Biz New Orleans April 2020

GIVING BACK ISSUE

United for a Cure LEFT TO RIGHT

leukemia survivor Da’Ni Otis; Allison Shapiro Dandry with Krispy Krunchy Chicken; leukemia survivor Jack White; and Chris Bellone with McEnergy Company

Industry and community leaders join to fight blood cancer

APRIL 2020

April VOLUME 06 ISSUE 07

EVERY ISSUE

FEATURES

PERSPECTIVES

FROM THE LENS

06 EDITOR’S NOTE 07 PUBLISHER’S NOTE 08 CALENDAR 10 INDUSTRY NEWS 11 RECENT OPENINGS 12 EVENTS

IN THE BIZ DINING........................... 16

A look at five chefs who have broken free from their Cajun and French training to create their own New Orleans-style Chinese food

REAL ESTATE + CONSTRUCTION. . .......... 30

In addition to serving as an invaluable marketing tool for local builders, last year’s Parade of Homes dream home raffle raised $1.7 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

TOURISM. . ...................... 18

New Orleans & Company’s 2020 marketing plan positions the organization to find success, even in adversity.

SPORTS .. ....................... 20

ENTERTAINMENT.. ....... 22

ENTREPRENEUR.......... 24

Doing a little selfmarketing? A few basics to keep in mind.

INSURANCE................... 36

The majority of cyberattacks are on small businesses.

How can you keep yours safe?

GUEST PERSPECTIVE.... 38

ETIQUETTE. . .................. 26

7 essential business etiquette tips for nailing your summer (or any) internship

The Spa at the Windsor Court gets renovated, refreshed and renewed to accommodate client growth and offer an expanded list of services

White collar torts are nothing new, but there are things you can do to help protect your business.

NBA franchise values are climbing faster than both NFL and MLB teams.

Boxing is alive in New Orleans again, thanks to one local gym owner.

GREAT WORKSPACES.........................................................72

LAW................................. 34

Having a meeting to solve a problem?

You better make sure you ask these two questions first.

WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?. . .....................................74

40 46 United for a Cure

Quarter Life Challenges

Business and community leaders are joining to try and raise $1 million to fight blood cancer through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year campaign.

During the month French Quarter Fest was scheduled to return for its 37th year, area business owners weigh in on the issues they face year-round.

After only a year in business, Tap Truck NOLA has become the latest must-have for any event.

MAKING A MATCH: BUSINESSES + NONPROFITS. . .....76

Is your company passionate about the environment? Green Light New Orleans offers many different ways to help the city get a little greener.

ON THE JOB..........................................................................80

Dress for Success

ON THE COVER (left to right) leukemia survivor Da’Ni Otis; Allison Shapiro Dandry with Krispy Krunchy Chicken; leukemia survivor Jack White; and Chris Bellone with McEnergy Company Photograph by Romero & Romero

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

3

PUBLISHER Todd Matherne

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde Managing Editor Kimberley Singletary Art Director Sarah George Associate News Editor Rich Collins Contributors Julia Carcamo, Rich Collins, Jennifer Larino, Keith Loria, Pamela Marquis, Ashley McLellan, Chris Price, Jessica Rosgaard, Jennifer Gibson Schecter, James Sebastien, Melanie Warner Spencer, Poppy Tooker, Keith Twitchell ADVERTISING Vice President of Sales Colleen Monaghan (504) 830-7215 Colleen@BizNewOrleans.com Sales Manager Caitlin Sistrunk (504) 830-7252 Caitlin@BizNewOrleans.com Senior Account Executive Brennan Manale (504) 830-7298 Brennan@BizNewOrleans.com Senior Account Executive Jessica Jaycox (504) 830-7255 JessicaJ@BizNewOrleans.com MARKETING Director of Marketing & Events Jeanel Luquette Event Coordinator Abbie Dugruise DIGITAL Digital Media Editor Kelly Massicot Digital Operations Manager Sarah Duckert PRODUCTION Traffic Coordinator Lane Brocato Traffic Assistant Jeremiah Michel Production Manager Emily Andras Production Designers Rosa Balaguer, Meghan Rooney ADMINISTRATION Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive Vice President Errol Laborde Office Manager Mallary Matherne Distribution Manager John Holzer Audience Development Claire Sargent For subscriptions, call (504) 830-7231

2016 Bronze: Best Feature Layout 2017 Bronze: Best Daily Email 2017 Silver: Best Recurring Feature 2018 Gold: Most Improved Publication 2018 Silver: Best Recurring Feature 2019 Gold: Best Recurring Feature 2019 Gold: Best Explanatory Journalism

110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123 • Metairie, LA 70005 • (504) 828-1380 Biz New Orleans is published monthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380. Subscription rate: one year $24.95, two year $39.95, three year $49.95—foreign rates vary call for pricing. Postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Biz New Orleans, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2020 Biz New Orleans. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Biz New Orleans is registered. Biz New Orleans is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Biz New Orleans are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner.

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

5

EDITOR’S NOTE

Strange Times THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I’VE EVER BEEN WORKING ON THE CALENDAR SECTION

of a magazine while at the same time wondering if any of the events I’m typing in will actually come to pass.

The nature of the magazine business is that we work in advance — we send the magazine out to be printed weeks before it’s released — so every time I write my editor’s note I’m writing to people in the future. That’s never struck me as strange as it does now.

Right now, it’s a beautiful mid-March day — 80 degrees, not a cloud in the sky — which is totally surreal because it feels like the sky is falling.

We’re just a few days in to this pandemic and emails are flooding in about canceled events, my daughter’s school just got closed for two days because of a possible exposure so now I too have found myself stuck at home, surrounded by more antibacterial products than I’ve owned in my life.

But while I wrestle with childcare issues and agonize over canceling upcoming trips, I think of the two families I talked to for this cover issue. I think of what it would be like to have a child whose immune system is so compromised from fighting a deadly disease that they can’t even go to a parade or have a pet. I think of the helplessness, the fear, that those parents, those kids, must be feeling in a time like this and I’m instantly humbled, and so grateful that there are people out there every day providing them with support in every way they can.

There’s a quote I love by artist and writer Mary Anne Radmacher who said, “As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.” In this, our annual Giving Back issue, I want to thank everyone who chooses to spend any amount of their time trying to make this world a little better, a little less dark and scary, for anyone in any way. Really, what more productive way is there to spend your time?

Thank you for reading,

Kimberley Singletary, Managing Editor

6

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

No Stopping Love WHAT A TIME WE ARE HAVING! AS I WRITE

this month’s publishers note (in early March) we are in an all-out virus crisis with events shutting down left and right. My hope is that by the time our April issue hits the street and you read this column, the crisis is behind us and things are looking up.

One thing that I know will not be canceled, is the third wedding in our family. We have three daughters all really close in age and they are in marriage mode all at the same time.

Our daughter Mallary is getting married to a wonderful gentleman named Ryan this month and nothing will stop our families from celebrating this wonderful joy in their and our lives. It will be an out-of-town destination wedding this time, and we hope all those RSVPs continue to come and celebrate this great nuptial blessing.

High school sweethearts, Mallary and Ryan have been together for over 10 years and planned their marriage around Ryan finishing medical school last month and graduating next month. As you can see, careful planning has been orchestrated around the date and the chosen location is outdoors and beautiful.

So, no matter the circumstances as they develop around the virus crisis, we will have a great celebration this month surrounded by loved ones.

Congratulations Mallary and Ryan: You will have a great story to tell throughout your lives together.

“Married during the Pandemic.”

Todd Matherne

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

7

CALENDAR

April 3 Social Media Boot Camp Webinar: Insta? What is it? How do I use it?

Hosted by Brianna Cunningham, sales and marketing professional 12 to 1 p.m.

Cost is $15 instagram.com/citylove.co/ 8 St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce Leadership Northshore Luncheon 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Harbor Center 100 Harbor Center Blvd., Slidell StTammanyChamber.org 8 New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce Black Entrepreneurs Happy Hour 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Parish Hall Co-Working Space 2533 Columbus St., New Orleans NORBChamber.org 9 St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce B2B Networking 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Chamber Board Room 610 Hollycrest Blvd., Covington StTammanyChamber.org 14 Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana Townhall Roundtable and Business Luncheon 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hyatt Regency New Orleans 601 Loyola Ave., New Orleans HCCL.biz

17 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Business and Breakfast 7:45 to 9:30 a.m.

Holiday Inn New Orleans Westbank 275 Whitney Ave., Gretna JeffersonChamber.org 22 The Funding Seed Nonprofit Fundraising 101 Workshop 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Ashe Power House Theater 1731 Baronne St., New Orleans TheFundingSeed.com 22 We Are Connect-ED a platform for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals come together and build real and lasting relationships 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The Microsoft Store Lakeside Shopping Center 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd.

WeAreConnect-ed.com 29 New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Educational Seminar: Effective Networking Tactics 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

1515 Poydras St., 5th Floor Auditorium NewOrleansChamber.org 29 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Prosper Jefferson: Exit Planning 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

JEDCO Conference Center 701A Churchill Pkwy., Avondale JeffersonChamber.org

16 ABWA Monthly Luncheon 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Forum 3131 Veterans Blvd., ABWANewOrleans.org 16 New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Power Breakfast 8 to 9:30 a.m.

1515 Poydras St., 5th Floor Auditorium NewOrleansChamber.org

8

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

For a more complete list of events, visit BizNewOrleans. com. We’d love to include your business-related event in next month’s calendar.

Please email details to Editorial@BizNewOrleans.com.

INDUSTRY NEWS

RANKINGS

WAGES

New Orleans Grabs Three No. 1 Rankings from Southern Living

Only 2.2% of New Orleans Workers Make Six Figures

In its April issue, Southern Living magazine announced the winners of its fourth annual South’s Best Awards, recognizing readers’ favorite Southern destinations and experiences, covering everything from hotels and restaurants to cities, small towns, and shopping. New Orleans garnered 10 accolades across top 10 lists, including three No. 1 wins.

Researchers at Volusion analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and found the following for the New Orleans-Metairie, Louisiana metro:

2.2%

Share of employment in six-figure occupations

5.5%

Percent change in six-figure employment (2015-2018)

#1 Best Food City: New Orleans #1 Best BBQ Joint in Louisiana: The Joint

11,530

#1 Best Classic Restaurant: Commander’s Palace

Total employment in six-figure occupations

OTHER TOP RANKINGS INCLUDED:

$34,020

#3 Best New Restaurant: The Elysian Bar #3 Best Dive Bar: Port of Call #4 Best City Overall: New Orleans #4 Best Historic Hotel: Hotel Monteleone #5 Best Bar: Saint-Germain #9 Best Garden Shop: The Plant Gallery #9 Best Local Restaurant: Coquette To view the complete list, visit SouthernLiving. com/souths-best

Median annual wage across all occupations CONSTRUCTION

Delgado Maritime Training Facility Awarded $850,000 Federal Grant The Delgado Community College Maritime and Industrial Training Facility in New Orleans East has been awarded an $850,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). The grant will be matched with over $264,000 in local funds and is expected to create 100 jobs, according to the EDA. Delgado’s facility will train new deckhands in preparation for entry into the inland water transportation industry.

Most overindexed six-figure occupation: petroleum engineers Highest-paying six-figure occupations: chief executives, anesthesiologists, internists and surgeons

Port of South Louisiana Receives $13.4 Million Grant At a ceremony held Feb. 21 at Globalplex’s Guesthouse, U.S. Maritime Administrator Admiral Mark H. Buzby, along with Senator Bill Cassidy and Representative Garret Graves, formally presented a check for $13.4 million to Port of South Louisiana Executive Director Paul Aucoin, a grant approved through the new U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development (PID) program for a Multi-Modal Connections project at Globalplex Intermodal Terminal. Globalplex’s infrastructure and cargo has quadrupled since 2007. The improvement project, which was also awarded funds from Louisiana’s Capital Outlay program, will include a new heavy capacity dock access bridge, an access road, a rail spur and a dry storage area with conveyors to move bulk material.

10

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

“

The Jefferson Chamber is thrilled to partner with The U.S. Chamber to welcome hundreds of owners of small and growing businesses to the CO- New Orleans, LA forum, an event that brings new skills, insight and actionable advice to business owners. Our event will feature structured networking opportunities, inspirational business success stories, and how-to presentations focusing on specific business skills.

Jefferson Chamber of Commerce President Todd Murphy. CO-New Orleans will take place at Pythian Market (234 Loyola Ave.) on Wednesday, May 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. General admission is $50.

