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LABI board members reveal the main issue affecting their industry for 2023

“Louisiana has an opportunity to lead the nation in producing low carbon energy. We have to get the policy right in 2023 so that this business advantage doesn’t pass Louisiana by. We want to remain an energy state.”

TOMMY FAUCHEUX, President, LMOGA

BY MARY BETH HUGHES

“The top issue in 2023 for Advantous is assisting our industrial and manufacturing clients to navigate federally mandated initiatives in conjunction with the complexities of our state and local tax code as it relates to carbon-capture sequestration, renewable energy, and other emerging forms of energy production.”

JASON DECUIR, Partner, Advantous Consulting, LLC

“Powering a better future—our sights are focused beyond 2023 on building a lower carbon world. There is no one solution to manage the growing energy demand, but Chevron is taking action. While we continue to leverage our oil and gas strengths, we are further reducing emissions by growing our business in renewable fuels, carbon capture and storage, geothermal, and hydrogen. These investments will allow us to continue to be a world energy leader.”

CAMILLE IVY-O’DONNELL, State Government Affairs Representative, Chevron

“The business landscape is experiencing tremendous change, with innovative new technologies making enhancing the stakeholder experience more dynamic than ever. We believe that by emphasizing that hyper-personalized approach with all our stakeholders—from employees and agent partners, to policyholders, injured workers, providers, and citizens—we can live out our purpose to help Louisiana thrive.”

KRISTIN WALL, President and CEO, LWCC

“Bridging the digital divide. AT&T is leading the nation’s largest fiber build, and with AT&T Fiber available to more than 500,000 homes and small businesses in Louisiana, we are a big part of that investment. And now, thanks to the unprecedented federal broadband funds made available, communities across Louisiana are also able to collaborate with companies like AT&T who can bring experience and expertise to expand broadband to even more Louisiana families.”

DAVID J. AUBREY, Regional Vice President, AT&T Louisiana

“The challenge facing many businesses remains finding, securing, and maintaining of committed, dedicated, and talented staff members willing and able to perform the services or produce the products needed. Labor needs will remain even with a potential recession in the economy. Many industries will move more toward automation to resolve or mitigate this need.”

J. H. CAMPBELL JR., Manager, Client Consulting Services, LLC

“The top issue affecting virtually every employer is dealing with the shortage of qualified labor. Legally hiring and retaining productive and cooperative employees is absolutely essential to the growth and prosperity of businesses throughout the U.S. A long-term, workable strategy needs to be implemented which could include elements such as seeking creative sources of applicants, providing attractive pay and benefits, and adopting different conditions of employment (flexible schedules, remote work and the like).”

E. FRED PREIS, JR., Senior Partner, Breazeale Sachse & Wilson, LLP

“In wood products, we’re always mindful of regional housing starts and the variables associated with single- and multi-family construction. Although there’s a persistent need for more skilled labor, buildable land and less regulatory bottlenecks throughout our nation, the immediate issue today are headwinds created by inflation, lifted interest rates and the resulting costs of buying a home.”

SCOTT POOLE, President and COO, MARTCO, LLC

“Our construction-related businesses are deeply concerned about the continuing cost inflation of raw material inputs and machinery and equipment into 2023, and its potential impact on the ability of states, like Louisiana, to put a greater number of infrastructure projects out for bid. Despite increased investment dollars, rising costs are preventing many states from funding the projects they had planned, which could lead to fewer job opportunities for construction workers, fewer projects available for companies like ours to bid on, and continued delays in improvements to the transportation infrastructure system on behalf of the taxpayer/citizen.”

TERRY BAUGH, CFO, D & J Construction Company

From The Board

“While workforce continues to be an important issue, the predictability of government is something to keep an eye on, especially at the federal level.”

TYLER GRAY, Director of Government Relations, Placid Refining Company

“Our top issue and priority continues to be to meet our client’s expectations, especially under volatile material procurement conditions and a labor-challenged market. Efforts to procure cost-effective materials for our projects allow us to perform at a high level and continue our sustained growth. Our talented team works closely with subcontractors that provide welltrained craftsmen capable of performing their trades at the highest quality.”

JOHN L. DONAHUE, III, President & CEO, DonahueFavret

“The top issue the infrastructure industry faces is hiring top talent to deliver the growing number of major projects being advanced by funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Every state in the nation will see increased activity. Now, more than ever, the war on talent is upon us.”

BRYAN JONES, Mid Atlantic Division President, HNTB Corporation

“Consideration of flexible work structures and cultivating a culture and environment that attracts and retains new and diverse talent.”

BOB BARTON, Managing Partner, Taylor Porter

“It’s 2023, but our industry is looking to 2050 and beyond. Progress toward net zero by 2050 is being driven by developing new products, new approaches and new technologies to accelerate and deploy solutions for modern life in a lower-emission future.”

J. CHARLES DABADIE, Americas Regional Manufacturing Manager, ExxonMobil Product Solutions

“The top issue for 2023 in the transportation and logistics industry is workforce. There are over eight million men between the ages of 18 and 60 who are not in the United States workforce. Less than five percent of this eight million have a diagnosable disability—bad back, bad knee, etc. A large percentage of the balance are on some sort of government funded disability–depression, anxiety, etc. This situation is unsustainable.”

TOM O’NEAL, President, O’Nealgas, Inc.

“When the economy thrives, banks thrive… and vice versa. One of our top issues is Louisiana’s growth or lack thereof. We must elect leaders committed to attracting more jobs to our state and supporting the growth of our local businesses.”

JOE ZANCO, President and CEO, Catalyst Bank