Biz New Orleans November 2019

5th anniversary edition

top 5

Economic development leaders share thoughts on the future

The Big Ones

The most impactful stories we’ve covered PG. 52 Ready to Grow A peek at Accruent’s new offices PG. 78

november 2019

Cruising Hotter Than Ever Brandy Christian talks economic impact PG. 42

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Publisher Todd Matherne Editorial Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde Managing Editor Kimberley Singletary Art Director Sarah George Digital Media Editor Kelly Massicot Associate News Editor Suzanne P. Tafur Multimedia Blogger Leslie T. Snadowsky Contributors Julia Carcamo, Keith Loria, Pamela Marquis, Ashley McLellan, Chris Price, Gina Rachel, Jessica Rosgaard, Jennifer Gibson Schecter, Melanie Warner Spencer, Poppy Tooker, Keith Twitchell Advertising Vice President of Sales Colleen Monaghan (504) 830-7215 Colleen@BizNewOrleans.com 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 Media Associate Mallary Matherne For event information, call (504) 830-7264 Production Traffic Coordinator Lane Brocato Production Manager Emily Andras Production Designers Rosa Balaguer, Meghan Rooney 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

2016 Bronze: Best Feature Layout 2017 Bronze: Best Daily Email 2017 Silver: Best Recurring Feature 2018 Gold: Most Improved Publication 2018 Silver: Best Recurring Feature 2019 Gold: Best Recurring Feature 2019 Gold: Best Explanatory Journalism

110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123 • Metairie, LA 70005 • (504) 828-1380 Biz New Orleans is published monthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380.

Subscription rate: one year $24.95, two year $39.95, three year $49.95—foreign rates vary call for pricing. Postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Biz New Orleans, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2019 Biz New Orleans. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Biz New Orleans is registered. Biz New Orleans is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a selfaddressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Biz New Orleans are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner.

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bizneworleans.com / 5

november 2019 / Volume 6 / Issue 2

contents EVERY ISSUE 10 / 11 / 12 / 14 / 15 / 16 /

perspectives

from the lens

Editor’s note publisher’s note Calendar industry news recent openings Events

in the biz 20 / dining

Trying to plan the perfect party? New Orleans’ creative coterie of caterers is ready to help.

22 / tourism

36 / Insurance

When it comes to longterm care insurance, you don’t want to wait too long.

After (nearly) five years of covering New Orleans tourism, the future of the industry just keeps getting brighter.

78 / great workspaces

Accruent moves into a new space in Poydras Tower in preparation of its planned expansion of New Orleans operations

24 / sports

As Drew Brees returns so do Saints’ Super Bowl aspirations.

82z / why didn’t i think of that?

Looking for the best pie to serve this holiday season? Windowsill Pies continues to prove itself a local standout.

26 / entertainment

FEATUREs

46

Five on Five In honor of Biz New Orleans’ fifth anniversary in print, we asked the top five economic development leaders in the region to share their thoughts on the successes and challenges of the past five years. portraits by romero & romero

52

Looking Back to Look Forward We’ve come a long way in five short years. by kim singletary

A new immersive theatrical and culinary production pairs opulence and secrecy to form an experience unlike any other.

28 / entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurism has been embraced over the past five years, but this region still has challenges that need to be addressed.

84 / making a match:

businesses and nonprofits

40 / banking and finance

New nonprofit BYOBikes invites local companies to help provide underserved children with a life changing gift this Christmas.

Looking to retire from your business? There’s plenty to consider.

30 / etiquette

Dealing with manipulative and dishonest employees and coworkers — a five-step plan of action 32 / marketing

A new marketing tool, addressability allows you to target the perfect audience at the perfect time.

42 / maritime and ports

The Port of New Orleans’ Brandy Christian discusses the economic impacts of both ocean and river cruising

88 / on the job

Five years in, Biz New Orleans remains all about the people.

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Meet the Sales Team

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

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

Jessica Jaycox

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

Colleen Monaghan Vice President of Sales (504) 830-7215 Colleen@BizNewOrleans.com 8 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

bizneworleans.com / 9

Editor’s Note

61 Issues and Counting I spoke a bit about our five-year anniversary in my note last month,

but now, having put together our anniversary issue, it’s really sinking in how much has happened in business over the past five years.

I won’t go into much detail here — as we have a whole feature devoted to the topic — but as I was going through all 60 issues one by one, I was reminded of all the people we’ve spoken to — from industry powerhouses like John Ochsner, Ti Martin, Blaine Kern, Leslie Jacobs, Kevin Dolliole and the Bensons, to the budding entrepreneurs behind creative startups like the Lower Ninth Ward Market, Pet Krewe and STEM Library Lab. In full-page color photos, we’ve taken you behind the scenes to see the streetcars getting washed, the Saints field being prepped and even shown you the woman who plays the calliope on the riverboat every day. We’ve covered a governor’s election, honored anniversaries from Emeril’s 25th, to Hurricane Katrina’s 10th and the Saints’ 50th, and offered up advice from local professionals on topics ranging from how best to file your taxes, to how to deal with a difficult co-worker and how to find funding for your next venture.

Along the way, I’m proud to say that — together with our website, BizNewOrleans.com — we’ve won seven national awards and consistently swept the business category at the annual New Orleans Press Club awards.

Of course, anyone in business knows that you’re only as strong as your team, and in that department, I feel incredibly fortunate. From the beginning, Biz has been a passion project for our publisher, Todd Matherne, and he continues to be an invaluable resource, as does our editor-in-chief, Errol Laborde. Our incredible freelancers, and indomitable sales team — both groups are out there in the community every day making sure business is being seen and heard. On that end, I’d also like to thank all of you that have reached out to us. As I say in our monthly publisher’s luncheons, covering all of the industries in Southeast Louisiana is a huge job, and we couldn’t do it without the help of the people in those industries keeping us abreast of what’s going on. Keep those emails coming!

Finally, a little note on the magazine industry. You hear the phrase thrown around that “print is dead.” Well, I can tell you, that isn’t true — not with magazines. According to Statista.com, 191 new magazines launched in 2018, and readership from then to now has actually increased slightly to 224.6 million Americans who average 20-25 minutes a day delighting in having something tangible they can hold in their hands — something with a real shelf life.

And the fastest growing magazine genre in the United States? It’s special interest — magazines that cover a niche, just like the one you’re holding.

So, thank you for reading! And here’s to the next five years and beyond!

Correction: In our Great Workspaces feature last month highlighting the Verdad offices, we failed to mention that Woodward Design Group was the developer and builder of the building and was also responsible for the interior architecture of the Verdad offices. We regret the omission.

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Publisher’s Note

Two Anniversaries Last month, Biz New Orleans Magazine

celebrated its fifth anniversary and I want to thank everyone for your kind words of congratulations. This month, we take a look at some of the people and news we covered over the past five years, along with an economic look from some of the area’s best forecasters.

None of this would be possible without the great support of you, the business community, and I want to personally thank you for welcoming us into your offices and giving us some of your reading time. You make this possible.

And speaking of anniversaries and making things possible, I now shift to a personal side. This month marks Andrea and I’s 30th wedding anniversary and I would be nothing without her. She has been by my side for more than 30 years, in fact, since I was 14 years old. We are high school sweethearts and grew up as adults together, which we like to say made our love and relationship even stronger.

She has been beside me through it all — including that January day in 2006 when we completed the deal to launch Renaissance Publishing. It was her confidence in us that made it happen.

Some days are just more special than others.

Happy Anniversary Andrea. Love you forever.

Todd Matherne

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Calendar

November 5 AMA New Orleans New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Educational Seminar: Using Content to Make Your Point 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

1515 Poydras St. 5th Floor Auditorium NewOrleansChamber.org 7 New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Women’s Business Alliance Seminar: Women, We Carry Things 4 to 7 p.m.

Landry’s Seafood House — French Quarter 620 Decatur St. NewOrleansChamber.org 12 New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Power Breakfast 8 to 9:30 a.m.

1515 Poydras St. 5th Floor Auditorium NewOrleansChamber.org 13 New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Louisiana IT Symposium 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sheraton New Orleans 500 Canal St. NewOrleansChamber.org

19-21 DigiMarCon World 2019 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Digital Marketing Conference Online DigiMarConWorld.com 20 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Prosper Jefferson: Company Culture 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

JEDCO Conference Center 701A Churchill Pkwy., Avondale JeffersonChamber.org 21 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce State of Jefferson 2019 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Crowne Plaza New Orleans Airport 2829 Williams Blvd., Kenner JeffersonChamber.org 21 New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Chamber After 5 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The Sazerac House 101 Magazine St. NewOrleansChamber.org

15 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Business & Breakfast 7:45 to 9:30 a.m.

Bonefish Grill 4848 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie JeffersonChamber.org 19 New Orleans Business Alliance O-Zone Ready: A Community Workshop 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Jung Hotel & Residences 1500 Canal St. Nolaba.org

For a more complete list of events, visit BizNewOrleans.com. We’d love to include your business-related event in next month’s calendar. Please email details to Editorial@BizNewOrleans.com.

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Industry News

RANKINGS

2019 Top States for Doing Business 1. Georgia 2. Tennessee 3. South Carolina 4. Alabama 5. North Carolina 6. Texas 7. Mississippi

“It is important to recognize that a common element in addressing these perceptions can be traced back to ongoing staffing shortages within our police department.”

