Biz New Orleans July 2020

NEW AND NOTABLES

LOCALS SETTING RECORDS, TOPPING CHARTS AND TAKING CHARGE

WILSON FOUNDER AND OWNER OF RESILIA

283% SALES INCREASE? APRIL WAS GOOD TO THIS NEW COMPANY PG.60 COURTS STRUGGLE WITH COVID WHAT CHANGES LAY AHEAD FOR THE LEGAL PROFESSION? PG.28

DR. BOB LYNCH CEO OF TULANE HEALTH SYSTEM

IN THE BIZ

DINING 12

As the demand for plant-based dining continues to grow, so do new restaurant offerings with no meat in sight.

TOURISM 14

Airbnb sees increase in demand nationally and locally

SPORTS 16

ESPN announces high expectations for this Saints season

ENTREPRENEUR 18

Three days after New Orleans and Louisiana began Phase 1 reopening, four local entrepreneurs shared their reopening plans, concerns and views of the future.

HEALTHCARE 22 Local healthcare providers continue to adapt to the demands of the pandemic.

Should you invest during the pandemic? Local experts weigh in.

Courts have turned to technology to move some cases along, but much larger changes may lie ahead for the legal industry as it struggles with COVID-19 restrictions.

New

in February, Pang Wangle has found quick success with stylish clothing options that protect against pests.

and Lachin

We Can Do Better

AS I WRITE THIS IT’S NEAR THE MIDDLE OF JUNE — just a few weeks from the May 25 murder of George Floyd that has galvanized a movement and a discussion on race and equity that has reached across the globe. Similar to the early days of COVID-19, (which now seem like a lifetime ago) once again my inbox has been flooded by statements from local businesses and organizations, but the message this time has been vastly different. With COVID-19, the messages were of shutdowns — of businesses announcing that they were temporarily closing or operating remotely, expressing concerns for their employees and the general public. There was so much fear and uncertainty but underneath that a palpable resolve, a “We’re all in this together and we will get through it.”

This time around the messages have been written in heartbreak, not fear, and with the intent to reach out and stand against hate. The most powerful, at least to me, were the messages crafted with a sense of real introspection and an acknowledgement that “We can do better,” along with a pledge to do just that.

With that in mind, I want to say that Biz New Orleans can do better. While we have made an effort from the first magazine to showcase the rich tapestry of businesses throughout this region — along with the incredible people and organizations that are the backbone of our community — I know we can do better. We can do better in reaching out to more organizations, more businesses that you may not typically hear about. We can, and will, do better in featuring and inviting a more diverse group of people to lend their voice to the magazine — and now, the podcast, Biz Talks — because we recognize that New Orleans, and this entire region, is like nowhere else on earth, and that is due entirely to our people — ALL our people.

As I’ve done since day one, I invite you to reach out to us. If there’s someone or something you want to see covered, some topic you’d like to see tackled, please let us know. I can be reached anytime at Kimberley@BizNewOrleans.com or (504) 830-7260.

This is a difficult time, but it’s in the difficult times that we learn and grow, and that gives me hope. Stay safe and thank you for reading.

Kimberley Singletary, Managing Editor

Publisher Todd Matherne

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde

Managing Editor Kimberley Singletary

Art Director Sarah George

Associate News Editor Rich Collins

Contributors Jennie Campbell, Rich Collins, Keith Loria, Pamela Marquis, Ashley McLellan, Loulan Ptre Jr., Chris Price, Jessica Rosgaard, Jennifer Gibson Schecter, James Sebastien, Melanie Warner Spencer, Poppy Tooker, Keith Twitchell

ADVERTISING

Sales Manager Caitlin Sistrunk (504) 830-7252 Caitlin@BizNewOrleans.com

Senior Account Executive Brennan Manale (504) 830-7298 Brennan@BizNewOrleans.com

Senior Account Executive Jessica Jaycox (504) 830-7255 JessicaJ@BizNewOrleans.com

MARKETING

Director of Marketing & Events Jeanel Luquette

Event Coordinator Abbie Dugruise

DIGITAL

Digital Media Editor Kelly Massicot

Digital Operations Manager Sarah Duckert

PRODUCTION

Production Manager Emily Andras

Production Designers Rosa Balaguer, Meghan Rooney

Traffic Assistant Jeremiah Michel

ADMINISTRATION

Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne

President Alan Campell

Executive Vice President Errol Laborde

Office Manager Mallary Matherne

Distribution Manager John Holzer

Audience Development Claire Sargent

For subscriptions, call (504) 830-7231

Renewed Optimism

WHAT A YEAR THIS IS TURNING OUT TO BE. Here we are at the midway point, and I’m betting your business forecast for the balance of 2020 doesn’t look anything like your original plan.

When we entered 2020, it was with optimism and plans for new events, projects and sections. Then, in mid-March, that all changed. We began to rethink our model and how we do business. The staff started to reinvent themselves on not only how they work, but also what they work on.

Our optimism during this time has been challenged, we remain focused.

During the past three months, we have begun producing a weekly podcast, conducted video interviews, added new blogs and increased our daily digital content. I am so proud of the team as they have risen to the challenge and are shining bright. New ideas are constantly being developed and we are looking forward to a great second half of the year. I’m happy to say that sense of optimism is returning as we move forward, focusing on finishing the year strong and preparing for 2021.

Todd Matherne

BUSINESS OPEN

As businesses start to open up and move forward post-shutdown, Biz New Orleans gives some local organizations to share their message of reopening. We know how important it is to get both businesses and consumers back to contributing to the community and Biz is proud to be part of the process.

Boys Hope Girls Hope

PO Box 19307• New Orleans • (504) 484-7744 • neworleans@bhgh.org

We nurture and guide motivated young people in need to become well-educated, career-ready men and women for others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we remained open to continue meeting the needs of our scholars, providing academic support, groceries, medicine, and consistent support for the dedicated children who benefit from this program.

DMG Design + Build

(504) 275-6664 • DMGnola.com

DMG Design+Build continues to prioritize innovation and leadership during these unprecedented times by introducing 11 Semi-Custom Value Home Designs. In addition to being a recognized leader in Design+Build custom homes and remodels we have created a library of home designs perfect for investors and first-time homebuyers. Save time and money by choosing a semicustom home for your next build. DMG is Building Better.

Jessica D. LeBlanc, CPA, L.L.C.

CPA Realty, L.L.C.

(504) 812-7105 • jessicaleblanc@cparealtyllc.com

In my accounting practice, I help businesses and/or attorneys with outsourced accounting (i.e. bookkeeping) and litigation support (i.e. forensics, damage calculations, and expert witness).

In my real estate practice, I help clients with residential, commercial and property management services.

This year I have also helped businesses with relief options as a result of the pandemic. Let me be your accountability accountant and trusted business advisor for your accounting and/or real estate needs.

Engel & Völkers New Orleans

4826 Magazine Street • (504) 875-3555 • neworleans.evrealestate.com

Leading People, Home. Our locally owned, globally connected brokerage allows us to provide white-glove service at every price point. We provide a real estate experience fit for the Big Easy by combining our core values of competence, exclusivity, and passion with local New Orleans flair to create an authentic and bespoke experience tailored to meet each of our client’s needs.

Perry Dampf

(225) 389-9899 • perrydampf.com Conflict. Dialogue. Resolution.

To our clients, friends and fellow citizens: we appreciate you now, more than ever. You’ve worked with us to peacefully resolve deep differences. Together, we’ve shown that resolving human conflict is less about yelling and more about listening It is less about winning than it is evolving. And together, despite our differences, we advance

Peace.

Gregg Collins Mediation Arbitration

Energy Centre • 1100 Poydras Street, Suite 2900 (504) 616-7535 • jgreggcollins@msn.com

Full time mediator since 1992. AV rated. Best Lawyers in America 2014-2020 Mediation, New Orleans’ Top Lawyers (2014) and America’s Most Honored Professionals (2015-2020) Gregg Collins Mediation Arbitration opened 2016. Has handled more than 2450 mediations ranging from simple two-party automobile cases to complex, multi-party product liability, trucking, Jones Act, toxic tort and business matters.

In The Biz

A Different Kind of Green Wave

As the demand for plant-based dining continues to grow, so do new restaurant offerings with no meat in sight.

BY POPPY TOOKER

ARE YOU A RESTAURANT LOOKING TO appeal to a larger customer base, including millennials? Consider vegetarian and vegan dining options.

Even before the launch of the Impossible Burger and the current issues surrounding meat-processing plants in the age of COVID19, vegetarian and vegan eating was on the rise. According to a report by GlobalData, the number of people identifying as vegan in the United States grew from 1% in 2014 to 6% in 2017 — a 600% increase.

As such, it’s not surprising that while dreams of a fresh, crunchy salad or unbuttered vegetable once seemed elusive in this city, now, vegan and vegetarian options abound across the city.

Ethical arguments of animal consumption aside, there is much hard science that supports the health benefits of a plant-based diet.

A vegetarian diet reduces the risk, and in some cases, reverses the severity of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. A 12-year study conducted by Oxford University, published in a British medical journal, revealed that on average, vegetarians outlive meat eaters by six years.

The following are a few local plant-based dining standouts.

SEED SPROUTS AGAIN

Heads turned recently when the trio behind District Donuts, Sliders & Brew — childhood buddies Aaron Vogel, Chris Audler and Stephan Cali — took a 180-degree turn with the acquisition of vegetarian restaurant Seed. Originally opened in 2014 by Edgar Cooper, Seed reopened at 1330 Prytania Street in the Lower Garden District in January 2020 with an expanded footprint and a stylish cocktail and coffee bar.

The menu presents food authentically, with no “faux” illusions. Despite a visual reminiscent of fried soft-shell crab, the kelp poor-boy is just that – seaweed! The meaty cauliflower katsu is a thick fried steak of the ivory vegetable, served on purple-yam milk bread.

Asked what precipitated the move from doughnuts and burgers to a plant-based concept, Vogel said that as District expanded out of state, the partners were titillated by the delicious plant foods they discovered elsewhere. With the philosophy that hospitality is at the core of their business, they were eager to dispel local diners’ preconceived notions of meatless dining, while introducing the next generation to a tasty alternative.

“My teenagers love the food and my 60-year-old dad, who never ate vegetarian

before, says he can’t stop coming back because it just tastes so good!” Vogel reported.

GLOBAL INSPIRATIONS

Maxwell E. Maxwell is founder of Max Well, a sunny café on the corner of Magazine and Webster streets. Maxwell came to New Orleans as a Loyola University music student and stayed on to work in the local music industry. After years of grabbing late-night meals after gigs resulted in chronic acid reflux, Maxwell said he began to experiment with healthier meal choices. The results of his dietary changes were so dramatic that he further explored the topic, taking night classes in nutrition at Tulane University. Maxwell later opened Max Well in December 2017.

With a focus on bowls and salads, the café’s menu also includes favorites like lasagna made with a crumbly, meatlike combination of chopped mushrooms, lentils and walnuts, layered between sliced sweet potatoes. Max Well’s menu is filled with international flights of vegetarian fancy, with a classic French crepe encasing Greek salad, vegan cheese and Spanish chorizo with black sesame tofu.

VEGAN COMFORT FOOD?

After spending more than 20 years living the vegan lifestyle, owner and first-time restaurateur Caroline Nassrah joined forces with manager Aimee Herrmann to create Kindred, a vegan restaurant that opened Uptown in January 2020. The menu is designed for college cravings, with highlights including faux fried chicken, burgers and fries, and mac and cheese. The seitan, which forms the base of the “chick’n,” is meticulously house-made using a special wheat-free gluten in a process that takes over six hours to prepare.

In what Herrmann describes as contributing to “a typical New Orleans experience,” Kindred also features six different frozen daiquiris on tap daily. The restaurant’s full bar is strictly vegan as well.

