UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE Letter from Jan Swift: Executive Director
Upcoming Events Upper Lafayette Philanthropist of the Year March 19, 2013, 11:30 a.m. Focus on Oil and Gas Industry Fifth Annual Crawfish Boil April 18, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Couret Farms
Jan Swift, Executive Director
Many strides are being taken in our community to improve educational outcomes and we are fortunate to be included with a seat at the various “tables.” We are particularly proud of Adrian Baudoin, immediate past president of ULEDF, who is serving on several committees working with LPSS’s efforts to improve services delivered. We want to thank Adrian for serving on LaPESC (Lafayette Parish Education Stakeholders Council), in addition to a committee set up by the Chamber to assess LPSS’s technology needs, and a separate blue ribbon committee which will study the best ways in which LPSS can fund future initiatives to build new schools and refurbish existing ones. Volunteer work such as this takes up much time and effort and we are grateful, Adrian! I would also like to thank Chad Broussard of Sylvan Learning Center for serving on LaPESC with Adrian and me.
On February 25, we hosted a community outreach event at Northside High where we heard about the school’s improving scores as well as their great needs in “human capital” and monetary resources. Principal Melinda Voorhies delivered a dynamic presentation which made everyone present want to jump up and pitch in, as well as hug her! The evening included an overview of the athletic departments’ needs made by Athletic Director, Trent Ellis. For more on this event, please see Page 2. Rotary Clubs throughout Lafayette are also to be commended for leading Choices Interactive Workshops for our local 8th grade students. Choices was established to address the high school dropout epidemic nationwide by focusing on motivating kids to stay in school, make wise choices, and introduce them to practical life skills that will help them succeed. I was honored to attend a presentation made by Rotary North members Kat Crappel and Joy Miguez at Carencro Middle School which was very well received! More details of Choices may be read on Page 7 herein.
ULEDF Board of Directors & Staff
We hope to see you at our March 19 luncheon where we will honor Paul Hilliard as Philanthropist of the Year. This event has become a cherished tradition for Upper Lafayette!
David Welch, President
March Meeting to Honor Paul Hilliard as Philanthropist of the Year
Cherie Hebert, V. President Todd Citron, Sec./Treasurer
Paul Hilliard will be the recipient of our Third Annual Philanthropist of the Year Award. Hilliard is well known for his civic involvement and generosity. Please join us as we honor Paul on Tuesday, March 19, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Petroleum Club. Our March meeting will also focus on the Oil and Gas Industry’s impact on our community.
Amos Batiste Adrian Baudoin Julie Dronet Don Dupuis Ed Krampe Donna Landry
Tickets are $35 each or $250 for a reserved table for eight. You may register online at www.upperlafayette.com under our Events section or mail payment to ULEDF, P. O. Box 53107, Lafayette LA 70505. Please contact Jennifer at 769-7649 or Jennifer@upperlafayette.com with any questions.
Kirk LaCour Beau Phares Dwight “Bo” Ramsay Herbert Schilling
Paul Hilliard
Bryan Tabor Jerry Vascocu
Special thanks to our Sponsors, Lafayette Airport Commission/Fly Lafayette Club and Louisiana Oil and Gas Association.
Monty Warren Jan Swift, Director
Volume 51
March 2013
Printed by Lafayette Economic Development Authority
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Upper Lafayette Hosts Northside High Community Outreach Event On February 25, Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation hosted a special presentation at Northside High School to facilitate discussion between community leaders and the school’s administration, and to open the door to ways the community can help improve the school’s future. Upper Lafayette board member Amos Batiste graciously served as emcee of the event and explained that such efforts are part of our foundation’s three key focus areas: community building, improving educational outcomes and economic development. “These are exciting times for Northside High School and Upper Lafayette, as both continue to grow,” Batiste said. Northside High Principal Melinda Voorhies presented statistics on the school’s rising performance and ACT scores. Northside has also experienced fewer discipline and attendance problems this year, Melinda Voorhies, Northside High Principal which “Ms. V.” said is a result of empowering the students to have a voice in how their good behavior should be rewarded instead of just punishing bad behavior. One of the principal’s first acts as principal was to create Viking Bucks, which are tokens that students receive for good behavior that they can redeem for rewards every two weeks. Student advisors a prominent role inLafayhelping shape the Onplayed February 25, Upper reward system which has had great success in encouraging wise choices.
