SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
FACES OF
FAMILY BUSINESS It cannot be overstated what an important role family businesses play in the Baton Rouge economy. Studies have shown that family-owned businesses rank high in revenue and employment growth. Why? Most family businesses have a longerterm view of investment. They tend to be more stable than wings of national corporations, and they inspire more trust and commitment in their employees. Above all, our local family businesses form the roots of our community. We are proud to highlight the businesses local families have grown in this special section.
Acadian House Kitchen + Bath Valluzzo Companies Settoon Towing Brecheen Pipe & Steel Company Eagle Refrigeration & Mechanical, LLC Bridgeway Healthcare & Hospice PKfitt, LLC DelVal Flow Controls Russell Pool Company Altus Wealth Management, LLC Ashworth Industries Louisiana Nursery Pipe & Steel Industrial Fabricators, Inc.
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Acadian House Kitchen + Bath Joey and Angela Poirrier (husband and wife owners) 225.756.2777 | ahkbs.com
Acadian House Kitchen + Bath opened its doors in 1979 with husband and wife duo Mike and Kathy Simoneaux. Fast forward to 2017, when their daughter and son-in-law, Angela and Joey, purchased the business and decided to continue growing the company as second-generation owners. Over the last six years, Angela has been working hard to prepare herself for this new chapter under the guidance of her parents. Angela grew up in the business—a big advantage—and Joey has a background in finance. Today, Acadian House runs on the collaboration of a talented team that Angela herself has put together over the years. Their business is design and renovations for the whole home, specializing in kitchens and baths.
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WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THE BUSINESS HAS FACED OVER THE YEARS AND HOW DID YOU MEET IT? Transitioning the company within the family. We made sure to create a plan, enlist the help of outside lawyers and estate planners, and we moved forward with a professional mindset so both parties can mutually benefit. Now that we have gone through this once, we are set up to transition the company to the next owners when the time comes.
HOW IS IT WORKING WITH FAMILY? We are no longer “ships passing in the night.” We get to see each other throughout the day, grab lunch together, and attend industry events. It’s fun having your partner in life also be your partner in work. Our team is also our family. We celebrate life’s events and milestones with each other and we are able to watch our kids grow up together.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED WORKING IN A FAMILY BUSINESS? Creating boundaries and being present is the most important lesson we’ve learned. We focus on the kids, family and dinner in
the evenings and do not discuss work. At the office, it is all about clients, designers and job sites. It isn’t easy to keep these separate, and you have to make an effort—but it is so worth it for your kids.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? We are ready to grow the business! We have started construction to expand our shipping and receiving area as well as add 1,000 square feet of space to our sample room. This will bring us two spaces where our clients will be able to meet one-on-one with their design team to make selections. It will also allow us to have more samples available under one roof.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO TRANSITION THE LEADERSHIP OF A COMPANY TO THE NEXT GENERATION? We have focused on putting together a great teamovertheyears,whichnowkeepsthecompany runningsmoothly.I’mconfidentthefundamentals and skills I developed from working in the kitchen and bath industry, mixed with Joey’s extensive background in finance, will carry over into our professional lives to create a fluid and seamless transition for the company.
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Valluzzo Companies John, Michael and Nicholas Valluzzo 225.300.8960 | facebook.com/ValluzzoCompanies
In 2010 John, Nicholas and Michael Valluzzo formed Valluzzo Companies with 31 restaurants. Today they operate 50 restaurants. They are proud McDonald’s owner/operators.
WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? The foundational McDonald’s business is focused on Quality, Cleanliness, and Service. We are always striving to achieve the highest standards of each. McDonald’s is a people business. Our internal customers are our employees, whom we serve by following the Golden Rule. We define ourselves as “Leading Edge, Best in Class.” We have a competitive mindset of “Beat Yesterday,” and we expect the best from ourselves and our people every day. We stand together as a family—our goal is to work hard while working together, embracing a work ethic that is driven by customer focus, collaboration and results.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THE BUSINESS HAS FACED OVER THE YEARS AND HOW DID YOU MEET IT? The great flood of 2016 destroyed two of our restaurants and many of our crew and customers lost their homes. Managing through the chaos and broken hearts of our local community, it was amazing to see that there were no broken spirits. It was humbling hearing that McDonald’s may be the only hot meal they would have that day, but it was special to know we served a great purpose as the simple comfort of something familiar in a time of so much uncertainty. Internally, we funded and distributed money to many employees who suffered a loss. The two restaurants that we rebuilt were reopened in 70 days. We never broke stride. Another great challenge we deal with today is that McDonald’s is changing at a rapid pace—we are investing tens of millions of dollars to modernize our restaurants. We are remodeling our dining rooms, installing selfordering kiosks, investing in technology and faster internet, and cooking all of our Quarter Pounder beef fresh when you order it. We are investing in the future, which brings with it a bit of complexity for us but a new and better experience for the customer.
HOW IS IT WORKING WITH FAMILY? All family businesses face challenges. It works well for the three of us because we regularly talk about the business on both short- and long-term levels, making sure we all have a shared vision. We couple that with shared work ethic, open communication, and a healthy dose of internal competitiveness that drives us all forward.
HAS YOUR BUSINESS STAYED TRUE TO THE FOUNDING FAMILY’S ORIGINAL VISION? HOW HAS IT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? We have stayed true to the founding principles of Rocco Valluzzo, the first generation and Nicholas and Michael’s great grandfather. He embodied the McDonald’s mission of Quality, Service, Cleanliness, and Value, and complemented it with his personal mission of family and faith.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? We, John, Nicholas and Michael, continue to celebrate our faith, family and business in the cities in which we operate—and that will continue for generations to come.
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Settoon Towing
Austin Settoon, Jennifer Settoon, Blair Settoon, Russ Settoon, Hannah Settoon, Parker Settoon 985.252.4499 | settoontowing.com
Fred A. Settoon, from Bayou Pigeon, was the son of a timber manager who managed land in south Louisiana and did commercial fishing. Fred trained as a welder and started his own welding company to obtain work in the oil field. His business at that time consisted of building small boats and barges and oilfield construction. In 1968, he formed Settoon Marine as a transportation and support business by buying a small fleet of tugs, barges and crew boats. The marine business continued to support and complement the oil field construction and shipyard business of Fred Settoon, Inc. Russ A. Settoon, the youngest son of Fred and Shirley Settoon, started his own marine company, Settoon Towing, in 1994, and two years later Russ purchased and merged with Settoon Marine. 152
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WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? Our focus is the delivery of first-class marine transportation throughout the waterways of the United States. Our welltrained and experienced personnel are our most valuable asset. We pride ourselves in our approach to our employees, and we try to really retain that family business atmosphere. Many of our employees are multigenerational.
HAS YOUR BUSINESS STAYED TRUE TO THE FOUNDING VISION? HOW HAS IT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? Although Russ took the business reigns at 23 years old, he had energy and vision and matched that with the strong reputation and work ethic behind the Settoon name. For the next 15 years Settoon Towing made many acquisitions and formed strategic partnerships to grow the business. Russ was able to see all facets of the core family business centered on oilfield service, oil field construction and marine transportation. He had a different vision for the marine business and started to focus on new marine transportation endeavors and growth of the fleet.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THE BUSINESS HAS FACED OVER THE YEARS AND HOW DID YOU MEET IT? As a marine transportation company heavily focused in the oil and gas sector, the business obviously follows the ups and downs of that market. Settoon Towing in its 50 years has seen many oil market downturns. Our strong business relationships and our continued but conservative growth in our fleet and services have allowed us to weather the slow markets and be prepared for industry changes.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? Settoon Towing is continuously looking for ways to improve our processes and grow the business. Although Russ has numerous other business investments across the petrochemical market, Settoon Towing continues to be his focus. Russ is looking forward to continuing the strong family legacy of this business—and to the next generation joining the business. Along with his wife Jennifer and children Austin, Hannah, Parker and Blair, he is looking forward to the future of Settoon Towing.
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Pipe & Steel Industrial Fabricators, Inc.