“Animal products like egg white and fish bladder are often used in the refining process of liquor, beer and wine,” Herrmann explained. “Everything we offer is refined with charcoal or clay.”

Whether you’re a devoted vegan or vegetarian, or just experimenting with a “flexitarian” lifestyle by occasionally going meatless, fortunately today’s local options are as diverse as our hungry population. n

Catch Poppy Tooker on her radio show, “Louisiana Eats!” Saturdays at 3 p.m. and Mondays at 8 p.m. on WWNO 89.9 FM.

A native New Orleanian, Poppy Tooker has spent her life devoted to the cultural essence that food brings to Louisiana, a topic she explores weekly on her NPR-affiliated radio show, Louisiana Eats! From farmers markets to the homes and restaurants where our culinary traditions are revered and renewed, Poppy lends the voice of an insider to interested readers everywhere.

Sleeping in Someone Else’s Bed

Airbnb sees increase in demand both nationally and locally

BY JENNIFER GIBSON SCHECTER

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP FOR SUMMER travel — though they look a little different than last year. After months of stagnant booking rates during COVID-19 travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders, Airbnb reported it had more nights booked at its U.S. listings between May 17 and June 3 than the same time in 2019, with a concentration in drivable markets.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said travel is shifting from far-off destinations to locations that are easily reachable by car. Since February, the percentage of Airbnb bookings within 200 miles of the travelers’ residence has grown from a third to more than 50% in May.

Chesky also said customers are booking longer stays of a week or more, pointing out, “Work from home is becoming working from any home.”

The increase in bookings for Airbnb came a month after it had to lay off 25% of its employees, or roughly 1,900 people.

In a letter to employees, Chesky spoke to the future of travel and a return to Airbnb’s origins in response.

“Travel in this new world will look different, and we need to evolve Airbnb accordingly,” said Chesky. “People will want options that are closer to home, safer, and more affordable. But people will also yearn for something that feels like it’s been taken away from them — human connection. When we started Airbnb, it was about belonging and connection. This crisis has sharpened our focus to get back to our roots, back to the basics, back to what is truly special about Airbnb — everyday people who host their homes and offer experiences.”

According to Inside Airbnb, an opensource data tool, there are currently 6,508 Airbnb properties in New Orleans. The data also show 61.4% of local hosts have multiple properties listed, a potential indicator the host is running their Airbnb like a business and doesn’t occupy the property, a violation of the city’s short-term rental rules. It also reflects a growing number of specialized hosts who manage properties for the owners for a percentage of the profits.

One local expert is Joshua Aranguiz, real estate asset manager at Rêve Realtors and Airbnb Superhost, a designation Airbnb bestows on experienced hosts with the highest ratings, lowest cancelation rates and quick response times to guests. Aranguiz has built a niche practice that includes helping buyers find properties that are likely to be the most successful as short-term rentals

through the actual management of them as rental properties.

“I help people consult and do analytics. I use [data program] AirDNA and look at all the actual numbers and then diagnose the market,” said Aranguiz. “I help my clients with everything from locating the house to buying the house, getting the house ready, and managing the house. I have a cleaning team and construction people I’ve worked with too.”

Aranguiz currently manages 12 local properties and expects that to increase to 16 by the end of the month. He has found success by listing the properties across multiple short-term rental platforms. Using a program called Hostfully, he can manage all of his properties and post them to seven different rental platforms.

Aranguiz said he is optimistic about the short-term rental market after having felt the harsh realities of COVID-19 on the industry. When I asked him how the pandemic had impacted business, he laughed incredulously.

“In 2019, I sold over $100,000 in vacation rental sales,” he said. “In January and February of 2020, I was at $71,000 in rental sales. I was on pace for something like $300,000 this year. I’m still at 71,000 [dollars]. I was on pace to triple my last year’s revenue.” Aranguiz said he is still poised for growth, however, and has reservations picking up through the summer into the fall. He has also seen the shift in guests coming from closer to New Orleans, calling the city a domestic travel hub and “a high attraction zone.”

Beyond short-term rentals, the localized overnight stay is also trending for hotels. Hotel data from international hospitality data benchmarking and analytics firm STR demonstrate a slow rebound in hotel bookings nationwide. Considering locations like the Florida Panhandle, STR analysts said the data clearly show weekend leisure travel is back, pointing out that drive-to leisure markets saw the highest occupancies at the end of May.

Overall, U.S. hotel revenue from April 2020 compared to April 2019 saw a sharp decrease in hotel room revenue that coincided with a sharp decrease in expenses, but it was not enough to drive profitability.n

Jennifer Gibson Schecter was once a tourist in New Orleans herself and is now proud to call NOLA home. She also writes the Wednesday Tourism Blog on BizNewOrleans.com

Saints Favorites for Super Bowl, Again

ESPN announces high expectations for this Saints season

BY CHRIS PRICE

THE 2020 NFL SEASON IS, NO DOUBT, GOING to be remarkable: An ongoing pandemic, social unrest and a charged election year environment hitting at the same time will do that.

What’s not different, in terms of the NFL so far, is the expectation that the New Orleans Saints will, again, be one of the best teams in the league. The team entered the 2020 league year with few holes and has been able to use the draft and free agency to bolster its championship-caliber roster.

ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index (FPI), its prediction model for the NFL, has the Saints rated as the fourth-best team in the league and second-best team in their conference. But there is an interesting caveat. Despite their rankings, the sports network believes the Black & Gold will face the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

ESPN’s FPI has the AFC West’s Chiefs ranked as the best team in the NFL. They are expected to win 11.2 games and have a 21% chance to win the next Super Bowl. The AFC North’s Ravens are second with 11.0 wins and a 17% chance at the championship.

With 10.2 projected wins, San Francisco is ranked as the third-best team in the NFL (best in the NFC) and has been given a 12% chance of winning their sixth Lombardi.

Here’s where it gets weird.

The Saints are ranked fourth, yet they’re expected to match the 49ers’ 10.2 game win total and have a 13% chance to win Super Bowl LV.

While ESPN believes the ’Niners have the better team, the “worldwide leader in sports” thinks the Saints’ schedule is easier. They give New Orleans a 59% chance of winning the NFC South and an 83% chance of making the playoffs and San Francisco a 53% chance of claiming the NFC West and 81% chance of postseason play.

With offseason movement adding off-field drama that will match on-field action, the NFC South is going to be interesting.

Despite six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady — who will be 43 years old when the 2020 season kicks off — moving to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason, ESPN believes the Saints will extend their NFC South reign to four straight years. Brady’s addition to the division and his horse race with Saints QB Drew Brees to secure several career records before their playing days come to an end (Brees, 41, leads Brady in career touchdown passes, 547 to 541, and passing yards, 77,416 to 74,571) will, no doubt, add extra excitement to the season.

With 9.1 predicted wins and a 63% chance to make the playoffs, the network ranks the Bucs as the eighth-best team in the NFL and gives them a 3.6% of becoming Super Bowl champions. The archrival Atlanta Falcons, ranked 18th, are expected to win 7.5 games, giving them a 31% chance of making the postseason and a 0.7% chance of winning a ring. Teddy Bridgewater, who served as the beloved backup quarterback for the Saints the past two seasons, took the starting job in Carolina. ESPN thinks the Panthers’ rebuild will be daunting, ranking them 29th out of 32 teams, predicting 5.6 wins and giving them a 7% chance to make the playoffs and 0.0 chance to win the Super Bowl.

I think the Saints will win at least 10 of the games on their schedule – Bucs, @Raiders, @ Lions, @Chargers, Panthers, @Bears, Falcons, @Broncos, @Falcons and @Panthers. As far as their other six games, they have the luck of having, arguably, their four hardest games against the Packers, 49ers, Chiefs and Vikings at home and the Eagles and Bucs on the road. Domefield advantage could help them claim the majority of those contests.

Kickoff times will also play an important factor. The Saints are scheduled to play 11 games in either Sunday- or Monday-night primetime, during the nationally-broadcast Sunday-afternoon games, or on a holiday (Christmas Day vs. Minnesota). With the eyes of fans across the country upon them, the Saints will ensure they put on command performances.

The last three seasons have been amazing, but ultimately resulted in horrific playoff exits. However, the team has retained focus and seemingly improved. The Saints are now on the threshold of what could be a historic season.

Just one question remains: Are you ready for some football? n

Chris Price is an award-winning journalist and public relations principal. When he’s not writing, he’s avid about music, the outdoors, and Saints, Ole Miss and Chelsea football. Price also authors the Friday Sports Column at BizNewOrleans.com

A Tale of Four Businesses

Three days after New Orleans and Louisiana began Phase 1 reopening, four local entrepreneurs shared their reopening plans, concerns and views of the future.

BY KEITH TWITCHELL

Keith Twitchell spent 16 years running his own business before becoming president of the Committee for a Better New Orleans. He has observed, supported and participated in entrepreneurial ventures at the street, neighborhood, nonprofit, micro- and macro-business levels.

SAFETY IS AN ENTREPRENEURS’ NO. 1 CONCERN , now that the business world is a different placeThese were the unsurprising conclusions of four New Orleans business owners in the immediate aftermath of Phase 1 reopening. Surprising and gratifying, though, was their confidence in the survival of their enterprises.

“We want to make sure that our staff and our customers are as safe as possible,” said Pamela Bryan, owner of Octavia Art Gallery, which includes one location on Magazine Street and one in Houston. Spanning 3,000 square feet, the New Orleans gallery allows plenty of space for social distancing, and staff wear masks at all times.

Safety is also the top concern for Trina Davis, owner of Mosaic Salon and Gallery, located in Mid-City on Carrollton Avenue, but Davis faces different challenges. Her shop has two small rooms, allowing for one stylist in each room, but she now has to schedule in time between their appointments to clean thoroughly and keep customers safely separated.

“I’m taking fewer clients each day,” she noted, “so I have to work more days. It’s already more stressful being at work, and I’m going to miss my usual time off.”

These two businesses immediately opened as fully as restrictions would allow, but Happy Raptor Distillery is taking a bit more time. The distillery has survived by offering to-go sales of its infused rums and cocktails, and by pivoting to produce hand sanitizer. As of late May, the owners had no immediate plans to reopen the tasting room.

“We’re not quite sure how to manage the crowds,” said co-founder Meagen Moreland. “We would also need to hire staff, and there is a lot of uncertainty among service industry employees.”

Moreland added that many restaurants and bars are not guaranteed to reopen, and that to a significant degree, “service industry employees are taking the hit so that companies can survive. We want to be mindful of that.”

Note to business customers: If you are selfish enough to go into an establishment without a mask, you are putting business owners in a very difficult situation.

“We are going to face that moment when a client walks in without a mask and refuses to wear one,” predicted attorney Scott Galante of the Galante & Bivalacqua Law Firm. “We will not meet with that client. We have

a responsibility to keep our staff and the people in our lives safe.”

The firm has been working mostly via Zoom, and even though the office reopened a week into Phase 1, Galante anticipates that most client consultations will remain virtual. Davis said her salon will sell masks to customers who show up without one (she found a supply in Baton Rouge and drove up there to collect them). Moreland has similar plans, though she hopes her customers will respect her staff enough to wear their own masks.

“It’s hard to refuse business,” she said, “but we will have to do it.”

All four entrepreneurs were remarkably bullish about the future of their companies. Bryan and Davis both noted that they have established, loyal clientele; Octavia also does considerable business online. Galante observed that the legal profession benefits from constant demand and felt that smaller firms like his were well-positioned to adjust to new realities. As far as concern for product demand, Moreland simply pointed out, “We make booze.”

All also expressed guarded optimism about the economy overall.

“It may take two years, but the economy will recover, slowly,” Moreland believes. “Emotionally, it will take longer to come back.” Davis and Bryan both expressed concern about a second wave of infections. Galante noted conflicting guidance from the different levels of government, and all four were worried about citizens not complying with necessary safety measures. However, all four entrepreneurs also believe there will eventually be a viable new “normal.”

