Business Report [October 2025] by Baton Rouge Business Report

Built

greatness

moves Hire or not?

People First.

With 226 attorneys in 8 offices across 2 states, Kean Miller’s people-first approach is at the heart of everything we do. It is evident in our dedication to each other, our passion for client service, and our unwavering support of the Greater Baton Rouge community.

For the 12th time, we’re honored to be named a Best Place to Work in Baton Rouge, a recognition that reflects our culture of collaboration, excellence, and care.

Build your career with Kean Miller and rediscover what matters most in the workplace at www.keanmiller.com/careers.

Meet Laura — she’s a Louisiana native and a high bill ﬁghter.

What she does every day has helped keep Entergy Louisiana’s rates more than 30% below the national average for more than a decade.

Laura works in resource management at Entergy Louisiana, which means her team matches Louisiana power needs with the least expensive power generation available — in real time. Laura helps deliver reliable electricity and manage energy costs for our customers in Louisiana.

We’ve been powering Louisiana for 100 years, and we’re 100% committed to making the next century even better than the last through our Louisiana 100 Plan. We’re working every day to help keep rates as low as possible in Louisiana — because this is our home, too.

Learn more at entergy-louisiana.com/100-plan/

At Woman’s, our breast cancer surgery team—Dr. Cecilia Cuntz, Dr. Lindsey Fauveau, and Dr. Jamie Patterson—bring together exceptional skill and heartfelt compassion. We o er the most advanced technology in screening, surgical treatment, and reconstruction, paired with the understanding and support every woman deserves.

For more than 55 years, we’ve been by your side. And when everything changes, we’re the team you can count on to help you move forward — with con dence, strength, and care you trust.

The next chapter in your life story starts with us. womans.org/rewriteyourstory

Breast Specialists

Susan, age 60, Breast Patient

8 Culture is your edge

11 In the Know

13 Richard Bliss

Why your executive team’s digital presence is your company’s hidden competitive asset.

15 The AI Playbook

How to turn every customer interaction into a growth opportunity.

17 Thought Leader Get Baton Rouge architect Kevin Harris’ tips for small business owners to punch above their weight.

18 Meet The 500 Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association President Tommy Faucheaux shares his most embarrassing moment, his origin story as a professional and a weighty transformation goal for the year.

20 Entrepreneur Lemonade Day gave Brennan Williams his entrepreneurial start.

22 Business Lunch

Smoked brisket, pork belly burnt ends, pulled pork, spareribs, smoked turkey, house-made pork cheddar cheese sausage and five elevated sides occupy the The Kapalama Sampler at Salt Pepper Oak.

25 Survey Says Lessons in leadership

27 Wisdom

Discover the fatherly advice that guides Amanda Martin’s approach to business and management.

81 Banking on Texas

Why two Baton Rouge banks see opportunity in the Lone Star State.

84 Fresh start

The Capital Region’s once rudderless entrepreneurial ecosystem gets reenergized.

89 Teaching grit and guts

Russell Crook wants LSU business graduates ready to lead—and ready to take risks.

96 Game on

Major health systems and local clinics are fueling a new era of sports medicine in the Capital Region.

Viewpoint

98 Rolfe McCollister

Attracting young talent to Baton Rouge

Your Business

100 Listmakers: Private high schools

103 Company News

106 Moving Up

110 Recharge Brian Pangburn, principal and CEO of The Pangburn Group, talks about the singular mental and physical focus that auto restoration provides.

ON THE COVER

Built for greatness

Inside the 75 workplaces engineered to inspire peak performance

The ThreeSixtyEight team photographed by Don Kadair

Design: Hoa Vu

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Workplaces that work

These Capital Region employers make working feel like winning by checking all the right boxes. page 71

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Culture is your edge

EVERY COMPANY IS chasing an edge. Lower costs. New tech. Faster growth. But here’s the real secret the best leaders in Baton Rouge already know: The strongest competitive advantage isn’t on your balance sheet or in your business plan. It’s culture.

And that’s the through line you’ll see in this year’s Best Places to Work cover story. The companies featured aren’t just offering perks. They’ve built cultures so strong that people choose to stay, grow and deliver at their highest level. Their workplaces are proof that when you get culture right, everything else accelerates.

Just look at the market leaders around us. Turner Industries has scaled into one of the largest privately held industrial firms in the country—not just because it builds well, but because it builds people. Its apprenticeship pipelines, leadership training and loyalty-first mindset create a workforce that stays, grows and outperforms.

Or consider Raising Cane’s. It sells chicken fingers. But what it’s really selling is an experience built on relentless consistency, fun and fanatical service— and it all flows from the culture. When employees buy in, they deliver something competitors can’t copy.

And take Ryan, a tax services and software provider that has claimed top honors among the large companies

on our list two years in a row. Ryan’s reputation wasn’t just earned through policy pages—it was forged by teams who feel valued, supported and empowered. From leadership down, it has invested in a culture of continuous learning, collaboration and excellence. That leads to sharper client service, stronger relationships and fewer costly mistakes. The culture doesn’t just attract talent— it shapes how employees show up for customers every day.

Here’s the truth: Anyone can buy equipment, copy processes or match pricing. But you can’t clone culture. That’s why it’s your edge. It’s the only sustainable differentiator in a marketplace where products blur and technology levels the playing field.

So if you’re sitting in the C-suite, here’s the play: Stop treating culture as a side project. Treat it like your growth engine. Audit it. Protect it. Invest in it with the same urgency you bring to sales, innovation and strategy.

Because culture isn’t just how you win talent. Culture is how you win—period.

Julio Melara, Publisher

Publisher: Julio Melara

Associate Publisher: Erin Pou

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor: Penny Font

Managing Editor: Allan Schilling

News Editor: Holly Duchmann

Staff Writers: Jordan Arceneaux, Dillon Lowe

Digital Content Strategist & Researcher: John McElwain

Contributing Writers: Sam Barnes, Kelli Bozeman, Maggie Heyn Richardson

Contributing Photographers: Jackie Haxthausen, Don Kadair, Tim Mueller, Collin Richie

ADVERTISING

Sales & Marketing Operations Manager: Kynley Lemoine

Senior Consultant & Assistant Manager: Kelly Lewis

Multimedia Marketing Consultants: David Burton, Nicole Crochet, Alex Lorando, Emma Walker

Multimedia Marketing Consultant/Custom Publishing: Judith LaDousa

Digital Operations Manager: Devyn MacDonald

Partner Success Manager: Matt Wambles

Digital Operations Coordinator: Sydney Deville

Content Creator: Londyn White

Corporate Communications Strategist: Mark Lorando

Content Strategist: Emily Hebert

STUDIO E

Creative Director: Timothy Coles

Business Development Manager: Manny Fajardo

Custom Content Editor: Lisa Tramontana

Video Lead: Taylor Stoma

Production Coordinator: Sara Hodge

ADMINISTRATION

Chief Technology Officer: James Hume

Business Manager: Tiffany Durocher

Business Associate: Kirsten Milano

Office Coordinator: Donna Curry

Receptionist: Cathy Varnado Brown

CREATIVE SERVICES

Creative Services Manager: Ellie Gray

Art Director: Hoa Vu

Senior Graphic Designers: Melinda Gonzalez Galjour, Sidney Rosso

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Circulation and Client Experience Manager: Ivana Oubre

A PUBLICATION OF MELARA ENTERPRISES, LLC

Chairman: Julio Melara

Executive Assistant: Brooke Motto

Vice President, Sales: Elizabeth McCollister Hebert

Chief Content Officer: Penny Font

Chief Digital Officer: Erin Pou

Chief Operating Officer: Guy Barone

Circulation/Reprints/Subscriptions/Customer Service

225-928-1700 • email: circulation@businessreport.com

Volume 41 - Number 38

Daryl Marx, MD

Robotic Surgery

In The Know

News and notables to keep you connected

NOMINATE THE BEST IN BUSINESS

Betting on Texas

Texas is calling—and Investar Bank is answering. President and CEO John D’Angelo joins Strictly Business to share why the Baton Rouge-based bank is making a bold move into the Lone Star State, and what shifting market and economic forces mean for C-suite leaders navigating what’s next in banking. Read more on page 81, and register at strictlybusiness.businessreport.com.

Business Report is now accepting nominations for its 2026 Business Awards & Hall of Fame. Nominate standout entrepreneurs, executives and companies—along with legends for our Hall of Fame—by Nov. 7. Winners will be featured in March and honored at our signature celebration. Get all the details at businessreport.com/events.

Number of new business climate initiatives Gov. Jeff Landry announced last month. SourceLouisiana.com will connect Louisiana businesses with opportunities tied to new projects. Economic development officials will travel the state to connect business leaders with state resources in the Driving Louisiana Opportunity Tour. Project Lightning Speed will streamline permitting and regulatory approval processes. And Ensuring Louisiana Participation will promote the use of Louisiana businesses in projects that take advantage of state incentive programs. Read more at businessreport.com

Pillars of power

Some of the biggest names in the energy industry will be honored Nov. 5 as Business Report’s 10/12 Industry Report hosts the inaugural Louisiana Energy Awards. Turner Industries Chairman Emeritus Roland Toups will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award; the Danos Foundation with the Community Impact Award. Honorees in five other corporate and executive categories will be revealed at the event. Get tickets at 1012industryreport. com/energy-awards.

$1M

Estimated economic impact of the 2026 American Darters Association National Championship, coming to Baton Rouge in July. Read more at businessreport.com.

Number of this year’s Best Places to Work honorees that offer profit sharing as a benefit to employees. See our full list of this year’s top-performing workplaces beginning on page 63, and browse historical data in Business Report’s Data Center at businessreport.com/data-center.

Why your executive team’s digital presence is your company’s hidden competitive asset

YOUR COMPETITORS ARE

not just outspending you on traditional marketing—they’re outmaneuvering you in digital spaces where your customers are making buying decisions before your sales team even knows they exist.

BLISSPOINT CONSULTING

CEO Richard Bliss is the author of Digital-First Leadership. He helps business leaders master digital communication for competitive advantage. Learn more about executive training programs at BlissPointConsult.com.

As someone who spent 18 years scaling technology companies through Fortune 500 executive roles, I’ve witnessed a fundamental shift in how business relationships form and deals close. Today’s business development increasingly happens in digital conversations that occur long before formal sales processes begin. Yet most local business leaders remain invisible in these crucial interactions.

THE EXECUTIVE VISIBILITY CHALLENGE

When a prospect researches your company, they’re not just evaluating your products or services— they’re assessing your leadership team’s credibility and thought leadership. A strong executive digital presence signals organizational sophistication and forward-thinking leadership. Companies with digitally engaged leadership teams close deals 32% faster than those without, according to LinkedIn’s research on B2B buying behavior.

Your inability to master a 21st century communication tool calls into question your ability to lead a 21st century organization. This isn’t about personal branding or social media—it’s about business intelligence and competitive positioning.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY

The most effective approach isn’t random individual posting, but coordinated executive engagement

that demonstrates organizational depth and expertise. When your leadership team strategically participates in industry conversations, prospects see a company with intellectual capital and market awareness.

Consider implementing what I call the Executive Commentary Strategy. Rather than creating content from scratch, have your leadership team provide thoughtful commentary on industry developments, client successes and market insights. This positions your executives as informed industry voices while requiring minimal time investment.

clients requires just 10 minutes of daily executive time. Instead of content creation, focus on strategic engagement with content from customers, partners and industry leaders. Comments that demonstrate insight and add value reach 30% of the commenter’s network, creating significant visibility opportunities.

Train your leadership team to identify three pieces of relevant content daily. Thoughtful commentary on these posts will position your executives as engaged industry voices while building relationships with key stakeholders.

THE LOCAL MARKET ADVANTAGE

Regional businesses enjoy significant advantages in digital engagement that national companies cannot replicate. Local market knowledge, community relationships and regional business connections create authentic conversation opportunities that larger competitors struggle to match.

Your leadership team’s commentary on local economic development, regional industry trends and community business initiatives demonstrates both market expertise and community investment—powerful differentiators in competitive situations.

IMPLEMENTATION FOR BUSY EXECUTIVES

The most successful approach I’ve developed with Fortune 500

MEASURING IMPACT

Track metrics that matter, such as profile views from target accounts, connection requests from ideal prospects and inbound inquiries that reference executive commentary reveal whether your digital presence is attracting the right audience and creating business opportunities.

Companies that master executive digital engagement are able to gain sustainable competitive advantages. They attract higher-quality prospects, close deals faster and build stronger business relationships. More importantly, they position themselves as industry leaders.

Your leadership team’s digtal presence represents untapped competitive potential. The question isn’t whether you have time for digital engagement—it’s whether you can afford to remain invisible while competitors build relationships with your future customers.

Expert Cancer Care Close to Home

Ochsner Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center have clinically integrated to provide advanced cancer care right here in the Capital City. This means access to life-saving clinical trials for innovative therapies, more specialists and more resources for our patients. Through this collaboration, Ochsner is the first and only provider in Louisiana with a fully integrated cancer program based on MD Anderson’s standards and treatment plans. Learn more at ochsner.org/EndCancer

Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Ochsner Cancer Center – Baton Rouge Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Ochsner Medical Complex – The Grove

Jennifer Perone, MD

Surgical Oncology

Baton Rouge

NEIGHBORS FEDERAL CREDIT

Union in Baton Rouge receives over 30,000 phone calls each month from members—ranging from simple balance checks to loan application updates.

With the implementation of AI into the contact center, one in every four of those calls is now answered entirely by artificial intelligence. Members can check balances, reset online banking passwords, authorize loan payments, and more with zero wait time.

That’s a dramatic shift in efficiency, but the real lesson for executives is broader: AI can transform everyday interactions into seamless experiences while freeing staff to focus on higher-value work.

The technology doesn’t stop at call automation. Neighbors uses AI predictive analytics built on member data and historical modeling to automatically suggest product and service offerings that save members time and money.

Instead of waiting for members to ask, the system anticipates needs and makes proactive recommendations—something every industry can apply to deepen customer relationships.

Internally, Neighbors has also partnered with local vendor Disrupt Ready to build a large language model that makes policies and procedures easier for employees to access. More than 60% of staff now use this system each month, cutting down the time it takes to find accurate information and boosting confidence in daily decision-making.

Looking ahead, Neighbors plans to roll out one of the most innovative fraud protection platforms on

Turning every customer interaction into a growth opportunity

the market. It uses AI to aggregate member account data and flag unusual transactions.

When something looks out of the ordinary, the system will automatically notify the member and their trusted contacts. Offered free of charge, it’s another layer of security designed to protect members and build trust.

For the C-suite in any sector, the takeaway is clear: AI is not just about efficiency—it’s about using automation and analytics to make service feel seamless, build trust and free people to do their best work.

Whether you’re running a bank, a law firm or a logistics company, the same playbook applies: Find high-volume pain points, use AI to automate or augment, and let your team focus on delivering greater value.

“Any technology that allows us to make better decisions and better serve our members is worth exploring,” says Brett M. Reynolds, senior vice president of marketing.

“Artificial intelligence has exponentially increased the speed at which innovation is happening in all industries—especially financial services. We’ll continue to examine these technologies with a focus on safety, security and member experience.”

This column was written by AI exclusively for Baton Rouge Business Report, using local case studies and insights to help you think more strategically about adopting artificial intelligence in your organization. Have a great story about how your business is using AI? We want to hear it—email us at ai@businessreport.com and let’s keep the conversation going.

TheAI Playbook

FOUR PLAYS FOR YOUR OWN PLAYBOOK

1. Automate the everyday. Identify high-volume, routine interactions—like Neighbors did with one in four calls—that AI can resolve instantly.

2. Anticipate customer needs. Apply predictive analytics to suggest products or solutions before the client even asks.

3. Empower employees with access. Use AI to build internal tools (like Neighbors’ LLM) that make policies and procedures easy to find and apply.

4. Strengthen security proactively. Implement AI-driven monitoring that flags unusual patterns early, helping protect customers and build trust.

The big office blueprint for small teams

RUNNING A SMALL office doesn’t mean thinking small.

Baton Rouge architect Kevin Harris understands this point well. His residential design practice has just six employees, yet it has become a leader in the local architectural market, proving that even the leanest team can operate with the efficiency and impact of a large firm.

Business Report sat down with Harris to discuss how small business owners can punch above their weight. Here are his recommendations.

Stay

nimble—and keep learning.

Where large firms have resources, small firms have agility. “Large firms can tackle giant projects—or at least throw resources at them—but small firms are far more nimble,” Harris says. “We focus on what we do well, but we’re also constantly learning more about what our industry requires and what our clients want and adapting as we go.”

The bottom line: Be a lifelong learner, play around with new methods of solving old problems and treat even failed experiments as opportunities to gather useful information.

Use technology to multiply your capacity. It used to take Harris’ office a week to measure and draw up a home by hand. Now, his team uses lidar scanning tools, an approach Harris discovered through TikTok. The result: more precise measurements and quicker turnarounds.

“We’ll go in and scan everything—the inside, the outside, the attic—in just an hour. … Now I have far more accurate information than I would have if I had just looked around and measured everything with a tape measurer.” Harris says.

The bottom line: Seek out technology that can help you deliver polished work faster. Your larger competitors will be doing the same— don’t let yourself fall behind.

Build a visible, relatable brand.

A sleek logo only goes so far. Your brand needs to feel credible, trustworthy and, above all else, approachable. Harris checks all three of those boxes thanks in large part to his presence on TikTok. He’s amassed more than 78,000 followers on the short-form video platform, having built his following with fun, informative content that’s engaging even to those with little prior exposure to the world of architecture. Of course, not every small business can reasonably expect to go viral on TikTok. But every small business owner can work toward building an online presence that reflects both their expertise and their personality.

The bottom line: Whether you’re launching a marketing campaign or simply making a post on social media, remember three words: credible, trustworthy, approachable.

Prioritize clear, fast communication.

For Harris, efficient communication is a massive competitive advantage. As a matter of fact, that’s something else TikTok has helped him with.

“When I was teaching, my lectures would take 45 minutes,” Harris, a former LSU professor, says. “Now, thanks to TikTok, I think I could go in and get the same core messages across in three minutes.” Those sharpened communication skills translate into stronger client relationships.

The bottom line: The faster clients understand your vision, the faster they’ll buy in. Be concise; cut the fluff from your pitch.

Network, network, network.

If your small business is up against industry juggernauts, the importance of joining professional associations, attending conventions and forming relationships with your peers cannot be overstated.

“Start associating with and talking to the best minds in [your industry],” Harris says. “They’re usually happy to share their knowledge.”

The bottom line: The right connections can open doors that size never will. A robust professional network is one of the best tools a small business can have in its tool belt.

