St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011,
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Chamber board chair Karl Young sets goal of innovative outreach When Karl Young takes the helm of the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce board of directors this week, his main goal will be outreach. “The staff and the board, the previous board members and the five new ones, are what make me feel really good,” Young said. “They have a wide background in all kinds of businesses spread from Baldwin to Amelia. So I’m looking forward to a lively debate.” Young has been a board member since early 2009, and says he sees his role as the new chairman of the board to “get all the board members together and kick stuff around, come up with a consensus on where we want to go for membership.” He says he hopes to utilize the chamber’s Web site more fully, and survey membership more via online resources. “Ask them, what do you want from us?” Young said. “Then bring that before the board and see if that’s where we want to go, and how.” Getting more involved with civic and community leaders is also a factor in his upcoming chairmanship. Young said he’d like to go “to the council meetings, have more face time with members. To maybe dividing up the 600-plus people we have and any new members and try to visit them all face-to-face. Tell me what we’ve been doing right, what we’ve been doing not quite so right, what would you like to see your chamber do for you, if we can.” Then the board could take those suggestions and work on the issues, Young said. He says he has strong persons heading up the various chamber committees. “To me that’s the key,” Young said. “I just want to facilitate and make this thing work for us all parish wide.” Young said he knows board members past and present have “put everything they had into this, to help the parish. If we help as much as we can, it helps us all. Small or large, I just want our parish to get better and if we can help in some kind of way we will. I’m sure the mayors and council members have some ideas what they want to Continued on Page 4
Karl Young
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
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Vice-Chairman Callais: “Help business prosper” By LEE HUDSON Helping businesses prosper is what St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce Vice Chairman Jeremy Callais wants to help foster in 2011. “Our goal would be as a chamber to enhance the offerings we have for the local businesses in St. Mary Parish. We are going to reach out to the business community and see what we can do for them, what we can do for their businesses because the businesses are who support us,” Callais said. This is Callais’ second year on the board. Last year he served as treasurer. “We have a rotation. The first year you hold an officer position, you are the treasurer, then you go to vice chairman, then you go to chairman and then past chairman. So, I’m in the second year of that,” Callais said. He said he has learned how to work with professionals who may have different perspectives than he does. At MC Bank and Trust he works in the financial and operational side of the bank. Callais was able to bring his skills from the bank and apply them to his position on the chamber board. “It was really an active year. At my first board meeting they asked me to be treasurer. I was a little hesitant but it has been fun ... We improved the budgeting process a bunch for the chamber. The incoming treasurer, Barbara Watts, she’s going to do a phenomenal job. She thinks things completely through, she is open to suggestions, she is just fun to work with. I have worked with her on other projects besides the chamber, and she’s great,” Callais said. Last year Callais was a member of both the finance and the building relocation committees. “We knew we had to find someplace to go, had to build a building or find one to Continued on Page 5
Chairman Karl Young... Continued from Page 3
Jeremy Callais
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do in their areas, and that’s why I want us to get out more.” He said he would utilize the Web site to help get the chamber’s goals and endeavors out more. Young said e-mails and surveys are valuable tools for reaching out to members and non-members alike in the electronic age. “Whether we get positive or negative feedback, it keeps us going,” he said. “I think the board members will work really hard.” Membership has declined since the BP oil spill, Young said, with companies affected in the industry cutting back expenses, such as memberships. But the annual banquet set for Thursday has been a ticket sales success, Young said, a hopeful sign for the organization. Young said the staff and membership are “a big resource, and if you don’t use them, you lose them. I’m hoping to encourage all that, keep everyone engaged. If you don’t do that, people start to get disinterested. I’m just going to try really hard, along with the board’s help.” The chamber is constructing a new building near the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium, with staff expecting to move in this month. They have been in the current facility for some 40 years, he said. “We’re trying to get the building where the Tiger’s Den used to be in Franklin,” Young said. “We’d like to get a bigger presence, and I don’t think we’re going to give up on that.” The St. Mary Parish Council owns that building, and the chamber has been negotiating with the council for it for some time. “I would like to see us more visible on this end,” Young said. “I think Parish President Paul Naquin and some of the other folks are trying to help us, and keeping their eye out for something else that might come up to help us.”
