963 million in local reimbursements were requested during the first half of 2023. The problem? Lack of sufficient documentation and requesting reimbursement for work outside of the approved scope of work.

M UST R EAD

There’s a reason Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones has been No. 1 on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Amazon and Audible. It’s billed as a comprehensive and practical guide on how to create good habits, break bad ones, and get 1% better every day. Who doesn’t want that? Author James Clear’s premise is that bad habits repeat themselves not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. A core philosophy of Atomic Habits is this: You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. A studied expert on habit formation, the author draws on elements of biology, psychology and neuroscience to offer tips for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. What makes this book work is the stories of Olympic gold medalists, awardwinning artists, business leaders, physicians and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their crafts.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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• Relationship-oriented – We focus on building long-term relationships with our clients to help them grow, addressing their concerns at every step of their journey.

LOCAL LEADERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY We have always been proud to call Louisiana and the Gulf Coast home.

Now part of a Top 20 accounting and business advisory firm, our commitment to our clients and our local communities is stronger than ever. You can expect to see the same familiar faces and experience the same foundational values that you’ve come to expect from P&N. As accounting and advisory leaders in the region, the Gulf Coast EisnerAmper team looks forward to providing impactful insights, creating innovative solutions, and focusing on the relationships that make the Louisiana business landscape unique.

We are ready, as always, to amplify your success.

9/28/23 12:51 PM

20

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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I NTELLIG ENCE B US I N E SS LU NCH

Beausoleil Coastal Cuisine

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLIN RICHIE

Address: 7731 Jefferson Highway Phone (225) 926-1572 Website: beausoleilcoastal.com Cuisine: Seafood Owner: City Group Hospitality; Executive chef: Nicholas Palmer Scene: Business casual Pricing: $$$

Veering from a lobster roll’s traditional blueprint, Beausoleil Coastal Cuisine takes the simple New England sandwich in a satisfyingly French-influenced direction. The kitchen stacks butter poached lobster claw meat into a brioche roll seared to an appropriate “BGD”—chef Nicholas Palmer’s shorthand for golden brown and delicious. The lobster is joined by crushed avocado and quarters of roasted tomato that have been marinated in garlic, thyme and shallots. Drizzles of tarragon aioli over the lobster-avocado-tomato amalgam add an element of herby creaminess without a mayo overload. The dish, on the menu since 2020, is one of several handhelds available this fall for lunch.

Palmer has also added a new French dip, and toasts featuring the restaurant’s housemade ciabatta topped with avocado, burrata or smoked salmon.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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I NTELLIG E NCE B R I E FI NG

ECONOM IC I N D ICATOR S

TH EY SAI D IT

$18.9 MILLION Tax dollars (millions)

Sales tax collections in East Baton Rouge Parish for June 2023 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12

D IG IT

SALES TAX TRACKER J J A S O N D J F M A M J 2022

2023

$264,950

Median home sale price in East Baton Rouge Parish for August 2023

Sales price (thousands)

REAL ESTATE TRACKER 280 275 270 265 260 255 250 245 240 235 230 225 220 215 210 205 200 2023

BEGINNING OCT. 3, Business Report is

3.2% Unemployment percentage

East Baton Rouge Parish unemployment rate for July 2023 UNEMPLOYMENT TRACKER

4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 A S O N D J F M A M J 2022

Founder and CEO, Falaya

J A

13-month comparison

J

2023

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

22

— JORDAN HEFLER, photographer and owner, Jordan Hefler Photography

Barret Blondeau 2022

0

Value of the investment ExxonMobil is contemplating for two innovative projects in East Baton Rouge Parish. A portion is allocated for manufacturing ultra-pure isopropyl alcohol used to clean microchips and microprocessors used in cars, computers and cellphones as part of an initiative to support U.S. microchip manufacturing; the other involves advanced recycling. Some $74.6 million will be eligible for the state’s Industrial Tax Exemption Program.

M E ET TH E 500

A S O N D J F M A M J

5.0

$155 MILLION

“I am inspired by solopreneurs who have carved a path out for themselves by simply being authentic and passionate about what they do.”

accepting entries or nominations for its 2024 Business Awards & Hall of Fame. We’re looking for successful entrepreneurs, executives and companies to recognize, as well as longtime business professionals in the Capital Region for the Hall of Fame.

The awards pay tribute to individuals and companies, recognizing their many accomplishments.

Categories include Businessperson of the Year, Young Businessperson of the Year, and two Company of the Year awards (one for those with 100 or more employees, and another for those with fewer than 100 employees). The Hall of Fame recognizes a lifetime of achievement.

This year’s honorees will be profiled in the March edition of Business Report and recognized at a special event March 20 at the Crowne Plaza.

All entries and nominations must be submitted online no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3. No exceptions to the deadline will be made. Previous recognition for the Business Awards does not prohibit someone from being recognized again.

Get the nomination form and see a list of previous honorees at businessreport.com/events.

BARRET BLONDEAU IS a real estate investor who has flipped numerous properties and also owns several rental properties across Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Blondeau saw a need in the market and created the web and mobile app Falaya to help homeowners take more control over the sales process. Since the Falaya launch two years ago, the online platform for selling houses has sold more than 200 homes, saving homeowners $1.2 million in the process. Falaya is located at the Nexus Louisiana Technology Park, and has participated in both the Idea Village’s (New Orleans) and Opportunity Machine’s (Lafayette) startup incubator programs, where it has won pitch competitions for its business concept. Falaya also participated last year in BREW’s $100,000 pitch competition.

WALK-UP SONG: “Imagine Dragons,” by Thunder PASSION/HOBBY: “Running with my Varsity Sports crew.”

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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OUR GAME PLAN: DELIVER ELITE CARE

TOGETHER WE ROAR. With our medical team behind them, every Tiger gets the outstanding care that sets them up for greatness.

10-25 Intelligence.indd 23

9/28/23 1:07 PM

I NTE LLIG E NCE E NTR E PR E N E U R

1 Key

to Success “There are dynamics in every story that you’re in. Music is just as dynamic as video storytelling—you bring people in and engage people into your story with your song or video. It helps dictate the emotions and feelings about whatever they’re about to walk into or seek to understand.”

—ROSS ARMSTRONG

Ross Armstrong FOUNDER, 4thFLR CREATIVE What they do: Video campaigns Website: 4thflr.com

24

ROSS ARMSTRONG FIRST started producing music as a middle school kid in Baton Rouge. That love of music would eventually lead Armstrong, along with a partner, to launch 4thFLR Creative in 2015 when he was in his mid-20s.

The music production endeavor created songs for brands and organizations. In 2018, Armstrong picked up a camera to start producing videos for clients, beginning with Southwest Louisiana Credit Union in Lake Charles. His expansion into video production proved lucrative for his business, which he balanced at the time with raising a special needs child and working full time at the fire department. “At first, it grew organically and I didn’t realize how much time it was taking away from music production, the department and my child. We had to shift naturally and balance. We didn’t have a sales pipeline at the time—we were just creating something that people needed.”

In 2019, Armstrong pivoted and split from his previous business partner, essentially rebranding

the business to focus on video production instead of music. As a firefighter, Armstrong says it’s important for him to keep a “service-first” mindset and estimates that about one-fourth of the work he produces is done at no cost to organizations that need help. It’s a trade-off that he says has paid off. “Because we’ve done in-kinds for the right people, other organizations have taken the chance on us as a smaller company.” To date, he has made content for brands ranging from Delta Airlines to Baton Rouge-based businesses such as Bernhard Capital Partners and Epic Piping. To accommodate the company’s growth, Armstrong is moving 4thFLR out of its downtown digs into a new building he bought near Baton Rouge High School. “Everyone needs what we do. Instagram used to be a picture platform and now it’s filled with videos. We want to be able to showcase and entertain people, and add value to people’s lives.”

—By Holly Duchmann • Photography by Don Kadair

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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I NTELLIG E NCE B R I E FI NG

FEW LEADERS RELISH the task of refereeing between team members.

But business and workforce management expert Jo Anne Preston, author of Lead the Way in Five Minutes a Day: Sparking High Performance in Yourself and Your Team, says managing employee conflict comes with the territory.

Certain situations necessitate a leader’s involvement—when a standard of behavior has been violated or when emotions are dangerously high. But if you play referee too often, team dynamics like communication, trust and morale can be negatively impacted. Your involvement may even make things worse if you’re seen as taking sides or overreacting. "Leaders," Preston says, "need to learn how to empower employees to resolve these conflicts independently.”

Here are five ways to better manage employee conflict by being proactive on the front end.

LISTEN TO BOTH SIDES

ISTOCK

By giving only one employee your ear, you unintentionally give that employee the advantage.

Remember that there are two equally legitimate sides to each story. You almost certainly are not getting the full picture from an employee who has a grievance.

MANAGEMENT

Feeling like a workplace referee?

Here's how to stop.

Issue Date: Oct 2023 Ad proof #1 • Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs 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.

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VENTING AND GOSSIP

Venting about the frustrations of a busy day is one thing. But a complaint session dedicated to griping about a co-worker is gossip and should be nipped in the bud. “Allowing a team member to gossip implies that you think gossip is OK,” Preston says. “It’s not. Suggest that the employee shift into problem-solving mode to turn it into a discussion that can get results.”

HELP EMPLOYEES DEVELOP CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SKILLS It’s not enough to tell employees, “Talk to the

person yourself.” Offer some guidance: Clarify an employee’s understanding of what a colleague’s duties are, brainstorm possible solutions, provide sample scripts, and review what language is likely to escalate or de-escalate the situation.

AVOID COLLUSION

Maybe the complainer is your friend, or perhaps you even agree with them. That’s all the more reason to set clear boundaries and avoid taking sides. “Encouraging trust and a level playing field is crucial," Preston says, "if you truly want employees to manage their own conflict."

INCREASE YOUR PRESENCE

Sometimes we are so focused on our work that we miss our team’s interactions with one another.

Pay attention to workplace dynamics. Reinforce the behaviors you want to see and coach your employees to do the same. It’s much easier to address an employee's potentially problematic behavior one-on-one before it begins to affect others.

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

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BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

10-25 Intelligence.indd 26

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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 © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

SPONSORED CONTENT

Seasonal Safety SPONSORED BY:

FLU SYMPTOMS: • Fever • Malaise • Headache • Runny nose • Sneezing • Reduced sense of smell • Metallic taste in mouth • Chills • Cough • Body pain or muscle pain • Sore throat

Get ready for flu season

F

lu cases in the United States are expected to rise in the coming weeks, and certain groups are at greater risk of serious complications.

The best way to reduce your risk is to get vaccinated every year, according to East Baton Rouge Emergency Medical Services, which responds to an increased number of calls each flu season from people experiencing cold and flu related symptoms. Read more about flu symptoms, who’s at a higher-risk and what you can do to lessen your chances of getting sick.

The level of flu can vary from year to year. But in past years, the flu has caused millions of people in the United States to get sick, with hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Certain groups, including the elderly, those with certain medical conditions and very young children, are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill or even being hospitalized. The best way to reduce your risk from seasonal flu and its potentially serious complications is to get vaccinated every year.

A new CDC study, which looked at children and adults in five South American countries during

10-25 Intelligence.indd 27

the 2023 winter flu season (our summertime) shows flu vaccine performed well there this year.

This study found that people who had received a flu vaccine were half as likely to be hospitalized with flu compared to people who had not been vaccinated.

For everyone, but especially those at higher risk, there are everyday precautions you can take to reduce the spread of flu. You should avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.

It’s also important to cover coughs and sneezes.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcoholbased hand rub.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Germs spread this way.

Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with viruses that cause flu.

More information about EBR EMS can be found online at brla.gov/EMS or by scanning the QR code.

*If you are experiencing new, severe or persistent symptoms, contact a health care provider

PREVENTION: • Vaccine/flu shot – A flu vaccine contains three influenza viruses: influenza (H3N2) virus, influenza (H1N2) virus and one B virus.

• Wash hands regularly with soap and warm water.

• Clean frequently touched surfaces such as keyboards, telephones and door handles regularly to get rid of the germs.

• Use tissues to cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.

HIGHER-RISK POPULATIONS: • People 65 and older • People with certain chronic medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, heart disease, the immunocompromised and pregnant women • Children under 5, and especially children under 2

9/28/23 1:09 PM

I NTE LLI G E N CE FE E D BACK

CITY PARK: Golf course, park or casino?

I’m reading the article in Business Report about repurposing City Park Golf Course. I know that Rolfe McCollister is behind this movement, as he was several years ago.

City Park Golf Course plays a significant role for golf in Baton Rouge. The historical significance of the course is remarkable, considering the lack of golf history in the Capital Region. If we repurpose City Park Golf Course, we might as well start removing other historical sites in the area.

Mr. McCollister needs to think long and hard before he starts this fight. I would hope the Business Report doesn’t support him in his efforts.

JAY BABB, via letter

LOVE WHAT YOU DO! Get to know Associated Grocers!

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#6 on the Top 100 Private Companies in Baton Rouge list!

It’s well-utilized now. Why try to fix something that isn’t broken?

RUSSELL SMITH, via Facebook

Casino and half profit back to the community.

BUR BUR, via Facebook

Golf course needs to go.

More room for runners and bikers, better park and splash pad for the kids, amphitheater, and outdoor exercise space. More space to spread out and enjoy the site is also needed.

It’s perfectly suited and situated to be exactly what it is: a park. The 9-hole golf course could really go.

Might even consider an amphitheater!

MATTHEW CARROLL, via Facebook

GREGORY D. ALLEN, via Facebook

D IG ITS

45%

MARKETING MERCHANDISING TECHNOLOGY LOGISTIC S/ TRANSPORTATION

Passenger volume for the American Airlines direct flight from Baton Rouge to Washington, D.C., in August. That’s significantly lower than the 68% recorded in July and 74% recorded in June, when the nonstop flight launched.

11%

Growth in the number of people working in construction in the Capital Region over the past 12 months SOURCE: Baton Rouge Area Chamber, September 2023

SOURCE: Baton Rouge Metro Airport

G ET I NVOLVE D

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BREW is scheduled for May 6-10, 2024. Get volunteer and sponsorship details at celebratebrew.com.

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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C O V E R S T O RY

10-YEAR

Secrets of the 2023

ANNIVER

SARY

BEST PLACES TO WORK in Baton Rouge

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BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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C O V E R S T O RY

33

CONTENTS Here’s to 10 years of Best Places to Work!

34

Everybody’s voice matters How a small software development firm prioritizes inclusivity and collaboration over hierarchy.

44

Humble, hungry and smart Building culture at this health care center begins with hiring the right team.

54 66 68 71

‘We try to make it fun’ Employees are at the center of this company’s culture of continuous improvement.

What our winners look like Just four companies have made the Best Places to Work list all 10 years. Here’s how they did it.

Meet the 75 companies we’re honoring as the 2023 Best Places to Work in the Capital Region.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE RIVERMARK CENTRE & THE RESIDENCES AT RIVERMARK

BAYONNE AT SOUTHSHORE

THE WATERMARK HOTEL

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Scan to See More of What’s to Come!

9/28/23 1:14 PM

C O V E R S T O RY

Here’s to a decade of

Best Places to Work!

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9/29/22 1:30 PM

THIS YEAR, Business Report’s Best Places to Work in the Capital Region marks a celebratory milestone. We’ve now been showcasing exceptional workplaces for 10 years. This year, we honor a record 75 organizations in three categories by workforce size.

In a region where countless employers offer decent salaries and basic benefits, and where great employers go the extra mile with additional perks and flexibility, selection for Baton Rouge’s Best Places to Work is no easy feat.

Many things have changed since we began this program, but the one that stands out is that in this postpandemic world, employees now hold more sway and demand a better work-life balance. That means it takes a lot more than the conventional to stand out.

The organizations featured on this 10th annual list consistently go above and beyond to prioritize their employees. They understand that a content and engaged workforce translates to employees taking pride in their work, safeguarding the brand, and bolstering the bottom line—a trifecta of paramount importance in a competitive job market with a growing willingness among employees to explore new opportunities.

culture; relationship with manager; This year’s selection process training, technology and professional remains as rigorous as ever, thanks development; diversity and inclusion; to our partnership with Workforce leadership; employee benefits; and Research Group. Our objective is to work-life balance. discover what truly makes a workplace Through these surveys, employees exceptional in our community while provide valuable insights regarding providing participating employers with the accessibility, honesty and clarity valuable insights into their employees’ of their leaders’ communication, as perspectives. well as the alignment of their leaders’ How does Workforce Research actions with their words. Additionally, Group determine who belongs on employees report the Best Places whether they to Work list? It’s feel respected a comprehensive 10-YEAR BONUS: as individuals, process that Just four Capital Region whether they receive comprises two companies have made our training benefits, fundamental Best Places to Work list every appreciation, wellcomponents. The first year. Get the scoop on how being support, and involves a detailed they did it on page 68. opportunities for questionnaire for contribution. They the organization also share their perceptions of the itself, addressing company policies, company’s fairness in compensation, practices, demographics and profits, promotions, recognition, benefits. The second is an anonymous favoritism and opportunities. We response from a randomly selected get insights into their sense of pride group of each company’s employees, in their work, their team, and the who evaluate 60 statements on a company, as well as their perception five-point agreement scale. They also of making a meaningful difference provide insights through open-ended through their work. Lastly, we discover questions. whether employees enjoy working with Best Companies Group evaluates their colleagues, feel cared for, and and ranks participating firms across can authentically be themselves in the nine focus areas: core experience; workplace. job; communication and workplace

To be considered, a company must meet the following criteria: • Have at least 15 full- or part-time permanent employees working in Baton Rouge.

• Have a physical operation in the Capital Region, which includes the following nine parishes: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, Tangipahoa, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

• Be a publicly or privately held organization, and be a for-profit, not-for-profit, or government organization.

• Have been in business for at least one year, at the program registration deadline.

Contract employees are not counted in employee figures or surveys. And in the pursuit of authenticity, organizations with fewer than 25 employees must achieve an 80% or higher response rate on the employee survey.

If your organization aspires to be featured in next year’s listing of the Best Places to Work, we encourage you to visit bestplacestoworkbatonrouge.com and sign up for notifications for the 2024 survey.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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C O V E R S T O RY

Everybody’s voice matters Software development firm Hubley prioritizes inclusivity and collaboration over hierarchy.

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

SINCE ITS LAUNCH in 2015, Baton Rouge software development company Hubley has grown exponentially, with staff increasing tenfold from four to just under 50 in eight years. Thefi m has also experienced a 270% increase in revenue since 2020.

That sort of growth rate could rattle the workplace culture of many new operations, but for Hubley it has been a chance to double down on its founders’ guiding principle: to create a company where “everybody’s voice matters,” says partner John Walker.

“We all worked for bigger companies in previous lives and felt like those companies weren’t prioritizing the people who were making the organization run,” Walker says.

“Our dream was to start something inclusive, not a stringent hierarchy.”

Founded by Walker, Cody Gros

and Michelle Bolda, Hubley is a software developer whose customizable intranet platform of the same name helps companies improve internal collaboration and communication.

Its name is a portmanteau of “hub” and “friendly,” refl cting an

GET TOGETHER: The Hubley team not only works together, but frequently socializes as well, gathering regularly for ax throwing, happy hours or service projects.

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C O V E R S T O RY

easy-to-use interface in which employees can share ideas, follow up on projects, schedule meetings, upload photos and videos, and create discussion groups.

The young company has more than 200 clients, including local institutions Our Lake of the Lake Regional Medical Center and LWCC, and more than a million users.

For its own team, creating an environment that balances fle ibility with productivity has been a key objective for Hubley, particularly since the pandemic. Seventy-fi e

percent of employees live in Baton Rouge, with the balance sprinkled nationwide. Local team members work in the offic a minimum of one or two days a week, with some preferring to work there all week.

Few rules are imposed on staff members as long as they remain productive, Walker says.

Monthly, interactive virtual events help employees stay engaged and form connections with non-remote workers. A recent event included a cooking class in which participants made hot sauce with a live chef using a DIY kit of ingredients mailed by Hubley in advance. Additionally, team members who don’t live in Baton Rouge are fl wn in every December for holiday events. Local employees get together regularly for ax throwing, happy hours or service projects.

Most importantly, Walker says, Hubley has tried to ensure that employees feel comfortable speaking up.

“We’re super proud,” Walker says.

“You can come here and do great things for your clients, but also enjoy your colleagues and express your opinions. I want everybody to feel free to share their thoughts on everything, whether it’s a small issue or a large issue, because that helps us improve.”

Support and Implementation Manager Ashley Rodriguez says that Hubley has resisted the tendency of many tech companies to silo employees. While employees generally work within business units, they’re invited to contribute across projects based on their skills and strengths.

“Being goal-based puts us in a position to share work based on

SMALL COMPANIES

HUBLEY

WHO IS HUBLEY?

You know that intranet the management team keeps talking about?