Front Row: Leon Badeaux, Jennifer McMorris, Shelby Murphy, Hunter Badeaux Back Row: Micah Sparks, Blaine Sparks, Kylie Sparks, Dakota Sparks 225.665.0407 | pipeandsteelindustrial.com
Kylie Sparks tells us his company’s story: I started Pipe & Steel Industrial on March 1, 2000, but previously operated a welding business for about three years under the name Mobile Weld. I was currently employed as a specialty welder at Exxon Chemical here in Baton Rouge for Turner Industries. I saw great opportunity doing specialty welding work in the southern United States. My grandmother, Eunice Fisher, loaned me the money for my first rig truck and I began my journey. I paid her back in one month after receiving a job from Helmerich Payne on a land-based drilling rig and I quickly realized with expertise and hard work that I had control of my future.
HAS YOUR BUSINESS STAYED TRUE TO THE FOUNDING FAMILY’S ORIGINAL VISION? Pipe and Steel has stayed true to its core values and the thought precepts. Safety, quality and integrity are recipes for success in our industry. We have always maintained the core values and focused on safety and letting our business grow naturally. Our family believes in a very strong reinvestment in our infrastructure and employees. We strive to maintain an impeccable safety program that focuses on hazard recognition and mitigating problems or safety concerns before work begins. We also try our best to provide on-the-job education, not just training, in order to make our people become successes.
WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? At Pipe and Steel we provide an atmosphere that is family-oriented with the main focus of having the safest environment possible and providing the highest quality of work by handchoosing our employees. We never take on any job that is not part of our business model either in job scope or size. Too many companies make promises that can’t be kept. We will research every job and not overcommit and make mistakes. We never, ever want to mislead anyone. We
always invest back into employees and educate everyone on safety and quality work practices.
HOW IS IT WORKING WITH FAMILY? Working directly with family every day has its moments, but I feel like we are closer in many regards. We are able to do a lot of the behindthe-scenes work. Since we all live close to our business, we can pitch in at any time to help make or pick up deliveries. It’s very rewarding to see your sons become a part of the business that you and many others created. I consider so many of our employees family here, it’s hard to just talk about my own.
WHERE AND HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX AS A FAMILY? My sons and I all go to the same church, so we see each other every Sunday, which is our best times together. We are Native Americans and enjoy the outdoors, hunting and fishing, and just relaxing at the camp. We have a hunting camp that we all enjoy in the winter where we can get away, be ourselves, let the walls of life down, and have lots of fun and fellowship. I fish three one-week tournaments, which gives me the disconnect I need to allow my company to function without me. The most important thing to me is allowing my family and employees the chance to become their own success stories through Pipe & Steel.
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Eagle Refrigeration & Mechanical, LLC Tim Godso and Kim Godso
225.751.6912 | eaglerefrigeration.com
Tim Godso tells us their company’s story: I learned refrigeration and HVAC while working for A&P Food Stores and Aireco Mechanical. In the early ’90s I went to work for an electrical company, and a friend of mine who worked at a restaurant supply would call me to do installations and repairs on kitchen equipment; it got to be that’s all I did. In 1996 we started Eagle, and today there are 26 of us in our company. It has been a great time, and we have great people who work with us—some of whom have been with us from the beginning. We do mostly restaurant equipment , ice machines, and wine cellars. We also do commercial HVAC, and some residential. We appreciate each customer we have. 154
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WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS? I would have to say that my employees and customers inspired me to start my business. I could make my own decisions about finances, and what kind of service we did. It was a big risk, but my wife and I discussed the pros and cons, and we went for it. My office manager worked with me at the time, and she came along with us, as well as three technicians—she is still with us, as is one of the techs! I didn’t know anything about business, just that I wanted to give my customers the best, fairest service that I could possibly give. I also wanted the employees to have a good place to work. I have had employees ask me, “What is our goal, what is our plan for the business?” The goal has always been to work hard and hope that we can come back tomorrow and do it all over again. We have made great, lifelong friends and colleagues over the years.
