Upper Lafayette On The Move www.upperlafayette.com April 2015 Volume 76
Printed by Lafayette Economic Development Authority
Published by
Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation
Printed by
Lafayette Economic Development Authority
Board of Directors
Monty Warren, President Cherie Hebert, Vice President Todd Citron, Secretary/ Treasurer David Welch, Immediate Past President Adrian Baudoin Julie Dronet Brenda Foulcard Donna Landry Kirk LaCour Beau Phares Bryan Tabor Jerry Vascocu
Honorary Advisory Board Don Dupuis Ed Krampe Dwight “Bo” Ramsay Herbert Schilling
Staff
Jan Swift, Executive Director Elsa Dimitriadis, Communications Director/ Executive Assistant
Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation is an association of proactive individuals and business leaders joined together to be a catalyst for change. The Foundation’s mission is to enhance and direct the positive, planned growth of Upper Lafayette, focusing on quality of life, while participating in the overall development of the Greater Lafayette Metropolitan Area.
Mailing Address P.O. Box 53107 Lafayette, LA 70505
On the Web
www.upperlafayette.com
For membership information or sponsorship opportunities, contact Jan Swift at jan@upperlafayette.com.
Volume 76 • April 2015 • www.upperlafayette.com
A Letter from the Executive Director As the late, great Robin Williams said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s Party!’ With the beautiful sunshine and mild temperatures, it is indeed a great time to be alive and celebrate life.What better time of year than Easter, when God shares His daily miracles in the majestic display of blooming flowers, blue skies and the warm sun shining on our faces. And for Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation, we have much to celebrate, including the beautiful landscape of Upper Lafayette Parish in which so many residents and businesses understand the value of selecting this region as a wonderful place in which to live, work and invest. Speaking of Spring and parties, please join us at our seventh annual crawfish boil to be held on the beautiful grounds of Farm d’Allie in Carencro on April 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. Each year we select an outstanding location which highlights the beauty of Upper Lafayette Parish and if you have not yet visited Farm D’Allie, you have missed out! Come join us and enjoy heartwarming friendships and the connections we make with fun and talented people who support our efforts. We hope to see you there!
Jan Swift, Executive Director
Save the Date for our May Meeting with the Candidates for Sheriff Please save May 20, 2015 for our May meeting which will be held at the LITE Center, and feature Lafayette Parish Sheriff candidates Mark Garber, Chad Leger and Rick Chargois. We are looking forward to providing a forum for the community to hear each candidate’s message and plans for the future of safety in our community. Tickets will be $25 and we thank Advancial for sponsoring this important event.
www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
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(L-R): Cherie Hebert of BBR Creative, Jan Swift, Scott Brazda of Stuller Family Foundation
March Meeting Focuses on Cause Marketing and the Benefits to Business With a focus on celebrating the philanthropic endeavors many of our Upper Lafayette members engage in, our March 18th meeting was also the place to learn about the crettive ways business can build their brands through “Cause Marketing.” Cherie Hebert of BBR Creative gave a fascinating overview of effective marketing campaigns that utilize Cause Related Marketing involving the cooperative efforts of a for-profit business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit, such as Tom’s Shoes, McDonald’s “Ronald McDonald houses, and Target and CC’s Coffee programs which give back to local schools as a perk of loyalty to their brands. Consumers appreciate and support socially conscious businesses because it causes them to become emotionally invested. In fact, customers are 85 percent more likely to buy a product that is associated with a charity. 54% of Americans bought a product associated with a cause over the last 12 months, increasing 170% since 1993. Scott Brazda of the Stuller Family Foundation underscored Hebert’s thoughts, adding the story of his
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personal journey to philanthropy, and sharing with us his committment to teaching the next generation about the joys of giving. We thank them both for taking the time to share their experiences with us. “We give back for many reasons. One major reason is that giving defines who you are. It defines who our company is or at least who we want to be....We all want to know we are doing something good in the world, and when our people feel that, we tend to feel better, and when we feel better, we do a better job.”