The one that hosts company communications, training videos, HR information, all your policies and procedures, employee engagement experiences and more? Hubley delivers those enterprise solutions globally from right here in Baton Rouge.

3 STANDOUT BENEFITS • 3% 401(k) contribution with no match required, plus paid time off buyout that employees can elect to have deposited into their 401(k) at year’s end • Employee participation in community service during normal business hours without losing pay or using vacation time • Reimbursement of health care costs for employees who participate in the Humana Go365 wellness program

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE • Moss wall art, where team members gather virtually for a happy hour and destress by making art • The ‘shoutout’ section on the company intranet • Extra bonus or gift card of their choosing for additional work or certification completion

COLLIN RICHIE

• A December holiday party that lasts an entire week, with dinners, happy hours, free Uber vouchers, a white elephant gift exchange and high-priced giveaways • Partially paid maternity and paternity leave

strengths and talents, rather than assigning tasks based on job title,” Rodriguez says. “This lack of rigidity helps people overcome limitations, make meaningful contributions and learn. Everyone at Hubley is a teacher, and everyone is a learner.”

Rodriguez says developers can often be seen crowded around a desk or whiteboard in ad hoc learning sessions. Other workers might create cross-functional work groups.

“That would not be possible in an organization with silos and communication restrictions,” adds Rodriguez, a top performer who says Hubley’s work environment has allowed them to excel despite having ADHD. “Working here has changed my life,” Rodriguez says. “This environment gives people who have different learning types the ability to excel.”

The company has also elevated work-life balance by setting the expectation that working long hours or working on vacation shouldn’t be the norm. If an employee appears to be overloaded, management’s approach is to try to find out why, and even offload some of the work, Rodriguez says.

Employees are also encouraged to continually develop their skills.

New employees have a peer mentor for their fi st year of work who helps them identify strengths and areas for growth. Th y’re also invited to pursue employer-sponsored courses or certifi ations and then bring these new skills to employee projects.

Along with a generous salary and benefits package, Hubley employees also have a chance to earn quarterly bonuses. Hubley’s partners issue a matrix of targets at the beginning of each quarter. The e incentives are tied to individual, not group, performance, Walker says.

Rodriguez says that while it was the founders’ intentions to create a positive workplace, it’s the employees who are constantly findi g ways to preserve and perpetuate it.

“A lot of companies say your opinion matters,” Rodriguez notes.

“But here, there’s so much open collaboration and you don’t have to go through layers of approval. I’ve seen my ideas in action.”

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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C O V E R S T O RY

SMALL COMPANIES

DAA MEDIA + MARKETING WHO IS DAA MEDIA + MARKETING? DAA Media + Marketing’s longtime clients include names such as Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Baton Rouge General Medical Center, Louisiana Healthcare Connections, Shell and Window World. This integrated strategic and creative media partner provides marketing plans, managed omnichannel campaigns, and ongoing analysis and optimization. In the world of an ever-changing media landscape, DAA has continued to evolve in order to provide clients with full-service solutions, following the consumption trends and technology changes of the industry.

RECRUITING STRATEGIES: ‘THE ULTIMATE JOB INTERVIEW’

“Internships have been the foundation to building a diverse and vibrant DAA team. Half of our current staff are former interns, from the CEO [34 years ago] and president [22 years ago] to our latest hire this summer. DAA supports student organizations and historically has offered two to four internships per year.

This has given us the opportunity to assemble a staff that’s not only incredibly talented, but also has great chemistry. Internships really are Issue Date: OCT 2023 Ad proof #1 the ultimate job interview and they’ve been key to building a company • Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions. with unheard of employee retention in the advertising industry.”

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs

—CEO Nancy Steiner

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.

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

Next time you’re in Nashville, don't miss the chance to visit the newly renovated Nashville Homewood Suites, a historic hotel beautifully completed by Wesley Construction.

Through the integration of the hotel with an attached retail space, we successfully relocated the main entry, transforming the old entry into the charming Frankie Rose Coff ffe ee. Additionally, we introduced several new suites and an entirely new bar and lounge, making it an enticing destination for travelers. Go and experience the transformation for yourself!

As a family owned and operated business out of Baton Rouge, LA since 1985, Wesley Construction takes pride in delivering quality service that meets the unique needs of our clients across this great country!

Scan to learn more | info@wesleyusa.com | (225) 753-5600

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C O V E R S T O RY

Q&A: HOW DO YOU SEE GEN Z TRANSFORMING YOUR WORKPLACE?

SMALL COMPANIES

STEVEN BROOKSHER STATE FARM AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

“Young people want to feel like they are making an impact and also that their needs are heard at the workplace. We allow flexibility and are willing to empower the team to come up with incentives that they would like. We encourage a healthy work-life balance. We also spend time talking about why the work we do makes an impact in people’s lives, and we discuss those impacts when we see them.”

—Owner Steven Brooksher

WHO IS STEVEN BROOKSHER STATE FARM AND FINANCIAL SERVICES? This firm of 21 employees operates by a set of core values known by the acronym SERVICE, which stands for servant’s heart, ever present, relentless, visionary, integrity, coachable and enthusiastic. The full-service insurance and financial services firm offers everything from banking to pet insurance, as well as the usual products one expects from an insurance firm.

Campus HELOC_BRBR Best Places_8x4.5_Final.pdf

1

9/15/23

Great Terms on HELOCs A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) can be the start to that great remodeling project, used to consolidate your debt or plan that special vacation.

CampusFederal.org | 888.769.8841 | MTG@CampusFederal.org Branch locations available in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport Rates are subject to change at any time. All rates are subject to credit approval. Additional fees may apply, including a one-time membership fee of $10 for a new member. Federally Insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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C O V E R S T O RY

SMALL COMPANIES

COMMERCE TITLE & ABSTRACT COMPANY WHO IS COMMERCE TITLE & ABSTRACT COMPANY?

SECRETS OF SUCCESS: STAYING POWER

“[We provide] a place for employees to call home. We’re a family here.

We legitimately care for each other and provide a safe space for everyone to be authentic. It goes beyond our dog- and kid-friendly policies and the generous amount of PTO our employees earn and use each year. When an employee is having a hard time professionally or personally, we rally together to see them through it. Most of the employees work remotely, but when we gather at our employee Issue Date: Oct 2023 Ad proof #1 appreciation events throughout the year, it’s like we’ve never skipped a beat. When you care for one another and are all working toward the • Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrsgoal, it’s easy to stay where you feel you belong.” same This team of attorneys and support staff has provided residential and commercial closing services to the community for 40 years. Its mission: To make real estate closings “a piece of cake.”

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.

—Best Places to Work application

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

SCAN TO APPLY

HIRING AT ALL LOCATIONS!

“

I’m thrilled to be the new Chief Operations Officer of the leading provider of sports medicine and orthopedic care in the greater Baton Rouge region. BROC is on a mission to redefine healthcare excellence in orthopedics using cutting edge technology and innovation, delivering compassionate care, and offering specialized healing services to our patients. We recognize our talented workforce is the cornerstone of being able to deliver on our patient-centric mission and believe in the power of teamwork! I’m proud to say we are continuing to expand our services in more areas and looking for more great team members to join our team!

— WENDY GAUDET

BATON ROUGE | ZACHARY | WALKER | GONZALES | HAMMOND 38

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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C O V E R S T O RY

BEST ADVICE: ONE SIZE IS NOT A FIT

SMALL COMPANIES

BIENVENU, BONNECAZE, FOCO & VIATOR

“Avoid the dog and pony show of micromanagement and a one-size-fits-all management paradigm.

Creating the best place to work requires adaptability for individuals but also a commitment to true community in the organization and those served by the organization.”

—David Bienvenu, member

WHO IS BIENVENU, BONNECAZE, FOCO & VIATOR? This 15-attorney, full-service law firm prides itself on treating clients as partners, whether large corporations engaged in complex litigation or transactions, or individuals in search of basic legal services. Though small, the firm’s expertise is wideranging, including in the areas of cybersecurity, gaming, energy, mergers and acquisitions, and international business.

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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We’re your people.

If you believe a bank can be forward-thinking and still true to its roots. If you want both the convenience of mobile banking and the familiarity of friendly faces.

Whether you’re looking for a mortgage, a personal loan or just a Totally Free Checking Account, we’re your people.

redriverbank.net 225-923-0232

Alexandria Baton Rouge Lafayette Lake Charles New Orleans Northshore Shreveport

All loans subject to credit approval.

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C O V E R S T O RY

Best Places to Work DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

FLEXIBLE HOURS

WORKPLACE CULTURE

n

n

n

n

Team members and clients first in everything we do, creating an environment where all team member voices are heard

n

n

n

n

Vibrant and inclusive culture that embraces collaboration and innovation and prioritizes personal growth and well-being

n

n

n

n

Very pleasant place to work where a work/life balance is encouraged alongside hard work and integrity

n

We enjoy working with one another to help the people of the community achieve their dreams

n

We believe a law firm can produce the best legal services and also be the best and most comfortable place to work

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

1

hubley 6160 Perkins Road, Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70808

John Walker Director of product manager and partner

hubley.com Technology

32

25%

12

n

2

Diane Allen and Associates 6421 Perkins Rd., Building C, Suite A Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Nancy Steiner CEO

da-advertising.com Advertising, marketing, PR

19

26%

17

3

Steven Brooksher State Farm and Financial Services 6160 Perkins Road, Suite 135 Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Steven Brooksher Owner

brooksherinsurance.com Insurance

21

4%

8

4

Commerce Title & Abstract Company 2051 Silverside Drive, Suite 160 Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Niki Beeson Owner

commercetitle.com Legal

40

50%

10

5

Bienvenu Bonnecaze Foco & Viator LLC 4210 Bluebonnet Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70809-9630

David M. Bienvenu Founding member

bblawla.com Legal

27

4%

14

n

n

n

6

Tiger Athletic Foundation LSU-PMAC, North Stadium Drive, P.O. Box 711 Baton Rouge, LA 70821

Matthew Borman President and CEO

lsutaf.org Nonprofit

36

13

n

n

n

7

Franklin Associates LLC 250 S. Foster Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Perry J. Franklin President

franklinassoc.com Consulting

20

15%

8

n

n

n

n

We work hard and play hard!

8

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

Kenny Nguyen CEO

threesixtyeight.com Advertising, marketing, PR

25

100%

16

n

n

n

n

We truly care about the work we create and each other

9

SITECH Louisiana 12310 Industriplex Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70804

James T. Thompson CEO

sitechla.com Technology

49

n

n

n

We seek to grow and improve our people, processes, and culture to build a better Louisiana

10

Faulk & Winkler LLC 6811 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Tommy J. LeJeune Managing partner

fw-cpa.com Accounting

48

n

n

n

An atmosphere that is welcoming, flexible, encouraging and feels like a family

11

Assured Flooring & Countertops 4396 Perkins Road Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Jessie Harrell Owner

assuredflooring.net Construction

26

12

n

Our culture is enthusiastic, decisive, persevering, fun and dedicated

12

Ritter Maher Architects LLC 2987 Government St., Second Floor Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Scott A. Ritter, Stephen P. Maher Owners

rittermaher.com Architecture

18

8

n

We are called to serve our clients and one another in all aspects of our job

13

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

John Moran CEO

morancc.com Consulting

28

17%

9

14

JCW Creative 2623 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA 70806

John Christian Williams CEO and founder

thinkjcw.com Advertising, marketing, PR

25

3%

12

n

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

PROFIT SHARING

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

COMPANY ADDRESS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

Companies with 15-49 U.S. employees

n

n

11

17%

11

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Supportive, high-energy, missiondriven toward excellence, delivering the best customer service for LSU Athletics donors

Fun, collaborative environment with emphasis on open communication and employee growth and development

n

n

n

Exciting, fast-paced environment where team members are challenged and supported as they balance work and fun

Researched by Best Companies Group

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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C O V E R S T O RY

Best Places to Work

acceleratedacademy.us Education

23

8

7

Accelerated Academy 133 Aspen Square, Suite H Denham Springs, LA 70726

17

Sherman & Balhoff Specialists in Orthodontics 8311 Bluebonnet Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70810

S.L. Sherman, D.A. Balhoff, S.L. Sherman, K. Sherman Specialists

shermanbalhoff.com Health care

45

18

Holly & Smith Architects 208 N. Cate St. Hammond, LA 70401

Ryan Faulk Principal architect and CEO

hollyandsmith.com Architecture

36

19

Wymar Federal Credit Union 37269 La. 30, P.O. Box 457 Geismar, LA 70734

Ronnie L. Stephens CEO

wymarfcu.com Finance

17

11

n

20

Fusion Architects APC 3488 Brentwood Drive, Suite 101 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

B. Guerin, J. Jones, C. Meeker, M. Daigrepont, D. Ruiz Principals

fusionapc.com Architecture

24

12

n

21

The Scott Law Firm LLC 10636 Linkwood Court Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Paul "Woody" Scott Owner

pwscottlaw.com Legal

26

22

Alvarez Construction 15015 Jamestown Blvd., Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Carlos Alvarez CEO

alvarezconstruction.com Construction

37

23

Red Six Media 4242 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Matt Dardenne Co-founder and president

redsixmedia.com Advertising, marketing, PR

24

24

Blumberg and Associates Inc. 8560 Jefferson Highway, P.O. Box 82030 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Barry O. Blumberg CEO

blumbergassoc.com Insurance

25

Stuart & Company 6126 Crestmount Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Duane L. Mizell CEO

26

Gatorworks 10988 N. Harrells Ferry Road Baton Rouge, LA 70816

27

Legion Claims 3071 Teddy Drive, P.O. Box 15213 Baton Rouge, LA 70895

28

Century 4703 Bluebonnet Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

20%

88%

10

10

WORKPLACE CULTURE

n

n

n

Culture that is intentionally fun, safe, supportive and always centered on trust

n

n

More than just a workplace, we are a family!

n

n

Inclusive and collaborative workplace where doctors and team members trust, support and motivate each other daily

n

n

n

n

n

Ideas and knowledge are shared for the benefit of our clients, the project and our work culture

n

n

n

n

n

United in the love of serving each other and our members!

n

n

n

n

Mutual support and inclusivity, operating like a family and prioritizing teamwork

n

n

Diverse hardworking group that has fun and is here for each other, like family, at all times

n

Values rooted in friendship, kindness and productivity

n

Open communication in a collaborative office

n

n

A fast-paced, deadline-driven, but somehow relaxing and fun environment at the same time

n

n

Transparency, individuality and collaboration, providing a space where professionals can grow, achieve and be recognized

n

Fun, fast-paced, family-oriented environment where everyone's contribution is valued

n

Strives every day to live out the values of faith, family and care in everything we do

n

11

n

30

10

n

stuartandcompany.com Construction

40

13

n

Brian Rodriguez President

gatorworks.net Advertising, marketing, PR

28

100%

9

n

Steve Brown CEO

legionclaims.com Insurance

38

85%

7

Tammy Tuminaro CEO

centuryrehab.com Health care

30

20%

6

Culture is supportive and passionate about service to each other, leading to passion for our clients' cases

n

9

54%

FLEXIBLE HOURS

David Roux President

16

n

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

19

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

85%

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

20

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

thebryc.org Nonprofit

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

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

Lucas Spielfogel Executive director

15

PROFIT SHARING

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

COMPANY ADDRESS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Companies with 15-49 U.S. employees

n

n

n

n

n

Researched by Best Companies Group

42

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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Issue Date: OCT 2023 Ad proof #4 • Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs 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.

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

Serving the needs of our clients and their families since 1980

We are thrilled to announce Goss Tax Services. Angela Young is a seasoned accountant, tax consultant, and IRS registered tax preparer with more than 28 years industry experience.

She has piloted the start of the Goss Tax Services business.

Angela offers a full range of tax planning services and strategies to help clients plan for and minimize tax liabilities while maximizing cash flow. She can assist with business, individual, estate and trust income tax preparation, and services including:

• State and federal income tax preparation and filing ANGELA YOUNG

Goss Tax Services Sr. Financial & Tax Analyst angi@gosstax.com

• Extension filing and estimated tax calculations • Tax planning strategies and periodic review • Tax relief and IRS audit representation

CALL 225.424.7180 TO LEARN MORE!

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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C O V E R S T O RY

Humble, hungry and smart Building culture at Baton Rouge Physical Therapy Lake Rehabilitation Centers begins with hiring the right team.

“WE TREAT EVERY person like an athlete,” says Seth Kaplan, president and CEO of Baton Rouge Physical The apy Lake Rehabilitation Centers. “It may be someone who wants to bike 100 miles, or a grandmother who wants to pick up her grandchild. Everyone’s an athlete in our mind.”

Founded 60 years ago, BRPT sees thousands of patients annually for orthopedic-related issues at fi e regional outpatient clinics. What sets the practice apart, Kaplan says, is an organizational culture that prioritizes both time spent with patients and the personal and professional development of team members. Monthly continuing education, one-on-one mentoring and keeping caseloads manageable are all part of BRPT’s well-established playbook.

“Our whole culture is taking care of patients and taking care of each other,” Kaplan says. “And if we do those two jobs, everything falls into place.”

BRPT’s reputation for excellence is shown in more than 450 physician referrals, says Kaplan, a veteran physical therapist who still maintains his own patient load.

The clinic is strategic about how it recruits employees. The right composition, Kaplan says, creates an atmosphere in which staff can communicate openly, seek mentoring and comfortably exchange best practices to ensure good patient outcomes. This requires selecting new hires who are “humble, hungry and smart,” the three characteristics outlined in the book, The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni.

It’s required reading for managers, he adds.

“We’re not just looking for people with a license and a pulse,” Kaplan says. “We’re looking for people who are very humble. Th y know there’s a lot to learn. Th y’re hungry to learn, and they’re smart enough to be able to engage with physicians, patients and staff. We work real hard to get those types of people.”

An eff ctive on-ramp has been to

44

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

hire part-time students who work while they’re in physical therapy school. Depending on the educational institution, students might work with BRPT from eight weeks to six months.

“We get to test-drive them and they get to test-drive us,” Kaplan says. “We just hired four new therapists this summer and three of them were students with us.”

Once on board, each new therapist has a professional development plan and is paired with a mentor for six months. The mentoring program isn’t just lip service. Mentors and mentees sign a contract with each other that states they will meet weekly to ensure the mentee’s social and emotional intelligence and therapy techniques are continuously improving, Kaplan says.

In addition, all staff members, no matter how long they’ve been with the company, meet monthly with supervisors for one-on-one checkins to discuss further personal and professional development and how BRPT can help.

“I think it’s important to give the therapists what they’re looking for.

We have a culture of learning and caring,” Kaplan says. “We’re not about just moving a bunch of patients through.”

In fact, the company deliberately limits patient volume, forgoing potential additional profits to ensure therapists have adequate time to focus on patient outcomes, Kaplan says.

BRPT’s commitment to keeping its clinicians’ schedules manageable, rather than crammed with back-to-back appointments, makes a big diffe ence in staff satisfaction, say the company’s therapists.

“That’s something that brings patients in the door, that they know they’re going to get the attention they need,” says physical therapist Jacie McClure, a Brittany Drive clinic employee since 2022 who fi st worked for BRPT as a student. “It makes me feel really good to know it’s something that was established years ago.”

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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C O V E R S T O RY

Team cohesion is fortifi d through monthly social gatherings like restaurant or bar meetups, and in larger community events like the Tiger 10K, where therapists are on hand to support runners, Kaplan says.

Continuing education is a major priority, he adds, with monthly trainings taking place to ensure team members can universally deploy cutting-edge therapies.

For instance, all new clinicians are trained in Astym, a technique to break up scar tissue or damaged soft tissue, and dry needling, which helps alleviate pain by addressing myofascial trigger points.

Th y also undergo additional classes to become certifi d in

A WELL-ESTABLISHED PLAYBOOK: What sets Baton Rouge Physical Therapy Lake Rehabilitation Centers apart is an organizational culture that prioritizes both time spent with patients and the personal and professional development of team members.

manual therapy and to earn their board certifi ation as orthopedic clinic specialists.

“We train them up really quickly because if you come in as a patient, we want you to get a great product,” Kaplan says.

Brittany Drive clinic director Shea Rogers says BRPT’s workplace culture allows therapists to really feel like they’re making a diffe ence.

“We just have such a great opportunity to impact people’s lives,” Rogers says. “Every person that comes in here, they’re hurting.

And we’re able to actually make a positive change. It’s just so rewarding.”

MEDIUM COMPANIES

BATON ROUGE PHYSICAL THERAPY LAKE REHABILITATION CENTERS

WHO IS BATON ROUGE PHYSICAL THERAPY LAKE REHABILITATION CENTERS? BRPT team members consider themselves whole-body specialists.

Ranked in the top 3% in the nation for their treatment, they help patients reach goals whether they are recovering from an injury or surgery, or working toward personal physical goals.

