UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE... Letter from the President: Mr. Adrian Baudoin Another South Louisiana summer is upon us, kids are out of school, and we’re doing what we can to stay cool and comfortable. More daylight hours allow us to be more productive or just relax on the porch while enjoying the sunset. Upper Lafayette has a lighter agenda in the summer months, but we’re still in action and have great events planned for the fall.
Upcoming Events July Membership Meeting Oakbourne Country Club July 20, 2011, 11:30am-1:00pm Guest Speaker: Billy Nungesser, Plaquemines Parish President
Bridge Ministry/Upper Lafayette 5K Run Pelican Park September 17, 2011, 8:00am
Mr. Adrian Baudoin Acadiana Computer Systems
Be sure to make plans to attend our July membership meeting to be held on July 20th at Oakbourne. Billy Nungesser, President of Plaquemines Parish, will be our guest speaker. As one of the key figures fighting the effects of the oil spill after the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, Mr. Nungesser will no doubt have lots to share with us.
In the fall, ULEDF is hosting two events that you’ll want to mark on your calendars now. On September 17th, we are partnering with Bridge Ministry to host a 5K run at Pelican Park in Carencro. Then on Tuesday, October 18th, the “Quest for Your Best” personal development series continues for its second year. We appreciate your continued support, and we encourage you to invite your friends and colleagues to join ULEDF. You’ll find more information about membership levels in this newsletter. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Acadian Ambulance Celebrates 40 Years of Service Setting the standards, raising the bar, exceeding expectations, and surrounding yourself with good people. The above phrases are used every day to encourage people to reach and/or surpass all set goals. We hear it, but do we actually live it?
ULEDF Board of Directors & Staff Adrian Baudoin, President Beau Phares, V. President Todd Citron, Sec/Treas. Dr. Ross Judice, Past Pres. Amos Batiste Don Dupuis Cherie Hebert Ed Krampe Andre Moreau Dwight Prudhomme Dwight “Bo” Ramsay Herbert Schilling Monty Warren Deborah Young
My name is Amos J. Batiste Jr., Sales representative for the National EMS Academy, a division of Acadian Companies. This May marked my 1 year anniversary with a company that actually believes and lives in setting standards, raising the bar, exceeding expectations, and surrounding itself with good people.
Mr. Amos Batiste, Jr. Acadian Ambulance Service
As we grow in life we continue to learn, and if there is one thing that I can say that I have learned from this company is a direct quote from Mr. Richard Zuschlag Chairman/CEO of Acadian Companies, “Surround yourself with good people.” The way we carry ourselves at work and outside of work is important to Acadian.
Just recently Acadian celebrated 40 years of service. Yes, 40 amazing years. As I walk down the hallways of NEMSA and see the timeline, it is incredible to see the amazing accomplishments achieved each year of Acadian’s existence. On Tuesday, May 24, 2011 President George W. Bush was the guest speaker at our annual paramedic luncheon. What a great opportunity to be in the same room with the 43rd President of the United States of America. Acadian Companies again did great on this first-class event. The leadership displayed by Mr. Richard Zuschlag and the entire Acadian family was incredible. President Bush was very relaxed and had quite a sense of humor. He delivered a strong message about believing in your principles, which was loud and clear to me. This was my first paramedic luncheon and what a great honor to work for a company with such high regard for society. God Bless Acadian and God Bless the United States of America.