New Orleans has more challenges than many cities, but it also has a valuable intangible, eloquently expressed by Bryan: “We understand how resilient we are,” he said. “We know who we are, and we know what to do.” n

Perspectives

HOT TOPICS IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA INDUSTRIES

HEALTHCARE Local providers continue to adapt to the pandemic.

BANKING+FINANCE Investing during the pandemic

LAW The struggle to keep the wheels of justice turning

GUEST A lawyer’s view on the our path forward from COVID-19.

Care in the Time of COVID-19

Local healthcare providers continue to adapt to the demands of the pandemic.

BY JAMES SEBASTIEN

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF COVID-19, HEALTHcare facilities have been on the frontline of a raging war against the virus, and most facilities in Louisiana have modified operations in accordance with the directions laid forth by the Louisiana Department of Health. One of the biggest results of the changes has been a move toward conducting doctor visits remotely in an effort to keep the public safe at home as much as possible.

“Telehealth/telemedicine visits have represented the lion’s share of our business since the beginning of the pandemic,” says Kertrina Watson Lewis, director of communication at Ascension DePaul Services of New Orleans (formerly Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans), a collection of 10 health centers serving the Greater New Orleans area. “We have also offered greater access to our other services, like pharmacy and WIC, via curbside delivery and mail order, but a major focus for us surrounds symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 testing and antibody testing.”

While the increase in telemedicine services was spurred by COVID-19, it is unlikely to disappear with the virus.

“Telemedicine is here to stay, therefore, fostering a greater reliability on technology, such as remote monitoring of chronically ill patients and actual clinical conditions,” said Lewis. “This is making alternative communication streams more normalized.”

Lewis added that she expects to see technology also continue to play a greater role in providing patient education and communicating with the public.

Telemedicine, however, is not without its limitations, as experienced in specialties like dermatology.

“We need to be able to see, touch and feel rashes, lesions and eruptions in order to render an accurate diagnosis,” said Elizabeth

Telehealth/ telemedicine visits have representd the lion’s share of our business since the beginning of the pandemic.

Kertrina

Watson Lewis, director of communication at Ascension DePaul Services of New Orleans

Grieshaber, MD, board certified dermatologist at Terezakis & Grieshaber Dermatology in Metairie. “Cameras on phones and computers are really good, but I find it difficult for patients to keep the camera still for long enough to allow it to autofocus on the area of concern. The other drawback is that cameras provide a two-dimensional view and skin is three-dimensional.”

While people may feel understandably cautious about visiting a doctor right now, many in the medical field are working hard

to spread the word that avoiding proper care right now can be riskier than the threat of contracting COVID-19 in a doctor’s office.

“COVID-19 has made patients question the necessity of going to a doctor for minor problems due to risk of exposure,” Grieshaber said. “I have even heard some consider home birth because of rumors and restrictions surrounding delivery. This could be catastrophic for both mother and child. I am hoping confidence in seeking care and having procedures at our hospitals returns soon.”

Health centers have ramped up protection measures. Aside from encouraging telemedicine appointments and providing masks for in-person visits, facilities have been putting numerous precautions in place to adapt to the pandemic.

“We have adapted so many of our programs and services to address the health and safety of our patients and colleagues,” said Melissa Hodgson, assistant vice president of communication at St. Tammany Health System, an extensive collection of health facilities and services out of Covington. “We have introduced UV light disinfection, scaled up our isolation and negative pressure patient care spaces, and reconfigured our workspaces, staffing and policies to ensure social distancing.”

As restrictions have lifted a bit, health providers are also scrambling to play catchup.

“We do know that patients with scheduled care that was elective at the time of the state’s order were inconvenienced,” Hodgson said. “We have expanded our call center hours to give our patients more time to call at their convenience to reschedule anything they put on hold when the stay-at-home order was initiated.”

As with the increase in telemedicine, Hodgson said added safety measures are likely to become permanent.

“Population health, risk-sharing models and other major changes to government and private insurance programs are changing the way healthcare entities are compensated for care,” Hodgson said. “This is a good thing because it puts the focus on improving the health of the population. St. Tammany Health System is on the forefront of these industry changes on the Northshore, in collaboration with community physicians in our St. Tammany Quality Network and with our partner, Ochsner Health.”

Hodgson stressed that those with health needs should be following up with their providers.

“It’s important for people to realize a procedure that wasn’t an emergency two months ago may be more urgent today,” he said, adding that, “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated chronic illnesses.”

There is good news: Lewis said she is encouraged to see not just healthcare centers, but the public learning valuable lessons from the pandemic.

“The public is more educated on the importance of monitoring social interactions by staying away from others when they are sick, wearing masks and maintaining proper social distance,” she said. “Health care is everyone’s concern and business — what one person does can affect so many others. It’s great that we’re understanding terms such as contact tracing and becoming more cognizant of ways in which we interact physically.” n

COVID-19 has made patients question the necessity of going to a doctor for minor problems due to risk of exposure

Elizabeth Grieshaber, MD, board certified dermatologist at Terezakis & Grieshaber Dermatology

Investing During the Pandemic

Should you do it? Local experts weigh in.

BY KEITH LORIA

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED millions to lose jobs and triggered historic fluctuations of the stock market. But while many people have seen their savings in retirement plans drop considerably, financial experts advise that those with some extra cash during this time can still find savvy avenues to invest.

Jill Knight Nalty, business development officer for Argent Trust Company in New Orleans, said investing is a good idea at any time, but especially now if someone has extra cash after paying down debt and ensuring they have financial reserves equal to three to six months of their salary, but ideally 12 months.

When it comes to investing, she advised to “assess your personal risk tolerance, as well as your time horizon. Diversification is always key when investing, but you also need to make sure your risk tolerance is aligned with your investment strategy. Consider dollar cost averaging over time as opposed to putting all of your extra cash to work at once.”

Emmett G. Dupas III, lead partner with Bienville Capital Group in Metairie, noted that investing has different meanings for everyone, and advised that, “It’s important to match your risk with your time horizon.”

He added that treasury yields and savings are earning very little currently, but they have safety of principal in mind.

“Ask yourself if you are looking to earn more than what those offer,” he said. “Bonds, corporate, mortgage and higher yield, typically provide you with higher income but have additional risk. You must determine if you are looking longer term and wish to invest in the stock of a single company, or a mutual fund which may own hundreds of companies for diversification purposes.”

Troy Toups, founder and wealth manager of Toups Wealth Management in New Orleans, agrees that investing right now is wise.

“We have had a market that has gone up since essentially 2009, and here we are in 2020, and we have the opportunity to buy good, quality stocks when the market is down,” he said. “We’re not saying put all of your money into it, but if you buy [stocks] you believe in, you can just buy them and hold them.”

That’s why Toups’ top recommendation to clients is to “buy what you know.”

“Regardless of what’s going on with the virus, try to think of things that people are going to continually use — they are going to pay their cell phone bills, so think Verizon or AT&T,” he said. “We like the S&P 500, which is the 500 largest U.S. companies. There are low-cost options there.”

If you buy [stocks] you believe in, you can just buy them and hold them.

Troy Toups, founder and wealth manager of Toups Wealth Management

Still, everyone’s situation is different, which is why Toups noted it’s important to work with a financial professional.

“A lot of our clients work in the oil industry and not only have their accounts gone down, but they are concerned about losing a job and it’s very hard to get one these days,” Toups said. “For someone in that situation, their time horizon might be a little bit shorter because they don’t know how long they will be employed for.”

But, he adds, if one takes a certain portion of their money and makes sure it’s safe for when they need it, then it’s OK to invest, even if the markets continue to fluctuate.

“I am optimistic and would like to think that over the next two years, the stock market is going to be up,” Toups said.

Jeremy Jacobson, president of Metairiebased RBI Group, said his investing advice is all about demographics.

“If you’re younger and have a long-term time horizon, the first thing I would do with any excess cash, if you have the ability is maximize a 401K,” he said. “It’s the best bang for your buck.”

Jacobson added that bonds are a good option to consider.

“You don’t want to go 100% into the stocks; you want to have some bond exposure too, not only for the potential return, but bonds don’t have the same type of volatility as stocks,” he said. “In the event that the market was to take another leg down, you would have some money in bond funds that you could rebalance into stocks when they go on sale.” n

The Struggle to Keep the Wheels of Justice Turning

Courts have turned to technology to move some cases along, but much larger changes may lie ahead for the legal industry as it struggles with COVID-19 restrictions.

BY JESSICA ROSGAARD

COVID-19 HAS FORCED BUSINESSES ACROSS the board to find new ways of doing things — including the legal industry, as courts at every level were forced to close temporarily.

“There was a period of pandemonium where people had matters that were pending with our mediators,” said Robert Burns Jr., managing partner at Perry Dampf Dispute Solutions, which has offices in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Fairhope, Alabama. “In any given week, we had 40 mediations scheduled. We probably lost half of those just to sheer panic.”

“It shut us down initially, on the civil side, to about 15 to 20% of what we were able to do before,” said Brian Katz, a partner at Herman, Herman & Katz, LLC, a litigation firm focused on personal injury, business and construction litigation, and classaction work that operates six offices across Louisiana. “Courts were completely closed for a while. They opened up for emergency matters, but most of the day-to-day stuff that the majority of lawyers handles is not an emergency matter.”

Katz said that as of early June, active cases were picking back up a bit.

“We’re probably up to 50-75% moving, but it depends on the cases,” he said. “If they’re at a stage when you’re in the thick of it, those didn’t really stop. But if you had a case that was at the beginning or at a lull, it sat in further lull because of the shutdown.”

The impact of COVID-19 restrictions varied by legal concentration.

“People have a year to sue for things like auto accidents or slip and falls or anything like that, so suits I see now are from accidents before the virus or pandemic started,” said Thomas Buck, a partner at full-service law firm Blue Williams with offices in Metairie and Mandeville. “If there’s going to be a lag in the litigation arena, I haven’t seen it yet.”

Because trial dates drive the momentum of a case, with those dates pushed back, work has slowed.

In any given week we had 40 mediations scheduled. We probably lost half of those due to just sheer panic.

Robert

Burns Jr., managing partner at Perry Dampf Dispute Solutions

“I haven’t really noticed a significant drop in the pace of filings,” said Tim Gray, managing partner at Forman, Watkins & Krutz, LLP, a national mass tort and litigation firm with offices in New Orleans, Mississippi, Michigan, Texas and New Jersey. “What I have seen is cases are getting filed and nothing is happening immediately as you would normally expect.”

Because no one can predict when things will return to normal, the legal industry has been forced to explore new ways to work.

“Clients need their matters moved forward to a conclusion so they’re not in an indefinite state of litigations,” said Katz. “The parties were going to either sit around and wait until

there’s a [COVID-19] vaccine, or we were going to jump into the 21st century and start doing the things that we can do effectively through technology.”

In order to keep cases moving forward during a period of social distancing and travel concerns, law firms are now using video conferencing platforms for witness depositions.

“Court reporters are starting [video conferencing] depositions by getting everyone to agree on the record that the method being used is satisfactory,” said Buck, “even though they may not be there to administer an oath live and in person to the witness.”

Buck said it’s in everyone’s interest to keep cases moving forward.

“Litigants need resolution to their cases; businesses need some finality in their matters — it’s all part of the process.”

There are also some potential long-term benefits to conducting depositions by video conference, including less travel time for lawyers, which can mean savings for clients.

However, there are parts of a legal proceeding that are hard, if not impossible, to conduct over video, and the legal field is still figuring out how to manage those.

“In the short term, we’re going to have hearings which are limited in terms of the number of people that can be in a courtroom, the number of cases you can have at one time,” said Walt Leger Jr., senior partner at Leger & Shaw, a full-service firm with offices in Louisiana and Alabama.

Leger said judges are trying to figure out new ways to manage motions and pretrial hearings.

