Business Report [ March 2025 ]

LEGENDS &LEADERS

LEGENDS &LEADERS

Stories of GROWTH, GRIT and GREATNESS

Hall of Fame Laureate

Jay Campbell, Associated Grocers

Hall of Fame Laureate (posthumous)

Jairo Alvarez

Founder, Alvarez Construction

Executive of the Year

Kristin Wall

President & CEO, LWCC

Young Businessperson of the Year

Rachel Eggie Gibbs

Founder & Owner, Eggie Salon Studio

Companies of the Year

MAPP, Core Boiler & Mechanical Services

LABOR OF

CELEBRATING 400,000 BIRTHS

More than just a milestone—it’s a reflection of the trust and care that have defined every delivery since 1968. From preparing for arrival day to welcoming home your bundle of joy, we offer support at every step of your journey. Thanks to our incredible team, world class physicians and state-of-the-art facility, you and your baby receive compassionate care before, during, and after delivery.

YOUR COUNSEL

Six

In The Know 13 Thought leader Gulf South Angels Chairman Mike Eckert spills the secrets to wooing angel investors for your startup.

15 Meet The 500 Cornerstone Principal and Director Nial Patel shares his most valuable lesson from a difficult experience and more.

16 Survey Says We asked a handful of Capital Region executives to name two business leaders they’d most like to have at their dinner table.

19 Entrepreneur

B aker Steven Gottfried knew he wanted to go big—even before he slid the first loaf out of the oven. The story behind St. Bruno Bread Co.

20 Design

A partnership between pro athletes and business leaders has produced the region’s first destination venue for performance training and specialized care.

22 Stats & Sentiments Takeaways from the the Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s CityStats and Louisiana Association of Busines & Industry’s LADriven Annual Report.

The most successful business leaders don’t just grow companies—they shape economies, create opportunities and strengthen communities. Their stories are built on grit, resilience and a relentless drive for excellence. That’s exactly what this year’s Business Awards & Hall of Fame honorees exemplify.

Design: Hoa Vu Photography: Jackie Haxthausen

These Baton Rouge companies and organizations are on a quest to make a difference in the Capital Region. Page 43

Expert Cancer Care in Baton Rouge

After being diagnosed with stage I ovarian cancer, Daphne received care from a team of oncologists, surgeons and acupuncturists at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Their holistic approach focused on both her cancer treatment and overall well-being. Today, Daphne is back to doing what she loves to do, working as an oncology nurse at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Ochsner Cancer Center - Baton Rouge.

Congratulations to Rachel Eggie, founder of Eggie Salon Studio, for being named Young Businessperson of the Year. Ochsner Cancer Center – Baton Rouge proudly partners with Eggie Salon on the Post Chemo Hair Growth Program, exclusively for Ochsner cancer patients. 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

Daphne C. Cancer Patient

Rachel E. Owner of Eggie Salon Studio

Six lessons from legends and leaders

IF THERE’S ONE thing I’ve learned from studying top performers, it’s that success leaves clues. Every great business leader has a playbook—habits, principles and strategies that separate the best from the rest. And this year’s Business Awards & Hall of Fame honorees? They’re living proof that the right mindset and execution can turn vision into reality.

Here are six lessons straight from this year’s standout leaders that every C-suite executive and entrepreneur should take to heart:

Play the long game.

Want to build something that lasts? Think beyond the next quarter. Hall of Famer Jay Campbell spent 41 years shaping Associated Grocers into a powerhouse, proving that sustainable growth comes from long-term strategy, operational excellence and deep industry knowledge. He didn’t just react to change—he stayed ahead of it. The takeaway? Play offense, not defense.

There is no such thing as impossible.

Fellow Hall of Famer Jairo Alvarez arrived in the U.S. with $100 in his pocket and built one of Louisiana’s largest residential construction firms. His motto? No such thing as impossible. When challenges came, he adapted. When opportunities knocked, he answered. Business isn’t about avoiding adversity—it’s about pushing through it. If you’re not facing obstacles, you’re probably not playing big enough.

Innovate or get left behind.

Our Executive of the Year, Kristin Wall, didn’t just run Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation—she transformed it. Under her leadership, LWCC has stayed ahead of industry shifts, proving that even the most traditional businesses must evolve. Her approach? Stay curious, embrace change and skate to where the puck is going. If you’re not thinking about what’s next, you’re already falling behind.

Build a brand, not just a business.

Rachel Eggie Gibbs turned a passion for hair into a high-end salon brand. Our Young Businessperson of the Year understands that today’s customers don’t just want a service—they want an experience. She has scaled smartly, created a culture and built something that stands out. Lesson? Whether you’re selling haircuts or heavy equipment, your brand is your edge.

Relationships win every time.

Construction services company MAPP has grown into a $250 million-plus powerhouse, not by chasing quick wins, but by building trust and delivering results. Its focus on relationships—both with clients and their team—has been the key to long-term success. The takeaway? Business is a people game. Play it well.

Stay scrappy and customer focused.

Paola Alvarado and her team built Core Boiler & Mechanical Services from the ground up with just $50,000 and a relentless focus on getting the job done right. The company didn’t chase every deal—it focused on delivering top-notch service to a select group of customers, proving that deep relationships beat wide reach. Its success is a master class in staying agile, prioritizing quality over quantity and making every client feel like your only client. Lesson? Nail the fundamentals, stay lean and let your reputation do the selling.

Six honorees, six powerful lessons. Now the question is this: Which one are you putting into action today?

The best is yet to come!

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, Cynthea Corfah, Dillon Lowe

Multimedia Editor/News Producer: Oscar Tickle

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

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

ADVERTISING

Assistant Manager/Sales & Marketing Operations: Kynley Lemoine

Senior Multimedia Marketing Consultant & Team Leader: Kelly Lewis

Multimedia Marketing Consultants: Rachel Andrus, Nicole Crochet, Ethan Shipp, Emma Walker

Digital Operations Manager: Devyn MacDonald

Partner Success Manager: Matt Wambles

Digital Operations Coordinator: Sydney Deville

Special Projects Coordinator: DJ Burton

Content Strategist: Emily Hebert

STUDIO E

Creative Director: Timothy Coles

Custom Content Editor: Lisa Tramontana

Business Development Manager: Manny Fajardo

Multimedia Marketing Consultant/Custom Publishing: Judith LaDousa

MARKETING

Marketing & Events Assistant: Mallory Romanowski

ADMINISTRATION

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

Graphic Designer: Britt Benoit

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Audience Development Director and Digital Manager: James Hume

Audience Development Coordinator: Ivana Oubre

Audience Development Associate: Catherine Albano

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 32

CONGRATULATIONS

JAY CAMPBELL, JR.

2025 BATON ROUGE BUSINESS AWARDS

HALL OF FAME LAUREATE

Your leadership has significantly enriched our community by fostering the growth and development of local businesses.

We applaud your visionary commitment and ongoing dedication to positive change for our local independent grocers.

Associated Grocers Board of Directors, Retail Members, Employees and Staff

“Dedicated to the Support and Success of the Independent Retail Grocer”

In The Know

News and notables to keep you connected

Live After 5 rescue

Baton Rouge’s free concert series will return to a full, six-show-per-season lineup beginning April 4 after MAPP and b1Bank stepped up as financial backers of the series. Each of the two sponsors contributed $15,000 to Live After 5 to ensure a six-show schedule for both the spring and fall. The investment comes at a critical moment for the popular concert series, as budget constraints had previously reduced its number of shows each season from six to four. Get the details at businessreport.com.

The Capital Region health care horizon

As E.J. Kuiper completes his first year as president and CEO of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, he sits down with Business Report’s “Strictly Business” this month to discuss the industry’s long-term growth potential, use of AI and other technology, and regulatory challenges, among other hot topics. Register at strictlybusiness. businessreport.com

NO. 4

Louisiana’s ranking among states with the largest share of single women who own their own homes. Nearly 15% of owner-occupied housing units in the state are owned by women who live by themselves, according to a study by Lending Tree based on U.S. census data. The top three ranked states are New Mexico, Mississippi and West Virginia.

TODD BOURGOYNE

TOP DOLLAR

At press time, a controversial plan by Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards to raise police officer salaries by redirecting funds from the East Baton Rouge Parish Library was pending. While the average starting salary for local officers is currently $40,900, payroll records from Open Data BR reveal that five of the city-parish’s top earners in 2024 work for BRPD—some out-earning the police chief and mayor with overtime and other pay. The national median salary for officers and detectives in 2023 was $74,910. Edwards’ proposal would raise the agency’s average starting pay to $58,000, which he has said would make them the “highest-paid municipal police force in Louisiana.” Here are the top city-parish earners.

SCOTT JOHNSON

Captain, Uniform Patrol

Base salary: $80,608

Gross pay: $219,964

BRANDON JOHNSON

Lieutenant, Uniform Patrol

Base salary: $75,831

Gross pay: $190,239

THOMAS MORSE

Police Chief

Base salary: $157,353

Gross pay: $179,668

CORRECTION

Sergeant, Uniform Patrol

Base salary: $69,889

Gross pay: $176,269

SHARON WESTON BROOME

Mayor-President

Base and gross pay: $175,000

JUDSON EDWARDS

Director of Aviation

Base pay: $154,751

Gross pay: $172,793

KENNETH BOWMAN

Captain, Uniform Patrol

Base pay: $78,893

Gross pay: $170,265

NICHOLAS MCDONNER

Shift supervisor, EMS Operations

Base pay: $80,283

Gross pay: $167,338

KELTRIN BURRELL

Captain, Fire Suppression

Base pay: $76,230

Gross pay: $163,089

Integrated advertising agency Mesh was inadvertently omitted from Business Report‘s listing of advertising, marketing and public relations firms in the 2025 edition of The Power Book Business Report regrets the error. The firm ranked No. 4 in our 2024 edition of the publication.

As the first in Louisiana to earn accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer, we’re raising the standard of care for our patients. With nationally ranked outcomes for colorectal cancer treatment and the most board-certified colorectal surgeons in Greater Baton Rouge, we deliver the expertise, resources and compassionate care you need to fight cancer. That’s why we’re the region’s leading cancer treatment destination. That’s why it all counts here. Learn more at ololrmc.com/cancer.

Asif Talukder, MD, Colon and Rectal Surgery

THOUGHT LEADER

What are angel investors looking for in a startup?

LAUNCHING A STARTUP is no small feat, but securing the funding necessary to turn a promising idea into a thriving business is another beast entirely.

So what is it exactly that angel investors are looking for in a startup?

Gulf South Angels is a New Orleansbased angel investment group with 135 members across 12 states. The group has invested $23.5 million in 57 companies across 20 states. Business Report sat down with Mike Eckert, who chairs the fund’s board of directors, to share his insights.

—Dillon Lowe

1

MARKET OPPORTUNITY

According to Eckert, angel investors want the product or service a startup is offering to address a real problem with a scalable solution.

It’s important that a startup demonstrates a thorough understanding of its market and the scope of the problem it’s trying to solve, as a well-defined market with demonstrably high demand goes a long way toward building investor confidence.

As Eckert puts it, “How large is the problem? Is it like two people or is it China?”

STRONG LEADERSHIP

2

The strength of a startup’s founder is paramount. Angel investors spend a fair amount of time evaluating a founder’s experience, market knowledge and past entrepreneurial endeavors—whether successful or failed. (Eckert says he actually likes the ones who’ve failed a bit better, as they’ve likely learned from their mistakes.) Character traits like coachability, honesty and a sense of responsibility are also weighed heavily.

4

PRODUCT ROAD MAP

Angel investors want to know that a startup has a welldefined “product road map,” or a plan of how its product or service will evolve over time. A startup should also demonstrate a keen awareness of its competition. A claim of “no competition” is one of Eckert’s biggest red flags when evaluating a startup, as such a claim often signals a lack of due diligence or market knowledge. It’s also worth noting that, for tech startups in particular, patents add significant value.

STRONG FINANCIALS

Eckert says he and his fellow angel investors spend a lot of time with a startup’s financials during the evaluation process, as such records indicate how efficiently a startup might be able to use its resources to grow and become profitable. “If a startup doesn’t have a good handle on its financials,” Eckert says, “that sends a signal that that’s how they’re going to run the business.”

EXIT STRATEGY

5

While some startup founders have no intention of ever selling their businesses— Eckert calls these “lifestyle companies,” and Gulf South Angels avoids them—the vast majority of founders have an exit strategy in mind. Early-stage companies may not have a concrete plan, they should at least have a general vision. For example, a medical device startup might aim to be acquired by a global manufacturer that can scale production and sales. A startup can score points with angel investors by being able to effectively articulate its exit strategy, according to Eckert.