- David Welch, CEO, Stone Energy “We use community relations –sponsorships of civic, non-profit and other special initiatives - as a platform from which to grow relationships with clients, prospective clients, and business and community leaders, to build brand awareness, and to try to uniquely differentiate IBERIABANK from other banks.”
— Beth Ardoin, Senior Executive VP, Director of Communications,
www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
Judy Briscoe and Sheila Thibodeaux catch up at check in
Todd Citron leads off meeting
Laura Buller and her father, Frank Connolly
Desi Comeaux, Jan Swift, Hailey Vincent, Beth Chiasson
Mark Garber, Carlos Stout, John Swift
Kimberly Falgout presenting on MD Anderson fundraiser
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Don’t Forget to Register!
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www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
BBR Wins Big This ADDY Season!
BBR’s creative excellence was honored by the American Advertising Federations of Baton Rouge and Acadiana ADDY Awards this past February. BBR’s combined winnings totaled 27 Gold and Silver ADDY Awards and 5 special awards: Production Artist & Designer Kellie Viola was named Designer of the Year, and Senior Copywriter Tim Landry earned the title Copywriter of the Year in Lafayette. Baton Rouge awarded BBR with Best in Show Copywriting and Best in Show Broadcast along with their client, Louisiana Economic Development and our creative partners Tommy ’s TV and Covalent Logic of Baton Rouge. CEO Cherie Hebert was awarded the Silver Medal Award, AAF - Acadiana’s highest honor, which recognizes outstanding industry contributions, commitment to creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern. Since 1997, BBR Creative BBR has served as a brand communications agency that works in partnership with organizations/corporations, providing creative solutions to help increase brand awareness and grow business. Known for their outstanding creativity and effectiveness, they have served more than 500 clients since inception. For more information, please visit http://www.bbrcreative.com.
Upper Lafayette Sponsors Students for Junior Leadership Upper Lafayette focuses on improving educational outcomes and economic development for our region. As part of that focus, we are highly interested in building leadership qualities in our youth which will empower them to achieve a high quality of life. We support the Lafayette Junior Leadership program run by the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. The participants are high school juniors who apply for the program as sophomores and attend nine sessions from August to April of their junior year. Eligible students are students enrolled in private and public schools or home schooled in Lafayette Parish. The emphasis is on leadership and programs each covering such topics as parish government, social services and volunteerism, health care, technology, college survival, and a trip to the State Capitol. Students learn leadership and problem solving skills, meet students from other schools in their community, and have worthwhile discussions on community enhancement and making a difference. We encourage our local students at Carencro and Northside High Schools to participate in this program and have offered to underwrite the cost for any students selected to participate in Lafayette Junior Leadership for the upcoming year. Upper Lafayette wishes all of our student the best of success and encourage everyone in our community to get involved in our local schools. You can make a difference!
www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
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Internships Needed! Carencro High’s Academy of Information Technology program prepares students for college and career success, providing them with skills and experience they will need to survive in this rapidly changing field. AOIT offers college prep academic courses in math, science, social studies, English, foreign language, and Fine Arts survey. Technology courses are offered in the areas of Digital Media, Web Design, Programming, Computer Networking, Computer Repair/Maintenance, Video Game Design, and Animation, 3D Modeling, Microsoft Office Suite and Databases. The AOIT is guided by an Advisory Board, composed of members of local IT professionals, an AOIT parent, student and alumnus; and representatives of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, technical colleges and Lafayette. This and other community partnerships are geared toward providing real-life experiences and toward keeping the Academy program grounded in the reality of the IT field.