THOUGHT LEADER

COURTESYKE ARRIS

Tommy Faucheux

President, Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association

TOMMY FAUCHEUX IS focused on opening doors for Louisiana’s oil and gas industry. As the sector navigates a global energy transition, he’s working to position the state as a place where investment and growth can thrive. He leads a small team of six at the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, collaborating closely with member companies and trade groups to advance their shared goals. Outside of LMOGA, he lends his perspective to several boards, including the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industr and the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana.

MOTTO

“Nunc Coepi” – Now I begin.

CAUSE

I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT

Engaged couples in the Catholic Church. My wife and I mentor newly engaged couples. We meet with each couple numerous times over six months prior to their wedding. The success of the family matters.

MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY IN A LEADER

DREAM DINNER COMPANIONS

Walt Disney Corp. CEO Bob Iger, to understand how he keeps Disney at the cutting edge through creativity. And Chevron CEO Mike Wirth, who is a steady force that allows the balance of meeting the global energy demand via traditional and new energy sources.

ADVICE TO MY YOUNGER SELF

Relax and be patient.

BOOK THAT MADE AN IMPACT

The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James Baker III. It is a phenomenal portrait of a man who made things happen. He prided himself in loyalty. He had great courage. He had great decision-making skills. He overcame great personal struggle and rose to be one of the most powerful men never elected in the world.

BEST BUSINESS

ADVICE FOR OTHERS

Do not lose sight of your family needs. Be a professional, but also be a spouse and a parent. That balance is essential.

Humility. We must recognize that despite professional success, attention and large egos, we are still human. We are not perfect. We need to be comfortable with who we are, knowing our strengths and our areas where we can grow.

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT

I ended up on stage at one of then-Gov. Bobby Jindal’s press conferences that I was not supposed to be in. I got a lot of strange looks.

MEMORABLE

PIECE OF WISDOM

I’VE RECEIVED

Have a bias for change.

HOW I INSPIRE MY TEAM

By showcasing their value and success to the companies of my organizational members and the board of directors. It is a team effort and they are the stars of the team.

SONG THAT MOTIVATES ME

“I Saw God Today,” by George Strait

TRANFORMATION GOAL THIS YEAR

I want Louisiana to see the value in large energy companies investing in Louisiana.

MOST UNUSUAL JOB

Soccer referee

FIRST SET OF WHEELS

A white 1991 Toyota Camry. It broke down the first time I drove it after buying it, but it was also the car I took my now wife Mitzi on many dates in.

PLAY ME IN A MOVIE

Tom Cruise

ORIGIN STORY AS A PROFESSIONAL

I point to one day during my senior year at Hahnville High School. A man named Brad Grundmeyer came to school to ask me to be a part of this cable TV talk show for young leaders. His mentorship and that opportunity was more than a spark. It was a lightning strike that ignited my career.

This Q&A is extended content from the Capital Region 500, a special edition produced by Business Report that profiles the Capital Region’s most powerful and influential business leaders. Visit businessreport.com/ capitalregion500 for more information.

Move Fast and Fix Things, by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, rethinks how leaders drive change—proving speed and care can go hand in hand. Known for their TED podcast “Fixable,” the authors challenge the old “move fast and break things” mindset, arguing that real progress doesn’t require leaving wreckage behind. Drawing on their work with fast-growing companies like Uber, Riot Games and ServiceNow, they show that the best leaders move quickly while strengthening their organizations. Their five-step framework helps leaders act with urgency without sacrificing trust or excellence: identify the real problem, rebuild trust, create a thriving culture, communicate clearly, and empower teams to move fast. Designed as a one-week plan—one step per day—the book gives leaders a practical way to tackle hard problems immediately. By the end, you’ll be solving challenges at speed while building a stronger, more resilient company for employees, customers and stakeholders alike.

Proud to Be a Best Place to Work in Baton Rouge

At Ryan, people are empowered to thrive—both professionally and personally. Our Baton Rouge team brings relentless drive, exceptional talent, and bold innovation to every challenge, creating an environment where people are respected, ideas ﬂow freely, and excellence is the standard.

This award reflects more than just our culture—it highlights the impact we deliver every day. As the world’s largest Firm dedicated to business tax, we help companies unlock capital, simplify complexity, and move forward with confidence. We’re redefining success—in our industry and in the workplace.

Scan to explore careers at Ryan.

1 toKeySuccess

“Having different flavors has helped the product stand out.”

Brennan Williams

BRENNAN’S LEMONADE

What they do: Boutique bottled lemonade

Address: 6203 La. 1 South, Brusly

BRENNAN WILLIAMS’ FORAY into entrepreneurship was a lemonade stand at age 9.

“I did it for Lemonade Day,” Williams says, referencing the nationwide event that introduces kids to business principles. “I got such positive feedback from it, it became a regular thing.”

After a few years of annual Lemonade Day sales, the budding entrepreneur formalized the operation in 2021, offering a bottled product at his family’s Brusly-based S.A.B.’s Snowball Shoppe. He also introduced a strawberry lemonade flavor.

By 2023, he’d added three more flavors—green apple, ocean raspberry and watermelon—and convinced a handful of independent supermarkets to carry the refrigerated beverage. It’s now sold in eight stores in Baton Rouge, Brusly, Addis and Livonia. Partnerships have also helped spread the word.

B1Bank promoted a sales booth for Williams at the downtown concert series Live After Five.

Williams is now working with food scientists at the LSU AgCenter food product incubator, Foodii, to reformulate the recipe to make it both scalable and all-natural. He says he also wants to develop a low-sugar option, as well as an Arnold Palmer-style lemonade-iced tea hybrid. As he grows, he plans to transition his current small-scale operation to bottling at Foodii’s facility.

“Then I plan on shopping it to different stores around the state, and eventually around the country,” he says.

The college sophomore is juggling the venture while working on a degree in industrial technology at Southeastern Louisiana University.

—By Maggie Heyn Richardson • Photography by Don Kadair

Named One of Baton Rouge’s Best Places to Work for 2025!

We are proud to build on 35+ years of expertise in instrumentation, analytical, valves, and control systems across the Southeast. Our foundation remains rooted in the values of like, trust, and commitment, to both our customers and our team. Partnering with leading manufacturers, we deliver Automation Innovation that drives measurable results across a wide range of industries. From IIoT integration and panel fabrication to responsive field service, our team delivers personalized solutions for every challenge. At BBP, it’s our people who power our progress. This recognition is a celebration of their dedication, innovation, and excellence.

Salt Pepper Oak

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLIN RICHIE

Address: 6721 Exchequer Drive

Phone (225) 256-1341

saltpepperoak.com

Cuisine: Barbecue

Owner: Vincent Hunt

Scene: Oak-smoked barbecue prepared in offset smokers and served with detailed sides like corn elote and creamy maple slaw. Fast-casual service with a crisp, modern vibe.

Pricing: $$

BATON ROUGE’S BARBECUE subsector continues to expand, with Mississippi Gulf Coast-based Salt Pepper Oak being the latest addition.

The offset smoke concept got its start in Diamondhead in 2023, operating as a weekends-only pop-up manned by Baton Rouge corporate restaurant veteran Vincent Hunt. Patron reception, fueled by a significant TikTok presence, suggested Hunt had a winner. He decided to relocate the fast-casual restaurant closer to home in larger Baton Rouge late last year, settling on the bustling commercial corridor of Exchequer Drive, and it opened in April.

Hunt built a new shed outside the restaurant to house two massive offset smokers designed and fabricated by his twin brother, Andrew. Pork, beef, sausage and turkey hit the grates around 5 a.m., smoking all day.

The Kapalama Sampler is a great way to sample a swath of the menu. Priced at nearly $100, and feeding four to five, the platter features smoked brisket, pork belly burnt ends, pulled pork, spareribs, smoked turkey and house-made pork cheddar cheese sausage. It comes with five sides.

SURVEY SAYS

Lessons in leadership

Every leader has that one piece of advice they carry like a compass—guidance forged from hard-won experience, bold leaps and lessons learned along the way. In this collection, top executives share the best wisdom they’d pass on to others. From building trust and nurturing teams to staying true to your values, these insights offer a road map for anyone striving to lead with clarity, courage and heart.

“Everyone in your company is on your sales team.”

AMANDA MARTIN, CEO, Studyville

“Kindness is a superpower!”

JILL KIDDER, president and CEO, Visit Baton Rouge

“Be yourself, then trust it. There are so many talented individuals in our community with fantastic ideas that are stunted by the opinions of those who do not have the courage to take the risk themselves.”

ADAM BEARY, president and CEO, Bear Process Safety

“Always surround yourself with people who are better than you. Building a team of talented, skilled individuals not only strengthens your organization but also fosters an environment of learning and growth. Great leaders recognize that success is achieved by empowering others and valuing their unique strengths.”

JANET SIMMONS, interim superintendent, BREC

“The community we want our grandchildren to live in decades from now starts with the business community we build today.”

SETH IRBY, chief strategy officer and SVP, LWCC

“Business owners are SO hard on themselves. Try to remember … “There’s winning, and there’s learning. There is no losing.”

BRIAN RODRIGUEZ, founder and president, Gatorworks

“Focus on creating long-term value, even at the cost of shortterm profits.”

DAVID SLAUGHTER, CEO and co-founder, Orion Laboratories

“Find a mentor and then become a mentor.”

MARY TERRELL JOSEPH, of counsel, McGlinchey Stafford

“Rock the dad-gum boat.”

PATRICK MULHEARN, CEO and partner, Irrevocable Designee

Words of WISDOM

“‘You have to let your employees fail,’ is something my dad used to tell me all the time. Meaning just as we as executives and entrepreneurs learn from our mistakes, we have to let our team members do the same. As long as there are checks and balances in place to protect the business, we cannot micromanage our people. Give your employees a chance to learn from their mistakes, just as you would yourself.”

Amanda Martin

Founder & CEO STUDYVILLE

Amanda Martin’s journey—from opera singer to entrepreneur—is a testament to reinvention with purpose. A classically trained soprano turned founder and CEO of Studyville, Martin transformed her personal experience as a parent into a thriving academic workspace model. Her innovative approach has redefined tutoring for teens, leading to exponential growth, national expansion—and soon, franchising. Along the way, she’s learned that success isn’t about perfection—it’s about growth, for both leaders and their teams.

Cogatulatios!

PORTER Cogatulatios!

RESOURCES GROUP Cogatulatios!

Built for greatness

Inside the 75 workplaces engineered to inspire peak performance

THE WINNING FORMULA

32 33 34 44 54 63 68

See how this year’s Best Places to Work stack up by the numbers.

CRACKING THE CODE

The road to making the Best Places to Work list.

DESTINATION: INSPIRATION

Whether on a beach or in their own backyard, the creatives at ThreeSixtyEight discover that imagination and collaboration are perfect companions.

BRIGHT IDEAS

Sparkhound’s innovative methods of cultivating culture ignite enthusiasm among its employees.

FAMILY FIRST

Work-life balance is more than a buzzword at Ryan, where a kindred spirit translates to real rewards.

THE 75

Meet all the companies we’re honoring as the 2025 Best Places to Work.

How the Best Places to Work are putting AI to work

The math of

happy work

“I like what I do for this organization.”

“I believe this organization values me.”

“I am part of a team with a common purpose.”

“This organization assists me in following a well-

path.”

“My organization encourages me to

Cracking the code of top workplaces

A FEW YEARS ago, Provident Resources Group couldn’t crack the Best Places to Work list. Instead of giving up, CFO Marla Scannicchio and her team took it as a challenge.

As they tell it, they combed through survey results, pinpointed weak spots and made changes—launching quarterly all-staff meetings where executives discuss growth plans, expanding training opportunities, and even adding small morale boosters like happy hours and free snacks.

This year, Provident earned its spot in the top five among medium-sized companies.

“We tried for several years to get on the Best Places to Work list and didn’t make the list,” Scannicchio says. Her advice to others in the same predicament? “Enroll in the Best Places to Work every year and keep making improvements until you make the list.”

That determination captures the spirit of the Best Places to Work program. Since 2013, Business Report has celebrated companies in the Capital Region that go beyond competitive pay and benefits to build workplaces where people truly want to be.

In a post-pandemic world, employees are seeking more—better balance, purpose and connection—and this year’s winners stand out for putting their people first. They understand that engaged employees drive pride, loyalty and stronger results.

To find them, Business Report partners with Workforce Research Group on a rigorous evaluation. Companies complete a detailed questionnaire on their policies, practices, demographics and benefits, while a randomly selected group of employees rates 60 statements on a five-point scale and offers candid feedback.

Scores reflect nine focus areas: core experience; job; communication and workplace culture; relationship with management; training, technology, and professional development; diversity and inclusion; leadership; employee benefits; and work-life balance.

Participation is open to any organization with at least 15 fullor part-time employees and a physical presence in the Capital Region, with an 80% response rate required for companies with fewer than 25 employees.

Think your company has what it takes? Visit bestplacestoworkbatonrouge.com to sign up for notifications about the 2025 survey.

Destination: Inspiration

Whether on a beach or in their own backyard, the creatives at ThreeSixtyEight discover that imagination and collaboration are perfect companions.

DAUPHIN ISLAND—a 15-milelong sliver of sand off the Alabama coast south of Mobile and mainly inhabited by migratory birds—saw its human population increase slightly in 2019 when the team from the Baton Rouge-based creative agency ThreeSixtyEight swooped in for a company retreat.

The getaway was part an annual series of off-site gatherings in places like Colorado Springs, Nashville, Oklahoma City and Hot Springs, Arkansas, with the goal of allowing employees to bond while finding inspiration for the year ahead.

“We have found it to be really meaningful to get together like that,” says ThreeSixtyEight CEO

Jeremy Beyt. “It has become sort of integral to who we are as a company, and something that we get really fired up about.”

Though they take place far from the office, these retreats are now emblematic of the firm’s focus on creating an “uncommon workplace”—one that empowers the creativity, innovation and growth that are essential to success for a company focused on helping other brands achieve their unique visions. Team members are celebrated for their individuality, while at the same time there’s an overarching emphasis on camaraderie.

After all, the company’s core values include both the words “adventurous” and “together.”

“We start every week with shoutouts to people who have exemplified one of our values the week before,” Beyt says. “When people tell stories of how someone did that, it becomes contagious. We’ve trained the values into our culture, and it’s been really effective.”

For a firm with about 30% of its employees working fully remotely and the remainder either working hybrid schedules or at the Baton Rouge office, being “together” in one form or another is critical to creating cohesion. So each Wednesday is “Winzday” at ThreeSixtyEight, with all Baton Rouge-based employees reporting to the office. One day every month, all employees in Louisiana

BY KELLI BOZEMAN

come into the Baton Rouge office for a workday that also includes a fun group activity. And quarterly gatherings include overnight stays at a cool local Airbnb for all out-of-towners.

Engaging team members near and far is also the work of the firm’s employee-led TSE+ group, which seeks to provide opportunities and resources for personal and professional growth. TSE+ spearheads monthly “moments of fun” that have taken the form of virtual games, magician performances and “Heritage Potlucks” celebrating diversity through food and storytelling. “They also advocate for inclusivity for the team,” Beyt says, “just making sure we’re checking

our own biases and making sure that employees have a strong voice.”

ThreeSixtyEight’s leaders also listen to the voices of their employees through biweekly “pulse checks,” which are quick surveys that ensure that no problems are emerging, and the company hosts “town hall meetings” for the whole group when a difficult decision is on the horizon.

“There’s an open-door policy here,” Beyt adds. “I’m talking to everyone on our team all the time, and we have a very open communication philosophy. We take their input seriously.”

These measures don’t go unnoticed by employees, says Vice President of Operations Kara Pitre, who has been with the firm for nine years. “We’ve managed to curate a really incredible team of not just highly skilled people but people who are also very empathetic and understanding and care deeply about one another,” Pitre says. “Having ownership and leadership

teams that are willing to listen and adapt and change makes a really big difference, too.”

To ensure a balance between professional and personal life,

ThreeSixtyEight maintains a strict policy against messaging after hours except in the case of emergencies.

Team members are only required to be billable 32 hours of each 40-hour workweek, leaving eight flex hours.

“In our industry, that is low,” Beyt says. “We are laid back relative to the benchmarks of our industry.”

At the heart of all these practices is creating a culture where people feel comfortable being themselves, according to Beyt. “We hire you for who you are, and we trust that you’ll be able to figure out what you do,” he says. “And I really think that’s the ethos of what makes our company a desired place to work. All the fun stuff is great, but I don’t think that stuff would matter if we didn’t have the philosophy of valuing our people.”

INSIGHTS FROM THE TOP EXECUTIVE

COMPANY CULTURE AS A MOVIE TITLE

The Not-So-Little Rascals. We’re grown-up misfits: ambitious, rebellious and proudly out of place, but on a mission to do big things with big impact.

CREATIVITY & INNOVATION STRATEGY

We have a tool called The Uncommon Gut Check, which is a checklist of prompts designed to push our work into new territory. That’s the mechanism we use. Airbnb founder Brian Chesky once said, “Culture is how you do things.” Some companies have cultures of speed. Some have cultures of excellence. We aim to have a culture of innovation and creativity, which means the “how we do things” must reflect that. We use the Gut Check and we also incorporate “Nerd Outs” and “Challenger Checkpoints” into our working processes. These are meetings shaped around a simple question: “What is one thing we can do here that will totally surprise people?” Even if it’s very simple, asking that question shifts the mode of thinking. AI is naturally a focus for every organization now. For us, we are using it across our workflows, but we are also using it to compete with our team. We are executing a project now where we have someone using AI to try and beat our work. Through the process we are learning and leveling up while building a culture that embraces change.

LESSON LEARNED

My co-worker Kara Pitre once said, ‘Show up ahead, not behind.’ It’s easy for leaders to become busy, distracted and ultimately aloof. That feedback changed how I show up. It reminds me to be prepared, present and engaged—no excuses.

JEREMY BEYT, co-founder and CEO, ThreeSixtyEight

DON KADAIR

EMOJI VIBES

ITinspired

BIO

ITinspired, founded in Baton Rouge in 2012, set out to make technology less intimidating and more useful for businesses. With a mix of know-how and personality, the team focuses on bridging the gap between people and the tools they rely on every day.

EMOJI VIBES

PREVENTING A CASE OF THE MONDAYS

Mondays begin with plenty of coffee and crisp highfives. We typically start the chatter going in our Slack channels with a few inside jokes or sports trash talk.