3 STANDOUT BENEFITS • Dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match up to 4% of compensation after one year of employment • Adoption benefits, including paid time off and financial assistance • Tuition reimbursement for advanced degrees, business education workshops, professional certifications, student loans

COLLIN RICHIE

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE • Quarterly all-staff gatherings such as family day at LSU and the endof-the-year celebration • Monthly themed meals and competitions such as taco Tuesday, flapjack Friday and the Mardi Gras float • The option to work a reduced full-time or part-time schedule • Dinner with company leaders after completing board certification or other professional milestones • Handwritten thank you notes from the CEO on work anniversaries and monetary gifts for milestones

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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9/28/23 1:19 PM

Photo: Joey Bordelon

IN

2023 Hope Story Fighter and Survivor, Cruz Capdevielle with his mom and dad

,

the Excel Best Dressed Ball presented by Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute raised $1,700,000 toward local and national cancer efforts!

On behalf of the Excel Best Dressed Ball, Executive Board, Junior & Steering Committee, Volunteers and the American Cancer Society, we are humbled and grateful for your unwaivering support!

Thank you for shining a light on our community and STANDING WITH US so generously in the fight again t cancer.

WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!

To learn more, donate or inquire about sponsorship, visit www.BRBestDressedBall.com!

@bRBestDressedBall

30-77 Cover Story.indd 46

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C O V E R S T O RY

SECRETS OF SUCCESS: EXIT INTERVIEWS MATTER

MEDIUM COMPANIES

MAPP

WHO IS MAPP?

A big piece of retaining our key talent is to ensure that there is a positive work environment, recognition and rewards, career development and personal development.

If we do lose any of our employees, we take exit interviews very seriously and work to swiftly adjust and make changes to ensure that our employees are always engaged and motivated, and truly enjoy being MAPPies! We want to promote from within and continue to develop the talent of those within our organization.

—CEO Mike Polito

One sure sign of a much-loved place to work is that your employees collectively dub themselves with a nickname that incorporates the company name. That’s the case with MAPPies. This construction firm provides preconstruction and construction services for just about every sector, from retail to supply chain, and lives by these beloved official values: “Having fun, doing the right thing, finding a way, being different and raising the bar.”

Helping You Plan for Your Next Adventure TRUE WEALTH IS MORE THAN JUST MONEY. IT’S THE FREEDOM TO TRAVEL. IT’S MAKING SURE YOUR NEXT GENERATION WILL HAVE A LEGACY. IT’S TIME SPENT WELL. IT’S CONFIDENCE IN YOUR FUTURE.

I am committed to helping my clients succeed in their business and personal lives. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), I have the tools to offer a more holistic program to help business owners maximize the value of their business and personal financial plans to prepare for the next phase of their lives.

CHAD OLIVIER | CFP®, CEPA CEO, OLIVIER GROUP Securities offered through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through CWM, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC is under separate ownership from any other named entity.

www.oliviergroup.com | (225) 757-9484 | 609 Bluebonnet Blvd, Suite A | Baton Rouge, LA Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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C O V E R S T O RY

MEDIUM COMPANIES

TAYLOR PORTER BROOKS & PHILLIPS WHO IS TAYLOR PORTER BROOKS & PHILLIPS? Community service is an age-old tradition at this law firm founded in 1912, and one that continues today through its support of more than 100 community and nonprofit organizations. The full-service firm represents local, regional and national clients in complex transactions and litigation across a variety of industries.

BEST PERK: IN TIMES OF CRISIS

“Although there are many, we feel that the best perk of working at Taylor Porter is the support the firm provides employees in times of crisis. This often includes additional paid leave, gifts, home-cooked meals and care packages.”

—Robert Barton, managing partner

Nine Years and Counting!

Our teammates continually make us one of the Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge.

Cadence Insurance Baton Rouge Teammates

Grow a lifetime career with us. Find out more at:

CadenceInsurance.com/Careers

© 2023 Cadence Insurance. All rights reserved.

Cadence Insurance is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cadence Bank. Insurance products are: Not a deposit • Not FDIC insured • Not insured by any federal government agency • Not guaranteed by the bank • May go down in value. Cadence Insurance is an insurance agent and not an insurance carrier. Always review your policy for coverage terms and conditions.

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BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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C O V E R S T O RY

Q&A: IF YOUR COMPANY HAD A THEME SONG THAT REPRESENTS ITS PERSONALITY, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

MEDIUM COMPANIES

LAPORTE CPAs & BUSINESS ADVISORS

“This may seem a little unusual for an accounting firm, but if I had to choose, “Raise Your Horns” by Amon Amarth would be our song.

It touches on the theme of prevailing and battles bravely fought.

As a company, we have a “Raise Your Horns” agenda item at our monthly staff meetings so we can highlight, recognize and raise our horns for any team member who has gone above and beyond in helping out a client or fellow LaPorte employee.”

—President and CEO Eric E. Bosch

WHO IS LAPORTE CPAs & BUSINESS ADVISORS? It’s one of the largest independent accounting and business advisory firms in the region, with a team of more than 180 in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Covington, Houma and Houston. It offers quite the array of services, with audit and assurance, estate planning, forensic and valuation services, strategic planning and risk advisory services, just to name a few.

Thank you to our Holly & Smith Architects Team for making us a 2023 Best Place to Work!

Our Ethos: Thoughtful design enriches people’s lives and nurtures a passion for living. WE DESIGN FOR LIFE. LSU Barnes Ogden Art and Design Complex

Southern University Student Life Center

hollyandsmitharchitects.com • @hollyandsmitharchitects

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C O V E R S T O RY

MEDIUM COMPANIES

THE PANGBURN GROUP WHO IS THE PANGBURN GROUP?

This firm helps employers add “glue to the seat” to retain employees that are key to organizational success. It does this as a third party record-keeper and consultant for nonqualified deferred compensation plans established by companies to recruit, reward and retain a select group of mission-critical employees. Pangburn helps companies develop and design the strategy, then assists in maintaining its operation and ongoing compliance. It services over 2,000 clients, which include businesses, nonprofit organizations, and financial institutions in all 50 states.

Q&A: HOW DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE IS RIGHT FOR MANAGEMENT?

“They lead without being asked to do so.

They organically carve out the role for which they are best suited.”

—CEO Brian Pangburn

Geaux Team!

TEAM VALUES

PROFES

E

ONAL G SI

WTH RO

50

E

ELLENC XC

SPIRIT

SPECT RE

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C O V E R S T O RY

Best Places to Work

brptlake.com Health care

53

7

n

2

MAPP 344 Third St. Baton Rouge, LA 70801

Michael A. Polito President and CEO

mappbuilt.com Construction

201

8

n

3

Taylor Porter Brooks & Phillips LLP 450 Laurel St., Suite 800 Baton Rouge, LA 70801

Robert W. Barton Managing partner

taylorporter.com Legal

107

10

n

n

4

LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors 8555 United Plaza Blvd., Suite 400 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Wendi Berthelot Director

laporte.com Accounting

180

85%

10

n

5

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

Brian E. Pangburn Principal and CEO

pangburngroup.com Financial

59

95%

9

n

6

Hannis T. Bourgeois 2322 Tremont Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Jay A. Montalbano Managing partner

htbcpa.com Accounting

119

100%

9

n

7

First National Bankers Bankshares Inc. 7813 Office Park Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Pax Mogenson President and CEO

bankers-bank.com Banking

157

90%

13

n

8

The Water Institute 1110 River Road S., Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Beaux Jones CEO

thewaterinstitute.org Research

86

100%

13

n

9

A.C. Lewis Management 2137-C Quail Run Drive, Suite. A Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Brian P. May President

aclewismanagement.com Real estate

66

14

n

10

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

Chad LeMaire Chair and CEO

cmaontheweb.com Technology

73

9

n

11

Loadstar Product Handling Services LLC 803 Main St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Brian Haymon CEO

loadstarusa.com Petrochemical

94

10

n

12

The LDS Group 9016 Bluebonnet Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70810

J. Keith Decell President

theldsgroup.com Insurance

54

9

n

7%

20%

n

n

n

Fun, family-oriented company with team members encouraged and supported to grow and reach maximum potential

n

n

n

n

We exist to change the industry and people in it for the better in a fun-loving, family atmosphere

n

n

n

n

Family oriented work culture that offers excellent work/life balance

n

n

n

n

Achieve professional goals, be valued by co-workers and use flexible work environment to achieve work/life balance

n

n

n

n

Workplace culture is crossfunctional, high-performing, empowered, accountable, transparent, rewarding and fun

n

n

n

Individualized career development and flexibility to focus on personal priorities and relationships

n

n

n

Customer-focused, inclusive, dependable, team-oriented, innovative and family-friendly

n

n

n

Extremely collaborative environment with a genuine appreciation of and support for individuals

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

FLEXIBLE HOURS

Seth Kaplan President and CEO

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

Baton Rouge Physical Therapy Lake Rehabilitation Centers 5222 Brittany Drive, Suite A Baton Rouge, LA 70808

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

1

WORKPLACE CULTURE

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

PROFIT SHARING

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

COMPANY ADDRESS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Companies with 50-249 U.S. employees

n

Family first with understanding leadership

n

n

n

Grounded in trust, commitment, excellence, and helpfulness, with an emphasis on a 'work hard, play hard' environment

n

n

Family-forward company focused on innovation and safety

n

A fun, productive, customer service environment while maintaining long-term happy employees

Researched by Best Companies Group

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C O V E R S T O RY

Best Places to Work DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

FLEXIBLE HOURS

WORKPLACE CULTURE

n

n

n

Welcoming to all, encouraging both individual and team, with a charitable, giving spirit

n

n

n

Supporting one another, our members and the communities in which we serve gracefully

n

n

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

PROFIT SHARING

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

COMPANY ADDRESS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Companies with 50-249 U.S. employees

13

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

Laurie Lipsey Aronson Chair and CEO

lipseys.com Distribution

163

14

Essential CU 2370 Towne Center Blvd., P.O. Box 738 Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Richard Williams President and CEO

essentialfcu.org Banking

106

70%

11

15

AccuTemp Services 2027 N. Harco Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Joshua Davis President

accutempbr.com HVAC, electrical, plumbing

124

15%

9

16

Providence Engineering and Environmental Consultants 1201 Main St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Wayne Smith CEO

providenceeng.com Engineering

104

64%

9

17

Grace Hebert Curtis Architects 501 Government St., Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Gerald D. "Jerry" Hebert President

ghc-arch.com Architecture

84

4%

8

n

18

Provident Resources Group Inc. 5565 Bankers Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Steve E. Hicks CEO

provident.org Nonprofit

60

25%

6

n

n

19

LSU Foundation 3796 Nicholson Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Robert M. Stuart President and CEO

lsufoundation.org Nonprofit

90

12%

14

n

20

Sparkhound 11207 Proverbs Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70816

Shawn Usher CEO

sparkhound.com Consulting

140

80%

7

n

21

Guaranty Corporation 929 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Flynn D. Foster President

guarantymedia.com Arts, entertainment, media

81

9%

10

n

n

22

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

Nick Speyrer President

emergentmethod.com Consulting

139

57%

11

n

n

n

23

BBP 337 Highlandia Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Scott Romero President

bbpsales.com Manufacturing

137

85%

11

n

24

LWCC 2237 S. Acadian Thruway Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Kristin W. Wall President and CEO

lwcc.com Insurance

201

10%

9

25

TraceSecurity LLC 6300 Corporate Blvd., Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Randy Messina COO

tracesecurity.com Technology

98

37%

10

7

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Employee-owners focused on clients and the environment, doing cool work, making money and having fun

n

Collaboration, respect and continuous learning; everyone valued and empowered to contribute best work

n

n

Fair, collaborative and engaging work environment that empowers employees to reach their full potential and grow professionally

n

n

n

Encourages and recognizes excellence, collaboration and innovation; “work hard, play hard”

n

n

n

Vibrant and inclusive culture that celebrates collaboration, innovation and personal growth, empowering everyone to thrive

n

Connected company culture where every employee feels accepted, valued and has a sense of purpose

n

n

n

Encourages employees to use strengths and opportunities for personal and professional success

n

n

n

n

Flexibility, accountability and relentless improvement

n

n

n

A growth-minded company that gives employees opportunities to advance their careers and thrive in their roles

n

n

n

Professional, supportive and engaging

n

n

Culture is relaxed, flexible and collaborative

Researched by Best Companies Group

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C O V E R S T O RY

‘We try to make it fun’ Benny’s employees are at the center of a culture of continuous improvement.

JUST BEYOND THE bustling car wash and oil change bays at Benny’s Airline Highway location lies a corporate training center for the company’s new and current employees.

It’s not just back-offic staff who find themselves taking classes here.

The training center is where everyone, including part-time and seasonal workers, learns job fundamentals and communication basics.

On this particular day, a handful of new employees are playing a balloon game called “keepy uppy” under the direction of Benny’s corporate trainer Allison “Kip” Garon. Attempting to keep the balloon aloft, they recite the script for greeting oil change customers.

Garon teaches the daylong class to prepare new employees for frontline work at one of Benny’s six oil change locations.

“Welcome to Benny’s. My name is Dylan,” says one new employee as he pats the balloon upward.

“Are you here for our drive-thru oil change?” says the next, giving the balloon another tap.

“Would you like a complimentary bottle of water while you wait?” the third says.

“Please pull your vehicle forward,” finishes the next person, lightly punching the balloon again.

Garon tells the group to keep reciting, and members soon fall into a relaxed pattern. By the end of the day, the group will be prepared to start work at the drive-thru oil change. Such classes are part of a well-established culture of continuous improvement, says Allie Voiselle, director of training.

“We try to make it fun,” Voiselle says. “We want to make sure everyone is comfortable and prepared when they’re interacting with the public.”

Opened in 1953, Benny’s is a fourth-generation family business

54

with nine Greater Baton Rouge locations and two more in the works in Baker and Zachary. Well known across the country as a pioneer in the car wash industry, the company was the fi st in the world to launch the “express wash” concept, a faster, drive-thru alternative to the standard full-service car wash.

The company is run by brothers Justin and Jason Alford and their father, Ben “Benny” Alford. Justin Alford’s daughter Helen Alford, 23, joined the business this summer after earning an MBA from LSU with a focus in accounting.

The car wash business presents unique challenges for creating a strong workplace culture since more than half of Benny’s employees work in the field and not in an offi . Additionally, many are parttime workers, and there’s signifi ant natural turnover from year to year.

Benny’s goes to great lengths to create an approachable culture that equips employees with the tools they need to be successful, even if they are teenagers working part time over the summer.

“We recognize that a lot of workers are moving on, and we want them to be successful when they do,” Justin Alford says. “And we want them to do a good job while they’re here.”

A hands-on management style is key in achieving this, he says. For decades, he and his father have made an 80-mile round trip every Saturday morning to visit all nine Benny’s locations. Now, they are joined by Helen Alford.

“We want to see and get to know our folks,” Justin Alford says.

It’s also a way to show support for site managers. Alford believes in investing in site managers and giving them the autonomy to build their team culture. Each manager is required to take the Dale Carnegie seminar to develop their leadership

COLLIN RICHIE

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

and interpersonal skills. Managers also have a prepaid credit card for organizing monthly employee gatherings.

“Th y’re encouraged to spend that on their staff and do team-building events, whether it’s going bowling or going to dinner or whatever they decide,” says Katherine Barker, human resources director for Benny’s.

To foster cohesion across the

company at large, Voiselle and Garon introduced a folksy weekly video series called Benny Vision a year ago, which all employees can watch via the company’s online management system. Each installment announces birthdays and provides helpful company news, job tips and safety information. Employees are incentivized to watch each installment with hidden chances to win prizes.

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C O V E R S T O RY

LARGE COMPANIES

BENNY’S CAR WASH WHO IS BENNY’S CAR WASH? Benny’s has been family and locally owned since 1951. Ask its owners to describe their business and they’ll tell you this: “We are a steadily growing team, with opportunities around every corner. We just happen to wash cars, change oil and pump gas, but we deliver the best customer service in Baton Rouge.”

TOP OF THE LIST: An employee favorite is Benny’s annual Haunted Car Wash, with proceeds donated to the Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital.

Benny’s also hosts companywide annual events, including a volleyball tournament and a crawfish boil, during which employees who have been with the company for multiples of fi e years are recognized.

Helen Alford says that one of Benny’s standout features is its salary system. All workers, from parttime car wash greeters to full-time support staff members, are paid

by the hour. Tho e who work 30 or more hours are considered full time and are eligible for benefit .

“It’s so diffe ent from the hierarchy mindset [in corporate America] that has everyone stepping on each other’s toes and working ridiculous hours to get to the next position,” she says. “Here, everyone is paid hourly, so if you work overtime, you’re getting paid.”

3 STANDOUT BENEFITS • On-site wellness visits that include biometric and cancer screenings, health coaching and multiple vaccinations regardless of medical coverage • Access to the company’s financial consultant and training or additional resources at no cost • Tuition reimbursement for advanced degrees, business workshops and professional certifications

WHAT EMPLOYEES LOVE • Executive leadership program through the University of Notre Dame for senior leadership, and Dale Carnegie leadership course for all managers in training • Annual family crawfish boil for employees and their families • Employee breakfasts catered to each job site, and team-building events at Top Golf, Main Event and other venues • Employee concierge services including car washes, chair massages and laundry service

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C O V E R S T O RY

Q&A: IF YOUR COMPANY HAD A MASCOT THAT REPRESENTS ITS PERSONALITY, WHAT WOULD IT BE, AND WHY?

LARGE COMPANIES

GRESHAM SMITH

A penguin would be a great Gresham Smith mascot.

Penguins create thriving communities and are known for working together as a group so that each individual can succeed. Plus, our primary company colors are black and white, so a penguin would fit right in!

—Bert Moore, state transportation leader

WHO IS GRESHAM SMITH? Roadways and pathways that connect people. Hospitals that promote well-being and recovery. Clean water systems.

Corporate campuses of the future. This architecture and design firm helps create communities’ most vital institutions and infrastructure.

Issue Date: Oct 2023 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs 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.

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

PROUDLY PROVIDING LOUISIANA’S MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT NEEDS

LOUISIANA FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY SALES | RENTALS | PARTS | SERVICE | TRAINING 1150 Le Blanc Road · Port Allen, LA 70767 225-383-6117 · DeepSouthEquipment.com

Baton Rouge, LA · Shreveport, LA · Biloxi, MS · Jackson, MS Oklahoma City, OK · Tulsa, OK · Lufkin, TX · Paris, TX · Tyler, TX

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MONTHLY WEBCAST EPISODE 9 OCTOBER 18 11 AM SPECIAL GUEST

DR. CRAIG GREENE |

BOARD CERTIFIED ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON

TOPIC OF DISCUSSION

LEADING IN TIMES OF CRISIS THE POWER OF EMPATHY FACILITATING CHANGE FINDING SOLUTIONS

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C O V E R S T O RY

LARGE COMPANIES

IEM WHO IS IEM? IEM is a global security consulting firm providing services to government agencies and private industry in such areas as emergency management, disaster preparedness, counterterrorism and software engineering.

SECRETS OF SUCCESS: THINK AND ACT LIKE OWNERS

“We empower our employees to think and act like owners by clearly communicating our company’s vision and goals. We grant autonomy, encourage decision-making, and invest in professional development. Recognizing and rewarding initiative, we establish transparent performance metrics, promote open feedback and lead by example at the leadership level. This approach helps create a culture where everyone takes ownership of their work and our client’s satisfaction, contributing to our overall success.”

—President and CEO Madhu Beriwal

PARKVIEW BAPTIST SCHOOL

OPEN HOUSE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 PRE-K–12TH GRADE l 8:30AM

RSVP required to admissions@parkviewbaptist.com or (225) 291-2500 ext. 104

PARKVIEWBAPTIST.COM

EDUCATION

with an ETERNAL FOUNDATION

5750 PARKVIEW CHURCH ROAD l (225) 291-2500 EXT. 104

Parkview Baptist School admits students of any race, color and national or ethnic origin.

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C O V E R S T O RY

LARGE COMPANIES

HIGGINBOTHAM INSURANCE WHO IS HIGGINBOTHAM INSURANCE? Personal or business insurance.

Employee benefits. HR services.

Financial services. Higginbotham is a company majority owned by its 700plus employee shareholders, and it’s all about comprehensive solutions for business and consumers.

SECRETS OF SUCCESS: IF ONE, THEN ALL

“Our team atmosphere of idea sharing and collaboration is truly unique. Because we’ve built an employee-owned firm of entrepreneurs, our team buys into the concept of ‘If one succeeds, we all succeed.’”

—Executive Vice President Kase Gonzales

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C O V E R S T O RY

Q&A: IF YOUR COMPANY WERE A TRAVEL DESTINATION, WHERE WOULD IT BE, AND WHAT ATTRACTIONS WOULD IT OFFER TO POTENTIAL “TOURIST” EMPLOYEES?

LARGE COMPANIES

ADAMS AND REESE LLP

“Grandma’s house, offering snacks, games, meals, individualized attention, and a sense of stability.”