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St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
Banquet’s highlights includes ‘Citizen of the Year’ The coveted “Citizen of the Year” award, a staple of the former West St. Mary Chamber of Commerce since 1986, honored seasoned citizens who have made outstanding contributions to the area. The recipient of the award is honored for unselfish deeds in improving the area and making it a better place to live and raise a family. The criteria for the award calls for an individual who over a period of time, “has consistently demonstrated excellence in community leadership; has made, or is making, significant contributions to the welfare of the community through involvement and participation and has given freely of their time and energy for community betterment.” Former award winners were: 1986 Richard McCloskey 1987 The Rev. O’Neil Landry 1988 Tanos Joseph 1989 Alfreda Laws
1990 Rodger Robinson 1991 Leo Lasserre 1992 Donavan Pontiff 1993 Col. (Ret.) L.B. Wiley 1994 David H. Stiel Jr. 1995 Dr. Thomas Kramer 1996 Aubrey Boudreaux
1997 Louis Nesom 1998 Ross Little 1999 Linda Kidd 2000 Marion Melancon 2001 Bill Moore 2002 Glenna Gillespie Kramer 2003 Renee Vanover
REACHING
GREAT
HEIGHTS
Callais...
Continued from Page 4 buy...We are currently building a chamber building. So hopefully, that is a step in the right direction, a new updated facility. We should be moving in sometime during the month of February,” Callais said. Callais said he believes this year’s board is extremely diverse. “We’re represented from all areas of the parish, all different businesses with the incoming members. We have people in the financial sector, we have someone who is in accounting, an attorney, someone in human resources, we have the economic director of the parish,” Callais said. As vice chair Callais plans to step in whenever the chamber president needs him to be there. “I appreciate the opportunity that I have been granted to serve on this board,” Callais said. “As far as being vice chairman, I am really just there to help out Karl. Anything the chamber needs, I think the chamber is great.”
St. Mary Parish Chamber Edition 2011
2004 Marguerite Robinson 2005 Dr. Alice Pecoraro 2006 Larry Callais 2007 Damon Robison 2008 Marshall Guidry 2009 Didi Battle 2010 Parker Conrad
The Carillon Bell Tower stands high above our community as a symbol of great achievement and great strength. M C Bank has also proven to be representative of great success and strength in our community as we are consistently named one of the nation’s strongest financial institutions. At M C Bank, we’re reaching great heights.
Sharing The Hometown Spirit! Morgan City • Lafayette • Bayou Vista • Amelia
w w w. m c b t . c o m
and the community
Morgan City • Lafayette Bayou Vista • Amelia
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Your St. Mary Parish
Sheriff’s Office Water Patrol
Motor Pool/Repair
Inmate Labor
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
Moving Forward to Better Serve You The new 300 bed correctional facility is expected to provide a major boost in the fight against crime. Other additions include the conversion of the Sumpter Williams School to a substation. St. Mary Parish deputies also provide instructional classes to law enforcement personnel throughout the Acadiana Region.