WORKPLACE TRADITION

Issue Date: OCT 2025 Ad proof #2

COMPANY CULTURE AS A MOVIE TITLE

• Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

We have a Nerf gunfight with our new employees as soon as they walk through the office door on their first day. It usually creates a few minutes of fun-filled chaos to break the ice and then the team bonds over the skirmish results.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Fast & Curious 12. We move fast to solve challenges and stay curious to discover better, smarter ways to make raving fans. The mix of high-octane support and inspired innovation keeps us ahead of the pack in a fifth gear—full throttle IT industry. –ROB WISE, CEO, ITinspired

Tiger Athletic Foundation

BIO

Since 1987, Tiger Athletic Foundation members have been in LSU’s corner, backing student-athletes with more than just purple and gold pride. Their mission is simple: Help Tigers win on the field, in the classroom and long after the final whistle.

EMOJI VIBES

LITMUS TEST FOR JOINING THE TEAM

Must be humble and kind.

SHAPING THE WORKPLACE ENERGY

I’m intentional about creating personal connections—stopping by offices instead of sending messages, keeping things light with humor and learning what matters to individuals outside of work. I also look for chances to bring people together casually—like after events—to build a sense of camaraderie.

PERKS WORTH STEALING

Tickets, access and firsthand/behind-the-scenes impact on the LSU student-athlete experience.

–MATT BORMAN, President and CEO, Tiger Athletic Foundation

TAYLOR PORTER VOTED BEST PLACE TO WORK

We are honored to be recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work” in Baton Rouge. This award emphasizes our commitment to maintaining a workplace where our employees drive our culture. We encourage you to visit our website to learn more about the people of Taylor Porter, and the long-standing values that have served us and our clients for more than a century.

Baton Rouge Physical Therapy

BIO

Baton Rouge Physical Therapy – Lake started in 1963 with a simple idea: Bring therapy out of the hospital and closer to everyday life. Decades later, the practice is still built on that spirit of care and community, with a culture that values people as much as progress.

EMOJI VIBES

COMPANY CULTURE AS A MOVIE TITLE

The A Team

SECRET TO A GREAT WORKPLACE

Meet with your people frequently and give them feedback. Annually, poll your people to give you feedback and humbly listen. Change what you can change, as long as it meets your mission and goals. Hire the right people: hungry, humble and smart.

MEANINGFUL MEETINGS

Start with a positive round-robin with personal updates from those in the meeting and end with an action plan of “who is going to what by when.”

A PERK WORTH STEALING

–

SETH KAPLAN, President and CEO, Baton Rouge Physical Therapy – Lake

Bienvenu, Foco & Viator

BIO

Bienvenu, Foco & Viator works with clients on everything from complex corporate cases to individual legal matters. The firm emphasizes practical solutions shaped by experience, creativity and a focus on today’s fast-moving world.

EMOJI VIBES

COMPANY CULTURE AS A MOVIE TITLE

The Ingenuity Alliance

THE EVOLUTION OF BEST PLACES TO WORK

A great workplace is always based on empowering the individuals who team together for our clients under the model of service leadership. While the “service” may change or adapt to individuals over time, the management model does not change.

NONNEGOTIABLE WORKPLACE TRADITION

The annual Halloween costume party.

FEEDBACK THAT CHANGED HOW I LEAD

The simple observation that everyone is not the same person and people need to be managed as individuals based on their own individual strengths and skills.

–DAVID BIENVENU

, founding member, Bienvenu, Foco & Viator

Best Places to Work

Companies with 15 - 49 employees

Best Places to Work

1 ThreeSixtyEight 212 S. 14th St., Suite B Baton Rouge70802

Co-founder and CEO

team prizes individuality, nurtures camaraderie and prioritizes employee well-being

1 ThreeSixtyEight 212 S. 14th St., Suite B Baton Rouge70802

2 ITinspired 2354 S. Acadian Thruway, Suite B Baton Rouge70808

Co-founder and CEO

2 ITinspired 2354 S. Acadian Thruway, Suite B Baton Rouge70808

3 Tiger Athletic Foundation LSU-PMAC, North Stadium Drive Baton Rouge70821

3 Tiger Athletic Foundation LSU-PMAC, North Stadium Drive Baton Rouge70821 MatthewBorman President and CEO Nonprofit lsutaf.org

4 Baton Rouge Physical Therapy 5222 Brittany Drive, Suite A Baton Rouge70808

4 Baton Rouge Physical Therapy 5222 Brittany Drive, Suite A Baton Rouge70808 SethKaplan President and CEO Health care brptlake.com

5 Bienvenu, Foco & ViatorLLC 4210 Bluebonnet Blvd. Baton Rouge70809

5 Bienvenu, Foco & ViatorLLC 4210 Bluebonnet Blvd. Baton Rouge70809 DavidM.Bienvenu Jr. Founding member Legal bblawla.com

7 Pinnacle Exterior Construction 13825 Jefferson Highway

team prizes individuality, nurtures camaraderie and prioritizes employee well-being

people-first, familyfriendly; focus on collaboration and growth opportunities

Supportive, high-energy, mission-driven toward excellence for LSU athletics donors

Dynamic, people-first, familyfriendly; focus on collaboration and growth opportunities

Supportive, high-energy, mission-driven toward excellence for LSU athletics donors

Teamwork, education, leadership, proficiency and fun guide the way we build our culture

Remote work, flexible hours and generous paid time off to enable a healthy work-life balance

Flexible working schedules, employee gatherings and teambuilding exercises

schedules,

and

Constructing a Quality Business

GRANT ETHRIDGE CONSTRUCTION’S HANDS-ON APPROACH RESULTS IN PROJECTS THAT ARE FINISHED ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.

As partners in Grant Ethridge Construction (GEC), Carter Terral and Grant Ethridge ensure that each project reflects their company’s commitment to quality, efficiency, safety and client satisfaction.

“GEC has long emphasized quality and innovation as pillars of our business strategy,” Terral says. “These principles are integrated in both our multifamily and commercial divisions.”

The company got its start in 2012 with a focus on multifamily new construction and renovations. Commercial construction followed and now, in addition to housing projects like Progress Park and Hollywood Acres, Baton Rouge residents can see GEC’s work at three of Baton Rouge’s most distinctive restaurants—Jubans, Soji and BLDG 5.

A project they are especially proud of is Les Maison de Bayou Lafourche apartment homes in Lockport. The development received the first Fortified Gold Multifamily Designation by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. Designed to withstand a Category 3 hurricane, the project

saw minimal damage during Category 4 Ida in 2021.

“Les Maison de Bayou Lafourche serves as a model for developers on how to build housing that adapts to a storm-prone environment,” says Ethridge.

Both Terral and Ethridge take a hands-on approach in the business and can often be found on job sites from Louisiana to Alabama making sure things are on-time and on budget.

In addition to assigning a field superintendent and a project manager to each project, GEC conducts biweekly owner, architect and contractor meetings to keep all parties informed—and uses Procore software to do it. GEC has also partnered with Essential Safety Partners to ensure that safety remains a company core value and a daily practice on every project.

GEC’s reach in the community extends beyond restaurants and housing. It proudly serves as the presenting sponsor of the annual Maddie’s

Footprints – Footprints Forever 5K race and plays an active role in the annual fundraising gala. The organization was founded by GEC General Manager Lori McGrew and is dedicated to supporting families in the Greater Baton Rouge Area who have experienced the loss of a child.

A company internship program trains construction management students and builds them up to become project managers, often resulting in a permanent position at GEC.

Ultimately, GEC serves as a model for modern construction and development, seamlessly blending a commitment to quality and innovation— evident from their work on diverse commercial and residential projects—with a profound dedication to their community and people.

Through hands-on leadership, a focus on safety and investment in the next generation of builders, GEC isn’t just constructing buildings, it’s building a strong, adaptable business and contributing to the footprint of the Greater Baton Rouge region.

PHOTO BY DON KADAIR

GEC partners Grant Ethridge, left, and Carter Terral

B

Places to Work

B est Places to Work

Bright ideas

BY KELLI BOZEMAN

Sparkhound’s innovative methods of cultivating culture ignite enthusiasm among its employees.

ONE OF THE most iconic and relatable scenes in the 1999 movie Office Space shows three of the main characters exacting revenge on a constantly jamming printer by taking it to a field and destroying it with drop kicks and a baseball bat. A fantasy for many a corporate employee, sure, but the team at managed IT service provider Sparkhound made that movie scene a reality last October when it hosted the first “Smash-a-Thon.”

Not only did “Sparkies,” as Sparkhound employees are known, get to let off some steam by lowering Louisville Sluggers onto laser

jets and laptops, they also invited the rest of Baton Rouge to join them in this “smashing good time” at Celtic Studios. It was all for a good cause, with proceeds from admission to the event benefitting Companion Animal Alliance, and they’ll be doing it again this Oct. 2.

“Everybody’s job can be stressful, no matter what they do,” says Sandy Michelet, Sparkhound’s director of human resources. “So we want them to have a little bit of fun whenever they can. We want people to bring their whole souls to work, and when they do that, they’re coming in happy and joyous.”

Since its founding 27 years ago in Baton Rouge, Sparkhound has grown to four locations in Louisiana, Texas and Alabama, plus additional employees working remotely around the country. Keeping them all connected is a concentrated effort that involves regular all-hands calls that enable team members to interact both formally and informally through a simultaneous chat.

“Even if they’re a thousand miles away, they’re still engaged,” says Curtis Heroman, managing director. “We also strive to make sure that everybody’s got purpose.

Whether they’re an intern or an executive, we want them to know how what they are doing is impacting not only our organization but also our clients.”

Heroman says the firm’s success can be attributed largely to that connectivity, an intangible asset that starts with the hiring process. “Because everything we do is collaborative and team based, we take being a good teammate very seriously,” Heroman says. “No matter what product I’ve worked on here, it’s been with people who care about doing the right thing, who care about the people across from

them, and who care about the clients. And they’re just fun people to work with.”

The firm’s leaders, including founder and CEO Shawn Usher, provide plenty of in-house mentorship as well as outside training to allow their team members to grow, while also giving them the autonomy to tackle projects using their own ideas and not a set formula for success. “We have checks and balances in place to make sure the client gets what they need,” Heroman says, “but we’re big believers in not micromanaging anyone and instead supporting them as they work to achieve those goals.”

Employee satisfaction and retention are at the heart of several Sparkhound initiatives. Benefits include unlimited time off, a 100% employer-paid health insurance option, personalized financial wellness coaching, and a travel

and entertainment discount program.

The firm also sets career paths for each team member based on what motivates them most, Heroman says.

“For some, it’s technical mastery or financial compensation, and for others, it’s the things we do in our community,” he says. “We’re trying to make sure that we align where they want to go with what they’re capable of.”

Outside the office, the Baton Rouge-based team can frequently be found having fun together, whether enjoying boiled crawfish, bowling or throwing axes. “We like really active things,” Michelet says, adding that many outings combine fun with giving back—like the printer-pulverizing Smash-a-Thon event. “We want to make our company better, but we also want to make our community better.”

Sparkhound

EMOJI VIBES

COMPANY CULTURE AS A MOVIE TITLE

Sparkyball (e.g. Moneyball). Because similar to its effect in Major League Baseball, we seek to work smarter, find the edge, and help clients win the game. But some might say Mission: Possible, because of our aim for helping clients do extraordinary things.

CREATIVITY & INNOVATION STRATEGY

We give them room to run and we don’t overscript. It’s about setting direction, removing blockers and letting Sparkies build. We manage to outcomes (Stephen Covey’s “the end in mind”) and employ outside-the-box thinking to achieve them.

A PERK WORTH STEALING

The most popular benefit is probably our open time-off policy. If you need time off—take it. We have a culture of “go-to” people and trust them to find their own work-life balance while having radical ownership of the important things here at Sparkhound.

LESSON LEARNED

I used to seek to be an ‘efficient’ manager by only communicating where the team or direct report was deficient. We all know the goal and it was obvious where we were doing well. Then one day someone said to me, ‘All you ever say to me is negative things.’ It hit me like a train. Now, I work to celebrate our team and team members’ strong points, passions and wins as much as possible.

SHAWN USHER, founder and CEO, Sparkhound

Synergy

BIO

In 1998, a group of Houma business leaders set out to build a bank rooted in their own community, opening the first branch the following year. That vision has since grown into an institution with 10 offices across south Louisiana and more than $1 billion in assets.

EMOJI VIBES

COMPANY CULTURE AS A MOVIE TITLE

Stronger Together. At Synergy, community and teamwork aren’t just values we talk about—we live it daily. The word “synergy” itself reminds us that when we join forces, we can accomplish far more than we ever could alone. Our strength comes from standing side by side, lifting one another up, and building lasting relationships with our team, our customers and our neighbors. “Stronger Together” is more than a title—it’s our story. It represents our unwavering commitment to walk hand in hand with our community, working together to create growth, opportunity and prosperity for everyone we serve.

DESIRED WORKPLACE SUPERPOWER

I’d want the power to anticipate challenges before they arise, allowing our team to proactively address challenges before

WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE

Synergy’s commitment to our community is not just words on an advertisement or a hashtag on social media. We live it every day and in everything we do in our company, from hiring, working with local business owners, training, marketing of our brand, sponsorships, and volunteering for local events and organizations. It all comes back to what some may call a radical notion—Team Synergy is here to serve others and have a positive impact on our community.

–TRACY RUTLEDGE, senior vice president

SITECH Louisiana

BIO

SITECH Louisiana helps construction companies put technology to work, from GPS and machine control to drones and software that connect the office and the field. Its team focuses on practical support— whether that’s training, troubleshooting or making sure projects get finished with less stress and more accuracy.

EMOJI VIBES

ADVICE FOR CREATING A BEST PLACE TO WORK

Each person’s interaction, no matter how small, has the potential to change someone’s life. Seize every chance to coach transparently to develop people.

LITMUS TEST JOINING THE TEAM

High levels of ambition and customer service, as we believe these are vital and can’t be coached.

DESIRED WORKPLACE SUPERPOWER

The time stretcher. Having the ability to make a “Got a minute?” meeting talk about it all and actually last one minute. This is more rare than flying or invisibility.

A PERK WORTH STEALING

We practice gratitude by giving kudos to each other. A kudos details a specific event or behavior and what it meant to you along with the supporting evidence or story. We have found this format to be an effective way to convey sincere gratitude. Over the first seven months of this year our team has entered over 6,650 kudos.

JAY THOMPSON, CEO, SITECH

Provident Resources Group

BIO

From one project in Memphis in 1999, Provident Resources Group has grown into a nonprofit with a coast-to-coast reach. Its work helps deliver education, health care, housing and senior living facilities where they’re needed most.

PREVENTING A CASE OF THE MONDAYS

Since Mondays are normally pretty hectic, we try to limit meetings and scheduled calls to a minimum.

NONNEGOTIABLE WORKPLACE TRADITION

Birthday cake and playing spin the wheel, where everyone is eligible to spin the wheel and the top prize is $350.

DESIRED WORKPLACE SUPERPOWER

Being able to take away anxiety and self-doubt and replace it with a feeling of peace and selfconfidence.

Issue Date: OCT 2025 Ad proof #1

FEEDBACK THAT CHANGED HOW I LEAD

MEANINGFUL MEETINGS

• Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

We would get feedback that employees don’t feel empowered. Everyone has the opportunity to be a leader within themselves and every person in the organization is a leader in some aspect. Not everyone is going to be perfect when they are taking on new responsibilities, so expect a few issues along the way and handle them respectfully with encouragement and constructive feedback.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.

Keep it simple. Ask for feedback to keep the group engaged.

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY

–MARLA SCANNICCHIO, CFO, Provident Resources Group

to CMA Technology Solutions

Hannis T. Bourgeois

BIO

When Hannis T. Bourgeois opened shop in 1924, Baton Rouge was a very different city—but the need for steady financial guidance was the same. A hundred years later, HTB has grown into five offices and 150 professionals helping clients navigate today’s complex markets.

PREVENTING A CASE OF THE MONDAYS

You have to change your perspective. Mondays offer the promise of a new week and with that, the opportunity to meet new challenges and forget about what may have gone wrong last week.

INNOVATION STRATEGY

We do a good job of investing in new technologies and both encouraging and delegating innovation to our younger team members. I am proud to say that one of those team members this year was recognized nationally by one of our technology partners as an outstanding innovator.

A PERK WORTH STEALING

We incorporate a firm-wide wellness holiday into every year to help balance some of the stress that comes with the deadlines in our profession. The holiday is determined by our executive committee at the beginning of the year and can be anything from an added day off for the July 4 weekend or, as is the case this year, the day off for Halloween.

FEEDBACK THAT CHANGED HOW I LEAD

Since stepping into my current role, the firm has been intentional about increasing communication. Communication changes how you lead, as it forces you to constantly be considering how all levels of team members are impacted by decisions being made by a relatively few members of management. It has been a challenge, but one that I have enjoyed.

–JAY MONTALBANO, managing partner, Hannis T. Bourgeois

We are honored to be recognized again as a Baton Rouge Best Places to Work.

Best Places to Work

2 Synergy Bank 805 Hospital Road New Roads70760

1 Sparkhound 11207 Proverbs Ave. Baton Rouge70816

4 Provident Resources GroupInc. 5565 Bankers Ave. Baton Rouge70808

5 Hannis T. Bourgeois 2322 Tremont Drive Baton Rouge70809

5 Hannis T. Bourgeois 2322 Tremont Drive Baton Rouge70809 JayA.Montalbano

A family of unique and diverse individuals with best-in-class work environment

COVER Best Places to Work

Best Places to Work

PRESENTS:

energy louisiana 2025 awards

Join us for the 1st Annual LOUISIANA ENERGY AWARDS

where we will celebrate and honor the remarkable achievements of Louisiana’s energy industry, both its enduring legacy and its pioneering contributions to the future.

November 5 • 6:30PM

Networking Reception | Dinner to Follow

L’Auberge Casino + Hotel Baton Rouge

AWARD

Family first

BY KELLI BOZEMAN

Work-life balance is more than a buzzword at Ryan, where a kindred spirit translates to real rewards.

BRINGING A NEWBORN baby home from the hospital is the start of a beautiful new adventure filled with late-night feedings, milestones and cuddles.

The last thing a new parent— whether a birth mother, father or adoptive parent—wants to think about during that time is rushing back to work before they’re ready. And that’s why Ryan offers its employees a full 14 weeks of paid

parental leave after the birth of a child, plus an additional six to eight weeks for birth mothers.

“We want to make sure that new parents are able to spend that bonding time with their child,” says Matt Zagotti, principal in charge of the global tax services and software provider’s Baton Rouge office.

“I think it’s a great benefit to have, and it’s one that our team really appreciates.”