—Susan Eccles, partner in charge, Baton Rouge

WHO IS ADAMS AND REESE? This multidisciplinary law firm with nearly 300 attorneys and advisers isn’t just in Baton Rouge. It’s strategically located throughout the U.S. and Washington, D.C. This isn’t the first list it has topped, either: The American Lawyer includes the firm on its distinguished list of the nation’s top law firms, and The National Law Journal also ranks it among the top 200 on its list of the nation’s 500 largest law firms.

ALL FUNDS DONATED HERE, STAY HERE!

Jay Johnson

Honorary Chair

Contact Ann at dev2@alzbr.org or 225-334-7494 for more information.

Corporate Partners

Walk with us to help raise awareness of Alzheimer's disease and funds to provide programs and services for those affected in the Greater Baton Rouge area.

Presenting Sponsors

LET'S KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK!

ALZBR.ORG

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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Scan Me!

Visit

LSU Baseball Head Coach

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Partner with EBR Schools to offer high school seniors paid internships in their career of interest.

LEARN MORE HERE

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C O V E R S T O RY

Best Places to Work

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

Herbert Moore Louisiana transportation leader

greshamsmith.com Engineering

1,054

5%

8

3

IEM 8550 United Plaza Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Brad Tiffee Chief administration officer

iem.com Consulting

1,214

72%

10

4

Higginbotham Insurance 18221 E. Petroleum Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Jack Harless Area president

higginbotham.com Insurance

2,429

10%

13

5

Adams and Reese LLP 450 Laurel St., Suite 1900 Baton Rouge, LA 70801-1820

Susan Eccles Partner in charge

adamsandreese.com Legal

510

12

6

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

Linda Perez Clark Managing partner

keanmiller.com Legal

377

13

n

7

REV 913 S. Burnside Ave. Gonzales, LA 70737

Joshua Descant CEO

letsrev.com Telecommunications

363

11

n

8

Gallagher 235 Highlandia Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Brad Fife Area president

ajg.com Insurance

43,000

13

9

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

P. Ragan Richard Managing partner

phelps.com Legal

647

10

10

MMR Group Inc. 15961 Airline Highway Baton Rouge, LA 70817

James B. "Pepper" Rutland Founder, president and CEO

mmrgrp.com Construction

682

2%

7

11

McGlinchey Stafford PLLC 301 Main St., Suite 1400 Baton Rouge, LA 70801

Zelma MurrayFrederick Managing member

mcglinchey.com Legal

325

26%

12

70%

WORKPLACE CULTURE

n

n

n

Welcoming, optimal environment where everyone is respected, treated like family and encouraged to participate

n

n

n

Flexibility provides employees with work/life balance, while maintaining our culture and providing opportunities

n

n

n

Culture is dynamic, inclusive, respectful and fun

n

n

n

n

Supportive of each other's goals, with positive outlooks and building each other up to our best potential

n

n

n

n

Entrepreneurial, diverse and inclusive culture where we respect one another, adding value beyond financial contributions

n

n

n

Everyone is pulling the wagon in the same direction

n

n

n

Family-oriented organization focused on rewarding and supporting team and individual contributions

n

n

n

Culture built upon family values, giving back to local communities and a sense of purpose for all employees

n

n

A professional environment built on respect that values strong work ethic

Opportunity for career training and advancement, exceptional work/life balance and lifelong connections

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

FLEXIBLE HOURS

2

6

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

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

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

1

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

334

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

bennyscarwash.com Services

PROFIT SHARING

Justin Alford Owner

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

COMPANY ADDRESS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Companies with 250 or more U.S. employees

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Working collaboratively across offices to provide excellent service and create a positive and fun work environment

Researched by Best Companies Group

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C O V E R S T O RY

Best Places to Work

760

24%

12

13

Home Bank 3524 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70816

Robyn Amrhein Director of retail

home24bank.com Banking

486

8%

11

n

n

14

Red River Bank 5063 Essen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70809

David K. Thompson Capital Region president

redriverbank.net Banking

356

1%

10

n

n

15

Cadence Insurance 4041 Essen Lane, Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Markham R. McKnight CEO

cadenceinsurance.com Insurance

804

97%

11

16

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

Kyle Viator Market president

amerihealthcaritasla.com Insurance

308

75%

10

17

Cajun Industries LLC 15635 Airline Highway, P.O. Box 104 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0104

Todd Grigsby CEO

cajunusa.com Construction

1,850

18

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center 4950 Essen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Jonas Fontenot President and CEO

marybird.org Nonprofit

423

15%

7

19

Salas O'Brien LLC 5215 Essen Lane, Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

David Bonaventure Managing principal

salasobrien.com Engineering

2,088

30%

10

20

T. Baker Smith LLC 17927 Old Jefferson Highway Prairieville, LA 70769

Kenneth Wm. Smith CEO

tbsmith.com Engineering

283

15%

10

n

21

Louisiana Women's HealthcareOchsner 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70817

Kim Sangan CEO

lwha.com Health care

263

10

n

22

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

I. Steven Udvarhelyi CEO

bcbsla.com Insurance

3,120

n

10

WORKPLACE CULTURE

n

n

n

Supporting employees so they are successful in their endeavors and recognized for that success every single day

One team: creating exceptional customer experience

n

n

n

7

88%

FLEXIBLE HOURS

b1bank.com Banking

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

David R. "Jude" Melville President and CEO

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

b1Bank 500 Laurel St. Baton Rouge, LA 70801-1811

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

12

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

PROFIT SHARING

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

COMPANY ADDRESS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

Companies with 250 or more U.S. employees

n

n

n

Always doing the right thing with a proven commitment to core values

n

n

n

Value relationships, center our business on customers, do right by others, embrace inclusivity and create a great place to work

n

n

n

Welcoming workplace with an atmosphere conducive to innovation and creativity for service

Employee health and safety is put above all else

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Team members choose to leave personal struggles at the door and surround patients with resources they need

n

n

n

Integrates a collaborative workplace environment with a supportive leadership system

n

n

n

Investing in people to enhance communities and providing innovative and sustainable solutions

n

n

n

Team members are inspired by an honorable mission of “Caring for Our Community, One Woman at a Time”

n

n

n

Culture of service and belonging, where employees demonstrate their caring for each other and the communities we serve

Researched by Best Companies Group

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BEYOND CANCER

RESEARCH WITH A NATIONAL IMPACT BUT A FOCUS ON YOU

At Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute, treating cancer goes beyond just treating cancer. It also means treating everything that comes with cancer, including the complications and side effects. Cancer takes everything. We’ll stop at nothing to care for you. Which is why we’ve been the region’s leading cancer treatment destination for decades. And we won’t stop there.

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OLOLRMC.COM/CANCER

9/28/23 1:31 PM

C O V E R S T O RY

What our 2023 Best Places to Work in the Capital Region look like

65,284

10.25

Total U.S. employees

Average number of paid holidays

Industries Our Winning Companies Represent Insurance Legal

9.3%

9.3%

Other Banking Construction

8%

Health Care Provider/Social Care

6.6%

Advertising/Marketing/PR

6.6%

Technology

6.6%

Architecture

5.3%

Consulting

5.3%

Engineering

5.3%

Nonprofit Accounting

5.3% 4%

Real Estate Arts/Entertainment/Media

9.3% 8%

2.6% 1.3%

Education Services

1.3%

Manufacturing

1.3%

Research

1.3%

Telecommunications

1.3%

Transportation/Distribution

1.3%

The Employee Scorecard How employees rate their company on key indicators.

Percentage denotes positive responses.

95%

CORE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE The organization’s overall culture and quality

95%

RELATIONSHIP WITH MANAGERS Treatment and engagement with their supervisor

66

93%

THE JOB Expectations, security, compensation and work conditions

91%

TRAINING, TECHNOLOGY & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Guidance along a career path, performance recognition and the tools they need to get the job done

91%

COMMUNICATION & CULTURE Transparency from leadership, including financial status of the company

94%

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION Whether the workplace is diverse and inclusive

91%

WORK/LIFE BALANCE Workload, flexibility and time off

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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C O V E R S T O RY

Best Places To Work By The Numbers LEADERSHIP

17%

Female seniormost leader

THE BENEFITS

11%

Ethnically diverse senior-most leader

62%

Fully or partially paid maternity leave

45%

Fully or partially paid paternity leave

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

39%

Formal inclusion and diversity training

55% No

45%

Time-off structure

Vacation/ Sick/Personal separate

61% PTO

Yes

TRAINING OR CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORK/LIFE

8%

As needed

29% No

71%

Employees can work remotely

Yes

12%

67%

Three or more times a year

Annually

13%

Semiannually

43%

Percentage of workforce now working remotely

89%

Family invited to workplace celebrations

10%

Ways in which employees are prepped for leadership roles

Percentage of workforce working remotely prior to COVID

88% Flexible work hours

11%

81% Mentoring

80% Leadership workshops

73%

Job shadowing/ cross-training

Sabbatical leave SOURCE: Numbers based on applications submitted to Workforce Research Group Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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C O V E R S T O RY

A Perfect 10

Baton Rouge Business Report began recognizing Best Places to Work in 2013.

Just four companies have made the list every year since: Phelps, MAPP, Gresham Smith and Kean Miller. Here’s how they did it.

PROTECT THE CULTURE

IN TIMES OF NEED

Our Baton Rouge office had several employees that were directly impacted by the 2016 flood. While our employees had always been generous in contributing to other locations affected by natural disasters, this was our chance to work together side by side to help our own.

Within one day, teams were formed and dispatched to the employees’ homes to tear down sheetrock and sort through damaged items. For two weeks, evening meals were delivered to each of those employees and their families.

Management was in constant communication with affected employees to assess their needs and assist where needed. The time those employees needed to regroup in the aftermath of the flood was completely covered by the firm.

This response was certainly appreciated by employees in their time of need but had a wider reach throughout our office. We saw what was possible when we come together. We saw that we were never alone and that the people sitting next to us were so much more than co-workers. They were willing to get in the trenches to help without any hesitation.

People like that are the kind of people you want to surround yourself with. Our employees are aware of what a blessing that is and, as a result, many have established long careers at Phelps.

—Ragan Richard, Baton Rouge managing partner, Phelps

In 2022, we had an opportunity to bring in a large group of lawyers from a firm in Houston. The firm was highly profitable; however, the leadership of the firm also had a reputation for being very difficult with their own employees and attorneys, abrasive within the legal community and in their dealings with opposing lawyers, and large egos. Kean Miller decided not to proceed with the combination because life is too short to work with people you don’t enjoy being around and the legal profession is stressful enough without the added strain of a dysfunctional addition who may be disruptive to the culture you have spent so much time, effort and energy building and maintaining.

—Mary Coghlan, chief human resources officer, Kean Miller

STRATEGIC RECRUITING

“We focus on identifying the people who will best complement our existing team and fill in any expertise gaps, so each of our team members knows their contributions are incredibly valuable. To help us recruit the best people, we collaborate with them to understand their vision for their professional development and career path, then share how the tools, training and resources we have available can help get them where they want to go.

Their success is our success.”

—Bert Moore, state transportation leader, Gresham Smith

REST & REFRESH

A combination of two benefits come to mind. For one, our unlimited time off. We have respect for the needs of our employees and know that giving them the ability to take off when they need to, whether it is for an urgent family matter or a personal vacation, should be allowed. This gives employees room to take care of their needs and in turn they are dedicated to giving their all when at work. In culmination with our time off, MAPP has also implemented a sabbatical.

After seven years our employees are given one month to take a sabbatical that increases their quality of life and allows them to learn about something new. For example, they could head to Rome and learn about the history, the museums, and the famous architecture. MAPP contributes financially to this sabbatical as well.

SHARED PURPOSE

Solidarity between our clients and our team tops the list. Our culture is built on providing superior service to our clients. Our team has a shared sense of purpose to strengthen our clients and community.

—Ragan Richard, Baton Rouge managing partner, Phelps

—Mike Polito, CEO, MAPP

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C O V E R S T O RY

ALL ONBOARD

“All new employees fly to Nashville for a two-day orientation at our corporate headquarters. They meet our firm’s leaders and other new employees who’ve joined the firm over the last month or two. Having the chance to get to know employees across multiple offices, markets and disciplines provides them a well-rounded foundational knowledge of our firm and is a great introduction to our culture.”

—Bert Moore, state transportation leader, Gresham Smith

We’re loyal to Louisiana.

We’re loyal to LWCC Employees.

Our people drive our purpose. We are committed to their development and encourage innovative collaboration through a variety of programs and employee offerings:

LEADERSHIP

I believe the most impactful aspect of our leadership has been staying true to our values. Nothing is more valuable than our people.

—Mike Polito, CEO, MAPP

ALWAYS LISTEN

Anyone in our office can go to top management at any time to voice concerns or comments. Our doors are always open, and our leadership team truly takes time to get to know everyone on a personal level.

Newly renovated, state-of-the-art office with on-site fitness center Corporate wellness program Annual employee incentive program Competitive salary and benefits, including volunteer time off And more...

—Ragan Richard, Baton Rouge managing partner, Phelps

THE PERKS

It’s difficult to pick a single best benefit, but our pay, benefits, and paid time off are highly competitive. We marry that with high-profile work for some of the world’s most respected companies and a culture of collaboration and camaraderie. And, we like to have fun—jeans day every Friday, a buffet breakfast every month, special treats and sports-themed events, pre-holiday early closures, and team building exercises designed for various departments.

—Mary Coghlan, chief human resources officer, Kean Miller

THE ROAD AHEAD

As we press forward into the next decade, we will stay as committed as ever to our culture and employees.

We will work to stay informed with current trends and ways we can continue to improve. We will invest in leadership development and employee training.

MAPP will continue to prioritize employee well-being and ensuring our employees feel valued and heard. Our internal mission is to change the industry and the people in it for the better, and we will continue to do just that.

Being included among Baton Rouge's "Best Places to Work"

is just one way we're bettering Louisiana one business and one worker at a time. Learn more: lwcc.com/careers

—Mike Polito, CEO, MAPP Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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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 © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

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70

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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C O V E R S T O RY

Best Places to Work DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

FLEXIBLE HOURS

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

8

n

n

n

n

Very pleasant place to work where a work/life balance is encouraged alongside hard work and integrity

7

n

n

n

n

Fun, family-oriented company with team members encouraged and supported to grow and reach maximum potential

n

We enjoy working with one another to help the people of the community achieve their dreams

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

2

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

Herbert Moore Louisiana transportation leader

greshamsmith.com Engineering

1,054

5%

8

3

IEM 8550 United Plaza Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Brad Tiffee Chief administration officer

iem.com Consulting

1,214

72%

10

n

4

hubley 6160 Perkins Road, Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70808

John Walker Director of product manager and partner

hubley.com Technology

32

25%

12

n

5

Diane Allen and Associates 6421 Perkins Rd., Building C, Suite A Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Nancy Steiner CEO

da-advertising.com Advertising, marketing, PR

19

26%

17

Steven Brooksher Owner

brooksherinsurance.com Insurance

21

4%

Seth Kaplan President and CEO

brptlake.com Health care

53

Niki Beeson Owner

commercetitle.com Legal

40

50%

10

David M. Bienvenu Founding member

bblawla.com Legal

27

4%

14

Jack Harless Area president

higginbotham.com Insurance

2,429

10%

13

6

7

8

9

10

Steven Brooksher State Farm and Financial Services 6160 Perkins Road, Suite 135 Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Baton Rouge Physical Therapy Lake Rehabilitation Centers 5222 Brittany Drive, Suite A Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Commerce Title & Abstract Company 2051 Silverside Drive, Suite 160 Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Bienvenu Bonnecaze Foco & Viator LLC 4210 Bluebonnet Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70809-9630 Higginbotham Insurance 18221 E. Petroleum Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70809

6

11

MAPP 344 Third St. Baton Rouge, LA 70801

Michael A. Polito President and CEO

mappbuilt.com Construction

201

8

12

Adams and Reese LLP 450 Laurel St., Suite 1900 Baton Rouge, LA 70801-1820

Susan Eccles Partner in charge

adamsandreese.com Legal

510

12

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

n

1

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

334

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

bennyscarwash.com Services

PROFIT SHARING

Justin Alford Owner

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

COMPANY ADDRESS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Overall winners

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

WORKPLACE CULTURE Welcoming, optimal environment where everyone is respected, treated like family and encouraged to participate Flexibility provides employees with work/life balance, while maintaining our culture and providing opportunities Culture is dynamic, inclusive, respectful and fun Team members and clients first in everything we do, creating an environment where all team member voices are heard Vibrant and inclusive culture that embraces collaboration and innovation and prioritizes personal growth and well-being

We believe a law firm can produce the best legal services and also be the best and most comfortable place to work Supportive of each other's goals, with positive outlooks and building each other up to our best potential We exist to change the industry and people in it for the better in a fun-loving, family atmosphere Entrepreneurial, diverse and inclusive culture where we respect one another, adding value beyond financial contributions

Kean Miller 400 Convention St., Suite 700, P.O. Box 3513 Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Tiger Athletic Foundation LSU-PMAC, North Stadium Drive, P.O. Box 711 Baton Rouge, LA 70821 Franklin Associates LLC 250 S. Foster Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Linda Perez Clark Managing partner

keanmiller.com Legal

377

13

n

n

n

Matthew Borman President and CEO

lsutaf.org Nonprofit

36

13

n

n

n

Perry J. Franklin President

franklinassoc.com Consulting

20

15%

8

n

n

n

n

We work hard and play hard!

16

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

Kenny Nguyen CEO

threesixtyeight.com Advertising, marketing, PR

25

100%

16

n

n

n

n

We truly care about the work we create and each other

17

SITECH Louisiana 12310 Industriplex Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70804

James T. Thompson CEO

sitechla.com Technology

49

n

n

n

We seek to grow and improve our people, processes, and culture to build a better Louisiana

18

Faulk & Winkler LLC 6811 Jefferson Highway Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Tommy J. LeJeune Managing partner

fw-cpa.com Accounting

48

n

n

n

An atmosphere that is welcoming, flexible, encouraging and feels like a family

13

14

15

11 17%

11

n

n

n

Everyone is pulling the wagon in the same direction Supportive, high-energy, missiondriven toward excellence, delivering the best customer service for LSU Athletics donors

Researched by Best Companies Group

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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C O V E R S T O RY

Best Places to Work

20

26

12

Wendi Berthelot Director

laporte.com Accounting

180

22

Ritter Maher Architects LLC 2987 Government St., Second Floor Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Scott A. Ritter, Stephen P. Maher Owners

rittermaher.com Architecture

18

23

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

John Moran CEO

morancc.com Consulting

28

17%

9

24

JCW Creative 2623 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA 70806

John Christian Williams CEO and founder

thinkjcw.com Advertising, marketing, PR

25

3%

12

n

25

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

Lucas Spielfogel Executive director

thebryc.org Nonprofit

20

85%

19

n

26

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

Brian E. Pangburn Principal and CEO

pangburngroup.com Financial

59

95%

9

n

27

Accelerated Academy 133 Aspen Square, Suite H Denham Springs, LA 70726

David Roux President

acceleratedacademy.us Education

23

28

REV 913 S. Burnside Ave. Gonzales, LA 70737

Joshua Descant CEO

letsrev.com Telecommunications

363

70%

11

n

Jay A. Montalbano Managing partner

htbcpa.com Accounting

119

100%

9

n

Pax Mogenson President and CEO

bankers-bank.com Banking

157

90%

13

n

100%

13

n

30

Hannis T. Bourgeois 2322 Tremont Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70809 First National Bankers Bankshares Inc. 7813 Office Park Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

10

n

n

n

thewaterinstitute.org Research

86

32

Gallagher 235 Highlandia Drive, Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Brad Fife Area president

ajg.com Insurance

43,000

13

33

A.C. Lewis Management 2137-C Quail Run Drive, Suite. A Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Brian P. May President

aclewismanagement.com Real estate

66

14

n

34

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

Chad LeMaire Chair and CEO

cmaontheweb.com Technology

73

9

n

shermanbalhoff.com Health care

45

hollyandsmith.com Architecture

36

wymarfcu.com Finance

17

36 37

Ronnie L. Stephens CEO

n

n

Family oriented work culture that offers excellent work/life balance

n

n

n

7%

n

n

7

20%

10 11

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

8

Beaux Jones CEO

S.L. Sherman, D.A. Balhoff, S.L. Sherman, K. Sherman Specialists Ryan Faulk Principal architect and CEO

n

8

The Water Institute 1110 River Road S., Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Sherman & Balhoff Specialists in Orthodontics 8311 Bluebonnet Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70810 Holly & Smith Architects 208 N. Cate St. Hammond, LA 70401 Wymar Federal Credit Union 37269 La. 30, P.O. Box 457 Geismar, LA 70734

n

n

31

35

WORKPLACE CULTURE

n

LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors 8555 United Plaza Blvd., Suite 400 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

85%

FLEXIBLE HOURS

assuredflooring.net Construction

n

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

Jessie Harrell Owner

n

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

10

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

107

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

taylorporter.com Legal

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

Robert W. Barton Managing partner

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

21

29

72

Taylor Porter Brooks & Phillips LLP 450 Laurel St., Suite 800 Baton Rouge, LA 70801 Assured Flooring & Countertops 4396 Perkins Road Baton Rouge, LA 70808

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

PROFIT SHARING

19

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

COMPANY ADDRESS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Overall winners

Our culture is enthusiastic, decisive, persevering, fun and dedicated Achieve professional goals, be valued by co-workers and use flexible work environment to achieve work/life balance We are called to serve our clients and one another in all aspects of our job Fun, collaborative environment with emphasis on open communication and employee growth and development Exciting, fast-paced environment where team members are challenged and supported as they balance work and fun Culture that is intentionally fun, safe, supportive and always centered on trust Workplace culture is crossfunctional, high-performing, empowered, accountable, transparent, rewarding and fun More than just a workplace, we are a family!

