Upper Lafayette March 2016 Newsletter by Upper Lafayette

Upper Lafayette On The Move www.upperlafayette.com March 2016 Volume 87

Upper Lafayette Focuses on the I-49 Connector

NHS Legal Academy Team Wins at Competition Save the Date for our Annual Crawfish Boil ...and more

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

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: The beautiful gardens at Acadiana CARES, photography by CEO Claude Martin.

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 87 • March 2016 • www.upperlafayette.com

A Letter from the Executive Director Do you have “true grit?” As I write this letter, we are ushering in the beautiful weather of early spring. Early March always reminds me of the endless possibilities that this season of life offers: perennial blooming flowers, crisp air with a cool breeze that inspires us to exercise and enjoy the outdoors, and the anticipation of Easter and new birth. And, each year I promise myself that I won’t squander this opportunity to enjoy life which has been given to me at no cost. The sun comes up each day and it brings with it new life. Of course, each year I look back and wonder where the time went. How did it go from early March to late summer so quickly? I wonder where the years have gone, and what I have learned. And if truth be told, do I have “true grit,” like the perennial flowers? What does it take to survive from year to year? Well, this year, I am savoring what I have learned, especially as I visit with my friends who are going through tough times, and who need to be encouraged. Those in the oil industry, those who have lost loved ones, and those who don’t know what the future holds for them. When you have survived past oil price crashes, family crises, lost business opportunities, and heartache, and you are still standing upright, you have “true grit.” You realize that the most important things in life don’t involve money or prestige. The most important things in life always go back to the people you love, and those who love you and support you. You know what “true grit” is. Upper Lafayette is a family oriented organization that provides great meaning and support to me. I am proud to work for you, and I want to thank our members for their support. When we walk into meetings, it is family and friends that greet each other. As we talk among ourselves about the current economic downturn, it goes back to family and how it impacts all of us. We have “true grit!”

Storms make trees take deeper roots. -Dolly Parton www.upperlafayette.com • March 2016

Upper Lafayette March 16 Luncheon to Focus on I-49 Connector

Dr. Shawn Wilson, Secretary of Louisiana Department of Transportation,

Kenneth Boudreaux, District 4 City-Parish Councilman

Terry Huval, Director of Lafayette Utiities System

Carlee Alm-LaBar, Lafayette Parish Director of Planning, Zoning & Development

Bill Neef, Neef Engineering Corporation

The I-49 Lafayette Connector is a future 5.5-mile segment of highway that will extend I-49 from I-10 to the Lafayette Regional Airport. The I-49 Lafayette Connector is a key component to completing I-49 South, and will function as a critical hurricane evacuation route, complete a major energy and trade corridor for the U. S., and enhance safety by providing new interstate connectivity within the Lafayette region and to New Orleans. Over the next 18 months, the public and various government, business and community stakeholders will be invited to participate in a collaborative decision-making process to complete the planning and conceptual design for the I-49 Lafayette Connector. Upper Lafayette is proud to host a forum providing the latest information about the I-49 Connector which will answer your questions about safety, why this route was chosen and the work being done to protect the people most impacted by this interstate’s location. Please join us Wednesday, March 16, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the LITE Center located at 537 Cajundome Blvd., where we will welcome guest speakers Shawn Wilson, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation; Lafayette City-Parish District 4 Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux, Carlee Alm-Labar who will represent the Parish President’s office; and Terry Huval, Director of LUS,and the Department’s consultant, Bill Neef of Neef Engineering Corporation. Tickets are $25 each for auditorium style seating and lunch will be provided. Registration may be made online at www. upperlafayette.com/events. Please email jan@upperlafayette.com or call (337)769-7649 with any questions.

www.upperlafayette.com • March 2016

Acadiana Computer Systems Purchases Baton Rouge Property for Expansion DMDA of Baton Rouge LLC, represented by Donald L. Dupuis of Acadiana Computer Systems, purchased a 13,590-square-foot building at 6120 Perkins Road from Indigo Properties LLC. ACS, headquartered in Lafayette and with satellite offices around Louisiana, will enjoy expanded space at the new location which is located near Pennington Biomedical Center. ACS will occupy about 75% to 80% of the building and other tenants include the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and a Century 21 real estate office. Founded in 1969, ACS has approximately 4000 clients nationally which include doctors and other healthcare practitioners as well as LSU and other teaching hospitals. Under Don Dupuis’s leadership, ACS has become one of the largest providers of physician healthcare software and revenue cycle management solutions in the nation.

Planning Commission Offers Alternate I-49 Connector Plan to Utilize Thruway Local engineers are offering their own plan on how to connect Interstate 49 through the city with less impact to surrounding neighborhoods. Members of the Acadiana Planning Commission and Lafayette Consolidated Government presented their alternate proposed plan to the Federal Highway Commission and I-49 South committee members and was recently discussed at the I-49 Community Work Group. The plan removes proposed major interchanges and instead transforms Evangeline Thruway into a collector road. “We are toying with idea of what do we do with the existing Thruway,” Warren Abadie told I-49 connector committee members. “We believe that we could leverage the Thruway right of way, which would act as a collector road for traffic on and off I-49 as well as traffic in the urban core of the grid. You are basically splitting interchanges and using slip ramps on each side of the Evangeline Thruway in order to gain access to it.” The plan would remove proposed interchanges at Johnston and Congress and turn the Evangeline Thruway into an “urban arterial” with planted trees and street parking. The DOTD and consulting firm Stantec said they are working with local engineers and taking the plan into consideration. A lengthier elevated structure could lend itself for more consideration for a signature bridge, which has also been proposed. The bridge could provide a positive aesthetic for the city similar to ones seen in around the U. S., such as Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge in Boston or the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge spanning the Trinity River in Dallas. Content for this article provided by Jessica Goff, The Advertiser, February 22, 2016.