ette Economic Development Foundation a special Voorhies also discussed the continuing challenges Northside faces, i.e., its 59% graduation rate andhosted 22% dropout rate, Voorhies said. She would also like to see the school’s average ACT score rise to 20, which is the minimal score for most college admission presentation at Northside High standards. Voorhies was passionate about the school’s open door in asking for assistance from us all. “I need human capital. I need people on facilitate discussion campus. I need people to come here and be role models and mentors,” Voorhies said.School “I need to people walking around and making sure between community leaders everybody is doing what they are supposed to do and interacting with kids. The kids eat that stuff up, and it’s the little things.” Voorhies also excitedly explained plans to open a new academy of broadcast journalism next year which will be designed to teach and the school’s administrastudents about working in multimedia. tion, and to open the door to ways the canbecome help a major comNorthside Athletic Director Trent Ellis said he hopes having students working in broadcast andcommunity radio media will ponent of the school’s athletic programs. Ellis is also hopeful to receive private contributions to help install artificial improve the school’s future.turf at Northside’s
football field, which he discussed while showing photos of the less than ideal current grassy (and weedy) field. Ellis said LPSS will cover half of the cost of the new turf if Northside can raise the other half via private funding, with total installation costs appraised at approximately $250,000. In addition, Ellis also shared photos of the run down locker rooms, baseball and softball dugouts, and his hopes that private sponsors would help defray costs of repairs. Further wish list items include a new school activity bus, which would reduce transportation costs to and from games, a remodeled press box and a Wall of Champions in the football stadium and gym. For more information on ways you can directly help Northside High, please call Joyce Ellis at (337)521-7990. Kudos to Northside for the wonderful progress being made!
Melinda Voorhies speaking at the Upper Lafayette Community Outreach Event
Volume 51, Page 2
March 2013
Amos Batiste telling the community about Upper Lafayette
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Hub City Ford Celebrates 70 Years!
Jarvis Fortier 66 years
Rusty Citron 41 years
The image of a hub being the center of a wheel seems most appropriate when talking about an automobile dealership here in Acadiana’s Hub City. The wheel invokes a mental picture of a circle with spokes radiating inward toward a sturdy center. Today when we think of “wheels”, we think of a fancy new car or maybe a hefty pickup truck.
Marcelle Citron 34 years
Ramona Cole 56 years
Jackie Lasiter 41 years
For years, at the center of the car and truck market here in Lafayette has been Hub City Ford Inc., founded in 1943 and still rolling right along today. Officials of Hub City Ford say the name is a most appropriate one, not only because of its location in Lafayette, but also because of its employee profile. “We are especially proud of the fact that we employ people from areas all around Acadiana”, said General Manager, Todd Citron. Of the company’s 147 employees, 78 of them are from municipalities surrounding Lafayette. “This is part of the strength of not only our organization, but of Lafayette herself,” said Richard “Jarvis” Fortier, company President. “Lafayette is fortunate in that she draws in people from the surrounding ‘bedroom’ communities, people who come here to work because of the opportunities,” Jarvis Fortier said. “And we are by no means the only company around who employs many people from the surrounding cities.” The Fortier and Citron families point to Brown Fortier Sr., the founder of Hub City Ford, as being a visionary who predicted during the 1940’s that Lafayette would become the commercial, distribution and shopping center of the Acadiana region. “Legend has it that Brown Fortier moved us here in 1943 to establish the premier Ford dealership in the area. He recognized Lafayette as the center of a growing region, Todd Citron said. “And he began to refer to Lafayette as the “Hub City”, mainly because of its geographical location in the center of Acadiana and the State.”