Convention Center and Urban League Launch New Small Business Awards — Submissions Due by April 17 The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and Urban League of Louisiana have announced the launch of the Ernest N. Morial Small Business of the Year Award and the Ernest N. Morial Corporation of the Year Award to honor the legacy former mayor and civil rights activist Ernest N. “Dutch” Morial. The awards will recognize a small business and a corporation that continue to demonstrate innovative growth and economic impact, as well as exceptional contributions to the sustainability and growth of local communities and small businesses across the state of Louisiana.

For eligibility criteria and nomination requirements, visit morialaward.com.

Submissions are due Friday, April 17, by 5 p.m. Award honorees will be named at the Urban League of Louisiana’s annual gala on June 27, 2020.

RECENT OPENINGS

COMING SOON

New Housing for Tulane University The former Warwick Hotel, a 12-story building located at 1315 Gravier St., is now being leased by Tulane University. The university is currently renovating the building with plans to create 154 apartments for graduate students, researchers, physicians, faculty and other affiliates of its expanding downtown campus.

The project — adjacent to Tulane University School of Medicine — will also add ground floor retail space, including a full-service restaurant, coffee shop, graband-go food options, patio space and lounge seating. Renovations are expected to be completed no later than August 2021.

COMING SOON

Renovated Pan American Life Center Commercial real estate company Stirling Properties is currently undergoing a $7 million renovation of the Pan American Life Center, a 673,000-squarefoot premier office building located at the corner of Poydras Street and St. Charles Avenue.

The project will include a renovated café, state-of-the-art conference center and upgraded ground floor lobby. Office tenants include Pan American Life Insurance Group, IBERIABANK, Morris Bart Law Offices, McGlinchey Stafford, Merrill Lynch and Stirling Properties.

During the renovation, the existing café is closed; however, a new Café Micro Market has been opened in the lobby on the first floor. Construction began in early January and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2020.

COMING SOON

Scariano Wholesale Foods Food distribution facility Scariano Wholesale Foods in the Baptist community west of Hammond will be undergoing a $10 million expansion designed to improve transportation, access and logistics at the site while creating 20 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of $42,000 plus benefits.

Louisiana Economic Development estimates the expansion will result in an additional 27 new indirect jobs, for a total of 47 new jobs in Tangipahoa Parish and surrounding areas. Founded in 1930, Scariano Wholesale is celebrating 90 years in business. The familyowned company specializes in the delivery of pork, beef, poultry and seafood. The company has more than 1,200 customers across the Gulf Coast, with a territory spanning from eastern Texas to the Florida Panhandle.

COMING SOON

RAISTONE CAPITAL New York-based financial technology firm Raistone Capital announced March 10 that it will be opening an office at 400 Poydras in New Orleans’ Central Business District. The office will create 50 jobs with a cumulative payroll of $12 million over the next five years. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 44 new indirect jobs, for a total of 94 new jobs in Greater New Orleans.

Leveraging technology, Raistone Capital forms a financial bridge by providing immediate working capital to help companies grow and scale their businesses.

COMING SOON

Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience Expected to draw more than 35,000 visitors a year to New Orleans’ museum district, the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience is expected to open in late summer at 818 Howard Street. Exhibits will explore the many ways Jews in the American South influenced and were influenced by the distinct cultural heritage of their communities, covering 13 states and more than 300 years of history, including the Colonial War, Civil War, World War II and the civil rights movement.

Wing Zone Grill & Tap Wing Zone’s first-ever Wing Zone Grill & Tap opened at 1900 Barataria Boulevard in Marrero on March 1. The full-service restaurant and bar offers pickup, carry out and delivery services, along with new menu items, 12 new beers on tap, wine, premium liquor and a “Wing Zone Punch.”

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

11

EVENTS

1

1

1

2

2

2

3

3

3

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18 | NEW ORLEANS MARRIOTT

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 | THE ROOSEVELT HOTEL

TUESDAY, MARCH 3 | HILTON NEW ORLEANS AIRPORT HOTEL

New Orleans Tourism Leadership Luncheon

New Orleans Chamber of Commerce First Quarter Luncheon

Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast

Governor John Bel Edwards gave the keynote address at this year’s luncheon, joining industry leaders who promoted tourism’s impact on the local economy and the work of New Orleans & Company.

Stephen Waguespack, president and CEO of Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, presented the 2020 Legislative Issues Update at the chamber’s first quarter luncheon.

Michael Hecht, CEO and president of Greater New Orleans, Inc., and Stephen Waguespack, president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, discussed legislation they are supporting at the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce’s annual legislative breakfast.

1. Christine Clouatre, Dianne Waller, Seran Williams and Lori Spansel 2. Kristian Sonnier, Erica Taylor and Robert Reso 3. Tricia Lowe, Fay Nedd and Noel Scallan

1. Adrienne Breaux, Travis Tague and Etienne Tardy 2.

Michael Ruffin, Steve Waguespack and Tandra LeMay 3. Pamela Otibu, Jennifer Williams and Kristi Maupin

1. Alyssa Herbert, Roy Forest and Veronica Reyes 2. Diane Hollis, Tony Ligi and Paula Polito 3. Olivia Szczerba, Larry Dale and Doris Schutte

12

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

In The Biz BIZ COLUMNISTS SPEAK OUT

DINING New Orleans-

style Asian fare

TOURISM New Orleans

& Company’s 2020 marketing plan

SPORTS NBA franchise

values are climbing

ENTERTAINMENT Boxing

is alive in New Orleans

ENTREPRENEUR

Marketing 101

ETIQUETTE Tips for

internship

IN THE BIZ DINING

Comfort Food From Afar A look at five chefs who have broken free from their Cajun and French training to create their own New Orleans-style Asian fare

BY POPPY TOOKER

16

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

I L LU ST R AT I O N BY T O N Y H E A L E Y

A native New Orleanian, Poppy Tooker has spent her life devoted to the cultural essence that food brings to Louisiana, a topic she explores weekly on her NPR-affiliated radio show, Louisiana Eats!

From farmers markets to the homes and restaurants where our culinary traditions are revered and renewed, Poppy lends the voice of an insider to interested readers everywhere.

Conversely, Chef Michael Gulotta was MOST COMFORT FOOD SPRINGS FROM childhood memories of home cooked meals all about fusion when he teamed with his — warm, satisfying dishes like chicken pot brother Jeff and high school buddy Jeff pie, macaroni and cheese or, for New Bybee to open MoPho in 2014. All three had worked in fine dining but dreamed of Orleanians, gumbo.

Ask what comfort food means to Bill Jones opening a real neighborhood restaurant in or Richard Horner of the wildly popular new New Orleans’ Mid-City area — a neighborrestaurant Blue Giant, and the resounding hood they, as well as many of their fellow hospitality workers, called home. Until answer is Chinese food!

While working together in the kitchen at MoPho, Gulotta had trained and spent much Cochon, the pair discovered a shared love for of his career in what he calls “the iron grip Chinese-American food, something Jones of classical French cooking.”

On their days off, Gulotta and his chef describes as “crunchy and firm with no sliminess, like the chow mein and eggrolls cohorts flocked to New Orleans East to relieve their own palates, grown weary of of childhood.”

Jones hails from the Northshore, while heavy, complicated European sauces. There Horner was born in Baltimore and grew up they explored the tastes and techniques in Great Britain. But for both, Chinese food of traditional Vietnamese food, which was always the first choice for birthdays and informed and inspired MoPho’s Southeast special occasions. The two discovered these Asia meets Southeast Louisiana fusion.

Looking back now, Gulotta reflects, “I commonalities over after-shift drinks at Barrel Proof in the Lower Garden District. wasn’t always sure at the start what I was Suffering from what Jones describes as doing — just cooking food I loved but “palate fatigue” resulting from endless hours didn’t know much about. At the end of the cooking Cajun at Cochon, the two began day, I believe we succeeded because MoPho to explore the canon of Chinese-American is simply what we set out to create, a good neighborhood restaurant.” cuisine, often using YouTube for tutorials.

With an insatiable appetite for taste exploAs their obsession grew, the seed for what ration, in late 2016, Gulotta “went off the was to become Blue Giant was planted.

Jones and Horner traveled together, rails” exploring the culinary heritage of Asia spending whole days eating their way in its entirety, marrying together the flavors through Chicago’s Chinatown, moving of Laos and Thailand at his latest restaurant, from dim sum shops to Chinese bakeries, Maypop, which opened in December 2016. testing flavor nuances from Cantonese There, fusion efforts resulted in the delicious to spicy Szechwan. Those adventures led madness of dim sum-style hogshead-cheese to more road research. In Manhattan, the soup dumplings and pork and cane syrup curious chefs focused on wontons, ducks stuffed sesame balls. Gulotta’s Sicilian legacy and noodles, going from spot to spot in shines through in a more recent addition, spicy snapping turtle pasta Bolognese and search of the best.

Back in New Orleans, the duo quickly crawfish etouffee curry over gnocchetti pasta.

No matter your usual comfort zone, New snapped up a prized location at the corner of Magazine and Thalia streets when it became Orleans Asian-style comfort food has someavailable. That quick start was followed by thing to fill the bill. n more than a year of delays caused largely by permitting and construction, but Jones and Horner finally opened Blue Giant’s doors this past January. The giant blue neon catfish, a favored fish of both China and the American South, provides a welcome to astounding lines of hungry eaters waiting in queues that stretch down the block.

Despite crafting his own style of housemade hoisin sauce and using Louisiana oysters in an otherwise traditional, steamed bok choy with oyster sauce, Jones adamantly decries any element of what he refers to as “the ‘f ’ word” — meaning fusion. Blue Giant’s Catch Poppy Tooker on her radio show, menu is intended as a purely classical riff on “Louisiana Eats!” Saturdays at 3 p.m. and Jones’ beloved American-style Chinese food. Mondays at 8 p.m. on WWNO 89.9 FM.

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

17

IN THE BI Z TOURISM

New Orleans & Company’s Plan of Attack New Orleans & Company’s 2020 marketing plan positions the organization to find success, even in adversity .

BY JENNIFER GIBSON SCHECTER

WHILE COVID-19 WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE

a measurable effect on tourism, the staff at New Orleans & Company — the city’s nationally accredited destination marketing organization — is organized and mobilizing on a detailed 2020 marketing plan designed to attract both business and leisure travelers to the city.

“The plan is our playbook,” said Mark Romig, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of New Orleans & Company. “It is our roadmap for success and to positively impact our city’s economy — both from a standpoint of job sustainability and creation, and also tax revenue creation for the city and the state.”

Romig officially joined the New Orleans & Company team in January, when the marketing staff of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC) was absorbed by New Orleans and Company.

The plan identifies this change as one that unifies the city’s business and leisure visitor marketing efforts and positions them to be executed by a single cohesive team.

NUMBERS EXPECTED TO SLOW BUT STAY STRONG

New Orleans tourism has been stronger than ever in recent years. The city welcomed 18.5 million visitors in 2018, a 5% increase over the previous record set in 2017. Those visitors spent $9 billion, also a 5% increase over 2017. Even before COVID-19, however, New Orleans & Company reported it was expecting slow to moderate growth in the near term, followed by a three-year soft period where tourism would continue to grow, but at a lower rate than it has in the recent past. At the same time, however, it expressed confidence in its resources, personnel, strategies and tactics to find success during this period.

The marketing plan addresses five focus areas — convention sales and services, leisure tourism, public affairs, marketing and communications, and external affairs.

Each focus area has five or more objectives and tactics.

18

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

Focused on domestic and international tour operators, travel agents, travel packagers, online travel agencies, social group planners and cruise lines, this team aims to increase New Orleans sales and product packaging in domestic and international leisure markets, increase visitation through social leisure groups, support and promote cruise and airline growth, and develop and execute a multichannel domestic group and international marketing and advertising plan.

2. LEISURE TOURISM

This team works to clearly and consistently communicate New Orleans & Company’s core values with their partners and stakeholders. They will focus on workforce development and building local programs that encourage fair access, treatment, opportunity and advancement for all.

3 . P U B L I C A F FA I R S

New in 2020, this team is a combination of the domestic leisure tourism marketing team and the communications and public relations team whose job is to create editorial content and new campaigns and to protect the city’s reputation as a destination through crisis management strategies.

4. MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

5. EXTERNAL AFFAIRS This team is tasked with fostering positive relationships with members, local businesses, nonprofits and city government to ensure visitors have an exceptional experience. They will focus on educating members about the resources available to them, promoting member services, and recognizing key contributors to the New Orleans tourism industry.