Gulf South Angels Chairman Mike Eckert

BATON ROUGE

Business Awards &

Hall of Fame

Honorees

HALL OF FAME LAUREATES

Jay Campbell Associated Grocers

Jairo Alvarez Founder, Alvarez Construction | Posthumous

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

Kristin Wall President & CEO, LWCC

YOUNG BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR

Rachel Eggie Gibbs Owner, Eggie Salon Studio

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

(FEWER THAN 100 EMPLOYEES): Core Boiler & Mechanical Services

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

(100 OR MORE EMPLOYEES): MAPP

TO PURCHASE SCAN HERE OR EMAIL EVENTS@MELARAENTERPRISES.COM

PRESENTING SPONSORS: Wednesday, March 19 6:30 p.m. | Crowne Plaza Hotel

Nial Patel

Principal and Director, Cornerstone Government Affairs

EDUCATION

Master’s degree in economics, LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business

CAUSES I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT

I strongly believe that an excellent education is the only way for Louisiana to succeed in so many areas. It creates economic opportunities leading to better health outcomes and infrastructure while reducing crime and fostering a vibrant quality of life.

THEME SONG FOR MY LIFE

“Humble and Kind,” by Tim McGraw

LAST BOOK THAT MADE AN IMPACT ON ME

The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell. It discusses the law of the few, and it helped me realize I shouldn’t try to be someone I am not. I am a connector and love bringing people together for a greater good.

HOW I STAY HEALTHY

Walking

MOST VALUABLE LESSON FROM A DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE

Life is short, so live each day as if it’s your last. Also I am trying to work on being sure I give flowers to those who are meaningful in my life.

FAVORITE LOCAL HIDDEN GEM

Ivar’s for sure. I’ve had too much fun and very deep conversations there as well.

DESTINATION OF

CHOICE

New York City BEVERAGE OF CHOICE

I love a very cold Coke, but I typically just order tea these days.

PROUDEST MOMENT

It meant so much to be recognized as Young Businessperson of the Year and Volunteer Activist of the Year. My dad wasn’t able to celebrate with me, but he was very heavy in my heart on those days because I learned so much about service from him.

ON MY BUCKET LIST

I want to see Mount Everest.

SUPERPOWER OF CHOICE

I’d love to be able to read people’s minds. It would be so interesting and efficient in trying to negotiate things.

FAVORITE MOVIE CHARACTER

Michael Corleone from The Godfather

QUOTE THAT HAS STUCK WITH ME

Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.

ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE CAPITAL REGION

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

HISTORICAL FIGURE I’D MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH

Dwight Eisenhower. His leadership and insights on getting things done in challenging times would be very interesting.

MOST MEMORABLE JOB

I loved waiting tables at Albasha during my time in college. It taught me a lot about relationships, service, hard work and managing money.

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 try.businessreport.com/capitalregion500/ for more information.

Transitioning to an AI-powered enterprise is no longer optional. That’s the premise of Competing in the Age of AI. Authors Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani write that AI-centric approaches remove traditional constraints think physical assets and manual processes allowing organizations to scale rapidly and reconfigure on demand. Through examples of data-driven giants like Amazon, Alibaba and Microsoft, the authors illustrate how AI-led platforms capture value by leveraging massive datasets, powerful algorithms and interconnected ecosystems. For C-suite leaders, effective adoption requires rethinking organizational structures, shifting decision-making to cross-functional teams and investing in robust data governance. It also necessitates a culture of continuous experimentation and learning, building teams adept at transforming insights into high-impact initiatives. With that comes competitive advantage, enabling businesses to enter new markets, refine product offerings and improve customer experiences at scale essential ingredients for staying relevant and prosperous in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

SURVEY SAYS

DINNER with LEGENDS

Every so often, you meet someone who changes the way you think about business, leadership, or even life. That’s the thrill of sharing a meal with a game-changing innovator. We asked a handful of Capital Region executives to name two business leaders they’d most like to have at their table. Their wish lists aren’t about

Paul Samuelson, to discuss the proper role of academic economists in engaging policymakers. Milton Friedman, to discuss how to be an effective communicator of economic concepts to non-economists.

GREG UPTON

Executive Director, LSU Center for Energy Studies

celebrity; they’re about real conversations that spark growth. Some dream of hearing about brand reinvention from industry titans like Larry Culp and Sara Blakely, while others want to get to the heart of resilience with leaders who’ve powered through setbacks. After all, a single conversation can spark big change.

One business leader I'd love to meet is Lewis Hamilton. As a big fan of Formula One racing, I've admired how he's leveraged his success in racing to venture into real estate, film, fashion, culture and technology. He’s also unapologetically outspoken on the issues that matter to him and humanity. I'm intrigued by his ability to stretch beyond his comfort zone and diversify his interests, which has significantly expanded his personal brand and influence. I would love the opportunity to have dinner with him to discuss strategies for stepping outside one's industry to grow both personally and professionally.

ROSS ARMSTRONG, Owner, 4th FLR Productions / Lieutenant, Baton Rouge Fire Department

William McRaven and Warren Buffett. No one, maybe in history, is more highly regarded in assessing value in companies than Warren Buffet. I would love to pick Warren’s brain on his process of assessing value and allocating capital to spur sustainable growth. William McRaven is a highly decorated four-star admiral in the U.S. Navy who served as commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. I would love to discuss his military career and his thoughts on organizational leadership and international relations.

JARED CAUSEY, Senior Vice President, Repcon Inc.

From left: Tom Brady, Sara Blakely, William McRaven, Warren Buffet, Lewis Hamilton

Warren Buffett’s long-term business approach and philosophy of simplicity have always intrigued me. I’d love to discuss how he evaluates opportunities and balances success with humility, faith and generosity through his philanthropic efforts. Larry Culp has demonstrated incredible operational acumen at Danaher and GE, transforming businesses through lean principles and strategic focus. I like to explore what has influenced his leadership philosophies, how he fosters innovation, and the responsibility of business in creating positive social change.

DAVID HOU, Business Team Leader, ExxonMobil

LED

Secretary Susan Bourgeois because she has been charged with changing how Louisiana does business and cultivating a brighter future for generations to come. She is a visionary and I draw inspi ration from her perspective, her resolve and her ambition. [Spanx founder] Sara Blakely because she saw a problem, took an experiment, perfected it, and built a billion-dollar company. I would love them to share what has made them successful, how they overcame any of their own insecurities about being a woman in business, and try to gather any and all advice they would be willing to share.

ANDRÉE MILLER Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor

Author Lauren Vanderkam and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss how to optimize time management skills to enhance

Tom Brady and Michael Jordan. Most may consider them just athletes, but they've both managed to translate their success in sport over to business.

HUNTER KINCHEN

Vice President of Employee Benefits, Higginbotham

1 Key to Success

“It’s a bedrock food. We’re not trying to be the best bread, but an alternative that tastes better.”

Steven Gottfried

BAKER STEVEN GOTTFRIED knew he wanted to go big—even before he slid the first loaf out of the oven.

The Baton Rouge-based entrepreneur launched his St. Bruno Bread Co. in 2023 with the intention of creating not just an artisan bread bakery, but a production facility that could satisfy wholesale orders. He spent 10 months writing a business plan that would shepherd the idea, enabling him to secure a loan and open a facility off Staring Lane. The company produces preservative-free loaves of artisan bread in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Almost two years in business, St. Bruno has about 50 active accounts, including independent supermarkets and restaurants in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and the Northshore. He and his team bake around 2,500 loaves every production day, totaling 10,000 loaves per week. LSU athletics is among his clients.

Gottfried, 36, had long wanted to own a bakery. In 2013, he studied the craft under chef Gary Darling at Taste Buds in Covington, prompting his enrollment the following year at the San Francisco Baking Institute.

He went to work for Bellegarde Bakery in New Orleans, working his way to head baker. But life got

more expensive. In 2017, Gottfried returned to his prior career in the construction industry to earn more money.

But dreams die hard. By 2021, Gottfried decided that was it—and it was time open a bakery. Living with his wife and young children in New Orleans, he set his sights on Baton Rouge. The city seemed like a good place to raise a family and sustain an artisan bakery.

“It took about two hours of market research to realize that Baton Rouge was the play,” he says.

Then a one-man show, Gottfried deployed bootstrap marketing, dropping off baskets of fresh breads to local restaurants, independent groceries and specialty stores.

“I’d say, ‘I know you’re busy, but if you like it, give me a call,’” he says.

Many did, signing up for regular deliveries. The St. Bruno Bread brand also gained traction quickly, with restaurants like Var’s Pizza and Brasserie Byronz including it in their own marketing.

Quality control is Gottfried’s top priority as the business continues to scale.

“That’s what our customers want,” he says. “A consistent product, every time.”

—Maggie Heyn Richardson

ST. BRUNO BREAD CO.

Ochsner Health and Elite Training Academy

Photography by Tim Mueller

“This facility represents the pinnacle of destination care in sports performance and sports medicine.”

Dr. Jeremy

Burnham,

medical director of sports medicine, Ochsner Baton Rouge

Cost: $22 million

Architect: RMA

Contractor: TBT

Completed: Oct. 1, 2024

Use: Elite Training Academy Sports Performance Center at 5414 Burbank Drive seamlessly integrates performance training, competitive sports, and recovery services—all in one powerhouse location.

Spearheaded by longtime LSU athletics leader Greg Stringfellow, Elite Training Academy mirrors the training environments of top college programs, providing athletes of all levels with the resources to maximize their potential.

A unique on-site partnership with Ochsner’s Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute ensures athletes in training also receive specialized care.

Inside, a 50,000-square-foot facility boasts the only full-width, 60-yard indoor field in the region for football, soccer and multisport training. Outdoors, two football-sized, lighted turf fields are primed for league play, practices and events. Beyond the fields, the complex features a cutting-edge weight room, plunge tubs, an infrared sauna, and performance training.

Former LSU athletes and business leaders with strong ties to the region are among its owners, including Brandon Landry, Todd Graves, Sean Reilly, Tyrann Mathieu, Joe Burrow and Jamal Adams.

ASK THE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY

KELSIE MOAK

COO, Gulf South Technology Solutions

HOW CAN AI HELP SMALL BUSINESSES STAY COMPETITIVE?

Many small businesses assume AI is only for large corporations, but that’s far from the truth. AI-powered tools can help streamline operations, automate repetitive tasks, and free up valuable time—all without requiring a massive budget. From automating invoicing and scheduling to managing customer inquiries and data entry, AI helps small businesses reduce administrative burdens, improve efficiency, and focus on what truly matters—growing their business and serving their customers.

WHAT TYPES OF CYBERSECURITY INCIDENTS ARE AFFECTING SMALL BUSINESSES TODAY?

Small businesses are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals through tactics like phishing, ransomware, business email compromise, and data breaches. Phishing tricks employees into revealing sensitive data, while ransomware attacks now threaten to expose stolen company information if payments aren’t made. Business email compromise scams induce fraudulent payments, and data breaches expose confidential data. These threats lead to financial loss, downtime, and reputational damage, highlighting the urgent need for strong cybersecurity measures.

HOW CAN I IMPLEMENT AI IN MY ORGANIZATION?

Integrating AI into a business doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but success depends on choosing the right tools and having the right support. From automating administrative tasks to enhancing decisionmaking, AI can streamline operations and improve efficiency. However, without proper guidance, businesses may struggle to implement AI effectively or secure their data. A knowledgeable managed IT provider can help identify the best AI solutions for your specific needs, ensure seamless integration with existing systems, and provide ongoing support to maximize its benefits.

TRENDS

STATS & SENTIMENTS

How are Baton Rouge and Louisiana performing? And what do those who live here think should be priorities for the years to come? The latest reports from the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and the Louisiana Association of Business & Industry provide some insight. The data comes from BRAF’s 2024 CityStats and LABI’s 2025 LA Driven Annual Report

Asked & Answered

What makes East Baton Rouge Parish a great place to live?

( Only 2 in 3 people offered a response to this question. )

Would you say you lean toward the Democratic Party, Republican Party or neither?

Which improvements could help make Baton Rouge more appealing to newcomers?

33% reduce crime

16% improve roads and traffic

11% create more affordable housing

10% improve local job opportunities

9%

Issue Date: March 2025 Ad proof #4

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

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Honoring a Legacy of Excellence…

LEGENDS &LEADERS

LEGENDS &LEADERS

Stories of GROWTH, GRIT and GREATNESS

Stories of GROWTH, GRIT and GREATNESS

Hall of Fame Laureate

Jay Campbell

Associated Grocers

Hall of Fame Laureate (posthumous)

Jairo Alvarez

Founder, Alvarez Construction

Executive of the Year

Kristin Wall

President & CEO, LWCC

Young Businessperson of the Year

Rachel Eggie Gibbs

Founder & Owner, Eggie Salon Studio

Company of the Year (100 or more employees) MAPP

Company of the Year (fewer than 100 employees)

Core Boiler & Mechanical Services

Photography by Jackie Haxthausen

The most successful business leaders don’t just grow companies—they shape economies, create opportunities and strengthen communities. Their stories are built on grit, resilience and a relentless drive for excellence. That’s exactly what this year’s Business Awards & Hall of Fame honorees exemplify.