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A paid summer internship in the IT field is required in the summer between the junior and senior year of students enrolled in this Lafayette Parish School of Choice. Claire Trouard, Director of AOIT, is reaching out to our business community to fill these internship spots this summer. Students will need to work a minimum of 180 hours and earn minimum wage or higher. Costs for taking on an intern will range from $1500 to $1800. The benefits of being exposed to realistic workforce practices are invaluable for the students. Please consider investing in the future of our business community by sponsoring an AOIT intern. If you are interested in the program but do not have immediate need for the intern’s services, please consider financially sponsoring an intern to be placed at an area non-profit. For more information, please call Claire Trouard at (337)8966675 or email her at cetrouard@lpssonline.com.
www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
Teaching Conflict Resolution at Northside High School In response to a sudden outbreak of fighting between the female students of Northside High School, administrators and teachers organized a conflict resolution all-female assembly featuring prominent local women as faciliators. Beginning with a surprise reenactment of a fight that had happened earlier in the week, students were broken up into small groups to discuss and brainstorm more effective ways to handle situations that had recently arisen. Encounters such as, “A girl who you do not know bumps into you, and instead of saying, ‘Excuse me,’ says, ‘Watch where you are going,’” were enacted with various responses and discussed by students with the guidance of the facilitators. After the breakout sessions, students were organized into grade levels and topics appropriate to each age group were introduced. These included subjects such as generational entrenchment, setting career/educational goals, and keeping a budget. The assembly began after lunch and lasted the rest of the school day. Local leaders and facilitators present included Upper Lafayette’s Executive Director Jan Swift, Board Member Brenda Foulcard, Communications Director Elsa Dimitriadis, and local education advocate Erica Williams, among others.
www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
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Leaders Against Litter Work to Clean Up Our Community In an effort to educate and involve community leaders in the fight against litter in Louisiana, Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) and twenty three affiliates, including Project Front Yard and Keep Lafayette Beautiful, participated in a statewide litter-a-thon on March 13, 2015. The event ended with a press conference in Baton Rouge when Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne celebrated the results. Locally, 41 bags and 450 pounds of trash were collected by 41 community leaders at the second annual “Leaders Against Litter” event, hosted by Project Front Yard and Keep Lafayette Beautiful. Across the state, over 625 volunteers picked up more than 220 bags of litter and put in over 800 hours of litter clean up on Friday morning. Leaders Against Litter is a signature event that gives local citizens the opportunity to demonstrate their support in keeping Louisiana beautiful by leading the charge against litter in our community. Local government officials, business and community leaders, including State Representative Vincent Pierre, joined Project Front Yard and Keep Lafayette Beautiful across the quarter mile route on University Avenue from Cameron to Walker Road collecting various forms of litter to beautify the area.
Carlee Alm-LaBar, State Rep. Vincent Pierre and Kevin Blanchard
Before the clean up event, participants learned about Project Front Yard’s efforts and collectively signed a “Leaders Against Litter” pledge confirming their commitment to SPEAK UP and spread the word that litter is not acceptable, to PICK UP litter whenever they see it, and to STAND UP and lead the way for a litter-free Louisiana. The Leaders Against Litter events kicked off the Great American Cleanup held in the months of March, April and May. The general public is encouraged to follow the example of the leaders in the Lafayette community and participate in Project Front Yard’s Trash Bash on Saturday May 2, 2015. For more information on Project Front Yard’s Trash Bash in Lafayette Parish, individuals should contact Lisa Mahoney at 337.291.5637.
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www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
Former Louisiana Governor, Mike Foster Honored Former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster was presented with the Inaugural Murphy J. “Mike” Foster Award for Extraordinary Contributions to Community and Technical Colleges in Louisiana last week at the annual conference for Louisiana’s community and technical colleges. Named in his honor, Governor Foster was presented with the award for his leadership and vision in creating the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. “Of all the things we accomplished, creating the community and technical college system is the one that most people thank me for,” said Foster. “It is remarkable what has been done with the system. What was created to educate and help get people jobs is being done at high levels, and I am proud of that,” he added. “The cooperation with industry has been significant as they have been intricate to the success of the community and technical college system.” In 1996, Governor Foster set out to create a system of higher education that would establish and provide academic transfer programs and workforce training for Louisiana residents. The Legislature supported the initiative by the passage of ACT 151 and ACT 170 during the First Extraordinary Session of 1998. That same year, voters overwhelmingly approved the establishment of a separate board of the community colleges and the technical college campuses, and on July 1, 1999, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board of Supervisors became operational.
