July 2016 Upper Lafayette Newsletter by Upper Lafayette

Upper Lafayette On The Move www.upperlafayette.com July 2016 Volume 91

July Meeting Focuses on Transportation

Member Spotlight on Melancon I-49 Storage Center Marketing to Millennials LEDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S Greg Gothreaux Delivers 2016 State of the Economy Address 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, Past President Zachary Barker Adrian Baudoin Kevin Blanchard Chad Cole Brenda Foulcard Donna Landry Pastor Ken Lazard Kirk LaCour Herb Schilling Bryan Tabor Jerry Vascocu

Honorary Advisory Board Don Dupuis Dwight “Bo” Ramsay

Staff

Jan Swift, Executive Director Elsa Dimitriadis, Communications Director

Mailing Address P.O. Box 53107 Lafayette, LA 70505

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. On the cover: Artist, community organizer and Upper Lafayette resident, Ted A. Richard paints the LAFA-ETTE sign in Parc Sans Souci. Photograph by Elsa Dimitriadis.

On the Web

www.upperlafayette.com

For membership information or sponsorship opportunities, contact Jan Swift at jan@upperlafayette.com.

Volume 91 • July 2016 • www.upperlafayette.com

A Letter from the Executive Director Road trips are a great opportunity to explore other parts of the U. S. I just returned from a trip out West to beautiful Valdez, NM. Taking my time to see the sights, I detoured off I-40 W to spend the night at the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM, located on the historic Route 66. The most interesting part of this leg of my journey was learning the history of this formerly vibrant community that served as a magnet for tourists in its heyday….before I-40 bypassed Tucumcari in 1981. Still quaint, the town appears frozen in time. With barely 5000 residents and its big tourism dollars a thing of the past, this personal experience seemed well-timed given Lafayette’s current foray into completing the Lafayette I-49 Connector and understanding its importance to our community. As anyone in Tucumcari can tell you, interstates serve as incredible economic drivers and can make or break a community. I think fondly of Carl Bauer, a former Louisiana Senator and longtime proponent of the I-49 South project which commenced back in the 1960’s. Fifty years ago, Carl and other leaders recognized our need for improved safety and hurricane evacuation, traffic congestion relief, and the economic driver the interstate would serve so as to encourage investment along what we now call “America’s Energy Corridor.” The 5.5 mile stretch through Lafayette is a key component of the project not only in the big picture of “economic development,” but for the tens of thousands of local commuters who slog daily along the congested thruway in an effort to get to work and school on time. What are your thoughts on the Lafayette Connector? Many of the opponents of this project do not live along the corridor. Upper Lafayette has taken an active role in promoting the need for the Connector and we value your input. We are particularly interested in hearing from our many friends who live along the corridor and experience actual road conditions. Please contact me at (337)769-7649 or jan@ upperlafayette.com to share your thoughts. Thank you!

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

July Meeting to Focus on Transportation

Please join us Wednesday, July 20, 2016, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Petroleum Club to learn the latest on transportation issues in our community. Steven Picou, Director of the Lafayette Regional Airport, will update us on the airport expansion; Tom Carroll, Director of Lafayette Parish Public Works, will discuss road improvements in the works, and Ben Berthelot, Director of Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission, will share how Uber has affected our tourism/local driving experiences. Tickets are $35 each or $300 for a reserved table for eight. Payment may be made online by credit card here or mail payment to Upper Lafayette, P. O. Box 53107, Lafayette LA 70505. Email jan@upperlafayette.com with any questions. Special thanks to the Fly Lafayette Club and Honda of Lafayette for making this event possible!