New Jail Instructional Services
Morgan City Substation
St. Mary Parish
Sheriff’s Office
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Barbara Watts
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Treasurer Barbara Watts brings financial expertise By GEOFFREY STOUTE Pardon St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce Treasurer Barbara Watts if she examines financial situations like an auditor. It’s what she does for a living. It’s how she thinks — about financial matters in and out the office — and chamber members can expect nothing less in her new position as treasurer. “Any set of financial statements I look at, I look at from an auditing and an analytical perspective,” the licensed certified public accountant said. “I’m always looking out for the most efficient way to maintain fiscal accountability for the chamber,” she added. In doing so, she said she wants to make sure the chamber continues its growth, while also covering its necessary operating expenditures. “We’re a nonprofit organization and we’re not geared to making a profit, but we want to make sure everything’s covered and that anything excess we can use for other necessary items such as scholarships and the continued promotion of economic growth in St. Mary Parish,” Watts said. Watts, who is entering her second year on the chamber board, said she looks forward to working with the new chamber board members. She said the board is both diverse and dynamic. “I think it’s a board that will get some goals accomplished in the next year, which would be a win-win for St. Mary Parish as a whole,” Watts said. “The synergy between our board members is very good. We all work together well. We get along together well. We all have the same goals and thought processes for the future of the chamber.” One of its goals, Watts said, is to reach out even more to its members. “We want to get on a one-to-one basis with the general business public so that we can encourage more people and more businesses to join,” she said. Another goal she said she would like the chamber to accomplish this year is to encourage more business leaders to get involved in St. Mary Parish’s economic environment.
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Arceneaux leaves chair, dedicated to parish unity Parish unity is what St. Mary Chamber of Commerce Immediate Past Chair Rose Arcenaux wishes to continue this year. After serving two years as chairwoman, Arceneaux is currently serving as immediate past chair. She is to advise the current chairman, Karl Young. “He and I are like-minded that our parish is one. We’ve worked very hard for the last two years to unify the parish as far as the chamber is concerned. He is going to continue on that same path. I can honestly say I haven’t heard the phrase east or west anymore than maybe two times at a chamber meeting in the past year. It used to be two or three times a meeting. It has really come together. “We made a conscious effort as a board not just to talk the words but act the act. To use the words east and west was a division. Even though it was a physical description, it also put a mindset of a mental division. We just didn’t want it so we used the words of section of or area of. Whatever you do for the parish, it only makes the whole parish stronger. We have a very unique area, we have everything you could possibly want except snow and mountains. We have farming, we have industry and we mesh,” Arceneaux said. During Arceneaux’s tenure, the board knew they had to take proactive steps to procure office space. “This the first time in forever we’re going to have a note to pay as opposed to no rent. It is going to be ours. It is like your home. It’s going to be in an area that has been long planned to be a focal point within the community for both local people and tourism, in that it is across from the auditorium, right behind the police station kind of centrally located in there. The petting zoo is right there,” Arceneaux said. The chamber office will have additional duties in its new space. “I think the chamber being the one full-time, open five days a week, eight hours a day is going to be the anchor for that area. We’re going to have a strong presence. There is the little tourism house there. It used to be open full time. Like everyone else the city has been impacted by the economy. It is only open a few hours a week now. Well with the chamber being there, we can open the building. We can make sure there is the availability of feed for the animals. We can reopen that little area again,” Arceneaux said. Continued on Page 10
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
Rose Arceneaux
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2011 Chamber Officers, Comittee Chairs, Ambassadors The 2011 Committee Chairs for the St. Mary Parish —Education committee, Dr. Marilyn Davis Chamber of Commerce have been announced. —Scholarship committee, Charlene Gaddis —Board of Directors, Marilyn Davis, Scott Berry, Greg —Legislative review committee, Frank Fink Young, Frank Fink, Bob Lewis, Robert Judice, Jason Bailey, —Fundraiser committee, Scott Berry Joseph Tabb, Khary Gaylord and Raymond “Peety” Wade II. —Speaker committee, Adam Crappell —Chairman, Karl Young —Ambassador committee, Nelson Cortez —Vice Chairman, Jeremy Callais —Ambassadors, Karla Byron, Elaine Gussman, Alfreida —Treasurer, Barbara Watts Edwards, Jack Blank, Nelson Cortez, Laura Mott, Delores —Past Chairwoman, Rose Arceneaux Stuart, Cherie Laiche, Sandi Guillory, Emily Berry, Eugina —Finance committee, Barbara Watts Price and Sheila Jones.
