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Places & Faces
“Who’s News.”
JD Bank Promotes Leonards JD Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Carly Leonards to the newly created position of Sr. Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer. She had served as Executive Vice Carly Leonards President-Chief Operating Officer since 2012, successfully leading many significant projects and teams as JD Bank has continued to expand its services across Acadiana and Southwest Louisiana. As Sr. Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer, Leonards will be responsible for operating, directing and administering JD Bank’s retail network, commercial deposit and loan products, assets and fee-based services. She will also develop strategies, policies and procedures.
ICCS Announces Students of the Year
Jack Spann
Asha Austin
Jack Spann and Asha Austin have been named the 2016-2017 Immaculate Conception Cathedral School Students of the Year. The students were selected for the honor based on grade point average, school organization participation, community service, a special essay writing assignment and interview with a panel of judges. Jack Spann, an 8th Grade honor roll student, is a member of the ICCS Beta Club, Student Council, Catholic Athletes for Christ and ICCS Football, Basketball and Track & Field teams. He also serves as an ICCS Ambassador. Jack is the son of Julee and David Spann. Asha Austin, a 5th Grade honor roll student, is involved in the ICCS Engineering Club, Honor Chorus and Safety Patrol. Asha is the daughter of Nicole and Robbie Austin. For more information about Immaculate Conception Cathedral School, visit www.iccschool.org.
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Bob King and Mark Lavergne Appointed to CVB’s Board of Directors
Bob King
Mark Lavergne
Bob King, representing the Southwest Louisiana Restaurant Association, and Mark Lavergne, on behalf of Southwest Louisiana Festivals, were appointed to serve on the board of directors for the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). King is the president of Pitt Grill and manager of King Properties in Southwest Louisiana. He is a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelor of Science degree. He has a love for the community and a passion to serve those in Southwest Louisiana to bring out the best of who we are as a culture and destination. Lavergne recently retired from Citgo Oil Company after 35 years where he worked as a maintenance painter and also as a safety director during the last three years. He is a past board member and president of the Buccaneers of Lake Charles, the Krewe des Lunatiques, a charter board member of the Krewe des Pirates, and he was honored as the Grand Marshall of the Krewe of Krewes Parade in 2011. He is heavily involved with Mardi Gras and also serves as an advisory board member of the Contraband Days Louisiana Pirate Festival. He is a member of the Calcasieu Boat Club, the Pelican Coast Parrotheads and the Krewe des Amis. In 2016, he was honored as a Partner in Tourism by the CVB. For more information on Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana, visit www.visitlakecharles.org.
David Darbone Appointed to Port Board Of Commissioners David Darbone of Sowela Technical Community College has been appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards to the Board of Commissioners David Darbone of the Lake Charles Harbor & Terminal District, which operates the Port Thrive Magazine for Better Living
of Lake Charles. Darbone previously served on the board from 2005 to 2010 and was President from 2007 to 2008. Since 2008, Darbone has been the Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Management at Sowela where he manages the overall management of campus facilities as well as Sowela’s budget for capital improvements and maintenance.
Selection of Charla Blake as Executive Director of Project Build A Future Rev. Henry Mancuso, President of Project Build A Future [PBAF], has announced the selection of Ms. Charla Blake as Executive Director of the Charla Blake local not-for-profit agency. Over the past 15 years, PBAF has constructed 100 quality, affordable homes. Currently six additional homes are under construction and 20 more are in the planning stages. A native of Cameron, Ms. Blake has earned architectural degrees at USL, the University of Texas at Arlington, and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Missouri. She is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Louisiana Partnership for the Arts, and the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society. For more information about PBAF, call 337-4397191, visit www.projectbuildafuture.org.
Dr. Phillip Conner Named Medical Director of Trina Health Lake Charles Trina Health of Lake Charles has appointed Phillip Conner, MD, as the Trina Health of Lake Charles Medical Director. Dr. Conner has 15 years Dr. Phillip Conner of medical practice experience, and is board certified in both family medicine and sleep medicine. Originally from Lake Charles, Dr. Conner received his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and earned his Medical Degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. He completed a residency in family medicine at the Memorial/LSUHSC Family Medicine Residency Program in Lake Charles, and completed additional training in sleep medicine.
March 2017