www.upperlafayette.com â&#x20AC;˘ July 2016

LEDA Connects Employers with Workforce Training Hundreds of Acadiana businesses are taking advantage of millions of dollars in workforce training grants and resources administered by the Louisiana Workforce Commission and your business may also qualify. The Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) is an invaluable resource to obtain information on workforce training programs and resources. A few of the programs available are: The Small Business Employee Training Program (SBET) is designed to benefit business with fewer than 50 employees by assisting in the skill development of existing employees through individualized training. Employers are reimbursed for tuition and textbooks once the training has been completed and proper documentation has been submitted to the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC). Training costs cannot exceed $3,000 per employee per state fiscal year (July 1-June 30). Funding is provided through the Incumbent Worker Training Account. Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWTP) assists in the skill development of existing employees (at least 15) and provides funding for customized workforce training for companies who have contributed to the state’s Unemployment Insurance System for a minimum of 3 years. Funding provided will pay for training plans that last up to one year and can be customized based on your company’s training needs. Examples of training allowed include trade skills, computer skills, safety, compliance, management, teambuilding, leadership, and many more. Administered by the Louisiana Workforce Commission. On-the-Job Training Program: Provides up to 50% reimbursement of wages to employers for either new hires or skills upgrades for existing employees. Wages of $10 or more per hour may be reimbursed for the time it takes to learn the necessary skills with a maximum of $2000 per participant. Current national grant funding allows reimbursement of up to $5000 for new hires if worker was previously displaced from employment. Administered by the local area Business & Career Solution Center offices. LED FastStart Program: A single-source workforce solution that works with businesses to anticipate and address the company’s workforce needs early in the startup or expansion process. Based on company’s commitment to create jobs. FastStart provides assistance with developing recruiting and screening tools, as training programs for companies during their ramp up period all at no cost to your company for projects approved by the state. This program is administered by Louisiana Economic Development. Small and Emerging Business Program: Helps Louisiana’s small businesses by funding up to 50% of the cost of entrepreneurial & computer training (as well as other technical assistance such as legal needs, marketing, and accounting). This program is paired with advisory services from the Louisiana network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). For information, contact Ryan LaGrange at (337)5931405 or ryanl@lafayette.org.

Ryan LaGrange, Manager of Workforce Development, LEDA

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

Latest on Lafayette I-49 Connector The Federal Highway Administration and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced in June that a supplement will be prepared to the Environmental Impact Statement originally approved in 2002 and is expected to be completed in 2018. The supplemental EIS (“SEIS”) was determined to be the best way to study any changes that have occurred since 2003. The SEIS is not a restart of the project. The state and Lafayette Consolidated Government have been working for more than 10 years to acquire properties in the selected corridor whenever possible. more than 70 properties — homes, businesses and empty lots — purchased for more than $10 million to make way for the proposed Interstate 49 Lafayette connector. As approved in 2003, the connector would be largely elevated and would follow the route of the Evangeline Thruway from the airport to just past Pinhook Road, where it will divert closer to the railroad tracks, skirting downtown, then returning to the Evangeline Thruway corridor after the 2nd/3rd streets area. The project, resurrected in October 2015 after being dormant for several years, resulted in an additional 19 refinements from the public, including several options to take the freeway underground. Their evaluations of the proposed refinements will be presented at the next CWG meeting, which is set for 5:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Lafayette Parish Library downtown, 301 W. Congress St., and is open to the public. “The 19 concepts evaluated within the Tier I evaluation will be carried forward into the environmental SEIS/CSS process,” the DOTD wrote. “Additionally, the process will look at other proposed design modifications already suggested (within the public input process) by the working groups, stakeholders and the public. This includes investigating the feasibility of the ideas explored by the ECI (Evangeline Corridor Initiative) team during their design charrette.” The SEIS is designed to look at changes that may have occurred since the 2003 Record of Decision, like a new historic district designation or changes to migratory bird patterns, and if those things are affected by the proposed project, according to the FHWA. In response to the DOTD and FHWA decision to prepare a Supplemental EIS evaluating the I-49 Connector project, Lafayette’s Mayor-President Joel Robideaux released a statement encouraging resolve from all of the project’s supporters: “Last week, it was announced by the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and the Fed- eral Highway Administration (FHWA) that a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will be prepared for the I-49 Connector project. In response, Lafayette’s Mayor-President Joel Robideaux released a statement encouraging resolve from all of the project’s supporters. It is not unusual, nor should it be overly concerning, that the Environmental Impact Statement completed more than a decade ago would be reexamined. Until this past fall, the I-49 Connector project had been dormant since the general corridor was approved by the FHWA with a Record of Decision in 2003. Without this inactive period, however, Lafayette Consolidated Government would likely not have applied for and been awarded the federal TIGER Grant. This grant funding provides us an opportunity to address the decline of important and historic areas that line the corridor. Within the last year alone, the DOTD has committed approximately $20 million in planning for the Connec- tor with substantial community input; the results of which produced several different refinement concepts for the project. This investment and community engagement is an incredibly positive sign that DOTD and FHWA have heard Lafayette’s message to ‘build it right the first time.’ We are all anxious to get the construction of the Connector underway. A delay in the process and an SEIS ensure that the project has the public support and the legal authority to move forward. We as a community must come together to support the process and the project. We must continue working with our federal and state partners to build the best urban interstate our country has ever seen.”