Ryan has made a name for itself with industry-leading benefits like its parental leave policy, as well as its financial support for team members pursuing adoption. Earlier this year, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption named Ryan one of the 100 Best AdoptionFriendly Workplaces for the 11th consecutive year. It’s all part of the firm’s commitment to caring for its employees both in and out of the

office, Zagotti says.

When Zagotti joined Ryan in 2002, the Plano, Texas-based firm had only a handful of employees in the Baton Rouge office and a few hundred across the company. Today, Ryan has some 6,000 team members around the world and about 40 in the Louisiana market.

“With acquisitions and growth there are always challenges, but we’ve learned how to better pivot

and add some of the great things that those companies did into our existing culture,” Zagotti says. “Our corporate office is frequently retooling as they figure out what works and what doesn’t work.”

Flexible schedules were already available for Ryan employees when the COVID pandemic forced other companies to scramble, and the firm still gives its team members a lot of leeway when it comes to where and when they do their work. “We try to treat everybody with respect, and as long as you get done what you need to get done, I’m not going to tie you to a chair and make you work those eighthour days,” Zagotti says.

Ryan’s Baton Rouge office also makes time for fun team-building activities away from employees’ computer screens. Last October, a pumpkin-carving contest revealed the artistic talents of several staff members, and every LSU football season features a combined tailgate with staff members from both the Baton Rouge and New Orleans offices.

Each year, the local team takes part in the firm’s annual RyanSHARES day of community outreach by serving at the Junior League of Baton Rouge’s Diaper Bank—and then celebrating with fajitas at nearby Superior Grill. And as part of the RyanTHRIVE wellness platform’s Team Outdoor

Odyssey challenge, employees recently took to the streets of downtown for walking breaks during their workday; participants who completed the challenge earned points that they could redeem for prizes.

Other perks like a weeklong “Ryan summer break” each year and unlimited paid time off for salaried employees help to keep morale high and turnover low. But when team members do leave, they’re invited to join the Ryan Alumni Network, a group designed to provide connections with former colleagues, mentorship opportunities and career development resources.

As Ryan CEO G. Brint Ryan notes on the Alumni Network page of the company website, “Your story is part of our success.”

That family-like feeling is one that permeates Ryan’s downtown Baton Rouge office, where 17-year team member Kevin Murphy works as a director specializing in credits and incentives.

“I think people who are happy to come into work tend to be more productive, and it just fosters a really positive environment,” Murphy says. “We have a culture here where no one is above anyone else in terms of how they treat others. Respect is ultimately the most important thing in the workplace, and you can just feel that here.”

Ryan

EMOJI VIBES

‘BEST,’ REIMAGINED

Over time, I’ve come to see that a great place to work is one that evolves alongside its people. As our team grows and changes, so do members’ needs. By staying tuned in and responsive, we create a workplace that’s supportive today and ready for what’s next.

KEEPING IT REAL

Each month, we host a live forum where team members bring questions, ideas and frustrations directly to leadership, and I make sure we follow up and act on what we hear. I believe that visible, hands-on approach builds trust and inspires the team to work better together and know each voice matters.

A PERK WORTH STEALING

One of our unique benefits is myRyan, our workplace flexibility program. Launched in 2008, it gives team members the flexibility to work in a way that works best for them, while still delivering outstanding results. The outcome is a guilt-free environment where people can succeed at work and enjoy life outside the office.

LESSON LEARNED

In 2008, one of our rising stars handed in her resignation, saying she couldn’t imagine starting a family while she worked at Ryan. That was a wakeup call and the origin story for our myRyan results-focused flexible workplace. It changed everything for us.

BRINT RYAN, founder, chair and CEO, Ryan

BIO

Founded in Baton Rouge in 1985 by Madhu Beriwal, IEM International Inc. has quietly become one of the nation’s go-to firms for emergency planning and resilience—helping governments and private sector organizations around the world improve disaster preparedness, response and recovery, in addition to strengthening homeland defense, counterterrorism, public health, cybersecurity, and public agency performance.

EMOJI VIBES

GREAT TEAMS: THE SECRET

Trust and respect: A great team absolutely needs trust at its core, where team members feel they can rely on one another and on leadership. To build that, you have to communicate openly and follow

through on what you say. When people feel respected and safe to voice ideas or admit mistakes, they gel into a true team.

SHARED PURPOSE

A team without a common goal is just a group of individuals. The best teams are aligned around a clear mission or vision. Keeping the purpose front and center ensures everyone is rowing in the same direction and understands why their work matters.

DIVERSE STRENGTHS

A great team is like a puzzle. To tackle complex problems, you need a mix of skills, backgrounds and perspectives, so actively seek out diversity when building teams and ensure that each person’s unique strengths are valued and used.

‘BEST,’ REIMAGINED

Twenty-five years ago, it was really all about competitive salaries and good benefits. While those are still very important, today it’s about purpose-driven work, flexibility that honors whole lives and maintaining a culture where innovation thrives and employees can do their best in service of something larger than themselves. A company is most successful when employees focus on “mission” instead of “job.”

Benny’s

BIO

Benny’s Car Wash, a family-run institution since 1951, has grown into a Baton Rouge tradition. Now in its fourth generation and boasting nine locations, it famously invented the all-inclusive express wash using an automated computer program, and even popped up in the 1982 Richard Pryor film The Toy

EMOJI VIBES

COMPANY CULTURE AS A MOVIE TITLE

A good comparison would be The Brady Bunch Our team brings together different groups, each with their own strengths, to create one collaborative and supportive organization.

LITMUS TEST FOR JOINING THE TEAM

Attitude is everything. Skills can be taught, but a positive attitude is much harder to instill.

CREATIVITY & INNOVATION STRATEGY

We encourage innovation and creativity by not dwelling on mistakes. We support our team in experimenting and trying new ideas. While not every idea succeeds, each one is an opportunity to learn and grow, and we keep pushing forward.

BEST ADVICE

It’s easy to turn a small boat in the bayou, but it takes time to turn an aircraft carrier in the ocean. Patience and persistence. Small wins add up.

–JUSTIN ALFORD

, owner, Benny’s Car Wash

Gresham Smith

BIO

Gresham Smith is a team of diligent designers, creative problem-solvers, insightful planners and seasoned collaborators who work closely with clients to improve the cities and towns people call home.

A PERK WORTH STEALING

One of our most popular perks is the fact that we offer a variety of flexible schedules to help employees find the right balance in their work and personal lives. These options include adjusted schedules that allow employees to take every other Friday off or take a half-day off every Friday. If those Friday options are not what works best for an employee, then they are free to work with their supervisor to come up with a schedule that works for both the individual and the team.

LEADERSHIP CONNECTED

Every year, the CEO makes it a point to visit each office and speak to employees directly. We also hold quarterly town halls, which include extensive Q&A sessions. Any unanswered questions are included in a follow-up Q&A podcast. In addition, there are dedicated human resources partners who connect with each employee on a regular basis to answer questions and listen to concerns. The company also conducts annual surveys to better understand what employees are thinking.

‘BEST,’ DEFINED

We’re committed to providing a workplace where all our employees know that they belong, are valued and have the opportunity to thrive—both professionally and personally. We proactively provide opportunities for growth and development, and we listen to—and respond to—what our employees have to say. We also create an environment that values each person’s unique perspective.

–RODNEY CHESTER, CEO

Grace Design Studios

BIO

Grace Design Studios is a Baton Rouge architecture, engineering and consulting firm backed by Bernhard Capital Partners, now with 22 regional offices in 12 states.

EMOJI VIBES

LITMUS TEST FOR JOINING THE TEAM

It is rooted in our mantra: “Do good. Be great.” We look for people who embody both sides of that philosophy. The “do good” part means showing integrity, contributing positively to the team and creating work that benefits clients and communities. The “be great” side reflects a commitment to excellence, a growth mindset, innovation and resilience. When someone naturally brings both to the table, we know they’ll thrive at Grace.

‘BEST,’ REIMAGINED

Years ago, it might have meant prestige, perks or a nice office space. Today, I think it’s more about trust, flexibility, growth opportunities and being part of a team where people feel respected and know their work has real impact.

–JERRY HEBERT, CEO, Grace Design Studios

Robert F. Shadoin

(225) 928-8257

NMLS# 1609240

Audrey Schmolke (225) 928-8205

NMLS# 1624184

Robert F. Shadoin (225) 928-8257

NMLS# 1609240

Places to Work

B est Places to Work

STAY & PLAY A HAIL MARY AWAY FROM DEATH VALLEY:

The Queen Baton Rouge, Bally’s Baton Rouge Hotel, and Belle of Baton Rouge Casino deliver the ultimate football season experience

Excitement is in the air this football season as Baton Rouge prepares for Saturdays that define the South. Just steps from Death Valley, Bally’s Corporation has created the ultimate “stay and play” experience with their two premier properties: The Queen Baton Rouge and Bally’s Baton Rouge Hotel Together, they are redefining game day in the capital city with football, food, and fun, while a new gaming & entertainment experience is being built in Downtown Baton Rouge.

THE QUEEN BATON ROUGE: YOUR FOOTBALL HEADQUARTERS

Game day isn’t just another day at The Queen. It’s an all-out football takeover. As the city’s ultimate football destination, The Queen is where every play feels bigger, every cheer feels louder, and every win feels like your own. With wallto-wall screens, oversized HD TVs, and the jaw-dropping 28-foot DraftKings Sportsbook video wall, sportsbetting kiosks and in-person betting, there’s not a bad seat in the house.

Guests can dive into the action with “Parlay Payday” every Monday night, where $25+ parlay wagers give you a chance to win promo chip prizes each quarter. Thursdays bring “Bet Big, Eat Free” where a qualifying parlay or table play unlocks a complimentary plate of

Southern favorites like red beans and rice. On weekends, fans of Louisiana’s college and pro football teams can cheer while enjoying unbeatable specials: $3 drafts, $15 buckets of domestics, $20 seltzer buckets, and game day bites starting at just $5.

From kickoff parties with live entertainment to endless sports betting options, The Queen isn’t just where you watch football. It’s where you live it.

BALLY’S BATON ROUGE HOTEL: A TOUCHDOWN STAY

Just a Hail Mary from Death Valley, Bally’s Baton Rouge Hotel re-opened in Spring of 2025 after a full rebrand and renovation. The 10-story property features 242 modern rooms, including 63 signature suites and two supreme suites designed for the ultimate weekend stay. Whether you’re in town to cheer on your favorite Louisiana team or to celebrate a big win, Bally’s is your game day basecamp.

Guests enjoy amenities like a fully equipped fitness center and a sleek VIP lounge with panoramic views of downtown Baton Rouge, the Mississippi River, and even the football stadium lights. The hotel is a luxurious retreat that balances the high-energy excitement of game day with the comfort of first-class hospitality.

After the final whistle, the short walk back to Bally’s means you can extend the celebration or recharge for the next day’s kickoff.

WHAT’S NEXT

A new gaming and entertainment establishment is arriving in Downtown Baton Rouge. Formerly the Belle of Baton Rouge Casino, the property will transform with a new 25,000-square-foot land-based gaming floor, sports lounge and expanded dining. Pending approval by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, the project is set to open in late 2025, adding another layer of entertainment for football fans who want to keep the excitement going.

A SEASON TO REMEMBER

With The Queen’s unmatched football programming, Bally’s Hotel’s luxury accommodations, and the upcoming pending entertainment complex, Bally’s Corporation is redefining what it means to experience football in Baton Rouge. Whether you’re here for the roar of local teams, the thrill of the sportsbook, or the comfort of a suite overlooking the Mississippi, every game day is more than just four quarters. It’s a memory waiting to be made.

Places to Work

B est Places to Work

Autonomy and decision-making authorit y, ensuring all voices are heard and respected

Dynamic, people-first, familyfriendly; focus on collaboration and grow th oppor tunities

Places to Work

B est Places to Work

Places to Work

B est Places to Work

Places to Work

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Places to Work

CELEBRATE WITH US AS WE RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS

NOVEMBER 19, 2025

L’AUBERGE CASINO HOTEL Proceeds benefitting

How the Best Places to Work are putting AI to work

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE may be the hottest topic in business, but for the Best Places to Work it’s more than a buzzword—it’s a tool they’re actively testing, integrating and debating. From law firms and design shops to IT companies and car washes, these organizations are finding creative, cautious and sometimes

competitive ways to weave AI into daily operations. The approaches vary—internal task forces, industry collaborations, experimental projects—but the theme is consistent: using AI not to replace people, but to enhance the work, culture and services that earned them “best place” status in the first place.

GRACE DESIGN STUDIOS

AI is an exciting and fast-moving space, and at Grace we want to approach it thoughtfully. That’s why we created GAIN—the Grace AI Network. GAIN is our internal group dedicated to exploring, implementing and managing AI across the firm. Through GAIN, we’re looking at how AI can support design, streamline our workflows, improve proposal development and strengthen project delivery. We’re also focused on governance—making sure we use AI responsibly, securely and in ways that truly add value for our people and our clients.

It’s not about replacing what we do, but enhancing it. GAIN gives us a framework to learn, experiment and share best practices together.

Jerry Hebert

RYAN

We’re putting AI to work where it adds the most value. For example, automating data prep and document review frees our team to focus on strategic thinking and delivering stronger outcomes for clients.

G. Brint Ryan

THREESIXTYEIGHT

AI is naturally a focus for every organization now. For us, we are using it across our workflows, but we are also using it to compete with our team. We are executing a project now where we have someone using AI to try and beat our work. Through the process we are learning and leveling up while building a culture that embraces change.

Jeremy Beyt

BENNY’S CAR WASH

AI is here and changing fast. Our company is exploring and implementing it in ways that enhance both efficiency and creativity. From computer coding to letter writing, AI is helping us streamline processes and improve our work. We are excited about its potential and look forward to leveraging it across different areas of our business.

Justin Alford

IEM

AI has been and will continue to be the most disruptive technology we have experienced since the widespread adoption of the Internet. AI helps us do more with more insight—augmenting the human expertise and judgment we pride ourselves on rather than replacing it—to enhance client solutions and streamline operations. Very early, we established an internal working group tasked with planning and overseeing the integration of AI technologies to strengthen our internal business processes and efficiencies and develop innovative AI-driven products and services tailored to meet our clients’ needs, all while ensuring that we uphold ethical, responsible and compliant usage standards.

Brad Tiffee

BATON ROUGE PHYSICAL THERAPY – LAKE

We’re looking at EMR AI Assist.

Seth Kaplan

HANNIS T. BOURGEOIS

AI is everywhere and I find that people (including software vendors) all have their different definitions of AI. We are a member of an association of CPA firms across the country and they do a good job of vetting vendors and products. We also have team members that research and test these products. We like to say that we want to be on the “cutting edge” but not the “bleeding edge” when it comes to implementing new technology.

Jay Montalbano

SPARKHOUND

We’re an IT company, so if we aren’t using AI, we’d have no business being around. We’ve used AI for a long time in ensuring quality within our help desk call centers as it detects caller “sentiment” and alerts us to challenging calls. This gives opportunities to improve our support processes or provide coaching. We’re using AI for application development, improving our marketing efforts, and other areas. Yet, we’re only scratching the surface and we’re planning a full, sustained effort to automate far more of our internal processes with AI.

Shawn Usher

BIENVENU FOCO & VIATOR

We are very careful in trusting AI for any component of delivering legal services.

David Bienvenu

PROVIDENT RESOURCES GROUP

We had a small group test it for a few months. When that group realized the power of AI, we rolled it out to all staff and encourage them to use it by sharing tips on how it can make life easier. We use the Microsoft Enterprise version of CoPilot so that we can manage content and ensure privacy laws are in place.

Marla Scannicchio

THANK YOU TO OUR ADVOCACY CHAMPIONS!

GBRAR 2025 MAJOR INVESTORS

The Greater Baton Rouge Association of REALTORS® would like to recognize the following REALTOR® Champions for their support of the real estate industry in 2025. These individuals rank among the top 2% of REALTORS nationwide based on their support in advocating for the real estate industry, protecting private property rights, and encouraging home ownership.

Jerry del Rio

Kristina Cusick

Mary Beth Crain

Kwame Adkins

Leo Desselle

Andrea McKey

Workplaces THAT WORK

These Capital Region employers make working feel like winning by checking all the right boxes.

People

Purpose

Performance

CDR GENERAL SERVICES

CHECKING ALL THE RIGHT BOXES

“The path to success is brighter when you’re not walking it alone, but with a partner who believes in your potential and fuels your next move. That has been CDR General Services to me.”

- Harold Fernandez, Regional Operations Manager

FOR US, work is a pathway to grow, to learn, and to be part of something bigger than yourself. That’s what makes being on our team unique: you’re building a career with people who care about your future.

We’re a labor solutions company born from grit, integrity, and diversity, and those values run through everything we do. From day one, you’ll feel the difference, you will be a partner in our mission. We take the time to understand your skills, your goals, and your drive, and then connect

you with opportunities that bring out your best.

What’s rewarding about working here? The growth never stops. CDR is the place where ambition gets noticed, effort gets appreciated, and progress gets celebrated. You’ll be part of a supportive, motivated team that’s shaping not only careers, but also communities.

If you’re looking for a company where there is meaningful work, value, and for things to keep moving forward, CDR General Services is the place.

Photo by Sean Gasser

SURGICAL SPECIALTY CENTER OF BATON ROUGE

CHECKING ALL THE RIGHT BOXES

PATIENT FOCUSED TEAMWORK

SSCBR WAS FOUNDED BY DOCTORS, BUILT ON TEAMWORK, AND FOCUSED ON PATIENTS.

The hospital specializes in surgical and postsurgical care provided by respected community physicians, skilled compassionate clinical personnel, and kind and caring staff. The doctors at SSCBR are essential to the team and are involved in the day-to-day processes. Processes are designed to be patient-focused, efficient, and personalized. This approach leads to superior customer service and excellent outcomes.

At SSCBR, we have high standards for patient and physician satisfaction, quality outcomes, business growth, and financial success. The staff are vital to achieving these goals and

“I don’t know what SSCBR is doing differently than other places, but they have it right. Happy faces, respectful and smart nurses, and excellent care on ALL units. Everyone from admissions to nurse techs to RNs are awesome. I asked an employee why everyone was so good, and the employee replied, ‘I think it’s because they treat us so well.’ I am a retired nurse, and this has been the best experience.”

-Jan Cleary, retired nurse

are rewarded for their contributions. SSCBR continuously receives national awards for patient satisfaction, a testament to our entire team. Staff choose to work at SSCBR because of the small, friendly, family-like environment. Staff work very hard, but are supported by their coworkers, leadership, and physicians.