Presented annually by Business Report, these awards recognize individuals and organizations that stand out—not just for their success, but for the impact they leave behind. Now in its 41st year, the program continues to celebrate those whose leadership transforms industries—from construction and insurance to real estate and retail.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees have built legacies shaping industries and creating opportunities for others. Our Executive of the Year has demonstrated the power of leadership to transform an organization from the inside out.

Our Young Businessperson of the Year represents the next wave of entrepreneurial energy, proving that bold ideas and strong execution can lead to remarkable success. And our Companies of the Year, both large and small, highlight what happens when a clear mission meets disciplined execution.

What sets these honorees apart isn’t just their business acumen—it’s their commitment to lifting others. Through mentorship, philanthropy and community engagement, they lead with purpose, ensuring their success is shared. Their journeys remind us that greatness isn’t just about where you get—it’s about how you get there.

DIFFERENT BUILT

BY KELLI BOZEMAN

From his native Colombia to south Louisiana, Jairo Alvarez’s determination to overcome adversity helped shape the values that made him a success in business.

No Such Thing as Impossible.

That’s what the late Jairo Alvarez called the autobiography he wrote at age 70. It’s a perspective that permeated each era of Alvarez’s life, from his early days in Colombia to his role as founder of one of the state’s largest residential construction companies. And it’s a philosophy he was intent on spreading to others through philanthropic work aimed at helping those facing their own life challenges.

“He was so proud to say that Alvarez Construction was one of the biggest builder-developers in

Louisiana,” his son Sebastian says. “But he was so humble, and it was important to him to give back.”

Born in Sonsón, Colombia, in 1938, Alvarez was the second-born of 11 children. He and his siblings helped their Papacito, Mario, and Mamacita, Adela, tend to corn and potato crops and raise animals on

their farm tucked against a mountain. “All we had was each other,” Alvarez wrote in his book. “We worked hard, but we were content.”

Alvarez left that peaceful life at age 15 for the Military School of Cadets in Bogotá. As he wrote in his book, the most valuable thing he took with him was advice from his Papacito: “Before each move you make, ask yourself if what you are doing is right, and then do it faster and better than anyone else. That’s all you will need to be successful at whatever you do.”

It was a tumultuous time to be training for the Colombian Army, as Gustavo Rojas Pinilla had just led a military coup. Colombian citizens initially hoped the new leader would restore peace, but his authoritarian regime was soon met with much public opposition. At the academy, Alvarez excelled by following his father’s wise

“ONE OF DAD’S GOALS WAS TO BE VIEWED AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST BUILDER-DEVELOPERS AROUND.”

SEBASTIAN ALVAREZ, COO, Alvarez Construction

counsel. He graduated in the top 10% of his class in 1957.

After serving as an artillery instructor and then fighting guerrillas in the jungle, he was called to be a member of the Presidential Guard protecting new leader Alberto Lleras Comargo, who took over after Rojas Pinilla was forced to resign. When a group of retired military officers attempted to force Alvarez to be part of their plans for another coup, he instead fell back on his father’s advice and began reporting the group’s plans back to the government. Some of the dissidents were finally arrested and tried, but because Alvarez’s secret work had been exposed and he had testified against them, he was in grave danger when they were acquitted.

That’s how he found himself on a cargo plane bound for Miami at age 25, his wallet containing only $100 that he had earned from selling his Ray-Ban sunglasses and typewriter. Soon, he would be in Albany, New York, where his brother Enrique lived.

This new life in the U.S. in 1963 wasn’t easy, either, since Alvarez spoke no English and had no prospects. He cleaned

Jairo Alvarez in 2021

surgical equipment at a hospital and washed dishes at a hotel restaurant. But he held onto his belief that nothing was impossible, teaching himself the language by practicing conversation with a statue of Moses in a park before working his way through Albany Business College. “On the day of my graduation, I made up my mind,” he wrote. “I loved America, but I was going home.”

Alvarez spent the next 16 years in his homeland. During this time, he met his soon-to-be wife, Anita Velez, and they started a family, including elder son Carlos, daughter Ana and younger son Sebastian. Alvarez landed a job as a comptroller for a U.S. subsidiary of Nabisco operating in Colombia, and he built his family a home, and then another. “Construction had become my new hobby,” he wrote.

That hobby turned into a lucrative side business when he began building luxury homes and then an apartment complex. Little Carlos would visit jobsites with him on Saturdays, picking up nails and working the calculator as his father processed the payroll.

Alvarez—this time with his family in tow—made the move back to the U.S. in 1984, escaping the continued unrest in Colombia. “I wanted my children to … have the best opportunities they could,” he wrote. “I wanted them to be safe, to learn a different way of life.”

Alvarez immediately became an entrepreneur in Baton Rouge, where the family settled near the home of Anita’s sister. Their yogurt and ice cream shop, Umbrella’s, gave the children jobs, and it also served as a launching point for Alvarez Construction, because it was where he met some of the people he would call “angels on earth.”

“He believed these angels were special people that God puts in your path and they help you in ways that change your life,” Carlos explains.

Bob Richardson, a local builder and developer, gave Alvarez a “business in a box,” Sebastian says, with all the information and tools he needed to get into residential construction in Baton Rouge. Attorney Aubrey McCleary became another trusted ally, and other businessmen became ad hoc advisers. With

MILESTONES

1938: Born in Sonsón, Colombia, a small town south of Medellin, as one of 11 children born to Mario and Adela Álvarez

1991: At age 52, opens Alvarez Construction Company, which would go on to develop such subdivisions as Hidden Ridge, Forest Creek, Magnolia Pointe, South Hampton and The Lakes at Jamestown.

1999: Builds the first Baton Rouge St. Jude Dream Home, with proceeds benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. In 2012, he receives the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Dream Home Builder Summit. The company still builds the home each year and has helped raise more than $20 million for the cause.

2004: Enters his first cycling race at the Louisiana Senior Olympics. He goes on to compete in state and national Senior Olympics games for several years—even 95 days after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer.

2007: Puts together a bike ride as a fundraising event for McMains Children’s Developmental Center’s Wheels to Succeed program. The program, now operated by Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health, provides adaptive bikes for kids with developmental challenges. Alvarez Construction continues to sponsor this event.

2008: Publishes his autobiography, No Such Thing as Impossible. Proceeds are donated to orphans in Colombia.

2013:  Dies at the age of 75

1953: Enrolls in the Colombian National Army’s military academy in Bogota. He graduates as a second lieutenant of artillery, becomes an instructor in the school of artillery, and then moves on to the ranger school.

1960: Assumes a role as part of the Presidential Guard

1963: With the Colombian government’s help, he flees to the U.S. at age 25 and lands in Miami. He ends up in Albany, New York, and takes a job disinfecting surgical equipment at a hospital

1964: Enrolls at Albany Business College while still working at the hospital as well as at a hotel restaurant

1966: Graduates with honors with a degree in business administration from Albany Business College. He immediately returns to Colombia, where he soon meets the woman who will become his wife, Anita Velez. While living in Colombia, the couple have three children—Carlos, Ana and Sebastian.

1984: With Colombia experiencing significant political unrest, the family migrates to the U.S. and settles in Baton Rouge. The same year, he opens Umbrella’s ice cream shop on Gardere Lane. The shop eventually relocates to South Sherwood Forest Boulevard and remains in business for seven years.

their help and plenty of determination, Alvarez built his first house in Shenandoah Estates. In 1991, at the age of 52, he was starting what would be his most significant career chapter.

As Alvarez Construction grew, Carlos, Ana and Sebastian all eventually joined their father and lent their strengths to expanding the business. With Alvarez at the helm, the family-run company built thousands of homes and then began developing subdivisions around the city.

“One of Dad’s goals was to be viewed as one of the biggest builder-developers around,” Sebastian says, citing significant projects including the 400-plus homes at The Lakes at Jamestown set on 108 acres purchased during the 2008 recession. “It was a big risk for us, but we pushed through, and that really put Alvarez Construction on the map as far as volume and size.”

To reach these goals, “Jairo needed to become extremely focused,” says Colombian-born and New Orleans-based artist Gustavo Duque, a longtime friend.

“Fortunately, he had the best partners in the world—his wife and family. They all worked in sync and shared a common goal that was not about making money but building communities and relationships. His subcontractors, clients and developers and the city officials knew Jairo was trustworthy and reliable.”

In 1999, Alvarez’s desire to help others—just like as a child he had watched his Papacito do—led him to volunteer to build the Baton Rouge St. Jude Dream Home, a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Though he initially told himself he would continue doing so until the annual giveaway raised $10 million, he blew past that mark and never stopped. Alvarez Construction still builds the house for the Dream Home giveaway each year, and proceeds have now have topped $27 million, Carlos says.

Another philanthropic opportunity for Alvarez stemmed from his passion for bicycling, an interest he picked up as a boy riding

Clockwise, from left: Jairo Alvarez had a passion for cycling; at Alvarez Construction; with his grandchildren in the hammock and in the garden; with wife Anita; on a fishing excursion

in the Colombian mountainside. Three years after first winning four gold medals for cycling at the 2004 Louisiana Senior Olympics, he and his family held the first No Such Thing as Impossible Bike Ride benefitting McMains Children’s Development Center’s Wheels to Succeed program that provides adaptive bikes for children with developmental challenges. The program currently operates under Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health and remains a beneficiary of this annual cycling event, which is now chaired by Sebastian.

Alvarez continued to ride his bike competitively—and to work at the construction company—even after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Later, he developed kidney cancer and underwent a rigorous treatment process, but an infection ultimately led to his death in 2013.

“He said he had looked up the definition of ‘retire’ in the dictionary and it didn’t apply to him,” Sebastian says. Adds Carlos, “He worked until the very, very end.”

Today, with a charcoal portrait of Alvarez hanging on the wall just

outside the Alvarez Construction boardroom, Carlos sits in the chair at the head of the table, following in his father’s footsteps as CEO. Sebastian is chief operating officer, and Ana is the company’s chief financial officer. The firm now builds more than 350 homes each year, Sebastian says.

The siblings say their father’s work ethic and optimism are what they carry with them as they lead the company. “His advice was always to stay humble—that it’s not all about you, it’s about the people you serve,” Ana says. “And it’s really true that nothing was impossible for him. We learned that hopefulness from him.”

That legacy is what Alvarez himself would have wanted. True prosperity, by his standards, had nothing to do with the number of homes he built. “I have never measured my success by the size of a job or by my bank account,” he wrote in his book. “I can tell how successful I have become by the fact that my children are working alongside me like I worked alongside my Papacito.”

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A FRESH APPROACH

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

Jay Campbell’s relentless pursuit of excellence at Associated Grocers transformed how we ‘make groceries’ in Baton Rouge and beyond.

Travel elsewhere around the country, and it’s hard to find the abundance of family-owned independent supermarkets that thrive across the Capital Region. Outlets like Calandro’s, Calvin’s Bocage Market, Matherne’s, Alexander’s and Oak Point Market are among the scores of retailers across the Baton Rouge area that lure shoppers with local and gourmet items alongside competitively priced staples.

Many similar independent

supermarkets across the nation were unable to compete with national conglomerates, but the Capital Region’s numerous independents learned to up their game—thanks in large part to the

work of J.H. “Jay” Campbell, the longtime executive and former president and CEO of Associated Grocers.

Campbell retired from AG in 2017, having guided the company’s

“OUR GOAL WAS JUST TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD SO OUR MEMBERS COULD COMPETE. BIGGER DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN BETTER.”

J.H. “JAY” CAMPBELL, retired executive chairman, Associated Grocers

transformation into an efficient distribution center and provider of extensive retail support services. Today, the Anselmo Drive company has more than 650 full-time employees and annual sales topping $800 million, with member stores spanning Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Campbell, loathe to retire outright, continues working with AG and other companies as a consultant.

Growing up in Shreveport, Campbell didn’t imagine a future working in the supermarket

industry. But things changed after he took a part-time job as a bookkeeper in AG’s retail accounting department in 1972. He was at LSU studying accounting at the time.

Something pivotal happened in those years that would forever shape Campbell’s feeling for AG. When his father died in 1975, no one was more surprised than Campbell when three of the company’s top brass, including longtime President Hillar Moore Jr., showed up in Shreveport for the funeral.

“They drove from Baton Rouge to Shreveport to go a funeral for a man they didn’t know for a part-time worker who, at the time, was 23 years old,” Campbell recalls. “It was one of the most impactful things I’ve experienced, that they would have done that.”

Shortly after, Campbell earned a law degree at LSU and went to work full time for AG. Though he thought a career at the FBI might be a good fit with his law and accounting degrees, AG kept revealing itself as a remarkable place to work, he says.

“What sold me on the company, as a young person, was this extraordinary commitment to these independent retail groceries,” Campbell says.

He was also impressed by the camaraderie and relationships that had been built within the organization, “not only among people that worked there, but in their care and concern for those retailers.”