8. Louisiana 9. Ohio 10. Indiana For the ninth consecutive year, Louisiana was ranked in the top 10 states for doing business by Economic Development magazine. In addition to the overall business climate ranking, Louisiana posted several other Top 10 rankings in the report. Those include: No. 3 in the nation for Leading Workforce Development programs, No. 6 for Favorable Utility Rates, No. 7 for Business Incentive Programs and No. 8 for Favorable General Regulatory Environment and Speed of Permitting.

RANKINGS

Top 10 Fastest Growing Airports in America 2008 – 2018 MSY is now the 38th largest airport in the country, compared to 49th in 2008. The airport currently hosts 16 airlines serving 56 nonstop destinations (8 international) with 156 average daily departures.

1. Dallas 2. Austin 3. Nashville

Tulane University School of Professional Advancement joins AWS Academy to offer AWS Cloud computing curriculum Beginning in summer 2020, Tulane University’s School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) will begin classes in a new Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing curriculum. Through lectures, hands-on labs, group discussions, individual projects and knowledge checks, students will gain a real-world understanding of AWS cloud practices in conjunction with an underlying academic understanding of cloud technology.

According to Global Knowledge 2018 IT Skills and Salary Report, the average salary of an AWS Certified IT employee is 29% higher than a non-certified staff member. “Forbes magazine has ranked AWS Certification as one of the top 15 most valuable IT certifications,” said Ralph Russo, program director for information technology and professor of practice at Tulane SoPA. “This means Tulane SoPA graduates will have mastered skills that open doors to professional opportunities.”

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4. Houston 5. New Orleans 6. Fort Lauderdale

7. Boston 8. San Francisco 9. Seattle

NASA Awards Delgado Community College $420,000 for New Engineering Design and Prototyping Program NASA has announced a two-year, $420,000 grant to Delgado Community College designed to assist the college in preparing students for future employment at NASA with an emphasis on advanced manufacturing in space applications. The award enables eligible Delgado students to receive up to $5,000 in direct scholarships to take three newly created classes over three semesters beginning in spring 2020 at the Delgado Sidney Collier Site, located at the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East.

10. Los Angeles (Source: FAA data)

New Orleans Again Earns “D” on Affordable Housing For the second year in a row, New Orleans has earned a “D” letter grade on the HousingNOLA Annual Report Card on the state of affordable housing. The report card grades the progress of HousingNOLA’s 10-Year Plan, including whether elected officials, lenders, policy makers, developers and city and state housing agencies have delivered on their commitments inside the plan.

“In 2015, HousingNOLA identified the need for 33,600 new affordable housing units in New Orleans by the year 2025,” noted the organization in a press release. “To date, we are at 1,621 affordable units, which is far below where we need to be at this point in order to reach our goal. If state and city housing agencies had honored the commitments made in the City of New Orleans’ Interagency Housing Policy, Housing for a Resilient New Orleans, we would have well over 6,000 new units at this point.”

To see the full report, visit HousingNola.org/main/plans.

Dr. Michael Cowan, chairman of the New Orleans Crime Coalition, speaking about the organization’s latest annual survey measuring public perception of police performance in the city of New Orleans. The latest survey, which was conducted four times periodically throughout 2019, is the coalition’s 15th since 2009.

The survey found that from Jan. 2019 to Sept. 2019, overall resident satisfaction remained historically on par at 54%, but only 72% of residents reported feeling safe in their own neighborhoods — a drop of more than 10 points from 2018 — and 59% said they were satisfied with police performance — a drop of 8 points. Satisfaction with how the NOPD handled a respondent’s specific interaction or circumstance was at 58% — a 12-point decrease since 2018.

Satisfaction with efforts to get drugs off the street remained at only 37%.

RANKINGS

New Orleans Ranked No. 4 in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards New Orleans is the fourth best large city in the country according to travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler. The ranking reflects the opinions of nearly 430,000 readers.

“This can only be achieved through the hard work, passion and focus of the more than 87,000 people who work in the hospitality, and we are deeply grateful for their efforts to ensure unforgettable experiences for our visitors from around the industry,” said Mark Romig, president and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation.

New Orleans ranked behind Chicago, Minneapolis and Boston.

Recent Openings

The Suites at Algiers Point This past June, Schonberg Care — Louisiana’s largest family-owned and operated senior living expert (with headquarters in the Greater New Orleans area) — acquired St. Margaret’s at Belleville Assisted Living at 813 Pelican Avenue in Old Algiers. The company has since completed a million-dollar renovation and renamed the facility The Suites at Algiers Point.

Schonberg Care currently has retirement communities throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina.

Storyland

Sazerac House On Oct. 2, the Sazerac Company, an American family-owned company based in New Orleans since 1850, opened the Sazerac House, an immersive, spirited experience exploring the history of New Orleans through its cocktails. Located at the intersection of Canal and Magazine streets, the buildings also house the Sazerac company offices, home to 60 employees, 45 of which are new positions. The Sazerac House is open Wednesday through Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. through the end of Nov. 2019, and will then be expanding its hours. Complimentary tickets, available at SazeracHouse.com, are required for entry.

Diamonds Direct

Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar

Direct diamond importer and leading U.S. independent jewelry retailer Diamonds Direct opened its first Louisiana location at 3230 Severn Ave. in Metairie on Sept. 26. The company’s showroom includes a large selection of loose and mounted diamonds, wedding bands, fashion jewelry and pearls. Diamonds Direct currently has 19 locations in the United States, mostly spread across the Southeast.

Full-service family sports bar and restaurant Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar has opened its newest restaurant in Slidell at 50 Town Center Parkway.

The new restaurant will employ up to 200 people and is owned and operated by DBMC Restaurants. It marks the seventh Walk-On’s owned and operated by the group. Coowned by Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the chain has approximately 160 locations across 15 states and is on track for strategic franchise expansion nationwide.

Nearly 35 years after its last major renovation, New Orleans City Park’s Storyland showed off the results of its latest upgrades at its grand reopening on Sept. 28. The play area received four new exhibits designed to incorporate STEM and interactive play, and Storyland as a whole was updated to be more ADA accessible.

The attraction is also the new home for the Charles Bolden, Jr., LES Space Suit — acquired on loan for five years from NASA. A NASA astronaut for 14 years, Bolden was the first African-American to permanently hold the title of NASA administrator.

Ochsner Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Lab Ochsner Health System has opened a new Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Lab (cath lab) at its flagship campus Ochsner Medical Center — New Orleans. Construction on the 1,250-square-foot space began in December 2018 and lasted eight months.

The lab is one of many investments Ochsner has made to expand cardiac care systemwide. Earlier this year, Ochsner Health Center — Kenner opened a second cath lab, expanding its capacity to serve cardiac patients in Jefferson, St. John the Baptist and St. James Parish.

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Events

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Thursday, September 5

Thursday, October 10 | Legacy Kitchen

Thursday, October 10 | Ernst CafĂŠ

Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Inaugural Honors Luncheon

JCYP Power Lunch Featuring Jerry Bologna of JEDCO

Biz 5 Year Anniversary

Steve Gleason was the special honoree and Gov. John Bel Edwards the special guest at GNOSF’s luncheon celebrating Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductees John Alario, Ron Gardner and Dr. Melvin Trail, MD.

Members and guests of the Jefferson Chamber Young Professionals group gathered to hear from JEDCO president and CEO Jerry Bologna.

Members from throughout the business community, along with past and present staff of the magazine, gathered to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Biz New Orleans Magazine at a cocktail reception at Ernst Cafe.

1. Chris Kenya, Peggy Coleman and Darrah Schaefer 2. Debbie Stagni, CJ Bruno and Susan Dill 3. Jay Cicero, Lisa Cicero and John Bel Edwards

1. Erica Moreau, Vanessa Boisbert and Dustin Braud 2.

Ian Blanchard, James Rosenbloom and Michael Flowers 3. Jerry Bologna, Todd Pereira and Alyssa Herbert

1. Kim Singletary and Kelly Massicot 2. Laquita Brooks, Danni Ervin and Shannon Miller 3. RK Hoddinott, Todd Matherne and Todd Murphy

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photographs by cheryl gerber

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Biz columnists spe ak out

in the biz DINING / TOURISM / SPORTS / ENTERTAINMENT / ENTREPRENEURSHIP / ETIQUETTE / MARKETING

AP Photo/Bill Feig

What a difference a thumb can make: New Orleans awaits the return of Drew Brees

In The Biz di n i n g

Party Perfect Trying to plan the perfect party?

New Orleans’ creative coterie of caterers is ready to help.

by Poppy Tooker

The New Orleans catering landscape is

uniquely influenced by the city’s culture.

The romantic and relaxed Crescent City attitude offers one of the world’s best choices for local and destination weddings.

Throw in a booming convention business, and local catering opportunities seem boundless.

Our “Carnival economy” comes with “only in New Orleans”-style parties ranging from debutante soirees to late night queen’s suppers where food and drink flows into the wee hours of the morning. All of this adds considerable income to many local caterers’ annual bottom line, as do corporate parties that are especially popular at the end of the year.