Family-oriented organization focused on rewarding and supporting team and individual contributions Individualized career development and flexibility to focus on personal priorities and relationships Customer-focused, inclusive, dependable, team-oriented, innovative and family-friendly Extremely collaborative environment with a genuine appreciation of and support for individuals Culture built upon family values, giving back to local communities and a sense of purpose for all employees Family first with understanding leadership

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Grounded in trust, commitment, excellence, and helpfulness, with an emphasis on a 'work hard, play hard' environment Inclusive and collaborative workplace where doctors and team members trust, support and motivate each other daily Ideas and knowledge are shared for the benefit of our clients, the project and our work culture United in the love of serving each other and our members!

Researched by Best Companies Group

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

30-77 Cover Story.indd 73

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9/28/23 2:53 PM

SAVE THE DATE

National Philanthropy Day

11|14|23 CROWNE PLAZA BATON ROUGE 12:00 PM

Learn about sponsorship opportunities and purchase tickets. community.afpnet.org/greaterbatonrouge/home

AFP Greater Baton Rouge Chapter will be honoring our community's most outstanding philanthropists, fundraisers and volunteers at our 2023 National Philanthropy Day event.

2023 Honorees

Outstanding Leadership in Corporate Philanthropy Neighbors Federal Credit Union Outstanding Philanthropist Betty Simmons Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Michelle Hardy Outstanding Philanthropic Service Organization Home Builders Association of Greater Baton Rouge Outstanding Professional Fundraiser Judith Roberson Board of Directors Award Tammy V. Abshire, CFRE

74

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C O V E R S T O RY

39

40

41 42

43

44 45

46

Loadstar Product Handling Services LLC 803 Main St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Phelps 400 Convention St., Suite 1100 Baton Rouge, LA 70802 MMR Group Inc. 15961 Airline Highway Baton Rouge, LA 70817 The LDS Group 9016 Bluebonnet Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70810 Lipsey's 7277 Exchequer Drive, P.O. Box 83280 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 Fusion Architects APC 3488 Brentwood Drive, Suite 101 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 Essential CU 2370 Towne Center Blvd., P.O. Box 738 Baton Rouge, LA 70806 AccuTemp Services 2027 N. Harco Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806 Providence Engineering and Environmental Consultants 1201 Main St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

PROFIT SHARING

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

FLEXIBLE HOURS

38

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

COMPANY ADDRESS

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

Overall winners

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

Best Places to Work WORKPLACE CULTURE

n

n

Family-forward company focused on innovation and safety

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

Brian Haymon CEO

loadstarusa.com Petrochemical

94

10

P. Ragan Richard Managing partner

phelps.com Legal

647

10

James B. "Pepper" Rutland Founder, president and CEO

mmrgrp.com Construction

682

2%

7

J. Keith Decell President

theldsgroup.com Insurance

54

20%

9

n

Laurie Lipsey Aronson Chair and CEO

lipseys.com Distribution

163

7

n

n

n

n

B. Guerin, J. Jones, C. Meeker, M. Daigrepont, D. Ruiz Principals

fusionapc.com Architecture

24

12

n

n

n

n

Richard Williams President and CEO

essentialfcu.org Banking

106

70%

11

n

n

n

Joshua Davis President

accutempbr.com HVAC, electrical, plumbing

124

15%

9

n

n

Wayne Smith CEO

providenceeng.com Engineering

104

64%

9

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

A professional environment built on respect that values strong work ethic

n

n

Opportunity for career training and advancement, exceptional work/life balance and lifelong connections n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

A fun, productive, customer service environment while maintaining long-term happy employees Welcoming to all, encouraging both individual and team, with a charitable, giving spirit Mutual support and inclusivity, operating like a family and prioritizing teamwork Supporting one another, our members and the communities in which we serve gracefully Encourages employees to use strengths and opportunities for personal and professional success Employee-owners focused on clients and the environment, doing cool work, making money and having fun Working collaboratively across offices to provide excellent service and create a positive and fun work environment Collaboration, respect and continuous learning; everyone valued and empowered to contribute best work Culture is supportive and passionate about service to each other, leading to passion for our clients' cases Fair, collaborative and engaging work environment that empowers employees to reach their full potential and grow professionally Supporting employees so they are successful in their endeavors and recognized for that success every single day Encourages and recognizes excellence, collaboration and innovation; “work hard, play hard” Diverse hardworking group that has fun and is here for each other, like family, at all times

47

McGlinchey Stafford PLLC 301 Main St., Suite 1400 Baton Rouge, LA 70801

Zelma MurrayFrederick Managing member

mcglinchey.com Legal

325

26%

12

n

48

Grace Hebert Curtis Architects 501 Government St., Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Gerald D. "Jerry" Hebert President

ghc-arch.com Architecture

84

4%

8

n

49

The Scott Law Firm LLC 10636 Linkwood Court Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Paul "Woody" Scott Owner

pwscottlaw.com Legal

26

88%

10

n

50

Provident Resources Group Inc. 5565 Bankers Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Steve E. Hicks CEO

provident.org Nonprofit

60

25%

6

n

51

b1Bank 500 Laurel St. Baton Rouge, LA 70801-1811

David R. "Jude" Melville President and CEO

b1bank.com Banking

760

24%

12

Robert M. Stuart President and CEO

lsufoundation.org Nonprofit

90

12%

14

Carlos Alvarez CEO

alvarezconstruction.com Construction

37

Robyn Amrhein Director of retail

home24bank.com Banking

486

8%

11

n

n

David K. Thompson Capital Region president

redriverbank.net Banking

356

1%

10

n

n

n

n

n

Always doing the right thing with a proven commitment to core values

Shawn Usher CEO

sparkhound.com Consulting

140

80%

7

n

n

n

n

Vibrant and inclusive culture that celebrates collaboration, innovation and personal growth, empowering everyone to thrive

52 53 54 55

56

LSU Foundation 3796 Nicholson Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Alvarez Construction 15015 Jamestown Blvd., Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70810 Home Bank 3524 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70816 Red River Bank 5063 Essen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70809 Sparkhound 11207 Proverbs Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70816

n

9

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

One team: creating exceptional customer experience

Researched by Best Companies Group

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C O V E R S T O RY

10

n

58

Cadence Insurance 4041 Essen Lane, Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Markham R. McKnight CEO

cadenceinsurance.com Insurance

804

97%

11

n

59

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

Nick Speyrer President

emergentmethod.com Consulting

139

57%

11

60

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

Kyle Viator Market president

amerihealthcaritasla.com Insurance

308

75%

10

Todd Grigsby CEO

cajunusa.com Construction

1,850

Matt Dardenne Co-founder and president

redsixmedia.com Advertising, marketing, PR

24

Barry O. Blumberg CEO

blumbergassoc.com Insurance

Duane L. Mizell CEO

61 62 63 64

Cajun Industries LLC 15635 Airline Highway, P.O. Box 104 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0104 Red Six Media 4242 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA 70806 Blumberg and Associates Inc. 8560 Jefferson Highway, P.O. Box 82030 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 Stuart & Company 6126 Crestmount Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70809

n

n

54%

11

n

30

10

n

stuartandcompany.com Construction

40

13

n

n

marybird.org Nonprofit

423

15%

7

66

Salas O'Brien LLC 5215 Essen Lane, Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

David Bonaventure Managing principal

salasobrien.com Engineering

2,088

30%

10

67

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

Brian Rodriguez President

gatorworks.net Advertising, marketing, PR

28

100%

9

68

T. Baker Smith LLC 17927 Old Jefferson Highway Prairieville, LA 70769

Kenneth Wm. Smith CEO

tbsmith.com Engineering

283

15%

10

n

69

BBP 337 Highlandia Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Scott Romero President

bbpsales.com Manufacturing

137

85%

11

n

Kristin W. Wall President and CEO

lwcc.com Insurance

201

10%

9

Steve Brown CEO

legionclaims.com Insurance

38

85%

7

Tammy Tuminaro CEO

centuryrehab.com Health care

30

20%

6

Kim Sangan CEO

lwha.com Health care

263

I. Steven Udvarhelyi CEO

bcbsla.com Insurance

3,120

88%

10

n

Randy Messina COO

tracesecurity.com Technology

98

37%

10

n

72

73

74

75

10

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Flexibility, accountability and relentless improvement

n

n

n

n

Welcoming workplace with an atmosphere conducive to innovation and creativity for service

n

n

n

n

Employee health and safety is put above all else

n

n

n

n

Values rooted in friendship, kindness and productivity

n

Open communication in a collaborative office

n

n

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n n

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Connected company culture where every employee feels accepted, valued and has a sense of purpose Value relationships, center our business on customers, do right by others, embrace inclusivity and create a great place to work

n

n

Jonas Fontenot President and CEO

71

n

WORKPLACE CULTURE

n

7

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center 4950 Essen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70809

LWCC 2237 S. Acadian Thruway Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Legion Claims 3071 Teddy Drive, P.O. Box 15213 Baton Rouge, LA 70895 Century 4703 Bluebonnet Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70809 Louisiana Women's HealthcareOchsner 500 Rue de la Vie, Suite 100 Baton Rouge, LA 70817 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana 5525 Reitz Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70809 TraceSecurity LLC 6300 Corporate Blvd., Suite 200 Baton Rouge, LA 70809

n

n

65

70

n

FLEXIBLE HOURS

9%

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

81

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP

guarantymedia.com Arts, entertainment, media

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PT

NO. OF PAID HOLIDAYS

Flynn D. Foster President

WEBSITE INDUSTRY

PROFIT SHARING

% EMP. TELECOMMUTING

Guaranty Corporation 929 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA 70802

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

EMP. OWNERSHIP/ESOP

NO. OF U.S. EMPLOYEES

57

COMPANY ADDRESS

76

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

Overall winners

CAREER DEVELOP. PROGRAMS

Best Places to Work

n

n

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A fast-paced, deadline-driven, but somehow relaxing and fun environment at the same time Team members choose to leave personal struggles at the door and surround patients with resources they need Integrates a collaborative workplace environment with a supportive leadership system Transparency, individuality and collaboration, providing a space where professionals can grow, achieve and be recognized Investing in people to enhance communities and providing innovative and sustainable solutions A growth-minded company that gives employees opportunities to advance their careers and thrive in their roles Professional, supportive and engaging Fun, fast-paced, family-oriented environment where everyone's contribution is valued Strives every day to live out the values of faith, family and care in everything we do Team members are inspired by an honorable mission of “Caring for Our Community, One Woman at a Time” Culture of service and belonging, where employees demonstrate their caring for each other and the communities we serve Culture is relaxed, flexible and collaborative

Researched by Best Companies Group

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N E W S H E A LT H CA R E

Beyond the Blue horizon

BY DAVID JACOBS

MICHAEL JOHNSON WAS an executive with Blue Shield of California for 12 years. At one point, he says, he realized the company was evading its duties as a nonprofi , but the CEO dismissed his concerns, so he resigned and began speaking out publicly.

Johnson is now a self-styled advocate for nonprofit accountability, and the pending sale of the currently nonprofit Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana to forprofit Elevance Health raises alarm bells for him. His objections played a prominent role in a recent legislative hearing on the subject and helped fuel public pushback to the deal.

While the potential sale of the state’s dominant health insurer— not to mention the Capital Region’s largest company by revenue—was big news in Baton Rouge business circles when it was announced in January, most didn’t really start to pay attention until this summer, and now a lot of them are worried.

Public concerns about the sale, which two-thirds of policyholders and the state Department of Insurance would have to approve, have caused the companies to put their proposal on hold, though they plan to try again after making a concerted effo t to answer the questions stakeholders are raising.

“The executives say, ‘We mean well, trust us,’” Johnson says. “The public deserves more than just the professions of good intentions of Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s executives.”

MARKET FORCES Johnson points to a 2019 Harvard study that indicates previous conversions of nonprofit Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurers have led to average price increases of 13% when the insurer’s market share is greater than 20%, and BCBSLA’s market share is well beyond that threshold. While conversions don’t necessarily lead to higher premiums, for-profit insurers are more likely than nonprofits to exercise

78

FILE PHOTO

The potential sale of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana to Elevance Health is sparking fears across the state of future price increases.

MAJOR CONCERN: While the potential sale of the state’s dominant health insurer was big news in Baton Rouge business circles when it was announced in January, most people didn’t really start to pay attention until this summer, and now a lot of them are worried.

market power when they have it, the study’s author found.

When lawmakers asked Dr. Steven Udvarhelyi, the insurer’s CEO, about that study, he stressed that its data predates the Affo dable Care Act, which limits how much health insurers can spend on internal expenses, and its conclusions have not been replicated by other researchers.

With access to a larger company’s resources, Blue Cross will be able to offer services it might not be able to develop on its own, Udvarhelyi says. Elevance Health has invested more than $4 billion over the past several years in behavioral health, complex and chronic care programs, and digital platforms, officials say.

As a smaller company, Blue Cross also runs the risk of being left behind.

“We’re not in desperate straits today,” Udvarhelyi says. “[But] the inevitable forces of consolidation will happen, and we will end up needing to consolidate from a position of weakness.”

Th ugh Elevance would pay

almost $2.75 billion, only $307 million would be shared by about 92,000 eligible policy owners, which does not include self-funded plans, group plan members or HMO customers. Blue Cross has leaned on its outside advisers to justify those decisions, though experts retained by the insurance department have questioned the methodology.

Including a contribution of $667 million from Blue Cross’ surplus funds, the Accelerate Louisiana Initiative would have $3.1 billion to spend on its mission to “improve the health and lives of the people of Louisiana.” What that will entail is an open question, which is another sticking point for skeptics.

While the foundation’s board currently consists of four white men from the Blue Cross board, Tim Barfield, the current president, says foundation leaders eventually will represent a diverse cross-section of the state. Barfield also promised a “data-driven needs assessment” to discern how the foundation can enact scalable initiatives addressing public health, noting the state’s consistently poor health outcomes.

“We want to break the cycle,” he says. “We want to move the needle.”

JUST ONE SHOT Elevance, doing business under the name Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, has been accused of engaging in business practices that could harm patients, providers and owners of self-funded plans, Louisiana Hospital Association President and CEO Paul Salles says in a letter to David Caldwell, Donelon’s executive counsel.

Allegations include refusing to reimburse doctors in California for the emergency care of thousands of patients, denying self-funded plans access to claims data in Virginia and Connecticut, and “egregious delays” reimbursing more than $10 million in member services in Virginia.

“Based on these documented examples, a more comprehensive investigation by [the state Department of Insurance] is certainly warranted,” Salles writes.

The doctors who make up the Louisiana State Medical Society took their concerns a step further,

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N E W S H E A LT H CA R E

OBJECTIONS NOTED

A brief primer on some of the objections skeptics have raised about the potential sale of Blue Cross Blue and Blue Shield of Louisiana to Elevance.

PRICES The objection: If Elevance—a for-profit, publicly traded Fortune 500 company—takes over nonprofit Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, BCBSLA’s rates will have to go up to justify the investment for Elevance’s shareholders.

The response: Rates will go up because health care costs are rising, not because of the conversion, and economies of scale should provide new opportunities to control expenses.

JOBS The objection: The jobs of BCBSLA’s 3,000 or so employees will be in jeopardy as the forprofit parent company looks to cut costs.

The response: No one will lose their job because of the transition, and the resources of the new company could allow Blue Cross to bring home functions it currently outsources, potentially leading to local job growth.

LOCAL CONTROL The objection: With the company’s real bosses in Indiana, local insurance professionals and business leaders will no longer have direct access to the decision-makers.

The response: The company’s leaders, policies and contracts will remain in place. Elevance operates Blue plans in 14 other states and allows the local executives to run the business.

THE MYSTERY FOUNDATION The objection: Instead of giving the sale proceeds to its members, the transaction will set up a $3 billion foundation unprecedented in scale for Louisiana and led by a board that is not accountable to policyholders or state leaders.

The response: The company’s founding documents don’t give members the right to profit from the sale, but they do mandate providing a public benefit. The foundation will work to improve public health, continuing the nonprofit’s mission “to improve the health and lives of the people of Louisiana” in a different form.

FOUNDATION STATUS The objection: The Accelerate Louisiana Initiative is organized as a 501(c)4, which allows it to get involved in political activity, instead of a 501(c)3, which would not.

The response: A 501(c)3 nonprofit is required to give away 5% of its assets each year, which the Accelerate Louisiana foundation won’t be geared up to do right away.

However, the founding documents say the foundation will adhere to the same rules regarding political activity as a 501(c)3 (though the board could change that later, critics note). Also, a 501(c)3 is subject to excise taxes that could cost the foundation about $2 million per year.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST? The objection: Seven current members of the Blue Cross board are expected to serve on an advisory board for at least 10 years and be paid “not less than” $105,000 annually for their service, which gives them an incentive to support the transaction.

The response: The baseline of the advisory board’s stipend is less than their current compensation range of $119,000$165,000. Four BCBSLA board members would move over to the foundation’s board; it has not yet been decided whether that board will be paid.

THE DECISION-MAKERS The objection: While Blue Cross serves some 1.9 million members, only about 92,000 policyholders get to vote on the sale, and only they will receive compensation (about $3,000 each to compensate for the loss of their voting rights) from the sale.

The response: Only owners of insured products have governance rights with the company—which Blue Cross officials aren’t at liberty to change—and that also applies to the sale. The compensation amount was deemed reasonable by outside experts Blue Cross retained.

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N E W S H E A LT H CA R E

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“We’re not in desperate straits today. [But] the inevitable forces of consolidation will happen, and we will end up needing to consolidate from a position of weakness.”

STEVEN UDVARHELYI, CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana (right) COLLIN RICHIE

pledging to vote “no” on the current plan. As a policyholder, the organization has only one vote, but its members’ views carry weight with other stakeholders.

“While we applaud your decision to delay any possible decision on the fi al approval of the proposed acquisition, we still believe this is happening too fast and should be delayed even further,” LSMS President Dr. Richard Paddock writes in a letter to Donelon.

Elevance Health and its member companies have been cited 476 times by regulators for potential violations and paid almost $976 million in penalties since 2000, according to Good Jobs First, which “promotes corporate and government accountability in economic development.” Elevance did not respond to an interview request.

Some offi als and members have argued that policyholders should get all the proceeds from the sale. But that would not align with BCBSLA’s founding principles, offic als say, and starting at least one nonprofit with the proceeds is typical for the conversion of a nonprofit

Blue plan.

Johnson, the nonprofit accountability advocate, doubts the policyholders’ voting rights are worth anything, and suggests the compensation is to secure their votes.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield has declared that it exists for the benefit of all the people of Louisiana,” he says. “So they have a legal obligation to put their assets into serving that mission.”

The insurance commissioner can

approve or reject the conversion, but he can also approve it with conditions. In theory, that third option could incorporate guardrails that address at least some of the skeptics’ concerns.

Donelon is not running for reelection and has expressed a desire to issue his decision before leaving offi . As a lame duck, he is probably not concerned about political pressure, says Jan Moller, who directs the Louisiana Budget Project,

which focuses on how public policy aff cts low- and moderate-income families.

Along with addressing the potential for price increases, Moller’s organization wants to ensure the foundation truly serves the public interest and does not get involved in politics, and he’s happy the approval process is slowing down. In other states where this has happened, lawmakers have tried to have some oversight over the foundation, he says. This process is only going to happen once, he notes, so it’s important to get it right.

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N EWS B LIGHT

CLEANUP: A Baton Rouge city-parish crew cleans up an abandoned apartment complex off Florida Boulevard last month.

Blitzing blight

OSCAR TICKLE

BY HOLLY DUCHMANN

Can a new data-focused approach change the trajectory in Baton Rouge?

IT TOOK A city-parish crew roughly 40 minutes on an early morning in September to fill a dump truck with mattresses, a rotting couch and other trash collected from behind an abandoned apartment complex off Florida Boulevard.

The building, with most of its windows busted and rusty nails hiding in the waist-high grass, is one of thousands in the city that have been reported to authorities as blighted or abandoned.

