PRESIDENT’S VIEW

of us will be OK no matter how this goes. We have been through worse before and have shown our ability to ride out proverbial and literal storms with the best of them. But the tale of the tape will be how our sons and daughters respond to this moment. Do they stay or do they go? To be sure, a decade or so down the road will tell the ultimate story of our conviction… but it won’t take that long before we start seeing the trend, and it will be short order after that when we will know whether we had the guts to be bold or not.

Not sure how bad you want it? Try doing something I like to do when I need to find a heavy dose of courage and conviction. Look in the mirror and see what that person staring back has to say.

Yes, I believe that routines make good daily habits which lead to productive long-term outcomes. Solid daily routines can guide you along life’s journey over the long haul to make sound decisions much more than not. Sure, things like prayer, exercise, eating right, treating others the way you want to be treated, etc. are key to personal growth. Expanding this individual energy into a collective movement is the type of secret sauce Louisiana has long needed.

I never forget there are at least two times a day you must look yourself in the mirror and find that personal accountability when you brush your teeth. This may sound trivial, but I urge you to try hard not to speed through that daily routine. Take the time to look at your reflection and see the man or woman in the glass staring back. Are you living the way you should? Are you doing your part to help Louisiana reach new heights or do you simply look the other way each day while the status quo in our state continues to waste our untapped potential? Try that reflective moment, and you will be surprised how easy it can be to hold yourself accountable and be the best version of yourself more days than not. Once you have pushed yourself, try to do the same analysis for your home state you proclaim to love so much.

To help remind myself of this daily mission, I keep a prayer card taped to my mirror that reads:

The Man In The Glass

When you get what you want in your struggle for self

And the world makes you king for a day, Just go to a mirror and look at yourself, And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife Whose judgment upon you must pass; The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life Is the one staring back from the glass.

Some people may think you’re a straight-shootin’ chum And call you a wonderful guy, But the man in the glass says your only a bum If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

He’s the fellow to please, never mind all the rest For he’s with you clear up to the end, And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years

And get pats on the back as you pass, But your final reward will be heartache and tears

If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

Louisiana’s hopes should not rest on a wing and prayer. It should be determined by a bold strategic plan, our collective will to follow through and our unified passion to be the best version of ourselves.

Don’t cheat the man or woman staring back in the glass from you each day. The same goes for Louisiana. Outsourcing Louisiana’s destiny to others has been tried for decades. It hasn’t worked. A new plan is needed and that plan starts with you. 2023 is our year to change our collective reflection once and for all. Do your part, demand the same of others and make sure we all can one day soon be proud of what we see.

PUBLISHER

Stephen Waguespack

EDITOR

Ashley Gordon

PRODUCTION/DESIGN

Kenli Lacassagne

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Sara Bongiorni, Marie DesOrmeaux Centanni, Emily Kern Hebert, Mariah Manuel Hernandez, Mary Beth Hughes, Gary Perilloux, Jeffery

Roedel

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jeannie Frey Rhodes, Collin Richie

President & CEO

Stephen Waguespack

Communications

VP of Marketing & Strategic Communications:

Ashley Gordon

Political Operations Manager: Mariah Manuel

Hernandez

Director of Technology & Communications

Manager: Mary Beth Hughes

Membership

Director of Membership: Elena Lacour

Policy

VP of Government Relations, Director of Taxation & Finance, Employee Relations and Transportation & Tourism: Jim Patterson

General Counsel & Director of Healthcare, Energy and Civil Justice: Lauren Hadden

Director of Education & Workforce and Small

Business: Brian Davis

Director of Political Action Committees: Andree

Miller

Political Action Committee Coordinator: Hannah

Fontenot

Administration

Chief Financial Officer: Wanda Allphin

Director of Operations: Claire Shirley

Director of Financial Operations, Office Manager: Tabitha Guidry

IT Director: Andre Forbes

Receptionist: Sheila Saniford

Stephen Waguespack

President

& CEO, LABI

Joie de vivre

LOUISIANA CERTAINLY HAS IT. Festivities, fantastic cuisine, music, dance, and a culture beyond compare. Our state is an incredible draw and an entertaining place to live. Just check out all our festivals, back in action, starting on page 88. But while we revel in all the revelry, we as Louisianans know that it’s not enough to sustain us. We need to create a place where our children and our children’s children want to live. That’s why LABI has launched the LA23 initiative. Read more about that on page 57 and join the movement. After all, Louisiana is a state not only of survivors but of thrivers! Check out all the new business taking shape on the following pages. And step on out there and dance. We’ve got something to celebrate—new opportunities are knocking.

- ASHLEY GORDON