Arceneaux takes post of immediate past president... Continued from Page 9 In the same vicinity is the Gathright House, which is the second oldest home in Morgan City and it could be a new focal point in this new enclave. “We are working with the Gathright committee to refurbish it and open it up for a use for the community either as a museum or as a small retail facility. Something that’s going to benefit the community,” Arceneaux said. Arceneaux hopes the blending of old and new will be welcoming to both tourists and locals alike. “Where the Swamp Gardens were, it is going to be walking paths and a little park area and the baseball diamond. It is going to tie everything together,” Arceneaux said. Another project Arceneaux tackled during her tenure was revising the bylaws, strategic plan and policies and procedures. She hopes this will benefit the new board. “We did a complete makeover of our bylaws, all of our policies and procedures, of our strategic plan. We used these two years to do a complete relook, rethink, remodernize our entire train of thought as long as our documentation and our plan to move forward. That was a big challenge. We used it for the remainder of the year and saw what did work and what didn’t work and rewrote some more. It literally took two
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years to completely work out. And this will be the first year with Karl (Young) as chair with all of the revisions, and we will see how it works,” Arceneaux said Each new board spends a full Saturday in training for their new positions. “They learn about policies and procedures, committee responsibilities and the strategic plan. We literally just go through it. We have a book that has everything in it that we give to all the new board members. Every year now it is written down that we have to do that. The members of the board come together as a group and take ownership as a team for the year,” Arceneaux said. She said she believes all of the new board members are committed to the community and are committed to doing. “I have no doubt that Karl is going to be a great leader and he is going to continue to make sure that the parish is united, and continue to put forth the effort that everything we do as a chamber is good for the parish as a whole. And if he continues on that path, everything is going to work out. You can’t do for individuals or do for sections. You have to do for the whole. You have to be willing to compromise a little bit. I really think that the chamber is going in a great direction. Even in these very bleak economic times our community has supported us,” Arceneaux said.
Economic development of parish Meyer’s priority By GEOFFREY STOUTE Economic development — while not humming at the rate of years past — is evident in St. Mary Parish. The progress of current projects as well as a few new ideas for 2011 leave St. Mary Chamber of Commerce President Donna Meyer optimistic about the upcoming year. While great progress has been made on InterMoor’s Morgan City facility on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Meyer noted other progress, such as recent contracts by Conrad Industries and Swiftships Shipbuilders, both Morgan City businesses. It’s not just in Morgan City, either. On a recent trip to celebrate the opening of a new restaurant in Amelia, Meyer had a moment to see just how prosperous things were in that area. “It was unbelievable,” she said. “All the boats I see them working on … it looks really busy over there, which that’s probably a good thing.” Although things have been tough across the country and in some respects locally because of a moratorium on oil and gas drilling following the BP oil spill, Meyer said she thought things were improving. As for the chamber, Meyer said the goal is to look at the whole parish. Meyer said there is a need for new housing for those who work here so St. Mary can keep those employees here who leave for homes in other communities at the end of the workday. “I know that housing has always been a big issue, and it will continue to be until we can figure out a way for somebody to step up and say, ‘I’m going to work on that,’” she said. That, along with workforce development and job training are goals the chamber plans to assist with this year. Above all else, though, is moving from the chamber’s eastern office on U.S. 90 near the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium to a new home across Myrtle Street from the auditorium. The new modular facility will be constructed on land offered by the city on Myrtle Street. Meyer said she hopes to begin moving into the new facility by the end of January. Continued on Page 12
f Franklin O y t i C
Is Proud To Salute Our
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
11
Donna Meyer
MAYOR: Raymond Harris, Jr. COUNCIL: Joe Garrison Eugene Foulcard Lester Levine Dale Rogers Chuck Autin