Some of the many dedicated team members at the Surgical Specialty Center of Baton Rouge

Photo by Sean Gasser

UNITED COMMUNITY BANK

AT UCB, we’ve always believed that our greatest asset isn’t in the vault — it’s our people. In recent years, we’ve doubled down on creating a workplace where employees feel genuinely valued, supported, and connected. Work will always be work, but when the culture is harmonious, flexible, and even fun, productivity follows and so does pride in what we deliver to our customers. We’ve worked hard to preserve our family-like atmosphere by creating shared experiences and encouraging crossdepartment connection. Remote work flexibility has helped reduce sick time and improve work-life balance, which is a win

“UCB truly values relationships, both personal and professional. They prioritize employee growth, encourage learning and development, and make sure your contributions are seen and appreciated. I started my career here over 19 years ago as a teller, and today I’m a Regional Retail Manager overseeing a team of retail banking managers. That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident — UCB believes in promoting from within and investing in their people.”

- Veronica Barattini Regional Retail Manager

for everyone. We’ve also reshaped our core values around a simple principle: people first, whether that’s our customers, our colleagues, or our community.

Transparency around our strategic goals has brought us closer as a team, with everyone aligned on where we’re headed and how we’ll get there. And beyond the day-today, we make space to have fun and give back—from our Team of Dreams volunteer initiative to ice cream socials, pet photo contests, and pink-out days for breast cancer awareness. It’s a workplace where people feel seen, supported, and inspired to grow— together.

The United Community Bank team at their administrative offices in Gonzales.

Photo by Ingrid Nacole Williams

FMOL HEALTH

“What I love about leading FMOL Health is the chance to guide a team that puts people first, lives our mission every day and transforms lives across the Gulf South. Being part of a system where local care is strengthened by regional expertise is both inspiring and deeply rewarding.”

- E.J. Kuiper, President and CEO

AT FMOL HEALTH, we’re not just a health system. We’re a community of people committed to making a difference. Every day, our team members bring their skills, compassion and joyfulness to a shared mission: delivering the best care possible to every patient, every family and every community we serve. Here, your work has meaning beyond the walls of a hospital or clinic. It touches lives, strengthens communities and reflects a faith-filled tradition that has guided us for more than 100 years.

Our culture is rooted in collaboration, respect and purpose. We celebrate local pride while leveraging the strength of a connected health system across the Gulf South as Our Lady of the Lake, Our Lady of the Angels, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Dominic and St. Francis. You’ll be part of a team that values every role, encourages innovation and prioritizes people, colleagues and patients alike.

We know that healthcare is not just a service; it’s an action. Here, you get to healthcare with skill, compassion and a sense of joy. It’s a place where your talents are recognized, your contributions matter and your work is part of something bigger.

FMOL Health President and CEO E.J. Kuiper

FORTE & TABLADA

“I love working for Forte & Tablada because it’s a place where I feel truly seen, supported, and inspired to reach my full potential. Leadership invests in my growth, coworkers stand beside me through challenges, and together we thrive in a culture that celebrates success. Here, I am more than a number, I am part of a family that motivates me to grow, achieve, and continually excel both professionally and personally.”

where we invest. For more than 65 years, our history of dependable excellence has been a real asset, and we keep pushing towards the future, embracing new technology and innovation to move our industry forward.

We jump in to solve problems and own outcomes. We work in tight, cross-disciplinary teams and stay transparent about what success looks like, focusing on indicators like utilization, budgets, and client satisfaction, so you know how your work moves the needle. Growth here is practical and constant: bite-sized Coffee Talks, hands-on mentoring, and stretch opportunities. Employees

have access to leaders and real feedback, delivered with candor and respect.

- Grace Kennedy Group Leader, Construction Engineering and Inspection

We’re embracing modern field and design tools like AI-assisted workflows and the latest in remote sensing tech to help teams collaborate faster, learn together, and raise the bar. Those four pillars show up in how we plan projects, recognize wins, and make decisions. Expect high collaboration, chances to lead, and the freedom to improve a process when you see a better way. Expect to be welcomed, too: we keep communications simple, share the “why,” and celebrate milestones together.

If you’re energized by meaningful work, teamwork without ego, and the chance to build both your career and the places we call home, you’ll fit right in at F&T.

Forte & Tablada President and CEO Joey Coco, front center, and members of his leadership, engineering, surveying, CE&I and administrative teams.

Photo by Don Kadair

SPARKHOUND

FOR 27 YEARS, we’ve helped businesses grow with smart, practical technology-based solutions—and we’ve built a team of people who genuinely love doing it. Our name reflects the energy, drive, and partnership focus we bring to everything we do. What sets Sparkhound apart isn’t just the work—it’s the way we work together with clients.

Sparkies are known for being authentic, thoughtful, and always willing to take ownership of an issue to see it

“What I love most about Sparkhound is that it’s more than a company— it’s a community. For almost two decades, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside people who genuinely care about solving problems, supporting each other, and making a difference both in business and in the communities we serve.”

Dave Baxter, Vice President of Sales

through. We’re disciplined in our approach: we stay focused, follow through, and do things the right way. But we also believe in keeping things human. We celebrate wins, support one another, and stay connected whether we’re working remotely or in the office.

We also care deeply about our community. Many of us stay involved locally because we believe strong relationships help build strong communities—relationships make us better teammates, partners, and problem-solvers. Sparkies take pride in doing work that matters—not just for our clients, but for the people and places around us.

Sparkhound CEO Shawn Usher has the full support of his team.

Photo by Don Kadair

PROVIDENT RESOURCES GROUP

PROVIDENT RESOURCES GROUP is a national non-profit organization committed to making a positive impact in communities across the country through the development, ownership and operation of state-of-theart educational, healthcare, senior living, and multi-family housing facilities and services. We also endeavor to assist state and local governments in lessening the burdens they face in providing necessary facilities and services to their citizens.

Provident employs the highest level of professional management while taking a mission-based approach to the delivery of services. We believe what makes our

“Working for Provident Resources Group is both inspiring and rewarding. The company’s mission and values are genuine, and they strongly encourage personal and professional growth. Each milestone and achievement require team effort, which attributes to our collective success and is always recognized. Together, we are a team, we are family, we are Provident.”

- Jamey Corkern Assistant V.P. of Administrative Services

workplace culture unique is the way we show up for one another. Collaboration isn’t just a word, it’s how we operate each and every day. Everyone has a seat at the table, and our culture is built on trust, accountability, and cohesive growth.

Our leaders listen, our team supports one another, and the company measures success in the trust we’ve built with our internal and external stakeholders.

The Provident Resources Group team outside of the community nonprofit’s Baton Rouge offices

Photo by Sean Gasser

ASK THE EXPERT BANKING

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF FRAUD THAT AFFECT BUSINESSES?

While cyber fraud continues to grow, especially through spear phishing, business email compromise (BEC), malware, and spoofed websites or URLs, check fraud remains a major concern. With 90% of businesses still using checks, this traditional payment method remains one of the most vulnerable to fraud.

HOW CAN I DETECT FRAUD EARLY IN MY BUSINESS?

Early fraud detection requires a layered approach combining technology, employee training, and strong internal controls. Here are some key steps businesses can take:

• Implement Positive Pay and ACH Positive Pay to identify and prevent fraudulent activity

• Monitor financial transactions with real-time alerts

• Educate staff to recognize phishing and social engineering

• Segregate duties

• Enable multi-factor authentication to ensure secure access to financial systems

WHAT INTERNAL CONTROLS SHOULD I IMPLEMENT TO PREVENT FRAUD?

Implementing strong internal controls such as dual approval for transactions, segregation of duties, and secure network access can significantly reduce fraud risk. Businesses should also use fraud prevention tools like Payee Positive Pay and educate employees on identifying fraud threats.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MY BUSINESS FROM CYBER FRAUD AND ONLINE THREATS?

To defend against cyber threats, businesses should educate employees on common attacks like phishing and ransomware, enforce multi-factor authentication, and secure sensitive data with firewalls and encryption. Remote workers should use VPNs to ensure safe access to company systems.

WHAT ROLE DO EMPLOYEES PLAY IN PREVENTING FRAUD?

Employees are the first line of defense against fraud. Their actions, awareness and adherence with internal security procedures play a vital role in protecting the business from internal and external threats.

ROBERT STUART

Greater Baton Rouge Regional President

As regional president for the market, Stuart leads Hancock Whitney’s commercial, middle market, and corporate banking growth and strategy as bankers serve clients and businesses in communities throughout Greater Baton Rouge.

Stuart is an active supporter of and served with numerous community organizations, including Arts Council of Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement of Greater Baton Rouge & Acadiana and Big Buddy of Baton Rouge.

PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL LAUNCHES ADVANCED ENDOCRINOLOGY & DIABETES CLINIC

For many living with diabetes or other endocrine related conditions, access to cutting edge treatment remains fragmented. LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is changing that.

This fall, Pennington Biomedical opened its Advanced Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic, under the leadership of endocrinologist Dr. Timothy Gilbert, to offer comprehensive, research informed care in one place. Dr. Gilbert brings nearly 20 years of clinical experience, and his arrival represents a major step forward.

With Pennington Biomedical’s long history in diabetes and metabolic disorder research, the center has now expanded its work to include treatment. What sets Pennington Biomedical’s clinic apart is the seamless integration of research and patient care. Guided by discoveries from its scientists, treatments offered here are at the forefront of medical progress.

Patients not only receive standard care, such as continuous glucose monitoring, insulin pumps and automated insulin delivery, but they also have access to new therapies and clinical trials before they’re widely available.

Dr. Gilbert emphasizes that many of the treatments considered cutting-edge today were developed at Pennington Biomedical. The clinic is able to harness decades of institutional knowledge in endocrine and metabolic disease and put those insights directly into patient care.

The Advanced Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic isn’t just about medications and devices. It brings together a full team of registered d ietitians/certified diabetes educators, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and mental health professionals. Disorders like diabetes, obesity, eating disorders, insulin resistance and polycystic ovary syndrome are managed in collaboration with specialists to address not only metabolic control but also psychological, nutritional and lifestyle factors.

Education is built in from the start. Newly diagnosed patients receive training in insulin pump usage, continuous glucose monitoring and diabetes self management. These are not delayed for months – they happen quickly, closely supported by Dr. Gilbert, his nurse practitioner and the clinic’s educators. Louisiana has among the highest rates of diabetes in the United States, and many patients wait long periods for specialist access. The new clinic offers an additional option for these patients around Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas.

By integrating emerging therapies, mental health care, diagnostics and education, the clinic aims not only to add years to life – but life to the years.

One of the most compelling features of the clinic is how patient care and research are intertwined. Clinical trials underway at Pennington Biomedical give patients access to therapies still under development, while outcomes in the clinic feed back into research insights. Whether it’s new injectables, combination therapies or advanced imaging for body composition, the clinic becomes a hub where scientific discoveries inform care, and everyday patient experiences guide future studies. For those seeking advanced care for diabetes or endocrine conditions, Pennington Biomedical’s Advanced Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic offers a new model: world-class science, delivered with compassion, under one roof. Learn more by visiting pbrc.edu/edc. To schedule an appointment, call 225.763.0250.

Dr. Gilbert expresses a powerful vision: helping people “live with diabetes, not for diabetes.” That means improving quality of life, giving tools to manage disease and restoring control.

Banking on Texas

BY DILLON LOWE

Why two Baton Rouge banks see opportunity in the Lone Star State

TWO BATON ROUGE community banks are making big moves westward—namely in Texas.

First there’s b1Bank, which has been steadily growing its Texas footprint for years. What started in 2017 with a single Dallas loan production office has since grown into a network of 18 Texas branches, or nearly one-third of the bank’s total branches. B1Bank’s 2022 acquisition of Texas Citizens Bank in Houston and its 2024 acquisition of Oakwood Bank in Dallas gave it a solid foothold in the state’s two largest metro areas.

Then there’s Investar Bank, which has followed a similar path of expansion through acquisition. The bank first entered Texas in 2019 with its acquisition of Mainland Bank in Texas City, south of Houston, and that move was followed by a larger one this year: a proposed $83.6 million acquisition of First National Bank in Wichita Falls, north of Dallas. The deal, which is expected to close late this year or early next, will give Investar seven new branches in Texas and bring its Texas assets to roughly $1.7 billion, or 36% of its total assets.

But what exactly is it about Texas that’s drawing Louisiana banks across the border, and what comes next for b1Bank and Investar in the Lone Star State?

WHY TEXAS?

For b1Bank President and CEO Jude Melville, growing his bank’s Texas footprint has always been more about building strong relationships than about growth for growth’s sake. The bank wouldn’t have entered Texas at all, he says, had it not identified “good banks and good bankers” to partner with.

“We’ve been fortunate in Texas, just as we have been in Louisiana, to partner with a lot of really good people,” Melville says. “That’s really driven the expansion as much as anything else.”

Market conditions in Texas, of course, also played a role.

“Texas has done a lot of things

“Everything is bigger in Texas.”

JOHN D’ANGELO, president and CEO, Investar

right,” Melville says. “It’s experiencing a lot of growth, and it’s good, healthy, diversified growth. There’s growth in the business community but there’s also just growth in the population. As more and more people move there, that creates a healthy economic environment that we feel we’re capable of contributing to and participating in.”

Melville is careful to note that the bank’s growth in Texas doesn’t detract in any way from its commitment to Louisiana. Rather, he views the expansion as a way to balance risk across two distinct but complementary economies.

“It’s a good diversifier of our risk,” Melville says. “The economy in Texas is related to the economy in Louisiana but it’s different enough that we feel like it presents opportunities to make our whole stronger. … It’s a complementary strategy

versus a substitute strategy.”

Investar President and CEO John D’Angelo, meanwhile, says the sheer scale of Texas’ economy is easily its biggest draw.

“Everything is bigger in Texas,” D’Angelo puts it simply.

D’Angelo says establishing a sizable Texas presence has long been a goal of Investar’s and that the bank’s recent agreement to acquire First National represents a major step in the right direction.

Culture fit played a key role in Investar’s decision to partner with First National, D’Angelo says. The transaction has its financial benefits, but he sees the Texas bank as a particularly attractive target for acquisition because of how well its values—“family and God”—aligned with his own bank’s. First National’s operational efficiencies only served to sweeten the deal.

INVESTAR’s acquisitions over the years

Investar Bank acquires South Louisiana Business Bank (Prairieville, Louisiana)

Investar Bank acquires First Community Bank (Hammond, Louisiana)

Investar Bank acquires Citizens Bank (Ville Platte, Louisiana)

Investar Bank acquires Highlands Bank (Jackson, Louisiana)

“Our meetings with [First National] management have proven that our cultures mesh well,” D’Angelo says. “Additionally, they’re doing things from a process and technology perspective that we can utilize at Investar.”

Texas economist Ray Perryman echoes much of what Melville and D’Angelo have to say about Texas’ value proposition. Perryman, the president and CEO of economic consulting firm The Perryman Group, has studied the state’s economy for more than four decades and has advised major corporations, influential public policy institutions and even governments on economic and financial matters.

“Banks in Louisiana have several motivations for expanding their presence in Texas,” Perryman says, “but the primary motivation is strong economic and population

growth. Texas has long led the way in pace of expansion and has dominated other areas in attracting major new corporate offices across a spectrum of industries. … A strong economy provides not only sources of customers for banks, but also diversification for those based in Louisiana.”

Another likely motivation, Perryman says, is the industrial backbone the two states have in common.

“Because some of the core industries, such as oil and gas, refining, and shipping, are similar across the two states, there may well be opportunities to exploit synergies and expertise,” Perryman says.

As Perryman notes, Texas isn’t just attracting community banks like b1Bank and Investar. It’s also luring financial juggernauts like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. At

Investar Bank acquires Bank of York (York, Alabama)

Investar Bank acquires two Plains Capital Bank branches (Alice, Texas, and Victoria, Texas)

Investar Bank signs agreement to acquire First National Bank (Wichita Falls, Texas)

Investar Bank acquires Cheaha Bank (Oxford, Alabama)

b1BANK’s acquisitions over the years

b1Bank acquires MBL Bank (Minden, Louisiana)

b1Bank acquires Richland State Bank (Rayville, Louisiana)

b1Bank acquires Pedestal Bank (Houma, Louisiana)

b1Bank acquires investment adviser Smith Shellnut Wilson (Ridgeland, Mississippi)

the center of it all is “Y’all Street,” or the burgeoning financial hub that is Dallas-Fort Worth. The region has seen a sharp rise in financial sector employment in recent years, and Texas now leads the nation in overall financial sector employment. The momentum is so strong that downtown Dallas will soon be home to a new national stock exchange called the Texas Stock Exchange, or TXSE.

“Texas continues to emerge in finance and banking more broadly,” Perryman says. “Major financial firms have been expanding their presence in the state, supporting the related ecosystem of talent and services firms to the benefit of banks of all types. The Texas Stock Exchange will only add to the momentum.”

WHAT COMES NEXT

For b1Bank, the immediate focus is on strengthening its presence in Louisiana and Texas rather than rapidly expanding into new markets. In Louisiana, it’s currently in the process of acquiring Progressive Bank in Monroe, and in

b1Bank acquires Texas Citizens Bank (Houston)

b1Bank acquires SBA lender service provider Waterstone LSP (Katy, Texas)

b1Bank acquires Oakwood Bank (Dallas)

b1Bank signs agreement to acquire Progressive Bank (Monroe, Louisiana)

Texas, it’ll soon open a new branch in Westlake, west of Dallas. Still, Melville envisions a future in which the bank expands its footprint across the entire Southeast.

“We’re still a relatively young bank in the grand scheme of things, and I do think that over time the Southeast will offer a lot of opportunities and I think we’ll be well positioned to take advantage of them, but in the near term, I think we really like our footprint and we see a lot of opportunities to keep deepening that footprint,” Melville says.

Investar has some more specific growth targets in mind. As mentioned, Texas will account for more than one-third of the bank’s total assets once the First National acquisition crosses the finish line. D’Angelo says the goal is to get that share up to 50%, and he knows exactly where else he’d like to plant Investar’s flag in the years ahead.

“Our strategy for M&A is what we call an SEC strategy,” D’Angelo says. “What that means is we’d consider any market than has an SEC school. But we’re very focused on Texas.”

“Texas has done a lot of things right. It’s experiencing a lot of growth, and it’s good, healthy, diversified growth.”

JUDE MELVILLE, president and CEO, b1Bank

“This is not 10 or 15 years ago. The ecosystem is growing at a level that I don’t think people are realizing.”

KELLEN FRANCIS, founder, CodeGig

Fresh start

The Capital Region’s once rudderless entrepreneurial ecosystem gets reenergized.

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

KELLEN FRANCIS confesses to a “disgusting level of drive.”