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

Romacelli Bistro e Vino Announces Grand Opening for its Third Location Double R Restaurant Group is pleased to announce the grand opening of its third Romacelli Bistro e Vino restaurant, located in Upper Lafayette’s Couret Farms community. The restaurant will officially open its doors on Monday, July 18 and will be the first restaurant to open in Couret Farms, a traditional neighborhood development located near the intersection of I-49 and I-10 and created by the same developers of River Ranch and Sugar Mill Pond. In celebration of its opening, Romacelli is inviting the local community to enjoy a complimentary meal at its newest location on Friday, July 15 or Saturday, July 16 to support two deserving local charities: Susan G. Komen-Acadiana and Knights of Columbus Lafayette Council #1286. These charities will receive 100% of any donations made toward meals. Reservations are required to attend an event, and they can be made by visiting www.romacelli.com/events or by calling (337) 706-7574. •

Proceeds to Susan G. Komen-Acadiana: o Friday, July 15 - 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. o Saturday, July 16 - 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

•

Proceeds to Knights of Columbus Lafayette Council #1286: o Saturday, July 16 - 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

“We’ve received such great support from the Acadiana community for our first two locations, and we couldn’t be more pleased for our third Romacelli location to be the first restaurant opening in Couret Farms. Our fresh, delicious Italian/Mediterranean cuisine and relaxed, comfortable atmosphere will be a great hit with the whole family, and we’re excited to be a part of this rapidly growing neighborhood,” shares Randy Daniel, Territory Manager for Louisiana. Double R Restaurant Group was founded on the principle of excellent food, genuine value and superior service. Double R operates family-friendly concepts ranging from Italian cuisine to nutritional and comforting breakfast foods. It is the mission of Double R Restaurant Group to deliver exceptional service to each and every one of its guests on a consistent basis. For more information about Double R Restaurant Group, visit www.dblrrestaurants. com.

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

LEDA’s Gregg Gothreaux Gives 2016 State of the Economy Address On Thursday, June 16, to a crowd of over five hundred business people, LEDA’s President and CEO Gregg Gothreaux reminded that “attitude is everything,” when weathering the economic downturn of the last year. Gothreaux solemnly noted that five weeks after last year’s address, the Lafayette community was shaken by the shooting at the movie theatre, and on its heels came the economic loss that had long been predicted. 1,200 oil and gas jobs have been lost, but he noted that the community is fighting back. Although the loss from falling oil prices isn’t likely to end soon, it’s being tempered by a more diversified local economy. He reassured listeners that because of industries such as technology, retail and health care, we will not reexperience the economic depression of the mid-1980s. Gothreaux said LEDA’s Economic Performance Index, or EPI — which blends data from a myriad of sources although in a deep decline, shows signs that south-central Louisiana will be “back on track for the same kind of record growth we’ve previously seen” by 2017. He posited that Lafayette’s long history of backing technological advances “will save us, and true to our heritage, hold the key to our continued diversification.” Gothreaux once again referred to his touchstone quote, “Remain true to yourself, but move ever upward toward greater consciousness and greater love! At the summit you will find yourselves united with all those who, from every direction, have made the same ascent. For everything that rises must converge,” by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. The luncheon culminated in the announcement of “Project Bowtie,” or, the expansion of Waitr to include a technological operations center that will create an additional one hundred software development and restaurant operation jobs, locally. Waitr founder and CEO Chris Meaux joined Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson and Lafayette Economic Development Authority President and CEO Gregg Gothreaux in making the announcement. Headquartered in Lake Charles, Waitr is an online and mobile software-solution business that partners with local restaurants, providing delivery service for restaurants by home delivery. Many thanks to ABiz and Washington State Bank for sponsoring the luncheon and to Sweet Cecilia, for offering a performance of the national anthem loudly praised by all in attendance. For more information about LEDA, please visit their website at lafayette.org. For further information about Waitr, please visit http://experience.waitrapp. com/. Right: Gregg Gothreaux addresses the audience. (Special thanks to Leslie Westbrook of the Advocate for use of photography)