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Economic development of parish Meyer’s priority... Continued from Page 11 The facilities and surrounding features will be completed in phases, which will require fundraising by the chamber. Other projects the chamber hopes to focus on this year are the St. Mary Parish Leadership Council and a radio program called Chamber Chat. “These are two things that I’ve really been talking about for awhile, and they’re going to get going,” Meyer said. The leadership council was planned for 2009, but stayed grounded because of sour economic times, among other reasons. The program seeks to prepare future leaders who will actively move the parish forward. Meyer said participants, who will be recruited from all community business sectors, will complete a seven-month training program. “Most of your chambers in the surrounding parishes have been doing this for 20 years,” she said. Meyer also is working with Howard Castay to broadcast a radio show called Chamber Chat on Castay’s radio station, KBZE 105.9 FM, in Morgan City. Initially, plans are for a half-hour show to promote area businesses and chamber events. Plans also are to include key speakers who will address their area of expertise. Meyer said she is hopeful the show eventually can be expanded to a weekly show. Other goals Meyer has for the upcoming year are better unification among the parish’s eastern and western ends, increasing membership and retention, and working with the chamber’s newly formed legislative committee. During the past year, the chamber also has networked regionally, specifically, by joining the Acadiana Regional Alliance. The alliance is a conglomerate of eight parishes representing 600,000 people which works to promote the Acadiana area’s interests. It is comprised of Acadia, Iberia, Jeff Davis, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vermilion parishes. “If you think about what we can do with that many people behind us, it’s pretty amazing,” she said. Meyer along with St. Mary Parish Director of Economical Development Frank Fink represent the parish on the ARA board. “People don’t realize that the chamber does get involved, and we do work really hard,” she said.
Other progress Meyer noted included upgrades to the chamber’s Web site and the success of the Chamber Burst, the organization’s short public service announcement that helps local businesses inform the public of their offerings.
Scholarships program awards local students
Scholarships amounting to $8,000 are awarded annually by the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce from the Charlie Roe Scholarship Fund. Deserving students at the seven high schools across the parish in addition to the Louisiana Technical College, Young Memorial Campus, in Morgan City are presented $1,000 to help pay for their continuing education. The scholarships are held annually at the end of the school terms during a Steak Dinner and Education Appreciation Night held at the Patterson Area Civic Center. Roe, a long-time businessman and owner of Lifesaving Equipment Co., created the scholarship fund to encourage local students to prolong their education. The scholarship was created when Roe passed away in 1999.
We Salute
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce!
Showing Pride in St. Mary Parish
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
2011 Chamber Banquet Diamond Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Cabot Corporation Phil Haney Community Projects Columbian Chemicals Company Conrad Shipyard
Silver Sponsors
T & M Boat Rentals Dugas Oil Company SLECA Regions Bank Franklin Foundation Hospital A & M Dockside Repair FNB of Jeanerette Midsouth Bank MC Bank & Trust Co Lirette Ford Lincoln Mercury Thibodaux Regional Medical Center ARL– Acadiane Renovations, Ltd. Cameron
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St. Mary Parish Chamber Directors
Marilyn Davis
Scott Berry
Greg Young
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
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St. Mary Parish Government is committed to providing governmental services that enhance the ability of businesses and individual to succeed, grow and prosper.
Paul P. Naquin, Jr.- President Henry “Bo� LaGrange-CAO 337-828-4100 ext. 500 www.stmaryparishla.gov
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
St. Mary Parish Government Council Members Craig Mathews David Hanagriff Steve Bierhorst Kevin Voisin Albert Foulcard Charles “Chuck” Walters Charles Middleton Glen Hidalgo Gary Duhon Ken Singleton Logan Fromenthal
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St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
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St. Mary Parish Chamber Directors
Frank Fink
Bob Lewis
Robert Judice
We Salute our St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce!
Keep Up The Great Work!
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Thank You Chamber of Commerce for Your Continued Dedication to St. Mary Parish.
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Page 20, St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011
St. Mary Parish Chamber Directors
Jason Bailey
Joseph Tabb
Raymond ‘Peetey’ Wade II
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
St. Mary Chamber of Commerce Staff
Donna F. Meyer, President
Christal L. Carter, Business Office Mngr.