Volume 32, Page 1
July 2011
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UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE... Member Spotlight: Seth Citron Congratulations to Stirling Properties’ Seth Citron on receiving the company's Silver Award and recognition as the Most Improved Commercial Agent! The Silver Award is part of Stirling Properties’ internal recognition awards based on achieved levels for production for closed transactions completed during the previous year. Seth Citron has been a Sales and Leasing Executive with Stirling Properties since 2007 after graduating from UL with a B.S. in Business Administration. As we mentioned in our February newsletter, Seth Citron has played an integral role in the development of Evangeline Court Shopping Center at the intersection of I-49 and Veteran’s Drive at the Carencro Exit. If you are interested in hiring Seth for your commercial realtor needs, he can be reached at scitron@stirlingprop.com or at (337) 234-4481. While Citron was still a student at UL, he opened Crawdaddy’s Seafood Boilers in 2003 as a drive thru in Breaux Bridge. He then opened Crawdaddy’s On-Site Catering in 2007 and has wowed the crowd at Upper Lafayette’s last three Crawfish Boils held each Spring. Citron specializes in 100% Acadiana pond-raised crawfish and buys them directly from farmers for guaranteed premium crawfish! Crawdaddy’s standard event includes service and cleanup of the crawfish and will assist in the rental of tables and chairs and banquet event halls to help your event go more smoothly. If you are interested in Seth catering your next crawfish boil event, he can be reached at (337) 962-1265 or at seth@crawdaddysonsite.com. Mr. Seth Citron
Seth Citron, Sean Traclek, Chuck and Katherine Anselmo at ULEDF 2011 Crawfish Boil.
SuperOne Foods Groundbreaking in Carencro
Super 1 Foods is coming to Upper Lafayette. The future store will be located on the corner of I-49 and Hector Connoly. The official groundbreaking ceremony was held on Friday, June 24, in Carencro. The Carencro Super 1 Foods will give a face to new services offered by Super 1 Foods. Greg Skelly, Senior Vice President of Super 1 Foods, said, “The new store will offer groceries, produce, meats, seafood, frozen foods, dairy, general merchandise, a fuel center, drive-thru window for convenient pharmacy needs, bakery, deli, and an open-air section with seasonal merchandise and displays.”
SuperOne Officials celebrate groundbreaking in Carencro.
A carousel-style check out system will allow customers to stand back and watch as their groceries are bagged by the cashier. The carousel-style bagging is the first to be installed in one of the Super 1 Foods located within the Southern Region of Louisiana. Skelly further stated, “At Super 1 Foods, we are family friendly! Super 1 Foods is known for everyday low prices, combined with clean stores and friendly, attentive service. We are heavily involved with our customers outside the store, supporting a wide range of charitable causes and community activities, especially those that focus on children and families, and naturally those related to food and nutrition.”
Rendering of SuperOne Foods
Volume 32, Page 2
July 2011
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UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE... Master Builders Announces Two New Construction Projects in Upper Lafayette Two new projects are underway in Upper Lafayette thanks to Lafayette-based construction company, Master Builders and Specialists, Inc. The two projects are expected to be complete late 2011. Like a majority of Master Builders’ projects, these two current jobs are based in Upper Lafayette. The projects are a renovation of St. Genevieve Church and a new facility for Magnon Electric on West Willow Street. Master Builders is renovating and restoring the entire interior of St. Genevieve from floor to ceiling. The interior of the church has been completely gutted out and scaffolds installed so that the restoration crews can refinish the old wooden ceiling, walls, etc. Ken Fuselier was able to reclaim some of the original artwork to use in the renovation. The St. Genevieve Restoration is scheduled for completion a week before Christmas 2011 so that its parishioners may have Christmas Mass in their new church.
Floor to ceiling scaffolding installed.
Artists working on new artwork to be included in St. Genevieve.
Additionally, Master Builders is building a new facility for Magnon Electric on West Willow Street, which will be completed by October 2011.
Beginnings of Magnon Electric Construction.
Rendering of Walters Funeral Home
Please see the pictures on the right and left respectively to see the two Upper Lafayette projects in progress! Some of Master Builders’ other projects have been renovating Teurlings Catholic High School’s classrooms and offices, building Faith House on Willow, Walters Funeral Home on North University Ave, Grand Brown Park and Gymnasium Center on Pont Des Mouton, Blue Bell Creameries Distribution Center in North Park, Advanced Polymer in North Park, St. Genevieve Middle, LEPA in North Park and Northside Shopping Square on Gloria Switch. Some other notable projects have been Stuller Settings, HomeBank on Kaliste Saloom, Capital One Bank on Ambassador Caffery and Kaliste Saloom, Gulf Coast Bank on Ambassador Caffery, and Giles Volvo and Toys R Us on Johnston Street.