Campbell’s 41-year career at AG included a variety of roles, including in-house legal counsel, internal auditor, manager of retail accounting, and controller. He advanced to chief financial officer and treasurer in 1987, and, in 1993, added chief operating officer to those responsibilities. In 1995, he was tapped to serve as president and CEO, a post he held for the next 20 years. When he stepped down, the board created a special role for him, executive chairman, to aid the transition.

Sales under Campbell’s tenure increased significantly. By 2005, a decade into his leadership, 10-year sales had almost doubled to $4.7 billion from $2.5 billion. Dividends distributed to member owners during the same period jumped to $20.4 million from $7.2 million.

Known for his dogged focus on

MILESTONES

1952: Born in Shreveport to parents Joseph H. and Olga M. Campbell. All four of Campbell’s grandparents are Lebanese immigrants.

1969: Graduates from Jesuit High School in Shreveport. Participation in Louisiana Boys State in high school encourages Campbell to leave north Louisiana and enroll at LSU.

1972: A full-time student in accounting, Campbell begins a part-time job at Associated Grocers in its retail store accounting division. He keeps the books for AG member stores, getting a window into grocery industry mechanics.

1973: Earns bachelor’s degree in accounting from LSU and begins the study of law at the LSU Law Center. Believes the combination of law and accounting could make him a strong candidate for the FBI. Continues working part time at AG.

1976: Earns JD from LSU Law Center and begins full-time employment at AG, won over by its mission to support small, family-owned businesses. Holds various management positions over the next 11 years, including in-house legal counsel, internal auditor, manager of retail accounting and controller.

1982: Marries Elizabeth “Libby” Clay. His mother, Olga M. Campbell, dies. The couple, devout Catholics, embrace life in Baton Rouge, becoming involved in their faith community and numerous charities. AG begins to provide more technical and marketing support to its member stores to increase competitiveness.

1987: Named CFO and treasurer

1993: Adding chief operating officer to his responsibilities, Campbell continues to push for excellence among AG member stores while also advocating for a level playing field on pricing among national distributors. By 1995, 10-year sales more than double, totaling $2.5 billion, with $7.2 million distributed back to owners over the same period.

1995: Named president and CEO. Leads the organization for the next 20 years, continuing to deploy strategies that help members grow sales. From 1996 to 2005, sales total $4.7 billion. Serves on dozens of local and national boards, including the National Grocers Association.

2000: Honored with the Spirit of America Award from the National Grocers Association, bestowed on individuals who provide community service and government relations on behalf of the food distribution industry. Named to the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business Hall of Distinction.

2014: Awarded the Food Marketing Institute’s Herbert Hoover Service Award for Humanitarian Service, the National Grocers Association’s Industry Service Leadership Award and the Grace “Mama” Marino Award from the Baton Rouge Epicurean Society.

2015: Transitions from CEO to executive chairman. Sales over the 10-year period from 2006 to 2015 grow to $7.1 billion.

2015-2017: Serves as executive chairman to ensure a smooth transition. Earns Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s Hillar C. Moore Jr. Outstanding Leadership Award in 2017. Moore, former CEO of AG, had first recruited Campbell to get involved at the cancer center.

2017: Retires from AG and opens a consultancy. Continues to serve on for-profit and nonprofit boards and speak about business excellence and personal fulfillment to nationwide groups.

Jay and Libby Campbell

excellence, Campbell’s North Star was to help AG’s members stay competitive against a tumultuous grocery backdrop dominated by national conglomerates. He worked tirelessly to increase efficiencies in AG’s distribution chain and to provide members a menu of technology and marketing services to help them improve operations.

Campbell also advocated for independent retailers at the national policy level through his longtime service on the National Grocers Association board of directors.

“Our goal was just to level the playing field so our members could compete,” he says. “Bigger doesn’t have to mean better. We wanted to be able to compete aggressively, and that was exciting. Because business is a game. You move the chess pieces, and you try to succeed with the rules before you.”

Campbell worked with political leaders, congressional committees and suppliers to ensure AG’s members had access to competitive pricing. Internally, he improved systems across all of AG’s departments, creating a corporate culture focused on the company’s 150 different owner-entities.

“That was one of the biggest challenges,” he says. “Recognizing that each one of these stores had its own culture, market and ways of doing business.”

Over 40 years of delivering the highest level of service to our customers with the industry recognition to prove it.

AG began in 1950 with a simple warehouse concept in which goods were purchased from manufacturers and stored and distributed to members. When fuel and interest rates both spiked in the 1970s, the company doubled down on moving products faster.

“Efficiency became the mantra for quite a few years,” Campbell recalls.

Starting in the 1980s, AG’s focus shifted to helping retailers tighten up internal operations and refine their retail departments because consumers had come to expect more from the grocery shopping experience. AG began to provide such things as back-office support, technology services, face-to-face marketing, and merchandising support.

“I used to say that I only had one fear in the business, and it was that the independent wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning and put the

key in the front door,” Campbell says. “And if that was the case, then we failed them. We needed to do everything we could to let them know we had their back, so that they could go out there and interface with customers.”

Throughout his career, more than one national job opportunity has presented itself. But Campbell and his wife of 42 years, Libby, have preferred to remain in Baton Rouge where community involvement has been a top priority. His extensive board service includes the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, the Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and the Capital Area United Way among others.

Retirement hasn’t slowed Campbell. He formed a consulting company in 2017 and has served on several for-profit boards. He also continues to deliver motivational public speaking engagements on success and how we measure it.

“When someone sits down and figures out how to really be fulfilled,” Campbell says, “it’s an incredible thing.”

Clockwise, from left: A young Jay Campbell; enjoying a round

LOUISIANA LOYAL

Kristin Wall’s drive for innovation has taken LWCC to the top.

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

It would be strange if Kristin Wall didn’t spend the early morning hours forwarding a blitz of news items to her executive team. The LWCC president and CEO starts every workday devouring local and national headlines, trade journals and industry reports, hitting ‘send’ on anything she finds relevant to LWCC’s mission—which is a lot.

Economic forecasts and technology trends catch Wall’s eye, as do site selection wins across the state that signal fresh fleets of Louisiana jobs. Natural disasters and calamitous events are also on her radar. In countless stories—even ones where it’s not obvious—she spots an insurance throughline.

“That’s the kind of stuff that makes my brain fire,” Wall says. “I think about the jobs, direct and indirect, that flow from companies moving in. Or if I’m reading something about a disaster, I think about the risk side of things. Insurance companies are only as good as their planning and their financial ability to pay.”

Wall sees information as a divining rod that could help her chart where the notoriously turbulent industry is heading. She’s a disciple of the Wayne Gretzky maxim to “skate to where the puck is going,” part of a worldview that balances big picture thinking with acute market awareness.

Her strategies have worked.

Under Wall’s leadership and career-long involvement, LWCC has become the state’s largest workers’ compensation carrier, providing coverage to 18,500 Louisiana businesses, many of which are considered high risk. Sound fiscal stewardship has enabled LWCC to return more than $1.4 billion in dividends to its policyholders since 2003.

And while premiums have soared across the insurance industry in Louisiana, LWCC’s rates have declined by 68.8% since it opened in 1992. The insurance credit rating agency A.M. Best has assigned the company an A rating for 22 consecutive years.

One of Wall’s biggest recent accomplishments was leading LWCC’s 2024 acquisition of Precient National Insurance Company, a North Carolina-based high-performing workers’ comp insurance company.

LWCC has been one of Louisiana’s success stories. Prior to its 1992 establishment, workers’ compensation in the state had become completely unaffordable. The fledgling organization, created by constitutional amendment, rebalanced the workers’ comp marketplace and offered stable rates for employers and

protections for workers. Simultaneously, the state Legislature made the process for employees filing disputes more efficient by removing them from district courts and establishing an administrative law process.

Wall was one of LWCC’s first hires in 1992, then a young lawyer working in insurance defense. Four years later, she became the company’s general counsel. By 1998, she was tapped as executive vice president and chief operating officer. In 2006, she was named president and CEO.

Decades at the same organization have only made Wall double down on fresh enthusiasm. She seeks out new ideas and processes, networking with fellow CEOs and worldwide experts through a yearlong executive leadership program at Harvard Business School.

“I’m curious, a little bit curious to fault, but I also don’t believe I have all the answers,” she says. “At some point, you get comfortable enough in your own skin to be able to say that.”

A proud native of Jena, Louisiana, Wall earned an undergraduate degree at the University of Louisiana Monroe and a law degree from LSU. She embraces her small-town roots and still draws from the straightforward life lessons they provided. And while it’s easy for a state with so many problems to absorb negativity, Wall refuses to believe exemplary ideas can’t thrive here.

“Louisiana deserves world-class learning,” she says.

That line of thinking has made establishing an innovation culture at LWCC one of Wall’s top priorities. She has pushed her teams to help member companies find better ways to deploy safety, reducing risk to employees.

“YOU BETTER BE INNOVATIVE, OR YOU’LL BE IN THE BUGGY WHIP MANUFACTURING BUSINESS SOMEDAY AND YOU WON’T EVEN KNOW YOU’RE HEADING THERE.”

KRISTIN WALL, president and CEO, LWCC

The drive for innovation also sparked a new building design for LWCC’s Acadian Thruway corporate headquarters, which earned a U.S. Green Building Council Climate Champion award.

The 2020 renovation added a 200-person meeting room that has been used to host national speakers like Blue Ocean Strategies co-author Renée Mauborgne and Ranjay Gulati, author of Deep Purpose, The Heart and Soul of High Performance Companies. The new design also includes an employee fitness center that is run by renowned Dallas workplace wellness expert Cooper Clinic. It’s available to the company’s 200 employees.

LWCC’s recent accolades under Wall are extensive, including being named to the 2024 Ward’s 50 list as one of the highest-performing property and casualty companies in the U.S. Only the top 1% of insurers make the list, and LWCC has made it 19 times. It also earned a top 10 national ranking in a Catalyst survey of how well carriers support agents, which factors in such aspects as ease of doing business, providing the needed tools to maximize efficiency and being forward thinking.

“Insurance companies are not known to be innovative,” Wall says. “But you better be innovative, or you’ll be in the buggy whip manufacturing business someday and you won’t even know you’re heading there.”

A CUT ABOVE

Rachel Eggie Gibbs is proving that style can be serious business

BY KELLI BOZEMAN

It was the buzz heard ’round the city.

Standing on the stage of the Baton Rouge Best Dressed Ball in August 2022, Rachel Eggie Gibbs smiled as her runway partner, a local oncologist, pulled out a cordless trimmer and ran it down the middle of Gibbs’ bobbed brunette hair. Within seconds, she was completely bald.

“This is a tribute to the courage and perseverance of all who fight,” read the sign that Gibbs held as her hair fell to the stage around her. “There is no greater symbol of strength.”

For a salon owner to willingly lose her own hair, and in such a public way, was nothing short of ironic. But for Gibbs, who had launched Eggie Salon Studio less than two years earlier, the bold move was as intentional as each step throughout her career.

“I wanted to better understand and connect with women navigating the challenges of post-chemotherapy hair growth,” explains Gibbs, who earlier in 2022 had begun a partnership with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center to donate first post-chemo haircuts to cancer patients. “When women finish chemo, that’s the end of one chapter, but they are starting a new journey of trying to get back to feeling like themselves. I wanted to be able to help them throughout my own hair growth journey.”

Gibbs’ own path to that moment began more than a decade earlier during her days as a student at St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge, when she began styling her friends’ hair for dances. “I loved seeing how good they felt when they looked beautiful for the night,” she says. “It came from a place of wanting to make people feel great.”

She told her parents she wanted to go to cosmetology school, but they insisted that she earn a college degree first. So off she went to LSU to study marketing. After earning her degree, Gibbs enrolled at the Aveda Institute in Houston, where her passion helped her win awards that came with opportunities to learn from top industry professionals around the country. Her next stop was a stint at the highly rated Therapy Hair Studio in Houston; it was there that she discovered everything she wanted to re-create in a salon of her own one day: a high-end, fast-paced atmosphere with well-respected stylists and happy clients. After four years in Houston, Gibbs felt a call to return home to Baton Rouge. “The moment I made that decision, all I could think about was my vision board and everything that I wanted to create,” she says. “The plan from the beginning was to build a salon within five years.”

ACHELEGGIE GIBBS YOUNG BU S INESSPER

To learn the business side of the salon industry, Gibbs first established her House of Eggie brand through a booth rental agreement with an existing salon. Operating as an independent contractor, she quickly built up a loyal client base; her first year yielded $100,000 in revenue, and the second saw 100% revenue growth. But when the third year showed only 9% growth because of her limitations as a sole proprietor, she knew it was time to open her own salon.

“I visited salons all over the world and realized they weren’t just giving their clients a service, but an experience,” she says. “I felt there was something new that Eggie Salon Studio could offer here, and I also wanted to create a salon where professionals could thrive.”

With a team of eight employees, Gibbs opened the doors to Eggie Salon Studio on Goodwood Boulevard in November 2020. The palette of black, white and gold and the soundtrack of electronic dance music were just what she had imagined years earlier, and a growing roster of clients gave the space the constant buzz she remembered from her days in Houston.