Dondis Does It All

As a young sous-chef working alongside Emeril Lagasse at his flagship restaurant, Emeril’s, Joel Dondis saw a need for local catering focused on special event fine dining. In 1993, with just $5,000 and a Honda Civic, he began Joel Catering, which today has grown to include 30 full-time employees and a hot, new event space on Magazine Street, Il Mercato.

Although Dondis’ business includes corporate clients and convention groups, local and destination weddings now make up more than 50% of his business.

Il Mercato, a historic, Spanish Colonial space, was built as a city market in 1931 and can accommodate over 200 at seated dinners and more than 600 guests comfortably for cocktails.

Palate’s International Flair

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My House Events Offers an All for One Approach

Barrie Schwartz, self-proclaimed “chief experience officer” at My House Events (formerly My House Social) describes herself as an “accidental caterer,” although neither she nor her business partner cook.

Schwartz moved to New Orleans following college, where she found herself waiting tables at Coquette Restaurant. It turned out the pastry chef there, Danielle Lee, was Vitnamese like Schwartz’s grandmother and knew how to prepare all of the authentic dishes Schwartz grew up on. The two eventually decided to throw a ticketed dinner party at Schwartz’s house and My House Social was born.

At the same time, Schwartz became an early organizer of food truck rallies, but recognized how economically unreliable that was for vendors, many of whom were talented, aspiring chefs who knew how to cook great food but had no idea of how to market themselves. That inspired Schwartz’s culinary curation concept, which combines many individual chefs and small food businesses to create events that feel as seamless as if they were executed by a single catering entity.

Today, Schwartz and Lee work with convention and party planners, as well as individual brides, to produce unique events while driving income into the pockets of local chefs that adds up to an average of $35,000 per year per chef. 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.

illu st ration by Tony H e al e y

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.

Glenn Vatshell’s life story mirrors the motto of Palate, his catering business: “Seasoned from around the world and spiced in New Orleans.” As a young man working in New York’s go-go 1980s, Vatshell discovered his ultimate creative outlet in luxe catering work. From seated dinners for 1,600 at Bloomingdale’s on Broadway to corporate gigs as Conde Nast’s in-house caterer, Vatshell reveled in the scene.

During a brief stop in New Orleans in the early 1990s, Vatshell worked for Emma Freeman of Partysist. Returning years later, he discovered Partysist’s former Willow Street location was available, and in 2005, Vatshell opened Palate there. Beautiful gardens flourish around the kitchens and

design studio located just off Carrollton Avenue, providing many of the flowers and herbs Vatshell uses for culinary and floral design. Everything bears his personal touch, from centerpieces to bouquets, and now, with the addition of a ceramics studio, the serving and accent pieces he creates are also one of a kind. If a client can dream it — from whoopie pie wedding cakes to a voodoo-themed wedding utilizing a cow’s skull as a sign-in book — Vatshell can make it happen.

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In The Biz to u r is m

Right Place, Right Time After (nearly) five years of covering New Orleans tourism, the future of the industry just keeps getting brighter.

By Jennifer Gibson Schecter

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underway to redevelop the property. Last month it opened its new transportation center for buses, shuttles, taxis and ride shares as part of its $557 million, five-year modernization plan adopted by Exhibition Hall Authority Board May 2018. The next piece of the plan to open will be the Pedestrian Park, planned for late 2020. And, of course, we have the ongoing proposals to develop a 1,200-room convention center headquarters hotel that will incorporate a 39-acre mixed-use project with retail, dining and entertainment.

We just can’t seem to stop building hotels. According to HVS, a professional services firm specializing in hospitality industry intelligence, the central New Orleans hotel room supply in 2015 was 23,627, and it increased to 25,087 in 2018.

Construction of the Four Seasons World Trade Center, slated to be completed in early 2020, could add another 350 rooms.

Other potential developments, including the proposed convention center hotel, could bring the total to 29,408 by 2020.

These are just a few of the big stories to look forward to. When it comes to the future of tourism in New Orleans, I have no doubt there will be plenty to write about. n

illust ration by Tony H e al e y

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.

Between the 54 monthly magazine

columns (so far) and 220 weekly blogs on bizneworleans.com, I have written approximately 175,000 words about tourism in New Orleans. I estimate 100,000 of them were the word “tricentennial.”

I may joke about it, but that 300-year milestone was a privilege to cover. The people of New Orleans incorporated the city’s history into nearly every event.

Organizations used the lens of the past to look critically at our successes and our failures. We honestly asked ourselves, “Will New Orleans still be here 300 years from now?” We are still asking that.

We know we are here today, however, and we also know more tourists are joining us every year. In 2018, we welcomed 18.51 million visitors to New Orleans, according to a D.K. Shifflet & Associates (DKSA) study that also reported a 4.29 percent increase in visitors over 2017, the first year DKSA was commissioned by New Orleans & Company and the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation to do the study.

In 2015, the Hospitality Research Center at the University of New Orleans reported that the city welcomed 9.78 million visitors, but for the following years the contract was shifted to DKSA in a move tourism officials said enabled New Orleans to be in line with the state of Louisiana, as well as with competing markets that also use DKSA. The biggest change to come to tourism in the region, however, is the opening of the $1 billion replacement terminal at Louis Armstrong International New Orleans Airport (MSY). The airport has experienced tremendous growth, including many new nonstop flights, the biggest of which being the year-round British Airways service to London, which began in March 2017. It marked the first nonstop flight from MSY to Europe since the 1980s. Condor Airlines followed with seasonal nonstop flights to Frankfurt, Germany, in the summer of 2017, which continued for three years.

Condor’s corporate parent, Thomas Cook Group, filed for bankruptcy in September, so we’ll have to wait and see what 2020 will bring for Condor. And just this month, Air Transat will begin seasonal nonstop flights to Montreal.

At the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, construction has been

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In The Biz sp o r ts

No. 9 Dream As Drew Brees’ returns so do Saints’ Super Bowl aspirations. by chris price

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While no Saints fan wished for the injury, there is a silver lining to the dark cloud of losing the greatest Saint to ever wear the uniform in the early half of the season. Brees, 40, will be well rested as he competes through the rest of the regular and postseason. The offense notoriously faded down the stretch after Thanksgiving last year. Many argued that the quarterback’s arm looked like it had the strength of boiled spaghetti, making him unable to hit on the deep ball for which he gained renown in New Orleans.

Before the season kicked off, many Saints experts argued this team was one of the best to be assembled in franchise history, and may be as good — if not better than — the 2009 and 2011 squads. They argued that if they could remain healthy that this could be a special year.

Brees is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. He comes back into the huddle fresh, without weeks of bumps and bruises normally gathered during a full campaign. The scene is set for him to return under center and complete what could be one of the greatest storylines in the NFL’s 100-year history.

The Saints did better than expected while the face of the franchise was sidelined.

Now, No. 9 is in prime position to lead the comeback of all comebacks and make this team’s ultimate dream come true. n

illust ration by Tony H e al e y

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.

With four divisional games against NFC

South opponents this month, it’s nice to know the New Orleans Saints offense will be getting back to full strength with the return of quarterback Drew Brees. The field general, of course, was sidelined in September and October following a Week 2 thumb injury and subsequent surgery that kept him on the sidelines for almost half of the regular season.

With Brees out, Teddy Bridgewater proved why the Saints made him the highest paid back-up QB in the NFL this season. While his numbers weren’t eyepopping, he was very efficient and led the Saints to some unexpected victories.

Even with the action on the field, fans and television cameras have focused on Brees during games, flexing his surgically repaired thumb to help regain a full range of motion, offering advice when he could, and looking like a mere mortal sweating out the uncertainty of the game in front of him.

Over the past several weeks, fans and teammates have listened as Brees reported on his recovery milestones: brushing and flossing his teeth, picking up a glass of water, and every other step he and his recovering digit have made to return to game readiness. Throughout, he has said that he has taken the recovery one day at a time, even telling WWL Radio last month that he was “not rushing back just for the sake of rushing back. I’m trying to get back as quickly as I can, as healthy as I can and as effective as I can.”

He is smart enough to know that he is far more valuable to this team if he is as close to 100 percent as possible, but he didn’t want to rush back for fear of reinjuring himself or being a weak link.

Bridgewater did not have to move heaven and earth to keep this team in the thick of a playoff race. Brees — or Breesus, as he’s affectionately known — won’t have to be a messiah figure to salvage the season in order for this team to qualify for the playoffs. Now that he has apparently fully recovered, the Who Dat Nation will again feel it is OK to resuscitate their preseason dreams of a possible February trip to Miami for Super Bowl LIV.

bizneworleans.com / 25

In The Biz en t er tai n m en t

Look Don’t Tell A new immersive theatrical and culinary production pairs opulence and secrecy to form an experience unlike any other.

by Kim Singletary

26 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

created the first four nights of “Look Don’t Tell.” All were sold-out successes.

“I lived in New York for years before coming back to New Orleans, and when I returned, I was really struck by our history and all the work that’s been done to preserve our city,” Stephens said. “It’s so different from New York and I just wanted to be a part of sharing that with people.”

“Look Don’t Tell” begins with a meet-up inside the French Quarter where welldressed attendees are then chauffeured to an undisclosed local mansion. From there, according to the website, “The mystical evening includes esoteric dance, dramatic vignettes, mystical rituals, voodoo and other enchanting surprises.”