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

Member Spotlight:

Melancon I-49 Storage Center

Left to Right: Tommie Cormier, Frank Connolly, Jennifer Connolly, Patricia Melancon Fontenot, Kevin Fontenot, Leray Menard and Pamela Melancon

Over 40 years ago, Ray Melancon built the John Deere dealership at the intersection of I-49 and Gloria Switch. Back then, many thought he was crazy! His vision of being accessible to many area farmers throughout the parish was what motivated his decision to move his store from downtown Carencro. At the time his customers raised corn, soy beans and cotton. Dairy farmers were still around as well. Eventually, industrial equipment was added to the inventory. Fast forward to the turn of the century and Ray embarked on a new business venture—a storage center next to the John Deere store which is now Ranch Outlet. Inspired by an offer to purchase his land from an investor who wanted to build storage units, he researched the need for storage in the North Lafayette area, culminating in the opening of Melancon I-49 Storage Center in December, 1994. To attract the attention of potential customers who traveled along the I-49 corridor, Ray’s idea was to build a sign post that resembled the doors of a storage unit. To this day, many new customers remark that the sign is what caught their eye, plus they have easy on and off access to I-49. With all the available storage options in the area, new customers often come to rent a unit because of the courteous and professional service that they receive from this local, fam-

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

ily-owned business. Customers often comment about the courteous service provided by owner Pat Melancon Fontenot, Pam Melancon and Tommie Cormier. They appreciate the controlled access and security provided by an off-duty Sheriff’s deputy. A Notary Public service is also available. Commercial customers appreciate the 30 foot wide driveways which allow access for 18 wheelers to unload near the units. Today there are over 850 regular and climate-controlled units available. In addition, outdoor storage for cars, RV’s, and boats is also available. Mail boxes, notary services, moving supplies, and receiving packages for commercial customers are services provided. The success of Melancon -49 Storage Center has allowed them to contribute in many ways to our local community. They are proud sponsors of the Mercredi Show in Carencro’s Pelican Park, and also donate units to Boys Scouts of America and Special Olympics, and help the community in many others ways. Ray’s vision of easy accessibility for his farm customers of days gone by continues to be an advantage for today’s storage customers. For more information on Melancon I-49 Storage Center, please contact Patricia Fontenot, manager, at (337)235-4949, drop in at 3360 NE Evangeline Thruway, or visit www.melanconstorage.com.

Aerial photograph of Melancon I-49 Storage Center today

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

Thoughts on Upper Lafayette

by Ree Mere,

PROREE Real Estate

When Jan Swift asked me to write this article, I was at first surprised and then I realized that I felt honored. First and foremost, she requested that I share my experiences as both a Realtor and longtime resident of Upper Lafayette Parish. If you live anywhere North of I-10, you know that you can’t adequately describe the beauty of the landscape we are so blessed to have in our community. We have the prettiest rolling hills and lots of trees that draw people into our area. I don’t think anyone could write a description about our area in a short article such as this-- it would take a small book with many short stories.

