Jani-King's Homegrown Success Story: People, Pride, Performance:

Written by Drew Barzenick | Photos by Johnny Chauvin

The success and longevity of a business are often attributed to its executives. However, at Jani-King Gulf Coast, Co-CEO’s Chance Enmon and Casey Lambert are quick to credit their dedicated leadership team and staff. They take pride in fostering a workplace culture built on collaboration, accountability, and a healthy work-life balance.

Today, Jani-King supports more than 450 franchises across the Gulf Coast, operating from 15 regional support offices with continued plans for expansion. While growing the number of franchises remains a priority, the company places an even greater emphasis on the development and long-term success of its existing franchise owners.

Headquartered in Ponchatoula, Jani-King Gulf Coast serves as the central hub for sales, operations, marketing, and franchise support, providing the resources and leadership necessary for sustained growth.

Over the past decade, the Executive Leadership Team has played a pivotal role in shaping that growth. Every member of the team was born and/or educated in Tangipahoa Parish, where they proudly live and work today. Their shared roots and unified leadership have been instrumental in driving the company’s continued success and commitment to excellence.

MEET THE JANI-KING GULF COAST EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM

JJ O’NEIL, PRESIDENT

JJ O’Neil started as a salesman in 2006. He was then promoted to Regional Director, and in 2012, he became Regional Vice President to support new office openings and oversee regional directors.

In 2023, JJ was named President of Jani-King Gulf Coast. Known among his peers as “the tip of the spear” in business execution, JJ now oversees the entire organization. He values Jani-King’s family-owned roots and culture-first approach, and he supports over 450 franchise owners with a strong sense of responsibility that he encourages throughout the company.

“It is special to be a part of an organization that is culture-forward and that ensures the culture is protected. We are growth-oriented in our business, but more importantly, we are here to support franchise owners and staff.”

MELISSA STANGA, VP OF FINANCE

Melissa Stanga is approaching her fifteenth year, having started as an assistant controller. Over the years, she has transformed the company’s accounting processes and built a strong team around her, enabling the organization to grow and thrive.

Melissa works closely with middle management to help bring people on board. She has a particular talent for leadership development and training; in this, she makes a lasting impact on the organization. In her role, Melissa oversees all finance and accounting functions for the organization.

“We are more than a successful company; we are a family that celebrates, supports, and grows together. We are all better together.”

AL HEBERT, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

Al Hebert brings over two decades of operations experience to his leadership role. He oversees both sales and day-to-day operations across the entire Gulf Coast region.

His role involves supporting regional teams with growth decisions, hiring, performance metrics, and helping them navigate tough choices. What Al values most about Jani-King is the company’s genuine focus on its people. It’s a principle they practice every day and strive to instill throughout the entire region.

“We want every franchise owner to feel supported. We want every employee to feel supported. The reason we are all able to do that is because the people at the office here in Ponchatoula support us.”

DESTIN SIMS, GENERAL COUNSEL

Destin Sims has been with Jani-King Gulf Coast for 10 years. She began part-time while serving as a public defender for the City of Hammond Juvenile Court. She had done extensive work with children and was reluctant to leave that role, but the challenges of COVID led her to accept a full-time position with Jani-King.

Having an in-house lawyer as part of the executive team has been invaluable. Destin is involved in day-to-day decisions and has the trust of franchise owners. Having spent years working in Colorado, she’s thankful to be able to come home and be near her family while working for a great, local company.

“I see a lot of growth in our future. We are all one big family, and we try to do what is right every day for our franchise owners.”