This year Stephens is particularly excited about a new addition: Chris Hannah of New Orleans’ Jewel of the South will be joining the productions as the official cocktail and wine curator. Before resurrecting the classic 19th-century New Orleans bar Jewel of the South, Hannah bartended at Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, where he was part of the team awarded a James Beard Award in both 2015 and 2017.

As of mid-October, three of this year’s four nights were already sold out, but Stephens said she hopes to eventually start offering productions quarterly.

Until that time, however, she does offer private, custom events by request.

“Whether you’re an individual who wants to create something special or a company looking to entertain outof-town guests, we can definitely put something incredible together,” she said.

For more information, including to sign up for notifications of future events, visit LookDontTell.com n

illust ration by Tony H e al e y

Kimberley Singletary is the managing editor of Biz New Orleans magazine. A 20-year Southern California veteran, she has been surrounded by the film industry for most of her life.

When it comes to dinner and a show

out on the town, it doesn’t get more interesting, or more exclusive, than “Look Don’t Tell,” which celebrates its third-ever production this month.

For only four nights this year (Nov. 8, 9, 15 and 16), local entrepreneur Jeanne Faget Stephens invites no more than 20 people per night to experience an evening of culture and culinary and cocktail wonders fit for royalty — all served up with a generous amount of mystery.

Attendees sign up for the event — at $350 per person — without knowing where they’re going or what the entertainment will be like. They only know that they’ll be enjoying a customized six-course farm-to-table gourmet Creole meal by celebrated chef Melissa Araujo with professional wine and cocktail pairings.

“Look Don’t Tell” centers around sharing the story of New Orleans’ famed Baroness Pontalba — a woman who, besides surviving being shot in the chest four times in 1834 — was responsible for creating the Pontalba buildings in Jackson Square.

“I am a huge fan of the immersive theater culture,” said Jeanne Faget Stephens, the native New Orleanian behind “Look Don’t Tell,” who said the idea for the production came to her in 2017. “My husband and I had a dinner club with seven other couples who would each take turns hosting a dinner at their house. When our turn came in November 2017, I took things a step further and told everyone to dress elegantly and meet in the Quarter, and we had a ‘trickster fox’ whisk them away in carriages. I hired nine actors to do a variety of performances and had a seven-course meal by Coquette chef Kristen Essig.”

The evening was such a hit that Stephens — a self-described serial entrepreneur — started to think this was something she could do as a business. She soon founded Belles Fetes Productions and — employing 50 people last year, half of whom were local performers —

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In The Biz en t r epr en eu r ship

We Can’t Get Complacent Entrepreneurism has been embraced over the past five years, but this region still has challenges that need to be addressed. by keith twitchell

28 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

and shipping interests. The recent property tax increases in New Orleans are bound to impact the business environment, from possibly reducing consumer spending to increasing business expenses.

The population of the city and immediate suburbs has leveled out over the last three years, and population has actually declined statewide. Fewer customers mean fewer business opportunities. This data also implies that many people do not find our region and state an attractive place to live, raise families and/or do business. It does not help that some other key indicators have also flatlined, including school and student performance scores and poverty/ wealth indicators.

It also doesn’t help that these indicators have flatlined while we still rank very low in many national comparisons.

Consequently, there have been some high-profile business closings in recent months, such as the historic Circle Foods Store and the much newer Dryades Market.

Each closure has been accompanied by certain specific factors that hampered the individual business; that said, we definitely do not want to see this develop into a larger trend.

Do I think we are staring at some terrible entrepreneurial precipice? Absolutely not.

But we do have a history here of achieving national and even international leadership in a field — aviation, banking and water management are three prominent examples — then sitting back complacently while other localities surpass us.

New Orleans has, in these five years, achieved pretty high status in the entrepreneurial world, having ranked among the top cities for new businesses many times by many sources. But even that buzz has abated slightly in the last year or two.

Our gifts, our skills, our entrepreneurial spirit are as great as ever, and as great as anywhere in the world, but we have to acknowledge and address our shortcomings — like education and equitable economic access — and we have to stay focused on innovation, dynamism and opportunity for all. Success is a journey, not a destination.

I look forward to continuing to chronicle this journey for another five years. n

illust ration by Tony H e al e y

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.

Hard to believe that it has been five

years since Biz New Orleans, and this column, were startup enterprises!

Given the average survival length of new ventures, we’ve both managed to achieve some measure of success, and it has certainly been an interesting five years.

In the column, we have considered entrepreneurial incubators and advice from startup experts; highlighted some interesting success stories; reviewed some of history’s greatest entrepreneurs and their big inventions and ideas; and looked at some of the challenges and barriers that entrepreneurs face, especially women and people of color. Your humble columnist hopes that these musings have been interesting, helpful, sometimes illuminating and occasionally amusing.

There have been a lot of successful new businesses established in the Greater New Orleans area over the past five years. Many others have expanded, increased sales, opened new and larger locations, even franchised into other cities. Meanwhile, the number of new business resources has also continued to grow — there are more accelerators, entrepreneurial contests, mentor programs and funding sources available than ever.

Something I find particularly promising is that the percentage of new startups founded by women and minorities has increased significantly in the last five years. We are still a long way from having that statistic mirror our actual population, but we are doing much better than many other parts of the country.

Of course, nothing showcases the upside of local entrepreneurism better than New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, which itself has grown and evolved considerably over these years.

All of which brings us to today — and I wonder if there are not some gathering clouds threatening this sunny landscape.

The general environment today looks a good bit different than five years ago.

We have new leadership both locally and nationally, and without taking political sides, decisions made by our leaders have impacted the business climate.

Unquestionably, the short-term effects of the ongoing trade wars have been harmful to Louisiana, especially farmers

In The Biz e tiq u e tt e

Pants on Fire Dealing with manipulative and dishonest employees and coworkers — a five-step plan of action

by Melanie Warner Spencer

30 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

1 2 3

Verify what they say with the original sources.

Be clear and specific about outcomes, holding them accountable.

Keep a log of things they say, because often they will say something and later deny it. (Document interactions in notes with dates, times and a brief background summary to give context and save email exchanges.)

4

Take a firm stance and be clear about disciplinary actions and other consequences that will be taken if necessary.

This is especially important if you are the person’s manager.

5

Finally, Russell says, “When you first start defending yourself against a manipulator, they’ll try harder to control you. Remember this and stay firm, don’t get defensive and don’t take the bait if they push you.”

Clearly, the situation is challenging, whether the manipulator is your subordinate or peer. I’ll add to Russell’s suggestions that when possible, arrange for a trusted third party to be present during interactions so you have additional confirmation of the person’s words and behavior. By cultivating awareness, being proactive and keeping your boundaries, it’s possible to right the ship, or at the very least deal with a manipulator without too much drama. n

illust ration by Tony H e al e y

Melanie Warner Spencer is editor of New Orleans Bride and New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles and managing editor of Louisiana Life and Acadiana Profile. Spencer’s ever-expanding library of etiquette books is rivaled only by her ever-ready stash of blank thank-you notes. Submit business etiquette questions to Melanie@MyNewOrleans.com.

If you’ve been in the workforce for

more than a couple of years, or have worked for multiple companies, you’ve likely encountered a manipulative and dishonest coworker.

“Psychological or emotional manipulation involves using underhanded, deceptive and abusive techniques,” writes Joyce E. A. Russell, a licensed industrial and organizational psychologist and the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business, in a piece for The Washington Post. “They are great at hiding their own motives, while making others look uncooperative, incompetent or self-centered.”

Generally, this type of coworker is motivated by the desire for monetary gain, position and power or a need to be seen as right or a winner at any cost. Over time, the behavior creates toxicity in the workplace and, if ignored, escalates.

It can be hard to know how to interact with an individual whose conduct is so unpredictable, but, their behavior may actually exhibit patterns.

Russell says techniques frequently used by manipulators include “superficial sympathy or charm” (employed to control) or “verbal abuse, explosive anger or other intimidating actions” (to make others adverse to confrontation). When that doesn’t work, Russell says, “they refuse to admit that they did anything wrong or they use rationalization or some spin to make excuses for inappropriate behaviors.

They might play dumb and pretend that they don’t know what the person is talking about or act surprised or indignant.”

If any of this sounds familiar, you have a manipulator on your hands. Now what?

Observe their behavior, noting which of the above patterns and tactics they use.

Russell suggests limiting your interactions with that individual and, when you have to be around them, putting up your guard.

“You really can’t trust them and should not reveal personal or confidential information,” she writes.

Russell offers these strategies for when you are forced to interact with the manipulator:

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In The Biz m a r k e ti n g

The Prize is in the Few, Not the Many A new marketing tool, addressability allows you to target your media to your perfect audience at the perfect time.

by Julia carcamo

32 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

the brand attempted to market the 2013 Silverado through the Dish Network and DirectTV. The results were amazing.

The automaker saw a 23-to-1 ROI, an 11% increase in sales for the model itself, and an overall sales increase of 209%. Clearly, they understood they didn’t need to reach 100% of the media-buying demographic, but rather enough of their specific target audience.

Some of us are starting to hear the terms “over-the-top” or OTT with more regularity. That refers to connected television — basically when a TV screen is connected to the internet through an over-the-top (OTT) device that provides streaming programming: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, etc. This also includes smart TVs, which connect natively to those services. Over-the-top viewing has quickly become a mainstream behavior in the United States, with average OTT viewing hours per household jumping to 86 hours per month. Smart TVs have expanded the most year over year when it comes to OTT, according to Comscore’s latest study.