By 2022, she made the decision to step away from working behind the chair. “I heard it said that for every minute you work in your business, you lose an hour of working on your business,” she says. “That mindset shift was pivotal for me.”

“I HEARD IT SAID THAT FOR EVERY MINUTE YOU WORK IN YOUR BUSINESS, YOU LOSE AN HOUR OF WORKING ON YOUR BUSINESS.”

RACHEL EGGIE GIBBS, founder, Eggie Salon Studio

The move gave Gibbs time to focus on scaling her business and developing her team. In September 2024, Eggie Salon Studio opened a two-year pop-up location on Burbank Drive near LSU in a space that also houses its call center. And just before Christmas 2024, another permanent location opened in the Trader Joe’s shopping center at the corner of Acadian and Perkins.

Now with a staff of 40, Eggie Salon Studio sees about 2,700 repeat clients per year, Gibbs says. As she approaches the nine-year mark from launching House of Eggie in 2016, she is on track to hit 3,000% revenue growth during that time.

But profits—and products, with an Eggie line set to launch this year—aren’t her only focus.

Instagram tutorials documenting her hair growth process after that runway razor moment have helped her connect with cancer patients around the world via virtual consultations. And in 2024, Gibbs launched the Post-Chemo Hair Growth Program, with Ochsner Cancer Institute financially supporting patients as they receive haircuts and customized support for a year. A long-term goal is to create an education program for stylists in other states so that they can launch similar programs with cancer centers in their areas.

Meanwhile, Gibbs’ success will soon be witnessed on a larger scale, as four episodes of a TV show called The Eggie Effect will be released on the new national streaming network Home Inspo Television later this year, and she plans to film more episodes in Milan in March.

But wherever this ride takes her, the 33-year-old mother of two has her feet firmly planted in Baton Rouge. “I tell people that we’re building more than a business,” she says. “It’s a place where passion meets purpose and people can turn their craft into a fulfilling, sustainable career.”

A ‘DIFFERENT KIND OF CONTRACTOR’

MAPP strives to be the professional in the room.

BY SAM BARNES

It all began with a chance encounter at Drusilla Restaurant in 1991 when Mike Polito bumped into Cajun Industries’ Lane Grigsby during a construction awards ceremony.

Polito was working for a New Orleans contractor at the time. “After my team came up to accept an award, Lane walked up to me and struck up a conversation,” he says. “I was taking the team to the Patio Lounge for a little celebration afterward, so I invited him and his wife to come along. A few beers later we were in business.”

They incorporated not long after as MAPP Construction, with Polito as CEO and Grigsby as a financial partner. MAPP started out small, pursuing only public bid work from its original office on Corporate Boulevard, but Polito always knew it would be bigger. He had cut his teeth on large projects and had a growth mindset.

It wasn’t until Richard Setliff—a respected construction industry veteran from New Orleans—joined the team as vice president that MAPP was able to bridge the credibility gap. Not long after, Mark LaHaye, current vice president of the company, came aboard, followed by Pat Hrncir as the Texas division manager in a second office in Dallas.

A watershed moment came in 1993, when MAPP was awarded the $30 million Catfish Town renovation project in Baton Rouge. Additional milestones included the LSU Tiger Stadium expansion in 1998, Shaw Group World Headquarters in 2000 and the Chevron Northpark office facility in 2008. The company has also built nearly 300 Raising Cane’s locations over the years, and in 2023 completed the Liberation Pavilion at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans—a complex project devoid of any 90-degree angles, inside or out.

George Solomon, a retired theater developer in New Orleans, says MAPP was always his contractor of choice when building one of his 20 theaters—from El Paso to Philadelphia. The partnership began with the 90,000-square-foot Elmwood Theater in Harahan in 1998, one of the first stadium seating-style theaters in Louisiana.

LARGE CO. OFTHEYEA R 2025 M A PP CONS T RUCTION

Before every project, MAPP would typically meet with Solomon and the architects to “value engineer” solutions to bring costs down. “With MAPP, everything was above board,” Solomon says. “We just had a respectful relationship.” Case in point: When Solomon ran into a problem with the insulation on a few of his theaters, MAPP stepped in to take care of the problem. “It would have been a $1 million-plus problem to fix,” he says, “but MAPP stood behind their work and took care of it. It was a bad experience that they made go away.”

ELEVATING THE INDUSTRY

MAPP’s focus on client intimacy has always been its true differentiator. The business model has helped it grow into a $250 million-plus company with offices in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta and Austin. “What’s important to our client becomes important to us,” Polito says. “It also makes for a better experience—everybody likes to do business with someone they like. You start building relationships.”

Bradley Tassin, executive vice president in MAPP’s Dallas office, accepted his first job with MAPP 20 years ago after graduating with a business degree from LSU. He originally planned for a career in real estate development, but he found MAPP to be a perfect fit. “MAPP is on a mission to change the industry, as well as the people in it, to make it better,” Tassin says. “That’s why we exist. We want to improve the industry and to be the professional in the room … a different kind of contractor.

“WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO OUR CLIENT BECOMES IMPORTANT TO US.”

MIKE POLITO

, CEO, MAPP

“The construction industry still has a reputation of walking into a room with muddy boots and torn up jeans, but we want to be the professional … the trusted adviser for our clients.”

Technology is central to the process—“MAPPies” (as MAPP employees call themselves) refer to it as “data to wisdom.” For example, 3D building information modeling technology is used extensively on its jobsites, and the company now has a dedicated BIM expert on staff who creates the models in collaboration with the superintendents.

MAPP has also formed an AI committee to determine how to best utilize the technology in its processes. “We’ve got some bright people who are interested in that,” Tassin says. “They want to figure it out and bring it to the rest of the company. I’m excited to see what comes out of that.”

Mike O’Brien, senior superintendent, says he’s had chances to leave MAPP over the last 24 years but has turned them all down. “I like the fact that we’re allowed the freedom to build the culture and philosophy that best suits the team in the field,” he says. “We can work more effectively with our trade partners on-site, with the end goal of keeping the client happy.”

At the end of the day, he just wants to keep building. “I enjoy the work,” O’Brien says. “I’m a builder. I like to be challenged, and the jobs that MAPP has been bringing to me are interesting and complex. As long as Mike keeps feeding me projects, I’m going to keep building them.”

CORE STRENGTH

How a family-run boiler repair company became a $10 million powerhouse.

BY SAM BARNES

Core Boiler & Mechanical Services is a relatively young player on the industrial stage, but decades old when it comes to experience. The husbandwife team of Luis and Paola Alvarado quickly assembled a seasoned team of skilled laborers and managers and turned their family-run boiler repair company into a $10 million-plus business in just six years. It was rough going in the beginning. The Alvarados had just $50,000 in seed money and needed another $350,000 in loans from the Small Business Administration just to get started. Fortunately, a few customers already knew of them because of their years of combined experience in the industrial space and gave the fledgling company a chance.

Also known as Core Specialty Services, the company’s expertise is in industrial boiler repairs, but it also offers pipe fabrication, turnaround services and specialty welding. For small or large turnarounds, the company maintains a pool of skilled craftspeople with experience in mechanical and electrical services, repairs and maintenance.

But it’s the company’s 24-hour response service that is most popular—plants need to keep their processes up and running, so they call Core for quick repairs when a boiler malfunctions. “Our experience is what makes Core function so well,” says Paola Alvarado, president of the company. “Our leadership—the people making the decisions—were all once welders, fitters, boilermakers or helpers, or insulators, so they know intimately about the work.”

Core’s skyrocketing success is getting noticed—it made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in both 2023 and 2024—but the company is committed to remaining “customer-centric” by maintaining a relatively small list of 10 to 15 repeat clients.

That gives the company more of a family feel than a lot of other industrial companies, says Santiago Delatorre, a four-year employee who must work some seven hours away from his home. “I’ve never worked for people like them,” he adds. “If I’m driving home to see my wife and kids in Texas, they’ll tell me to call when I get home, or send a message, so they know I made it home safely.

“Sometimes people will need to leave for another job to get more hours … and Luis will leave a position open for them. A lot of other companies wouldn’t let you come back, but they realize that it’s necessary sometimes.”

And when Raymond Thibodaux, Core’s Baton Rouge

C

O RE SPECIALT Y SERVICES

district general manager, was having pain in his hand, Paola Alvarado made an appointment for him with a specialist in Baton Rouge. “I ended up having surgery on it,” Thibodaux says. “They wanted me to take a couple of weeks off, but I like to work so I came back as soon as I could.

“People really care about you here,” says Thibodaux, who has been doing a lot of work recently at LSU’s Power House.

MATURING AS A COMPANY

Core’s quick response time and flexibility are its strengths—if a client’s boiler goes down, within 24 hours the company will have a crew on-site addressing the problem. It maintains a large internal database of available skilled workers, enabling it to ramp up quickly.

Like many of his co-workers, Delatorre wears a lot of hats—at times, he’s a foreman, other times he’s working as a pipefitter, ironworker or painter. “We’ll do anything for a customer,” Delatorre says. “There’s not many times that we’ll tell them we can’t do something.”

Case in point: When a customer needed a new furnace at a facility in Corpus Christi, “they brought in two old furnaces, and we cut pieces from each of them to make a new one. In the process, we saved a lot of money on material, and it looked like new.”

With the initial rush of success behind them, for the first time Core is hiring someone in a business development role. A second business development coordinator will be hired at the company’s satellite office in Panama to handle international work.

“THE PEOPLE MAKING THE DECISIONS WERE ALL ONCE WELDERS, FITTERS, BOILERMAKERS OR HELPERS, OR INSULATORS, SO THEY KNOW INTIMATELY ABOUT THE WORK.”

PAOLA ALVARADO, President, Core Boiler & Mechanical Services

The company also recently joined the Ascension Chamber of Commerce, Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance and the Louisiana Chemical Association. Participating in these organizations has been an eye-opening experience, Alvarado says.

“When you network with these groups, you get to see the big picture, where the Louisiana and Baton Rougearea markets are heading, etc.,” she adds. “I’m also learning about things that can help my business or to look out for in the future. It’s something that we all need to know to do business.”

Looking ahead, Core seeks continued growth, while remaining committed to its “customer-centric” vision. “If they open the door and trust us and give us that one opportunity … that’s all that it takes,” Alvarado says. “Because once they give us that opportunity, they will never leave us. We essentially become an indispensable part of their team.”

GENESIS 360: A WORLD-CLASS MANAGEMENT COMPANY

SEAMLESS SOLUTIONS FOR COMPLEX OPERATIONS

INTEGRATED VENDOR MANAGEMENT

Reduce Complexity, Strengthen Oversight, Centralize operations

Providing better coordination, cost control, and seamless communication. You can focus on growth instead of administrative burdens.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Deliver Projects On Time, On Budget

Ensure projects move efficiently from planning to completion while employing budget control, risk mitigation, and sustainable building practices. You’ll gain peace of mind that every project is completed to the highest standards.

IT SERVICE MANAGEMENT

Secure, Scalable, and Always On

With 24/7 system monitoring, cybersecurity, cloud services, and seamless integration, your technology will be secure, scalable, and built for the future.

SUPPLY MANAGEMENT

Optimize Logistics, Reduce Costs

Streamlining procurement, logistics, and inventory control, ensures materials and products move efficiently, cost-effectively, and on schedule.

PAYROLL MANAGEMENT

Eliminate Errors, Ensure Compliance

Now, employees are paid on time, with full compliance across tax, wage, and regulatory requirements, reducing administrative headaches and financial risks.

STAFF AUGMENTATION MANAGEMENT

The Right Talent, When You Need It

On-demand staffing solutions for the shortor long-term helps you fill gaps quickly with top-tier talent, all without the overhead of full-time hiring.

NOW IS THE TIME— LET’S BUILD YOUR FUTURE TOGETHER

Genesis 360 delivers world-class management solutions that ensures efficiency, cost savings, and strategic growth.

At Genesis 360, We provide world-class management solutions that simplify operations and drive success. we help businesses operate at peak performance by increasing efficiency, optimizing workflows, and eliminating waste to ensure seamless execution across all areas of your company.

YOU HAVE GOALS. WE DELIVER RESULTS.

✓ Maximize operational efficiency – Eliminate inefficiencies that cost your company time and money.

✓ Improve cost predictability – Gain financial clarity through streamlined vendor and payroll management.

✓ Deliver construction projects with confidence – Keep capital investments on time and within budget.

✓ Secure your IT infrastructure – Reduce cybersecurity risks and eliminate costly downtime.

✓ Strengthen supply chain resilience – Ensure logistics and procurement are optimized to avoid disruptions.

✓ Scale your workforce without risk – Access the right talent, exactly when your business needs it.

ELEVATING BUSINESS EXCELLENCE THROUGH INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS

Our six pillars are not just services, they are a holistic strategy designed to help companies operate at peak efficiency, optimize costs, and drive sustainable growth.