HAS YOUR BUSINESS STAYED TRUE TO ITS ORIGINAL VISION? HOW HAS IT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? It has basically stayed true, but it has surpassed any expectations that I had in the beginning. We have grown so much over the
years, both in business and in life. I know that I am not the most knowledgeable person in this company, but I believe if you treat people right they return that favor. The biggest change is in the industry—technically it is advancing every day, and there is more and more competition. But there is plenty of work and business to go around, and we all need to work together and learn as much as we can. Learn as much as you possibly can, and be proud of what you do … that is a necessity.
SINCE YOU WORK TOGETHER, WHERE AND HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX AS A FAMILY? We work together but we also like to relax together—doing things around our home, or going to our fishing camp saltwater fishing, tailgating at LSU, RV trips with our family and friends. I cannot sit down—you have to make the most out of daylight, while you can.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? Continued growth is what I hope is on the horizon, and that we can continue to find qualified, knowledgeable people to do this type of work. I hope that I am around to see the business do even better.
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Bridgeway Healthcare & Hospice Dana McBride, RN, CEO; Bobbie Cotten, RN, Director of Nursing 225.753.1495 | bridgewayhospice.net
Dana McBride tells us her company’s story: Approximately six years ago, I had a dream to have my own hospice company. I ventured out and took the leap of faith that landed me where I am today. I am a registered nurse by trade and a business executive with goals and aspirations to achieve greatness. My business partner Bobbie Cotten has been there with me from day 1. It’s really exciting to see our business growth, as we started with two employees and this year have exceeded 100 employees. In 2014 we expanded to Lafayette and now operate from two locations. I can remember in the beginning taking a poll between our families to decide on the name of our new company. We actually involved our children to help us with this decision. The votes were in, and we finally decided on Bridgeway … in our hearts and in our daily activities we “Bridge” the “Way” for all involved.
WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? Integrity is No. 1 on the list. Since we are a family-oriented company, our core values and principles must align with the mission and vision of our company. I believe that truth and honesty always prevails and when you support one another, everything aligns and “sets the stage” for success. We all strive to be the best that we can be. We set goals together, reach accomplishments together, and celebrate accomplishments together. It is important that we hire those who share our values and principles. Bridgeway has created a culture of caring. Bobbie is also a nurse who has over 15 years of hospice experience. She brings value to the company because she believes “hard work and dedication always pay off.”
HOW IS IT WORKING WITH FAMILY? Working with family can be amazing and challenging at the same time. However, when you work with family, you always have a sense of pride—not only for the work that is accomplished but that we can also play and live together. At the end of the day,
family is the core of everything we do in life. Our families support our values and mission. Many work at one or both of the agencies. Mackenzie McBride (Dana’s daughter) is our data entry specialist; Hannah McBride (Dana’s daughter) is our medical records specialist; Bob McBride (Dana’s husband) is the administrator in Lafayette; Megan Smith (Dana’s niece) is a nursing assistant; Jamie Salinas (Dana’s sister), is a registered nurse; Brittney Cotten (Bobbie’s daughterin-law) is an administrative assistant. Each and every one of us takes pride in our work and strives to provide the best outcomes for patients and families receiving Bridgeway Hospice services.
SINCE YOU WORK TOGETHER, WHERE AND HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX AS A FAMILY? The nature of health care can take a toll on you. We bond with patients, so when a patient passes away, it is like losing a family member. We understand just how precious life can be, so spending quality time together is of utmost importance. We travel together, have backyard gatherings together, celebrate birthdays together, and just enjoy the simple things in life.