Romig says the plan is solid, even as the situation with COVID-19 unfolds.

“We are obviously monitoring COVID-19 and responding to our customers’ inquiries with current travel updates from the CDC, WHO, and local and state officials,” said 1. CONVENTION SALES AND SERVICES This Romig.

“The national and international team works to attract business travelers by promoting and positioning the city as impact of COVID-19 will likely cause us to a world-class meeting, convention and recalibrate. This is a very fluid situation, but exhibition destination using direct sales we also have one of the nation’s best destinaand marketing strategies aimed at meeting tion marketing teams to meet the challenges planning professionals and executive deci- ahead.” n sion makers. In 2020, they aim to increase production into the 30-month window, distribute more than 800 leads and referrals

I L LU ST R AT I O N BY T O N Y H E A L E Y

Jennifer Gibson Schecter was once a tourist in New Orleans herself and is now proud to call NOLA home. She also writes the Wednesday Tourism Blog on BizNewOrleans.com.

to their members annually, and create and execute a comprehensive convention sales marketing strategy.

IN THE BIZ SPORTS

Basketball’s Big Bounce NBA franchise values are climbing faster than both NFL and MLB teams.

BY CHRIS PRICE

20

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

I L LU ST R AT I O N BY T O N Y H E A L E Y

Chris Price is an award-winning journalist and public relations principal. When he’s not writing, he’s avid about music, the outdoors, and Saints, Ole Miss and Chelsea football. Price also authors the Friday Sports Column at BizNewOrleans.com.

FORBES HAS RELEASED ITS ANNUAL NBA Domestically, the NBA is in a nine-year team valuations for 2020, and the New broadcasting deal with ESPN, ABC and Orleans Pelicans rank 29 of 30 teams.

Turner Sports through the 2024–25 season This doesn’t sound great, but the news is that’s worth $24 billion ($2.7 billion/year). actually good for the Pelicans, and for NBA It’s the second most expensive media rights teams in general. The financial website deal in the world after the NFL, which gets valued the Pelicans at $1.35 billion, an 11% $1 billion a year from CBS, $1.1 billion from increase year over year, and with superstar Fox, and $950 million from NBC for the Zion Williamson and an improved roster rights to air games.

The NBA’s international appeal has a lot to around him, look for the franchise’s value to climb in coming years. do with its growth. NBA games are available in NBA team values have increased sixfold 215 countries, and features players from around over the past decade, according to Forbes, the globe who help draw worldwide interest. and for the first time in history, the average Although he missed the start of the NBA team is worth $2.12 billion, up 14% season, Williamson’s addition to the team over last year. No NBA franchise was valued has lifted the Pelicans’ profile. According to at $1 billion in 2011. The league’s average ESPN’s Eric Woodyard, more Williamsonrevenue per team last season was $292 related products have been sold at sports billion, up 10%, and operating income set a merchandise website Fanatics.com since record at $70 million per team. his NBA debut on Jan. 22 than any other Although they are currently in their seventh player. “For merchandise and memorabilia consecutive losing season, the New York sales combined, Williamson has been a topKnicks are the NBA’s top valued team for the five-selling NBA player, with a 175% spike fifth consecutive year. At $4.6 billion, the team in sales month over month,” Woodyard said, saw a 15% value increase from last year’s $4 citing numbers provided by Fanatics. billion estimation. The Los Angeles Lakers Fanatics Authentic Executive Vice ranked second in the NBA with a value of President Victor Shaffer spoke about the $4.4 billion, up 19%, and are followed by the increase in sales telling ESPN, “We’ve seen Golden State Warriors ($4.3 billion, up 23%), incredible demand for both his Duke Blue Chicago Bulls ($3.2 billion, up 10%), and Devils and New Orleans Pelicans products Boston Celtics ($3.1 billion, up 11%). from fans around the world.”

The Dallas Cowboys, worth an estimated As Zionmania grows, so too will the $5.5 billion, are the only North American Pelicans’ bottom line. The best way to keep sports franchise worth more than the Knicks. interest piqued is to win. If the Pelicans can The New York Yankees, valued at $4.6 billion, crack the NBA Western Conference’s top is the only other team ahead of the Lakers eight teams and qualify for the playoffs, the and the Warriors. focus will grow sharper on the player and “Despite the noise around lower TV ratings the team. As they advance up the win-loss and business problems in China, NBA fran- ladder, so too will they fly up the rankings chise values continue to soar and are up 14%, of the NBA’s most valuable teams. n compared to an 11% increase for NFL teams and 8% in Major League Baseball,” said Forbes senior editor Kurt Badenhausen.

NBA’S HIGHEST AND LOWEST VALUED TEAMS The NBA’s lowest-valued teams RANK TEAM CURRENT 1-YR VALUE are the Detroit Pistons ($1.45

VALUE CHANGE billion, up 14%), Orlando Magic 1 New York Knicks $4.6 B 15% ($1.43 billion, up 8%), Minnesota 2 Los Angeles Lakers $4.4 B 19% Timberwolves ($1.375 billion, up 3 Golden State Warriors $4.3 B 23% 9%), New Orleans Pelicans ($1.35 4 Chicago Bulls $3.2 B 10% billion, up 11%) and the Memphis Grizzlies ($1.3 billion, up 8%).

5 Boston Celtics $3.1 B 11% The Toronto Raptors, who won the NBA Championship 26 Detroit Pistons $1.45 B 14% last season, and Warriors, who 27 Orlando Magic $1.43 B 8% are moving from Oakland to a 28 Minnesota Timberwolves $1.375 B 9% new arena in San Francisco, had 29 New Orleans Pelicans $1.35 B 11% the biggest value gains at 25% and 23%, respectfully.

30 Memphis Grizzlies $1.3 B 8%

As the world’s only peer-to-peer network exclusively for entrepreneurs, EO helps transform the lives of those who transform the world.

EO Louisiana is the fastest-growing chapter in the global EO network.

For membership information visit EOLouisiana.org or email Mark Lewis at mlewis@communiquellc.com

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE PARTNERS

EOLOUISIANA.ORG

IN THE BIZ ENTERTAINMENT

Back in Fighting Shape Boxing is alive in New Orleans again, thanks to one local gym owner.

BY KIM SINGLETARY

22

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

Tata’s self-described R-rated events draw a diverse crowd, and just as diverse a group of financial supporters, which include at least 25 companies and organizations including the United States Marine Corps. (all military veterans attend fights for free), the Domain Companies, Bruno & Bruno law firm, Access Health Louisiana, Bank Architectural Antiques, The Gambit and Dave & Buster’s.

Friday Night Fights doesn’t just showcase local talent, the USA Boxing sanctioned fights draw boxers from around the world.

“For this 50th fight we’ve got boxers from Argentina, Mexico, Houston, Canada and Ecuador,” said Tata, “competing in five weight classes.”

With each of Friday Night Fights’ shows drawing approximately 20 fighters to the city, 50 shows means 1,000 fighters Tata has drawn, a fact he says is helping draw more matches to New Orleans.

“You’re seeing fights now popping up at the Filmore, Howling Wolf, the Carver, Sugar Mill,” he said. “You can’t have pro boxing without amateur, and we’ve got it now.”

Another thing you’re seeing more of in New Orleans is boxing gyms.

“I was the only game in town for five years after Katrina and now we’ve got six boxing gyms in the city,” said Tata. “And they’re all owned by my guys — by guys that trained here at my gym — and I’m proud of them.

I’m happy to see it, and proud that Friday Night Fights was responsible for bringing boxing back to New Orleans.” n

I L LU ST R AT I O N BY T O N Y H E A L E Y

Kimberley Singletary is the managing editor of Biz New Orleans magazine. A 20-year Southern California veteran, she has been surrounded by the film industry for most of her life.

MIKE TATA IS A LOVER, NOT A FIGHTER — BUT

what he loves is seeing people fight.

“I’m much better at getting you to fight the girl in your office then I would be at getting in the ring myself,” he said. “Like my mom always said, I’m an instigator.”

What Tata has instigated in the last 15 years is the return of boxing to New Orleans.

For 150 years, New Orleans was a celebrated boxing town — starting from the arrival of the pugilistic Irish in the 1830s, to serving as the site of the first-ever heavyweight prize fight in 1870, all the way up to playing host to the title match between Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks in 1978.

Following a wane in public support starting in the ’80s, however, boxing in the city started to fade. By the time Hurricane Katrina hit, there was only one boxing gym left in the city — Freret Street Gym, which had opened in January 2005.

A Connecticut native and former Marine, Tata had lived in Los Angeles and New York — when he opened his first boxing gym in 1995 — before high rents drove him to seek out a new home.

“The only other place worth checking out was New Orleans,” he said.

Not long after opening a gym, Tata began hosting fights on Friday nights between his clients.

When high rents again forced Tata to a new location eight years ago, this time from Freret Street to Oretha Castle Haley, Tata’s fights had such a following that he decided to change the name of his gym to Friday Night Fights Gym. “The fights support the gym, not the other way around,” he said. “There would be no gym without the fights.”

On March 27, Tata plans to host his 50th Friday Night Fight, an event that draws crowds of over 2,000 to the parking lot adjacent to his gym three times a year.

“We average 10 fights in a night, with both male and female fighters,” said Tata, “and in between the fights there are seven different performances — everything from singers, dance groups and drag queens to circus acts.

Even if you don’t like fights, you’re going to see something you love.”

A true New Orleans creation, Tata said his fights are unlike anything you’ll see anywhere else.

“I mean where else are you going to see a fight and then moments later a drag performance of Mariah Carey?” he said.

IN THE BIZ ENTREPRENEUR

Marketing 101 Doing a little self-marketing? A few basics to keep in mind.

BY KEITH TWITCHELL

AS SOMEONE WHO WROTE AND PRODUCED

business communications for many years, I offer this column with some hesitation, because I know that self-marketing is rarely successful marketing. I also know many early-stage entrepreneurs are operating on a shoestring budget, and that with the easy, no-cost availability of social media, some self-marketing is inevitable.

So, here are a few pieces of the Marketing 101 syllabus that I hope you will keep in mind and be able to discuss with your professional marketing team in the very near future.

I cannot stress this strongly enough: you are not your customers, though you may have a fair amount in common with them.

Thus, it is imperative that you think about what your customers want, and how best to present it to them as you put your marketing materials together.

WATC H YO U R L A N G UAG E . What sounds impressive, funny, catchy, etc. to you may be of virtually no interest to your customers.

The language you speak may not be the language of your customers. By that I mean the terminology, the cultural language, the vocabulary of your communications, though you may want to think of the substantial non-English speaking population here and how to reach them.

For example, I was once asked to write a brochure about workman’s comp for a large law firm. The majority of potential workman’s comp claimants are blue collar workers, so I wrote the brochure in that language. The blue-blood attorneys at the firm hated it, found it way too simplistic, and by implication, beneath the status of their firm. I saw the final piece after they rewrote it internally and honestly, I could barely make sense of it. I highly doubt that it generated any significant business for them.

Do your very best to step outside yourself. Beware of having friends just like you critique your materials. If possible, ask a few of your customers for their opinions.

24

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

BE DIFFERENT. Most new businesses are operating in a field that is already populated by numerous other businesses, aka competitors. As you market your enterprise, think about what makes it different (in a good way). These are known as distinguishing variables. For example, a small bank markets against the giants by promoting its personal service. A new restaurant highlights its signature menu items.

Obvious distinguishing variables include price, convenience, quality and customer service, among others. The problem is that unless you can genuinely demonstrate that you are better than your competition, you are simply making the same claims as everyone else. Try to identify something that is both a legitimate benefit to your customers and something you do better than your competition and focus on it relentlessly.

MAKE ‘EM LAUGH. One last thought: adding a touch of appropriate humor to your marketing materials is often a great way to get attention and to distinguish yourself from the competition. Keep it clean, relevant and harmless — especially to your target audience — and make sure it still manages to convey the special benefits of your product or service. n

I L LU ST R AT I O N BY T O N Y H E A L E Y

Keith Twitchell spent 16 years running his own business before becoming president of the Committee for a Better New Orleans. He has observed, supported and participated in entrepreneurial ventures at the street, neighborhood, nonprofit, micro- and macro-business levels.

THINK, ‘WHY SHOULD THEY CARE?’ Another essential basic is that your marketing must focus on benefits, not features. The gizmo you invented may be made of the latest hightech materials, operate at warp 7, come in 57 different colors, and smell like warm chocolate. All good. But here’s what your potential customers need to know:

• Why does it matter what it is made of? Are your high-tech materials more durable?