All I can say is that when my husband Robert and I moved to Upper Lafayette over 20 years ago, we fell in love with the people, the uniqueness of the terrain, and above all, the community spirit everyone we met had in their way of life. We both love horses and knew North Lafayette had some of the best choices of property for us to build our home. We were fortunate to have selected the right place, the neighbors then and the new ones since have been totally awesome to have as our friends. We have it all: it’s quiet, it’s friendly, and Robert has his horses to ride on our homestead. In my professional world as a salesperson, I could not have asked for better clients to buy and sell property. Almost two years ago I choose to go out on my own and open PROREE Real Estate, drawing upon my thirty years of experience as a professional full time real estate agent. You may have seen my signs around the area. A friend of ours coached and encouraged me to go for it and I did! Never looking back, I knew I had, over the years, developed a client base throughout Acadiana. I also knew the properties North of I-10 as well as anybody. After all, most of the people, or part of them, are lifelong friends or it seems as though they are. With their support and referrals, I can’t see myself doing anything else, anywhere else. I am fortunate to be assisted by Proree team members Pam Arceneaux and Burt Arceneaux. Upper Lafayette is and will always be home. If you don’t believe me, come by my office at 208 W Gloria Switch Rd #106, Lafayette, LA 70507, get in my car and I can show you why, it’s totally AWESOME! You’ll get to visit a piece of Heaven--before you get there. Please visit our website, www.proree.com for more information about our listings, or call (337)565-4216.

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

Developments in

Scott

The city of Scott is moving forward in making its city limits more accessible from Interstate 10 all the way to the south side of the parish. As the fourth-largest municipality in Lafayette Parish, Scott is “ripe” for new residential and commercial growth, city planner Pat Logan said. “Our location definitely helps,” Scott Mayor Purvis Morrison said. “We’re right off of I-10 and basically 3 miles from I-49, which helps us also. So we are benefiting from our location and definitely from the administration and the council’s aggressiveness in putting in infrastructure as we try to grow the community.” The city’s most important endeavor right now is extending Apollo Road to Rue de Belier, Morrison said. Last week, the Scott City Council awarded the first phase of the project, costing $1.6 million for water and sewage, to Expert Maintenance Services LLC. The 2-mile extension will parallel Ambassador Caffery Parkway and provide access directly to destinations like the Acadiana Mall, Morrison said. The project has been several years in the making. In its early planning stages, the city’s council approved creating a tax increment financing, or TIF, district to generate additional revenue from new business expected to move into the area. “That’s going to open up a lot of commerce to this community,” the mayor said. “And it’s going to tie us basically almost directly to the southern part of Lafayette.” The next phase of the extension is expected to be bid out later this year. The overall project, which will cost about $20 million, should be completed in 2019, Logan said. The city of Scott has already purchased all the right-of-ways for the extension, he said. Even before breaking ground, the extension is already attracting new development. Commercial real estate broker Randy Lolley said the Lafayette Parish Library system has purchased six acres along Apollo Road at $70,000 an acre. Most of the available property in that area is listed between $70,000 to $80,000 per acre. He said several land owners are still holding on to property that will eventually flank the new Apollo Road extension. “I think a lot of land owners are holding off until the road is built,” Lolley said. “The economy isn’t great right now, and they know they can eventually get a lot more. I think they are just waiting until the time is right.” Scott is already home to major industrial companies, including National Oilwell Farco and Louisiana Plating & Coatings. It’s now trying to attract new retail, particularly to a 41-acre tract along I-10. On Thursday, a groundbreaking was held at the intersection of I-10 and Louisiana Highway 93 for a new Super 1 grocery store. The store will anchor the 41-acre site, which will be home to several other new retailers, Morrison said. “We’ve heard from the owners that people have been contacting them about retail spots,” he said. “We are waiting to see what transpires from that.” But with a population that is still less than 10,000, Scott remains a small community that relies on its local businesses, many of which make the city a travel destination for tourists, Kelly Sonnier, vice president of the Scott Business Association said. Scott is, after all, the Boudin Capital of the World. “We have a lot of homegrown mom and pop shops here,” Sonnier said. “And that’s a big focus of the Scott Business Association so we can network with big corporations like Super 1. People come from all the country for specialty meats and specialty seasons.” The downside is new, bigger businesses moving in mean more competition for the little guys, she said. “It’s a flip of both coins,” Sonnier said. “Even if they go to the bigger stores, I’d rather see the tax revenues be spent by people in Scott even if it is a corporation rather than being spent in another municipality getting the tax revenue.”