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PKfitt, LLC Paul Kaklis
225.326.8338 | 3482 Drusilla Lane, Ste. H | Baton Rouge, LA 70809 | PKFitt@gmail.com
PKfitt was founded by Paul Kaklis 20 years ago. He first started out in general conditioning and wellness and then incorporated corrective strengthening/ exercise and functional training, along with pain management elements in the form of Trigger Point Therapy, MYOFascial Release and F.S.T. (Fascial Stretch Therapy). He focuses on everyone from the elite athlete to individuals that want better overall health and wellness, as well as those who need help with pain dysfunction or imbalances in the body. Kaklis’ background includes a B.S. in kinesiology from LSU and postgraduate work in exercise physiology. He also holds certifications in corrective exercise, Trigger Point Therapy, and MYOFascial Release as it relates to pain and dysfunction, as well as F.S.T. (Fascinal Stretch Therapy), M.T. (Manual Therapist), and C.P.T. (Certified Personal Trainer). 156
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WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? The importance of family and faith guide me. I treat each client as an individual. Each client’s system and body is unique. Not everyone moves the same or achieves results in the same manner.
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS? My mother has always inspired me in many aspects of my life. She taught me that there are no challenges too great and no goals too high. As long as the importance of keeping family first is top of mind, you will have the love and support from them to achieve anything.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THE BUSINESS HAS FACED OVER THE YEARS AND HOW DID YOU MEET IT? First, for clients to understand the internal effects of exercise/wellness as opposed to the external (the aesthetics of exercise/wellness). You can see the external, but what is more important is
the internal. Second, educating people to understand the many different elements of health and wellness and the importance of a balanced life—mind, body and spirit. Third, opening up the clients many different planes and angles. Many individuals only train their bodies in a two-dimensional pattern that creates joint compression and imbalances.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? I would like to put together a type of a stretch studio that combines the elements of F.S.T. (Fascial Stretch Therapy), yoga and corrective exercise. Group classes are very popular right now, but eventually individuals that do those types of classes may have breakdowns in their bodies. The type of studio I would like to open would address these issues so that they can perform at a higher level and continue progressing. I also hope to begin working more with the aging population; to give them a better quality of life would be another focus.
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DelVal Flow Controls
Lisette Prieto, CFO; Len Bordelon, Chairman; Chip Lee, President 225.744.4326 | delvalflow.com
Chip Lee tells us his company’s story: In the spring of 2003, my stepfather Len Bordelon approached my sister Lisette Prieto and me about starting a valve manufacturing business together. We both jumped at the opportunity! Len had been in the valve and actuation business for over 50 years. He successfully started and sold two other valve companies and was ready for his next challenge. DelVal Flow Controls officially opened in September 2005 as a partnership between our family and another valve entrepreneur’s family in India. We manufacture butterfly valves, ball valves, and actuators for the process industry. The main markets we serve are oil & gas, refining, water & wastewater, power, chemical, marine, pharmaceutical, food & beverage, and HVAC.
WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? We never want to lose the “family business” feel that many of our customers love about DelVal. Customers want to feel like they are important, and we make sure each and every customer feels that way. Ease of doing business is so vital to us because it is becoming a rarity for most of our competitors.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THE BUSINESS HAS FACED OVER THE YEARS AND HOW DID YOU MEET IT? There are many challenges with global manufacturing of your own product line, including geopolitical issues and exchange rate fluctuations. The biggest issue over the last few years, however, has been inventory management. We have doubled in size each of the last three years. With this comes many growing pains, especially with inventory. To meet our customers’ needs, we are forced to carry a lot of inventory on our shelves in Geismar. Cash flow issues arise if the inventory doesn’t turn quickly. In order to reduce our risk, we have required our independent reps to stock more of our product line. This reduces our need to keep product on our shelves and also gives them more incentive to sell our product.
SINCE YOU WORK TOGETHER, WHERE AND HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX AS A FAMILY? Sunday afternoon pool parties and barbecues are a staple in the summer months. Lisette and I both have three young children around the same ages. There is never a dull moment when all six of them get together. You could say that the kids get along as well as the parents do at the office!
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? A lot of exciting things are happening at DelVal. We are transforming our facility in Geismar into a full manufacturing plant capable of building and testing valves as large as 36”. This 20,000-square-foot expansion will also lead to the addition of 10 new jobs in the area. We have recently opened a Sales & Marketing office in Houston and added 12 sales positions across North and South America. The main objective for DelVal over the next few years is to become a recognized global brand. We truly believe we have a great product that provides value to many customers across many different industries.