Lighter? Allergen-free?

• What is the value of operating at warp 7? Will working faster save customers money? Make them more productive?

• Why does the color matter? Is this a fashion accessory or a tool? Is it helpful for the gizmo to be high visibility or low visibility?

As for the chocolate smell, well, I think we can all agree that anything chocolate is good.

IN THE BIZ E TIQUE T TE

Prime Positioning 7 essential business etiquette tips for nailing your summer (or any) internship

BY MELANIE WARNER SPENCER

I T ’ S AGA I N T H AT T I M E O F Y E A R W H E N

college students across the country are interviewing for or beginning summer internships. When well navigated, an internship can be one of the most valuable experiences in a person’s career, resulting in new knowledge and skills and — perhaps most importantly — industry connections.

It can also be a traumatizing disaster. Here are a few tips for those embarking upon an internship.

Be a little early or at least on time and prepare to stay a little late each workday. This doesn’t mean allow yourself to be taken advantage of, but it’s important to be prompt and not bolt out the door the minute the clock strikes 5 p.m. Stay until either the task you are working on is finished or the majority of the staff is leaving; it will illustrate your work ethic and commitment to the internship and show that you value the company’s time and resources. When you finish a task or project, ask for a new one rather than waiting around for directives.

This will show initiative, as will volunteering when you hear your manager or coworkers discussing new projects.

1. TIME IS MONEY.

2. DRESS FOR SUCCESS. During the interview process, pay attention to the attire of the hiring manager and any other employees you see, and ask about the dress code. Err on the side of dressier, rather than more casual.

What you wear to work each day will send a message, whether you realize it or not, and you want that message to be a positive one.

Dressing appropriate to the industry and the specific culture of that company are both important.

Melanie Warner Spencer is editor of New Orleans Bride and New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles and managing editor of Louisiana Life and Acadiana Profile. Spencer’s ever-expanding library of etiquette books is rivaled only by her ever-ready stash of blank thank-you notes.

Submit business etiquette questions to Melanie@MyNewOrleans.com.

26

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

5. PAIR UP. If a mentor is not assigned to you, then ask for one or find one. A mentor can answer a lot of the questions you may feel shy asking others and can offer critical information, feedback and guidance to help keep you on course. A mentor can also serve as a connector and reference when it comes to finding and securing a job in the field.

Be professional in your phone, email and person-to-person communications, even if those around you have a casual demeanor and delivery. Always act as though the CEO of the company is on the call, reading the email or in the room when you are speaking.

6 . GO ALL PRO.

Finally, stay in touch with the people you meet during your internships.

Networking with them and periodically checking in is a great way to get recommendations and references, make connections and, potentially, get hired at the company where you interned.

7. FOLLOW UP.

With these tools and tips in your arsenal, you’ll come out of your internship with valuable experience and contacts under your belt and, in some cases, maybe even a job. n

I L LU ST R AT I O N BY T O N Y H E A L E Y

Curiosity and readiness to learn are essential in an internship. You are not there to prove how much you know, rather to gain a deeper understanding and working knowledge of the industry. There will be many times you will feel clueless or out of your depth and the people around you will toss around industry jargon that isn’t familiar to you. Don’t pretend to know how do to something or to understand what your managers or peers are talking about if it is out of your realm of experience. You’ll save the company and yourself time. That said, work to strike a balance between things to ask about and things to research on your own.

3. LEARNING IS KEY.

Make it a point to get to know people throughout the company. Start with the department you are working in and then cast a wider net into other departments. Befriending the gatekeepers (i.e. administrative assistants) is always a great strategy because they can either block or allow access to the people they work for — the company leaders.

Administrative assistants usually know all of the major players in a company and can answer questions and offer guidance and information. (This does not mean gossip. It is bad form to start or engage in gossip as an intern, and as an employee.) Getting to know your coworkers can lead to a more enriching internship experience and helps ensure that when positions open up, you are one of the people everyone remembers.

4. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK.

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

27

Perspectives HOT TOPICS IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA INDUSTRIES

REAL ESTATE + CONSTRUCTION Parade

of Homes

LAW White collar torts: Don’t be a victim.

INSURANCE Keep your small business

safe from cyberattacks

GUEST PERSPECTIVE Want to solve a problem? Do this first.

PERSPECTIVES RE AL ESTAT E + CONST RUC T ION

Built to Give In addition to serving as an invaluable marketing tool for local builders, last year’s Parade of Homes dream home raffle raised $1.7 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

BY KEITH LORIA

This year’s St. Jude Dream Home, located in Lakeview, has four bedrooms, spans 2,800 square feet and is valued around $700,000. Raffle tickets are available for $100 each.

EACH SUMMER, THE HOME BUILDERS

Association of Greater New Orleans (HBAGNO) presents its annual Parade of Homes, showcasing some of the newest homes in the area and allowing New Orleans the chance to see the latest innovations and trends impacting real estate today for free.

For two weekends, May 30-31 and June 6-7, the event takes place from 1-5 p.m. with approximately 10 homes on display.

Randy Noel, the National Association of Home Builders 2019 immediate past chairman of the board and owner of Reve Inc., a custom home building firm in LaPlace that has built more than 1,000 custom homes in the Greater New Orleans area, anticipates this year’s Parade will be one of the biggest yet.

Noel, who serves as chairman for the event, has a lot of experience attending Parade of Homes events.

30

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

“I can remember as a small child — we’re talking the early ’60s — my father was a homebuilder and the Home Builders Association would build houses on one street—10 to 15 houses—and then hold this event and everyone in New Orleans would go from house to house looking at them all,” he said. “Back then, they would put up a lot of speculative houses, meaning you would put it up and sell it. Nowadays, we do a lot of custom houses and build based on what a customer wants.”

Still, he notes, the best way to reach custom buyers is to build a house in the Parade of Homes so they can see a variety of options.

“In 1985, when I opened my business, that’s how we were able to get our first customers,” Noel said. “We’ve done well ever since.”

Last year, 29 home builders took part in the event and Noel is hoping to reach 30 for the first time in 2020.

“The market is really good right now, so I think we’ll be able to do that,” he said.

A FESTIVAL OF FEATURES

While the No. 1 reason home builders are interested in the event is to sell homes, Parade of Homes also serves as a showcase for the latest home products.

“For the citizens and home buyers, they get to see, feel and touch new homes and see new products,” Noel said. “Right now, we are doing a lot of Wi-Fi with appliances and alarms, and even the bathtubs are now hooked to Wi-Fi so you can control your house from your phone, even if you’re in Europe.”

Other popular innovations include energyefficient solutions — including windows that block up to 70% of UV rays, efficient lighting and A/C systems — and the latest in home theaters and outdoor kitchens.

We’re working a lot on housing affordability in New Orleans, trying to make sure the council and mayor don’t do things that they think will make things affordable, but are actually doing the opposite.

Randy Noel, NAHB’s 2019 immediate past chairman of the board and owner of Reve Inc.

IMAGE COURTESY HBAGNO PARADE OF HOMES

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

31

Building strong is also a priority.

“Since Katrina, the houses have been much better built to withstand storms, hurricanes and such,” Noel said. “As a result, home buyers are getting a decent discount on their homebuyers’ insurance.”

On the design side, homes feature the latest design trends, including natural materials such as reclaimed wood, stone, marble, concrete and granite.

THE HOME THAT GIVES BACK

As part of this year’s Parade of Homes, money will be raised for St. Jude Children’s Hospital through the sale of $100 raffle tickets where the prize is a four-bedroom, approximately 2,800-square-foot Lakeview home located at 6446 Pontchartrain Boulevard. Built by Hyman L. Bartolo Contractors, the home is valued at around $700,000. Last year’s St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway raised $1.7 million for the hospital.

A NEW APP

This year, attendees will be able to use their phone for more than just taking pictures of the homes: They’ll be able to download a free Parade of Homes app.

“You can download it for free and it gives you the features of the house and shows you photos and gives directions,” Noel said. “You can find price ranges, number of bedrooms... it makes it easier to look for the houses.”

1,000 STRONG

With more than 30 years of experience in the residential construction industry, Noel said he feels confident the builders in the Greater New Orleans area are building some of the best homes in the country.

“We put a lot more in our houses than they do in Texas, and we build them a lot stronger because of stricter codes,” he said.

The HBAGNO currently has around 1,000 members, half of which are builders, and the other half are vendors and workers who support the industry. Noel said the biggest issues for the industry currently include new codes and zoning laws, and the need for more affordable housing, licenses, insurance and workman’s comp.

“We’re working a lot on housing affordability in New Orleans, trying to make sure the council and mayor don’t do things that they think will make things affordable, but are actually doing the opposite,” he said.

Stressing that the organization is an effective voice for those in the industry, Noel stressed the importance and value of membership.

“When you join the HBAGNO, you also join the Louisiana Home Builders and the National Home Builders Association,” he said. “Anyone who is a member receives coverage to make sure that their business thrives. On top of that, you have education seminars, webinars, and the latest news from all three levels. That’s a benefit for home builders.” n 32

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

33

PERSPECTIVES L AW

Don’t Be a Victim White collar torts are nothing new, but there are things you can do to help protect your business.

BY JAMES SEBASTIEN

ON APRIL 28, 2017, THE LOUISIANA OFFICE

of Financial Institutions closed a failing First NBC Bank and began the $1 billion expense of cleaning up the mess left in its wake.

It was the fourth bank failure of 2017 and the most expensive the country had seen since the financial collapse of 2008.

While First NBC no longer exists — it was acquired by Hancock Holding Co., the parent company of Hancock Whitney Bank — the legal fallout continues. The investigative efforts of six federal agencies, including the FBI, have since led to the conviction of the bank’s general counsel, Gregory St. Angelo, and two of the bank’s customers, Jeffrey Dunlap and Kenneth Charity, for defrauding the bank of tens of millions of dollars. The fates of first NBC’s former president, Ashton Ryan, and chief credit officer, Bill Burnell, have yet to be seen.

White collar torts are nothing new to New Orleans. The duplicitous conduct has had an impact on the area for decades.

“Such conduct historically has been a disaster for the economic development and expansion of business in the New Orleans region,” said Peter Thomson of Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann. “For example, public corruption, in the form of unethical and potentially criminal behavior like extortion — committed by public officials on businesses and their employees —has caused many businesses to leave the region and state, and prevented other businesses from locating in our region.”

A white collar tort is an umbrella term that covers negligent behavior in the corporate world.

“A commonly accepted definition of a tort is a wrongful act other than a breach of contract for which relief may be obtained in the form of damages or an injunction,”

34

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

Be aware of the existence of a disgruntled employee or even a good employee who may be planning to leave and strike out on his own.

P. J. Stakelum III, partner at Chehardy Sherman Williams Murray Recile Stakelum & Hayes

said P. J. Stakelum III, partner at Chehardy Sherman Williams Murray Recile Stakelum & Hayes. “White collar torts are an aggregation of torts also referred to as business torts.”

For example, an employee could download a company’s trade secrets and take that information to a competitor when they change jobs.

“Such an action could expose that employee to civil liability for tortious conduct in violation of a number of state and federal laws, as well as criminal liability for violation of federal and state laws protecting electronic data,” said Paul Masinter of Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann. “The new employer of the offending person could also face such

dual liability depending on the circumstances.”

Crimes involving intellectual property also fall under the umbrella of white collar torts, whether it’s a company copying a logo from another business or illegally accessing the computer data of a competitor.

“Intellectual property can be protected through copyrights, common law trademarks, federal trademarks, trade secrets and patents,” says Stakelum. “While the laws governing [these items] provide statutory protections for the owners of the intellectual property, they often require that the owner take steps to protect his intellectual property.”

Industry innovators are particularly at risk.

“When a business comes up with a new idea, others will try to fill that same space,” said Dan Centner, shareholder at Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard. “A competitor may use illegitimate means to misappropriate the original idea. Or the competition may be perfectly legitimate, but the originator will nevertheless accuse the competitor of crossing the line. Problems intensify when key employees switch from one competitor to another, or where a party takes steps to protect its ideas under the intellectual property laws.”

White collar torts are nothing new to New Orleans. The duplicitous conduct has had an impact on the area for decades.

“Such conduct historically has been a disaster for the economic development and expansion of business in the New Orleans region,” said Peter Thomson of Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann. “For example, public corruption, in the form of unethical and potentially criminal behavior like extortion — committed by public officials on businesses and their employees —has caused many businesses to leave the region and state, and prevented other businesses from locating in our region.”