What’s nice about OTT is that ads are non-skippable. As marketers, we’re always asking ourselves, “How can we get our message to customers in a way that makes an impact, and how can we make sure it’s being seen or heard?” Because streaming viewers tend to be much more engaged, OTT may hold the key to message engagement.

New, But Worth A Look

Addressable advertising is still a new tool for marketers. The Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) found that 71% of marketers using addressable TV have been buying it for less than one year. The study found that 15% of advertisers include addressable TV regularly, and 35% have experimented with it. However, because it’s still such a new arena, inventory currently is limited (though growing). Even with the current state, VAB projects spending on addressable TV ads to rise to $3.3 billion by 2020, up from $2.1 billion in 2018.

Next month, we’ll take a look at addressable geofencing, and I’ll offer some tips on how to get started using addressable advertising to your advantage. n

illu st r ation by Tony H e al e y

Julia Carcamo is president and chief brand strategist at J Carcamo & Associates, specializing in brand and marketing strategy.

She is also the co-founder of espNOLA, a Hispanic marketing and engagement agency. Learn more at jcarcamoassociates.com and espnola.com.

In the “Mad Men” days of advertising, it

was easy to get your point across. There were only a few TV programs to watch, so it was easy to get your message out to the masses. However, changes in the media landscape over decades and the habits of the viewer have made it more challenging to get a message out to today’s audiences. Moreover, because of timeshifted viewing, ads are more skippable than ever. Relevancy has become an essential part of your ad strategy.

These same changes in media and habits, however, HAVE made it easier to get a relevant message to its perfect audience.

Today, the art — or rather, science — of placing advertisements in mass media is undergoing a rapid evolution from one-to-many to one-to-one. Metrics such as GRP (gross rating point) and CPP (cost per rating point) are becoming less of a foundation in how we choose where to place our ads.

We should all be paying attention to two addressability options: addressable television and addressable geofencing.

Addressable advertising is the ability to direct a message to a specific group or individuals through their specific devices — in home and out. With increasing timeshifted viewing, addressable television advertising has become a primary way to ensure your message is seen, not by a broad audience per se, but by the right audience.

Traditional linear television (what we’re all familiar with) is bought according to broad demographics. With addressable linear television, marketers can target specific households using data provided by the set-top boxes that providers have equipped with technology to let different homes see different ads. Most providers have deployed this capability.

Addressable TV selectively segments the ads seen by viewers. While various groups of people may watch the same program, they see different, targeted ads.

In the simplest terms, this means you and your neighbor could be watching the same television show, or surfing the same website, but see completely different ad messages (hopefully) targeted to you due to some interest or demographic insight.

Chevrolet was an early mover in the realm of addressable advertising when

bizneworleans.com / 33

hot topics in southe ast Louisiana industries

perspectives insurance / banking & Finance / maritime & ports

Don’t wait too long to grab long-term care insurance.

Perspectives i nsu r a n c e

C. Garlan White, wealth manager for Bellingrath Wealth Management & Employee Benefits in New Orleans, said receiving LTC services is a deeply personal experience as it requires caring for one’s most personal needs.

“We encourage our clients to consider in advance how and where they would prefer to receive this care and who they prefer to provide it should a need arise,” he said.

“The likelihood of needing care continues to increase as advancements in medicine translate to longer life expectancies. When coupled with the Baby Boomer generation hitting its peak retirement years, the supply of services is struggling to keep pace with the burgeoning demand.”

Tina Dandry-Mayes, a financial advisor at New York Life in New Orleans, said the cost of staying home and caring for someone is almost financially unmanageable and also impacts the caregiver’s physical and mental state.

“The fatigue on the care provider is tremendous,” she said. “Most people want to stay at home, but it’s quite expensive if you need care 24 hours a day.” Skilled-care facilities often cost less than round-the-clock in-home care.

Don’t Delay

The Early Bird Gets the Deal When it comes to Long-term care insurance, you don’t want to wait too long.

By Keith Loria

As people age or become ill, they

sometimes need help doing daily tasks like getting dressed, bathing and more. Long-term care (LTC) provides people with those services — but it’s expensive.

36 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

According to the U.S. Administration on Aging, approximately 10,000 baby boomers who turn 65 every day, and 69 percent of those will require LTC at some point in their lives.

“The predicted ‘silver tsunami’ is upon us, and neither Medicare nor private hospitalization policies pay for LTC,” said Joe Celano, a senior advisor for INTRX HealthCare in New Orleans.

White says many individuals unfortunately wait until retirement age to consider LTC needs, but buying while someone is relatively young and in better health can mean that they can lock in at a lower cost and before the options for insurance tighten even further.

“Although it is difficult for households to consider LTC planning when they are young and healthy and early into a career path, it is absolutely advantageous financially,” said Celano.

“Delay is usually a mistake, and overall premium outlays will be much higher by waiting. Premiums are locked at our attained age at the time a plan is created, and they are also governed by the established

bizneworleans.com / 37

carrier rate structures at the time a plan is established. Those rate structures have continued to increase.”

Premiums are also dependent upon an individual’s health rating, determined through health underwriting, and some carriers have as many as eight rate categories.

But do you really need it? Celano said it’s extremely likely you will if you’re planning to live past 65, adding that 65 percent of people over this age will require LTC for an average duration of about three to four years.

“Currently the cost of caregiving in our geographical area easily averages over $5,500 per month, with projected growth doubling over the next 10 years,” he said. “If you do the math, it is staggering.”

Besides just growing more expensive as you age, the underwriting for LTC is very sensitive and individuals can easily become uninsurable as they get older.

Dandry-Mayes acquired LTC insurance for herself when she was 45 considering her family history of cancer; as well, she travels for work and LTC could help in the event of a car or other type of accident.

“The younger you are, the cheaper it is, and once you hit 65, the prices start to skyrocket,” she said. “Carriers are also making it more expensive for women since we live longer.”

LTC is also not just for the elderly.

A recent New England Journal of Medicine study showed that almost 40 percent of individuals on LTC were as a result of an accident and were under the age of 65.

Made for the Middle

Patrick Taylor, president of Metairiebased Benefit Planning Group, said not everyone needs to be thinking about LTC insurance, however. He said it’s a decision that should be based on an individual’s income and assets.

“Theoretically, if you don’t make much money and you’re on a fixed income, LTC probably won’t help much because you can’t afford it and Medicaid will kick in,” he said. “If you’re middle income, up to $1 million in assets, we have a tendency of seeing clients buying LTC insurance. Those with multiple

38 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

millions of dollars also don’t really buy much LTC because there are several products on the market they can use to move assets from one column to another and use that pool to fund LTC if needed.” According to Taylor, options include an annuity that provides a triple benefit or a life insurance policy that allows money to be withdrawn.

Options Constantly Changing

A wide array of LTC products exists, with various carriers, options for underwriting and rate structures.

Certain health conditions can also limit access to some options.

“For the most part, however, plans are founded upon monthly benefit levels, durations, homecare and facility care alternatives, financial funding access and deductible levels, with policy growth in coverage levels to keep up with the increasing costs of LTC,” Celano says. “A good plan should fit the risk without being topheavy in coverage or underinsured.

It should also comfortably fit one’s budget.”

White says the options for LTC insurance continue to evolve, with many now involving a form of hybrid life or annuity policy with extra LTC provisions.

“The general theme is that older, more generous traditional types of policies are increasingly difficult to purchase and that individuals must now share in more of the risk alongside the insurance companies,” he says. “Though some insurers have exited the business altogether, it is worth a call to an independent insurance agent to learn more about the various options presently available as they change regularly.”

With all the choices, it can be helpful to seek guidance.

“Optimizing a good LTC plan can be a daunting task, and that magnifies the importance of seeking out a good LTC specialist that you feel comfortable working with to guide you properly,” Celano says. “An LTC specialist is focused exclusively on LTC planning and has the ability to represent the entire market of carriers and products available.

Creating a well-thought-out plan is the only way peace of mind can be established.” n

bizneworleans.com / 39

Perspectives b a n ki n g & fi n a n c e

There are an estimated 12 million

Creating a Smooth Transition Looking to retire from your business?

There’s plenty to consider.

By Gina Rachel

40 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

baby boomer business owners in the nation, and according to a study by the Exit Planning Institute, nearly 4 million of them are likely to retire or leave their company within the next decade. Of those, approximately 80% to 90% have their financial assets locked in the business itself and almost half indicated they do not have a transition plan, meaning they don’t know how they are going to get their money out of the business or how it will continue after they step down.

Decisions like these are often difficult and emotional to make and execute, especially when the business owner also must decide whether to sell to a competitor or third party, transfer the business to a family member or employees, or even close the business. In starting the planning process, it’s important to look at internal factors that the company has some level of control over, as well as external factors the company cannot control but to which it must respond.

For family businesses, the people factor cannot be underestimated.

Transition considerations for business owners include management (or who is going to run the business, and is that person/people different from who will own the business); succession (how is the process going to take place); and compensation (how will the current owner extract their financial assets).

Other internal factors include strategic decisions that keep the company competitive while succession is in process, such as investments in technology and other infrastructure.

