INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL
I
Going Bananas! By Beverly Perkins
t takes a certain individual to assist a busy mayor in an up-and-coming city, care for a family, and open a booming business. Not only does this person have ambition and drive, leadership, and exemplary organizational skills, they have a love for their community and a passion to follow their dreams. Edna LaRoche certainly possesses these qualities and so many more. By day she is the Executive Assistant to City of Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam and at night she is the CEO of Oohlala Banana Bread, an artisan banana bread baking company in Broward County. Most recently she was celebrated in the City of Miramar for being a leader during Women’s History Month. In 2007, LaRoche began her career with the City of Miramar as the Marketing Manager for the Miramar Cultural Center. The former President of the Haitian American Democratic Club calls herself a political junkie, so it was only natural for her to transition to Mayor Messam’s office
during his inaugural year in 2015. As the mayor’s assistant, the respected executive’s responsibilities include organizing all mayoral initiatives such as Mayor Messam’s annual 5k Run and Health Fair, the anticipated Aviation Expo, a multitude of Chess Challenges, and so much more. In the past, she also created, hosted, and produced The New Haitian Generation. The 30-minute program showcased successful Haitian Americans on BECON-TV, the Broward County School Board television station for seven years. Additionally, she held various positions at New York Magazine and The South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Last year, LaRoche started baking banana bread which she shared with family and friends. Before she knew it, her hobby exploded into her own company which she manages out of a commercial kitchen. “While I love everything I do on behalf of
Mayor Messam and the City of Miramar, I also enjoy baking Ohlala banana bread,” exclaimed LaRoche. “I am a proud mother, a proud daughter, and a proud business owner. However, I think what makes me the proudest is that I am a woman who had dreams and I’m in the process of making those dreams come true.” As busy as LaRoche is, she plans to continue putting in the hard work to succeed. This leader effortlessly manages to balance both careers and certainly doesn’t mind going bananas.
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