“Typically, on a Friday, you might have 20 motions set, so the lawyers for all 20 of those cases show up at 9:30 a.m. and they go one after the other. But, because of the restrictions you don’t want to have 50 lawyers in a courtroom at a time.” Judges might begin scheduling motions like doctor’s appointments, every 30 minutes, to keep too many people from gathering at one time.

“That may make things go faster, but will probably make them go slower,” added Leger.

And as for jury trials, Leger said that’s going to take a while to figure out.

“One, can you get juries?” he said. “Two, can you really put 12 people relatively close together? Courtrooms aren’t that large. Completion of civil and criminal jury trials will be reduced for a while, that’s my prediction.”

A backlog of court hearings has led to an increased demand for mediations and arbitrations.

“I think part of that is because people don’t know necessarily how quickly, or if they’ll be able to move forward in the court system,” said Burns. “So, they resort to us because they don’t know of any other means. We’re inundated.”

As cases are taking longer to schedule, conduct and finalize, another concern is the viability of some law firms. Lawyers who deal with personal injury cases, for example, often don’t get paid until the case is settled.

“At some point in time it’s going to affect the ability of lawyers to maintain their legal practice,” said Steve Lane, partner at Herman, Herman & Katz, LLP. “If you’re a plaintiff attorney, that’s going to affect your cash flow and your ability to practice law.”

Lane said attorneys who typically work on a contingency basis may switch to doing more hourly work in order to ensure they are paid no matter how long a case takes.

What changes from COVID-19 remain permanent, like with all industries, remain to be seen.

“We are understanding that as a profession we can work remotely but is that something that’s going to continue for the near future or have some lasting effect?” said Leslie Ehret, a partner at full-service, New Orleans-based law firm Frilot. “Are we going to be more flexible in terms of where people work? On top of that we’re looking at whether we need a lot of support services we have in an office setting when we’re all working remotely. I think those issues are coming up certainly in law firms and other office-oriented businesses as well.” n

Where We Go from Here

A lawyer’s view on the our path forward from COVID-19.

BY LOULAN PITRE, JR.

AS WE CONTINUE THE PROCESS OF “reopening” the economy, how will business and the economy reshape themselves and what will the world, and Louisiana, look like? Both startups and established companies will face challenges and opportunities, requiring careful thinking to spot opportunities and manage risk, and raising a multitude of legal issues.

EXPECT TO SEE THE FOLLOWING:

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION. We have been told for years to be ready for digital transformation — the shorthand term for the rising influence of artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing and the internet of things (IOT). The pandemic forced us to deal with a sudden “mini” digital transformation — its defining features were adapting to remote working and learning to use Zoom. But how much will people go back to the old ways as the crisis passes? Facebook has announced permanent remote workers and “no-meeting Wednesdays.” Will those who tried working remotely like it so much that they continue, but maybe not every day? Or hate it so much that they cannot wait to get back to the office? Will businesses decide they don’t need so much office space? We have seen the large-scale postponement or cancellation of large events and the conversion of many to remote or “virtual” events. Will people continue to choose Zoom meetings over airplane flights? Probably all of these trends will continue to some extent, the question is, how much and how fast?

TRADE, MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION. We can expect to see a decline in international trade, as nations around the world explore the virtues of taking care of needs at home. This trend had already begun with the trade wars of the last few years. Events during the pandemic will likely accelerate the move toward national self-sufficiency and away from globalization and China’s influence will continue to be a target of controversy.

Loulan Pitre is partner in charge of Kelly Hart Pitre, with Louisiana offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. He is a 1986 graduate of Harvard Law School and a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He may be reached at loulan.pitre@ kellyhart.com

We can expect efforts to enact policies that encourage U.S. production of certain items and policies that make it harder to import some items. Tax incentives and other subsidies may be used to promote this. Tariffs are the other edge of the sword, making it harder to move goods from one nation to another. The November election results will affect which policy proposals have wings. And keep in mind that other nations will be doing this as well, so that competition will be subsidized in other nations and other nations’ tariffs will make it harder to export American goods.

If there is a resurgence of manufacturing, one might ask what kind of manufacturing growth to expect. One view is that we should protect local manufacturing of “essential” or “strategic items,” such as medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, items of military importance and energy. Another approach suggests that manufacturing will be most likely to increase where its economic disadvantages are less important, for example, where labor costs are a smaller factor in production costs, or where the lower cost of transportation by being closer to market is a greater advantage. Yet another thought is that cutting-edge technologies such as additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing) will be the core of a resurgence in manufacturing.

All of these changes in the economy may lead to construction projects and all that

goes along with them — including project entity formation and governance, finance, complex land rights issues, construction procurement and management, environmental and related permitting issues, and, inevitably, dispute resolution.

BANKRUPTCY. And now for the bad news. We should expect to see an increase in bankruptcy and restructuring activity both from debtors and creditors. Already we have seen bankruptcy filings by high profile companies such as J. Crew, J.C. Penney, Neiman Marcus, Hertz, Whiting Petroleum and Diamond Offshore Drilling. We will doubtlessly see that trend on “Main Street” as well, despite PPP loan forgiveness. We can expect to see continued low energy prices for the foreseeable future and huge effects on the Louisiana economy. An already-existing push for energy self-sufficiency will continue.

KEEP PAYING ATTENTION! As Yogi Berra said, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” So, I am sure that I will read this later and wonder, “How could I have thought that?” As these issues play out, business leaders will need to stay up to date and develop strategy that works both in the short and long term. And dealing effectively with these changes will necessarily have legal implications as well as financial. n

BY ASHLEY MCCELLAN AND KIM SINGLETARY

PORTRAITS BY ROMERO & ROMERO

W NEW AND NOTABLES

e’re living in unprecedented times, not just in our region, but globally. However, one thing every good businessperson knows is that the key to success lies in the ability to look at a challenge and see the opportunity tucked inside. The 10 people we’re honoring this year as our Biz New Orleans New & Notables know what opportunity looks like because they’re living it. Within the past year, many of them have jumped into a new role that carries with it the chance to make a real difference in our region, whether that be in transportation, healthcare, technology or international trade. In the case of a few, the role they’ve taken on is one that has never before existed — presenting a custom-made chance to stretch their strengths and develop new ones while leading us all into a new era of growth. As we move further into diversifying our economy by becoming the new “Silicon Valley of the South,” Biz is thrilled to also call attention to a few tech standouts — one whose newest creation is tailor-made to address one of the latest challenges to pop up during COVID-19, and another whose success is breaking records for both women and people of color in the tech industry. But our entrepreneurial success stories reach far beyond tech — an example of which is a certain home-grown coffee purveyor known for a cheery, unique little vehicle that continues to claim national attention as one of the fastest growing innercity businesses in the country. Congratulations to this year’s New & Notables!

It’s been a busy first year for Ed Webb, who was named CEO of the World Trade Center of New Orleans, in May 2019. In that time, he has both helped the organization celebrate its 75th anniversary and seen it experience unprecedented challenges with the COVID-19 outbreak.

“COVID-19’s timeline is unknown, and that unknown is difficult for domestic and international business,” he said. “The center’s role, along with that of our trade partners, is to monitor and to serve as a clearinghouse for information and access to the people and the tools that can help. It’s invaluable and our partners with LED, GNO, Inc, Committee of 100, NOLABA and others throughout the state are to be commended for their efforts.”

Webb has also spearheaded efforts to aid workers and businesses of all sizes.

“The World Trade Center has offered, and will continue to expand, its advocacy efforts and its international training, each with a greater focus on small- to midsize companies,” he said. “There is a lot of change ahead and the World Trade Center will listen, learn and adapt.”

Since leaving his most recent position as CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky, Webb said he has taken the body of skills learned there and combined them with a passion for his new home.

“I’m learning even more from this city and from Louisiana,” he said.

Webb said he has benefited from the wisdom of many mentors throughout his career, but one simple message continues to stick with him.

“One [idea] I truly believe and attempt to practice daily is to be a servant leader, to put the needs of others first and help them develop and perform as highly as possible,” he said. “This is how the world is meant to operate.” — A.M.

DID YOU KNOW? Founded as the International House in 1944, World Trade Center New Orleans was the first World Trade Center. There are now more than 300 World Trade Center organization in nearly 100 countries, all of which are members of the World Trade Centers Association, also formed in New Orleans, in 1968.

FOUNDER + OWNER RESILIA

WILSON SEVETRI

Hammond native Sevetri Wilson first made news when, at the age of 22, she formed her first company with zero capital, and it went on to hit the seven-figure mark. That company, Solid Ground Innovations, was a strategic communications and management firm that assisted professional athletes with their philanthropic efforts.

Striking gold for a second time, Wilson launched her next venture, Resilia, in 2016, which in May announced $8 million in series A funding — one of the largest series A rounds for an enterprise software company headed by a black female founder, and the highest venture capital raise by a female-founded tech company in Louisiana.

Resilia uses technology to provide philanthropic guidance and solutions — such as trainings, webinars and board building — for nonprofits, and offers donors like cities, private foundations and corporations simplified ways to manage their giving. Resilia currently serves over 3,000 nonprofits on its platform, along with 12 enterprise-level customers, including Blue Cross/Blue Shield of America.

Wilson plans to use the series A funds to expand the company’s current presence from what is currently a staff of 18 in New Orleans and New York.

“We’re looking to expand our sales and R&D and advance our technology and product,” added Wilson. “With COVID-19 more money has gone to philanthropic giving than with any natural disaster we’ve had. We can use technology to help scale that impact and reduce the amount of waste in order to really help move social causes forward.”

DEBORAH GRIMES

“ONE OF

THE BIG THINGS

COVID-19 HAS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION IS THE HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT HAVE BEEN, AND CONTINUE TO BE, A REALITY.”

THESE ARE THE WORDS of Deborah Grimes, RN, JD, MSHQS, who became Ochsner Health System’s first-ever chief diversity officer on Feb. 28. Grimes is tasked with helping Louisiana’s largest health system eliminate this problem by supporting the ongoing development of policies and practices related to diversity and inclusion in the system’s recruitment, retention, workforce planning and career development processes, as well as improve health outcomes and equity for all patients.

“Ochsner has been committed to appreciating diversity and inclusion for a long time,” Grimes said. “My job is to add to what has already been established, and I’m proud that we’re doing that, including with our mobile [COVID-19] testing sites. For many reasons, not everyone can come in to be tested and we are currently [as of the end of May] conducting 200-300 tests a day.”

Before accepting the position, Grimes enjoyed a 33-year career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System, where she began as nurse and went on to hold multiple executive roles, including director of joint commission/quality resources, vice president of quality/ regulatory affairs, chief compliance officer, and most recently, UAB’s first chief diversity officer since 2017. Earlier this year, she was named as one of the 2019 Most Influential Women in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine

“Our office is small, but our mission is huge,” said Grimes. “The goal is to influence others to also join in this work. No matter how you identify them, health disparities are very costly to manage.” — K.S.

REBECCA CONWELL

PRES I DENT AND CEO

I have witnessed firsthand the value University of New Orleans brings to the table when our area economic development entities and city work together.

REBECCA CONWELL

UN I VERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLO G Y FOUNDAT I ON

hat do the United States Navy, Hancock Whitney Bank and Eurofins Technology have in common? They’re all tenants at the 800,000-square-foot UNO Research and Technology Park, which, as of May 1 of this year, is led by Rebecca Conwell, president and CEO of The University of New Orleans Research and Technology Foundation.

WConwell is approaching her new job with excitement and an eye to the future.

“I have always been attracted to professional opportunities that allow me to build on my passion and expertise while providing an environment to make a real difference; this job certainly hits those marks,” she said. “I have witnessed firsthand the value University of New Orleans brings to the table when our area economic development entities and city work together.”