External factors the company cannot control but must respond to include market conditions, competition, and political and regulatory implications. Retaining skilled labor will always be a focus for companies, as are product/service development and other strategies related to market share and the competitive landscape.

Economic factors such as election results, market fluctuations and

international trade policies also present business challenges and opportunities. Regulatory changes also impact businesses — increasing costs and complexity associated with managing compliance.

Regardless of ownership structure, every business is transitioning, either positively or negatively. As the Exit Planning Institute points out, the stakes are high for family businesses.

When businesses do not successfully transition, they risk failure, resulting in job losses and negative impacts to families and communities. It could result in an owner’s life’s work being liquidated for pennies on the dollar.

With so many highly successful family businesses in the Greater New Orleans area, succession is a particularly important topic in our market.

So, what should these businesses do to help ensure a successful transition and maximize shareholder value?

While the long answer is highly complex and personal and takes time to solidify, the short answer is simple: Build a team that can give you good advice and guide you through the process. CPAs, attorneys and financial professionals can help advise you on decisions and present solutions business owners may not have thought about. With a strong focus on your desired outcome, a positive succession plan is not only possible for current owners, but for all stakeholders. n

Gina Rachel, CPA, is a director in the P&N Tax Services Group with more than 20 years of public accounting experience.

She is the immediate past chair of the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants (LCPA) and past president of the New Orleans Chapter of the LCPA.

bizneworleans.com / 41

Perspectives m a r iti m e & p o r ts

travel agency based in Metairie, said having a variety of option — such as destinations and duration, as well as affordability — are what make cruises out of New Orleans so attractive.

Cruises out of New Orleans vary from four-, five-, six- or seven-night voyages.

“Typically, the shorter cruises, four or five days, will head east towards Cozumel, Mexico,” said Christian.

“The longer cruises, with a little more sail time, will head towards the western Caribbean, the Florida Keys and the Bahamas.”

Regardless of where they travel, almost all the ships that leave New Orleans come back. Christian said about 98% of calls at the Port of New Orleans are “home ports.”

“Traditionally, home ports have a much more significant economic impact than just a port of call,” she said, adding that when a ship is at home port, “they need to have maintenance done on the ship, they refuel, they restock their food and beverage, they do things like dry cleaning, and get pianos tuned.”

All of this ancillary business adds up to a big economic boost for businesses in New Orleans: nearly $125 million annually, according to the port.

A ship’s crew members also take care of their personal needs when they’re at home port.

“They actually organize trips to go to Wal-Mart, so they can restock personal items; they’re taking care of their banking and insurance needs, all kinds of local services like that,” said Christian.

Cruising is Hotter Than Ever The Port of New Orleans’ Brandy Christian discusses the economic impacts of both ocean and river cruising to the region.

The American Queen Steamboat Company’s new river cruising vessel, American Countess, arriving in 2020

By Jessica Rosgaard

New Orleans’ cruise industry has

exploded in the past 10 years. Between the huge ocean liners sailing downriver to Caribbean ports of call and the smaller steamboats traveling en route to Memphis, the industry is growing — and contributing big money to the local economy.

According to Port of New Orleans President and CEO Brandy Christian, the number of people taking cruises out of New Orleans has grown 159% since 2010.

“We had to rebuild the cruise business after Hurricane Katrina,” she

42 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

said. “We went from roughly 100,000 to 200,000 passengers to an expected 1.4 million passengers in 2020.”

Part of next year’s projected growth can be attributed to the addition of two new ships. Beginning in January, Royal Caribbean International’s Majesty of the Seas will sail from New Orleans year-round. In February, Disney Cruise Line will add a ship with six cruises. They’ll join Carnival Cruise Lines’ two ships that sail yearround and Norwegian, which offers weekly sailings from November through April.

Since each cruise operator tends to attract a different demographic, a diverse collection of operators means more diversity in travelers.

“Disney coming to New Orleans was a huge signal that we are increasingly being seen as a family-friendly tourist destination,” said Christian.

“We’re seeing variety beyond our traditional business that started with Carnival — which tends to attract younger, sometimes smaller groups and couples.”

Melinda Bourgeois, owner and president of Travel Central, a full-service

Double Vacation

Travelers who choose to sail from New Orleans aren’t just doing so for the cruise destinations. New Orleans provides its own draw as a top tourist destination.

“One of the reasons cruise companies have come back again and again to New Orleans is they find that there’s a large number of people wanting to come through New Orleans to be able to spend a few nights before they get on a boat — unlike some other cruise ship ports,” said Marc Becker, director of sales and marketing at the Higgins

photo courtesy American queen steamboat company

bizneworleans.com / 43

Hotel and Conference Center. “It’s a double vacation, basically, where they spend a little time in the city and then a week on a cruise as well.”

Christian said those “double vacations” provide a big boost for New Orleans’ tourism industry.

“About 90% of people who cruise out of New Orleans are from out of state, and 73% of those guests stay a day or two in New Orleans before or after their cruise,” she said. “So, we also get the benefit to the hotel industry, the restaurants and local attractions.”

In 2018, that benefit amounted to an additional 306,000 room nights for cruise passengers and about $250 million in new spending (between passengers and crew) for the local and regional economy, according to data from the port.

Additionally, 32% of cruise passengers fly through Louis Armstrong International Airport.

“That’s a significant amount of passenger volume, and obviously the more passengers we have traveling through the airport, the more we’re competitive for direct flight services,” said Christian.

Park and Ride

In addition to MSY Airport, there’s a significant drive market for New Orleans cruise passengers. Becker noted that New Orleans lies within about a day’s drive for close to 50% of the population of the United States, adding that aside from cruisers from Texas, Mississippi and Alabama, many passengers hail from the Midwest.

The Erato Street Cruise Terminal has more than 1,000 parking spaces within the terminal, and the Julia Street Terminal also offers secure parking — all at a price. Becker said local hotels have worked their way in to the cruise parking market.

“One of the most popular hotel packages is a parking package that allows a pre-stay of one or two nights and then travelers can leave their car for virtually cheap or free — depending on the hotel — and then come and pick it up post-cruise,” Becker said.

The River Run

New Orleans is not without its challenges, however, and according to Becker; one is the time it takes for ships to depart the Mississippi River.

44 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

“There’s a long first night’s trip of cruising before you get anywhere, and cruises like to go from port to port to port because that makes it exciting for the guests,” he said.

For some cruisers, however, the river isn’t just a part of the journey, it’s the destination.

“River cruising grew about 30% last year with a number of new vessels,” said Christian.

“That’s traditionally been a European model, and we’re starting to see more and more of that here on the Mississippi River.”

John Waggonner is the chairman and CEO of American Queen Steamboat Company, which has been operating tours on the Mississippi River since 2012. In 2020, the company expects to offer 80 cruises between three boats.

Popular seven-day “Antebellum South” tours leave from New Orleans and stop at either Oak Alley or Nottoway Plantation, as well as Natchez, Baton Rouge and Helena, Arkansas, before continuing up to Memphis.

“The tourists that we attract, a lot of them are very seasoned cruisers who have been all over the world,” said Waggoner. “Now they like to stay a little closer to home. They don’t necessarily want to take a five- or six-hour flight anymore, and they’re really looking for regional American cuisine and unique experiences.”

Most travelers on AQSC are from out of state (and 20% from out of the country) so the company provides an add-on for either a pre- or posthotel stay.

“When our guests come in, they want to spend two or three days in New Orleans before they get on the boat, and probably two or three days in Memphis,” Waggoner said.

“From a business point of view, this really helps the local economy by not only filling hotel rooms, but also restaurants and retail.”

Waggoner noted that AQSC buys its fuel in New Orleans, along with its groceries and flowers for the boat.

The economic impact of the riverboat cruise industry, however, extends far beyond New Orleans.

“It brings port of calls to all of those smaller parishes upriver,” said Christian. “So it really spreads out that economic impact to the smaller parishes.” n

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P ORTR A I T S BY Ro m e ro & Rom ero

In honor of Biz New Orleans’ fifth anniversary in print, we asked the top five economic development leaders in the region to share their thoughts on the successes and challenges of the past five years, along with what we can expect in the years to come.

Five on Five

Andrew P. Jacques E x e cu t i v e D i r e cto r

St. Be rna rd Eco no m ic De ve lo p m e nt Fo u ndat io n

Biggest wins over the past five years? St. Bernard’s renaissance has been driven by steady growth from our largest employers, a population boom thanks to a thoughtful residential development strategy by St. Bernard Parish government and

an unprecedented level of cooperation between the public and private sectors. The headlines are centered around population growth. Arabi ranked as the sixth-fastest growing suburb in America by Realtor.com, and the parish as a whole came in as the eighth-fastest growing small county/ parish in the country over the past seven years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In other areas, the Meraux Foundation partnered with local artists to strategically cultivate an arts district in Old Arabi, catalyzing additional retail and residential development, and The Ranch Studios endured the uncertainty surrounding the film industry and now boasts new renovations, expansions and an occupancy rate typically near 100%.

