Tony Normand - A Man With A Mission A LOUISIANA NATIVE, Tony Normand is the man behind the magic at Mandeville Coatings. Through his business, his expertise and his years of experience, he has found a passion and a purpose in empowering single mothers of St. Tammany. A painter by trade, Normand knows the value of having specialized skills in particular areas of construction and renovation. He also knows that women tend to pay close attention to detail. Why then, he wondered, are there not more women on job sites doing the intricate, detail-oriented work? Normand is out to change this, and with a heart-warming purpose. He is breaking barriers with a new concept he is calling Painting Ladies Creating Legacies. Normand’s mission is to empower single mothers who want to support themselves. One of five children raised by a single mother, Normand knows just how hard some women struggle to raise a family alone. He has made it his mission to hire women who just need a break. He teaches them very specialized skills in a way that does not require extensive training and allows them to begin making money immediately. Normand notes that he is on every jobsite to oversee every aspect, every step of the way. He stands behind his Painting Ladies 100 percent. He adds that while some are skeptical, many clients in fact prefer that his crews are predominantly female. He does strive to play fair
though and does not exclusively employ women. He finds that having men around to do the heavy lifting is usually beneficial. In addition to on-the-job training, Normand seeks to promote continued growth for his employees. His project manager, Christina Knight, is his original Painting Lady. A single mother who once struggled to keep a roof over her babies’ heads, Knight is now a selfsufficient woman running her own crew. Normand knows that all his employees have the potential to flourish this way, and his goal is to give them the resources. Normand explains that he has always felt compelled to give back and help others. He says that though his family had very little, it was always a priority to give to the needy. As an adult, Normand has felt especially heartbroken by homelessness yet found himself unfulfilled by his work with local food banks. He says they opened his eyes to a broken system that was easily abused. He searched and prayed for a genuine way to give back and ultimately found that this was his calling. Normand knows that most people would rather be given the tools to support themselves than lean on a system that doesn't work, and he has found his purpose in doing just that. “I just want to help good people make an honest living,” he says. For more information, please contact us at 985-242-0588 (cell) or 985-242-0588 (office), or contact project manager Christina Knight at 985-807-1140. Sophisticated Woman | September 2018 31