Previously called “Baton Rouge’s Vietnam,” the city has long grappled to tackle blight, litter and other visual pollution, and previous Mayors Bobby Simpson and Kip Holden repeatedly “declared war” on the issue.

New advances in technology and data collection, however, are empowering the current administration to take more intentional swings in the fight against blight.

The city-parish’s Department of Development initiated a blight survey last year and sent inspectors out across the city to grade every parcel of land—nearly 6,000 inspections. The higher the score, the worse the blight—with anything

82

scoring higher than 50 points conwhile another $1.5 million is dedsidered condemnable and anything icated to junk, trash and debris over 75 declared an emergency. cleanup. The city-parish has spent “We think of blight as a cycle, about $1.2 million of the funds where happiness and health is in through early September. the middle,” says Rachael Lambert, While the Department of city-parish director of development.

Development is responsible for “The beginning of the cycle is concode enforcement regarding blight struction, while at the end is conand manages the teams dispatched demnation and demolition back to to deal with problematic properties, a blank slate property.”

Marlee Pittman with the Offic of The blight survey—which will Community Development says her be updated annually—was conoffic tries to identify and address ducted as part of the city-parish’s the root causes of blight in the compartnership with the Bloomberg munity to prevent new blight from Philanthropies City Data Alliance. forming.

Bloomberg Philanthropies last year Pittman points to overwhelmed tapped 22 cities across North and homeowners, natural disasters South America for its initial cohort and convoluted successions after a to help the cities implement a comdeath as systemic causes of blight prehensive data strategy and performance management practices.

For the program, Baton P O W E R E D BY Rouge chose to focus on blight and Mayor Sharon Weston Broome dedicated $4.5 million of American Rescue Plan money toward her blight elimSee an exclusive video that brings this story to life. ination initiative. Some $2.75 million is dedicated to clearing condemned properties

in the community. Her department has helped repair more than 320 homes since 2018—with 17 homes in the pipeline to be repaired this year—and has hosted six clinics to help families clear titles to access ownership of blighted properties.

Pittman’s offic also championed the Blight Redevelopment Pilot last year, a city-parish program aimed to create a low-cost and quick way to clear convoluted titles. Th ough the program, a blight lien is placed on the property instead of a traditional tax lien. The pilot, which has a $400,000 budget, was inspired by a similar program that’s been running in New Orleans since 2016.

The e’s more than just a cosmetic value to redeveloping blighted properties—LSU researchers have previously linked the proximity of both blighted properties and convenience stores to increases in crime.

In a 2019 study, LSU researchers found that the risk of homicide increases fi e-fold if you are within a three-and-a-halfblock radius of a convenience store. The risk increases by 13 times if you live within twoand-a-half blocks of a blighted building. Baton Rouge Council member Darryl Hurst has lived in District 5 for most of his life and says he started noticing an increase in blight and crime

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in north Baton Rouge and pockets of Old South Baton Rouge as a teenager.

Changing a neighborhood’s culture and changing neighbors’ mindsets, he says, is key to addressing blight in the city long term.

“When you grow up in an environment that’s blight driven, it becomes the norm,” Hurst says. “You have to change what the norm looks like. … Removing blight changes refl ctions in the mirror; you can change how an individual looks at that place and at themselves.”

Last year, the Metro Council took its own steps to address blight in the city-parish. It adopted the International Property Maintenance Code for residential properties and passed an ordinance allowing the Department of Development to issue fines for properties where blight is not severe enough to warrant a condemnation.

Still, Hurst says there’s more work to be done. The Department of Development is down some 250 positions, he estimates, and one way to help fill those vacancies is for the city-parish to conduct a longawaited pay study and raise positions within the government to a “livable wage.”

The request for proposals for the pay study was released late summer and Hurst is hoping the study can get underway by the end of the year or in the fi st quarter of next year.

“The e’s so much blight in the city, but we don’t have the manforce to do what we want to do,” he says.

“We have to make sure we have tools and resources, where Baton Rouge is a place people want to invest.”

Valeri LeBlanc, a consultant who heads Broome’s Brighten Up Baton Rouge blight and litter initiative, also says that a cultural shift is

needed when it comes to addressing and preventing blight.

Brighten Up Baton Rouge, which is ramping up for a “90-day sprint” this fall, isn’t supposed to be an initiative that basically functions as an organization, LeBlanc says. The initiative is trying to disperse effo ts to tackle blight by connecting existing organizations and adding blight remediation into their focus.

To build environmental awareness in the community, initiative partners recently developed digital story maps for children, which will be shared with the library and school systems as well as BREC for distribution.

“People don’t really understand how complex litter is,” LeBlanc says.

“A lot of people fold their arms and suggest the city is responsible but it’s more complex than that. It takes citizen activism, a form of culture change, and not being willing to accept what’s happening and taking action to create change.”

Marie Constantin, a citizen activist, works with the Louisiana Stormwater Coalition to stop blight that’s created from rain washing litter and trash off the streets into the waterways. In the past couple of years, the organization has collected nearly 2,450 bags of trash out of the beleaguered Capitol Lake as well as 344 tires, two toilets and a couch.

She points to effo ts by cities such as Greenville, South Carolina, and cities in Florida as having processes in place to help tackle blight as a community.

“What we desperately need is litter patrol offic s,” Constantin says. “A full-time position that [addressing blight] is all they do—other communities have them. … We need to rethink everything we do and pivot.”

Founded by an LSU ROARING10 alumnus, Provident Resources Group is a Baton Rouge-based, nonprofit organization that makes positive impacts in communities nationwide. Since its inception in 1999, it has undertaken a broad range of services including developing senior-living facilities, educational and student housing facilities, and acute healthcare services.

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5565 Bankers Ave | Baton Rouge, LA 70808 | 225.766.3977 | www.provident.org

Our culture of care starts from within.

AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana is proud to be selected as one of the “best places to work” for eight years in a row.

OSCAR TICKLE

GETTING TO THE ROOT: Marlee Pittman with the Office of Community Development is tasked with identifying and addressing the root causes of blight in the community to prevent additional blight from appearing.

2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023

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9/28/23 1:50 PM

N E W S R E A L E S TAT E

WHEN JOHN BLOUNT got into the construction business in 1987, Livingston Parish was a sleepy, mostly rural parish that a little over 70,000 people called home.

At the time, short of a few local mom and pop grocers and eateries, Baton Rouge was the place to go for everything, whether it be health care, restaurants or retail.

Today, the parish is bustling with a growing wave of its own amenities: Our Lady of the Lake’s ER marked its 10-year anniversary this

Growing pains The population explosion in once-rural Livingston Parish is raising development questions while putting a strain on schools and roads.

BY WILL SENTELL

year, and both it and North Oaks Health System have medical complexes there.

The e is a growing retail corridor along Juban Road at Interstate 12—anchored by developer Stephen Keller’s Juban Crossing— where construction is underway on a roundabout to ease congestion at U.S. 190. And the selection of restaurants and entertainment now includes some Baton Rouge favorites.

The growth in Livingston Parish is accelerating year by year, with a population that has more than doubled since those earlier days. Its pace—up 4.3% since 2020—now rivals that of Ascension Parish.

And the controversy over development is building even faster.

In the past 12 months, the parish has found itself in federal court twice over its attempts to slow a

rising tide: First when it enacted a moratorium to prevent global manufacturer Air Products from testing in Lake Maurepas related to carbon storage for a planned $4.5 billion hydrogen manufacturing complex; and again when it went up against a planned 2,000-lot development called Deer Run. A judge ruled against it in the fi st case; it settled in the second one.

At the end of August, the Livingston Parish Council unanimously approved and parish President Layton Ricks signed a 160-day moratorium on new residential developments to allow the council time to work on a zoning strategy.

Blount, a lifelong resident of the parish and owner of John Blount Construction, and others insist that the explosive growth is fueled by good schools, affo dable homes and easy access to Baton Rouge.

“In my opinion,” Blount says, “the school system was always the largest driver of young people coming out here.”

BY THE NUMBERS Four key metrics of Livingston Parish growth

• Enrollment in the Livingston Parish School District, long among the top-rated school systems in Louisiana, is up 10% over last year, to 27,224 students.

• Permits for single-family homes shot up 61% from 2021 to 2022.

• The population of Livingston Parish, with just over 147,000 residents, has risen 4.3% since 2020 while Louisiana’s overall population has slipped 1.4%.

SUIT SETTLED: In August, Livingston Parish officials and the developer of a planned 2,000-lot subdivision near Denham Springs settled a zoning lawsuit, smoothing the way for construction to go forward while imposing some limits favored by opponents of the new neighborhood.

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DON KADAIR

• The parish population is up 55% since 2000.

NEIGHBORING DEVELOPERS The signs of growth are everywhere—in school enrollment, commercial business, and residential and single-family homes. The large plywood signs painted white with black lettering announcing a new development planned for a site are ubiquitous, adorning swaths of acreage along major thoroughfares and back roads throughout the parish.

As evidenced by the contentious council meetings where bitter disagreements over zoning tend to be commonplace, the parish is struggling to manage the growth being driven to a large extent by developers from Baton Rouge and other communities. Heightened concerns about worsening traffic, elevated fl od risk and overcrowded schools have yet to be addressed in a substantive way.

One of the booming areas lies in the easternmost part of the parish in and around Springfield, and a high-end golf course community known as Carter Plantation.

The e, Baton Rouge’s Level Homes has a heavy presence, offering lots and homes that start at $428,000. The company is also behind the high-end waterfront

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2,000 at Deer Run in Denham Springs and about 170 in French Settlement.

Murphy, who is leaving his post shortly after the end of the current school year, says enrollment gains of 10% or so annually are manageable. “If we start getting more than that we are going to have an issue,” he notes.

In 2022, the district fell from the top 10 in the Louisiana Department of Education’s district performance scores, coming in at No. 11 with a “B” rating. In a November press release, Supervisor of Instruction Kelly LaBauve blamed it on larger class sizes and the inability to provide additional instructional support leaders to help teachers.

While the East Baton Rouge Parish school system has been plagued with transportation problems, the Livingston Parish School District has 344 bus drivers and only fi e vacancies.

However, the district has been embroiled in controversy since the failure earlier this year of a 1-cent sales tax hike to boost teacher pay.

“We know that our people compared to surrounding districts are not paid as well,” Murphy says.

Teachers are set to get $2,000 pay boosts on Oct. 12 because of action by the Legislature. Th y will also receive a $2,000 supplement from the Livingston Parish School District in early May. A consultant is studying the district’s organization, including pay. That report is due in late January.

“Every area that has been successful has proper zoning.”

the idea of putting limits on growth.

“Every area that has been successful has proper zoning,” he says.

EDUCATIONAL IMPACT As many note, the Livingston Parish School District in large part is driving the building boom, and it, too, is working hard to contend with the rapid growth. The e are just some of the expansion projects completed in recent years: • Blount’s fi m handled the construction of the new Denham Springs Elementary School, which cost around $17 million.

• The fi st-ever athletic facilities at Denham Springs High School were just completed.

• New classrooms and a new cafeteria are planned for Springfield High School at a cost of $5 million.

• A new science, technology, engineering and math center, which will also include a medical center, is under construction at Live Oak High School at a cost of $6 million.

• Construction on a new cafeteria and classrooms will soon get underway at Albany Upper Elementary School.

“We are a growing parish,” Superintendent Joe Murphy says.

“Do I anticipate us to continue to gain enrollment? Yes I do, I certainly do.”

Housing blueprints affirm that certainty. Plans are on the books for 1,799 new homes near I-12 in Walker, up to 300 at Juban Crossing,

“I think [people] just probably want to get out of Baton Rouge.

They probably want more land. They want a larger lot.

They want more bang for their buck.”

JENNIFER WAGUESPACK, director of sales for Level Homes, on a construction site in Livingston Parish DON KADAIR

development Bruce Harbor, along the Blood River, where homes start at $366,000.

Its director of sales, Jennifer Waguespack, says the parish appeals to families who want access to Baton Rouge without the drawbacks.

“I think they just probably want to get out of Baton Rouge,” she says.

“Th y probably want more land.

Th y want a larger lot. Th y want more bang for their buck.”

“You are getting that in Livingston,” she adds. “You are not in the hustle and bustle of the city.”

John Buzzell, managing partner for Bearing Point Properties, is another Baton Rouge developer who has taken part in the Livingston Parish building boom.

Creekside Crossing in Walker, which comprises 168 apartment homes, opened in 2017 just fi e months after the 2016 fl od.

Magnolia Landing in Denham Springs, built in 2008, features 32 two- and three-bedroom apartment homes.

Buzzell says the widening of I-12 through Livingston Parish helped open the suburban market. “The cost of living and schools is what brings people out of Baton Rouge.”

Livingston Parish is also in the middle of what state transportation offi als call the biggest growth corridor in Louisiana: I-12 between Baton Rouge and Slidell.

Blount, a Livingston Parish native, understands the growing demand for planned zoning and likes

DON KADAIR

JOHN BLOUNT, owner, John Blount Construction

TRAFFIC ISSUES, TOO With rapid growth comes traffic congestion. Nearly two-thirds of its residents in the workforce are employed outside the parish. Massive backups on I-12 and Florida Boulevard, which drops to two lanes throughout much of the parish, are typical.

According to data from the Louisiana Department of Transportation, about 110,000 vehicles on I-12 travel between the Amite River and the I-10/I-12 split daily.

New lanes in each direction on I-12 between Satsuma and Baton Rouge have helped. But long-discussed plans to craft high-occupancy lanes from the parish to near the I-10/I-12 split face an uncertain future.

Shawn Wilson, former secretary for the state Department of Transportation and Development, long touted the possibility of converting inside shoulders on I-12 into HOV lanes, which could ease travel time for cars and trucks with two or more passengers.

DOTD Secretary Eric Kalivoda says construction costs have more than doubled since 2020 and the HOV plan now carries a price tag of about $100 million, including costs to strengthen the shoulders and the construction of some sound walls along the route. That means the HOV project is on hold indefini ely.

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“ prob Bato wan a lar b

JENNI for L

N EWS POLITICS

By

nd iPersion politi-

‘Fed up with all these stupid texts’ Political campaigns are bombarding voters with text messages, but are they effective?

BY DOMENIC PURDY

86

LIBRARIAN RANDA MORGAN was frustrated and confused when she received unsolicited campaign text messages from Jeff Landry’s gubernatorial campaign.

An outspoken critic of Landry, she promptly unsubscribed from the candidate’s messages.

Morgan is not the only one annoyed at receiving political text messages from candidates, with others taking to social media to share their aggravation with what they see as spam.

“I am 100% not voting for anyone who has sent me a text,” a Reddit user with a similar experience said in a post.

Others report receiving texts from candidates whose party they don’t affi ate with.

But regardless of party affi ation, the messages can feel like an invasion of privacy to those who have no interest in receiving them and run the risk of bringing more harm than support to a campaign, according to LSU political communication professor Robert Mann.

“Am I pissing off more people than I’m helping?” is the question campaigns need to be asking when sending these messages to wide swaths of voters, Mann says.

Despite their frustrations with the text messages, the recipients’ numbers were obtained through an entirely legal channel—the Louisiana Secretary of State’s offi .

Most widely sent text messages, political or otherwise, are sent to numbers sourced from bulk voter records available for purchase from the offi .

“When you buy a full voter list, you get party, race [and other demographic information] in addition to the numbers, names and all that,” says Joel Watson, deputy secretary of state for outreach services. “All of that is public record, anyway.”

Watson adds that campaigns can buy lists such as voter records by parish to target specific demographics.

Despite selling the numbers to political campaigns and other organizations, the secretary of state has no authority to enforce how messages are sent, Watson says. That falls to the FCC. According to FCC rules, political messages, via both phone and text, are exempt from requirements related to the National Do Not Call Registry, but the FCC requires that political campaigns honor opt-out requests.

Robotexts—text messages generated through autodialing—and robocalls require prior consent to be sent to a recipient. But political text messages can be sent legally without the recipient’s prior consent if the message’s sender manually dials the number. It is this loophole that frustrates those who say they did not provide prior consent to receive messages.

Professionals who work on campaigns and with polling see text messaging as an eff ctive and efficie t way to reach voters as well as a wide number of individuals to poll.

John Couvillion, owner and founder of Baton Rouge-based polling company JMC Analytics, says people are more likely to be receptive and respond to polls if they’re delivered via text message.

“It’s basically as eff ctive, if not more so, than live operator dials because you’re talking about a whole generation of people that won’t pick up the phone,” Couvillion says.

“But they are amenable to taking a text survey.”

Part of this culture shift comes from young, technologically savvy people becoming more dominant in decision-making, observes Southern University professor of political science Albert Samuels. “[Texting] is their world,” Samuels says. “That’s how you reach them.”

Texting provides campaigns, polling companies and even commercial businesses unprecedented access to this potential audience. According to Dave Maher, chief digital office at Zehnder Communications, people check their texts within fi e minutes,

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N EWS POLITICS

making it an eff ctive way to market and maximize engagement levels.

Essentially, it’s a more eff ctive medium to get messaging past spam fil ers than something like email, Maher says.

“You can cut through the clutter,” he adds. “Th y just don’t want to be spammed.”

But these messages can be effective only if organizations, political or commercial, find a delivery sweet spot of messages—not too many and not too few.

Maher says that, from his experience, this sweet spot is around one message per week. This keeps the idea of an organization in someone’s head without annoying them to the point where they block the number sending them messages.

The replacement of live operator calls with text messaging has also allowed polling, a field Couvillion has been in for 13 years, to become a much quicker operation.

Text-based polls sent on behalf of both political and commercial bodies can be completed in about two days, Couvillion says. This is down from about a week with call-based polling.

Political organizations are also employing text messaging to disseminate information about campaigns and elections with more efficie y than in the past.

Political text messaging is a signifi antly cheaper alternative to antiquated methods like sending campaign messaging via mail, Mann says.

“Text messaging is cheap. If you

send it to the wrong person, it’s not a big deal,” Mann adds. “You lost a penny, not 150 pennies [like with a mail-based campaign].”

It’s also more nimble, Mann says.

“If something happens right now, I can craft a text message and push it out to 200 or 200,000 people like that,” he says, snapping his fi gers.

Text messages, however, might not be as eff ctive at convincing undecided voters to support a specific candidate, especially if the recipient is like Morgan and already has a preconceived notion about a candidate or party, Mann suggests.

“The e aren’t that many undecided voters,” he adds. “Voter behavior is what it is and it’s pretty easy to predict.”

Where political texts can be most eff ctive, Mann says, are in providing important election dates and other civic engagement information, describing them as “get out to vote” measures.

“I think some people are cynical and say that politicians have carved out exceptions for themselves so they can do robocalls and stuff like that,” Mann says. “I think it’s a good exception in the public interest that people get political messages. And if they get political messages that they don’t agree with, they have the right to hang up or throw the piece of mail away or block the caller.”

Representatives from Jeff Landry’s campaign, as well as several other gubernatorial campaigns, did not provide comment about their use of text messaging in time for publication.

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“I think it’s a good exception in the public interest that people get political messages.

And if they get political messages that they don’t agree with, they have the right to hang up or throw the piece of mail away or block the caller.”

ROBERT MANN, professor and Manship chair, LSU Manship School of Mass Communication

BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR YOUNG BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR COMPANY OF THE YEAR 100 or more employees

COMPANY OF THE YEAR Less than 100 employees To submit nominations online, visit businessreport.com/events Deadline is Friday, November 3, 2023

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SOLD OUT

ONE DAY TWO BUILDING THE FUTURE TOGETHER

EVENTS

OCT. 3

BATO N ROUGE LOUISIANA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL

BEST PLACES TO WORK AWARDS Doors at 7:00 AM Program at 8:00 AM (ticket required) SPONSORED BY:

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TOP 100 LUNCHEON

SPONSORED BY:

Doors at 11:15 AM KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

DR. LOREN SCOTT ECONOMIST

The accurate and irreverent Dr. Scott will unveil his economic forecast for 2024 and 2025 for Louisiana along with the Capital Region.

9/28/23 1:54 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

IN GOOD COMPANY This year’s Best Places to Work winners share many of the same common values—teamwork, accountability, customer commitment, and shared goals. In this special advertising section, several of them talk about their history, their purpose, and the company culture that motivates them to always strive to be the best!

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• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FAULK & WINKLER, LLC

Faulk & Winkler lives by the mission to proactively impact the well-being of its clients.

FOUNDED IN 1984, Faulk & Winkler has provided audit, tax, outsourced accounting and retirement planning services to the Louisiana community with a focus on delivering an exceptional client experience for almost 40 years. What started off small has grown to become a trusted CPA firm of 7 partners and 45 professionals.

Team members have individual goals and work in an environment designed so that they can achieve those goals in a way that works for them.

The firm values each person’s unique

skills and personalities and it’s evident in the company’s culture and the way in which clients are served. Faulk & Winkler does not simply provide a product, but positively affects the lives of its clients and staff.