According to Stakelum, there are things businesses can do to help avoid and provide protection in the case of legal troubles down the road. They include making sure the business has: • written employment contracts where necessary that include non-compete, non-disclosure and non-solicitation provisions; • a legal professional to make sure you are covered when it comes to federal copyright, trademark and patent protection on intellectual property; • agreements in place with employees involved in the creation of any intellectual property; • appropriate buy-sell agreements addressing the sale, encumbrance or alienation of company stock; and • insurance policies with coverages that are appropriate to the business.

Once you’ve done what you can, the key, said Stakelum, is to keep a watchful eye out.

“Be aware of the existence of a disgruntled employee or even a good employee who may be planning to leave and strike out on his own,” said Stakelum. “Be aware of what your competitors are doing and be alert to the possibility that your business’ trade secrets and intellectual property may become compromised. In this case, you will have to act promptly to protect your rights.” n

...public corruption, in the form of unethical and potentially criminal behavior like extortion — committed by public officials on businesses and their employees —has caused many businesses to leave the region and state, and prevented other businesses from locating in our region.

Peter Thomson, Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

35

PERSPECTIVES INSUR ANCE

Defend Your Data The majority of cyberattacks are on small businesses. How can you keep yours safe?

BY RICH COLLINS

YOU’VE HEARD A LOT OF THE RECENT CYBER-

security horror stories and you want to protect yourself and your business — but where to start? We asked local experts to explain the threats and how to guard against them.

PHISHING EXPEDITION

One of the most common methods of accessing private data is called “phishing.”

Coined by hackers back in the 1990s, the term describes the process of sending fake emails that appear to be from a reputable source. The messages trick people into revealing personal information like passwords, credit card numbers and Social Security numbers.

“A lot of businesses use Microsoft Office 365 and that’s a very popular phishing target these days,” said Nick Lauve of Rent-A-Nerd, a New Orleans IT company founded in 1997.

“So, someone will get an email that says, ‘Hey, I need you to reset your password. Click here.’ They get your password and now that person has access to all of your email and they could also potentially leverage that into accessing the server at your office as well.”

Don’t think it can happen to you? Just ask John Podesta, former Hillary Clinton campaign chair and perhaps the most famous phishing victim of all time.

The technique is popular because it’s effective.

“Humans are a lot easier to exploit than computer systems,” said Lauve. “There are all sorts of different attacks that can be launched against servers, websites and routers. But at the end of the day, if you can get Joe in accounting to click a link in an email that lets you into the whole system, that’s way easier than all the other stuff.”

YOU RANSOM YOU LOSE SOME

Once they have access to your data, the hackers have a variety of options that often include employing “ransomware,” a type

36

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

Insurance doesn’t protect you if they find that you weren’t doing your due diligence as far as passwords, security, cybersecurity training and a firewall. It’s not an either/ or situation.

Nick Lauve, Rent-A-Nerd

of malicious software that prevents access to a computer system until a fee is paid.

Sometimes, a very hefty fee. In 2017, South Korean web provider Nayana paid $1 million to prevent thousands of its customers’ websites from being shut down. Last year, city officials in Riviera Beach, Florida, agreed to pay $600,000 to regain access to municipal computer systems.

In addition to holding your data for ransom, hackers may also attempt to sell it on the “dark web” — a collection of websites invisible to search engines and only accessed using special browsers. The open-source Tor browser, which uses encryption to help keep its users’ anonymous, is one such tool.

“One industry that we see targeted a lot is healthcare,” said Lauve. “Same thing with the financial industry. And, actually, it’s probably the same thing with state and local governments. Ransomware is always a quick way to make a buck if you’re a hacker, but if you can get people’s Social Security numbers, credit card numbers or medical records, you can sell that.”

NO BUSINESS LIKE SMALL BUSINESS

Lauve said that even though you hear more about attacks on city and state governments, the majority of targets are small businesses.

“The attackers know that small businesses are low-hanging fruit because they are less

likely to spend money on cybersecurity,” he said. “They are more likely to have a cheap piece of hardware as a router or bad security practices when it comes to passwords. So, in a lot of ways the people who think that they don’t need to spend a lot of money on cybersecurity probably need to be considering spending a little bit more.”

CYBERSECURITY ESSENTIALS

If you’re ready to invest to make you or your business safer, what are the first steps to improving your defenses?

Experts recommend the following: • Create strong passwords and don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.

• Use multifactor authentication (requiring individuals to provide two or more credentials to verify their identity).

• Frequently back up your essential data.

• Add firewalls and content filters to your systems.

• Use DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) to prevent “spoofing” (hackers using your email address to send malicious messages).

• Sign up for cybersecurity training.

• Hire pros to audit your security practices.

• Buy cybersecurity insurance.

BACK THAT DATA UP

Security pros preach the value of “business continuity and disaster recovery” — or BCDR — which means business owners should have a plan to revive their computer systems and entire business in the aftermath of a disruptive event.

Keith Frischhertz of Monarch Technology, a technology management company based in Mid-City, said one way of ensuring BCDR is to use a piece of technology that takes frequent “snapshots” of all your data, which is then stored in the cloud. In the case of trouble, your data can be restored from a very recent version. Frischhertz said a system that can handle 10 terabytes of data costs about $6,000 to buy and roughly $900 per month to run — not cheap, but not as expensive as the $7 million the city of New Orleans estimates it has spent so far to restore its systems after the malware attack earlier this year.

These systems typically incorporate antiransomware features.

“If somebody does hack your stuff and tells you, ‘I want $1 million for this file,’ you can tell them to go to hell and just go right back to your file as it was before the ransomware 20 minutes ago, an hour ago or yesterday,” said Frischhertz. “If the city had this type of system in place, the ransomware event would have been a non-issue.”

SERIOUSLY, FOLKS

Experts agree that the threat is serious, and also that many businesses still ignore it.

“A lot of business owners, both big and small, are just not taking it seriously because that’s just another thing on their plate,” said Michelle Craig of New Orleans-based Transcendent Law Group. “Bigger organizations are watching other big organizations get attacked like the city, convention center and some of the credit card companies. But for small businesses, paying attention means taking time away from what it is they do, whether it’s their product or service. And a lot of them don’t have the bandwidth or the knowledge to even know where to start.”

Craig said that even if a business owner doesn’t have a lot of time or resources to devote to the problem, it’s important to at least tackle some of the basics to make your business a less desirable target.

“There are smaller things you can do to protect yourself,” she said. “It’s like being carjacked or robbed. You can’t stop it from happening for sure, but you can be an undesirable target and that means making sure security systems are in place.”

Cybersecurity insurance, once an afterthought, is now an essential, said Craig.

“If you don’t have this, you are not doing what you need to do, and it undermines your legitimacy,” she said. “Because if you don’t have that insurance and something critical happened, then that could cripple the business in such a way that ends it.”

Thinking it’s enough to get cybersecurity insurance? Think again.

“Insurance doesn’t protect you if they find that you weren’t doing your due diligence as far as passwords, security, cybersecurity training and a firewall,” said Lauve. “It’s not an either/or situation.”

It’s also a good idea to put somebody on your team in charge of cybersecurity.

“Just like there’s somebody in charge of the HR department, someone should be in charge of cybersecurity,” said Craig.

“Companies are now hiring cybersecurity officers to do the training and make sure the equipment is up to date. That’s not a bad investment considering the type of losses that occur.”

When it comes to keeping your data secure, the key is to always be vigilant.

“I mean, the biggest danger is that we can’t keep up with the types of threats out there,” said Craig. “When we identify what’s out there, something else is created.” n

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

37

PERSPECTIVES GUEST PERSPEC T IVE

The First Problem in ProblemSolving Having a meeting to solve a problem? You better make sure you ask these two questions first.

BY KING LOGAN

FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS, I’VE BEEN ADJUNCT

faculty at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, where I teach a business integration capstone course. In that course we use the Harvard Case Teaching model, a cornerstone principle of which is the idea that “not knowing the real problem is problem-solving’s first problem.”

To explain, let’s look at a scenario.

A transportation company’s project manager launches into his briefing in front of three top executives. This is a big opportunity for him. He is enthusiastic about his analysis and ideas and begins outlining his two most exciting ones.

When he finishes, the company president says, “That’s nice, but your ideas don’t address what I consider our primary challenge.” The manager is dumbstruck, but he has made a fateful and all too common workplace mistake. He didn’t clarify the exact problem that his planning assignment was meant to address.

Have you ever had an argument with a friend that goes on and on until you finally realize you aren’t even arguing about the same thing? Same issue.

Every semester, I explain the premise to my business students this way: The first obstacle in most problem-solving and decision-making is disagreement or misunderstanding on what the real issue actually is, which means the first step toward finding the right solution is making sure everyone agrees on the problem.

What is the business of business if not solving challenges and chasing opportunities? Yet the default assumption that everyone understands or agrees about an issue the

38

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

King Logan advises business clients in strategic planning, brand development and corporate communications.

He is also adjunct faculty teaching Business Strategy Integration at Tulane’s AB Freeman School of Business.

He may be reached at (504) 296-5111.

same way only deepens and prolongs the problem itself. And when two (much less 20) people interpret a problem in a different way, chances are their ability to scrutinize the right solution becomes slimmer and slimmer. The result? Conflict, discord, inefficiency, wasted meeting time and a horizon of sunk costs.

The eminent Harvard Case Teaching critical-thinking model focuses on three simple questions in any decision-making process: What is the problem? Why is one solution among all available the best one right now?, and How will it be executed to solve the problem?

What, why, how? Of these three basic questions, the first one is often the most overlooked by everyone from savvy college business students to experienced executives and managers.

Why? Think about the transportation company manager: First, he judged improperly that his assessment of the issue to be solved was generally shared and understood by everyone else. His assumption was wrong.

Second, he put all of his planning energy and focus in that space where we all know reputations and esteem are built—with perfect new solutions and the coolest original ideas and innovations. But it was all misguided.

How can you help overcome your company’s predilection for making this mistake?

The next time you sit down for a company meeting with your colleagues, ask everyone these two fundamental questions before it begins: • Does everyone here have the same clarity about the main problem we are here to solve?

• Does everyone have the same understanding of this meeting’s main purpose?

Take a few minutes to discover first, just how disconnected the team’s thinking on this most basic point may be. Unless there’s clear consensus, the meeting agenda must pivot to reach common agreement about the problem before you should expect to analyze truly viable solutions.

Thankfully, this scenario has a happy ending.

That transportation manager went back for a second presentation a week later, having learned something valuable. He started his presentation by saying, “You asked me to come here today to focus on possible solutions…but first, do we agree that our main challenge in the next six months is…?” With that beginning, this time he nailed it. n

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

39

United

by KIM SINGLETARY portraits by ROMERO & ROMERO

IN THE SUMMER OF 2018, 12-YEAR-OLD

Slidell resident Da’Ni Otis was on a family trip to Disney World when she started complaining of intense back pain.

“She wouldn’t get on any of the rides,” said her mother, Jamika, who ended up taking Da’Ni to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with a muscle sprain.

“A few days later, the pain was getting worse,” said Jamika. “Da’Ni is not a complaining child so we were really concerned.”

Back to the doctor's office, this time at Ochsner, Da’Ni was given a blood test that gave a different, and much more frightening explanation for the young girl’s sudden pain: leukemia, a type of blood cancer. The next day, the diagnosis was confirmed by a blood marrow aspiration.

In an instant, July 31, 2018, went from just another day on the calendar to a date the Slidell pre-teen and her family will never forget.

Instead of starting as a seventh-grader at Slidell Junior High, Da’Ni began eight months of intensive treatment that wreaked havoc on her developing body.

Chemotherapy took all of her hair, and at one point, Da’Ni was admitted to the intensive care unit with a blood sugar level of 1,182 mg/dl (a normal level for 6- to 12-year-olds ranges from 100 to 180 mg/dl).

“It was a side effect of the steroids she was taking,” said Jamika, who added, “those were some very scary times.”

for a

Cure

2019 LLS Woman of the Year Allison Shapiro Dandry, director of communications and technology for Krispy Krunchy Chicken, raised $251,000 last year, a record for the event.

The Problem The most common type of cancer in children, leukemia accounts for about 25% of all childhood cancer diagnoses.

Fortunately, it is also rare — from 2011 to 2015, an average of 3,715 youth (defined as under age 20) were diagnosed with the disease each year.

What used to be a certain death sentence (in the 1940s, when no treatment was avail-

42

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

able, most patients, especially children, would die within three months), leukemia prognoses have improved dramatically thanks to medical innovations. From 1969 to 2015, death rates for the disease plummeted 78.6%. Depending on a child’s age and type of Leukemia — acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)— survival rates range from 68.8 to 94.5%.