www.upperlafayette.com • March 2016

Upper Lafayette Welcomes District 4 City-Parish Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux on Show! Upper Lafayette was proud to welcome Kenneth Boudreaux, District 4 Lafayette City-Parish Council Representative, to our show in February. Councilman Boudreaux has been a vocal representative for economic development issues which attract higher end housing and retail establishments to the northern portion of our parish. Born and reared in Lafayette, Councilman Boudreaux is a member of Louisiana Avenue United Methodist Church and is married to the former Monica McZeal. Mr. and Mrs. Boudreaux have three children: Jasmine, and twins Reginold and Kayla. Councilman Boudreaux is passionate about issues on leadership, cultural diversity, non-violence, esteem building, drug and alcohol prevention, black history, and bullying. He founded “To the Front, To the Top,” a motivational, speaking and consulting organization that provides learning tools for others. Mr. Boudreaux founded and hosts two radio talk shows KRRQ Q95.5 Teen Talk Show Holla Back and KNEK Magic 104.7 Community Hour. He is also the recipient of Big Brothers, Big Sisters “Brother of the Year” Award; two-time Kiwanis Club “Citizen of the Year; Omega Psi Phi “Man of the Year”; City of Lafayette Police Department Civilian Award’; “Outstanding Young Man State of Louisiana, Lafayette” Jaycees; the Honorary Attorney General Award; NAUW Tribute to Excellence; an EUTHU Honoree; Louisiana Girls and Guys Rock I Rock Honoree; Christiana Smith African American Alumni Chapter of UL Lafayette Outstanding Graduate Award. Mr. Boudreaux is a five-time Finance Chairman for Lafayette Consolidated Government and served three times as the Professional Services Chairman over contracts. He served as Council Chairman in 2011 and 2015. Mr. Boudreaux served 20 years in the 15th Judicial District in the District Attorney’s Office, as the Director of Youth Services and Programs. Upper Lafayette is proud to have Kenneth Boudreaux as our District 4 Representative on the Lafayette City-Parish Council and we thank him for his continuing service to our community. He is best contacted at KennethBoudreaux@LafayetteLA.gov.

www.upperlafayette.com • March 2016

Lafayette Junior Leadership Accepting Applications The Leadership Institute of Acadiana, in partnership with One Acadiana, is accepting applications until Friday, April 1 for participation in Lafayette Junior Leadership, a leadership program for high school juniors attending public, private or home school in Lafayette Parish. The program will accept approximately 25 students. Tuition is $150. Students may also request scholarships to participate. Upper Lafayette provided four scholarships for deserving students selected from Carencro and Northside High Schools for this academic year. For the upcoming 2016 – 2017 school year, Upper Lafayette will once again extend this offer to students selected from Carencro High, David Thibodaux STEM Academy, or Northside High School. For more information, please contact Jan Swift at jan@upperlafayette.com or call (337)769-7649. The Lafayette Junior Leadership application is available at www.leadershipacadiana.org. For questions or more information, e-mail LIAcadiana@gmail.com.

Upper Lafayette Annual Crawfish Set for April 7th at Vermilionville Our 8th annual Crawfish Boil will be held on Thursday, April 7, 2016 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Vermilionville, 300 Fisher Road in Lafayette across from the airport. Crawdaddy’s On-Site Catering will cater the crawfish and sides. We are grateful to Beau Box Commercial Real Estate and Schilling Distributing Co. for generously serving as sponsors. You will not want to miss this opportunity to have fun and check out the beautiful scenery at lovely Vermilionville. Tickets may be purchased for $35.00 each (or $20.00 per child). We look forward to seeing you there! Register online here or mail payment to Upper Lafayette, P. O. Box 53107, Lafayette LA 70505. Contact jan@upperlafayette.com with any questions.

www.upperlafayette.com • March 2016

Northside High School Legal Academy Team Wins Region III Mock Trial Competition

First place team from Northside High School

On Saturday, February 27, 2016, ten high school teams participated in the Region III Mock Trial competition held at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Lafayette. The top two teams moving forward to the state competition are Northside High School, first place winner, and the Early College Academy (at SLCC) who came in second. Congratulations to all high schools who participated in the event and who benefited from these life-changing experiences! Under the skilled and dedicated tutelage of teacher Liz Tullier, the Northside team has become known for its prowess in mock courtrooms. The team has regularly taken some of the top honors in local and state competitions. The Academy for Legal Studies is designed for students interested in careers in Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement, Public Administration, and Law. Students participate in cooperative, project-based, and problem-based learning. Academy students have access to local professionals in the legal field including attorneys, judges, politicians and legal assistants. For more information on Northside High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Legal Academy, check out http://www.lafayettechoice.com/ academy-legal-studies-northside-high

Presentation of case

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

Thank you for your generosity.. 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 IBERIABANK Lafayette General Medical Center McDonald’s of Acadiana MidSouth Bank Our Lady of Lourdes Republic National Distributing Company Schilling Distributing Company Stone Energy 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 Van Eaton & Romero

Silver Members ($600)

Ace Plumbing, Inc. BBR Creative Cajun Harley Davidson Coburn’s Supply Company Edward Jones/Bob Crist Entergy Gauthiers’ RV Center Master Builders & Specialists, Inc. Oakbourne Country Club Prejean Creative Rader Solutions

Silver Members