HONESTY REFORM

PLANNING

CONNECTION APPRECIATION

MISSIONBR 2025

These Baton Rouge companies and organizations are on a quest to make a difference in the Capital Region.

QUALITY

VOLUNTEERISM

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOCUS

AFFIRMATION

IMPACT COMPASSION

PLANNING

EAST BATON ROUGE PUBLIC LIBRARY

East Baton Rouge Parish Library stays relevant as a community partner with its expanding portfolio of services. The Library is far more than a place to find books these days. It connects people to information, resources, materials, technology and experiences to make a positive difference in their lives.

The library offers services for

residents of all ages, from birth to senior citizens and everyone in between. “That makes us unique,” says Andrew Tadman, reference services coordinator. “There’s literally nowhere else that you can find such a diverse offering under one roof. The staff who work here are mission driven. To get into the field of work, you must really enjoy helping people.”

The EBR Parish Library is a center

of learning, knowledge, literacy, communication, culture, creativity, discovery and enjoyment for all people. Case in point: Its branches offer digital literacy training nearly every day and often serve in an unofficial tech support role for many in the community. “We help them on our public computers with applying for jobs, applying for benefits and a host of other services,” Tadman says.

One of the more popular offerings is the library’s “Wi-Fi 2 Geaux” hot spot lending program, offering more than 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots available for checkout.

And through its numerous meeting rooms, the library provides a community gathering place for both small and large groups. The smaller study rooms are available on a firstcome, first-serve basis, while the larger

spaces can be reserved for free by nonprofits, hobbyist groups, HOAs, corporate entities and others needing a place to train or hold meetings. Additionally, the technology lab at the Main Library at Goodwood can be used for technology training. “At the end of the day, we provide a unique and much needed service to the community,” Tadman says.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

CRADLE AND BLISS CONSULTING

Cradle and Bliss provides much needed support for new mothers. Still a newborn itself, Cradle and Bliss Postpartum and Infant Care

Consulting has already made an impact in the Baton Rouge area by delivering non-medical services with professional nursing expertise. Each service offered is delivered with compassion and tailored support for mothers and families facing postpartum challenges.

Cradle & Bliss empowers families during the early stages of parenting by creating an environment of support, education, and confidence to alleviate maternal stress and establish a reliable support system. By offering non-medical postpartum care,

lactation support, and education, they equip families with the essential tools for a successful start in parenthood.

“After leaving the hospital, many moms feel like they have no one to turn to for advice, as they may not have the desire to follow traditional norms often suggested by friends and family or may simply lack support altogether,” says Kayla Anderson, a registered nurse with experience caring for pregnant and postpartum patients.

Anderson even makes house calls and provides overnight care. Other services such as meal prep, house cleaning, and laundry services, all have the same goal – to provide new mothers with a dependable support system.

Kayla Anderson, Owner

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

EMPLOY BR

EmployBR connects Baton Rouge job seekers with the industries that need them most. EmployBR provides a vital link in the workforce development space by connecting job seekers with the employers who need them most in the healthcare, finance, construction and petrochemical industries. Through federal, state and local partnerships, EmployBR offers resume assistance, training programs and job placement support. In 2024, they launched a Certified Nursing Assistant Training Pilot Program in collaboration with the mayor’s office, HEART Academy and Rosebud Training Program, providing free training to eligible parish citizens.

About 80 participants have already graduated from the program. “Those deemed eligible were trained to be CNAs at these two facilities at no cost,” says Amanda Stanley, chief administrator of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding that supports the group. “We covered the tuition and provided assistance with uniforms, transportation etc.”

Employ BR uses economic data from the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, participates in Baton Rouge Health District quarterly meetings and collaborates with local community colleges to foster one united overriding goal – to provide residents of EBR with clear pathways to skilled jobs in rapidly expanding local industries.

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Amanda Stanley, LWDA 21 Board Director; Chief WIOA Administrator, City of Baton Rouge

Evon Roquemore, LWDA 21 Board Vice Chair; Chief Executive Officer, Bright

Elizabeth Beckham, LWDA 21 Board Chair; SR Learning and Development Manager, Turner Industries

THE LOUISIANA POLICY INSTITUTE FOR CHILDREN

The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children advances policies that ensure Louisiana’s children are ready for success in school and in life.

The need is great, as there are over 100,000 at-risk children from birth to four years old who don’t have access to quality early childhood education.

The statewide organization steeps all its work in research and data. “We’re a resource for policy makers, parents, families and early educators who want to know what it takes to develop smart policies on the behalf of children and their families,” says Libbie Sonnier, CEO of the nonprofit,

nonpartisan organization.

To date, the Institute has ushered in historic state funding increases through Louisiana’s Child Care Assistance Program. “We also supported a $21 million per year millage in New Orleans that improves access to early childhood education, as well as helped to establish the Early Childhood Education Fund to incentivize local investment through matching state dollars,” Sonnier says.

At the end of the day, the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children believes that successful children are necessary and vital for a stronger Louisiana.

Libbie Sonnier, CEO

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

Candace Weber, Ph.D.

NEW SCHOOLS FOR BATON ROUGE

The mission of New Schools for Baton Rouge is clear: to ensure every student in Baton Rouge has access to an excellent education.

NSBR firmly believes that every child deserves a great school, regardless of where they live or their level of financial resources, and that every family should have the option to choose a high-quality program that best meets their children’s needs.

To achieve this, the non-profit organization focuses on three main areas:

• Fostering high-quality seat growth by supporting the launch of new, highperforming charter schools, aiding the expansion of successful existing charter

schools, and collaborating with state and district initiatives to facilitate school turnaround efforts with proven operators.

• Investing in school improvement and leadership development initiatives to cultivate high-quality schools and engaging school leaders.

• Building a robust teacher talent pipeline for charter school classrooms.

Led by CEO Dr. Noemi Donoso, New Schools for Baton Rouge works with civic, community and educational partners to create a community-wide ecosystem that prioritizes students’ needs and empowers their communities to ensure their schools are designed with those they serve in mind.

Dr. Noemi Donoso, CEO

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

This award is a testament to the dedication of our team, the trust of our clients and the support of our community. Thank you for being part of our journey — we couldn’t have done it without you! Here’s to continued growth, innovation, and service in the years ahead.

Sincerely,

Paola Alvarado FOUNDER & PRESIDENT

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS: Christopher Douglas, a New Orleans-based business project manager for Xbox Game Camp, sees social impact and value in games. “[The business community] should keep an open mind and understand that gaming is about more than mindlessly tapping buttons for hours on end.”

Game on

BY DILLON LOWE

Top professionals reveal the unexpected ways gaming is shaping business leadership.

WHEN ADRIAN OWEN JONES

first picked up World of Warcraft as a college student in 2008, she was new to the world of video games and could not have predicted how profound an impact the title would ultimately have on her.

It didn’t take long for the massively multiplayer online game, or MMO, to immerse her completely in its world. She says she fell in love almost immediately with the game’s challenging mechanics, highly cooperative gameplay and progressive player base.

Before long, she found herself in the top 0.2% of global players. She had become a member of the top guild—a group of players who band together to tackle daunting

quests—on one of the top servers in the world.

And though she doesn’t get the chance to play as much these days, she reflects on her time as a top-tier WoW player as an experience that taught her everything she needed to know about how to be a successful leader in business—lessons that have proved invaluable throughout her professional career, including in her current role as a partner at local management consulting firm Success Labs.

$665.77 billion

The projected valuation of the global gaming industry by 2030

SOURCE: Fortune Business Insights

“If you’ve ever played a game at

a really high level, you know it kind of stretches your brain in a way that few other things do,” she says. Her experience with gaming is not a wholly unique one. What was once dismissed by many as a mindless form of entertainment has revealed itself to be something more: a unique training ground for professional traits like adaptability, collaboration and problem-solving, among many others. All this to say, the lessons learned and skills acquired through gaming can—and often do—prove surprisingly relevant in

the modern workplace.

For Owen Jones, such lessons and skills are myriad.

For starters, as the leader of a team of healers, she taught herself how to best recruit players who would prioritize the good of the entire guild over individual gain—in other words, hiring for culture fit.

She also learned how to create an environment that her 24 fellow guild members actually wanted to show up to on a consistent basis—fostering a positive culture, some might call it. And she developed a system for tracking the performance metrics of her peers so that she would be able to offer them constructive feedback to ensure accountability and optimize performance—a

data-driven performance management system.

“I’ve had a really diverse career experience,” Owen Jones says, “so when people look at my background, they’re kind of like, ‘How did you do all this stuff and do it at a high level?’ And I think it’s because I’ve always been strategic about showing up, seeing where there was a gap or a need and learning like hell to fill that gap. I’m the same way with gaming.”

“If you’ve ever played a game at a really high level, you know it kind of stretches your brain in a way that few other things do.”

ADRIAN OWEN JONES, partner, Success Labs and former top tier World of Warcraft player

Owen Jones isn’t the only member of the local business community who has been able to apply the insights gleaned through gaming to the workplace.

Lex Adams, founder and CEO of Vigilus, a local cybersecurity and software development company, has had a similar journey. He has over 4,000 hours logged in Team Fortress 2, a multiplayer first-person shooter, and over 3,000 hours logged in Dota 2, a multiplayer real-time strategy game. He says he

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.

Acadian Capital Group launches Investment Banking division, led by Matthew Breaux.

Matthew Breaux

Acadian Capital Group, a Louisiana-based multi-family office and private market management firm, is proud to announce the launch of Acadian Capital Advisors - a new Investment Banking division of the company. The addition of Matthew Breaux to lead the division further strengthens the firm’s ability to deliver comprehensive financial solutions to its clients across the region.

“I’m humbled by the opportunity to lead ACG’s investment banking vertical and by the trust of the existing team to continue providing the best possible outcomes for our clients,” says Breaux. “I am excited to bring my expertise to investment banking clients and for our stakeholders as we continue to build the ACG portfolio of companies.”

“Bringing Matt on board is an exciting step for Acadian Capital Group as we expand our service offerings,” said Kyle “Skip” Boudreaux, Managing Partner at Acadian Capital Group.

With the addition of this new division, Acadian Capital Group now has the ability to assist owners interested in exiting their business (M&A advisory), raising debt and equity capital, and exploring strategic alternatives across a variety of industries.

D

From Left to Right: Thomas Trahan, Kyle “Skip” Boudreaux, Miranda Himel, Gaines Garrett, Abby Hebert, Daniel Kemp, Cindy Kuragami, Ryan Jackson

“easily” has over 10,000 hours logged across all games just in his adult life.

Adams, who fancies himself “one of the better tech recruiters” in Baton Rouge, credits much of his team-building expertise to his time as a competitive TF2 player. In fact, some of the players he recruited to his TF2 team back in the day actually work for him now.

“Gaming is a massive industry. It’s bigger than movies, music or any other form of entertainment. And you need a workforce to make it happen.”

CHRISTOPHER TURNER, director, Southern University Law Center’s Mixed Reality Virtual Innovation Gaming and Esports Institute

“This kind of chimera emerges when I take a competitive gamer and put them in a corporate setting,” he says. “I find they tend to thrive.”

There are studies to back that claim up. A 2024 study published in BioMed Central’s Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy journal, for instance, found that gamers may have better memory, stronger problem-solving skills and lower risk for dementia than non-gamers.

Team building is far from the only skill Adams honed through gaming,

We

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though. As a shot caller in competitive TF2 matches, he had to clearly articulate strategies to his teammates and make split-second decisions that could be acted upon immediately, thereby sharpening his skills as a communicator.

He also points to the mental acuity and resilience that gamers tend to develop as a boon for business. Competitive gaming demands a high degree of focus and the ability to quickly recover from setbacks— traits he has carried into his career.

“The team building, the shot calling, the thinking, the competitiveness—these are all things that have translated extremely well to my corporate and everyday life,” Adams says.

Christopher Douglas, a New Orleans-based business project manager for Xbox Game Camp, is yet another example of how gaming can shape professional skills. As a student at New Orleans’ Xavier University of Louisiana, he played fighting games like Marvel vs. Capcom and Street Fighter as well as first-person shooters like Call of Duty and Halo at a professional level.

In doing so, he sharpened many of the same skills cited by Owen Jones and Adams: communication, critical thinking, resilience and the like.

THE NEXT GENERATION

One Baton Rougean who is leveraging the power of gaming to train the next generation of professionals is Christopher Turner.

Turner directs the Southern University Law Center’s Mixed Reality Virtual Innovation Gaming and Esports Institute, which offers students access to innovative programs at the intersection of education, gaming and technology. (For those unfamiliar, the term “esport” refers to a multiplayer game played competitively for spectators, typically by professional gamers.)

In 2023, Turner helped Southern University launch its Esports Innovation Lab, a state-of-the-art facility equipped for both broadcasting and competition.

That same year, he also had a hand in introducing the Southern University Law Center’s Esports Law and Management Certification, a pioneering program designed to prepare students for careers on the business and legal sides of competitive play.