Richard Fortier 41 years
Donald Scott 41 years
Albert Melancon 40 years
“So that is where the idea of Hub City Ford came from,” Jarvis Fortier added. “I don’t think any other business had that name when my father started using it.” His father’s motto, he said, was “Treat the people right and work like hell. Back then there were only about 1820,000 people in Lafayette, and though the city was growing steadily, there were really only minor indications that Lafayette would grow as strong and as vital to Acadiana as she is today,” Jarvis Fortier said. Karen Babineaux 39 years
Volume 51, Page 3
Danny Kober 39 years
March 2013
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Hub City Ford Celebrates 70 Years
Jimmy LeBlanc 29 years
Billy Fortier 39 years
Bill Finley 30 years
Randy Touchet 38 years
The strength and vitality of Hub City Ford’s business remains their truck business. Hub City Ford is and has been for many years the #1 selling ford truck dealer in Louisiana. With the resilience of the Ford Motor Company to avoid a U.S. Government bailout in combination with the recently completed 42 acre facility, the dealership has shown a huge increase in business in the last couple of years. Hub City Ford is consistently among the Top 100 Dealers in sales volume in the country. Hub City Ford has also been awarded the President’s Award for customer satisfaction 4 out of the last 5 years, only missing during the year of the transition from the Truck Center to the new vehicle facility on the west side of I-49. This year will mark the 70th year in business for Hub City Ford. “We recognize that our employees are the reason for our success,” said Todd Citron. “We have a responsibility to our customers to provide the highest customer service as well as an obligation to serve the many needs of Lafayette through community service. We thank God every day for all of the many blessings he has shown our company and we pray that He will continue to guide us in helping to make Lafayette the best place on Earth to raise a family.” Ford vehicles currently boast the “best in the industry” fuel economy. So, if you are thinking about trading in your gas guzzler, the employees of Hub City Ford would like to invite you to Upper Lafayette to “Swap your Ride.”
Glenn Rivoire 28 years
Betty Lagneaux 37 years
Volume 51, Page 4
Jerome Schexnider 36 years
Joe Deville 30 years
Joy Citron 28 years
Jack Broussard 31 years
Sheldon Primeaux 28 years
March 2013
Leo Antoine 34 years
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LEDA Hosts Business Incentives Seminar Local businesses had the opportunity to get an overview of State and Local Tax incentive programs on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at the LITE center. The event was moderated by Mark Mouton, Director of Business Retention and Expansion at the Lafayette Economic Development Authority and featured presentations by the various program administrators which included: Louisiana Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) Small Business Loan Guaranty Program Angel Investor Tax Credit Program Board of Commerce and Industry (C&I) Industrial Tax Exemption Program Restoration Tax Abatement Program Quality Jobs Program Enterprise Zone Program Louisiana Workforce commission Job Listings Recruitment Assistance Work Opportunity Tax Credit Training Programs Louisiana Department of Revenue Sales/Use Tax Rebate Mark Mouton, LEDA Refundable Investment Tax Credit Director of Business Retention and Expansion LEDA assists businesses and individuals of all sizes and interests. Anyone seeking more information about any of these programs may contact Mark Mouton at LEDA at (337)593-1409.
Goodwill Opens New Retail Store in Carencro Goodwill Industries of Acadiana opened a Retail Store in the Derek Plaza Shopping Center in Carencro on February 5, 2013 with special giveaways and drawings for Goodwill gift cards. Mayor Glenn Brasseaux assisted Goodwill President Sandy Purgahn in cutting the red ribbon to officially open the new store. Several area dignitaries were also on hand, along with members of the Goodwill Board of Directors. According to Marketing Director Kelly Courville, “The people of Carencro have been so generous over the past two years with their donations, that we responded to the requests to open a store!� The reality is, Goodwill looks at a number of factors to determine where new Retail Stores should be located. This store will serve Carencro, Upper Lafayette and surrounding communities. Courville and store manager Jonathon Thorne are very proud of this location. The drive-thru donation drop off makes it easy and convenient for donors to drop off donations and the store is mindfully set up so that shoppers can quickly and easily find what they need. New items are added to the sales floor several times a day allowing customers to constantly find new bargains and treasures! For more information see http://www.lagoodwill.com.