As for professional growth, there is no limit to how far employees can go.

Hard workers with positive attitudes are rewarded with every opportunity to learn and progress in the business.

According to the firm’s leadership, “If you start as an intern and you dream of becoming a partner, you can!”

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

6811 Jefferson Hwy. | Baton Rouge, LA 70806 | 225.927.6811 | fw-cpa.com |

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FIRST NATIONAL BANKERS BANKSHARES, INC.

Customerfocused, inclusive, dependable, team-oriented, innovative and family-friendly.

FIRST NATIONAL BANKERS BANKSHARES, INC. was established in 1984 by a group of Louisiana bankers to serve as a non-competitive correspondent banking partner for community financial institutions. Today, FNBB is owned exclusively by the same financial institutions that it serves in more than 30 states around the nation. The company is organized to be a profitable and well-capitalized financial services corporation providing high-quality correspondent services that facilitate the growth and success of our shareholders and clients.

We are committed to the success and growth of community banking by being extremely

customer-focused, inclusive, dependable, team-oriented, innovative and family-friendly.

There is a kindred spirit between employees in our company relative to furthering our company’s mission and commitment to community banking.

We care about our employees as family members and recognize them in a variety of ways, including company-wide notifications of new business successes, intranet posts of achievements, core value awards, compensatory awards, promotions, opportunities to participate on critical projects, recognition in all-employee meetings and old-fashioned “thank yous” for a job well done.

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7813 Office Park Blvd. | Baton Rouge, LA 70809 | 225.924.8015 | bankers-bank.com |

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LEGION CLAIMS

A company culture that promotes professional growth and career advancement for all employees.

LEGION CLAIMS is a catastrophe property adjusting and national claims administration firm that was founded in 2019 by Steve Brown, whose family has been in the business for more than 50 years. This third-generation firm serves the insurance, industrial/ environmental and governmental sectors.

The company is unique in that it offers the experience, personnel resources, and diverse suite of claims-related services of a national corporation, but with

the management accessibility, relaxed corporate culture, and commitment to community service of a local family-owned business.

Beyond monetary rewards and personal expressions of “Thank You” for a job well done to employees, Legion Claims’ management team finds thoughtful ways to show appreciation. This includes catered lunches, food trucks/snowball trucks, and tickets to LSU athletic events and other cultural activities.

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3071 Teddy Dr. | Baton Rouge, LA 70809 | 225.304.5070 | LegionClaims.com |

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SITECH LOUISIANA

The company culture embodies lifelong learning, continuous education, and operational excellence in order to build a better Louisiana.

FORMED IN 2013, SITECH Louisiana grew out of a partnership between Spectra Measuring Systems and Louisiana Machinery (the Louisiana Caterpillar machinery dealer). It is a Trimble technology dealership and maintains a fully operational component service repair department, which Trimble designates as a Level 3 Service Facility, Trimble’s highest rating. What sets the company apart is its dedication to learning and development. The team encourages risks and sees mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.

SITECH has funded a variety of professional certifications and degrees for its team of lifelong learners. Its core values are to put customer needs first, to empower customers and team members through education and development, and to grow profitably through teamwork. SITECH practices gratitude and recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond.

Kudos stories are shared at the monthly All Company meeting to demonstrate that SITECH values its staff and their contributions to the success of the team.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

12310 Industriplex Blvd. | Baton Rouge, LA 70809 | 225.292.6456 | sitechla.com |

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

LAPORTE CPAS & BUSINESS ADVISORS

LaPorte’s Baton Rouge director group: Micah Stewart, LL.M; John Murray, CPA, CGFM; Wendi Berthelot, CPA, MBA; Richard Hill, CPA; Candace Eldridge, PHR, SHRM-CP; Thomas Freel, CPA

Team members have a clear path to achieve their professional goals.

ESTABLISHED OVER 75 years ago, LaPorte is the largest independent accounting and business advisory firm headquartered in Louisiana with over 190 personnel in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Covington, Houma, and Houston, Texas.

For more than 20 years, LaPorte has invested in ongoing learning programs for team members. These include Impact Coaching, Professional Growth Plan, and LaPorte U, which focuses on well-rounded skills needed to be successful—presentation skills, emotional intelligence, networking, managing work/life balance, etc.

Team members have a clear path to achieve their professional goals, one where they feel valued by their co-workers and can use the flexible work environment to achieve meaningful work/life balance.

The company creates a culture of recognition that includes shout-outs at monthly meetings for individuals or groups that perform above and beyond. In addition, LaPorte frequently nominates highperforming employees for business awards and leadership programs.

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8555 United Plaza Blvd., Suite 400 | Baton Rouge, LA 70809 | 225.296.5150 | laporte.com |

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ESSENTIAL CREDIT UNION

Building a better community through service, integrity and financial innovation.

ESSENTIAL WAS chartered in 1972 by a small group of Dow Chemical employees who were dedicated to building a financial institution that would provide outstanding financial services at the lowest possible cost. Today, with more than 46,000 members and $378 million in assets, Essential serves the Greater Baton Rouge community.

The company culture at Essential is marked by servant leadership and a focus on maintaining an ideal work-life balance in a family-oriented work environment. To that end, Essential offers flexible scheduling and hybrid work for backoffice employees, competitive pay with next day Earned Wage Access, Retirement Plan with 100%

match for contributions, over 11 paid holidays, tuition reimbursement, personal and professional development opportunities, a wellness program, comprehensive benefits, paid time off and gym membership reimbursements.

Employees are recognized with annual merit increases, service awards, internal and social media recognition, a company incentive/bonus program, promotions and public acknowledgment of top performers at the company’s annual employee banquet. Essential also hosts an annual Family Day to show appreciation for employees and their families.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

5 locations: Siegen Lane and Towne Center in Baton Rouge, as well as Gonzales, Walker, and Plaquemine 888.369.2207 | essentialcu.org | Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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B1 BANK

Community outreach plays an important part in the b1BANK culture.

FOUNDED IN BATON ROUGE IN 2006, b1BANK has grown to over $6.5 billion in assets and has the largest deposit market share of Louisiana-headquartered banks.

With nearly 800 employees and operations across Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi, b1BANK remains committed to serving its communities and offering the best client experience possible.

Mindful of the effects rapid growth can have on a company culture, b1BANK focuses on five guiding principles: relationship-driven teamwork, thoughtful, disciplined decision-making, meaningful

communication, doing the right thing the right way, and striving to be the best through continual improvement. These principles effectively incorporate new perspectives and people into a culture that continues to renew as the Bank grows.

Employees participate in the company’s b1COMMUNITY program and special events like the recent NOLA Picklefest (benefiting the Brees Dream Foundation). This gives them an opportunity to share their time and talents, and provides a fun way to build relationships with fellow team members.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

500 Laurel St. | Baton Rouge, LA 70801 | 225.248.7600 | b1bank.com |

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GALLAGHER

Seamlessly merging modern solutions with personalized, human-centric service.

ESTABLISHED IN 1927, Gallagher is a worldwide insurance brokerage, risk management, and consulting firm. With a significant presence globally and in Baton Rouge, Gallagher is an exceptional company with a steadfast dedication to innovation and client-centeredness. Its proactive approach, combined with ethical conduct, cements its leadership by redefining industry standards and inspiring others through its visionary strategy.

Gallagher nurtures a dynamic and inclusive culture that values innovation, collaboration, and integrity. With a commitment to ethical practices, it

encourages employee growth and client focus. This vibrant culture empowers teams to embrace challenges, inspire trust, and drive excellence in delivering tailored solutions and outstanding service.

A publicly traded company, Gallagher blends its global culture with local vibes, prioritizing employee engagement. Events like a crawfish boil and Thanksgiving potluck foster both personal connections and professional growth. The annual employee summit spotlights talent, while Employee of the Quarter celebrates year-round excellence, creating a supportive work community.

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

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ACCUTEMP

Employees choose AccuTemp not just for the culture and relationships, but also for the opportunities to grow and develop.

FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS, AccuTemp Services has proudly served south Louisiana’s home comfort needs by providing quality A/C, heating, electrical, generator, and plumbing solutions. As they’ve grown over the years, their commitment has remained the same: Service to the Highest Degree. AccuTemp believes in investing in each team member and promoting opportunities for individuals to develop the best version of themselves. This includes regular training and continuing education opportunities, team engagement activities, community service events and more. The workplace culture encourages employees to leverage strengths,

share ideas and pursue excellence within the company and as individuals, in order to achieve personal and professional success.

In 2020, AccuTemp launched its apprenticeship program which gives individuals with varying HVAC experience an opportunity to build a career in the trades. This paid inhouse training program provides prospective technicians with industry knowledge, field experience with senior technicians, and handson learning. In 2024, AccuTemp will launch an expanded state-of-the-art apprenticeship laboratory and training facility to support the future of Five-Star home services.

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2027 N. Harco Dr. | Baton Rouge, LA 70815 | 225.245.9100 | goaccutemp.com |

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Inspire. Engage.

Connect. hubley has transformed work experiences for over 1 million employees across hundreds of organizations

Learn more at hubley.com

Thank you to our team members for making hubley a

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VI EWPOI NT ROLFE MCCOLLI STE R JR.

IT’S DECISION TIME for Louisiana. Early voting began Sept.

30 and runs through Saturday, Oct. 7. Election day is Oct. 14. Your future—as well as that of this state—is at stake and you have many choices to make on the ballot.

In the September issue of Business Report, I shared my choice for governor, Stephen Waguespack.

Your destiny—and that of your children and grandchildren—is in your hands. Louisiana needs a bold governor with solid character and a visionary plan to lift all residents of this state. We need an inclusive governor, rather than someone who tells those who disagree with him to move elsewhere. A leader who governs with ideas, not intimidation. This is a crossroads moment. We must make the right choice.

Determine our destiny by voting

Editor’s Note: This is the opinion of the author only and does not constitute an endorsement by Business Report. Business Report does not endorse candidates for political offi .

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

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CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS The e will be four amendments on the October ballot and another four on the ballot in November. I appreciate the nonpartisan guide that the Public Affai s Research Council provides voters; I am sharing portions here. You can read PAR’s complete guide at ParLouisiana.org.

As I routinely note, and PAR echoes, that since voters ratifi d the Louisiana Constitution in 1974, they have been asked to decide 308 amendments, a number that will grow to 316 this year. That averages out to seven proposed amendments a year since the fi st round hit the ballot only a few years after the constitution took eff ct. So far, 209 changes have earned voter approval.

It’s fair to wonder: Given the more than 200 approved changes to the 1974 Constitution, is it time for a new convention to revisit the much-altered document and clean it up for today’s 21st century world?

Some will argue that a handful of the proposed amendments are covered in the U.S. Constitution and a few others could be best handled by statute. But the Legislature

wants these issues to be very clear for the courts, providing extra protection. And one proposed amendment on this ballot was twice approved as a statute by legislators, only to have the governor veto the measure each time. Now the voters get to make the call.

Here is how I will vote: 1. PROHIBITING DONATIONS TO CONDUCT ELECTIONS: YES PAR notes, “Louisiana’s election code currently doesn’t contain a provision about receiving private funds or other contributions from outside groups or donors. That leaves a legal gray area over whether such donations are allowed. The amendment would prohibit Louisiana election officials from accepting money, goods or services from a nongovernmental organization or a foreign government to administer any election or election function unless Louisiana’s secretary of state authorizes the use and that use is explicitly allowed in law.” This measure has been associated with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who donated nearly a half-billion dollars to election office across the nation post-pandemic to help with outreach. Some associated a political agenda with the offe . About half the states now have such a law that requires the state to pay for its own elections. I agree.

2. PROTECTION FOR WORSHIP IN CHURCHES: YES In explaining this measure, PAR references Louisiana pastor Tony Spell’s actions during the pandemic. “Louisiana’s restrictions were challenged by a local pastor who was arrested after repeatedly violating the governor’s executive orders and holding church services. The Louisiana Supreme Court dismissed the charges against the pastor in a 5-2 ruling that applied the strict scrutiny standard. However, there was a lack of consensus among judges, and lower courts had diffe ing opinions.” The Legislature wants to make it clear, “Under strict scrutiny, the regulation would be presumed unconstitutional unless the rigorous test criteria are met to justify its existence.” I support that position.

PAR notes that Louisiana voters enacted a similar constitutional amendment in 2012 requiring any judicial review of the right to keep and bear arms to be subject to strict scrutiny.

3. SURPLUS SPENDING ON RETIREMENT DEBT: NO With a lot of federal dollars rolling into state coffe s, Louisiana has recently found itself with some large surpluses, raising the question of how to spend it. We have a rather sizable unfunded liability for our public retirement systems.

(Reform is a whole other issue to debate.) Current law requires that 10% of any surplus be utilized to pay down this debt through 2029.

This proposed amendment would increase the allocation to 25% while also removing the 2029 sunset. Separately, there’s an already existing mandate requiring 25% of any surplus to fl w into the “rainy day fund” until it reaches a cap.

So this amendment could mean 50% of any surplus is eff ctively restricted. That’s not a great idea, given the huge infrastructure and coastal protection needs as well as other pressing concerns facing our state. Let’s leave it at 10%—and address pension reform, too.

4. PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: NO PAR explains, “The amendment would authorize local governing authorities to remove the property tax exemption when a nonprofit leases its property as housing to others and the property has been found to endanger public health or safety because of repeated code violations.”

I understand the intent of not wanting to reward a nonprofit that violates the law. But there are laws and those laws should be enforced.

Under the proposal, three violations would have to occur before the tax break could be removed. If taxes increase, what is the likelihood the organization can affo d to fix the property? And if it fi es it, can we presume it is likely to raise the rent and pass on the cost to the tenant? Not an easy solution. My view is that the locals should enforce the law to address this matter.

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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VIEWPOINT ROLFE MCCOLLISTER JR.

POPULATION

1920

2022

Gain over 102 years

Louisiana

1,813,000

4,590,000

(+2,777,000)

Florida

962,000

22,244,000

(+21,282,000)

Texas

4,723,000

30,029,000

(+25,306,000)

(Source: Wikipedia)

A WAKE-UP CALL FOR LOUISIANA Axios recently reported on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, writing that it is one of the best resources for a quantifi d look at American life. The big takeaway: Incomes are falling, we’re getting older, and people are moving to states like Florida, Idaho and South Carolina (and also Texas, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina.)

While Florida experienced the greatest growth—its year-overyear population grew 2.1%—the top losers were New York (-0.8%), Louisiana (-0.7%) and Illinois (-0.7%). The nationwide median household income fell to $74,755.

Louisiana’s is at $58,330.

Population loss isn’t a new concern here at home. It’s been a problem for more than a century. Look at the chart above, which compares the past 102 years. What is the deal?

We got left in the dust. Shocking.

Wake up, Louisiana.

LABI WILL TRAVEL LA23 INTO THE FUTURE Should Louisiana decide to wake up to the declining trends and elect strong leaders, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, or LABI, believes it knows the road to travel to a successful future: LA23.

The pro-business organization recently released this strategic plan, developed over the past year by expert consultants, that concentrates

on four key areas: education and workforce development, tax and business climate, economic development, and safety and resiliency.

“LA23 focuses on fi ing what’s truly holding our state back,” says Jim Patterson, LABI’s interim president and CEO. The lead consultant, Ted Abernathy, managing partner of the Economic Leadership LLC, has developed strategies for several states, including North Carolina.

“For the past generation, most economic indicators show Louisiana lagging other states,” he says. “In fact, Louisiana is ranked near the bottom. Without immediate new thinking and bold action, you can expect greater job and population losses and to be a state young people increasingly choose to leave for better opportunities in other, more successful Southern states.”

LABI is the natural choice to lead this initiative for the private sector, representing more than 2,000 Louisiana employers of all sizes in multiple industries across the state.

“LABI is no stranger to bold reform,” says Jude Melville, who chairs the LABI board and is president and CEO of b1Bank. “Our outreach and advocacy during the last election cycle helped to usher in a wave of freshmen legislators joining incumbents ready to make meaningful decisions, leading to progress in the adoption of tort and tax reform legislation. This cycle, with high turnover in the Legislature, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and

REFLECTIONS

ARMOR OF GOD NO. 1:

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

statewide elected offi als, including the governor’s offi , we have many additional important decisions to make and an even greater opportunity to enact signifi ant change. We believe the ideas and aspirations included in LA23 collectively serve as a bold but necessary starting point for that conversation and we look forward to helping lead our state on what will be a tough but potentially immensely rewarding journey forward.”

CITY PARK CONVERSATION CONTINUES The signatures on the petition continue to grow and so does the interest in a conversation about the “highest and best use” for the City Park property, including the ninehole golf course.

Jenni Peters has been doing TV and radio interviews discussing this idea for our Capital City and momentum is building as almost 900 East Baton Rouge taxpayers from 20 diffe ent ZIP codes have signed the petition; many of their positive comments are listed at right. If you want to sign and comment, go to change.org/ createacentralparkinBR.

• “This gem belongs to the whole Baton Rouge community. The design is a wonderful way for everyone to be able to enjoy the grounds and lakes like never before.”

• “I am signing because our city deserves a beautiful community space like this.”

• “It’s a great idea! And this city needs to pursue a few of those.”

• “I live near City Park. I would much rather have my family be able to all enjoy this park instead of it being a golf course.

• “I believe a central park that is multi-use would be a true addition to the city.”

• “Just because it was a golf course in the past doesn’t mean it should be a golf course in the future.”

• “This space could be so much more than it is. More people should be able to enjoy it, not just the handful who do so now.”

• “Our city needs to be a beacon of progress, rather than one that’s stuck in the past and resistant to change for the better. We lose young talent EVERY DAY and we have to make changes if we want to break that cycle.”

• “Great complement to the lakes project.”

“As a wise person once said, a great park is the soul of the city.”

THE FIRST PIECE of armor is the belt of truth.

Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH … .” First and foremost, truth is a Person and His name is Jesus.

As Jesus says of Himself, in John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He is not a truth; He is the truth; His person is the essence of truth. Therefore, what He says in Scripture is true and consistent with His personhood-character. Notice it girds up our loins. In other words, it girds us up in strength

—Baton Rouge Resident

in our central inner organs. When we are confident in Jesus-Truth who lives inside of us, we can stand firm in life with confidence. The first piece of armor is the person of Truth, and the last piece is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God; written and spoken truth. The enemy is best known as a liar and deceiver! So the truth is what sets us free from lies and deception. So gird up and take your first piece of armor, fellow warriors.