Last year, my husband and I were going through a rough patch and LLS helped us out.

Honestly, they could ask us to jump over backwards and we would happily do it.

JESSICA WHITE

Despite this decline, however, leukemia is currently the second leading cause of cancer death among youth, accounting for 26.1% of all cancer deaths in those younger than 20.

The Support A key player in the fight since it's founding in 1949 by parents who lost their 16-year-old son to leukemia, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest nonprofit health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The organization’s goal is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Of the 53 new drugs that have been approved by the FDA to treat blood cancer since 2017, LLS has helped fund 46 of them.

Opened in the 1960s, the Mississippi/ Louisiana chapter of LLS is headquartered in Metairie, where a staff of 11, together with one remote worker in Lafayette, work to provide financial, emotional and informational support to patients and families in both states.

Introduced to the organization by a hospital social worker, Jamika said LLS’ website served as an early source of emotional support during the toughest days of her daughter’s treatment.

“I’d be sitting in the hospital and just be scrolling through the site reading stories of local people who had beaten leukemia and caregivers who had helped them,” she said. “I also got into the nutrition portion of the site and was able to find a guide to help Da’Ni with the blood sugar troubles she was having.”

Along with one-on-one nutrition consultations, LLS offers personalized disease and treatment information through information specialists, support groups and the Patti Robinson Kauffman First Connection Program, a free service that matches patients and families with trained peer volunteers that have already been through what they are going through.

There are also blogs, podcasts and the opportunity to chat online.

New Orleanian Jessica White said it’s the things that seem little that made such a difference when her son Jack, then 5 1/2 years old, was diagnosed with leukemia in June 2017.

“Almost right away LLS gave Jack an iPad,” she said. “It was so genius because here’s this little boy that has to sit completely still for six hours tethered to an IV. I can think of no other way that a child would be able to do that.”

In addition to the emotional strain of unexpected severe illness, the Whites found themselves in financial struggles.

“Last year, my husband and I were going through a rough patch and LLS helped us out,” said White. “Honestly, they could ask us to jump over backwards and we would happily do it.”

The Financial Toll According to Katie Triplett, executive director of the Mississippi/Louisiana chapter of LLS, the Whites' struggles are all too common.

“Forty percent of our patients deplete their entire life savings within two years of diagnosis,” she said, “and another 40% abandon treatment when costs reach above $2,000.

In 2019 alone, the chapter provided over $1.63 million to local patients.

“We provide travel assistance, including gas money and hotel stays, we help with co-pays and we have funds for nonmedical needs, like helping people with paying their rent, mortgage, utilities and food. You’d be surprised at how many people have to decide whether they’re going to feed their family or pay for treatment.”

Triplett said the cost to businesses is also high.

“People who are sick with these diseases miss an average of 22 days more than healthy employees, and those battling cancer list physical and mental tasks while at work as significant challenges,” she said. “Business owners are crucial to economic development in communities

so it is vital that we provide the support we can — emotional, informational and financial — to help employers better support their teams through their cancer journeys. LLS is always looking for business leaders to partner with us to help increase our brand awareness in the community so that when a patient is diagnosed (every 3 minutes), he/she/ they know to immediately contact us for resources.”

The Big Event One of the biggest ways LLS reaches out to business and community leaders is through its Man & Woman of the Year program. The first event the Mississippi/ Louisiana chapter held was in 2017 and it still holds the title of the largest first-year event in LLS history, raising approximately $820,000 over 10 weeks.

BY THE NUMBERS EVERY 3 MINUTES someone in the United States is diagnosed with blood cancer.

22 the number of additional days an employee with a disease misses work each year compared to a healthy employee $1.3 BILLION LLS has invested in drug research nationally $1.63 MILLION the amount provided to patients in Louisiana and Mississippi this year by the local chapter of LLS

Slidell resident 14-year-old Da'Ni Otis is about to officially be a leukemia survivor. She is this year's LLS Girl of the Year.

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

43

BY THE NUMBERS 46 OF THE 53 new drugs approved for blood cancer since 2017 were funded, at least in part, by LLS $880,000 was raised during the 2019 Man & Woman of the Year event in New Orleans $895 BILLION Cancer costs the world more than any other disease and accounts for 1.5% of global GDP losses.

Chris Bellone, principal at McEnery Company, is chair of this year's Man and Woman of the Year event which will end with a gala June 11.

44

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

A philanthropic competition that chal- it was truly a grassroots effort. That $5 lenges business and community leaders at a time eventually became $250,000.” to raise funds for the organization, the While she welcomes this year’s campaign program typically includes about 20 members to beat her record, Dandry has participants who compete in honor of two moved on to creating a national partnerlocal children — blood cancer survivors ship between Krispy Krunchy Chicken who are given the title Boy and Girl of and LLS. the Year. This year, they are Da’Ni Otis “We have 2,500 locations in 46 states, and Jack White. including almost 200 in Louisiana,” said The program kicked off April 7 and will Dandry of the Lafayette-based company. culminate on June 11 with a gala at The “We’ll be donating a portion of the sale of National WW II Museum. The gala has every chicken sandwich to LLS in what sold out the last three years, with over 600 people in attendance.

Chris Bellone, principal at real estate development and brokerage firm McEnery Company, chaired the chapter’s first event and continues to do so. He said he started volunteering with LLS after a college friend’s wife was diagnosed with leukemia.

“I got involved with the Leukemia Cup Regatta at the Southern Yacht Club helping with fundraising and just stayed involved,” he said. “I was intrigued by the efficiency of the organization and the aggressiveness with which they pursued research and results paired with the fact they do so much to help people locally.

Bellone said this year is shaping up to be one of the largest Man/Woman groups, and the goal is to break the $1 million mark.

The event made approximately $880,000 last year, helped tremendously by the fact that last year’s Woman of the Year, Allison Shapiro Dandry, the director of communications and technology for Krispy Krunchy Chicken, raised $251,000, the highest amount raised by any participant in this event’s history.

Dandry studied neuroscience in college, and for a while conducted research on stroke therapy. She said she was originally drawn to LLS following the news that two of her friends’ mothers were diagnosed with leukemia.

“I really wanted to learn more about the treatments available,” she said, “and I became struck by how much the organization does to help people and how many people didn’t know they existed.”

When she began creating fundraising events for her Woman of the Year campaign, Dandry said she knew she would make education, not just dollars, a priority.

“Everything we did had some kind of educational component,” she said, “and

APRIL 2020

we’re calling Krunch for the Cure.” The company has pledged $100,000 to LLS by the end of 2021.

Dandry said she sees her company’s new campaign as a solid business move.

“Both customers and employees are looking for companies that are socially responsible, that they know care about more than just the bottom line,” she said. “I know that personally I am a better employee and a better person from what I’ve experienced in my efforts.”

A student at Bricolage Academy, 8-yearold Jack White has been fighting leukemia since he was 5 1/2. LLS Boy of the Year for 2020, he'll finish his last infusion August 9.

aimed at increasing support for research grants and launching LLS clinical trials, driving policy to break down barriers to treatment and care and expanding support for children and families.

“We’re going to conduct the first-ever global pediatric clinical master trial,” said Triplett, who added that LLS is currently looking at partnering with treatment centers locally and around the country.

The Road Ahead

Forty percent of our patients deplete their entire life savings within two years of diagnosis and another 40% abandon treatment when costs reach above $2,000.

The Greatest Need “The greatest need right now is on the pediatric side,” said Triplett. “Out of all the drugs approved over the last 40 years, only four have been approved for use on children. We’re also finding that 80% of our kids in remission now are dealing with long-term effects from treatment —

everything from an eighth-grader reading at a fourth-grade level, to a 7-year-old with cataracts, to a child with what their doctor is calling 'type 1.5 diabetes' because they don’t know what to call it. We don’t want kids to just survive, we want them to thrive.”

In 2019, LLS launched a $100 million multi-year national children’s initiative

K AT I E T R I P L E T T, EXECUTIVE D I R E C TO R O F THE MISSISSIPPI/ LO U I S I A N A CHAPTER OF LLS

Da’Ni Otis turned 14 this past Lundi Gras, but there’s an even bigger day she’s looking forward to — Nov. 13, 2020. That will be her last day of treatment. Da'Ni'sgoal is to be an oncologist someday, but in the meantime, in addition to being a straight-A student and volunteering with LLS, she’s crafted her own way to give back — she’s authored a book called “Candy in My Bones.”

“It’s a children’s book that shares everything I went through,” she said.

“My mom illustrated it. I hope it will help other kids like me know they’re not alone.”

Now 8 years old and back at school at Bricolage Academy, like Da'Ni, Jack White is in what is called the maintenance phase of treatment, which means he receives chemotherapy orally every day, and through his spine three times a month and goes in for lab work every two weeks.

He’s also been involved at his school with LLS’ Pennies for Patients fundraising effort, which challenges students to bring in all the pennies they can over a period of three weeks every year.

He said he looks forward to doing some of the things other kids take for granted, like going to Carnival parades and maybe finally getting a pet. When his last day of treatment comes on August 9, he said he’s going to have a big party and do something he’s wanted to do since his first day of treatment.

“I’m going to ring the bell,” he said excitedly. “The big gold bell in the infusion room. I’m going to be done!” n

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

45

46

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

During the month French Quarter Fest was scheduled to return for its 37th year, area business owners weigh in on the issues they face year-round.

BY J E N N I F E R L ARI N O

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

47

“

M.

More than $8.5 million is spent each year on public safety in the French Quarter on top of the policing budget for the New Orleans Police Department’s 8th District, which includes the historic neighborhood.

S. Rau has sold fine art, jewelry and antiques from its headquarters gallery on Royal Street in the French Quarter for more than a century — long enough to have a healthy dose of perspective on the constant push and pull of preservation and progress that marks business and life in the 300-year-old neighborhood.

“It’s a balancing act. It’s tricky,” said Rebecca Rau, who oversees strategic development and represents the fourth generation of family to enter the business.

Last fall, as construction crews worked on the final phase of the extensive $20 million Bourbon Street overhaul, M.S. Rau was winding down a project of its own — the combination of its long-time gallery at 630 Royal Street with four neighboring historic buildings all fronting Royal Street. The historic renovation, which opened doors in November 2019, doubles M.S. Rau’s showroom space to 36,500 square feet and triples its storefront presence on the bustling, gallery-lined street.

Rau noted the renovation is a “once-ina-generation” moment, a rare opportunity to preserve historic buildings and combine real estate in the Quarter.

“It’s not very often that you get the opportunity to acquire real estate that connects to the buildings that you occupy in the Quarter.

48

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

So, when this opportunity presented itself, we jumped on it,” Rau said.

Outside the gallery doors, the French Quarter has seemed chock full of change in recent months. This year, Carnival revelers meandered on a newly reconstructed Bourbon Street, the result of a two-and-a-half-year infrastructure overhaul completed in November. Property owners and neighbors report rents are stabilizing as new citywide rules cracking down on Airbnb-style rentals take effect. Meanwhile, a new digital age dispute is brewing -- cellphone carriers are fighting for approval to install new 5G towers throughout the neighborhood, an effort neighborhood preservationists staunchly oppose.

Despite all that, the main priorities for French Quarter business owners like Rau remain largely the same: ensure the neighborhood is safe for tourists, residents and workers alike, and push for continued infrastructure upgrades.

“Everybody wants a safe neighborhood. It’s always going to be something we strive for as a community,” said Brittany Mulla McGovern, executive director of the French Quarter Business Association.

For Rau, ensuring downtown is welcoming and walkable for residents, employees and visitors alike is key.

“I wouldn’t want anyone to feel threatened by being here and re-evaluate how they experience the city,” she said.

INFRASTRUCTURE The French Quarter Business Association includes restaurants, hotels, retailers and a range of other firms based in the French Quarter, representing business interests between Esplanade Avenue and Canal Street, from Rampart Street on the lake side to the Mississippi riverfront. The association’s reach excludes the first 100 block of Canal Street, which, McGovern noted, is technically part of the Downtown Development District. (That block is fronted

by The Shops at Canal Place and Harrah’s.)

McGovern said infrastructure has been the top concern for her members for the past few years, their worries centered on the digging up of an eight-block stretch of Bourbon Street between Canal and Dumaine, a reconstruction project that replaced drainage and water lines and sidewalks, made sewer repairs, and installed upgraded lighting, security cameras and smoother, concrete pavement. Most area businesses agree the work needed to be done, but the project was intensive, closing whole blocks of the iconic street for months at a time, diverting pedestrians and blocking off restaurants and shops who depend on tourist foot traffic.