Since its inception, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System has become one of the fastest growing and most productive two-year systems in the nation in terms of students served and credentials awarded. In 2014 more than 165,000 students attended a community and technical college and more than 20,000 students earned a credential including associate degrees, technical diplomas and industry based certifications. “The foresight of Governor Foster and the legislators who authored the bill to start the community and technical college system was brilliant,” said Monty Sullivan president of Louisiana’s community and technical colleges. “The need for workforce training and transfers has never been greater and a decision 16 years ago is paying dividends now and will continue years into the future.” LCTCS Board of Supervisors Chair Woody Oge said, “His vision to unify the community and technical colleges in this state has created a lasting legacy that will improve the lives of Louisiana citizens for generations to come. His commitment to workforce development is unmatched.” Notable attendees included former Governor Edwin Edwards, former Governor Kathleen Blanco, current Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne and several members of Governor Foster’s administration. Pictured L-R: Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, Governor Mike Foster, Governor Edwin Edwards, Governor Kathleen Blanco and LCTCS President Monty Sullivan.
www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
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Lafayette General Health System Makes Positive Impact on Upper Lafayette Lafayette General Health is proud to support Upper Lafayette by bringing its mission, To Restore, Maintain and Improve Health, to where it’s most important – to children. Lafayette General Health staffs the school-based health clinic at Carencro Middle School (CMS) with University Hospital & Clinics Pediatrician Dr. Donna Jean Wilson. She cares for approximately 600 students there in grades 4 - 8. Children from surrounding schools, such as Carencro High and Live Oak and Carencro Heights elementary schools, are transported to this clinic. However, since September 2014, Lafayette General Foundation, the philanthropic arm of LGH, helped launch the Lafayette Parish School System’s first school-based Telemedicine Clinic at Ossun Elementary. First developed for NASA astronauts, telemedicine, through the use of digital technology, allows the physician at CMS to be accessed by students at Ossun Elementary without having to leave school to be seen. High definition TV screens, a two-way audio system and Bluetooth-powered medical equipment, such as a digital stethoscope, allow the physician at CMS to examine students at Ossun with the aid of a nurse. This minimizes the amount of classroom time a student at Ossun misses, and eases the burden on parents and the school of having to physically transport students to the clinic at CMS. Limiting transportation demands is not the only way telemedicine saves costs. Access to timely immunizations, early treatment and targeting risk factors helps keep medical expenses down across the board. Quick and easy access to health care means students can be sent for additional medical attention elsewhere, if necessary, in the early stages of an illness, before requiring even more drastic treatment. Proactive, preventive care is key to Lafayette General’s goal of improving overall community health. Catching ailments in their early stages and stopping the spread of infection are vital to curtailing illness and growing a healthy population. School-based clinics, staffed with LGH medical expertise and equipped with modern technology, are just one more way Lafayette General makes a positive impact on Upper Lafayette.
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www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
Local Foods, Local Places Focuses on Healthy Locally Grown Food A grocery store or two filled exclusively with locally grown and produced items could be around in a year’s time. Lafayette Parish schools could use the success of French Immersion to implement a Food Immersion program in two year’s time. These and other ideas could be soon realized thanks to Local Foods, Local Places, a project that brought major food players at local, state and federal levels to Acadiana in March 2015. “I think this is a tremendous step forward,” said Brett Mellington, manager of business development for the Lafayette Economic Development Authority. “This puts us in the driver’s seat to get some major funding coming our way. I like to see my tax dollars coming back to Lafayette.” Lafayette is one of 26 communities across America selected to receive technical assistance through the Local Foods, Local Places program. More than 300 communities applied to take part in the program. A few dozen locals ranging from farmers and local government workers to nonprofit organizers and business owners took part in the Local Foods, Local Places workshops recently which focused primarily on building Acadiana’s local food economy. The group chose five ideas to rally around and created action plans for each:
• Better establishing the Acadiana Food Alliance • Establishing Acadiana as the state’s food storage and distribution hub • Starting a Grow Acadiana campaign • Creating food literacy programs in schools • Creating more tools and resources for young farmers.