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Russell Pool Company
Keith Russell, Lee Russell, Chase Ruddell, Monica Russell, Mason Boswell 225.924.2527 | russellpools.com
Russell Pool Company was started in 1965 by Roy and Betty Russell (Keith’s parents, Lee’s grandparents). Roy built his first pool in his backyard for his family to enjoy. He was then approached by friends and neighbors also wanting pools, so he saw a need and started the business. Today, the company provides residential and commercial gunite swimming pool construction throughout Louisiana. WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS? Roy and Betty Russell built a business that has served Baton Rouge for over 50 years. Tommy and Keith Russell have grown this family busi-
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ness into what it is today. When the opportunity came for Lee to buy out his father, Tommy, it was with the idea that he could continue this legacy and expand upon the hard work of his family. We are now at a point in our company’s history where the fourth generation of Russells are filling our office and learning the swimming pool business. It’s exciting to know Roy, Tommy and Keith’s legacy of high-quality swimming pools will continue for years to come.
HOW IS IT WORKING WITH FAMILY? It’s an adventure to work with your family, especially in a business that has had so many generations come through its doors. Many people cannot do it. We have had brothers and sisters, children, cousins, in-laws and spouses all work with us at some point in over 50 years of business. We are all individuals with unique personalities, so it would be dishonest to say it is sunshine and rainbows each day, but we all recognize that no matter what, we are bound together by a family bond that is bigger than each of us individually. There is not one of us that make it Russell Pools, but all of us working together.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED WORKING IN A FAMILY BUSINESS? At the end of the day, it is our name on the finished product. It is not just a swimming pool, but a Russell pool. That means every stage of construction, from the first sales call to the start-up, reflects the excellence and quality our customers expect. Lee’s wife, Monica, has recently stepped in to oversee day to day business operations in the office. Both Keith and Lee can be seen not only checking the jobs, but often hands-on in the field ensuring our employees and subcontractors are building a Russell pool and making sure that our clients are pleased with the results.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? As we begin with the third generation ownership of Russell Pool, we want to continue to grow and expand our footprint throughout Baton Rouge and beyond. It is our desire to continuously grow our brand by providing the highest quality custom swimming pools in the Baton Rouge area.
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Altus Wealth Management, LLC
Ronnie Brown, Jeremy Perque, John Reeder, Jr., Jesse Daigle, Mickey Guidry, Wally McMakin, John Stewart, Brad Ewing 225.201.9300 | altuswealthmgt.com
Altus Wealth Management began in 2012 when founding partners Ronnie Brown, Jesse Daigle, Mickey Guidry, Wally McMakin, John Reeder and John Stewart realized that clients would benefit from a team-based approach. Jeremy Perque joined as a partner in 2017. We are equipped to serve family businesses because we understand the issues they deal with every day. We have four MBAs, one CFA and one J.D. on our roster of talent. Altus operations are headed by Cissy Blanchard who has been with the firm since 2001. Dixon McMakin, son of founder Wally McMakin, heads up the servicing aspect for the corporate retirement plans, while Brad Ewing helps families and business owners in the areas of insurance and estate planning.
WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? Altus is a “family-oriented firm” based upon helping families grow, protect and distribute the wealth they have created. We run our business based upon the values we teach our children—honesty, integrity and the pride of having a positive impact on the clients that place their trust in our firm. Many of our children have grown up around our office and our clients have seen them grow over time. Whether it’s Dixon sporting a suit and tie to the office every day, Andrew Stewart programming at Google, Tess Guidry as a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader, Cliff Daigle heading to TCU, Brylee Brown attending Northwestern, Ross Reeder enjoying LSU sports, Maggie Ewing being awarded the Prize for Excellence in Theatre and Science at Episcopal, or watching Lillian Perque dance around the office during her summer breaks from the Montessori School of Baton Rouge, our family values are the basis for how we serve our clients. From a business perspective our guiding light is to always do what is right for our clients, and we believe that independence and our teambased approach allows that to happen. Like many of the family businesses we serve, we are not limited to one solution to help our clients.
WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON FOR ALTUS? The top two things that we are concerned with are the continuity of our business and continuing to evolve with technology while serving our clients. We are focused on ensuring that our clients are taken care of as our business begins to transition to the next generation of partners. We are constantly talking about how we will execute the short, medium and long-term plans for the future of Altus Wealth Management. Many of our clients’ family businesses have created legacies in the Baton Rouge community by building something larger than themselves— a successful business that lasts for generations. That has been especially tough to accomplish in the financial services industry because so much value is placed on the individual advisor. We hope that Altus can change that. In keeping with that theme, technology is changing the way people view our industry by trying to take the people out of the process. Our value will always be in taking the flow of available information and explaining to our clients—in simple terms—how it is applicable to their situation. The biggest changes deal with how our clients want to communicate and not what they want us to communicate. In essence, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Disclaimer: Securities & Advisory Services Offered through Geneos Wealth Management, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC
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Ashworth Industries
Erin Saylor, Andrew Ashworth, Dalton Ashworth, Louise Ashworth, Raymond Ashworth 225.677.9560 | ashworthindustriesllc.com
Ashworth Industries was started in 2013. The company that Dalton Ashworth was working for at the time had been acquired, and he felt like it was time to bet on himself after working in the petrochemical industry for over 30 years. Dalton decided the best avenue to pursue was servicing the same industry that he had been part of for so many years. Over the course of a few months he developed a plan that he felt would provide the industrial arena with unparalleled products and customer service. With the help of his family he has continued to grow the company into what he envisioned it to be. Today the company’s primary work is in industrial services, including machining, manufacturing, repairing and distributing process equipment and parts, as well as construction management and inspection services. 160
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WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? It’s extremely cliché, but we just strive to be better than we were yesterday. Whether that be with customer service, production time or something as simple as filing paperwork. If we can be better than we were yesterday at everything we do, then we never stop improving and will continue to grow and adapt in the ever changing business climate in which we operate.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THE BUSINESS HAS FACED OVER THE YEARS AND HOW DID YOU MEET IT? It was certainly a culture shock to understand the small business banking struggles. With Raymond and Dalton coming from the finance side of Fortune 500 companies, it seemed that a solid business plan and a growing company would be fairly simple to understand. However, qualified individuals who truly do understand a growing business model within the small business banking industry are few and far between. I believe many growing businesses face similar struggles. We are meeting these challenges
head on, and despite these challenges we continue to grow.
HOW IS IT WORKING WITH FAMILY? Fun, enjoyable and stressful. Having this many family members involved is truly a blessing, because everyone cares and benefits from the growth of the company. It can be stressful at times when the lines between family and business become blurry. While everyone does their best to not talk too much work during family time, it certainly makes it easier to grow the company when you have a group of individuals who care as much as they do about the company. Everyone works together, and all of us put in late hours to ensure that we are putting our best foot forward.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? We see quite a bit of untapped potential within our current market segment as it relates to our company. The path of least resistance lends itself to expanding organically on existing relationships within our current market and making sure we are doing everything we can to exceed our current customers’ expectations.
FACES OF FAMILY BUSINESS
S P EC IA L A D VERT IS IN G S EC T ION
Louisiana Nursery Roger Mayes, Mitch Mayes
225.766.0300, 225.756.0008, 225.677.7984 | louisiananursery.com
In February of 1983, Roger Mayes obtained a lease on a vacant lot at the corner of Florida Boulevard and Flannery Road to open a no-frills, discount-type plant nursery that was first named Louisiana Nursery Outlet. Every member of the family was involved and contributed significantly. “We were ALL IN.” Today, under President and CEO Mitch Mayes, Louisiana Nursery is a complete one-stop retail garden center and nursery, along with offering all types of lawn and garden supplies. It also has a complete gift department, extensive products for container gardening, outdoor living products, plus a complete onestop Christmas Shop.
WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? We are the original “green industry,” dedicated to the beautification and enhancement of our environment. Our goal has always been to offer the highest quality landscape plants, nursery stock and specialty plants that are available in the marketplace. We endeavor to select and carry the best plant varieties and cultivors that thrive best in our climate. We take very seriously the responsibility of providing the best quality plant material and expert advice that allows our customers to have success in their gardening efforts. We genuinely love our customers and our aim is to provide an enjoyable shopping experience and a friendly atmosphere created by employees who enjoy their job and are passionate about sharing their love for plants. We are very proud to have three store managers who have been with us for over 30 years and over 25 employees who have worked for us for over 15 years. Our staff includes over 20 Louisiana Certified Nursery Professionals.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS? Our desire to create a livelihood that would allow us to stay in Baton Rouge was the main
motivation to start our own business. Our two children were on the verge of graduating from high school and both had great desires to attend LSU. Baton Rouge had become our home. Mitch started working in the business mostly full time from the very beginning and really liked horticulture, plants and the idea of us having our own business. That love and passion for plants was the inspiration for him to eventually become one of the most knowledgeable plant people in our entire state. If you couple that with his love for interacting with customers, you get a top-level retail nurseryman.
SINCE YOU WORK TOGETHER, WHERE AND HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX AS A FAMILY? We own a condo at The Beach Club in Ft. Morgan near Gulf Shores and love the opportunity to spend time there with family and friends.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? We recently added a state-of-the-art greenhouse at our Perkins Road store. We are currently planning a major overhaul of our Prairieville location. We have also purchased 4 acres on Florida Boulevard in Denham Springs for the purpose of opening a store in Livingston Parish.
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FACES OF FAMILY BUSINESS
S P EC IA L A D VERT IS IN G S EC T ION
Brecheen Pipe & Steel Company
David Courtney, Fletcher Baker, Amy Veillon, Susan DeNova, Danielle Brecheen, Mary Carlock, Chase Carlock, Travis Mire 225.749.3553 | brecheenpipeandsteel.com
Don Brecheen founded Brecheen Pipe & Steel in 1980. After working for another steel business as a commission-only salesman, he felt he could be more successful working for himself. He left that company, and the next day Brecheen Pipe & Steel was born. Geared primarily toward the marine industry, the business started and began to grow. Today it provides carbon, stainless, aluminum and alloy steels to the petrochemical, refinery, pulp and paper, sugar, fabricator, and construction industries.
WHAT VALUES OR PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS? Our company is guided by the following principles and values: working harder, smarter and more efficiently than our competitors, with
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the simple principle to provide the best quality products and services to all customers, large and small. Brecheen is here for all.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THE BUSINESS HAS FACED OVER THE YEARS AND HOW DID YOU MEET IT? Being a small business and competing with much larger companies has its challenges, but with a smaller business quick decisions can be made, which leads to less red tape and delays. We have made it through the oil bust in the 1980s, along with tough recessions. We have seen costs skyrocket with China purchasing all worldwide scrap in 2007. With all of that said, we have always managed to have the best quality products in sufficient quantities to service our business partners, thus growing our company and being successful in our market.
HOW IS IT WORKING WITH FAMILY? Working with family has advantages as well as disadvantages. All must be willing to put in extra efforts when required. Sometimes we miss LSU games to come through for a chemical plant in distress. We may miss a family function to help out our customers after hours or on holidays, but in the end being your own boss is very rewarding.
HAS YOUR BUSINESS STAYED TRUE TO THE FOUNDING VISION? HOW HAS IT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? My father’s original vision for this company still holds very true today. We strive to build honest and lasting relationships through trust and excellent customer service and dedication to the industry we serve.
SINCE YOU WORK TOGETHER, WHERE AND HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX AS A FAMILY? We have always enjoyed getting together as a family at each other’s houses for barbecues, crawfish boils or LSU games, or gathering at local restaurants. Gino’s, Sullivan’s and Stab’s are a few of our favorites. In order to have a balanced relationship, one must leave work at work and enjoy each other’s company as a family.
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? GROWTH! We have grown steadily since 1980, and I would love to see our company continue this trend. More trucks on the road servicing the industrial corridor from Baton Rouge to the Gulf Coast of Louisiana would be a great sign of achievement.