Gail A. Hinkle, Office Assistant
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Chamber of Commerce Staff
U.S. Chamber comments on ATRA report WASHINGTON, D.C.—Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, made the following statement regarding today’s release of the report Judicial Hellholes 2010/2011 by the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA): “I commend ATRA for shining a spotlight on some of the nation’s most troublesome jurisdictions for lawsuit abuse. This report outlines many problems in these jurisdictions and should serve as a reminder to courts and state legislatures of the continued need for action. “At a time of high unemployment and sluggish economic growth, Americans are demanding policies that will lead to more jobs, not more lawsuits. Enacting progrowth legal reforms in the nation’s worst problem litigation jurisdictions would be a good place to start.” ILR seeks to promote civil justice reform through legislative, political, judicial, and educational activities at the national, state, and local levels. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.
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Board Member Khary Gaylord
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St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
St. Mary Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors
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St. Mary Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors
Jack Blank
Nelson Cortez
Laura Mott
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
St. Mary Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors
Delores Stewart
Cherie Laiche
BRYAN PULLARO 1200 Victor II Blvd. Morgan City bryanpullaro@allstate.com Se habla espanol
Sandi Guillory
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St. Mary Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors
Emily Berry
Sheila Jones
Eugina Price
CONGRATULATIONS
We Salute Our Chamber Of Commerce! __________________________
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce
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Chamber seeks leaders to move parish forward
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Business and community development, including traditional, new or expanded and proposed projects, are among the top priorities for the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce. Business After Hours, ribbon cuttings, Chamber Directory, Trade Show and business seminars wrap up the traditional programs in business development. New or expanded programs for business development since 2004 include business luncheons, Business Open House, Ambassador Program, Brown Bag Lunch Series with SLEC, 1-1 Business Counseling with SLEC, Chamber Gram, Business Blast, expanded Relocation Guide within the Chamber Directory and a new logo. Business development proposed projects include Chamber “Business Leadership” Training Program. Traditional programs for community development include St. Mary Charlie Roe Scholarship Fund, Rental List, Relocation Services and Tourism Information. New or expanded programs for community development include the Relocation Guide within the Chamber Directory, partnering with service agencies and member businesses for fundraisers, such as: —Artist Guild Unlimited. —St. Mary Arts and Humanities Council. —Boy Scouts. —Morgan City Power Boat Association. —Teche Regional Medical Center. —SLEC —Patterson State Bank —Morgan City Main Street Program. —Black Bear Festival. —Cypress Sawmill Museum Festival. —Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival —Community Concert Association Series. —Louisiana Technical College.
—Louisiana State Museum. —Maison Jardin. —Franklin Main Street Program. —Harvest Moon Festival. Chamber operations also have expanded with a membership increase, more equipment and funding and much more. Currently, there are about 580 members compared to 480 in 2004. Other additions include three new computers, computerized accounting procedures, standard operating procedures for employees and business functions, health plan for employees, revision of the chamber policy and procedures and bylaws and the new board member training packet. A new web site also has allowed members the ability to sign up for new chamber membership and make payments online, make function payments, purchase rental listing and present the chamber’s new image to the community.