A 2024 study published in BioMed Central’s Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy journal found that gamers may have better memory, stronger problem-solving skills and lower risk for dementia than non-gamers.

“Gaming is a massive industry,” says Turner, who is also the director and founder of the esports teams of both Southern University and Southern University Laboratory School.

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“Games do have a great social impact and social value,” he says. “[The business community] should keep an open mind and understand that gaming is about more than mindlessly tapping buttons for hours on end.”

Today, Douglas is grateful to have been able to parlay his years of gaming experience into a career in the industry. In his role at Xbox Game Camp, a program developed by Microsoft to empower and support aspiring game developers, he works to break down barriers for members of marginalized communities looking to do the same.

“We want everyone from every walk of life to feel wanted and welcome in the gaming industry,” Douglas says. “Xbox Game Camp is built upon the belief that extraordinary talent resides everywhere.”

“It’s bigger than movies, music or any other form of entertainment. And you need a workforce to make it happen.”

Turner isn’t wrong about the immensity of the gaming industry.

The global gaming market was valued at $281.77 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach a $665.77 billion valuation by 2030, according to Fortune Business Insights. The global esports market, meanwhile, was valued at $2.06 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach a $9.29 billion valuation by 2032.

And while the programs Turner has a hand in are certainly anchored in the world of gaming, he says the skills that students develop through those programs are ubiquitous.

“Gaming is here to stay,” he says. “It’s not going anywhere. And the skills are transferable.”

Greatness

When local entrepreneurs thrive, Baton Rouge wins.

That’s the idea behind The Alliance, a private, nonprofit member community committed to connecting small businesses to resources and relationships that enable economic growth and community impact.

By helping small businesses grow and succeed, we’re doing our part to lift the entire Baton Rouge community. We couldn’t be prouder to see companies of every size honored at this year’s Business Report Business Awards — and we’re willing to bet that future Business Awards winners are already a part of our growing organization.

A HEADLINE IN The Advocate on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1986, read, “Library fund may bail out C-P budget.” History may be repeating itself once more. Almost 40 years ago, thenMayor Pat Screen led the charge to pursue library funds to solve a budget deficit.

Fast-forward, and now Mayor Sid Edwards is targeting dedicated library funds, asking the Metro Council to support the raid to boost the city-parish budget. If approved, the issue will go before voters this fall for their approval—or not.

The public was unhappy with Screen’s money grab in 1986—and, judging by the angry packed house at a recent Metro Council meeting, the honeymoon for Coach Sid may well be over.

Our city-parish government is a mess

Woodward raid the funds of our national champion LSU gymnastics team to fund NIL for football players.

The library didn’t put the cityparish government in its current financial predicament. Much of this situation arose from years of inefficient operations, weak leadership in making necessary changes, and the establishment of St. George. I don’t blame the latter. I hold former Mayor Sharon Weston Broome responsible for forcing a new city and leaving this mess for Edwards to manage.

Do you know how many of the more than 4,000 city-parish employees she laid off during the pandemic? None.

WALKING THE WALK

Rep. Dixon McMakin told me when he got elected that one of his goals was to deal with the traffic nightmare at the Washington Street exit. Well, he doesn’t just talk the talk.

He posted recently after a press conference with the Louisiana DOTD secretary: “Make no mistake, I will not allow the closure of the Washington Street exit to get caught up in needless red tape and bureaucratic backlogs. We will finally solve this problem for Baton Rouge once and for all.” McMakin claims the closure will happen this year.

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.

I am a fan of Edwards, who genuinely cares about our city and is honest and authentic. However, he’s a political newcomer in his rookie season, and his game plan—regardless of who crafted it—is flawed. Edwards’ team erred by blindsiding the library, the most beloved and best-managed public agency in town. It operates with a standard of excellence that you can’t find anywhere else in city-parish government. Why bench your star player—particularly one offering a plan to voluntarily reduce its property tax millage and forego millions in future tax revenue? Those running the library are team players.

I was sad to see the library pitted against the police, and the community divided. I am a fan both of the library and Edwards, and I hope this can be worked out quickly. While I may love LSU football and want to see the team win, I would not suggest that Athletic Director Scott

REFLECTIONS

PUTTING ON THE NEW SELF

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

Russell Campbell of Management Advisors of Virginia did a recent salary study for East Baton Rouge Parish. He told me that in most local governments across the country, the cost of benefits generally ranges between 30% to 45%. “The city of Baton Rouge’s benefit cost is around 70%, maybe slightly higher,” Campbell said. “This is the highest I have seen.”

In other words, a $100,000 salary incurs an all-in cost to the city of $170,000 annually. This is unbelievable and outrageous. Broome did nothing about this during her eight years in office, nor did any of the mayors who preceded her. We have been paying this exorbitant benefits cost for decades and then wonder why we are in this mess.

Like DOGE in Washington, D.C., people are fed up with waste, abuse and the status quo. Before we tear down the best asset in our community, Coach Sid should clean house, reform, privatize, downsize and streamline our city-parish government. It's a hot mess. Edwards said if his plan doesn't pass, he might cut 600 jobs. Coach, don't wait. City government is not a "jobs" program. Taxpayers are angry and there should be no limits. The mayor should clean up the mess—now!

A PART OF all things becoming new is putting on the new self. Notice how Paul uses the taking off old clothes and putting on new ones to illustrate putting on the new self. Ephesians 4:23 states, “and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” In 2024, we looked at 10 strategic truths of what it means to be “in Christ” in Ephesians 1:3-14. This is the New Self! It is good to remind ourselves of who we are as we put on the new self. Verse 24 reads, “and put on the new self, which is in

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Here we go again. Since 1974, we have passed 221 amendments to the Louisiana Constitution, many of which should not be there but rather enacted in statutes.

Often the Legislature reacts to try to fix something that is not broken. I think that is the case with a couple here. Other times we do need to change and provide flexibility. With that comes the risk of politicians doing the wrong thing and creating waste, fraud and abuse of your tax dollars. But people will never be perfect, and neither are our laws. Even so, we elect them, and we get the government we deserve.

Below are my recommendations after research and discussions. There are many complex changes in No. 2, and I suggest you go to parlouisiana.org and read the details. I have reservations on some, which in the language sound good but may be unnecessary. You must make the best decision you can and pray that our leaders execute as intended for the good of our state.

AMENDMENT No. 1 — AGAINST

Do you support an amendment granting the Louisiana Supreme

the likeness of God and has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” We have become righteous and holy because of what Christ performed on our behalf and not our own righteousness. A good habit to get into is when you are putting on your earthly clothes in the morning, put on your new self “in Christ” by renewing your mind with the truth of the new self in Ephesians 1:3-14.

—Jeff Mitchell, Retired COL and Army Chaplain

VIEWPOINT ROLFE MCCOLLISTER JR.

Court jurisdiction to discipline outof-state lawyers for unethical legal practices in the state of Louisiana, and to grant the legislature the authority to establish trial courts of limited and specialized jurisdiction?

This is two-in-one. A Houston firm came in and filed 1,500 suits and now leaders want to pass an amendment. Overreaction. We have 69 specialty courts now and more judges per capita than many other states. This can already be done in districts. This also could open the door for a “business court.” You may have read that Texas launched a potentially game-changing challenge to Delaware, which has a separate set of courts and a specialized appeals court to handle complex and expensive business legal matters. Now Texas has followed suit. But if Louisiana wants the same, let’s do a pilot in Baton Rouge or New Orleans.

AMENDMENT No. 2 — FOR

Do you support an amendment to revise Article VII of the Constitution of Louisiana including revisions to lower the maximum rate of income tax, increase income tax deductions for citizens over 65, provide for a government growth limit, modify operation of certain constitutional funds, provide for property tax exemptions retaining the homestead exemption and exemption for religious organizations, provide a permanent teacher salary increase by requiring a surplus payment to teacher retirement debt, and make other modifications?

This ballot language is being challenged in court. The description does seem to go overboard in its positive impact and sounds like a sales pitch for an elixir that cures all that ails you. There are many parts all-in-one and I implore you to go to parlouisiana.org for details. Some may hold their nose as they gulp the medicine down, not liking the taste but having to trust the elected leaders that it will cure the patient. Unfortunately, doing nothing just means we have to hope our state gets better on its own—and that hasn’t happened.

Read the facts from PAR. There are parts that I like and parts that are logical; parts I question and some that are risky. But it’s all or nothing. The Louisiana House

passed this bill 87-11 and the Louisiana Senate vote was 39-0. They don’t seem to have a Plan B. Here’s hoping the patient responds. Gulp!

AMENDMENT No. 3 — FOR

Do you support an amendment to provide the legislature the authority to determine which felony crimes, when committed by a person under the age of seventeen, may be transferred for criminal prosecution as an adult?

Sadly, how times have changed. Law enforcement tells me that some gangs will use a 14-, 15- or 16-yearold to do the crime because they get off easy. We know there are root problems causing juveniles to be involved. But I believe we must change the law to address today’s circumstances. It’s a disturbing situation to be in, but we can’t ignore reality, and safety is a top concern.

AMENDMENT No. 4 — AGAINST

Do you support an amendment to provide for the use of the earliest election date to fill judicial vacancies?

Again, this is a case of a one-off, where they want to fix something with an amendment. No. There are ways to handle this now and this is not a crisis to fix. Let it be.

ST. GEORGE BALLOT

Many of the races have been decided due to lack of candidates. But voters still must decide on the Home Rule Charter and the form of government. As I have said before, I believe the proposed plan has too many chefs in the kitchen and is not streamlined. The current charter doesn’t look like anything Elon Musk or DOGE would endorse. If I lived in St. George I would vote “NO” on this Home Rule Charter.

CONGRATULATIONS!

I always look forward to Business Report's annual Business Awards & Hall of Fame issue and event. The goal is to honor those who take the risks, create the jobs and lay it on the line every day to help build our community. These entrepreneurs and executives lead the way, raise the bar and give back to help others. Their stories inspire and their companies are an asset to our Capital Region. Congratulations to all.

Local Celebs

VS.

Mayor-President Sid Edwards & First Lady Beanie Edwards

MLB Star Ryan Theriot & Real Estate Agent Johanna Theriot

Mestizo’s Owner Jim Urdiales & Director of Catering Y’Zelle Williamson

Hunter & Lauren Hollingsworth Kinchen Top 40 Under 40 & local business owner

Media Talent Whitney Vann & Bank President Robert Schneckenburger

5

Grade Scholars

April 11 th <6:30-9:30 PM>

Entergy employees don’t just bring power to Louisiana – we’re generating new jobs and careers too. Entergy Louisiana’s economic development team helped attract the $10 billion, 500-job Meta data center to our state. Our employees work tirelessly to attract industries to Louisiana with affordable, reliable power and enthusiasm for our home state’s workforce.

This year, we are celebrating our centennial with the Louisiana 100 Plan, including a commitment to help recruit $100 billion in new projects and 100,000 new jobs over the next decade.

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

Financial investment firms

1 1 Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 445 North Blvd., Floor 4, Baton Rouge70802 225-388-9200| ml.com

2 3 Edward Jones 18522 Magnolia Bridge Road, Suite 102, Greenwell Springs70739 225-261-9662| edwardjones.com

3 2 Morgan Stanley 400 Convention St., Baton Rouge70802 225-237-3100| morganstanleybranch.com/baton.rouge.la

4 4 Raymond James & Associates 445 North Blvd., Suite 500, Baton Rouge70802 225-344-9020| raymondjames.com

5 5 Longbridge Wealth Management 4319 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge70809 225-612-7640| longbridgewm.com

6 6 Altus Wealth ManagementLLC 4208 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge70809 225-201-9300| altuswealthmgt.com

7 6 Goss Wealth Management 10235 Jefferson Highway, Bldg. 6, Suite A, Baton Rouge70809 225-930-4677| gosswealthmanagement.com

8 8 Northwestern Mutual - Baton Rouge 1 Smart Way, Suite 101, Baton Rouge70810 225-293-9527| batonrouge.nm.com

9 9 UBS Financial Services 7150 Jefferson Highway, Suite 650, Baton Rouge70806 225-925-5512| ubs.com/branch/batonrougeob

10 10 Horizon Financial Group 15015 Jamestown Blvd., Suite 100, Baton Rouge70810 225-612-3820| horizonfg.com

12 LDFwealth Financial Group 4611 Bluebonnet Blvd.,

AWARDS HONORS

Four faculty members from Baton Rouge Community College’s Division of Liberal Arts have been awarded a two-year fellowship with the Great Questions Foundation, which is supported by the Mellon Foundation to promote core-text reading and discussion-based learning at community colleges nationwide. BRCC professors Samantha Chaisson, Bea Gyimah, Darren Jones and Natasha Whitton will collaborate with faculty from various institutions across the country to explore how humanities-based general education serves as a foundation for civic engagement and critical thinking.