Conwell previously held leadership roles at the New Orleans Recreation Department and with the city of New Orleans under Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

While she stepped into a new role during a global pandemic, Conwell said she feels confident about the future.

“The foundation was created to support UNO research, scholarship and economic development in the New Orleans region, all areas that are profoundly impacted by the new guidelines we have to follow as we acclimate during this pandemic,” she said. “We will continue to support the university and our tenants as they bring employees and students back to campus by exploring new ways to leverage the strength of our publicprivate partnership.” — A.M.

DID YOU KNOW? Members of the Research & Technology Park enjoy the opportunity to partner with UNO researchers and students.

LOUISA SMITH

SINCE 2014, NO/LA ANGEL NETWORK’S MORE THAN 100 ACCREDITED INVESTORS THROUGHOUT LOUISIANA HAVE INVESTED NEARLY $10 MILLION IN 23 COMPANIES AND CREATED MORE THAN 100 JOBS. ON JANUARY 1 OF THIS YEAR, LOUISA SMITH WAS NAMED THE NETWORK’S MANAGING DIRECTOR.

THE POSITION WAS CREATED specifically for Smith, who also serves as manager of the new Pelican Angel Fund, and was tailor-made for her skills.

“It’s an incredible experience and I’m honored to be tapped for this newly formed role,” she said. “We are making a measurable difference and it’s fascinating to be at the intersection between community impact and private equity markets.”

A graduate of Tulane’s AB Freeman School of Business with a concentration in finance, Smith had previously worked as the network’s director of operations.

“I’ve taken on a much larger role within the organization and am heavily involved in not only operations, but also strategic growth and the entire deal flow and negotiation process,” she said. “It’s a very steep learning curve, but I’m lucky to work with an incredibly supportive board of directors and a network of investors. The entire New Orleans early stage community is just a wonderful family to be a part of, and I’m glad I can help to play a role in its vibrant growth.”

Smith said she is looking forward to taking on the unique challenges NO/LAAN will face as part of the COVID-19 recovery phases.

“From an investor perspective, we want to continue to be able to provide meaningful investments in companies at a time when some investors might consider avoiding such a risky asset class,” she said. “From an entrepreneur’s point of view, we want to encourage them to keep pursuing the promise of their ideas. While the COVID landscape is unprecedented, we are able to provide a unique perspective to management teams as they consider pivots. Some of the most brilliant ideas are born out of the most chaotic moments.” — A.M.

Neither Denis Petrov and Andrey Stanovnov nor their New Orleans-based tech company, IDScan.net, are new — the company was formed by the Russian natives in 2003 — but the challenge it solves has grown particularly more relevant in the time of COVID-19.

IDScan.net’s core technology allows organizations a completely touch-free way to swipe an individual’s ID in order to gather information and verify it within seconds and with 100% accuracy. The technology, which has been approved by the TSA and FBI, can also be tailored to provide additional information, such as the ability to run IDs against watch lists and biometric analytics.

The technology has gained traction in healthcare facilities, government agencies, casinos, nightclubs, law enforcement, schools and nonprofits, resulting in the company regularly achieving annual double-digit growth and moving this spring into a 4,300-square-foot space at UNO Research and Technology Park.

Always innovating, Petrov and Stanovnov used the COVID-19 shutdown to develop their latest technology, something they’re calling IRT 1, Infrared Thermometer One — a mobile and compact facial recognition device that reads a person’s temperature within moments with an accuracy of within .2 degrees Fahrenheit.

“It even works if someone is wearing a mask,” said Petrov. “Our customers inspired us to provide a solution and we did.”

IDScan.net has also been working with Rouses Markets to create a tech solution to help curb the abuse of the company’s return policy by using ID software to identify those making returns and linking all of Rouses Markets to one database.

“In the first five weeks of the pilot, Rouses reduced the value of their returns by 36%, said Stanovnov. “Word gets out quickly. Now they’re in the process of rolling the program out in all their stores.”

— K.S.

Our customers inspired us to provide a solution and we did.

Denis Petrov, speaking on IDScan.net’s newest product, a touchless temperature scanner

DR. BOB LYNCH

Bob Lynch is no stranger to the challenges of guiding a large medical provider through an unforeseen disaster. While working as director of the South Central Veterans Affairs Health Care Network out of Ridgeland, Mississippi, Lynch assisted in the evacuation efforts of the New Orleans VA Medical Center.

Lynch said it was during that time that he formed a bond with New Orleans, which is why he said he was thrilled when he was recruited to use his skills as CEO of Tulane Medical Center shortly after in 2007.

“Tulane’s downtown campus hadn’t opened yet at that time and so most of that location’s services had been diverted to the Lakeside campus,” he said. Lynch was tasked with leading the move back to Downtown, including helping to support Tulane’s School of Medicine, which had lost a lot of faculty.

“It was a tough time,” he said. “But there was a real sense of purpose in those rebuilding efforts.”

Lynch retired from Tulane in 2014, but couldn’t stay away for long. In October 2019, he was tapped to fill the role of interim CEO of Tulane Health System, the result of a partnership between Tulane and HCA (Hospital Corporation of America).

In January 2020, the interim role was made permanent and Lynch now oversees Tulane Medical Center in downtown New Orleans, Tulane Lakeside Hospital in Metairie, and Tulane’s Lakeview Regional Medical Center campus in Covington.

“I’m excited that we have the opportunity to see expansion of all three campuses, as well as strengthen areas of academic research and teaching within the medical school.”

While he said COVID-19 “went from zero to 60 in nothing flat in terms of how it overtook the hospitals,” he said he’s proud of Tulane’s response.

“Watching our staff, our faculty, our residents and fellows pull together during this time was just a pure delight,” he said. “We had very good patient outcomes and have started some promising research projects.” — K.S.

MIKE STOLZMAN

SINCE ACCEPTING THE ROLE OF GENERAL MANAGER OF THE NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC BELT RAILROAD CORPORATION (NOPB), A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF THE PORT OF NEW ORLEANS (PORT NOLA), IN APRIL 2019, MIKE STOLZMAN HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK.

“ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I did was take inventory of our assets and that included 15 locomotives in various states of repair, some dating back to the 1950s,” he said. “We have since made some changes and now I’m excited to say that we now have eight locomotives, all tier one, and the oldest is from 2005. Stolzman said the changes to the city’s Class III railroad — which sits on the nation’s fourth largest rail gateway that connects with six Class I railroads — means a fleet that is vastly cleaner, quieter and more efficient.

“We’ve seen a 40% reduction in diesel use, 60% reduction in nitrous oxide and 40% reduction in sulphur dioxide, for example,” he said. “It’s about operating more efficiently and being a good corporate neighbor.”

A 26-year veteran of the railroad industry, highlights of Stolzman’s career have include serving as president of the Pacific Harbor Line (Anacostia Rail Holdings), which, under his leadership, was named “Short Line Railroad of the Year” by the American Short Line Railroad Association in 2009. He’s also held multiple management positions with Union Pacific Railroad and CANAC, a subsidiary of Canadian National Railway.

“The opportunity to be here in New Orleans has been incredible,” he said. “This area is so geographically blessed — six of the seven major railways come through here. There’s just so much potential.”

— K.S.

It’s about operating more efficiently and being a good neighbor.

Mike Stolzman, general manager of New Orleans Public Belt Railroad

r.

TULANE HEALTH SYSTEM

OWNER FRENCH TRUCH COFFEE

MEEKER G EOFFREY

Since its founding in 2012, French Truck Coffee has become not only a local favorite, but has gained national attention. Earlier this year, the company founded by Geoffrey Meeker was named for the second time to Fortune Magazine’s top 10 fastestgrowing inner city businesses in America. Meeker now has six locations in New Orleans plus outposts in Baton Rouge and Memphis, French Truck

A graduate of the New England Culinary Institute whose background includes work with the James Beard Foundation and Bon Appetit, Meeker found his passion for coffee after escaping to the U.S. Virgin Islands following Hurricane Katrina. After returning to New Orleans, he began brewing out of his Uptown home’s laundry room.

“I knew that my background in the culinary world would serve me well and I believed I had the skill set to succeed,” he said. “In the beginning, I had a lot of coffee industry veterans doubt me because I had not come up through the ranks, so to speak. There is something to be said for looking in from the outside.”

Far from hindering the success of French Truck, Meeker said his unconventional background has proved invaluable.

“The successes, and more so the failures, in those arenas [of culinary and hospitality] have given me a good eye for the whole package — quality, hospitality, branding, staffing, marketing, and the overall image of the company,” he said. “The fact that we serve great coffee is really just the icing on the cake if we are doing everything else well.”

For Meeker, leading by example and with clear expectations is all part of keeping his company running smoothly and successfully.

“‘Beware of the slippery slope’; It is something my team hears from me all the time,” he said. “Every decision you make for your business sets a precedent. If you set an expectation and then let it slide, no other expectation you set will be considered solid or important. This applies to your team and your customers.” — A.M.

BIZ FORWARD

BUSINESSES DISCUSS THEIR ROAD TO RECOVERY

UNPRECEDENTED TIMES CALL FOR UNPRECEDENTED MEASURES. As our city, our state and the world adjust to ever-shifting standards of normalcy, businesses are finding innovative ways to adapt and position their teams for continued success. While the road to recovery may be paved with uncertainties and challenges unique to each industry, one thing is certain: New Orleans is no stranger to resiliency, and our professional community has all the expertise, prowess and determination needed to emerge stronger and more prosperous than ever. In this exclusive section, Biz New Orleans asked business leaders about their tactics for readjusting, working remotely and staying focused on their corporate missions during the historic COVID-19 pandemic.

SPONSORED BY

A Clearer Path

HEALTH & FITNESS

Stretch, Strengthen, Live, Thrive

High-level executive work doesn’t have to come with a physical cost

EXCELLING AT ANY ROLE REQUIRES DEDICATION of the mind and spirit, but for executives who spend more than half of their days sitting hunched over a desk or keyboard, excellence can also take a physical toll.

Recognizing the long-term effects that muscle imbalances and dysfunction could have not only on himself, but also on his peers and their employees, Matt Peale founded Athlete in the Game of Life, a customized program that that helps executives executives improve their health and quality of life. It’s not a weight loss program or sports performance training: instead, Athlete in the Game of Life enables participants to create healthy habits that will immediately benefit their range of motion and will stimulate neuroplasticity during the aging process.

During the onset of COVID-19 and related stay-at-home orders, Peale’s program became more relevant than ever, as more and more people struggled to remain physically active while confined to their homes. Luckily, Peale was ready to adapt and make the most of the unexpected opportunity, allowing him to both expand his clientele and to help more professionals avoid the pains that come with extended work hours.

In what ways are you thriving and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19?

Athlete in the Game of Life was started partly as a response to the new environment of working from home on video conference calls. Business owners, executives and professionals were forced to transition into this new format of meetings, presentations and communications with their staff while running their companies. I saw an opportunity to provide a solution to pains in a person’s hips, lower

back, shoulders and neck caused by sitting for long hours. Staying constantly connected in your living room brings a whole new set of problems to life. You can’t truly ‘clock out’ and leave. By creating an online coaching program to work with successful executives and professionals on pain reduction and prevention, these people can work more effectively in their demanding careers.

What has been your experience with the change to remote working?

My usual method of working with clients is hands-on and face-to-face in a health club or gym. It’s been that way in the fitness industry forever. Only seeing someone through a screen and not having close contact is unusual for fitness sessions. An entrepreneur sees opportunity within a challenge and takes advantage of it. Now, I use this new platform to expand the number of clients I can make a positive impact on. I’m genuinely excited for this new venture and process in changing the lives of some of the most well-respected executives and professionals across New Orleans, Louisiana, and the nation. People overall are more open to video communications than ever before. As in other previous crises, the businesses and entrepreneurs who can pivot the fastest are the ones who become the leaders and trendsetters.

Do you anticipate your business will change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how?