Grand Opening draws crowd
Judy Cox, J. L. Richard and Mayor Glenn Brasseaux
Volume 51, Page 5
March 2013
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Trees Acadiana Bring Beauty to Surrey Street The morning of Saturday, February 16, was crisp and clear, and a perfect setting for the dozens of volunteers who showed up at the School Board property on Surrey Street to beautify the surroundings. TreesAcadiana organized the massive landscaping project held on Arbor Day, and the club worked in collaboration with the Lafayette Parish School System. Approximately 150 native Louisiana trees and a variety of shrubbery were planted in front of the LPSS School bus depot, and the surrounding LPSS offices. Spotted in the crowd with a shovel in hand was Dr. Pat Cooper, Superintendent of Lafayette public schools. Professor Jim Foret, UL – Lafayette Professor of Horticulture, laid out the plans for the landscaping, and was on hand to assist in the endeavor. The Salvation Army had a “canteen” drink stand set up, and the Lafayette Fire Department and Lafayette City Police were present. Sarah Schoeffler, organizer of the event, said “this is the most ambitious Arbor Day planting undertaken by TreesAcadiana.”
Volume 51, Page 6
Next time you drive by the Lafayette School System on Surrey Street across from Vermilionville, please notice the new landscaping. We are fortunate to have such generous and kind individuals who work tirelessly to beautify our community on behalf of us all. Kudos to TreesAcadiana and the Lafayette Parish School System for this wonderful undertaking to enhance Upper Lafayette’s scenery.
March 2013
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Choices Interactive Workshops Presented by Acadiana Rotary Clubs Every day in America, 7,000 students drop out of school, curtailing most of their opportunities for a fulfilling and prosperous future. In Acadiana, Rotary Clubs have partnered with Choices Education Group in an attempt to stem our high rate of dropouts. Aided by a $50,000 grant from Taco Bell, and a $5,000 grant from Lemoine Company, local Rotaries are volunteering to teach Choices Workshops in 8th grade middle school classes across our region. The Lemoine Company will present workshops at Paul Breaux Middle School. These classes consist of two classroom workshops that empower teens to make positive educational choices and point out the real world consequences of dropping out of school. The students are also introduced to skills for success such as self-discipline, decision making, time management and goal setting. Choice workshops have been presented to more than 6 million teens since 1985.
Kat Crappel and Joy Miguez teaching Choices interview skills at Carencro Middle
Kat Crappel and Joy Miguez, Lafayette Rotary North, recently paired to lead a dynamic Choices session at Ms. West’s science class at Carencro Middle School. Students learned the importance of building a resume through good grades, work experience and volunteer work. Kat was a good sport and let the kids turn the table on her by playing the role of job applicant while smacking her gum and checking her cell phone during the mock interview. It was easy for Joy to get the kids to laugh and point out the various reasons that Kat would never get a job acting so unprofessionally! Choices workshops are highly effective and fun for all involved. For more information, please see www.choices.org. Upper Lafayette congratulates and thanks Rotary Club and the Lemoine Company for a wonderful job of making a real difference in the lives of our impressionable teens.