Master Builders & Specialists, Inc. is located on South Pierce Street in Upper Lafayette and started in 1975 as a sister company to a union contractor out of Broussard, Harris A. Wessweber Inc. Mr. Wessweber retired two years after Ken Fuselier, the current owner, graduated from UL. Mr. Wessweber sold Mr. Fuselier the nonunion sister company, Master Builders & Specialists, Inc. The transfer of ownership was good timing as Lafayette was going through an economic boom at the time. Reclaimed artwork to be included in restoration.
Ken Fuselier grew up in Upper Lafayette and attended Teurlings Catholic High School. Ken Fuselier’s son, Adam Fuselier, joined the family business 4 years ago after graduating from LSU. Master Builders has 10 employees and strictly specializes in Commercial, Education and Financial and Industrial building construction. Mr. Fuselier also has a daughter who lives in Austin, TX and is a graphic designer.
Volume 32, Page 3
July 2011
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UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE... July 2011 Membership Meeting
Billy Nungesser (center) getting a first hand view of the oil spill damage.
Please join us for what will be a great meeting at Oakbourne Country Club, our newest member! The July membership meeting will be on July 20, 2011 at 11:30am to 1:00pm. Billy Nungesser, Plaquemines Parish President, will be our guest speaker. Billy is probably best known for being the face of “gulf oil spill anger” and the voice of thousands of coastal residents following the BP oil disaster last year. Billy Nungesser will be speaking about the current state of our coastal restoration.
Please RSVP to lindsey@ upperlafayette.com or any questions please call (337) 278-0408. Tickets are $25 each. We hope to see you there!
Billy Nungesser pictured with Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Gene Walters of Walters Funeral Home Gene Walters has been in the funeral industry for over 41 years and proudly opened Walters Funeral Home at 2424 N. University Avenue in May 2010. Walters Funeral Home is a family business that also employs his daughter, Cecile Hebert, and his son, Ross Walters. Phyllis Duhon Walters, Gene’s wife, is also an invaluable resource, and a dedicated member of ULEDF!
Mr. Gene Walters
Walters Funeral Home recently acquired Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, which offers a serene, natural landscape for the interment of your loved ones. Situated on 45 acres of pristine, pastoral land in Upper Lafayette, Greenlawn is best known for its beautiful, registered oak trees and gardens. Walters had a unique interest in the property due to its proximity to Walters Funeral Home. Says Walters, “Having ownership of both businesses makes it that much easier on the families we serve. We’re incorporating the latest software and technology in the funeral and cemetery industries to make the relationship between the two fluid and transparent.”
Some of the 45 acres are already under renovation. A master plan is forthcoming, which will showcase the gardens natural beauty and highlight its majestic, registered oaks and the adjacent grounds. Included in the master plan is the development of a dedicated veteran section and cremation garden. In addition to the enhancements to the grounds, Walters says the business will offer more in terms of merchandise and services for families including varied types of vaults, statuary, and markers. Walters also plans to dedicate an area entirely to veterans with white headstones, similar to Arlington Cemetery. Currently, Walters flies a flag for every veteran laid to rest there, which totals over 700. The Walters family assists each veteran’s family by completing all necessary federal paperwork and ensuring that an appropriate final tribute is designed to honor the life of the beloved veteran. Walters reflects on his time spent in Vietnam as a medic and said, “Back then, as a young man, it really affected me seeing the tremendous loss, so the work I do in honoring Veterans is a way for me to give back to them.” Walters Funeral Home planned to host a flag retirement event, but it had to be cancelled due to a flag burn ban. That ceremony has been rescheduled for Veterans Day, November 11, 2011. Walters Funeral home will host The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall November 18-20, which is a 3/5 scale