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

Scott Mayor Purvis Morrison Elected La. Municipal Association District F Vice President The Louisiana Municipal Association is made up of various city, town, and village officials all working together to improve local government across the state. Local officials representing District F met June 15, 2016 to discuss legislative issues and elect new officers. Scott Mayor Purvis Morrison was re-elected to serve as his District’s Vice President. “You know it’s kind of hard for me in Scott or someone in Ville Platte to go into Baton Rouge to fight for an issue. But when LMA goes they are fighting for all of us, so we stand behind them” says the City of Scott’s Mayor, Purvis Morrison. Scott Mayor Purvis Morrison says his time as the district F Vice President has been very rewarding. “Listening to what my districts need. Listening to what my mayors need, what my council members need and I try to help make those things come true. I guess that’s kind of the reward of it. To make sure to bring our members in the right direction.” Officials say what keeps them going though, is the service to the public.

Scott City Councilwoman Tonya Carola Passes Away Memorial Services were held on Saturday, July 2, 2016 at Victory Family Worship Center in Scott for Tonya Marie Carola, 48, who died on Monday, June 27, 2016 at Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans surrounded by her family. She leaves to cherish her memory, her loving daughter, Alexandra “Ali” Carola; her ex husband, James “Will” Fontenot and his wife, Kim; her parents, Eugenio Carola and Janie Schoelman; and two brothers, Jacob Carola and Aaron Carola. Tonya Marie Carola was a native of Houston, Texas and resident of Scott, Louisiana for most of her life. She was the first woman to become a City Council Member in the town of Scott, and was President of the Scott Business Association and founding Board Member of the Scott Boudin Festival. Tonya was active in many organizations including Rotary Club and The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. She loved to dance, loved people and always found a way to give back to her community. Tonya was a loving mother, daughter, sister and friend to all and will be dearly missed. The family would like to extend special thanks to Purvis Morrison, his staff, and the community of Scott for their overwhelming and gracious support. The family would also like to thank The Tulane Medical Center for the care and attention they provided to Tonya in her time of need. Lastly, a whole hearted thanks to Will Fontenot and his wife Kim who devoted much of their personal time in Tonya’s last days to be sure that she was well taken care of. Memorial contributions may be made in Tonya Carola’s name to, The Tonya Carola Fund, Iberia Bank, 200 Westgate Road, Lafayette, LA. 70506.

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

Gem of the Month: Guilbeau’s Thrifty Way Pharmacy by Jessica Pizzeck, Upper Lafayette Intern