Ten years ago, the self-described IT nerd and St. Charles Parish native began playing around with a tech startup concept that would help industrial companies drive efficiency and lower emissions through a proprietary AI platform.

Francis’ brainchild, CodeGig, is now a 10-employee company based at Nexus Louisiana. Along with IT services, the startup has created AI and machine learning capabilities intended to help Louisiana’s manufacturing sector better track and reduce emissions. The software shows companies how to lower carbon emissions using AI suggested rates, tracks carbon capture tax credits and automates reporting to the EPA in a matter of minutes.

Seed funding from Innovation Catalyst and proof of concept funding provided by LSU’s new Future Use of Energy in Louisiana, or

FUEL, initiative helped CodeGig fully build out its software. That’s enabled the company to line up five strategic partnerships to date, with more in the pipeline, Francis says. His focus now is securing Series A funding.

Francis credits CodeGig’s progress to a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Capital Region.

“It’s thriving,” he says. “This is not 10 or 15 years ago. The ecosystem is growing at a level that I don’t think people are realizing.”

Francis’ enthusiasm reflects what advocates have long hoped to see—a smoother on-ramp for startups with the potential for partnerships across the region’s numerous entrepreneurial hubs.

There’s more venture capital flowing through the state now, along with additional funding via LSU’s FUEL initiative and LED’s new Louisiana Growth Fund. Fresh leadership at Nexus Louisiana has

shifted that entity’s focus to be laser focused on tech entrepreneurs. And LSU Innovation, the historic hub for startups in the region, is in the midst of finding new ways to improve the flow between startups and university resources.

“I think we’re going to redefine what [LSU] Innovation means,” says Greg Trahan, assistant vice president of economic development and acting director of innovation and technology commercialization. “I think it’s going to be much more tightly coupled to economic development, and entrepreneurs are going to have much better access to the entirety of the research enterprise.”

SILOS AND STAFFING WOES

For years, the Capital Region’s climate for entrepreneurs has been successful but fractured, with key components like the Louisiana Technology Park, now Nexus

Louisiana, and LSU Innovation’s Louisiana Business & Technology Center incubating scores of new companies. The same organizations were also criticized for siloed operations.

An effective realignment happened in 2021 when then-LSU Associate Vice President for Research Andrew Maas led a new organizational structure for the university’s 200-acre LSU Innovation Park that helped streamline the experience for both entrepreneurs and faculty inventors.

Its programs—the Louisiana Business & Technology Center, Louisiana Technology Transfer Office, the statewide LSU-based

Small Business Development Center and the Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization— were brought under a new umbrella called the Office of Innovation and Ecosystem Development.

Maas, who is also credited with overhauling LSU’s tech transfer programs, left the university in January to become the assistant vice president for technology transfer at the University of Texas at Austin. In fiscal year 2023, UT Austin spent $1.04 billion on research. By comparison, LSU spent $488 million. LSU has yet to replace Maas due to a hiring freeze. Since his departure, it has been working on an internal restructure to facilitate between

An update on FOODii

IT HELPED PROPEL the famed salad dressing and toppings line Hanley’s Foods. It launched the wildly popular Alvin Ray’s Bayou Best Pickles, now sold throughout the Southeast. It provided space for the legendary Pat O’Brien’s to bottle a signature bloody mary mix, and the restaurant chain Fiery Crab to develop a line of seafood sauces.

Since its beginnings in 2012, FOODii—LSU’s visionary food innovation institute—has helped scores of Louisiana food producers see culinary ideas go from rough sketch to store shelf. Three years ago, it invested $4 million in federal grant and state funding to expand even further with unified operations.

It has since spawned dozens of Louisiana food companies through its campus incubator, which hosts around 35 rotating tenants. It also offers contract bottling services in a facility capable of filling 25,000 bottles a day, along with nutrition labeling for restaurants and food manufacturers.

But the incubator’s founding director, Gaye Sandoz, retired from Foodii in early 2024 and has yet to be replaced. LSU’s 2025 hiring freeze has further slowed the appointment of a permanent director, says interim director and LSU School of Nutrition and Food Sciences associate professor Achyut Adhikari.

The hiring process should resume this fall, he says.

Meanwhile, Adhikari says Foodii expects to break ground soon on a planned expansion of its Gourrier Avenue bottling plant, which will include additional kitchen space for a variety of culinary businesses along with street-facing retail space where the public can purchase Foodii products.

—Maggie Heyn Richardson

LLOYD JOHNSON, CPA Partner

Lloyd Johnson is a partner in Faulk & Winkler’s assurance services practice. Since joining the firm in 2014, he has provided comprehensive audit, accounting, and consulting services to closely held businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities.

WHAT MINDSET SHIFT DO YOU THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESS LEADERS TO ADOPT IN ORDER TO EMBRACE AI SUCCESSFULLY, RATHER THAN RESIST IT?

Think back to when computers first showed up in offices. Some people preferred paper and resisted the change—but computers weren’t going away. Now they’re part of everything we do. AI is no different. The sooner you start learning and integrating it, the more options you’ll have. Waiting only increases the chance you’ll be playing catch-up later.

SOME BUSINESS LEADERS ARE HESITANT TO EMBRACE AI, FEARING IT WILL REPLACE PEOPLE OR CREATE RISKS. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO ARE SKEPTICAL OR CAUTIOUS?

A healthy dose of caution makes sense—but don’t let fear stall progress. I think of AI as a capable intern: it can get you 70–80 percent of the way there, and then you step in to add judgment, accuracy, and context. It isn’t replacing people; it’s freeing them to focus on the higher-value work only humans can do.

HOW IS AI ALREADY RESHAPING THE ACCOUNTING PROFESSION, AND WHAT CHANGES DO YOU SEE ON THE HORIZON IN THE NEXT 5–10 YEARS?

We’re already seeing AI handle routine tasks like reconciliations and data entry. Over the next 5–10 years, I expect end-to-end platforms that automate even more of the process. That doesn’t push people out—it pulls them up. CPAs and advisors will spend more time on analysis, strategy, and client conversations where real value is created.

“They may not have showered in three days, but they’re going to change the world.”

startups and university units, Trahan says.

“The good news is that, as the flagship institution and as a research institution, the breadth and the scale of what we do and what we have is wild,” Trahan says. “I think when people come inside the wall, they’re like, ‘I cannot believe how much is available.’”

But connecting the dots has been a prevailing challenge, Trahan says. He’s currently working with associate director of entrepreneurial services Jason Boudreaux to improve systems that match entrepreneurs to the right resource.

“The partnership with LSU has to be the competitive differentiator,” Trahan says. “My version of success is that companies that are built out at LSU will have a higher valuation and subsequent investment.”

NEW DAY AT NEXUS

In February, Nexus announced the hiring of Tony Zanders, founder and CEO of the Baton Rougebased library technology company Skilltype, which he grew to more than $4.2 million in venture capital funding. Nexus board chair Anita Byrne says the hiring of Zanders

technology is created and when you look at Silicon Valley, they don’t have pitch competitions,” Zanders says. “It’s not salespeople in suits with slick Power Point decks. It’s a bunch of totally awkward, introverted people who can spend hours staring at a computer, writing code. They may not have showered in three days, but they’re going to change the world.”

Removing barriers for ambitious techies and building a community that supports them is top of mind for the organization, the Nexus executive says.

“We have them all around,” Zanders says. “These are people who don’t wake up in the morning and say, ‘Hey, I’m an entrepreneur,’ but they’re passionate about their technical expertise. We need to create a community that supports them so they don’t leave and go to Houston or Atlanta.”

Byrne says Nexus’ anticipated relocation in 2026 from its longtime home in Bon Carre Business Center to downtown will help further attract and support a new generation of founders.

FUELED UP

While tech is Nexus’ focus, energy is top of mind at FUEL, a multipartner program that sprang from LSU’s landmark $160 million National Science Foundation grant. FUEL’s technology commercialization program awards proofof-concept funding to early-stage companies.

The organization is working with Nexus, LSU Innovation, the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at LSU and others to support entrepreneurs in a way that feels different from several years ago, says FUEL technology commercialization director Stephen Loy.

“Once upon a time, it was like if one entity had succeeded the other would fail, but now we share entrepreneurs,” says Loy, former executive director at Nexus. “Entrepreneurs aren’t successful because of one person or one organization. I think we always knew that, but now we’re practicing it and that’s the exciting part.”

Francis’ CodeGig, along with Louisiana Tech University,

signals the dawn of a new era at Nexus, one that returns the organization to its original mission as a deep tech incubator.

“The kind of collaboration with stakeholders and collaboration with partners that Tony is pushing for, and the alignment with the original goals, is really exciting,” Byrne says.

“What I want for the Capital Region and our state is to have an asset like Nexus firing on all cylinders.”

A New Orleans native who worked in Silicon Valley, Zanders says he’s focused on fulfilling Nexus’ original goal of growing tech-enabled companies. He has set an ambitious goal for Nexus to create 1,000 tech founders by 2035.

Zanders called for the elimination of the long-standing Baton Rouge Entrepreneurship Week and PitchBR events, which had attracted a diverse array of startups. Instead, Nexus hosted its first statewide Technology Cup in June at the Water Campus, an event designed to signal Nexus’ singular role as a tech catalyst, Zanders says. Its judges hailed from MIT, Amazon, Block Inc., Arix Technologies and Vinformatix.

“When you think about how new

“Successfully positioning Louisiana to win demands that we not only attract new businesses, but grow new businesses from the ground up.”

SUSAN BOURGEOIS, secretary, Louisiana Economic Development

TONY ZANDERS, president and CEO of Nexus Louisiana, who is steering the oganization to its original mission as a deep tech incubator, with a goal of creating 1,000 new tech founders by 2035

“As we create our entrepreneurial network and our investor alliance, we feel it’ll snowball and continue to coalesce Louisiana as an energy leader.”

STEPHEN LOY, director, FUEL technology commercialization

ApplicaRAD Inc., Encore CO2 and Cavendish Energy, received a combined $900,000 in first-round investment from FUEL’s inaugural proof-of-concept grants.

Loy says the goal is to increase the number of companies awarded by 20% to 50% year over year. He’s looking to outside investors for help.

“As we create our entrepreneurial network and our investor alliance, we feel it’ll snowball and continue to coalesce Louisiana as an energy leader,” Loy says. “We need more investors here in the state, and we need more investors outside the state to be interested in what’s happening here.”

The state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem got another boost in February when Louisiana Economic Development announced the launch of a new division called Louisiana Innovation, or LA.IO, intended to create highgrowth tech-enabled startups. The program also includes the $50 million Louisiana Growth Fund, intended to help entrepreneurs create

FRESH QUALITY SERVICE

Over 600 professionals supporting local independent retailers since 1950.

or scale new companies. According to LED, LA.IO’s nonprofit Louisiana Institute for Artificial Intelligence will be supporting new and existing businesses with new AI tools.

“Successfully positioning Louisiana to win demands that we not only attract new businesses, but grow new businesses from the ground up,” LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois says. “Louisiana Innovation is dedicated to working with startups as well as existing companies to grow Louisiana’s innovation economy.”

Citing Meta’s $10 billion Richland Parish data center project as proof positive that a focus on innovation is the right strategy for the state, Bourgeois says the strategy is this: “We are redefining the Louisiana opportunity by investing in the next industrial revolution.”

Zanders predicts Louisiana Innovation will have major implications for the entrepreneur ecosystem as a whole. “I think it’s amazing,” he confides. “I think it’s going to be sort of a cortisone shot for our ecosystem.”

Aimee Cook, Chief Risk Officer (seated) and Whitney Boyd, VP/Retail

FINANCIAL SCAMS ARE ON THE RISE. DON’T BE A VICTIM.

As phishing scams and fraud attempts become more frequent and sophisticated, learn how to recognize threats and protect your assets, online and offline.

From romance and crypto scams to mail theft and check fraud, efforts to trick people out of their hardearned money—or steal it outright—are everywhere. At Bank of St. Francisville, customers can feel confident that their bank considers financial security to be of utmost importance. Bank leaders and tellers alike are working constantly to monitor suspicious transactions and to alert customers to dangers when something doesn’t seem quite right.

This means that if any transaction for a known customer appears unusual or out-of-the-ordinary, bank employees are trained to be vigilant and may ask extra questions to confirm the validity of payments or withdrawals. It’s part of a proven strategy to identify and stop fraud attempts before they can succeed.

“It’s our responsibility to be curious and ask the right questions to ensure we’ve done everything possible to help you avoid potential loss,” said BSF Chief Risk Officer Aimee Cook. “Our goal is always to act in your best interest.”

Scams come in many forms—hiding in seemingly innocuous business emails, texts from close friends or community leaders, or social media messages promising everything from business opportunities to love interest. With the rise of generative AI, scammers are even targeting people using phone calls, imitating familiar voices, or posing as representatives from known financial

institutions. At the same time, banks are reporting an increase in fraud attempts including mail theft, wire fraud, check counterfeiting and forgery, and mobile deposit fraud.

While scammers and fraudsters often target the vulnerable, particularly the elderly or isolated, schemes like these can impact anyone, of any age, demographic, and level of education. Even if you’re not falling for social media messages professing undying love, you still might not spot the red flag when you get a text message about an overdue parking ticket, an old school friend urges you to invest in Bitcoin from a new social media account, you get a legitimatesounding tech support email in your work inbox, or you receive a letter in the mail directing you to a website to sign up for “jury duty.”

“They’re targeting everyone,” Cook said. “That’s why we have to work together to protect what’s yours.”

ANYTIME SOMETHING FEELS OFF, HERE ARE SOME GOOD QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:

• Did I really win the lottery/ sweepstakes/an unexpected inheritance?

• Is the acquaintance asking to borrow money asking that I not tell anyone?

• Is the person I’m speaking to who they say they are?

The best way to avoid a scam is to avoid becoming an easy target in the first place

SOME TIPS TO SAFEGUARD YOURSELF AGAINST FALLING VICTIM TO A FINANCIAL SCAM INCLUDE:

• Review your online transactions—daily if possible—as well as bank statements regularly to catch any discrepancies or unrecognized charges.

• If someone you only know virtually starts asking for money, be suspicious— especially if they claim that it’s “urgent.” Stop and take steps to validate their identity.

• Remember that a bank representative will never ask for your online credentials, such as a User ID, password or PIN.

• Remember that promises such as “high return, low risk” and “guaranteed profits” are warning signs. Even in the age of digital banking, the old adage still holds true: if something sounds too good tbe true … it probably is.

Working together, bank representatives and informed customers can beat scammers by staying vigilant and practicing precautionary measures to prevent financial loss.

To learn more about how Bank of St. Francisville is working to keep customers protected, visit bsf.net.

Teaching grit and guts

Russell Crook wants LSU business graduates ready to lead—and ready to take risks.

WHEN RUSSELL CROOK

arrived on LSU’s campus this summer to become the new dean of the E.J. Ourso College of Business, he stepped into a role with big expectations—and even bigger possibilities.

Charged with preparing the next generation of business leaders in an economy that’s changing by the minute, Crook brings with him a strong reputation for marrying academic rigor with real-world relevance.

Before coming to LSU, Crook led the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business. He has built his career studying how organizations grow and adapt, and he’s now focused on helping LSU students do the same.

His vision goes beyond technical know-how. He wants Ourso

graduates to leave with something harder to measure but just as critical: grit, resilience, creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset that will carry them not just into their first jobs, but into leadership roles years down the road.

“Thinking more like an entrepreneur, grit, resilience and creative problem-solving—and just thinking like an owner,” Crook says, “that’s going to become a central part of the Ourso College of Business.”

In this exclusive interview with Business Report, Crook shares how he’s reimagining business education at LSU—from embedding entrepreneurial thinking across the curriculum to building stronger industry ties and preparing students to lead through disruption.

The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

BY JORDAN ARCENEAUX

Building future leaders

Crook believes leadership readiness can’t wait until graduates climb the ladder—it must be developed from the start. He wants students to enter the workforce not only skilled, but poised to grow quickly into decisionmakers. That means thinking like entrepreneurs from day one.

What will you do to prepare graduates not just for their first jobs, but to become high-performing leaders within 10 years? I would like to see us lean more into having students think like entrepreneurs. There is some criticism out there that we could do a better job of preparing people, both in the hard skills and the soft skills, and one area where I think we can improve is in thinking about grit and resilience and creative problem-solving. Those are skills that if we equip our students with, they apply across all industries. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t see the need for those types of skills and behaviors going away. If you go in there and think like an entrepreneur, whether you’re starting your own company or you’re thinking entrepreneurially in another large enterprise or a small enterprise, you’re going to get promoted more quickly.

Which leadership competencies—beyond technical knowhow—do you most want to instill in LSU business students? My thinking is that if you are trained to think like an entrepreneur and you have that mindset, then you are going to win.

Strategic thinking and problem-solving

Executives often cite strategic thinking as a gap in new talent, and Crook is intent on closing it. He says resilience, creativity and livecase learning are essential to developing judgment under pressure. The goal: produce graduates who can solve real problems, not just study them.

What’s the plan for ensuring students develop decision-making and strategic thinking skills?

I think some of it goes to certain things that we might have them do. For example, there are exercises out there about going and getting 10 “nos” from people. And what does it do? It causes you to be more resilient. It’s hard to hear the word no, but it toughens you up, so then you’re more ready when you hear the word no in the real world. Then you say, “OK, well, how can I hear the word yes?” And we’re going to get to yes. If we do more live cases, where we have executives at companies giving us their challenges, and then we have students try to come up with creative solutions to their challenges, that, in and of itself, is a way to help them develop and think more like executives, because if you have that executive mindset and entrepreneurial mindset, you’re just going to do well in life.

Entrepreneurial mindset in any organization

Crook stresses that entrepreneurial thinking isn’t just for startups. Inside big corporations, he says, innovation must come from within. Cultivating “intrapreneurs” who can spot and pursue opportunities will help students thrive wherever they land.

You’ve spoken about cultivating an “entrepreneurial mindset.” What does that look like in practice for students headed into large organizations? There’s another conversation that goes on called intrapreneurship, or corporate entrepreneurship. Whether you’re a larger, established organization, you still need to innovate, right? You can’t stand still, so if you’re thinking like an entrepreneur, what are the next new sets of products and services that need to be developed? We not only have to think about how we’re going to survive today, but also how we’re going to survive tomorrow. There’s an idea out there around the concept of ambidexterity where we have to leverage our capabilities but also explore what the future opportunities are, and we have to find the right balance.

What goes into helping graduates identify and act on certain growth opportunities?

One of the things we’re doing is creating a mentorship pipeline. This is the next generation of leaders for our country, and they have the ability to connect with mentors from our Dean’s Advisory Council and other folks around the college who have been successful.