of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. It stands six feet tall at the center and covers almost 300 feet from end to end. Made for the purpose of helping heal and rekindle friendships, it also allows people who otherwise may not be able to make the trip to Washington an opportunity to visit loved ones in their home town. Walters Funeral Home recently became a member of the Veterans & Family Memorial Care. This honor is awarded to only one funeral home per area and in this case, the Southwest Louisiana area. Membership is granted to family owned businesses that provide the highest level of ethical business standards and integrity in the funeral home industry. Upper Lafayette is proud to salute Walters Funeral Home in its successful first year! Gene Walters may be contacted at (337) 706-8941 or for more information, visit their website at www.waltersfh.com. Volume 32, Page 4
July 2011
www.upperlafayette.com
UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE... July Community Events
8th
6PM-10PM (and every Friday through July) Cajun Acoustic Jam Session 110 Benoit Patin Road, Scott
14th
9th
7PM-11PM Carencro 106th Birthday Celebration 5115 N. University Ave, Carencro All Day Bayou Vermilion District 2011 Photo Contest 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette
17th
9th
8AM-11AM Saturday Morning Canoe Paddle 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette
27th
10th
1-4PM Corey Ledet and His Zydeco Band 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette
28th
11th- 12:30PM-2:30PM 14th Folklife Fun Summer Camp (K-3rd Grade) 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette
29th31st
All Day Louisiana Outdoor Expo Cajundome, Lafayette
9th
20th
7:30PM Upper Lafayette, On The Move! TV Show Acadiana Open Channel Cox 16 & LUS 4 (AOC2) 1-4PM Bradley Venable and Kickback Vermilionville Performance Center, Lafayette 11:30AM-1:00PM Upper Lafayette July Membership Meeting Oakbourne Country Club, Lafayette 10AM Dance Lessons Vermilionville Performance Center, Lafayette 7:30PM Upper Lafayette, On The Move! TV Show Acadiana Open Channel Cox 16 & LUS 4 (AOC2)
11th14th
2:45PM-4:45PM Backyard Bayou Naturalists Summer Camp 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette
30th
8AM-11AM Saturday Morning Canoe Paddle 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette
12th
6:30PM-8:30PM In Your Own Backyard Series 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette
31st
1-4PM Briggs Brown and Bayou Cajuns Vermilionville Performance Center, Lafayette
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 the quality of life, while participating in the overall development of the Greater Lafayette Metropolitan Area. Contact Lindsey at lindsey@upperlafayette.com for more information.
Special Thanks to Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation Members! PLATINUM Acadian Ambulance Service Acadiana Computer Systems, Inc. Acadiana Rubber & Gasket Aries Marine Corporation ASH/Badger Oil Company Home Furniture Hub City Ford, Inc. IberiaBank McDonald’s of Acadiana MidSouth Bank Our Lady of Lourdes Republic National Distributing Company Schilling Distributing Company The Southwest Group Whitney Bank
SILVER Accel Protection & Technologies Allstates Building Systems American Safety & Industrial Supply Aspen Clinic BBR Creative Edward Jones/Bob Crist Master Builders & Specialties Mello Joy Coffee Company Oakbourne Country Club Steven Santillo, APLC Stone Energy Corporation Stirling Properties Terry J. Rogers, LTD Walters Funeral Home BRONZE Acadiana C.A.R.E.S. Acadian Hills Country Club Associated Travel Group Jean Breaux, Jr. & Associates Alan Broussard David Courville–Architect Crawdaddy’s On-Site Catering
GOLD Atmos Energy Fenstermaker & Associates Home Bank Honda of Lafayette Opelousas General Health System VALOR Commercial Real Estate Volume 32, Page 5
BRONZE CONT’D Derek Development Corp, LLC Joey Durel ECGC Women’s Business Center House of Faith Church Lafayette Convention & Visitors Bureau Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic Lee Verret/State Farm Insurance Agency Lynn Guidry–Architect Lowry’s Printing and Copying Flo Meadows Melancon I-49 Storage Center Northwood United Methodist Church Petroleum Club of Lafayette Pope John Paul II Academy Richard Leblanc/Leblanc’s Auto Wholesale Ron J. Gaubert Realtors Ken Simeral SLEMCO Buddy Webb/Rayne State Bank Sylvan Learning Center
July 2011
www.upperlafayette.com