An enhanced service level in my coaching program, Compete as an Athlete in the Game of Life, is to meet a few times in a year in small group settings. Being isolated and stuck behind a camera becomes stale for humans, and we crave face-to-face interaction. Having this option for those that seek a more VIP experience as we reopen adds more value to what the program already brings solely online. Having multiple options on how to interact and get the best results creates more opportunity and excitement for clients looking for that exclusive niche. I anticipate having all the options levels full by the end of summer. It starts with an online community of successful executives and professionals wanting a higher quality of life.

Your pain and productivity are my concerns. Go to mattpeale.com today, and receive your free report, 3 Tips to Reduce Back Pain Your Doctor Doesn’t Know, guaranteed to help you overcome the pain of long hours sitting at your computer.

An entrepreneur sees opportunity within a challenge and takes advantage of it.

MATT PEALE Founder

HEALTHCARE

Care at a Distance

In

times of need, healthcare providers are finding new ways to support patients

WITH FOUR LOCATIONS ACROSS THE STATE, InclusivCare is built on the principle of providing excellent healthcare for all, a mission made all the more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing primary medical services to underserved and low-income families became more essential than ever, and for guidance on how to assess and act, InclusivCare relied on its own core values: excellence, integrity, professionalism, diversity and teamwork. By embracing new and emerging technologies and relying on the tenacity and diligence of their care team, InclusivCare was able to not only continue service but to expand their reach and accessibility with long-term measures. The situation might have been unexpected and unprecedented, but Dr. Shondra Williams, CEO of InclusivCare, made sure that she and her team met this new challenge head-on.

In what ways are you thriving and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19?

InclusivCare has never closed its doors for business since the pandemic began and has made several pivots. We mobilized quickly since many of our patients could be impacted, and we responded to their needs. Patients were concerned about access to information, so we developed a hotline that remains in place today for direct access to information. Patients were concerned about access to testing, and hence, weekly testing drives were erected and are still happening today. Patients were concerned about maintaining their healthcare but were afraid to come out; hence, we pivoted to telemedicine during week two of the pandemic. All of these measures allowed us to engage with our patients and the community to foster safety and to address exposure.

Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ve embraced?

We learned that our team was fit to handle a crisis. They responded with compassion, unity and

dedication. Our Board and Management Team developed policies that were employee-centered even before the CARES Act. We remained engaged with our team members and provided lots of information to ease their fears. We embraced telemedicine and mobilized the entire team to embrace the new way of serving patients. The next charge was to get patients used to seeing their doctors virtually. For some, it was and still is a challenge. Telemedicine is here to stay, and we are now getting our patients adapted to taking their vital signs at home. This is the wave of the future in healthcare.

How have you maintained a sense of company culture?

Company culture is a full-time responsibility with a lot of intentionality. We don’t let up. We live our core values daily, and that consequently allows our team members to adapt even in a crisis. We treat our employees well. We listen to them, and we give them a voice. They are our healthcare heroes. Communication is also critically important, especially as the pandemic presented different and often unpredictable circumstances. With a committed team, we have not experienced any negative impacts in terms of operational efficiencies.

Do you anticipate your business will change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how?

We have opened a new in-house pharmacy that will deliver high-quality and affordable medications right to the home. We are redesigning to avoid waiting rooms, incorporating touchless devices, and reducing fixtures and décor that can be cumbersome with maintaining infection control. We are stocking up on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and engaging new vendors who are reliable in a crisis. We are expecting to see patients in the clinics as required for direct observation and care in addition to telemedicine. We are finding that scheduling challenges are lessened with telemedicine, as patients are more apt to keep their appointments. We are anticipating that not only will COVID-19 testing be crucial for vulnerable communities, but we are also gearing up for vaccination once available. We continue to find ways to collaborate with our partners and are even identifying new partners. We are here for our patients. We will meet their needs no matter what. In fact, it’s our goal to become even better than we were before.

It’s our goal is to become even better than we were before.

DR. SHONDRA WILLIAMS

CEO

DR. SHONDRA WILLIAMS, CEO

ADVERTISING & DIGITAL MARKETING

A Perfect Pivot

JB Communications creates website to support local-owned businesses

DURING THE 25 YEARS THAT JB COMMUNICATIONS has been in operation, JBC has helped countless local, out-of-state, and national clients improve their efficiency, visibility, and branding. Jacquie Bonano and her team offer integrated marketing, creative content, digital marketing, public relations, and web design services as prime mechanisms to help companies tell their unique stories, further positioning clients in the public eye and ensuring their long-term sustainability and growth. As they guided their clients through the murky marketing waters of COVID-19, they realized that there was more that they could do to help provide all local businesses with resources that support their Public Relations Crisis Management Plans and brand visibility. JB Communications is launching ShopLocalNOLA.com, an innovative, free database of verified local-owned businesses in the Greater New Orleans area. Their goal is to aid locally owned businesses in their recovery efforts with a free verified listing.

In what ways are you thriving and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19?

Our focus has always been on supporting businesses that need guidance while strengthening their brand and improving their visibility. Our digital portfolio has grown during this shutdown. We wanted to take it a step further to do our part to help the local economy by using what we know about our industry to create ShopLocalNOLA.com, a comprehensive directory that will help shoppers identify locally owned businesses in an easily navigable format. One of the things we worked really hard to accomplish during COVID-19, was keeping our clients visible through search engines, social media, and local resources. During our

research, we discovered that it is not easy to find an extensive list of verified locally owned businesses to patronize in the Greater New Orleans area. During times of crisis, it is imperative that businesses have more resources at their disposal to stay visible in the public eye. ShopLocalNOLA.com launched with over 1,000 listings, and local owned businesses can claim or add their listing for free.

Are there any lessons you have learned?

Many of the important lessons we learned during Katrina were useful for JB Communications and our clients as we navigated COVID-19. When the state governments began to announce closures, we went into overdrive and contacted our client base to assist with their communications and crisis plans. The most successful clients were those who had a predetermined Public Relations Crisis Management Plan in place beforehand. These clients were those who prioritized their digital presence, social media, and access to predetermined communication channels. This strategy includes making sure customer lists are updated and easily accessible. Those who did not plan ahead inevitably ran into roadblocks with internal and public communication. Disorganization, as we’ve observed, can be crippling to a business that is unprepared for the worst. The crisis has opened a lot of business owner’s eyes and has given us the opportunity to refine the crisis management plans and digital assets for clients who did not initially make it a priority.

Do you anticipate your business will change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how?

Since our inception, JB Communications has stayed ahead of the curve with modern marketing advancements. We started when traditional media was the primary means of business promotion and adapted as the marketing industry expanded tremendously by way of digital marketing. ShopLocalNOLA.com is a product of this knowledge and passion for advanced marketing. Our team had the ability and tools to create a resource that everyone can use during and after the reopening of the Greater New Orleans area. Shopping local is going to be so important to the recovery of our local economy, and we are so excited about the opportunity to support our local-owned businesses by developing a free, comprehensive directory. For us, the takeaway is that if you see a need for change in your industry, it is entirely possible to help implement that change. All you need is a little creativity and a lot of elbow grease.

Shopping local is going to be so important to the recovery of our local economy.

JACQUIE BONANO Owner

Closing the Digital Deal

An industry built on in-person interactions embraces technological change

INVESTING IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE IS ONE of the most important decisions a company can make, which is why RE/MAX Commercial Brokers, Inc. is dedicated to helping clients navigate the process with the finest brokerage services and expertise available. Whether selling/purchasing or leasing a property, clients have turned to and trusted RE/MAX agents for their timely, responsive and professional service. The coronavirus pandemic left virtually no industry untouched, but the real estate business faced a unique set of challenges. How do you show and sell a property when you can’t see a client face to face? For RE/ MAX Commercial, the answer was to embrace their existing culture of sharing and learning and, in doing so, pushing themselves and their industry to become stronger than ever before.

Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ve embraced?

Necessity is the mother of invention. As an industry, real estate is not necessarily the first to adopt a change, and we tend to go with the times. This situation forced us to adapt more quickly, and every step of our process has been pushed into automation. There are three parts to the commercial real estate process. First, there’s Interest, which is the process of the client collecting information on the property. This is followed by Inspection, which is when the client wants to see and tour the property. Finally, there’s Investment, which is solidifying and closing the deal. On all three aspects, we learned we have to find a way to get the customer “in the space” without physically walking them inside. There were already some existing technologies and

there’s even more innovation now, which has necessitated the change from, “This tech might be nice to have,” to, “This is a must-have.” That includes technology like drone photography, high-end photography of floor plans and 3D walkthroughs. They’ve just become exponentially more important.

How have you maintained a sense of company culture?

Actually, we are communicating now more than ever. We previously had a monthly company-wide meeting that has become weekly. Those informal meetings that happen in the hallway aren’t possible anymore, so those conversations had to be restructured. The interesting thing is that the physical separation didn’t stop the need to communicate, and it all comes back to adaptation. The industry changed, so we changed as quickly as we could, too. Our profession was deemed essential in the CARES Act and we kept our offices open and tried to stagger employee time, we bought additional laptops and equipment, and we set up remote access to computers. Our staff and agents reacted as positively as possible and kept moving toward the light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve been extremely fortunate with our agents and staff, and I’m extremely proud of how they took on the task.

Do you anticipate your business will change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how?

We are a “traditional” company that values the importance of giving personalized, face-to-face experiences while embracing technological and industry advancements. During COVID-19, we had the opportunity to embrace technology that drastically improves the user experience. These technical and virtual enhancements are post COVID-19 assets that are already making the commercial real estate leasing and buying process quicker and more convenient. It has forced the hands of the real estate community to explore opportunities that were not previously in our immediate focus. The catalyst, for me, was a telemedicine visit I attended early in the pandemic. It was eye-opening to watch the efficient and straightforward process. Virtual touring makes it easier to receive and distribute information and has streamlined the process for owners, sellers, brokers, and clients. We anticipate that there will be a lasting, positive impact from the technological transition that will make the process easier for all involved.

We are a “traditional” company that values the importance of giving personalized, face-toface experiences while embracing technological and industry advancements.

RICHARD

JUGE, CCIM, SIOR Owner

HEALTH CARE

Patient-Centered Excellence

Continuous commitment to provide safe, high quality care delivered with compassion

prepared our entire organization to perform well in unexpected situations, like pandemics or other disasters. Also, we learned that expertise (24/7) can be brought to support your experience. As for technology, we’ve embraced telehealth, which has emerged as a sound means of connecting and communicating with patients.

How have you maintained a sense of company culture?

THIBODAUX REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM IS THE most preferred and trusted health care provider in the Bayou Region. Their patient-centered approach puts your care and safety first. They are continuously increasing the scope of services they provide, investing in state-of-the-art buildings and facilities, and providing the latest and safest medical technologies. From cancer care and heart care to sports medicine, rehabilitation, and much more, Thibodaux Regional’s award-winning care sets the standard for care, patient experience, innovative wellness services, community involvement and outreach. While COVID-19 presented a wide range of challenges to hospitals and care providers worldwide, Thibodaux Regional once again demonstrated the focus, care and compassion that have earned them numerous awards and honors, in addition to establishing them as one of the most renowned healthcare providers in Louisiana.

In what ways are you thriving and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19? Our staff and care providers are continuously engaged, and all leaders are focused on both shortterm and long-term planning. We have continued recruitment of key physician specialties to meet the healthcare needs of the region, and also pushed for continuation of construction, so we’ve been able to make significant progress on building our four-story Cancer Institute. Additionally, we instituted leadership in several key areas of our organization to help us continue operating effectively and efficiently.

Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ve embraced?