Biggest challenges? Without a doubt, it’s perception. St. Bernard Parish, and all of our stakeholders, have bought into a bigger-thanme mentality with the mission of building the parish we deserve. Those efforts are paying off with new residential construction that any neighborhood, in any parish, would be envious of, along with a burgeoning cultural arts hub in Old Arabi and a growing list of quality of life amenities. All of this complements the already established highly ranked public school system, world-class fishing and recreation, and an astonishingly low crime rate. In many instances, our challenge isn’t addressing an issue, but instead telling our story more effectively.

What does the next five years hold? Looking into the crystal ball, I see a well-established base of young families setting down roots to take advantage of the spectacular new residential construction, school system, low crime and proximity to Downtown New Orleans. Did you know the distance between the St. Bernard/Orleans Parish line and Canal Street is only 5 miles? Meanwhile, St. Bernard is well positioned to win two to three “home run” economic development projects in the coming years, with a 600-plus-acre Louisiana Economic Development certified site in Meraux, available opportunities for maritime development along the Mississippi River and the gorgeous, historic former Ford Assembly Plant facility in Old Arabi. As the parish’s demographics continue to trend upward, I also anticipate our diligent focus on retail, mixed-use projects and amenities for the youth to bear additional fruit in the years to come.

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Jerry Bologna P resi dent and CEO

J EDCO

Biggest wins over the past five years? JEDCO has much to be proud of over the past five years.

We have been directly involved in the attraction of nearly $2 billion in new investment and the creation of thousands of new jobs throughout Jefferson Parish. Most notably, we played a major role in the acquisition and subsequent repurposing of the former Avondale Shipyard, which is expected to lead to the creation of 2,000 new jobs. Ochsner’s expansion along Jefferson Highway will mean nearly $400 million in new investment and thousands of new jobs. Meanwhile, the attraction of the Fuji Vegetable Oil plant, as well as national brands like Amazon, Sleep Number and US Foods, continues to signal that Jefferson is a global destination for investment and employment opportunities. At the same time, we have helped usher in a new generation of learning by helping to construct Delgado’s River City Campus and Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence right in Churchill Technology and Business Park.

Biggest challenges? There are several challenges we need to overcome in order to maintain our momentum in economic development. Our legal environment and corporate taxing structure have been cited by corporate relocation executives as impediments to locating in Louisiana. We face additional challenges with flood insurance and the high cost of auto insurance. Additionally, our colleges and universities are producing quality candidates; However, a lack of funding and resources is preventing them from producing a larger employee pool. As economic developers, we can only be successful in attracting and retaining companies if we are able to provide companies with a pipeline of qualified talent.

What does the next five years hold? The next five years look bright in Jefferson Parish. From the continued revitalization of Fat City to the implementation of an exhaustive master plan for the Churchill area, Jefferson is moving forward on all fronts. We are working with the owners of Elmwood Shopping Center and Clearview Shopping Center on ambitious adaptive reuse plans for their respective properties, which will help us protect our retail base. These plans will include mixed-use developments, which will incorporate residential living with retail and commercial uses. At the same time, we will be implementing an innovative housing pilot program in Terrytown to encourage the construction of new homes and significant renovations and modernization of our existing housing stock. This program is designed to attract the next generation of homebuyers and protect the parish’s tax base.

Our hope is that we will be able to replicate this program in

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other parts of Jefferson Parish. I also believe that the next five years will see a greater focus on destination healthcare as well as our exportable offerings in food manufacturing, healthcare innovation and environmental industries. Jefferson is well positioned, with a diverse economy, to maintain our momentum.

Chris Masingill CEO

Biggest wins over the past five years? St. Tammany Parish has enjoyed some major economic development wins with the announcements of numerous business expansion projects.

When companies like Globalstar, Diversified Foods, DANA and Arcosa choose once again to invest in St. Tammany, it reinforces the area’s competitive advantage — a talented workforce, a desirable quality of life and a convenient location within the region and Gulf South.

The opening of Northshore Technical Community College’s Lacombe campus in 2017 created an incredible opportunity for our residents to earn degrees and industry credentials here in St. Tammany, and 2018 signaled a new chapter for economic development in St. Tammany with the dissolution of the St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation and the launch of St. Tammany Corporation. This new brand set the tone for the establishment of a new organizational culture, under new leadership, that operates under an expanded mission and vision. The goal is to build capacity, sophistication and competitiveness to make St. Tammany the destination of choice for high-skill talent and business formation, attraction, expansion and retention. In February 2019, we launched THRIVE2023 – St. Tammany’s five-year economic development strategic plan.

The St. Tammany Corporation team is focused on implementing strategic plan objectives; reinforcing our commitment to facilitate economic development in a proactive, forward-thinking and innovative way.

St. Ta m m a ny Co rp o rat io n

business retention and expansion program. St. Tammany supports opportunities to grow in the scientific and technical services, business and professional services, corporate headquarter relocations, distribution and logistics, water transportation and auto-related transportation industries. By engaging with site selectors in person and through the interactive tools on our website, we will showcase St. Tammany — and our region — as a destination of choice for industry and talent. Additionally, we will evaluate the land and site inventory to gauge opportunities for investment and redevelopment, and assess the entrepreneurial activities in our area to create a business formation strategy that enhances the existing regional assets. Collectively, these efforts will form the foundation of future business and talent development opportunities for St. Tammany to THRIVE.

Biggest challenges? My tenure at St. Tammany Corporation began in July 2018, and since that time, the main challenge has been connecting the landscape with the new way of doing economic development while introducing and reinforcing the new functions of our organization. We are continuing to create a high-performing economic development organization while re-establishing, reconnecting and strengthening our partnerships with agencies and institutions that understand the importance of economic development and advocate for growing jobs and creating wealth, advancing workforce and talent development opportunities, and promoting St. Tammany to be the destination of choice for businesses, families and communities to thrive.

What does the next five years hold? Workforce and talent continue to drive economic development decisions and data show that our residents are major players in the regional workforce; we take that role and responsibility seriously. We will lead initiatives for sustainable and innovative job creation and retention, while our agile and dedicated education and training partners prepare our residents for current and future employment opportunities. St. Tammany Corporation will be aggressive in our data-driven lead generation efforts to bring new businesses to the area while assisting our existing industries as they grow and mature through our bizneworleans.com / 49

Quentin Messer P r e s i dent a nd CEO

Biggest wins over the past five years? Our biggest wins can be divided into four categories. First is the validation of New Orleans as a regional software tech hub — evidenced by the growth of Lucid and the successful recruitment of GE Digital and ultimately, DXC Technology and Accruent, among others. Second is the continued growth of the bioInnovation and life science sector within the city (i.e., the opening of the new VA hospital, the growth of companies like AxoSim, the launch of New Orleans Health Innovators and unparalleled business development partnerships between LSU and Tulane. Third is the creation of 25 Opportunity Zones throughout the city. Representing 16% of all zones statewide, these zones enable the city to leverage the federal tax code to attract financial capital to historically under-invested areas. Finally, New Orleans has seen significant enhancements to the city’s talent and workforce development system through a restructuring of the Workforce Development Board and deployment of the STRIVE professional development curriculum.

Biggest challenges? Here, again, they can be divided into four categories. First is the social impacts of climate change (i.e., developing an economy that is resilient to the global movement toward alternative energy sources), and rapid transformation of the food industry (e.g., Beyond Meat’s market capitalization). Second is the accelerated transformation into a city of lifelong learners (i.e., simultaneously improving our K-12 education system; scaling training programs such as STRIVE and Operation SPARK for opportunity youth); and retaining millennials as they age and start families.

Third, we are challenged with retaining citywide hopefulness in the sustained upward trajectory of the local economy amid frustrations of the rising cost of living — particularly in housing costs — and wealth creation disparities facing small business owners of color. Finally, we need to continue to foster the growth of the tourism/hospitality sector through aggressive marketing to national and international audiences while simultaneously augmenting the Business Alliance’s message that New Orleans is open, ready and serious about doing business.

What does the next five years hold? I expect New Orleans to continue to grow, assuming there are no adverse macroeconomic forces affecting the local, state, regional and national economies. I also believe the accelerated diversification of the local economy will continue as Business Alliance programs such as the New Orleans Health Innovators challenge and MedCity News Conference attract more high potential digital health and bioinnovation companies to our city. The sustained focus on

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Ne w Orl e a ns Bu sine ss Al l ia nce

creating a business-friendly policy environment will continue to change outdated external perceptions of our city, thereby making local businesses more confident to invest locally and place New Orleans on the radars of more national site selectors and others involved in business relocation decisions. Our city and its businesses, large and small, will become more empathic to removing non-skill, non-competency-related inhibitors to consistent employment — like transportation, child care and mental health [services] — through greater employer embrace of innovative benefits like EdNavigators and New Orleans Workforce Innovations.

Michael Hecht P r e s i dent & CEO

G re at e r Ne w Orl e a ns, Inc.

moving into the Freeport-McMoRan building both practically and symbolically represented the continuing diversification of the GNO economy, led by tech.

Next, I would go with landing British Airways at MSY. BA is the first non-stop flight to Europe from New Orleans since 1982 and is part of the reason why Louis Armstrong is the fifth-fastest growing airport in the United States over the past decade.

GNO, Inc., and the business community realized that we had to ensure our airport was globally connected in order for us to succeed.

Finally, I would pick fixing National Flood Insurance. In saving not only Louisiana, but the nation from the devastating, unintended consequences of Biggert-Waters, GNO, Inc., developed a deep level of relevance both across the region and the nation that continues today.