Congratulations
We Salute the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce
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Page 28, St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011
U.S. Chamber looks toward improving economy In his annual State of American Business address, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue was cautiously optimistic about the state of the economy and outlined a four-point plan to put jobless Americans back to work. “We begin 2011 in a lot better shape than we found ourselves last year. The state of American business is improving,” Donohue said, pointing to expectations that the GDP will grow by 3.2% this year. “While the recovery may be picking up steam, it is fragile and uneven. There are many unanswered questions that must be addressed before companies will start aggressively hiring. Over the next year, the Chamber’s number one priority will be to turn this economic recovery into a jobs recovery so that we can start putting Americans back to work.” “We face an array of potentially serious risks that at any moment could send us back in the wrong direction,” Donohue continued. His speech outlined four immediate priorities that the Chamber will address to boost America’s competitiveness in the global economy: 1. Regulatory restraint and reform—Work to reform the regulatory process—to restore some badly needed balance, restraint, and common sense. We will also stand up a new group to
tell the story to the American people about the massive costs of excessive regulations on jobs and their personal and economic freedom. 2. Expanding American trade—Work to pass the pending free trade agreements and launch a major initiative to educate citizens and policymakers on trade that will clearly link global engagement to American jobs. 3. Rebuilding our economic platform—Rebuild America’s economic foundation—the platform our society runs on. Roads, bridges, rail and mass transit networks, airports, and air transport systems must be modernized. Broadband capacity, power generation, and water supplies must be expanded. We can create jobs, reduce our trade and budget deficits, and increase our own security by developing all forms of alternative, renewable, and traditional energy. We will also commence a new project to outline what our nation must do to create and secure a 21st century global supply chain and logistics system. 4. Reducing deficits and debt—Support congressional efforts to lower spending. We will make the case for entitlement reform as any plan that fails to tackle these runaway programs is doomed to fail. We will also support efforts by Republican and Democratic governors to challenge
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public employee unions and their excessive payroll, health, and retirement demands. In order to deepen the understanding about our nation’s competitive challenges, Donohue announced that the Chamber is going to undertake an analysis of the American business community’s understanding of our strengths and weaknesses and those of our competitors. “The Chamber is examining, in a factual and objective way, the actions by our government and the actions by the business community that are either moving us forward in the global economy or holding us back,” said Donohue. “We’ll then compare this analysis to what our competitors are doing with the goal of identifying the major factors that shape the decisions of job creators, innovators, and investors—to pinpoint our strengths so that we can build on them and our weaknesses so that we can fix them.” Donohue began his speech by expressing the Chamber ’s shock and sadness over the tragic shootings in Arizona. “Under any circumstance, the violence, injury, and loss of life that occurred are an outrage to us all,” Donohue said. “We are specifically offended by the fact that this rampage was directed at our democracy itself— striking down public servants as well
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as free citizens who had come to engage in a dialogue and express their views. We are praying for a full recovery for Congresswoman Giffords and the others who were injured. And our hearts go out to the families of those who lost their lives.” With President Obama scheduled to speak at the Chamber on February 7, Donohue pledged to work with the administration, the new House majority, and Democratic legislators on the Chamber ’s priorities over the next year. He also noted the new political realities of getting things done in a divided government. “No one should expect the Chamber to march in lock step with anyone else’s agenda but our own,” he said. “And our agenda is simple. We will continue to win important policy victories for the business community; we’ll support, protect, improve, and advance the free enterprise system; and we’ll help create good jobs and promising opportunities so the people of our country can reach the American Dream.” The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.
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St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE is always on hand to welcome new businesses in the area by sponsoring a ribbon cutting ceremony. This one was held
We Support St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce St. Mary Parish President, Paul Naquin, Jr.
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with Mayor Raymond Harris for Leatrice and Arnold Jenkins for their new business, LeeLee’s Floral & Bridal. Located at 1502-2 Main St. in Franklin.
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Page 30, St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011
RINCON JAROCHO, a new Mexican restaurant, held it’s ribbon cutting Jan. 11 at Highway 90 East Frontage Road in Amelia. They are another example of the Chamber’s continuing effort to promote, support and welcome new businesses
in St. Mary Parish. Owner Margarita Dimas cut the ribbon along with her daughter Gladys Montes, friends and several local officials.
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CONGRATULATES THE ST. MARY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Wayne Breaux - Mayor Thor Frederick - Alderman Gene St. Germain - Alderman Mike Lancelin - Alderman
Tony Gibson - Alderman Clarence Vappie - Alderman Gerald Minor - Chief of Police
St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011, Page
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Page 32, St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, 2011