We’ve learned that certain organizational initiatives that we have implemented in the past have

We’ve maintained our culture by remaining calm, focused and reassuring. Many of our team members worked long hours, and cooperation amongst the staff was exemplary. Providing positive feedback has been essential for showing our appreciation for our staff and frontline workers. We placed positive signage throughout our hospital facilities and videoed messages of gratitude and support. We’ve tried our best to recognize the efforts and impact of our staff however we can, through gestures as simple as providing snacks and distributing thank you notes. Overall, continuous communication with all team members has been key. Communication has been extensive and ongoing to ease the concerns of our team members and keep them informed. We’re utilizing many different methods such as Zoom meetings and social media. We’ve also established a feedback mechanism for staff to easily ask questions and offer suggestions. We’re staying connected to the community as well by proactively keeping them informed.

Do you anticipate your business will change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how?

We certainly expect changes as we adjust to a new normal. Although we can’t know for sure what those changes will be, we are confident that we will be able to adapt. The volume of patients and the number of people utilizing our Wellness Center and Fitness Center may change. Some patients may still have inhibitions and concerns over visiting COVID-19 “places” like hospitals. Protocols and procedures will change as we continue to prioritize the safety of our patients and staff while maintaining our standard of excellence. We know that patients need to receive timely care for underlying illnesses or they may put themselves in a compromising position or at further risk. Moving forward, we will continue to embrace telehealth and remain deliberate and careful in our strategies. Our focus will always be patient-centered excellence.

Our agility and ability to adapt to disasters or other unprecedented events, such as COVID-19, enables us to remain focused on our mission.

GREG STOCK CEO

Growth and Guidance

Embracing

change can lead to long-term success

FINANCIAL DECISIONS OF ANY MAGNITUDE bring with them a series of complex, oftenintimidating questions that can leave anyone feeling unsure and overwhelmed.

Shirley “Toni” McCord, CPA, APAC has offered clients peace of mind and trusted expertise for more than 20 years, whether clients own and operate small to midsize businesses or whether they simply need advice on handling household finances. The full-service public accounting firm provides a full range of consulting and advisory services to help clients navigate their most important decisions with ease and efficiency. Such guidance has become even more important as companies and families alike adjust to ever-changing business and financial situations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic — so McCord and her team want to make sure that no one has to do it alone.

In what ways are you thriving and pushing forward as a business during Covid-19?

Forward is the only way to go! With tax filings due and clients needing assistance with their PPP applications, our team has been continually working. I fully expect the need for professional guidance will continue as clients tackle the Loan Forgiveness process. Our current business environment is “make or break” for small to mid-sized businesses right now…and we’re here to not only help businesses survive, but also thrive.

How have you maintained a sense of company culture?

I believe company culture defines our work environment and our work ethic, especially during challenging times like this. Our services are essential and that makes each of our employees essential. As COVID-19 descended, I had the foresight to see both the needs of our team members and the needs of our clients. Making sure team members were paid so they could take care of their families, adapting to their remote locations so they could continue working, and giving balanced consideration with input from the team as we re-opened for face-toface meetings with clients…every step was created based on our company culture that values employees and clients alike.

Do you anticipate your business will change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how?

With any disaster, a vibrant and relevant accounting firm must pivot, not only for our on-going success, but as a model for many of the companies we serve. But change must be strategic, well executed and focused on attainable goals that are designed for growth. Embracing change is part of the new way of doing business. While it can be challenging, it can also cultivate answers to questions we haven’t even asked yet.  It should add up to success and happiness for everyone including our employees, our existing clients and our future clients. I choose to be optimistic.

We’re here to not only help businesses survive, but also thrive.

“ ”

SHIRLEY “TONI” MCCORD

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: LESLEY-ANNE FRANKLIN; TERRY VIAL; TONI MCCORD, CPA; CHERYL MCGOVERN; BABETTE GRIFFIN; MELANIE FERGUSON

Finding Power in Perspective

The

importance of staying focused and “reading the Zoom”

WHEN MICHELLE D. CRAIG FOUNDED

Transcendent Law Group in 2014, she did so with a mission to provide the knowledge and expertise of a large law firm on a smaller, more personal scale.

With innovation, flexibility and diversity, Michelle and her team have successfully helped small and medium-sized companies throughout the Gulf South Region solve complex problems with creative, high-level solutions. Transcendent’s leadership is experienced with am-law firms, trained in project management, and is armed with the tools to efficiently and effectively attack a problem from a legal and business perspective. The unique environment Michelle established from Transcendent’s early days left them prepared and poised for immediate action when COVID-19 interrupted day-to-day operations.

In that way, Transcendent has served to not only counsel their clients through difficult and unprecedented decisions, but it has also become a shining example of how embracing modern business practices can yield outstanding results.

In what ways are you thriving and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19?

Transcendent has always been on the cutting edge of law firms. We pride ourselves on being modernized, and we’ve always had a flexible work environment. That has helped us to continue communicating seamlessly with clients without any break in service. Because we deal primarily with general counsel and labor and employment services, we’ve had a lot of questions about new laws and how they relate to business: questions about PPP, unemployment issues, return to work

issues, and liabilities associated with returning to work. So, we’ve been an asset to our clients by helping them navigate these new and tricky topics. There’s no rule book out there telling you what to do when there’s a pandemic, so we help with advising on safety in the office and employee concerns. We’re already capable of working in this manner, and we help our clients thrive by giving them the support and partnership they need to do the same.

Are there any lessons you have learned?

Every business is in varying phases of being able to go remote. A part of the service we provide is not only giving clients advice about employee relationships and litigation matters, but also  giving them advice about what needs to happen next in the business to stay in the game. Some employers want this digital shift to be temporary. The first question should be: why? If employees are being productive and getting the job done, and you trust them to do so, why not implement a new model for the company that may be better for you long term? This can even help employers reduce overhead costs associated with office spaces. I’ve definitely learned that my role as a business partner involves helping clients push through these types of questions and find creative solutions.

How have you maintained a sense of company culture?

Regardless of where we are, Transcendent has always put people first. I never go into a conversation, whether it’s with my employees, assistants or lawyers, without saying, “How are you? Are things okay?” I make sure to read the room, so to speak, only now it’s reading the Zoom. The fact is that this is a hard situation not just because of the remote nature, but because we are in a pandemic, and there’s unrest in the nation over issues that must be addressed. All those things are going on at the same time and it is mentally and emotionally taxing for everyone. Our company culture has always been to take care of one another, pick up each other’s slack and give each other the space and time we need to be the best version of ourselves. We stay connected and keep each other on track. People also stagger going into the office, so if somebody needs or wants to go in, we make sure everyone has the space they need to get the job done safely. I want everyone to take care of themselves, live the flexible life they want to live while getting exceptional work done for the clients we serve.

PHOTO CREDIT: EZZIE SMITH, PROTOCOL PHOTOGRAPHY @EZZIESPROTOCOL

There’s no rule book out there telling you what to do when there’s a pandemic.

MICHELLE CRAIG Founder and Managing Attorney

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: LIUTING CHEN, RUBI BROWN, RICHARD MONTGOMERY, DANIELLE PATRICE PAYNE, MICHELLE CRAIG - FOUNDER AND MANAGING ATTORNEY

NONPROFIT

Making a Difference, Even at a Distance

YEP continues to provide education, mentoring and job training to local youth

IMAGINE A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS access to the opportunities, education, mentoring and skills necessary to achieve their goals and reach their potential. Youth Empowerment Project works to make that world a reality. Since 2004, YEP has led local efforts to provide youth with the support and resources they need to strengthen their family and community ties and, ultimately, to help them actualize the full scope of their abilities. Now more than ever, that mission has become even more important, as the disparities that vulnerable youth face every day are heightened by the current coronavirus outbreak. And while they may have to adjust their approach, YEP remains steadfast in its drive and commitment to creating a better world for young people everywhere.

In what ways are you thriving and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19?

Youth Empowerment Project engages young people through community-based education, mentoring, employment readiness and enrichment programs. In these extraordinary times, we have adjusted our service delivery and operating procedures in order to respond to the pandemic. We have three priorities: protecting our participants and staff, continuing to provide essential services to the most vulnerable youth and families in our community, and ensuring organizational continuity. We are currently coordinating home internet access and online high school equivalency instruction for our students. Our instructors are offering online classes each week. Our staff mentors are providing phone and video mentoring services for each of their mentees. Enrichment staff will be offering two four-week virtual camp

sessions via Zoom, and our workforce development staff are connecting out-of-work youth to companies that are currently hiring.

In addition to remote programming, our staff have been putting together individualized care packages for youth and their families since stay at home orders went into effect. We have also been helping families apply for critical social services like food stamps and unemployment.

How have you maintained a sense of company culture?

YEP has a really relationship-based organizational culture. In the office, we’re always checking in with one another. Because we’re a community-based nonprofit, the connections with other staff and with youth participants are really important to us, so the transition to remote work has been difficult for a lot of people. Now, we spend a lot of time on the phone and on Zoom calls. Ensuring that our participants have the technology at home to engage with staff and other youth online has been a really important focus. Many of us take an internet connection and a laptop or iPad for granted, but access has been a real issue for many of our participants. One of the first things we did was put a call out to our partners and supporters to get as many Chromebooks and prepaid hotspots as we could so that we could distribute them to families who didn’t have reliable home internet access.

Do you anticipate your business will change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how?

The way we operate has changed dramatically over the last couple of months. We quickly shifted to remote work and online service delivery in order to continue to serve our community’s most vulnerable youth and families. We will continue to serve as many of our program participants as possible through online services for as long as necessary and plan to resume in-person services as soon as it is safe to do so.

Even after this first wave is past, we know that the social and economic fallout from this event will continue for many months to come. We expect that even more individuals and families will have need of our mentoring, education, employment readiness, and enrichment programming. And we are doing everything we can to ensure that we’re ready to respond and continue to fulfill our core purpose, which is to empower young people to improve their lives and the lives of others.

We are doing everything we can to fulfill our core purpose, which is to empower young people to improve their lives and the lives of others.

DARRIN MCCALL Director of Programs

COMING SOON

CHECK OUT THESE ADVERTISING SECTIONS COMING IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

FINANCIAL FRONTRUNNERS

Set yourself up as a financial expert in this new advertising profile section by informing our readers of your experiences, professional growth and passion for the industry.

SEPTEMBER

PROUD TO BE A NEW ORLEANS CHAMBER MEMBER

This advertorial profile section will highlight New Orleans Chamber members and the successes they have achieved by being a member.

Continuing Education

Continuing higher education is often the doorway to enhanced opportunities, growth and potential for many businessmen and women—but it can seem difficult to go back to school while balancing the demands of work, home life and free time. Thankfully, more and more universities in Louisiana are providing access to certificates, graduate degrees and undergraduate programs that are built to help working people continue their education without sacrificing other parts of their schedules. This coursework allows students to invest in themselves—and graduates from these programs can see the benefit in their careers for years to come. Whether you’re a manager looking to gain the skills to earn your next promotion, a worker looking to transition to a new field, or just an employee who wants to diversify your portfolio, the schools in this section have options that will fit your budget and your lifestyle.

Delgado Community College’s Continuing Education and Professional Development Department offers a wide variety of affordable and highly interactive career training programs and non-credit online courses that make it easy for individuals to study entirely over the internet. Designed for individuals with varying educa-

tional backgrounds and goals, the Continuing Education online course suite presents multiple learning opportunities for those seeking professional development or personal enrichment including Six Sigma, Grant Writing, Project Management, Interior Design and more.

“As the world continues to adjust to the ever-evolving COVID-19, we understand how important online learning is now more than ever,” said Kim Tubre, Delgado’s Director of Corporate, Community, and Continuing Education. “Our Continuing Education online course suite is not only convenient but affordable and is ideal for personal enrichment, career development, employee training, and life-long learning.”

Delgado’s online career training programs are designed to provide the skills necessary to acquire professional level positions for many in-demand occupations. The programs are developed by a team of professionals from each respective field, providing students with effective web-based learning. The online personal and professional development courses are geared towards individuals who want to enhance their value at work, make home their new workplace, or simply enrich their lives by increasing their knowledge.