While the technical assistance does not include funding, the action plans coming out of the program could result in grants and other funding. “What energizes me the most is seeing so many agencies here together addressing the issues of sustaining the local food movement,” said Brian Gotreaux, a farmer who founded the Hub City Farmer’s Market. “This is really helping to connect the dots in this community.” Content provided by Megan Wyatt, the Daily Advertiser, March 6, 2015
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Spotlight on New Member: Island Operating Co., LLC Driven by Safety. Guided by Compliance. Focused on Production.
When Island Operating first opened its doors in 1986 under the leadership of Gregg Falgout, it was with the pledge of providing safe, compliant, and cost-efficient operations to oil and gas customers. Now, nearly three decades later, the company is proud to say it has lived up to that pledge on a daily basis. The team never loses sight of the fact that they are in the business of service as they continue to provide quality land and inland water platform management services to the energy industry. From their early start with only 15 employees to the current workforce of over 1,200, Island Operating’s growth is a testimony to the quality of service they have provided. As the company continues to grow, they have pledged to remain true to the core values on which this company was built.
Within the communities served, Island Operating’s employees are also proud to give back by supporting the causes that hold special places in their hearts. The time spent volunteering creates an added sense of purpose and provides an opportunity to give back in a meaningful way. Some of the many causes Island supports include MD Anderson – Zone In On The Cure For Cancer (they will host their first annual Sporting Clay Tournament in Maurice on June 19, 2015), the Avon 39 Walk to End Breast Cancer, American Cancer Society, Food Net, Miles Perret Cancer Services, Louisiana Oilmen’s Bass Invitational, Cajun Woodstock to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Choices Program (teaching students the perils of drinking and driving), Family Adoptions for Christmas, Stone Energy’s Gumbo Cook Off to Benefit United Way of Acadiana, and Reality Check (teaching area students emotional intelligence.) We are grateful and privileged to welcome the team at Island Operating Co., LLC to our fold! Upper Lafayette is proud to salute Island Operating as a new member and Platinum Patron Sponsor! Thank you for all you do to make our community a better place. For more information, please visit www.islandoperating. com.
When asked, the management at Island Operating states that the secret to their success is ensuring that their employees feel valued. They frequently refer to the “Island Culture.” It’s not just company lingo. It’s who they are, what they do, and how they live. At Island Operating, that culture creates an environment that fosters relationship building, teamwork, trust, and a focus on safety. It instills pride in the work being done and a belief that excellence is the consistent standard to which each employee should aspire daily. This is rounded out with extensive, ongoing training and education to ensure that each employee remains on the cutting edge of technology and service. What results is a phenomenal workforce with the power to ensure that its clients’ operations are safe, efficient, and productive.
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www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015
SLEMCO Invests Back in the Community SLEMCO, the Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership Corporation, is generous with their resources and time. Here is a glimpse into the many projects and organizations that they support: Operation Round-Up SLEMCO provides grants to needy individuals and families who require assistance. Funds for these grants are provided voluntarily by thousands of SLEMCO customers who allow their monthly bills to be rounded up to the next highest dollar. Prescription medications, artificial limbs, eyeglasses, medical care, wheelchairs, ramps and other handicap renovations are examples of the grants awarded each month. No utility bills are paid through this program. Since its inception in 1995, SLEMCO’s Operation Round-Up Program has awarded over $4.5 million to needy individuals and families throughout the Acadiana area. College Scholarships SLEMCO awards twenty $2,000 college scholarships each year to qualifying SLEMCO members who attend a Louisiana college. The scholarships are awarded through a random drawing each June at SLEMCO’s Annual Meeting. Below, are a few of the lucky recipients from the 2014 drawing pictured with SLEMCO representatives, Francis Delhomme and Mary Laurent. United Blood Services SLEMCO has hosted an annual blood drive for United Blood Services for the past 10 years at our SLEMCO Annual Meetings. Through the generous donations from both SLEMCO employees and SLEMCO members, United Blood Services is able to collect hundreds of units of blood in one short morning. United Way SLEMCO and its employees have always strongly supported the United Way Program. On average, 87% of SLEMCO employees contribute to this cause each year. Special Olympics For 26 years, SLEMCO has been sending volunteers to assist the Acadiana Special Olympics track meet, our signature volunteer effort and a long-time favorite of SLEMCO employees. Thank you, SLEMCO, for supporting our community and setting such a wonderful example of philanthropy, “loving your fellow human.”