Ms. West’s 8th Grade Science Class
Upper Lafayette to Provide LYS Scholarships The Upper Lafayette Board voted to award scholarships to Northside and Carencro High so they may each send a student to the Louisiana Youth Seminar in Baton Rouge this July. LYS is a weeklong leadership camp held at LSU during the third week in July. During LYS, students go through a series of skill building exercises focused on leadership skills. Through a series of “hands on” experiences, they use their newly developed skills in a group setting to discover that leadership is not merely a matter of position or authority, but a matter of action. Students are encouraged to make a difference and to apply their knowledge and experience in their schools and communities. LYS is specifically designed for incoming high school juniors and seniors (and sophomores who are up for the challenge) who demonstrate leadership abilities in their schools and communities. Students come to LYS in a variety of ways: nominated by their school or a teacher, registered by their parent, recruited by LYS alum, recommended by a friend. Approximately 300 students attend each summer. LYS 2013 is the 43rd annual LYS, with over 9,000 students having attended over the past four decades. For more information or to make a donation please contact Jennifer at 769-7649 or visit the LYS website at http://louisianayouthseminar. org/site.php.
Volume 51, Page 7
March 2013
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INNOV8 Lafayette Seeking to Award Acadiana Based Innovation! INNOV8 Lafayette and the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce are on a search for innovative products, programs,
processes or services. This is your opportunity to nominate someone you know; a customer, client, friend or your own innovation. The innovation can represent most any category such as business and industry, government, non-profit, arts/culture, etc. The innovation or innovative program must have been substantially started or completed during 2012 and be located within the Acadiana parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, or Vermilion. The deadline is March 15, 2013. Applicants will be judged by an impartial panel of judges. The winners will be announced at a special INNOV8 Lafayette Awards Show at Acadiana Center for the Arts on Monday April 22, 2013 at 7:30pm. For more information about INNOV8, visit www.INNOV8Lafayette.com<http://www.INNOV8Lafayette.com.
Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation Mission Statement “Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation is an association of proactive individuals and business leaders joined together to be a catalyst for change. The Foundation’s mission is to enhance and direct the positive, planned growth of Upper Lafayette, focusing on quality of life, while participating in the overall development of the Greater Lafayette Metropolitan Area.”
For membership information or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jan Swift at jan@upperlafayette.com or 337-769-7649
Special Thanks to Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation Supporters PLATINUM Members Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc. Acadiana Computer Systems, Inc. Aries Marine Corporation ASH/Badger Oil Company Couret Farms Cox Communications Home Furniture Hub City Ford IberiaBank Lafayette General Medical Center McDonald’s of Acadiana MidSouth Bank Our Lady of Lourdes Republic National Distributing Company Schilling Distributing Company Stone Energy Corporation Whitney National Bank GOLD Members Acadiana Rubber & Gasket Atmos Energy Beau Box Commercial Real Estate Dupre’ Logistics, LLC Home Bank Omni Energy Services Opelousas General Health System Tobacco Free Living
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SILVER Members Ace Plumbing, Inc. BBR Creative Edward Jones/Bob Crist Excelerant Guidry’s Uniforms Master Builders & Specialists, Inc. Oakbourne Country Club Rader Solutions Shelf Energy, LLC SLEMCO The Southwest Group Stirling Properties Walters Funeral Home BRONZE Members Acadiana Symphony Orchestra Advancial Federal Credit Union Aspen Clinic Associated Travel Jean C. Breaux, Jr. & Associates Bridge Ministry of Acadiana, Inc. Community Foundation of Acadiana Crawdaddy’s On-Site Catering Derek Development Corp., LLC Joey Durel ECGC Women’s Business Center Lynn Guidry, Architect John Paul The Great Academy Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic
March 2013
BRONZE Continued Lee Verret/State Farm Insurance Agency Lowry’s Printing and Copying Flo Meadows, Coldwell Banker Melancon I-49 Storage Center Petroleum Club Rayne State Bank/Buddy Webb Ron J. Gaubert Realtors W. W. Rucks, III Second Harvest Food Bank Ken Simeral, Coldwell Banker Sylvan Learning Center Terry J. Rogers WorldPay SPONSORS PLATINUM IberiaBank Lafayette Airport Commission McDonald’s of Acadiana Schilling Distributing Company Stone Energy GOLD Hub City Ford LOGA Tobacco Free Living SILVER Acadian Companies Advancial Federal Credit Union BRONZE City of Carencro City of Scott Scott Police Dept.
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