The first phase of the project, which started in 2017, was full of growing pains, according to McGovern. The association started an email campaign encouraging local businesses to host meetings at restaurants affected by construction and promoting lunch deals. Still, she said,

restaurants and retailers in the area were in a focuses on the blocks closest to Bourbon on tough spot. each street. It will be completed in late 2020.

At the same time, NOLA.com | The TimesRau said the short-term pain is worth the long-term gain in terms of improved infrastrucPicayune reported restaurant workers were seeing their hours cut, and tourist hangouts like ture. She acknowledged that’s easier to say from Cigar Factory were considering altering opening Royal Street, which has yet to see closures and times to avoid peak construction. McGovern said may have even benefited as pedestrians avoided there was more communication with the city and Bourbon during peak construction. better preparation for the second phase of the Still, there’s no question these investments are project, which started in September 2018, but the necessary, especially as the French Quarter sees overall sales impact was inevitable. more flooding than it ever has before, Rau said.

“They still took a hit during that construction "We’ve already experienced more flooding in because it was such a prolonged period of time,” the Quarter over the last few years,” she said, McGovern said. “and it’s definitely going to continue at a noticeRelief over the end of the Bourbon Street able increase when there’s a change in weather work this past November was palpable among or construction. It’s a real concern, especially for French Quarter business owners, but they also us. We have precious objects that need to be in acknowledge that infrastructure needs remain. climate-controlled spaces that aren’t flooding.”

"We've seen flooding on Bienville Street where we've never seen flooding before," said Vincent Marcello, a French Quarter property owner and owner of NOLA Pedicabs, a business he noted thrived during the Bourbon Street repairs. "Last year we flooded two times during heavy rains."

Marcellos main offices front Bienville between Rampart and Dauphine streets. They were As the entirety of Bourbon Street returns to flooded with about 4 inches of rain both times. business as usual, the priority for many French In early February, while crews were putting Quarter business owners has again re-centered the finishing touches on Bourbon Street, work on public safety efforts. More than $8.5 million was continuing on the combined $2.5 million is spent each year on public safety in the French Conti and St. Ann reconstruction projects, Quarter on top of the policing budget for the which aim to fix similar problems with under- New Orleans Police Department’s 8th District, ground drainage, sewer and utilities. The work which includes the historic neighborhood.

PUBLIC SAFETY

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

49

The spending includes a network of realtime surveillance cameras and patrol support from the Louisiana State Police, both holdovers from a 2014 plan by former Mayor Mitch Landrieu following a shooting on Bourbon Street that killed one person and injured nine others. There’s also the French Quarter Task Force, a privately funded security detail and app that allows users to summon off-duty NOPD officers to a scene.

“Things have gotten a lot better,” said Vincent Marcello, a French Quarter property owner and owner of NOLA Pedicabs, adding the safety spending has made a “huge difference” in ensuring more of the Quarter is being monitored.

Marcello, who is also a member of the French Quarter Management District’s public safety and security committee, noted there’s still work to do, namely convincing would-be criminals that the historic neighborhood is a bad place to commit crime.

The patchwork spending has its critics, including New Orleans City Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer, who has called for more oversight in how funds are spent. That conversation reignited last summer as the French Quarter faced an uptick in violent crime.

According to NOPD crime data analyzed by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, there were 93 homicides, aggravated assaults and batteries and robberies reported in the French Quarter during the first half of 2019. That was roughly 30% higher than the same period in 2017. This ran counter to a downward trend in violent crime citywide.

Crime analysts warned against reading longterm trends into a few months of data. But nerves were on edge following several high-

50

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

profile incidents, including the fatal shooting of 36-year-old nurse Julie Couvillon, who was killed by a stray bullet on Bourbon Street. On Dec. 1, 2019, 10 people were injured in a shooting on Canal Street near the corner of Bourbon, the worst mass shooting in the city in several years.

Acknowledging high-profile incidents like those are terrible and have to be prevented, McGovern stressed that they are also infrequent and added that the NOPD 8th District leadership understands this, and has earned the trust of FQBA members. She said that supporting efforts, such as the French Quarter Task Force, are making a difference.

“The French Quarter is not a Wild West,” McGovern said. “It’s heavily patrolled, it’s heavily videoed.”

Updated crime statistics for the French Quarter specifically were not immediately available (the cyberattack on City Hall has delayed data requests in many departments), but preliminary NOPD data show violent crime in the 8th District decreased from 2018 to 2019.

There were 226 homicides, aggravated assaults and batteries, and robberies in the year ending Dec. 9, 2019, the latest data available online.

That was down from 267 in the previous oneyear period, a 15% decrease. The 8th District was among districts with the lowest number of reported shootings, though only the 5th and 7th Districts had higher reports of violent crime overall, according to the data.

The focus moving forward, McGovern said, is keeping the Quarter clean and well lit, as well as ensuring systems are in place to help people who are homeless or transient move from French Quarter streets get access to shelters and other services.

“It’s a holistic approach,” McGovern said.

Marcello agrees. He said he’s noticed City Hall taking a more aggressive approach to removing graffiti and fixing damaged sidewalks, which, in his view, is a crime deterrent. The outlook is known as the “broken windows” theory in criminology —clean up signs of petty crime and civil disorder in an area and people are less likely to commit crime in general.

“Absolutely, the broken window theory applies here,” Marcello said.

Voters will decide again in 2021 whether to allow the use of tax revenue to support extra state police and the French Quarter Task Force after the current approval sunsets. McGovern is confident the measure will pass.

“There’s a willingness there because they understand the need,” McGovern said. “For better or for worse, if an incident does happen in the French Quarter it can and does get citywide, state and sometimes national headlines.”

SHORT-TERM RENTALS While public safety often dominates the conversation, the long-term battle over the future of the French Quarter, its historic character and the type of residents and businesses who call it home often plays out in nuanced policy and, in some cases, the court system.

Take, for example, the citywide short-term rental rules that took effect late last year. Shortterm rentals have been banned in much of the Quarter for years, but the rule change, which

”

Until this building comes down, I don’t see [my properties] getting any new tenants. took effect in December, placed a renewed emphasis on enforcement, said Erin Holmes, executive director of the Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents & Associates (VCPORA), a neighborhood advocacy group that includes French Quarter property owners, residents and businesses.

Holmes said enforcing the ban is critical to preserving the French Quarter’s character as a vibrant neighborhood, with a mix of renters, homeowners and businesses.

“We can’t preserve a neighborhood as a living neighborhood if you can’t live in it,” Holmes said.

She noted the neighborhood’s rental market has been artificially inflated by apartments converted into short-term rentals. The citywide rule has made a difference, she said, noting she and neighbors have noticed a wave of rental properties coming available this year. However, she’s worried the recent City Hall cyberattack could derail enforcement.

Marcello, who owns rental properties throughout the French Quarter — some of which were operated as short-term rentals — said the new rules have resulted in an influx of rental properties in the neighborhood. He’s seen flattening rates, both commercial and residential. He said his properties are about 80% occupied right now, compared with upward of 95% a year or two ago.

Short-term rental rules aren’t the only factor at play. Marcello has properties, including commercial space in the 1000 block of Bienville Street, just a block from the Hard Rock Hotel site, which has sat caved and exposed at the corner of Canal and Rampart streets since October 2019, when it partially collapsed killing three people and injuring dozens. City officials

expect to fully demolish the building, which still holds the bodies of two workers, in May. Lawsuits assigning blame for the collapse are likely to remain in court for years.

“Until this building comes down, I don’t see [my properties] getting any new tenants,” Marcello said.

TOWERS The next French Quarter fight? Cellphone towers. Specifically, 35-foot 5G towers, which cellphone carriers are seeking approval to build throughout the historic neighborhood. Verizon, AT&T and other carriers say the poles are necessary to support mobile broadband use in the Quarter, especially during big events. Carriers currently roll in mobile units to support cellphone data use on heavy-traffic days.

The French Quarter Business Association says it is taking a wait-and-see approach to the issue, watching a lawsuit currently working its way through the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, in which dozens of cities nationwide have sued the Federal Communications Commission over a 2018 decision to eliminate historic and environmental review for 5G towers.

If the cities prevail, it could give entities like the Vieux Carre Commission, which oversees the preservation of buildings in the French Quarter, more of a say in the process.

VCPORA is vocally opposed to the idea.

Holmes noted plans submitted to the city map out some 200 towers total in the French

Quarter, or roughly a tower at every intersection.

Moreover, each carrier has submitted its own proposal, she said.

“It does not necessarily work within very dense, historic neighborhoods, particularly the French Quarter,” Holmes said, adding that the towers only enhance open-air data use, which means residents and businesses would see no improvement in mobile broadband speeds inside their homes.

Holmes said neighborhood groups are willing to work with carriers on solutions for moving forward, including smaller, more compact tower designs. But the priority must be preserving the look and feel of French Quarter streets.

“If you think about the French Quarter being a major economic generator of the city, and largely of the state, how much of the look of the French Quarter is important? It’s pretty significant,” Holmes said. “If you go on any tourism promotion site, you’re going to see the streets of the French Quarter and the balconies and all of this historic architecture.”

From her Royal Street office, Rau preferred not to wade into the 5G tower debate, but said she’d like to see a more intentional conversation about flooding, climate change and how the Quarter intends to prepare. She knows there are other like-minded French Quarter business owners out there.

Overall, Marcello said he has a positive outlook as a French Quarter resident and business owner.

"The French Quarter is alive and well, and always will be,” he said. “I think we’re starting to head in the right direction.” n

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

51

52

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

53

54

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

55

56

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

57

58

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

59

60

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

61

62

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

63

Hungry?

ON L Y

$17.9 5

A collection of 50 traditional and contemporary recipes by Stanley Dry — Louisiana Life “Kitchen Gourmet” columnist, former

senior editor of Food & Wine magazine and

accomplished cook — top-notch ingredients are paired with fresh seafood to create delectable dishes imbued with the author’s signature

simplicity. The easy-to-follow recipes emphasize

Louisiana seafood and quality, local ingredients.

Inspired, innovative and delicious, the seafood dishes in this collection are sure to become favorites in your kitchen.

Visit LouisianaSeafoodCookbook.com to order yours today!

70

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

From The Lens SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA BUSINESS IN FULL COLOR

WORKSPACES The Spa at the Windsor

Court

WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT Tap Truck

NOLA

NONPROFIT Green Light New Orleans

ON THE JOB Dress for Success

FROM THE LENS GRE AT WORKSPACES

EVER SINCE THE WINDSOR COURT HOTEL OPENED AT

The 5,000-squarefoot Spa at the Windsor Court recently underwent a renovation that included the addition of new showers with body sprays to the mens and womens locker rooms and treatment rooms.

AT A GLANCE BUSINESS NAME

Spa at the Windsor Court DATE OF BUILDING

1984 DATE WINDSOR COURT HOTEL OPENED

Feb. 12, 1984 DATE SPA AT THE WINDSOR COURT FIRST OPENED

Renovated Retreat The Spa at the Windsor Court gets renovated, refreshed and renewed to accommodate client growth and offer expanded list of services

May 2012 DATE OF LAST RENOVATION

June 2019 SIZE OF SPA SPACE

5,000 square feet NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

30 PERSON IN CHARGE

BY MELANIE WARNER SPENCER PHOTOS BY SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

72

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

Sharla Martin, spa director

Gravier St. in 1984, it has been home to everything from vacations, staycations and myriad celebrations, to brunch, lunch, happy hour, dinner and, of course, its signature afternoon tea. It opened its Spa at the Windsor Court in 2012, after spa services became a staple in hotel hospitality. The hotel recently renovated the spa to accommodate growing business and enhance the guest experience. The team at the 5,000-square-foot Spa at the Windsor Court worked with Montgomery Roth Architecture & Interior Design on the renovations. “[We] considered what guests already value about The Spa, but also how we could improve their experience and enhance our offerings through increased functionality,” said Sharla Martin, spa director. “That being said, expanding the locker rooms and adding an extra relaxation room and treatment room were essential to the renovations.

For instance, our business is growing rapidly, and we knew we needed a larger ladies locker room so our female guests — 70% of our business —could be more comfortable, so that was a no-brainer.”

In addition to the expansion of the women’s locker room, all of the furnishings were replaced and new lockers were added in both the men’s and women’s locker rooms, as well as a vanity area with backlit mirrors in the latter. New steam rooms, infrared saunas and showers with body sprays were added to both locker rooms (with showers also added to two of the treatment rooms).