Additionally, Delgado’s Office of Workforce Development Division provides personal, professional and customized training for a range of industries. Small business owners can retrain and upgrade their existing workforce, or individuals hoping to start a career in health care can be matched with the educational opportunities. Delgado’s Youth Occupational Skills Training prepares young people to enter high-demand areas and transition to work, resulting in further growth and development of local professionals who can contribute their talents to our region.

To register or learn more, visit www.dcc.edu/ workforce-development/continuing-education or contact the department at (504) 671-6474 or noncredit@dcc.edu

University of Holy Cross invites students of all ages and backgrounds to launch a meaningful career and live a life with purpose. Steeped in Catholic heritage and tradition, UHC promotes the ideals of service and care for others in an environment of mutual support and faith, where every student is more than just a number.

Set on a lush, serene campus just minutes from downtown New Orleans, UHC’s campus offers the best of both worlds. The student body is small enough to accommodate a personalized education experience, encouraging one-onone engagement with educators, faculty and peers, while maintaining a larger community of compassion, care and accountability. Whether pursuing an undergraduate, master’s or doctoral degree, there’s a program to guide you through every stage of your career. Flexible scheduling also makes it easier than ever to balance continued education with an existing career.

The University of Holy Cross is a top choice for receiving a high-quality education without the debts typically associated with a private education; in fact, UHC graduates finish school with less debt than at any private college in the region. Financial aid and scholarship programs help students cover college costs, and academic skills center counselors host FAFSA Fridays every week to help applicants fill out the federal financial aid form.

With over 65 majors and programs and an average class size of 13, an education at University of Holy Cross is the first step toward maximizing your potential, achieving your dreams, and living the life you’ve always envisioned for yourself.

For more information on available programs and admissions, visit go.uhcno.edu

From The Lens

SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA BUSINESS IN FULL COLOR

WORKSPACES Greenleaf Lawson Architects’ new Covington home double as a showroom.

WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT Pang Wangle offers stylish clothing options that protect against pests.

ON THE JOB Robert Wolfe Construction and Lachin Ornamental bring new life to a historic home.

Two For One

Greenleaf Lawson Architects’ offices in historic downtown Covington doubles as a flexible workspace and design showroom for clients

BY MELANIE WARNER SPENCER

PHOTOS BY SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS, NEWLY FOUNDED Northshore architectural firm Greenleaf Lawson Architects outgrew its original space and found new digs in a historic part of Covington.

Founded in 2015 by Justin Greenleaf and Michelle Lawson, the full-service architectural firm was housed in a small Mandeville office park when they found themselves on the hunt for a new location.

“We knew the next step would be a forever home that aligned with our needs,” said Lawson. “That turned out to be downtown Covington. It’s walkable with lots of restaurants. We can take lots of meetings nearby, so we could [use] less space.”

Lawson said when a two-story brick building went up for sale at 404 East Gibson Street, the new owner reached out to the firm as a potential tenant. While Greenleaf and Lawson had worked in Covington in the past and knew they liked the area, they initially weren’t sure about the space.

“It’s hard to look at a space and see that it can be something bigger and grander,” said Lawson. “Justin encouraged us to go through the process, so we did what we advise our clients to do: We asked, ‘How much growth could we accommodate in this space?’ I think by demolishing the walls and creating a lot of spaces that are multiuse, it allowed us to get a lot of mileage out of a small space.”

While the Covington historic district location came with charm, it also placed restrictions on what the team could do with the exterior of the building, which Lawson said affected the company’s signage. The interior, however, was fair game. Removing walls and opening up the layout enabled the firm to create flexible spaces conducive to collaboration and growth. The offices also serve as a place to showcase what the firm can do for clients.

“Right when you enter into the suite, we have a large, open, multipurpose area,” said Lawson. “We meet in there, eat in there and

After growing out of two spaces in Mandeville, Greenleaf Lawson Architects relocated to a 2,700-squarefoot space in an historic building in downtown Covington. The firm reimagined the lower level of the two-story building, removing walls to open it up and creating flexible spaces to allow collaboration and growth.

“We completed and designed a hospitality bar, similar to what we’ve done for some of our hospitality clients. We have draft beer and nitro coffee for employees and clients as part of that showroom aspect,” said Michelle Lawson.

AT A GLANCE

BUSINESS NAME Greenleaf Lawson Architects

LOCATION

404 E Gibson St., Covington

DATE OF OPENING

Opened in 2015; Moved into new space May 2019

SIZE

2,700 square feet

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES 13

PERSON IN CHARGE

Justin Greenleaf and Michelle Lawson, principal architects

have community meetings and offer it up to [local organizations]. We completed and designed a hospitality bar, similar to what we’ve done for some of our hospitality clients. We have draft beer and nitro coffee for employees and clients as part of that showroom aspect.” The office also features a java station like you’d find at PJs Coffee, who is a client of the firm’s.

The space can be reconfigured for any size group, accommodating casual, chats, as well as formal staff meetings. Company culture is a priority for Greenleaf and Lawson, so creativity and flexibility are promoted on a day-to-day basis. Since COVID struck, Lawson said they’ve learned just how flexible they are as a team.

“We proved to ourselves that we were able to work remotely without missing a beat,” she said. “We can grab a laptop and a router and be on our way. We [can] collaborate in person or remotely.”

“It’s hard to look at a space and see that it can be something bigger and grander,” said Lawson. “Justin encouraged us to go through the process, so we did what we advise our clients to do: we asked, ‘How much growth could we accommodate in this space?’ I think by demolishing the walls and creating a lot of spaces that are multiuse, it allowed us to get a lot of mileage out of a small space.”

The firm was founded on the premise that the industry is rapidly changing and available technology can be used much more efficiently and effectively to, as Lawson said, “create an overall better experience for the client and contractors.”

In the coming year, Lawson said the company’s goal is to promote and grow its branding division — which assists clients in creating a cohesive company name, logo, and other visuals and branding aspects — as well as take on more residential projects. The new space is designed to enable the completion of those goals and allow the firm to grow where they’ve been planted.

“We knew the design had to be powerful and send a message to every client that came into the space,” said Lawson. “It’s designed to show a client different things that they can incorporate into their space. We created a showroom.” n

Funny Name, Serious Protection

Launched in February, Pang Wangle offers stylish clothing options that protect against pests.

BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN

BY SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

SWATTING MOSQUITOES AND SCRATCHING bug bites are so last season. And covering yourself with toxic bugspray can be harmful, sticky and an irritating mess. Local documentary filmmaker Jennifer John knew there had to be a better way.

An avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast, John came up with the idea of combining lightweight, eco-friendly insect-repellent fabric and chic, casual design elements in a line of stylish and functional clothing. Her new company, Pang Wangle (a verb that means to live or go along cheerfully in spite of minor misfortunes) was born.

“I came up with the idea for Pang Wangle in June 2017 and started selling our first product, the Journey Scarf (a hidden-pocket scarf with built-in Insect Shield bug repellent) in December 2017,” she said.

For two more years, John set about finetuning a line of wraps, scarves, accessories and more, before officially launching Pang Wangle in February of this year.

“We had a launch party at the Tchoup Yard Patio Bar in March, right before everything shut down,” she said. “So, you could say I had our ‘minimum viable product’ on sale while I was developing the brand and working on product development.”

Each piece in the collection is designed for hot, buggy climates, and is infused by Insect Shield, a product that contains a clinically safe and effective repellent called Permethrin.

“We partnered with Insect Shield to add bug repellent into our clothes,” John said. “Insect Shield was first developed for the U.S. military about 15 years ago, and the

Local creator Jennifer John is the creator of Pang Wangle, a classic line of wraps, scarves, clothing and accessories specifically designed for hot, buggy climates. Each item in the company’s chic, eco-friendly collection is infused with Insect Shield, a bug repellent designed to repel mosquitoes, gnats, ticks and more, that is safe enough to be worn by pregnant women and children.

PHOTOS

company licenses the proprietary technology to other private companies.”

Pang Wangle items can be safely worn by all members of the family, including kids, infants and pregnant moms, and is effective after more than 70 washes. Prices range from $34 for the Journey scarf to $64 for pants. While insect repellent clothing is not unique, for John, it was essential to make her line both useful and stylish.

“You can find the same Insect Shield technology we use in outdoor brands like Columbia and ExOfficio,” she said. “But we think bug repellent clothes aren’t just for safaris and backwoods camping anymore.

In many climates, like New Orleans, they’re an everyday need. We just don’t want to wear hiking pants every day.”

The clothing is designed in New Orleans, manufactured in Los Angeles, and treated with Insect Shield in North Carolina.

“I have an idea of the look I’m going for with each product and then find the expertise to create the design and samples,” she said. “I drew the Journey Scarf on a piece of paper and then worked with Brianna Henry at NOLA DDM to iron out the details and get it made. I then worked with Jessica Osborn of the Privy label to finalize the designs for our wraps and scarves. I work

DID YOU KNOW?

Permethrin is an insecticide in the pyrethroid family. Pyrethroids are synthetic chemicals that act like natural extracts from the chrysanthemum flower.

Permethrin is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system

The EPA deems Insect Shield® products safe for the entire family with no restrictions for use, even for pregnant and nursing women, infants and kids of all ages

with a team in Los Angeles to design our custom, eco-friendly fabrics, and I found a cut-and-sew manufacturer in Los Angeles to manufacture the products.”

Sales so far indicate a desire for fashionable clothing that is also functional. In addition to the Pang Wangle website, the clothing can be purchased on Amazon, and locally at Phina and Bywater Clothing. Other retailers are expected to be added later this summer.

“These products are so new, it’s hard to have an average month,” John said. “I can say that we have been steadily growing and increasing our sales each month for eight straight months. In April our sales went up 283%, so that was our biggest month.”

Pang Wangle has weathered the COVID-19 storm, as well, with online customers coming back for more, according to John.

“For people who get chewed up by bugs, like me, it’s so nice to have another option besides bug spray,” she said. “We get a lot of repeat customers who come back to buy products for their friends or family members. I actually put a lot of time into interacting with customers. I’ve had Zoom calls with some of our repeat customers just to hear more about why they chose our products and what other products they would like to see.”

Looking forward, John hopes to add new fabrics, clothing items and sun protection to the collection.

“We have an incredible new fabric we have been developing that is super lightweight, silky, almost cool to the touch, and it offers UPF 50+ sun protection,” she said. “We’re working on a tunic top for that fabric. Something you could wear by itself or layer on a hot day when the bugs are out. We also have pants in the works which will be out next spring, and we are adding several new colors to our wrap and scarf collections.”

Originally from Maryland, John moved to New Orleans in 1998 for a career in media, and said her skills that have helped her navigate the world of owning and running a small business of her own.

In April our sales went up 283%, so that was our biggest month.

Jennifer John, founder of Pang Wangle

“I have become very familiar with contracts, licensing, hiring subcontractors, managing people, clients, grant writing, accounting — all the things that go into a small business,” she said. “With Pang Wangle, I had a big learning curve when it came to textiles and manufacturing, but I enjoy learning new things. I crave the challenge and I like a lot of moving parts. That’s kind of my natural habitat.” n

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Beauty in the Details

Residential construction was one of the things that never ceased during the shutdown, which means Robert Wolfe Construction could continue bringing local historic buildings back to life.

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER

WHEN THE PEIFFER FAMILY WENT LOOKING FOR EXPERT HELP TO BRING the original glory back to their 6,000-square foot Lower Garden District home they turned to Robert Wolfe Construction, a historic construction specialist based out of Gretna. For one of the final touches of transforming this 100-year-old structure from a culinary cottage back into a family home, in early June brothers Angelo and Albert Lachin with Lachin Ornamental — among the five generations of ornamental plasterers in their family — were brought in to craft and install over 200 feet of custom ceramic crown molding. RobertWolfeInc. com and LachinOrnamental.com n