Competing globally and managing disruption

Globalization and automation are reshaping industries across the board. Crook wants LSU graduates to be ready. The strategy: combine coursework, cultural awareness and exposure to international markets so students understand both the risks and opportunities of a connected world.

What initiatives help prepare graduates for industries that are being reshaped by automation and global competition?

I think all industries are subject to this at some point, so we try our best to develop coursework that helps them understand what automation requires. You can do this using human capital, or you can substitute that with some automation. In some cases, you may want to utilize more automation, and in some industries, you might want to use more extensive human capital, so there are trade-offs in terms of globalization. It’s important for our students to understand different cultures and different laws. There has been a lot of conversation as well about tariffs and how that might affect pricing. We’ve got to train our students to think about those things.

How will you expose those students to international markets, cultural agility and global business dynamics?

We’ve got classes and some programs in our economics department for that, but we also have study abroad opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students can go visit another country and meet business leaders in those countries. They’ll also do some interesting cultural events, too, around food and just trying to get a sense of why the culture is the way it is.

Strengthening ties to Louisiana

Keeping top talent in Louisiana is a priority. Crook is passionate about growing internship pipelines, building mentorship programs and even helping launch new companies so students can find opportunity—and create it—right here at home.

Are there plans to expand experiential learning, such as consulting projects or internships, that directly benefit Louisiana companies?

I think we need to do this. I’m very passionate about Louisiana companies and I think there’s an opportunity for us to not only have internships at Louisiana companies, but hopefully we attract more companies to Louisiana, which also provides more internship opportunities for our students. We’re also working on tech commercialization efforts so we can develop companies and grow our own, which creates more opportunities for people in Louisiana so we keep even more of our best and brightest in state. Our goal is to be an important tool to attract new companies to the state, keep them in the state, and help get their supply chains to the state, and ultimately, just help the state continue to develop even further economically and create more opportunities for our young men and women.

Building Community

Wesley Construction embarks on a second generation with a focus on quality relationships and craftsmanship.

When Steve Wesley started Wesley Construction in 1984, there were no computers, just paper files. Checks were written out by hand, and business was conducted in person or on the telephone. An email address was eventually added, but Vice President Bryan Wesley says his dad has never had a computer at his desk.

“We’re such a people business,” Bryan says. “Technology makes us faster, but the relationships, the trust, the craftsmanship, all of that matters most.”

When Bryan came into the business in 2019 after working in Houston, he told his dad he didn’t want to change a single thing operationally for the first year.

“I told him I’m putting my calculator down and I’m going to learn long division because he’s obviously – after, at that time, 35 years of being in business for himself – been very successful with how he conducted business.”

Bryan learned that his father’s secret was surrounding himself with a strong team loyal to its clients. One of those clients felt so personally connected to the company that they attended Bryan’s

kindergarten graduation.

“Relationships are what have made us so successful,” he says. “We’re in a service industry, so you have to have a good team around you. As long as you’ve got good people that you’re working with and working for, you can get the job done.”

Bryan has since added a few modern touches— direct deposit, social media, and Procore constructon management software—while keeping the people-first culture his dad built.

“We finally stopped handwriting checks,” he jokes, “but we’re still in the relationship business.”

Baton Rouge is their home base, but the company has done work in 33 states and just finished a project in Eugene, Oregon. Bryan’s vision for the future is organic growth.

“Our focus is building lasting client relationships,” he says. “As a company is growing, I want to be alongside them, earning their trust on that first project and then being the first and only call that they make when they have a need, whether it’s new construction, renovations or maintenance of their existing facilities.”

Wesley Construction’s one-stop-shop approach keeps clients coming back. Bryan’s most

rewarding project has been the renovation of New Orleans’ Roosevelt Hotel. That same client also hired them to do the Baton Rouge Marriott, Homewood Suites Nashville, the Oregon project and many other projects from San Diego to Washington, D.C., and Seattle to Miami.

The Roosevelt is special because Bryan was in high school at the time, working as part of the construction crew, completing the demo of the former Fairmont Hotel’s walls and carrying new drywall up the stairs.

“I love being able to build projects that I can take my own family to,” he says. His three daughters call The Roosevelt their “second home,” and look forward to the Teddy Bear Tea and iconic lobby lights each Christmas.

They also love working with businesses that are here to serve our Baton Rouge community, like Tumbles kid’s fitness gym, Parkview Baptist School, Ochsner and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

“I look at it as we’re a service provider trying to build services that we find great for our community,” he says. “This is the community that built us, and we want to help build our community, too.”

provided by Wesley Construction

Like father, like son: Wesley Construction Vice President Bryan Wesley, left, with founder, president and dad Steve Wesley

Photo

Resilience,

adaptability and purpose

Disruption, Crook says, is inevitable—so students must be trained to fail fast, learn quickly and keep moving forward. He also wants them to reflect on their deeper purpose so they leave LSU not just as skilled managers, but as fulfilled leaders.

How will the college instill resilience and adaptability to lead through disruption?

Disruption is everywhere and we’re going to continue to see more and more disruption. Talking about an entrepreneurial mindset, if you’re going to fail, fail fast and move on. We talk about failing fast being good, but look at it as a learning opportunity, not as a true failure. We want students to tinker around with things. We want them to get involved in assessing new technologies and whether there is really a market for them. It’s about thinking like an entrepreneur. Are there markets for this? How big is the market? How fast is it growing? What assumptions are we making that are valid? This is what business schools are uniquely equipped to do.

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What role do you see LSU playing in shaping Louisiana’s next generation of ethical, impact-driven business leaders? In the second year of my MBA program, I got cancer and I had to go through chemotherapy and radiation. There’s nothing like chemotherapy and radiation to give you clarity on what you want to do with the rest of your life. What I’m trying to emphasize for the young men and women that I’m coming in contact with is I hope they don’t have to get cancer to help them figure out what their purpose is in life. Think about it while you’re here at LSU. We’re not only giving them those technical judgment, managerial skills, but really helping them identify what it is that’s going to make them happy and live a fulfilled life.

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Merging AI fluency with business judgment

As AI tools transform how businesses operate, Crook is leaning into training students to use them well—starting with simple prompting and moving toward strategic application. He sees AI literacy as a career accelerator that will help graduates stand out in the job market.

How will you ensure graduates arrive in the workplace fluent in AI tools and able to apply them strategically in business contexts?

We’re teaching about prompting. When students learn how to prompt correctly, they review what comes back and then revise and improve upon it. They’ll be able to use the tool more efficiently and effectively and do a better job, and it will help them hopefully get promoted more quickly. We’re leaning in, and we’ve got a great team of people who are researching this and we’ve got some proposals out there to work with small businesses in the community that are trying to learn about AI and we can use them as live cases, where our students can give people in the community guidance on what they might use these tools for. This is good for our community partners, but also good for the students.

Many executives say their biggest challenge is finding talent that can blend technology skills with business judgment.

We want to give our students the opportunity to become very proficient in those technologies, but we also want to give them the ability to think about businesses more generally, because businesses are made up of people, too.

As part of our core curriculum, you get some exposure to the technology aspects, but you also get some exposure to judgment and strategic decisionmaking frameworks, ethics and good leadership principles.

Staying aligned with industry needs

Crook is working closely with business leaders to keep the curriculum aligned with real-world challenges. From advisory council input to research partnerships, he wants LSU to be a go-to resource for solving industry problems. What partnerships with Louisiana and national companies are you pursuing to make sure the curriculum keeps pace with market realities?

We have the Dean’s Advisory Council, which represents a wide variety of industries. We have people who are CEOs and entrepreneurs, and we will work with them to say here are some ideas that we have and pressure test those ideas with them as well. Our faculty conducts cutting-edge research in fields, not only in AI but also in operations management, strategy, and in the best ways of managing people. We have a unit here through our Office of Research and Economic Development that is specifically set up to create industry partners. Let’s say you have a hypothetical banking partner and they want to improve customer satisfaction. They can then pass this business challenge along to a class and a professor and we can help them solve that problem.

Looking ahead

Crook’s ultimate goal is for CEOs to notice a difference in LSU graduates within five years— seeing them as leaders who can deliver results from day one. He envisions an Ourso College known nationally for entrepreneurship, innovation and workforce readiness.

In five years, what changes should Louisiana CEOs see in the quality and readiness of LSU business graduates? I feel confident with the training that students are going to continue to get here. Companies are going to continue to see better-prepared students who can take their businesses to the next level. If they have the ability to choose between us and graduates of other institutions, I think they’re going to look to us and say, “Wow, they’ve got some amazing young men and women who are leaders and entrepreneurial thinkers.” They will have the skills to come in and get the job done on day one.

What is your vision for how the E.J. Ourso College of Business will help Louisiana compete—nationally and globally—in the next decade?

I think it will help people think like entrepreneurs. Some of the other things that I think are emerging in some of the departments center around credentialing. You not only could come here and leave with a degree, but you can also get a credential. A focus on entrepreneurship and credentialing is something that I could see being part of the vision to take our college and university to the next level. We already have an amazing foundation, but I think there’s continued room to grow. If we grow, the state grows and if the state grows, the country grows. It all works together.

It was a great opportunity for me to learn about myself and the instructors were interactive, impactful, relevant and thorough with their explanations.”

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CEO

Decision Critical

Great way to challenge yourself and become a more effective leader.”

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LEARN | CONNECT | GROW

All rising professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, and small business owners are invited to join us in taking their leadership up a notch. Business Report’s Executive Leadership Academy is a transformative program that will take your career and your organization to new levels of success.

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Game on

BY REBEKAH MARICELLI

Major health systems and local clinics are fueling a new era of sports medicine in the Capital Region.

IN A CITY where LSU athletics is practically a religion, Southern University commands a fiercely loyal fanbase, and the New Orleans’ Saints and Pelicans are just a short drive away, Baton Rouge lives and breathes sports. And that’s before you factor in the booming world of youth leagues, travel ball, and school athletics.

It’s no surprise, then, that sports-related business opportunities flourish here—from local success stories like Marucci Sports to the expanding WalkOn’s Sports Bistreaux franchise. The region’s passion for athletics has also given rise to another booming industry: sports medicine. A quick Google search for “sports medicine Baton Rouge” yields pages of results, with orthopedic surgeons, physical

BIG BACKERS: Among the investors in the Elite Training Complex, which includes The Ochsner Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, are Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and LSU Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow and retired New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu—who also starred for the Tigers.

BY REBEKAH MARICELLI

THE RECOVERY: As part of its $85 million commitment to LSU athletics. Our Lady of the Lake invested in the LSU Football Operations Recovery Center and advanced treatments, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and platelet-rich plasma injections.

therapists and pain management clinics all vying for attention.

Lately, the competition has intensified. Major health care providers have made bold moves in the

sports medicine space—launching new facilities and forging high-profile partnerships—and these ventures are reshaping the health care landscape in Baton Rouge.

HIGH-STAKES INVESTMENTS

Our Lady of the Lake Health, part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and a staple of Baton Rouge health care, has made headlines with its $85 million commitment to LSU athletics—part of a larger $170 million investment in the university. While OLOL declined to comment for this story, public reports highlight the impact of this partnership—new facilities like the Football Operations Recovery Center and advanced treatments including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and platelet-rich plasma injections.

But that’s not all. In late September, Our Lady of the Lake announced plans to build a $100

million sports medicine institute that would be next to the proposed new LSU arena. The institute, which hinges on the arena plans coming to fruition, would serve as a “onestop shop” for athletes of all stripes, offering athletic training, imaging, orthopedics, physical therapy, education and research opportunities for LSU students and faculty and more, according to FMOLHS President and CEO E.J. Kuiper.

Meanwhile, Ochsner Health has staked its own claim with the development of the Ochsner Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute at Elite Training Complex – Burbank. This $22 million initiative—built in partnership with Elite Training Academy—reflects Ochsner’s ambition to become a regional sports medicine leader.

“Whether clients are working with sports psychologists, nutritionists, physical therapists or imaging specialists, this partnership allows us to bring together the best of the best,” says Ochsner Baton Rouge CEO Chuck Daigle.

With two full-size outdoor turf fields, a 60-yard indoor turf field, cryotherapy, dry needling, and backing from elite athletes like Joe Burrow and Tyrann Mathieu, the Elite Training Complex is more than a facility—it’s a high-performance ecosystem. And it’s not just about prestige. Projects like these require significant ongoing investment—and offer serious potential returns, both in revenue and reputation.

GRASSROOTS CARE

Not all players in Baton Rouge’s sports medicine scene wear the banner of a hospital system. The Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic, or BROC, has carved out its own niche, serving as a longtime provider of orthopedic care and athletic training services in the region.

Marketing manager Kate Bradshaw and BROC Foundation Director Deanna Melancon, a certified athletic trainer, shared how their team has steadily expanded its footprint in the local sports community.

The BROC Foundation launched in 2013 with just five employees offering athletic training support to a handful of schools. Today, it

employs 15 full-time and five parttime staffers, providing free sports medicine coverage to student-athletes at 30 high schools across Greater Baton Rouge.

“It’s critical to have trained sports medicine professionals on the sidelines to monitor everything from playing surfaces and weather to personal medical conditions like diabetes or sickle cell,” Melancon says. “That one-on-one attention has made a real difference in keeping kids safe.”

THE ELITE: The Ochsner Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute at Elite Training Complex – Burbank. This $22 million initiative—built in partnership with Elite Training Academy—reflects Ochsner’s ambition to become a regional sports medicine leader.

She notes that in Louisiana, preventing heat stroke and heat exhaustion during practice is just as important as treating in-game injuries. BROC trainers use specialized tools to measure true field temperature and help athletes adjust safely to the heat—especially during grueling summer workouts.

“Our goal is to partner with school coaches and trainers to implement strong injury prevention programs,” Melancon adds. “Our physicians not only donate time and money—they genuinely enjoy being part of these students’ journeys.”

BROC also plays a key role at the collegiate level, partnering with OLOL and LSU to provide orthopedic care for LSU and Southern University athletes. The clinic works closely with Baton Rouge General and LSU’s

kinesiology and football programs as well.

Melancon sees these partnerships as vital to the clinic’s strength—and to its impact.

“I was in an OLOL sports medicine office recently with several trainers, and when someone asked about a doctor who wasn’t there, everyone had their cell number,” she says. “That kind of accessibility can save lives, especially in rural areas where calling 911 might take 30 to 45 minutes. These relationships matter.”

CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Asked whether the influx of large-scale sports medicine initiatives affects smaller clinics like BROC, Melancon emphasizes their continued commitment to independence and quality.

“We’re focused on high-level care—our doctors are incredibly specialized and have been treating families across generations, from West Baton Rouge to Hammond,” she says. “We’re proud that the kids we serve—regardless of income or ZIP code—get the same standard of care as LSU athletes.”

From a business perspective, some industry experts argue that these investments are as much about strategy as service. Sports medicine can serve as an entry point for broader health care marketing, helping providers build relationships with entire families that may translate into long-term patient loyalty.

Whatever the motivation, one thing is certain: Sports medicine in Baton Rouge is entering a new era—defined by innovation, investment and opportunity.

WE HEAR THAT attracting and retaining young talent is key to the growth of our community and businesses. I have written before about the value of Teach for America and the talent it attracts to our state, as well as the numerous leaders who now reside here and have made a significant impact.

So, let’s highlight another magnet that is attracting a significant number of young people to Baton Rouge—and we may be taking it for granted.

Axios reports that from 2014 to 2023, LSU was No. 1 among SEC schools in out-of-state student enrollment growth from the Northeast, with a 486% increase. Alabama saw only a 31.2% increase. However, that’s because Alabama has been recruiting out-of-state students for years, with 60% of its student body already coming from out of state.

Attracting young talent to Baton Rouge

This fall, LSU had a record 8,200 freshmen. In-state tuition is now $11,954, and out-of-state tuition is $28,631

Alabama’s large percentage of out-of-state students has for years helped fund its higher ed mission. Its in-state tuition is $11,900, while out-of-state tuition is $33,200, according to SoFi.

young, educated population would be news for celebration. Well, not for some of our shortsighted and parochial state legislators. They are complaining about the surge, arguing that LSU should focus on Louisiana students and that every out-ofstate student the university admits is one less in-state student gaining admission.

LSU is the state’s flagship institution and should admit the top students in the region, while also attracting leading talent from outside the state, many of whom have LSU alumni or expatriates as parents. Those from Louisiana who are not accepted at LSU have more than a dozen other in-state four-year colleges to choose from—and they can always transfer.

community? Are we addressing our quality-of-life challenges? Do we recruit them with the same enthusiasm and passion as we do when trying to get an out-of-state company to relocate here? Opportunity knocks.

DOTD

SHOULD

INVESTIGATE COLLEGE DRIVE CONGESTION

Changes are coming to the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development under new Secretary Glenn Ledet Jr. I saw where it plans to use privatization in some areas—but then announced, “no layoffs for now.” That was odd. Government is not “an employment agency,” and privatization is one way to streamline. Hopefully, that was just political posturing to avoid revolt.

Rolfe McCollister Jr. is a contributing columnist. The viewpoints expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Business Report or its staff.

Out-of-state enrollment at LSU’s undergraduate, graduate and professional schools accounts for 33% of the 42,000-student population, or about 14,000 students. Southern University and Southern Law appear to have a combined 2,500 out-ofstate students. That means roughly 16,500 students in our Capital Region have moved to our city.

One would think attracting so many bright, young minds to a Baton Rouge desperate to grow its

REFLECTIONS

WALKING IN RICHNESS

This feature is a tribute in honor of Business Report founders, Rolfe McCollister Sr. & Rolfe McCollister Jr.

The bigger question is whether this influx of top talent—whether from within or outside the state— stays after graduating, which is dependent upon Baton Rouge and Louisiana providing the quality of life and job opportunities that will make them want to remain here as residents and help build the workforce we need. Too many college grads—whether they grew up here or elsewhere—are moving on to greener pastures. It’s our job to change that trend. What are we doing about it? Are we taking steps to welcome these students into our

THE BOOK OF Ephesians speaks of six walks. The theme here is walking in the richness of what God has provided in Himself, as well as what he has said about who we are in our identity. Walking in these six provisions makes life rich. Walk No. 1 is found in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” This is a statement of identity, meaning and purpose. We are his workmanship, made by grace,

I want to suggest one project to Ledet: a recently finished multimillion-dollar flyover to solve problems at the College Drive exit. The state eliminated the dangerous, accident-causing crossover at the split, yet the impact on College Drive itself has been significant.