Massage, esthetician and manicure-pedicure equipment were also all upgraded and the lobby waiting area and boutique were given a refresh and modernization.

“The infrared saunas, which operate at lower temperatures and use infrared panels instead of conventional heat, are definitely a standout,” said Martin. “They allow users to experience a more intense sweat at a lower temperature, with benefits including detoxification, improved circulation, relaxation, weight loss and pain relief. We added some new product lines, most notably, Diptyque.

The Paris-based company famous for its face and body care, fragrances and candles, is not only featured in the spa, but also as the official line of in-room amenities throughout the hotel.”

300

Furnishings were replaced throughout the spa, and the lobby waiting area and boutique were refreshed and modernized. The design team added a vanity area with backlit mirrors. Massage, esthetician and manicure-pedicure equipment were also upgraded during the renovation.

To offer something different than their competitors, Martin said she focuses on a variety of elements that complement the type and quality of services, favoring a personalized and holistic approach rooted in a philosophy of compassion. She said the staff is her priority and to lead them, Martin works to create a safe, judgment-free workplace steeped in gratitude.

“When I see them caring for of each other, my heart explodes with pride and it truly inspires me,” said Martin. “I want our guests to feel our positive energy as soon as they step in our door. This is a place where you will not be judged, you will be welcomed, and you can breathe. I know that everyone is carrying something heavy, and here, you can walk away from that heaviness. All the above and retail therapy — so this is that place too. We won’t try and ‘sell’ you. We don’t need to. We only carry products that we love and get us excited.

When we stop getting excited, we bring in something new. We do not follow stereotypical ‘spa trends’ — we make our own.”n

...our business is growing rapidly, and we knew we needed a larger ladies locker room so our female guests — 70% of our business —could be more comfortable, so that was a no-brainer.

Sharla Martin, spa director

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

73

FROM THE LENS WHY DIDN’ T I THINK OF THAT ?

Have Booze, Will Travel After only a year in business, Tap Truck NOLA has become the latest must-have for any event.

BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN PHOTOS BY SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

74

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

WHEN LENAYE DOUSSAN MOVED TO NEW

Orleans from California five years ago — her wife’s family has lived in New Orleans for seven generations — she said she was struck by the cookie-cutter, “one size fits all” bar options at weddings and events.

In an effort to bring something new, and eco-friendly, to the festivities, she partnered with a restaurant she loved, Crescent

City BBQ, in January 2019 to launch Tap Truck NOLA with the goal of offering a movable celebration with (liquid) fun on tap. Owned by CCBBQ, Tap Truck NOLA serves as the official beverage provider for the restaurant, but is managed and operated by Doussan who has been working hard to spread the party around the city whenever and wherever she can.

Like a food truck, but for alcohol, Tap Trucks (there are currently two) are specially outfitted antique trucks that arrive to any event stocked with high quality, high-end alcohol — and some booze-free options — served in an eco-friendly way.

“New Orleans is a city that is always looking to party,” Doussan said. “We wanted to bring something to the city it had never seen before and do it in a very eco-conscious way. Pouring draft allows us to leave practically no footprint; our kegs are reusable, we pour with compostable cups and we don’t require a generator or power to run the system.”

The idea has been a fast hit. After only one year in business, Doussan is currently booking events one year out that range from local weddings to corporate events in the greater New Orleans area and as far out as Lafayette. The trucks rent for a minimum of three hours for $250 an hour if alcohol is purchased separately through Tap Truck, or $350 an hour if a customer chooses to provide their own.

But what about the lines? How can one truck serve a large event in a timely manner?

Doussan said it’s all about the taps.

“Speed of service really sets us apart,” she said. “The last thing anyone wants to do after sitting through an hour [wedding] Mass is wait for a drink. Pouring from taps allows us to serve faster because there are no wine bottles to open or bottles to pop — we just keep pouring. There are almost 2.5 cases of wine per stainless keg; that’s a lot of cork, glass, and cardboard we’re saving from the landfill. Plus, draft tastes better and you are going to have the same taste from the first to 100th glass.”

While the beverages are great, it’s the trucks that sell this concept.

“We have two trucks, both are 1951 panel trucks, but one is a Chevrolet and the other a GMC,” Doussan said. “‘Sandy,’ our original, is a neutral tan color, and ‘Beau’ [added in August] is a flashy, two-tone of pearl and cobalt blue. Both have fully restored V8 engines, air conditioning, and a special suspension designed to withstand the weight of the kegs and survive our local streets — the latter two being absolutely essential.”

According to Doussan, no age or gender is immune to the trucks’ charms.

“Pouring from a beautifully restored, antique truck brings such a blend of emotions from people. Most are just in awe, and some have strong nostalgia, while others

Tap Truck NOLA’s beverage catering can supply refreshment for parties of 50 to 1,000 guests. Locally brewed beer is the most popular request, but additional tap options include everything from wine, sparkling wine and cocktails to cold brew coffee and lemonade.

New Orleans is a city that is always looking to party. We wanted to bring something to the city it had never seen before and do it in a very ecoconscious way.

Lenaye Doussan, co-founder and manager of Tap Truck NOLA

have never gotten to see a car this old. You’re not just walking up to a bar, you’re having an experience. We pride ourselves on being a business for everyone. Women love the trucks just as much as men,” she said.

Each truck is specially outfitted to provide as many options as possible for any type of event with 50 to 1,000 guests — even ones where no alcohol is desired. Tap Truck is fully licensed and insured, with the proper ATC permit, allowing the company to source all kegged beverages distributed in Louisiana.

“The trucks have six taps from which we can pour any beverage: beer, wine, sparkling wine, craft cocktails, nonalcoholic options like cold brew coffee, kombucha, lemonade, soda, and tea,” Doussan said. “We love to feature local breweries as well as zero-proof options from French Truck Coffee, Big Easy Bucha, Citronola and Abita.”

Craft beer tops the list of most requested tap options, so Doussan works a lot with local breweries.

“Because a lot of our guests are from out of town or may be new to the craft beer scene, we offer tastings to help make the tap selection,” she said. “It’s our twist on the classic ‘cake tasting.’”

Tap Truck caters an average of 10 events per month, with seasonal fluctuations. The company saw its biggest demand during the past fall and spring.

In a kind of “come for the truck, stay for the service,” the company currently employs

a staff of six, part-time “taptenders” trained to go above and beyond the call of duty.

“All of our employees are knowledgeable professionals who have worked in hospitality for many years,” she said. “We don’t just pour you a drink; we are there to talk about the trucks, local breweries and even join in on the dance party.”

Given the great photo opportunities, it’s not surprising that weddings have provided the largest portion of the company’s business.

“A favorite addition is a tap handle we customize with NOLA Boards, which is perfect to pull the couple’s signature cocktail,” said Doussan.

In addition to memorable wedding events, Doussan and her team have put together made-to-order corporate events across the area. The ability to literally drive the bar to almost any location has made for some especially interesting set-ups.

“One of my favorite events was a corporate event in Jean Lafitte National Park for the Sacramento Kings organization,” she said. “Sandy was pulled right up to the swamp and we were pouring beer, wine and hurricanes as the guests returned from a swamp tour. There was a huge crawfish boil going, and it was just so cool to be pouring in such a remote location. I get asked all the time, ‘Does it drive?’ ‘Do you need a generator/power?’ and it’s so fun to watch people’s faces as I tell them, ‘No. We just pulled right up here!’”n

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

75

FROM THE LENS MAKING A MATCH: BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS

Changing More Than Lightbulbs

SMALL , INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS, REPEATED

Is your company passionate about the environment?

Green Light New Orleans offers many ways to help the city get a little greener.

BY PAMELA MARQUIS PHOTOS BY CHERYL GERBER

THE BASICS MISSION

Green Light New Orleans invests energy in people by assisting New Orleans residents in person, one household at a time. Volunteers install free, energyefficient lightbulbs, rain barrels and backyard vegetable gardens to demonstrate that a mass movement of individual actions creates a significant impact on our environment and community.

The organization connects New Orleans residents to relevant, local opportunities and encourages individual action so that everyone can benefit from a vibrant, resilient and sustainable community.

CONTACT

8203 Jeannette Street (504) 324-2429 GreenlightNewOrleans.org

76

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

many thousands of times by thousands of people, can add up to make a huge difference — that’s the driving force behind Green Light New Orleans, an organization founded in 2006 by Swiss native Andreas Hoffmann with the goal of addressing the world’s environmental crisis caused by global warming and pollution.

Green Light New Orleans’ volunteers install free energy-efficient light bulbs, rain barrels and backyard vegetable gardens in an effort to demonstrate that a mass movement of individual actions creates a significant impact on our environment and community.

The organization has installed 600,000 CFL lightbulbs in 28,000 homes and businesses in the New Orleans area in 12 years — all at no cost to residents.

“The goal of the program is to have a positive environmental impact by increasing the use of energy-efficient light bulbs, helping residents reduce their utility bills and reducing the carbon footprint of the community,” Hoffman said.

Green Light’s efforts have attracted the attention of large companies like Entergy — which sends several volunteer groups, consisting of 10 to 25 employees, to volunteer throughout the year — and Domain Companies. The real estate investment and development firm recently sent 65 team members out as volunteers.

Green Light also builds free backyard vegetable gardens. The organization has developed a simple, raised-bed garden system that can be easily reconstructed by volunteers in backyards throughout the city. Don’t know how to garden? The Edible Teaching Garden at 2420 Cambronne Street provides an educational space for Green Light gardeners and, for $20 per month, participants can come and harvest their own food.

Green Light also offers the community beautifully painted, repurposed 50-gallon rain barrels.

“Catching 50 or 100 gallons of water on your property during a storm where millions of gallons of water make it into the city’s stormwater system may not seem like much,” Hoffman said, “but if we have the same success with rain barrels that we had with light bulbs, we could install two barrels at 27,000 homes and we’d be catching 2.7 million gallons of water during each rain event.”

Volunteers come from all around the country, from sororities to big corporations, to clean, prep and paint the barrels.

(facing page) Volunteers decorate 50-gallon rain barrels to provide to local citizens in an effort to conserve water. (left) Volunteers from the University of North Texas (right, top) Preparing a space for a rain barrel (bottom) left to right: Green Light Volunteer Coordinator Jillian Welsh, Rain Barrel Installer Brett Thorne and Founder Andreas Hoffman

Hoffman continues to start conversations about how community members can work together to create environmental change and emphasizes that it is a problem that will take decades to fix.

“But by supporting Green Light New Orleans, you lower the city’s carbon footprint, provide access to healthy food and help manage our stormwater,” he said. “I do it because I want our children and our grandchildren to have a place to live in their futures.”

ENTERGY AND DOMAIN SPEAK OUT ON THE VALUE OF CORPORATE VOLUNTEERISM

“What employees appreciate the most is the opportunity to make an impact on their communities,” said Kaleb Stargel, Entergy Services program coordinator and corporate social responsibility. “This is their home.

Our employees love knowing that they can power life in their communities and neighborhoods by volunteering for organizations that make a lasting impact like Green Light.

Volunteering also provides employees with

an opportunity to work with and make connections with colleagues in other departments who they might not otherwise get to work with, or even meet.”

“Domain’s community engagement initiatives and social impact work are a significant part of our DNA as a company,” said Mary McCullough, Domain Companies’ community engagement director. “Any company that invests in growing their corporate volunteer platform will see that investment pay dividends.”

HOW YOUR BUSINESS CAN GET INVOLVED

Green Light offers year-round volunteer opportunities Monday through Saturday for groups of any size. Sustainable lunches can also be arranged.

Buy a rain barrel or form a team to decorate a barrel. Each barrel costs $500 to produce, including administration costs and raw materials. In 2021, Green Light aims to create 1,200 barrels at a cost of $600,000.n

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

77

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Ace and the Louisiana Open Housing Act, which make it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. For more information, call the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office at 1-800-273-5718.

78

BIZ NEW ORLEANS

APRIL 2020

BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

79

FROM THE LENS ON THE JOB

Empowered for Employment Since 1999, Dress for Success New Orleans has been helping women achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools.

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER

WHEN YOU KNOW YOU LOOK GOOD YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN

do anything — including get that job that will get you on your feet and keep you there.

From providing a complete interview look and work appropriate attire at the Dress for Success Boutique, to employment retention programs, to a comprehensive career center, Dress for Success supports women to reach their career goals. For more information, including how to volunteer or donate work appropriate attire, visit NewOrleans.DressforSuccess.org. n