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Thank you for your generosity.. Platinum Patrons ($5000)
Halliburton IBERIABANK Island Operating, Inc. Schlumberger Stone Energy
Platinum Members ($2400)
Acadian Companies Acadiana Computer Systems, Inc. Aries Marine Corporation ASH/Badger Oil Company Couret Farms Cox Communications Delta Media Home Furniture Hub City Ford Lafayette General Medical Center McDonald’s of Acadiana MidSouth Bank Our Lady of Lourdes PHI, Inc. Republic National Distributing Company Schilling Distributing Company Whitney National Bank
Gold Members ($1200)
Acadiana Rubber & Gasket Atmos Energy Beau Box Commercial Real Estate Dupré Logistics, LLC Fenstermaker & Associates Gulf Coast Bank Home Bank Omni Energy Services The Southwest Group Tobacco Free Living Van Eaton & Romero
Silver Members ($600)
Ace Plumbing, Inc. Arsement Machine and Supply, Inc. BBR Creative Cajun Harley Davidson Coburn’s Supply Company Edward Jones/Bob Crist Entergy
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Silver Members
Bronze Members
($600)
Gauthiers’ RV Center Master Builders & Specialists, Inc. Oakbourne Country Club Prejean Creative Proree, LLC Rader Solutions Refinery Downtown Shelf Energy, LLC SLEMCO Stella Maris Stirling Properties Total Pump and Supply, LLC Universal Sign & Manufacturing Company Walters Funeral Home
Bronze Members ($300)
Acadiana C.A.R.E.S. Advancial Federal Credit Union Anytime Fitness Upper Lafayette Aspen Clinic Boys and Girls Clubs of Acadiana Jean C. Breaux, Jr. & Associates Breaux’s Mart Bridge Ministry of Acadiana, Inc. Community Foundation of Acadiana Crawdaddy’s On-Site Catering Dale Carnegie-The Winner Institute Davis Property Management Taylor Davis, Northwestern Mutual Derek Development Corp., LLC Joey Durel Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Lynn Guidry, Architect Jay Castille Construction John Paul The Great Academy Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro Lafayette Animal Aid Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission Lafayette Youth Soccer Association Lee Verret/State Farm Insurance Agency Lowry’s Printing and Copying Flo Meadows, Coldwell Banker Iqbal Merchant, CPA Melancon I-49 Storage Center Petroleum Club Proree, LLC Chad Romero, Northwestern Mutual Ron J. Gaubert Realtors W. W. Rucks, III Sarah Schoeffler Schools of the Sacred Heart
($300)
SMILE John Swift Sylvan Learning Center Teche Electric Supply, LLC Dr. Brent Jason Toups, LLC Valerie Gotch Garrett, APLC WorldPay
Sponsors PLATINUM Lafayette Airport Commission LEDA GOLD AT&T Beau Box Commercial Real Estate Dupré Logistics Hub City Ford The Southwest Group Tobacco Free Living SILVER Acadian Companies Advancial Federal Credit Union Schilling Distributing Company
City of Carencro City of Scott
BRONZE
A special thanks to the Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) for being our Program of Work partner for 2015.
www.upperlafayette.com • April 2015