Woman’s Hospital earned the Press Ganey 2024 Guardian of Excellence Award for outstanding service in patient experience. This marks the 10th consecutive year Woman’s has been recognized by Press Ganey as one of the nation’s leaders in providing exceptional patient care.

Baton Rouge dominated the Future Use of Energy, or FUEL, Super Pitch competition. Two of the city’s startups took the top two prizes and another Baton Rouge firm took fourth. A Houston company with a Baton Rouge office placed third. Taking the top prize of $100,000 was Zentech Concrete Solutions, with its product that offers an alternative to concrete seals. Placing second to snag a $50,000 prize was Encore CO2, which has pioneered carbon recycling solutions for chemical manufacturing. Placing third and receiving a $25,000 prize was NovaSpark Energy, a Houston startup with an office in Baton Rouge. It developed the world’s first mobile atmospheric hydrogen generator. And coming in fourth was MaxBoring, which captures natural gas burned in flares and turns it into electricity.

Baton Rouge General breast surgeon Dr. Everett Bonner was recognized for his work with the clinic at Crucial Catch Live, a panel discussion featuring players, legends, influencers and cancer experts

sharing their cancer journeys. Crucial Catch Live, presented by Cigna, is part of the NFL’s Crucial Catch initiative, which raises aware ness about cancer prevention and encourages early detection to ultimately save lives. Bonner appeared live alongside ACS chief patient officer Dr. Arif Kamal, discussing Baton Rouge General’s high-risk breast clinic at its Mid City campus.

APPOINTMENTS MEMBERSHIPS

Sales & Marketing Executives of Greater Baton Rouge has honored eight Baton Rouge marketing specialists with Excellence in Sales & Marketing awards. The honorees include Laurel Burgos, Woman’s Hospital; Bobbie Cole, Marriott; Dean Ducoing, Benny’s Car Wash; Shawn Folks, Guarantee Restoration Services; Alex Ludwig, Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys; and John Snow, Emergent Method. Holly Andrews, media director at The Moran Group, received the Visionary Leadership Award, and Laurie Pierce, former sales manager with Cox Media, received the Nell Mitchell Doughty Lifetime Achievement Award.

Huval

Thomas K. Huval will serve as chair of the LWCC board of directors. The retired regional president and senior leader for Brown & Brown Inc. has been a board director since 2017. He has served on a number of industry boards and councils, including the board of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana, for which he also served as legislative chair.

Ten area providers will serve on the North Oaks Medical Center medical executive committee. They include John Krieg, Jacques Peltier, Kathryn Dorhauer, Casey Steen, Hugo A. “Rowdy” Valdes, Georges Tanios, Jaime Edwards, Daniel Linarello, Brandon Cambre and Brigette Pennington North Oaks Medical Center is a Level 2 trauma center and primary stroke center with 330 beds.

Five area providers will serve on the North Oaks Rehabilitation

Hospital medical executive committee. They include Rishi Pathak, Rainier Batiste, Mannan Khan, Hugo A. “Rowdy” Valdes and

Joe Toma, senior project manager at Ratcliff Development, has

Holdings; Gwendolyn Hamilton, president, GPH Consulting LLC; Trott Hunt, president, Hunt, Guillot & Associates and Hunt

Monique Thierry, executive director, U.S. Chamber of Commerce SW/South Central Region; Michael Tipton, president, Blue Cross

Honoring the Legacy of Mr. Jairo Alvarez

of the Baton Rouge Business Report’s Hall of Fame Award

We are honored to celebrate the well-deserved recognition of Mr. Jairo Alvarez, whose commitment to quality craftsmanship and community impact continues to inspire.

HRM Concrete and Cocreham Brick are proud to partner with the Alvarez family in carrying forward his vision - building with excellence and giving back to the community.

Recipient

East Baton Rouge Parish School System; Tyler Fasanella, Gallagher; Marsha Foster, Louisiana Blue; Jude Franklin, Franklin Associates; Jesse Lee Guillory, Worley Engineering Group; Lori Halvorson, City Year Baton Rouge; April Hawthorne, Baton Rouge North Economic Development District; Morgan Hilliard, Thrive Foundation; Natasha James, Allstar Community Care; Keyo Johnson, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University; Anthony B. Kenney, East Baton Rouge Metro Council District 2; Laticia King, MetroMorphosis; Ali Landry, Foundation for Woman’s; Justin Mannino, Taylor Porter; Courtney Messa, Teach for America Greater Baton Rouge; Catherine Moore, Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson LLP; Carla Powell Lewis, East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Spirit of Excellence Learning Systems LLC; Katie Pritchett, Baton Rouge Health District; Joseph Robins, J. Robins CPA LLC and The Wealth Collective LLC; Melody Robinson, The Melody Robinson Agency; Jessica

Sharon, Junior League of Baton Rouge; Megan Sias, BASF; Maggi Spurlock, Baton Rouge Area Chamber; David Tidwell, HOPE Ministries / The Way to Work of Baton Rouge; Meagan West, Westward Strategies; Natasha Whitton, Baton Rouge Community College; Matt Zagotti, Ryan LLC.

OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS

The Dunham School is adding a second campus to house its rapidly growing 2-year-old program. In partnership with The Chapel, The Dunham Early Childhood Center at Siegen will open in August, at 9611 Siegen Lane. Relocating the early childhood center to the Siegen campus will allow the school to enroll up to 40 2-year-olds while also freeing up space to accommodate additional lower school students on its main campus.

Ochsner Health and Elite Training Academy have opened Elite Training Complex – Burbank, one of the region’s first facilities to publicly offer the latest advancements in sports medicine

and performance training. This 65,000-square-foot complex at the intersection of Burbank and Lee drives is the Capital Region’s premier destination for athletes of all levels. The Elite ownership team combines former LSU athletes and business leaders including Ben Bordelon, Brandon Landry, Todd Graves, Sean Reilly, Holden Spaht, Carlos Spaht, Clyde EdwardsHelaire, Tyrann Mathieu, Joe Burrow, Jamal Adams and Greg Stringfellow

First National Bank of Louisiana is expanding its banking and lending services to the Baton Rouge area with the addition of new Market President Jordan Hultberg. Hultberg has more than 15 years of banking experience in Baton Rouge, having served at Red River Bank since 2013, most recently as senior vice president/ commercial banker. FNB has locations in Lafayette, Crowley, Lake Charles and Sulphur.

Guarantee Restoration Services has entered into an agreement to serve as the managing partner for W.B. Arthur Restoration, a restoration and facility maintenance provider in Austin, Texas. This partnership is part of Guarantee Restoration’s expansion throughout the South and Gulf Coast region.

PHILANTHROPY GRANTS

Capital Area Court Appointed Special Advocates has sworn in a new class of CASA volunteers. Each volunteer will be appointed to advocate for the best interests of an abused child for the next 18 months. The new advocates include Michelle Moore, Caitlyn Thompson, Rex Cabiniss, Olivier Doin, Karen Gross, Agostino Buono, London Fougerouse, Lauren Reddinger, Rachel Beach, Brooke Coogan, Ammarah Thomas, Jenna Jaureguy, Camryn Conner, Karmesha Jackson and Denise Joseph. Each completed a 32-hour training course, which prepares CASA volunteers for advocacy work.

Hultberg

QUALITY & EXCELLENCE A SHARED COMMITMENT BETWEEN MERCEDES-BENZ AND GW OLIVER AQUATICS

For 15 years, Guy Oliver, owner of GW Oliver Aquatics, has relied on Mercedes-Benz to power his business and personal life. What started as a search for a sporty second car has blossomed into a deep appreciation for the quality and performance that defines the Mercedes-Benz brand.

“Initially, I was just looking for a fun, weekend car,” recalls Oliver. “I reached out to Joe Agresti, the owner of the Mercedes-Benz dealership, and he introduced me to a special edition AMG S 63 Coupe. That car really sparked my love for the brand.”

Over the years, Oliver has owned a variety of Mercedes-Benz models, from sleek coupes to spacious sedans. But no matter the body style, he has been consistently impressed by the craftsmanship and driving dynamics that set the brand apart.

“When you get behind the wheel of a Mercedes, you just know you’re in a quality vehicle,” Oliver says. “The performance is incredible, but it’s the overall sense of safety and sophistication that keeps me coming back.”

Oliver’s relationship with the MercedesBenz of Baton Rouge dealership has been equally rewarding. He has worked closely with multiple sales representatives who have provided exceptional service and built a genuine rapport.

“They really go above and beyond to ensure I’m taken care of,” Oliver explains. “Whether it’s a birthday call or quickly resolving an issue, the team at Mercedes-Benz of Baton Rouge has always taken care of us.”

This level of customer service aligns perfectly with the standards Oliver upholds in his own business. As the owner of GW Oliver Aquatics, he has transformed his business from a custom homebuilder to a nationally

recognized leader in the aquatics industry.

“As we’ve grown, our customers’ expectations have skyrocketed,” Oliver says. “They receive the same platinum-level service that I receive from Mercedes-Benz.”

To meet these lofty standards, Oliver has instilled a culture of excellence throughout his organization. From the construction of complex commercial pools to residential backyard oases, every project is approached with the same meticulous attention to detail.

“We’re now building pools in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia,” Oliver explains. “Just last year, we completed a project in the Superdome for

the New Orleans Saints. The level of quality and craftsmanship required for a job like that is on par with the engineering that goes into a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.”

With plans to continue growing his business across the Southeast, Oliver knows he can count on Mercedes-Benz to be there every step of the way. It’s a partnership built on a foundation of trust, quality and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

“At the end of the day, we’re both striving for the same thing – to deliver an exceptional experience to our customers,” Oliver says. “That’s what makes this relationship special.”

Guy Oliver, pictured with 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450e Plug-in Hybrid

CONSULTING

Ashley Cain has joined Cornerstone as the government relations and public affairs firm’s first Louisiana-based public affairs professional. She previously was director of public and government affairs at the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association.

GOVERNMENT

Stacy Romero is the new executive director of the Louisiana Economic Alliance for Development. She will lead the statewide association in its mission to support Louisiana economic developers through education and professional development, networking and public policy advocacy. LEAD is the voice of the economic development profession

in Louisiana and its members serve as key players in promoting the economic health and competitiveness of Louisiana

HEALTH CARE

Kristin Chapman has been elected to a one-year term as chief of the medical staff at Woman’s Hospital, the highest elected leadership position among the medical staff. She is a board-certified OBGYN whose duties include the coordination of clinical improvement activities as well as chairing the medical executive committee. As chief of staff, she will also serve on the Woman’s board of directors.

Ali Landry is the new president and chief philanthropy officer of the Foundation for Woman’s. Landry previously served as CEO at

Louisiana Key Academy. In her new role, she will advance the philanthropic mission of the Foundation for Woman’s through strategic and collaborative leadership.

Jared LeDoux is the new vice president of human resources at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. He brings more than 15 years of human resources experience, most recently serving as vice president of human resources at Premier Health. He is currently an LSU instructor teaching an online course on human resource analytics.

Lesley Tilley is the new executive vice president and COO of Woman’s Hospital. She has three decades of experience in the health care industry, most recently serving as regional vice president of operations at Our Lady of the Lake

Health. In her new role, she will focus on patient-centered solutions.

INDUSTRY

Brad Lambert is the new manager of strategic initiatives at Providence Engineering and Environmental Group. Lambert brings more than 32 years of experience in energy, communications and economic development, including a 25-year stint at Harris, DeVille & Associates, where he advised ExxonMobil, Dow Chemical, BASF and CF Industries.

NONPROFITS

Sarah Lomax Gray is the new executive director of the Baton Rouge Epicurean Society. Gray has spent the past seven years as a real estate agent and previously worked in the nonprofit sector. The nonprofit organization organizes three signature community events— Crawfête, the Mama Marino Award Dinner, and Fête Rouge—donating proceeds to local charities and programs that support childhood nutrition and community health initiatives.

ASHLEY CAIN Cornerstone STACY ROMERO Louisiana Economic Alliance for Development

KRISTIN CHAPMAN Woman’s Hospital

JARED LEDOUX Mary Bird Perkins

SARAH LOMAX GRAY Baton Rouge Epicurean Society

LEADERSHIP

Business and community leaders throughout the Capital Region filled the ballroom of the Crowne Plaza on Feb. 5 to jump-start the new year at Business Report’s Leadership Power Breakfast. Guests were welcomed with a breakfast buffet before being led in prayer by Pastor Johnny Green to open the celebration. Featured speakers were Mayor-President Emile “Sid” Edwards; Greg Trahan, LSU director of economic development; Lori Melancon, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber; and Chris Meyer, CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.

The event was sponsored by lnvestar Bank, Jones Walker LLP, Laporte CPAs & Business Advisors, Cox Business and The Port of Greater Baton Rouge.

Noah Boudreaux

COO, MESH

“Singing and live music require a different set of skills that keep me balanced. On stage, I’m focused on entertaining the audience, which is a short escape from the day to day.”

EXECUTIVE

Kristin

John D’Angelo PRESIDENT & CEO