When one thinks of the word pharmacy, they may envision an establishment located somewhere near the back of a grocery store, behind the shampoo aisle and protein bars. They may recount a professional standing behind a sterile countertop, asking to confirm certain things about their identities, filling their labeled bottles, and saying “Thank you, have a nice day” without much thought. So it may come as a shock to some when their pharmacy experience becomes one that involves coffee and homemade food, a gift shop and hugs and kisses from a staff who know their clientele by name. But this is exactly what to expect when visiting Guilbeau’s Thrifty Way Pharmacy located in the heart of Carencro. Established by Paul Guilbeau and Dr. James Clause in 1973, Guilbeau’s Thrifty Way Pharmacy started small. Paul Guilbeau’s vision for his business was to operate it like he and his staff were serving family, thus beginning the intimate, local and familiar feeling one still experiences when visiting today. The building housed only the pharmacy until 2008, when Paul Guilbeau’s daughter, Sheri, bought the establishment from her dad. Keeping her father’s vision her top priority, Sheri expanded the business by adding a coffee bar and café, a gift shop complete with its own monograming machine, a compounding lab, a renovated pharmacy and natural medicine selection. So why combine all of these elements into a pharmacy? Because, “It’s fun, and I enjoy it,” says Sheri. “I like the idea of having a good meeting place for people in the community.” Sheri goes on to explain that her father’s example, as well as that of Jimmy Brasseaux’s, who owned “the old gas station on the corner” during her childhood, taught her about the importance of community support, and the value of treating her costumers how she would want her loved ones treated. She says, “Treat your customer like they’re a member of your family. That’s really my number one motto with my staff. That means sometimes staying late for someone, doing something we may not necessarily make money on, but if it were my mom, I would stay and do it for her to make sure that she could get on that medication tonight. Or sometimes I’ll stay late and compound something for someone that could start their medication tomorrow, but I know that it’s best that they start it tonight. My whole staff is like that- they recognize needs and they do it, and they do it at no charge.” But the service does not stop there. Sheri has been a practicing pharmacist since 1986, and throughout the years she began to recognize a growing demand for natural medicine in the Carencro area. In order to better cater to the needs of her customers, Sheri earned her fellowship in metabolic and nutritional medicine through South Florida Medical School, in which she was specifically trained in natural medicine. This allows her to offer personal, one on one consulting with her customers in ways that traditional pharmaceutical establishments do not, and she says that she only plans on continuing the expansion of that portion of her practice. In addition to receiving excellent treatment upon visiting Guilbeau’s Thrifty Way Pharmacy, guests are also invited to join Mrs. Deidra Borel in the coffee bar. Mrs. Deidra is the head, heart, and soul of the kitchen, and every dish, from her down home shrimp and grits to her heavenly gumbos on Fridays are mouthwatering treats that are not to be missed. As Sheri put it, “Everyone from Breaux Bridge can cook,” and Mrs. Deidra is a local that is no exception to the rule. So if you are ever in the Carencro area, and in need of a gold standard pharmacy, a memorable gift for someone special, a “tastes just like mom’s” bite to eat, or just positive, caring conversation, Guilbeau’s Thrifty Way Pharmacy delivers on every front. Pop in for a visit anytime between 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the week and 7:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Fridays at 208 E St Peter St, Carencro, LA 70520. Or, view their menu and a list of available services and supplements on their website, http://gthrifty.com/

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

Marketing to Millennials through Social Media Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keep it simple. You are a business. Your goal is to create a product or service and sell it to your target audience. Your target audience just so happens to be the fabulous generation of tech savvy, media maniacs better known as millennials. I am a millennial, and I am here to teach you who we are, the best ways to reach us, and how to keep us as your loyal consumer base. Millennials are tricky creatures. As the most technologically oriented generation, surfing internet sites on average of 5 hours a day, one would think that advertising to this group would be an easy feat. However, due to the overexposure of advertisements millennial consumers are faced with, upwards of 3,000 per day according to SJ insights, marketing messages often get lost in the clutter of the advertising world. In order to effectively combat this obstacle, it is essential that businesses speak to millennials in their native language, also known as social media. Before getting into the details of the mediums themselves, it is important to know how millennials think and what they respond to. In a recent survey conducted by Bcg.Perspectives, it has been concluded that consumers from the millennial generation tend to respond to messages that reflect personality traits they themselves comprise. These characteristics, both positive and negative, are included in the following: rebellious, sarcastic, arrogant, self-centered, diverse, optimistic, modern, original, funny, authentic, social, open minded, educated and unpredictable. So how do businesses create messages that showcase these attributes? The most effective method is by creating a personality for your business that coincides with these traits, and then creating a story to tell around that personality. According to Forbes Magazine, less than 1% of millennials trust advertisements, while 59% of millennials engage with, and ultimately buy from businesses based on the personality of the brand. This is because people of this generation do not see brands as independent entities, but rather extensions of themselves. So if a business wants fun, vibrant, preppy people buying its product, the brand needs to have a fun, vibrant, preppy vibe. Equally important to message crafting is message delivery. Because of millennialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique upbringing with technology, two way communication tactics that call for engagement with consumers, rather than just talking at them, are far more effective with this group.