The resulting congestion is the worst I have ever seen. It is often at

versus trying to make ourselves acceptable to God by our own performance. We have meaning, for we have become new creations to live out good works. Life has purpose when we know that we are walking in the works that God prepared beforehand for us to walk in. Bottom line: We are His good work (significance), created for good works (security), and get to walk in the good works that God has already prepared for us beforehand (sufficiency).

—Jeff Mitchell, Retired COL and Army Chaplain

Drivers misunderstand signage at the College Drive exit.

a standstill. And drivers wanting to go right on College Drive take the Corporate Boulevard lane and then switch over to College Drive when they get to Corporate Boulevard— just like before. Some drivers, realizing they are in a right-turn-only lane, proceed to turn onto Corporate, only to turn around a block later, which the sign states is illegal. It’s a mess— and it’s dangerous. (You see the photos here of signage that could be changed, while more is added.)

So solving a problem on I-10 has created a new problem on College Drive. Is that considered a “win” for DOTD and Baton Rouge? No. I would ask the secretary to take a ride and see for himself.

BIG MOVES AT BREC

If you’ve been keeping up, there’s a new sheriff in town at BREC. The agency has a new commission makeup after the Legislature passed new laws. Good move.

And before that, seeing the freight train coming, CEO Corey Wilson stepped down, choosing not to seek a new contract.

With leadership by Commissioner Mike Polito, the board hired an interim CEO, Janet Simmons, who brought in some support and an advisory board. Then things started to change, and heads began to roll with the termination of the COO and the HR director. Next was the resignation of the CFO. As a taxpayer, I am pleased to see the changes at the top of this agency, which has been poorly run, is still behind on its audits, and will spend more than $100 million this year. BREC was never a “Gold Medal System,” and these numerous actions make my point.

I am happy to see change happening—and it’s long overdue. Kudos to those who are finally raising the bar and holding people accountable.

Next up: Reduce the number of parks—now at 180—in half, make them safe, and improve their quality.

SETTING THE GOLD STANDARD

For 12 years now, Business Report’s Best Places to Work edition has set the standard for the top companies in the Capital Region. Congratulations to the 2025 companies in this issue. Well done.

This esteemed honor, presented after a rigorous process by an

independent group, identifies the best in the marketplace. One could say Business Report’s Best Places to Work is the “Academy Awards for workplaces.”

Thanks to this year’s winners for setting the bar. You’re the best—and it’s “official.”

WISDOM TO SHARE

Sometimes you find nuggets of wisdom online. Here’s one (author unknown):

If I could tell my kids just one thing, it would be this: life won’t always be fair, and people won’t always be kind.

You will be misunderstood. You will be overlooked. You will have moments where the world feels heavy, and the easiest choice will be to harden—to match cruelty with cruelty, or to abandon your values just to feel accepted.

But listen closely: Never trade your authenticity for approval. Never shrink yourself to fit into spaces that were never worthy of you. Never compromise your morals or your worth just to keep someone else comfortable.

Because your true power has nothing to do with controlling how others act—it’s found in how you choose to respond.

Choose courage when fear tells you to hide.

Choose kindness when bitterness tries to take root.

Choose integrity when pressure tempts you to betray yourself.

Titles will fade. Achievements will be forgotten. Approval will always come and go.

But the kind of person you choose to be? That endures. And that will forever be your greatest strength.

LAST THOUGHT

The downtown U.S. Post Office needs to be repurposed in Plan Baton Rouge lll.

Private high schools

1 2 St.

| sjabr.org

2 1 Catholic High School 855 Hear thstone Drive, Baton Rouge 70806 225-383-0397 | catholichigh.org

3 3 St. Michael the Archangel High School 17521 Monitor Ave., Baton Rouge 70817 225-753-9782 | smhsbr.org

4 4 Parkview Baptist School 5750 Park view Church Road, Baton Rouge 70816 225-291-2500 | park viewbaptist.com

5 5 Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 3200 Woodland Ridge Blvd., Baton Rouge 70816 225-753-3180 | episcopalbr.org

6 6 The Dunham School 11111 Roy Emerson Drive, Baton Rouge 70810 225-767-7097 | dunhamschool.org

7 12 Central Private School 12650 Gurney Road, Central 70818 225-261-3341 | centralprivate.org

8 7 Ascension Christian School 14408 E.A. Academy Road Gonzales 70737 225-590-3153 | aclions.org

9 9 Silliman Institute 10830 Bank St., Clinton 70722 225-683-5383 | sillimaninstitute.org

10 8 Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee

4th St. New Roads 70760

| catholicpc.com

11 11 St. John Interparochial High School 24250 Regina St., Plaquemine 70764 225-687-3056 | stjohnschool.org

ACCREDITATIONS CERTIFICATIONS

Highland Wealth Management financial adviser Elizabeth Kharoba has earned her certified financial planner certification. At the time, she became the youngest female CFP professional in Louisiana and the second youngest CFP professional overall in the state. The certification is widely regarded as the gold standard in financial planning.

Jenkins Neighbors Federal Credit Union Vice

President Leah Jenkins has completed a three-year program at the Southwest Credit Union Management School at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. The concentrated study is designed to advance credit union leadership and strategic management skills. She was also honored with the SCMS Distinguished Professional of the Year Award.

Rohit Sood of Holly and Smith Architects has earned the

Accredited Learning Environments Planner designation, a mark of excellence developed to reflect the knowledge, skills and abilities of an educational facility planner.

ACQUISITIONS

Cornerstone Flooring Companies has acquired Craft Croswell, expanding its reach across Mississippi and the Gulf Coast. The merger strengthens both teams’ ability to serve general contractors, property managers and designers through expanded capacity and continued excellence.

MEMBERSHIPS APPOINTMENTS

The Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants has announced its Baton Rouge volunteer leaders for the 2025-26 term. Kenneth Champagne will serve as chairelect and is slated to become chair in August 2026. He is senior vice president of business services at Confie Administrative Services

Inc. in Baton Rouge. Jessica Cormier will serve a one-year term as member at-large. A past president of LCPA’s Baton Rouge chapter, she is transformation manager at BPM LLP. Bridget Kaigler is the immediate past chair. A former Baton Rouge chapter president, she is senior director of tax and regulatory reporting at United Healthcare Group Inc. She is also founder and CEO of Bringing Leadership Back LLC. And Laura Wiley is serving the second year of a two-year term as member at-large. She is assistant

department chair and undergraduate adviser in LSU’s Department of Accounting at the E.J. Ourso College of Business.

Former West Baton Rouge Parish President Riley J. Berthelot Jr. has been named to the board of directors of the Plaquemine Bank and Trust Company. Prior to serving as parish president, he owned and operated Sun Electric and served in the Navy.

Charbonnet

Donny Charbonnet, president of DAA Media + Marketing, has been named a founding member of the Out of Home Advertising Association of America’s inaugural Agency Council. The council brings together senior agency leaders to help guide strategy, innovation and collaboration within the out-ofhome advertising industry. Charbonnet will work with other members to shape emerging media trends, brand priorities and

Sood

Champagne

Kaigler Cormier Wiley

investment strategies, and to contribute to OAAA’s thought leadership and initiatives.

Baton Rouge Area Foundation general counsel Edmund J. Giering IV has been named president of the Louisiana Bar Foundation. Long Law Firm partner Mark L. Barbre of Baton Rouge is also newly appointed to the organization’s board of directors.

North Oaks Health System

Arrigo

AWARDS HONORS

President and CEO Michele Kidd Sutton has been named chair of the Louisiana Hospital Association board of trustees. Also on the board from the Capital Region are past chair Rene J. Ragas, president and CEO of Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, and chair-elect Edgardo J. Tenreiro, president and CEO of Baton Rouge General.

Eric Summers, vice president for student affairs at Southeastern Louisiana University, and Joshua Myers, director of security operations center and incident response at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, have been appointed to the advisory board of La Capitol Federal Credit Union.

Austin

Carmen Austin of Saurage Rotenberg Commercial Real Estate has been elected to the CCIM Institute board of directors for the 2025–2027 term. She has been a licensed real estate professional in Louisiana for over two decades, and an active CCIM designee since 2006, serving in numerous leadership roles at the local and national levels, including president of the Louisiana CCIM Chapter.

Baton Rouge General’s breast cancer program has earned reaccreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers for the sixth time. BRG was the first hospital in Louisiana to be granted the three-year accreditation by NAPBC in 2009, and was reaccredited in 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, and now 2025.

Award-winning landscape architect Jeffrey Carbo of JCLA Studio has been honored with the 2025 American Society of Landscape Architects Design Medal. Carbo will be honored in October at the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture in New Orleans.

FranU has been named a College of Distinction. The national designation highlights schools that champion educational impact, such as first-year seminars and collaborative projects, undergraduate research, global learning and internships. Colleges of Distinction COO Tyson Schritter says FranU has “crafted a campus culture where students are empowered to take ownership of their learning.” FranU also earned College of Distinction honors in business, nursing and career development.

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has honored three local recipients with its top awards. Lisa and Tom Adamek received the Hillar C. Moore Jr. Memorial Outstanding Leadership Award for more than two decades of philanthropic support and service, including Tom’s 15 years on the board and term as board chair. Jani-King Gulf Coast earned the Louis D. Curet Memorial Volunteer Fundraiser Award for its annual bourbon raffle, which has raised $500,000 for the center since 2020. Totes de Joie, founded by Kiki Bergeron, Kerry

Paul Arrigo, retired CEO and president of Visit Baton Rouge, has been honored with the 2025 Hall of Fame designation by Destinations International, the world’s largest membership association for destination organizations. Arrigo served the hospitality industry for nearly 50 years and was most recently president and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge from 2002 until his retirement in 2022.

Capron and Amanda LeBlanc, received the D. Jensen Holliday Memorial Community Service Award for delivering nearly 2,000 care bags to cancer patients across Baton Rouge.

The Louisiana Oil Marketers and Convenience Store Association presented its highest honor—the 2025 Chairman’s Award—to Ali Momenzadeh of Lyons Specialty Company during the association’s annual convention in Destin, Florida. Established in 1989, the recognition is for outstanding

achievement and distinguished service to the organization.

Newsweek has named Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center as one of the “World’s Best Hospitals” for 2025. This global award recognizes commitment to excellence, compassion and patient care. More than 2,400 hospitals were ranked this year, with Newsweek highlighting the top 250 hospitals worldwide. Rankings are based on patient experience data, hospital quality metrics and the results of an online survey of medical experts.

LWCC has been named to the Ward’s 50 list of the highest performing insurance companies nationally for the 20th year. The company also recently received affirmation of its “A” financial strength rating from AM Best for the 26th consecutive year.

CONTRACTS

Danos has been awarded a three-year contract renewal with Italian energy company Eni to

provide production labor for its Gulf assets. The agreement includes approximately 50 offshore positions, such as production operators, instrumentation and electrical technicians, mechanics and electricians. Danos also provides Eni with fabrication, construction and scaffolding services support through Performance Energy Services, the company’s project services offering.

GRANTS

The Baton Rouge Health District has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Louisiana Department of Health’s Health Care Employment Reinvestment

Opportunity Fund, along with $1 million in matching contributions from local partners, to expand its BRHireD regional workforce initiative, focused on addressing critical health care staffing shortages in the Capital Region. This combined $2 million investment is the largest state-funded project for the district to date, supporting an unprecedented regional coalition of partners, including five regional health systems, two community colleges and six community organizations. It marks a significant step forward in strengthening the region’s health care talent ecosystem and economic future.

You’re free to live your life out loud! Because you’ve got the compassion of the cross, the security of the shield, and the comfort of Blue behind you.

Ali Momenzadeh

Danos

BANKING & FINANCE

Jody Caraccioli is the new president and chief executive officer of Neighbors Federal Credit Union, effective January 2027. He has served as the credit union’s chief financial officer since 2008, overseeing more than $1.4 billion in assets and securing $35 million in Emergency Capital Investment Program funding and $8 million in secondary capital. He previously held leadership roles with KeyPoint FCU, KKR, American Golf Corporation and Arnold Palmer Golf Management.

Shane LaCombe is the new executive vice president in charge of Commercial Lending at Plaquemine Bank and Trust Company. He comes to Plaquemine Bank with 34 years of banking experience in commercial and consumer lending, commercial credit analysis and building business relationships with his clients.

Hancock Whitney has promoted Senior Vice President Robert Stuart III to the role of Greater Baton Rouge regional president. He will lead Hancock Whitney’s commercial, middle market, and

corporate banking growth and strategy, helping to serve clients and businesses in communities throughout the Baton Rouge area.

Jared Watkins is the new CFO at Currency Bank. Watkins, who has served in similar roles in the community banking sector, will oversee the bank’s financial strategy, regulatory reporting and accounting operations. Watkins, a CPA, currently serves on the Zachary Planning and Zoning Commission.

EDUCATION

Lori Halvorson is the new senior vice president and executive director of City Year Baton Rouge. She has worked for the organization for 12 years, getting her start as a program manager in 2012. She

served in the Peace Corps in West Africa and with Teach for America in Baker prior to joining City Year Baton Rouge.

Matthew Rachleff has been named the inaugural chief of staff at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. He brings more than 20 years of experience in strategic consulting, innovation leadership and public health initiatives, and has previously collaborated with the center on projects including Greaux Healthy and Obecity, USA. In this new role, Rachleff will support the implementation of Pennington’s strategic plan and foster coordination across departments.

HEALTH CARE

Dr. Quentin Alleva has been

named regional medical director at Ochsner Baton Rouge. In this role, he will provide medical staff leadership and support provider engagement and growth while advancing quality and excellence in patient care across the region. Alleva joined Ochsner Baton Rouge as a staff radiologist in 2008 at Ochsner Medical Complex – The Grove. Since 2012, he has served as regional chair of radiology. In 2018, he was named associate medical director of medical specialties for the Baton Rouge region.

Dr. Andrew Bishop, a cardiothoracic surgeon, has joined Baton Rouge General Heart and Vascular Surgery. He specializes in heart valve and bypass surgery, as well as treating coronary artery disease

JODY CARACCIOLI Neighbors Federal Credit Union SHANE LACOMBE Plaquemine Bank and Trust Company

ROBERT STUART III Hancock Whitney

JARED WATKINS Currency Bank MATTHEW RACHLEFF Pennington Biomedical Research Center

and thoracic cancer. Bishop completed his medical degree at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences and a cardiothoracic surgery residency at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Dr. Rebecca Davis has joined Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center as a medical oncologist. A Baton Rouge native, she is board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology and has trained and practiced at multiple health care facilities across Louisiana. Davis will see patients at the cancer center’s Baton Rouge General and Gonzales locations. Also, radiation oncologist Dr. Andrew Elson has been appointed as medical director of radiation oncology at Mary

Bird Perkins Cancer Center. He will oversee radiation oncology services and innovative technology portfolio, help drive the development of clinical strategies and best practices, and lead initiatives that support patient-centered care. He has been with Mary Bird Perkins since 2015.

Former Bone & Joint Clinic

CEO Trent Holmes is the new CFO at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. He brings more than a decade of public accounting and private industry experience, specializing in financial management in the health care field.

Dr. Danielle Pawlichuk has joined Baton Rouge General’s Bluebonnet Family Clinic, where she will provide care in both

family and sports medicine. She earned her medical degree from St. George’s University and completed a family medicine residency at LSU Health Sciences Center and a sports medicine fellowship at LSU and BRG. The Baton Rouge native was born at BRG’s birth center and is returning to the hospital where her mother once worked as an emergency room nurse.

Woman’s Hospital has named Sophia Solomon as its new senior vice president of quality. A Louisiana native with more than 30 years of health care leadership experience, Solomon will oversee regulatory compliance and quality initiatives. She previously served as vice president of quality, performance improvement, risk and

safety at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and has received several honors, including the Louisiana Great 100 Nurse and Baton Rouge District Nurses Excellence awards.

INDUSTRY

Ty Bofferding is the new executive director of public and government affairs at the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. He’ll lead LMOGA’s public and government affairs strategy to represent and promote Louisiana’s oil, natural gas and energy industry through engagement, communications and advocacy with the state Legislature, local officials, the media and the public. Bofferding is the former senior adviser to U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

Matthew Chustz is the new COO of National Water Infrastructure. He brings more than 12 years of experience in mechanical engineering, process safety and project management to the role. Chustz joins NWI after serving in various roles at The Dow Chemical

DR. QUENTIN ALLEVA Ochsner Baton Rouge DR. ANDREW BISHOP Baton Rouge General

DR. REBECCA DAVIS Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

DR. ANDREW ELSON Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

TRENT HOLMES Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

Company, where he managed the safe decommissioning and recommissioning of systems across 700 miles of pipeline, led large-scale turnaround projects and ensured regulatory and safety compliance. He also spent nearly 21 years in leadership roles with the Navy.

LAW

Seth Hatsfelt is the new COO at Breazeale Sachse. He most recently served as COO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, where he directed strategic operations across multiple departments. Before that, he was manufacturing operations manager at Community Coffee.

INSURANCE

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, also known as Louisiana Blue, has named two new senior-level leadership team members. Prashanth Cannanbilla is senior vice president/chief enterprise delivery officer, and Jay Balden is vice president, chief customer experience officer. They are tasked with enhancing Louisiana Blue’s digital presence and improving customer engagement.

REAL ESTATE

Elifin Director of Operations Chase Weatherly is now a partner at the commercial real estate brokerage.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP

This statement of ownership, management and circulation is being made pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3685.

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report (publication number 721890) is published 14 issues per year by Melara Enterprises LLC, 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Annual subscription price is $120.00. The mailing address of The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report is 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.

The publisher of The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report is Julio Melara. The Executive Editor is Penny Font. The Managing Editor is Allan Schilling. The mailing address for all is 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report is owned by Melara Enterprises LLC. Principal stockholders in Melara Enterprises LLC are Julio Melara, Hillary Melara, Jonathan Melara, Jordan Melara and Manuel Fajardo, Jr.

The mailing address for all stockholders is 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.

Information on the extent and nature of The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report’s circulation is included in the accompanying chart.

*Average of each issue during preceding 12 months †Actual number of copies of single issues nearest to filing date

Powering the products you use everydayindustry is better in BTR. From innovative startups to industry giants, Baton Rouge manufacturers generate more than $16 billion in annual output. We proudly create the essential products the world depends on.

why industry is better in BTR at betterinbtr.com

DR. DANIELLE PAWLICHUK

Baton Rouge General Bluebonnet Family Clinic

TY BOFFERDING Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association

SETH HATSFELT Breazeale Sachse

Brian Pangburn

Principal and CEO, The Pangburn Group

“When I’m able to get in my shop and work on a car, I have a singular focus and I’m able to put all of my mental—and often physical—energy into the project at hand. This gives me ‘flow’ where everything else goes away, time passes quickly and I’m solving some mechanical puzzle.”