—Jeff Mitchell, Retired COL and Army Chaplain

Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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LI STMAKE R S

Private high schools

UPCOMING LIST: Nov. Law Firms Convention & Meeting Facilities

Ranked by enrollment COMPANY ADDRESS PREV. RANK PHONE | WEBSITE

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

2022 HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENT

STUDENT MIX ANNUAL TUITION GRADES SERVED

AFFILIATION YEAR EST. LOCALLY

MAJOR PROGRAMS/AMENITIES

1

1

Catholic High School 855 Hearthstone Drive, Baton Rouge 70806 225-383-0397 | catholichigh.org

Tom Eldringhoff Principal

1,131

$12,795

All boys 8-12

1894 Catholic

1:1 laptop program, innovative STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics) curriculum that embraces a holistic hands-on approach to learning

2

2

St. Joseph's Academy 3015 Broussard St., Baton Rouge 70808 225-383-7207 | sjabr.org

Stacia Andricain Principal

1,114

$13,249

All girls 9-12

1868 Catholic

National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, mission pillars: faith development in the Catholic tradition and academic excellence

3

3

St. Michael the Archangel High School 17521 Monitor Ave., P.O. Box 86110, Baton Rouge 70817 225-753-9782 | smhsbr.org

Ellen Lee Principal

625

$10,300

Coed 9-12

1984 Catholic

More than 20 sports programs and 30 clubs and organizations, advanced placement and dual enrollment courses, campus ministry

4

4

Parkview Baptist School 5750 Parkview Church Road, Baton Rouge 70816 225-291-2500 | parkviewbaptist.com

Don Mayes Head of school

463

$16,947

Coed Pre-K-12

1981 Christian

5

5

Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 3200 Woodland Ridge Blvd., Baton Rouge 70816 225-753-3180 | episcopalbr.org

Carrie Steakley Head of school

367

$23,734

Coed Pre-K3-12

1965 Episcopal

6

6

The Dunham School(1) 11111 Roy Emerson Drive, Baton Rouge 70810 225-767-7097 | dunhamschool.org

Steven A. Eagleton Head of school

275

$21,440

Coed Pre-K2-12

1981 Nondenominational

7

9

Ascension Christian School 14408 EA Academy Road, Gonzales 70737 225-622-2800 | aclions.org

Mark Pellegrin Superintendent

185

$6,600

Coed Early Learning-12

1981 Christian

Accredited by COGNIA

8

7

Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee 504 Fourth St., New Roads 70760 225-638-9313 | catholicpc.com

Frances G. Olinde Principal

175

$6,735

Coed Pre-K3-12

1904 Catholic

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation, highest ACT scores among Pointe Coupee schools, 95% of graduates go on to college

9

10

Silliman Institute 10830 Bank St., P.O. Box 946, Clinton 70722 225-683-5383 | sillimaninstitute.org

Kevin Lemoine Head of school

147

$6,100

Coed Pre-K-12

1966 Nondenominational

Junior and senior Beta, athletic and extracurricular activities

10

11

Ascension Catholic Diocesan Regional High School 311 St. Vincent St., Donaldsonville 70346 225-473-9227 | acbulldogs.org

Tammy Crochet Principal

130

$7,770

Coed Pre-K-12

1845 Catholic

Advanced and honors courses, college-preparatory and dual enrollment courses, service-based learning, foreign exchange program, peer mediation, student retreats, March for Life, Beta

11

12

St. John Interparochial High School 24250 Regina St., Plaquemine 70764 225-687-3056 | stjohnschool.org

Cherie B. Schlatre Principal

129

$7,790

Coed Pre-K-12

1886 Catholic

College-preparatory, honors and business courses; dual enrollment courses in math, English, sports medicine and psychology

12

13

Central Private School 12650 Gurney Road, Central 70714 225-261-3341 | centralprivate.org

Dana Russell Head of upper school

117

$7,550

Coed Pre-K-12

1967 Christian

College-preparatory classes, honors track, dual enrollment, advanced placement

13

14

False River Academy 201 Major Parkway, New Roads 70760 225-638-3783 | falseriveracademy.org

Linda D'Amico Principal

88

$6,125

Coed Pre-K-12

1969 Nondenominational

Dual enrollment classes, eDynamic online elective courses, Beta, 4-H, most sports, career courses like welding and hospitality

14

NR

St. Lillian Academy 9755 Goodwood Blvd., P.O. Box 45377, Baton Rouge 70895 225-771-8173 | stlillian.org

Elissa McKenzie Head of school

54

$13,250

Coed K-12

2017 Christian

Curriculum tailored to each student's needs, general education curriculum and special education instruction for unique learners

15

15

The Brighton School 12108 Parkmeadow Ave., Baton Rouge 70816 225-291-2524 | thebrightonschool.org

Kenneth Henderson Executive director

53

$16,465

Coed K-12

1972 Nondenominational

Dedicated to students with dyslexia and related learning differences; reading therapy and therapeutic instructional strategies

16

16

Family Christian Academy 8919 World Ministry Ave., Baton Rouge 70810 225-768-3026 | fcacademy.net

Christopher Granier Principal

49

$7,775

Coed Pre-K-12

1983 Christian

17

18

Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy 15333 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge 70817 225-293-0141 | hopeacademybr.org

Sharon Moore Interim head of school

25

DNR

Coed 1-12

2007 Nondenominational

18

22

Brighter Horizon School of Baton Rouge 1896 Wooddale Blvd., Baton Rouge 70806 225-927-2521 | brighterhorizonschool.org

Anwar Hamdi Principal

13

$7,150

Coed Pre-K-12

1996 Islamic

DBA-doing business as DNR-did not respond NR-not ranked To be featured in Business Report's Listmakers, private high schools must have at least one campus in the nine-parish Capital Region and have information available about their programs from the school, the National Center for Education Statistics or other Business Report research. The Business Report presumes the provided information is accurate. Information about 19 schools will be available to subscribers on our website. To be considered for next year's list, please contact Alaine Keisling at research@businessreport.com. Published October 2023.

(1) Baton Rouge Christian Education Foundation Inc.

102

Dual enrollment/AP classes, mission trips, 26 MS/ HS sports teams, vocal/instrumental music instruction, outstanding theater productions, highly competitive robotics team AP, honors and dual enrollment courses; signature honors thesis and lab-based ESTAAR programs; global learning journeys; award-winning robotics team STEM, Harkness, leadership, advanced placement, dual enrollment, fine arts, athletics, small classes, personalized attention

Co-curricular programs in athletics, arts, and service organizations; dual enrollment in math and English; state-of-the-art teleproductions class; Mac computer lab Research-based techniques customized to meet the needs of children with mild/moderate learning challenges, autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, learning disabilities and other special needs Islamic studies, Arabic, competitive soccer

Researched by Alaine Keisling

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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Submit your 2024-2025 Application Today!

Episcopal is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year. For more information on the opportunities Episcopal can provide your child, or to schedule a private tour, visit episcopalbr.org or contact the Admission Office at (225) 755-2685.

Episcopal School of Baton Rouge admits students without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national and ethnic origin, or disability. Episcopal does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, national, or ethnic origin in the administration of our educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

WEBSTER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOUR YEAR FULL TUITION The Webster Scholars Program provides full tuition scholarships each year to rising ninth grade students who reflect – in their academic and leadership talents – exceptional achievement. To learn more, please visit: episcopalbr.org/admission/scholarship-opportunities.

MEET OUR CURRENT WEBSTER SCHOLARS

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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 © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

SPONSORED CONTENT

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SPONSORED BY:

A Deep Dive into Artificial Intelligence: Find These Resources in EBRPL’s Digital Library

A

rtificial intelligence has long been the plot of science fiction novels and horror movies, but today, it is also becoming a common topic in the workplace. As companies grapple

with using AI to improve their efficiency and ease their workload, they must also set standards and guidelines for its ethical use. The East Baton Rouge Parish Library has a multitude of resources in

LINKEDIN LEARNING

GALE PRESENTS: UDEMY

• AI Trends • GPT-4: The New GPT Release and What You Need to Know • Introduction to Artificial Intelligence • Ya Xu: How to Turn AI from a Buzz Word to a Business Tool

• AI for Business Leaders • ChatGPT Marketing: Create Complete Campaigns w/ Chat GPT AI • ChatGPT: Complete ChatGPT Course for Work 2023 • How to use Artificial Intelligence - A Guide for Everyone!

the Digital Library, as well as an upcoming speaker this month, to help you better understand and use this emerging technology. Here are just a few examples:

LIBBY • Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Paul Scharre • Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control by Stuart Russell • I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic • Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Joseph Aoun

O’REILLY

TREEHOUSE

STATISTA

• Artificial Intelligence Business: How you can profit from AI • Artificial Intelligence for Dummies • ChatGPT: Possibilities and Pitfalls

• ChatGPT for Designers • Everyday Innovation: Leveraging ChatGPT in Our Daily Lives

• Artificial Intelligence 2023 Report • Artificial intelligence (AI) deployment status in organizations in the United States in 2022

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THE RISE OF AI: HOW EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT Visit the Main Library Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. to hear from accomplished businessman and speaker Henry Hays.

Hays spent 20 years in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, most notably building the commercial team at Avanir Pharmaceuticals, where it reached peak sales of $110 million a year. Avanir was purchased for $3.5 billion, the highest multiple in the history of that industry.

Hays’ new mission became spreading the power of disruptive innovation coming to all aspects of business around the world. Currently, he is the co-founder and CEO of DisruptReady, a disruptive upskilling company that educates on emerging technology, particularly artificial intelligence.

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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YO U R B U S I N E S S C O M PA N Y N E W S

ACCREDITATION CERTIFICATION Mark Matthews, La Capitol FCU’s chief operations offic , has earned the Certifi d Chief Executive designation from the CUES Matthews CEO Institute.

During his 28 years at La Cap, Matthews has served as chief operations offic , vice president of information technology and senior vice president of IT and operations.

AWARDS HONORS Baker Donelson earned multiple top 20 recognitions in Vault Law’s 2024 rankings. In the Best Law Firms to Work For list, the fi m was ranked 13th for technology and innovation, and 20th for transparency. In Best Law Firms for Diversity, it ranked 12th for diversity for women and 17th for racial and ethnic diversity. In best summer associate programs, the fi m ranked 17th overall and was 14th for social experiences and 19th for attorney interactions.

Baton Rouge General is one of 18 hospitals in the country and the only one in the Baton Rouge area to be recognized with the Price Transparency Champion Award from the nonprofit Patient Rights Advocate. This award recognizes U.S. hospitals and hospital systems for their commitment to fully complying with federal price transparency requirements.

honoree’s choice.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation has announced the 2023 recipients of The Angel Award, honoring Louisianans who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and service to the state’s children. Honorees from the Capital Region include Murelle Harrison, executive director of The Gardere Initiative, which delivers services, after-school education, meals and safe play spaces to the children of Gardere; and Chantelle Varnado, founder of Launch The apy Center, a nonprofit that offers speech, physical, and occupational therapy in Livingston Parish.

A $25,000 grant is awarded to the Louisiana-based nonprofit of each

Feigley Communications earned Best of Show awards from the Southern Public Relations Federation. The marketing and public relations agency received top honors for its Vax Matters podcast at the Southern Public Relations Federation’s annual awards banquet. The agency also took home a Lantern Award and Top Tier Best in Show Award for the podcast— an educational series on vaccines produced in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health’s immunization program.

DNA Workshop and Cox Communications were the winners of this year’s Diversity Star Awards from the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. DNA Workshop received the award in the small business category, and Cox Communications received the award in the large business category.

John Maxwell Hamilton, professor of journalism at the LSU Manship School of Mass

Communication, was named the 2023 recipient of the Sidney Kobre Award for Lifetime Achievement, the American Journalism Historians Association’s highest honor.

Hamilton is LSU’s Hopkins P. Breazeale professor of journalism and founding dean of the Manship School of Mass Communication.

He is a global fellow at the Wilson Center and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Hamilton’s bestowal of AJHA’s highest honor follows the release of his nationally acclaimed 2020 book, Manipulating the Masses: Woodrow Wilson and the Birth of American Propaganda.

Bridget Kaigler has been named a Diversity MBA Top 100 Under 50 Executive Leader for 2023. Kaigler, a CPA, specializes in taxaKaigler tion and regulatory reporting in the health care and manufacturing sectors. She is the founder/CEO of Bringing Leadership Back.

Cero

m

.

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Daily-Report.com | BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023

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YO U R B U S I N E S S C O M PA N Y N E W S

Jack Kellerman was honored with SEN Design Group’s 2023 Innovation Award for his unique household invention: the Zip Quicker. Kellerman is the former owner of Kellerman Kitchen & Bath. He retired in 2016 due to his progressing multiple sclerosis. Harnessing his creativity, Kellerman developed the Zip Quicker, an acrylic stand available on Amazon and his offi al website. The invention eases the task of pouring and storing cooked foods into zip-close bags. To honor Kellerman’s innovative spirit, the award is being renamed the “Jack Kellerman Innovation Award.”

Kip Knight and Joaneane Smith have been named to the 2023 Hall of Distinction by the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business. In addition, this year’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipient is Jacques Bourque. Knight is the operating partner at Tho vest Ventures, a $500 million venture capital fund based in the San Francisco Bay area. In addition, he serves as a board member at Netbase Quid, a

106

leading consumer analytics company. Smith is the president and CEO of Global Commerce and Services and has more than 25 years of experience in management and consulting with information technology deployment. Bourque was named chief fi ancial office of Catalyst Bancorp, the parent company for Catalyst Bank, in February 2022, making him the youngest public bank CFO in the country.

Neighbors Federal Credit Union has been honored by Forbes with inclusion on the magazine’s list of Best-In-State Credit Unions for 2023. The listing by Forbes is in conjunction with Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

Wilson Raetzsch of Lyons Specialty Company has been named to the 2023 Class of Future Leaders in Convenience by Raetzsch Convenience Store News. The class is made up of 36

rising stars from 29 convenience store industry retail, distribution and supply companies. After several years working part time, Raetzsch joined Lyons full time in 2021 after graduating from LSU in business management. He works in both purchasing and operations management.

Kenneth Schafer, Ball Family distinguished professor in physics and astronomy, has achieved the rank of Boyd professor—the highest and most prestigious academic rank at LSU—following a vote by the LSU Board of Supervisors.

Schafer is the 79th Boyd professor named at LSU since the honor was established in 1953 by the LSU Board of Supervisors after brothers David and Tho as Boyd, former faculty members and presidents of LSU. Schafer joined the LSU physics department in 1995 as a promising scientist and has long served as a leading researcher and pioneer in ultrafast laser and X-ray physics.

APPOINTMENTS MEMBERSHIPS Robert “Bob” Barton of Taylor

Porter has been selected as a member of the Committee of 100 for Economic Development Inc. for 2023. Barton serves as Taylor Barton Porter’s managing partner and as a member of the fi m’s executive committee. His practice includes representing local and national businesses in matters involving commercial litigation and transactions, regulatory and compliance matters, and general litigation. He is co-chair of the fi m’s business and commercial litigation group and a mediator with The Patterson Resolution Group.

Chief of Minds CEO Lakeisha Robichaux is the new board president for the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce. Robichaux will oversee the organization’s commitment to fostering an environment that promotes innovation, collaboration and economic prosperity as part of the its offi al relaunch.

BUSINESS REPORT, October 2023 | BusinessReport.com

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YO U R B U S I N E S S C O M PA N Y N E W S

Dr. Vincent Shaw Jr., family medicine physician at Baton Rouge General, has been appointed to Louisiana’s Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality. Shaw has practiced medicine for 20 years and serves as the program director for BRG’s family medicine residency and sports medicine fellowship programs. He also serves as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and is a team physician for LSU and Southern University.

Southeastern Louisiana University President William Wainwright has been selected as a member of the Committee of 100 for Economic Development Inc. for 2023. The committee serves as Louisiana’s business roundtable, promoting public policy that makes the state more competitive in retaining

existing business and industry and attracting more innovative businesses.

PHILANTHROPY GRANTS REV and CoBank recently teamed up to provide $20,500 to four local south Louisiana nonprofit . The annual Sharing Success program from CoBank provides matching funds to enhance partners’ donations. Nonprofits who received funding were ALS Association Louisiana-Mississippi Chapter ($2,500), Hammond Air Show Foundation ($10,000), Upside Downs Inc. ($4,000) and The Whitney Institute ($4,000).

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP

This statement of ownership, management and circulation is being made pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3685.

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report (publication number 721890) is published 14 issues per year by Melara Enterprises LLC, 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Annual subscription price is $96.00. The mailing address of The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report is 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.

The publisher of The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report is Julio Melara. The Chief Content Officer & Executive Editor is Penny Font. The Managing Editor is Allan Schilling. The mailing address for all is 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report is owned by Melara Enterprises LLC. Principal stockholders in Melara Enterprises LLC are Julio Melara, Hillary Melara, Jonathan Melara, Jordan Melara and Manuel Fajardo, Jr. The mailing address for all stockholders is 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.

Information on the extent and nature of The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report’s circulation is included in the accompanying chart. *Average

†Actual

Total Paid and/or requested Circulation

5,150

5,060

Total targeted Complimentary Distribution

3,584

3,732

Total Distribution

8,734

8,792

Copies not distributed

672

399

Total Number of Copies

9,406

9,191

*Average of each issue during preceding 12 months †Actual number of copies of single issues nearest to filing date

EXPANDING

WITH EXCELLENCE

Taylor Porter is honored to be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge and is thankful for the people who make our workplace one of the best. We are proud to be expanding our team and look forward to working with each of these experienced attorneys to continue to provide excellent legal services to our clients.

Charles A. Schutte, Jr.

Andrew Wallace Eversberg

Stephen Dale Cronin

BATON ROUGE | LAKE CHARLES | TAYLORPORTER.COM

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Imelda T. Frugé

Sean P. Avocato

Robert W. Barton, Managing Partner LA-23-15890 9/19/23 11:04 AM

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YO U R B U S I N E S S M O V I N G U P

HOLLIE APPLEKRATZBERG OnPath Federal Credit Union

RACHEL ADAMSBOLANOS OnPath Federal Credit Union

BANKING & FINANCE Hollie Apple-Kratzberg has been promoted to director of mortgage for OnPath Federal Credit Union while Rachel AdamsBolanos has been promoted to director of marketing. AppleKratzberg joined OnPath in 2013 as a mortgage loan offic , bringing her extensive experience in banking and customer service. She moved into mortgage operations in 2022 as mortgage operations manager and has played a key role in the growth and success of the mortgage team and department. Adams-Bolanos joined the OnPath marketing department in October 2022 after 25 years in the media marketing and

DOUGLAS DUPONT Bank of St. Francisville

MARK JUNEAU III JD Bank

sales sector as a marketing operations manager.

Douglas Dupont has been promoted to executive vice president for Bank of St. Francisville. Under his leadership as market president, the bank has seen substantial growth in Baton Rouge. In 2022, the bank opened a branch on Highland Road, and Dupont is overseeing plans for a second location on Jeffe son Highway.

Mark Juneau III has joined JD Bank as vice president commercial lender in its combined loan and deposit production offic on Jeffe son Highway. An experienced banker, Juneau will serve the personal and business fi ancial needs

TOM KUSLIKIS EFCU Financial

JAMIE WHITE Bank of St. Francisville

of Baton Rouge and the surrounding region. Juneau has worked in the Baton Rouge market since 2009.

His expertise is in helping businesses of varied backgrounds and sizes achieve fi ancial stability and success.

Tom Kuslikis is the new chief executive office for EFCU Financial.

Kuslikis spent the last 10 years with the University of Michigan Credit Union, most recently as chief fi ancial offic . UMCU is a $1.4 billion credit union that serves more than 114,000 members. He was involved in the community, serving on multiple boards and industry-related committees. Kuslikis is a certifi d public accountant and certifi d

BRADLEY “BRAD” IVES LSU

NINA DUSANG Woman’s Hospital

internal auditor.

Jamie White has been promoted to chief operating office for the Bank of St. Francisville. She started with BSF in 2000 as a teller and has been promoted six times, most recently serving as senior vice president of operations.

EDUCATION Bradley Ives has been selected to lead LSU’s Institute for Energy Innovation. The institute was established last year through a $25 million investment from Shell focused on advancing reliable, affo dable and environmentally responsible energy. The institute coordinates LSU’s research and development,

Grateful for 60 years of service and being voted Best Places to Work.

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YO U R B U S I N E S S M O V I N G U P

DR. ELIZABETH HAYES North Oaks Surgical Associates

MICHAEL ELLIS Bonton Associates

service and outreach effo ts related to the energy transition and serves as a single access point to the university’s energy resources for Louisiana industry, government and communities. Ives’ experience working with traditional oil and gas companies on emerging energy technologies supports a successful transition to lower-carbon sources of energy across the Gulf Coast.

HEALTH CARE Nina Dusang has joined Woman’s Hospital as chief fi ancial offic .

In her new role, Dusang oversees the hospital’s fi ancial framework and supports the executive team in achieving its strategic plan, growth

CHARLES SCHUTTE JR. Taylor Porter

ANDREW EVERSBERG Taylor Porter

initiatives and annual fi ancial goals. Dusang has dedicated most of her career to executive fi ance and health care, holding her fi st CFO position with Health Management Associates at age 26. Most recently, she served as senior vice president and CFO of DCH Health Systems in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Dr. Elizabeth Hayes has joined North Oaks Surgical Associates in Hammond. As a general surgeon, Hayes is certifi d in minimally invasive interventions like da Vinci robotics surgical techniques. She specializes in the diagnosis of and surgical intervention for complex health conditions such as breast and colon cancers. During her residency

STEPHEN DALE CRONIN Taylor Porter

SEAN AVOCATO Taylor Porter

in general surgery through Ascension St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, she was honored with the 2019 Resident Teacher Award for Wayne State University School of Medicine—also in Detroit.

ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION Multi-industry veteran Michael Ellis has joined Bonton Associates as a fi m partner. He will serve as principal engineer for water resources and environmental projects and services. Ellis joins Bonton with more than 25 years of professional experience, most recently as vice president of strategic environmental affai s at U.S. Sugar. Immediately prior, he served as executive director

IMELDA FRUGÉ Taylor Porter

of the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, a position he was appointed to by Gov. John Bel Edwards in 2016.

LAW Five seasoned litigators have joined Taylor Porter. Charles Schutte Jr., Andrew Eversberg, Stephen Dale Cronin, Sean Avocato and Imelda Frugé recently joined the fi m from the law fi m of Schutte, Richardson, Eversberg, Cronin, Judice & Avocato. This strategic addition brings decades of litigation, transactional and trial experience, enhancing Taylor Porter’s capabilities to serve its clients in all major areas of practice.

Building a safe, secure and resilient world.

Congratulations to our team! IEM is honored to be recognized as a “Best Place to Work” for the 9th time by the team members who call our Baton Rouge office home.

www.iem.com

For over 38 years, we have been on a mission to create a culture of preparedness and build resilient communities. Our team — now 1200 strong — makes that mission a reality. We thank each member of Team IEM for their dedication, collaboration, and continued commitment to exceptional customer service.

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R E C H A R G E T R AV E L

Renita Williams Thomas

Principal and CEO, In Loving Arms HealthCare for Kids

DON KADAIR

“Traveling takes me out of my 9-to-5 and gives me the opportunity to get away and refocus my energy.”

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