www.upperlafayette.com â&#x20AC;˘ July 2016

Good news! Once a message is crafted, the delivery platforms are the easy part. Remember the two way communication engagement discussed above? The most inexpensive, effective and popular routes to take to market to millennials while using that strategy are social media outlets. By rank, the most frequently used social media platforms according to Social Media Today are You Tube, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. All of these platforms have 3 very essential characteristics in common. First, millennials seek and pay more attention to messages that are presented in a creative manner. We do this because we want to be entertained while we are being informed. These sites allow for heavy visual appeal, either through the use of video, photos, graphics, or all three, which fulfills the entertainment portion of that need. Second, millennials want to feel like the information they are receiving is current and available at their whim. These sites have the ability to be “live sites,” meaning they can be updated, changed and offer consumers fresh material as frequently as needed, which is a huge benefit when trying to reach such an instant gratification based audience. Lastly, and most importantly, millennials want to feel like they have control over the messages they receive. These platforms thrive on consumer engagement and encourage feedback via likes, comments, and following options, making millennials feel like they have an influence on brand decisions. Now that familiarity with the millennial audience and their platforms of choice have been established, let us conclude this “how to” guide with the top five tips that will ensure a marketing message is received in the most effective way it can be. 1.)

Include your audience. Let them be involved in all of the elements of your business from product design to marketing tactics. Building relationships with your consumer base is the top priority when reaching out to millennial markets.

Make sure your messages are multi-platform/multi device friendly and accessible.

2.)

3.)

Be original and authentic. We are used to identifying trends, especially online because of “viral media.” Use your resources and know what makes your brand unique and build on those aspects rather than following in step with what is being done by everyone else.

4.)

Use imagery and tell stories! We are equally as interested in who you are as what you produce. The more personality your brand has and the more it is portrayed in entertaining ways, the more engagement it will receive.

5.)

Let us market for you. Millennial ambassadors can be your biggest advantage in the playing field of publicity. Find out who the influencers are in your community and target them hard. Their interest in your brand will call others to action, and genuine support trumps paid advertising any day.

Thank you for reading, we look forward to following your business on Snapchat. Sincerely,

The Millennials Jessica Pizzeck, Upper Lafayette Intern

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum Holds Summer Opening Reception

On June 10th, the Hilliard held opening reception celebrating their summer 2016 exhibitions! There are three wonderful exhibitions on display for the duration of the summer months:: Kate Clark: Mysterious Presence Kate Clark uses the centuries-old technique of taxidermy to sculpt humanlike facial features with wild animal hides. Her hybridized sculptures are at once familiar yet strange, insinuating primal similarities between humans and animals and evoking questions about identity and societal values. Her sculptures’ strong presence also evokes a sort of absence, rendering the figures aloof and mysterious. Often working with live models and using a polymer clay, Clark creates realistic faces for her figures and then applies sections of shaved hide to match the animal’s skin to the shape of the human face thus facilitating the inter-species transformation. This exhibition originated at the Newcomb Art Museum of Tulane.

Creole World: Photographs of New Orleans and the Latin Caribbean Sphere This colorful exhibit showcases nearly 50 vibrant images from renowned photographer Richard Sexton. New Orleans is known for its distinctive Creole heritage – evident in its food, architecture, and people – but it is part of an entire family of Latin Caribbean cities that forged new identities from their colonial histories. This exhibition will explore these connections, featuring the work of renowned photographer Richard Sexton. Over the course of 38 years (1975-2013), Sexton traveled across Latin America – from Haiti, Columbia, Argentina, Cuba, and Ecuador back home to New Orleans – capturing the architectural and urban similarities among these culturally rich locales. This exhibition is from the Historic New Orleans Collection. Depictions of Louisiana: From the Permanent Collection of the Hilliard University Art Museum Curated from the museum’s collection, Depictions of Louisiana uses works dating from mid-Nineteenth Century to the present alongside selected texts from literature to interpret Louisiana through the artists’ expressions of individuality, belief, space and place. Membership is a wonderful way to enjoy the Hilliard Art Museum. Museum memberships range from $40 to $1000 and include benefits like free admission, magazine subscription and museum store discounts. For more information, please visit http://hilliardmuseum. org/. Admission is FREE on Wednesday evenings from 5 to 8 pm.

www.upperlafayette.com • July 2016

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