A nice capstone on our recent economic progress was that New Orleans was recently named “Major Market of the Year” by Southern Business & Development, for the most economic wins in the South, tied for first with Nashville.

Biggest challenges? Greater New Orleans has had to address a range of challenges, most of which predate Hurricane Katrina. Some of the challenges have been economic, including our historic lack of diversification, and loss of professional jobs, dating back to the 1960s. Other challenges have been more around quality of life and include education and crime. Broadly, the brand of New Orleans has proven to be a double-edged sword: On one hand, people around the world know and love New Orleans. On the other hand, the brand has historically stood for music, food and culture more than business and general quality of life. I am pleased to report that we have made significant progress in all three areas. Today, the single biggest challenge we must tackle is stormwater management.

Biggest wins in the past five years? I would highlight three wins as the most significant for the region over the past five years.

First would be DXC Technology choosing New Orleans for its national “Digital Transformation Center.” This represented the single biggest jobs win in Greater New Orleans and Louisiana history, with 2,000 positions at $60,000-plus salaries. Further, DXC demonstrated that New Orleans could compete and win nationally against competitor cities like Nashville. Finally, DXC

What does the next five years hold? Looking into the future, people can expect to see continued economic diversification. Foundational industries like trade, energy and advanced manufacturing have great momentum. At the same time, new industries like tech, life sciences and water management will continue to grow. Key economic assets like the airport and NASA Michoud will maintain their upward trajectory and our schools, public safety and infrastructure improvements will be models for others. Most of all, in an increasingly homogeneous world, the unique culture, human warmth and singular charm of Greater New Orleans will continue to attract new visitors and residents from around the globe.

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Looking Back to We’ve come a long way in five short years.

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he first issue of Biz New Orleans came out in Oct. 2014. Since that time, business in Southeast Louisiana has gone through a lot of changes. On the politics side, Congressman Steve Scalise had just become the majority whip when we launched —he was featured on our second cover — and Gov. Bobby Jindal was struggling with a $1.6 billion budget deficit — the largest Louisiana had faced in 25 years. In Oct. 2015, John Bel Edwards became the governor, and is currently heading into a runoff election Nov. 16 to try and maintain his position.

Our first year in print was also the same year of the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and BP settle money arrived from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster — $6.8 billion for Louisiana, of which $45 million went to the city of New Orleans and $53.1 million to Jefferson Parish.

An additional $10 billion was distributed to businesses and individuals across the Gulf South.

The natural disasters kept coming, however, with the next being the Baton Rouge Flood of August 2016. Leaving 13 dead, and damage estimated at $8.7 billion, it became the state’s worst natural disaster since Katrina as 80% of those affected, including 20,000 businesses, did not have flood insurance. Agricultural losses were estimated at $277 million.

Uber and Lyft also launched locally in 2015, the ABWA (American Business Women’s Association) New Orleans chapter returned following a 9-year absence, and The Outlet Collection at Riverfront – the nation’s first upscale outlet center in a downtown area — celebrated its first anniversary in business.

It was a busy first year, and things have definitely not slowed by kim singletary down since. So, in honor of our fifth anniversary, we took a look back at some of the top stories we’ve covered over the years in a wide array of industries. It’s by no means comprehensive — and does not include our booming real estate industry as last month’s issue was entirely devoted to it — but we feel it does offer a bit of a feel for how much has happened in our region in such a relatively short period of time.

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gayle benson phooto: AP Photo/Bill Feig; shaya photo: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

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ourism New Orleans has long been a favorite for tourists, and not just domestically. In 2015 — before the launch of direct international flights — New Orleans saw a 37% growth in international tourism, the highest of any city in U.S. (9.78 million visitors from over 70 countries). Copa Airlines launched its nonstop service to Panama City, Panama from New Orleans in 2015.

Following shortly after, in 2016, after 34 years with no direct flights to Europe, Condor announced its plans to offer seasonal service from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to Germany and British Airways announced nonstop service to London. British Airways flights began in March 2017 and Condor in May. Choice Aire also began flights to Honduras in Dec. In 2016, passenger totals broke records at over 11 million.

Locally, GLO Airlines launched Nov. 2015 with the aim of shuttling business clients around the South. In July of 2017, the airline shut down indefinitely due to a dispute with its operating company.

During the summer of 2015, the airport broke ground on a highly anticipated new North Terminal with plans to open in January of 2016.

That date became October, then Feb. 2019, then May. An opening date remains unknown as of mid-October. The airport is currently the fifth fastest growing in the nation.

The National WWII Museum celebrated 15 years in operation in 2015 and announced it was launching a $325 million expansion to quadruple its size from 70,000 square feet to 300,000.

In 2016 and 2017, hotel construction boomed, with notable additions including the reopening of the Pontchartrain Hotel and the welcoming of Moxy New Orleans, the Jung Hotel, Alder, B on Canal and NOPSI. Tourism momentum only continued to grow with New Orleans’ Tricentennial celebrations in 2018, the 35th anniversary of the French Quarter Festival and more hotel launches like the Eliza Jane and Towne Place Suites by Marriott and SpringHill Suites— the first building in the country to combine the two brands — and the 125th anniversary of the Roosevelt Hotel. It’s not surprising that New Orleans was named the “Top Travel Destination of 2018” by The New York Times.

The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center fell under new leadership in Feb. 2018 with the hiring of President and General Manager Michael Sawaya.

Sawaya is currently overseeing a multimilliondollar renovation and expansion that includes a 1,200-room Omni Hotel, which will serve as the official convention center hotel.

New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson walks on the field before an NFL preseason football game against the Los Angeles Rams in New Orleans, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018.

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New Orleans Tourism Numbers Continue to Climb 2014 9.52 million Spent $6.81 billion 2018 18.51 million Spent $9.1 billion Source: DK Shifflet & Associates

ports This past five years has been all about the Bensons — starting in Jan. 2015 when New Orleans’ NBA and NFL team owner Tom Benson announced his plan to eventually turn over the franchises to his wife, Gayle. The decision sparked a family legal battle that made headlines, only ending shortly before his passing in 2018.

The value of both teams has continued to climb. Benson paid $70 million for the team when he purchased it in 1985. In 2016 — the year the team celebrated its 50th anniversary — the Saints were ranked 23rd by Forbes of 32 NFL franchises with a value of $1.52 billion. By 2018, the team had risen in value to $2.08 billion but fell a bit in the rankings to 26th. In 2012, Benson purchased the Pelicans for $340 million. In 2017, the team’s value was up to $750 million. In 2018, it had risen to $1 billion. In April of this year, the Pelicans got a new executive vice president of basketball operations, David Griffin.

It was announced in 2018 that New Orleans had won the bid for the 2024 Super Bowl.

Moving to New Orleans’ Triple-A baseball team, the Zephyrs got a new name in Nov. 2016, becoming the Baby Cakes. The change was short-lived, however, as this year the team completed its last season playing at Zephyr Field (where they’ve played since 1997) and is moving to Wichita, Kansas.

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aritime In 2014, just over 1 million passengers cruised out of New Orleans, with 33,000 passengers embarking on a cruise during just the first weekend of the winter cruise season, a record for the Port of New Orleans at the time. In December, then-President Obama announced his intention to end the United States’ embargo with Cuba, prompting hope for new cruising opportunities out of New Orleans. Earlier this year, President Trump banned “people-to-people” travel licenses to Cuba and the last American cruise ships pulled out of the country.

While one door closed, another opened when in 2018 Disney Cruise Line announced they would begin sailing out of New Orleans in Feb. 2020, and this past September added itineraries in 2021. The Port of New Orleans is currently the 6th largest cruise port in the nation.

On the River

Biz’s October 2016 cover celebrated the inaugural voyage of New Orleans-based French America Line’s luxury riverboat the Louisiane from the Gretna Ferry Terminal. Estimated to result in a $58 million windfall for the region, the Louisiane instead made only one complete voyage and has since been sitting in port due to a dispute over damages with its insurance company. The company’s website still holds an outdated promise of a return sometime in 2018. Cruising Grows In happier news, in Oct. 2018, American Number of people cruising out of Cruise Lines launched the Port of New the American Song, the Orleans has first modern riverboat to grown. sail in the U.S. A second boat, American Harmony, 2015 1.02 million made its inaugural depar- 2018 1.2 million ture from the Port of New Orleans this past August.

This summer Hospitality Enterprises (owner of the paddlewheeler Creole Queen) introduced Riverboat Louis Armstrong. The 3,000-passenger boat stands four decks high and is one of largest riverboats in the region.

Imports/Exports

Gulfport, Mississippi. 2016 also saw the expansion of the Panama Canal and the continued call for the Port of South necessity of river dredging following high waters.

Louisiana Total In 2017, Gary LaGrange, president and CEO of Throughput Tonnage Grew the Port of New Orleans since 2001, retired and Brandy Christian (previously the COO) was chosen 2014 291.83 as his replacement. million short tons Biz’s top story of the year in 2018 was the sale of 2018 303.10 Avondale Shipyard, praised as “one of the largest million short tons economic development announcements in Jefferson Parish history” by parish president Mike Yenni.

Around the same time, Fuji Oil announced a $70 million investment in a new processing facility adjacent to Avondale, and Formosa Petrochemical Corp. announced it had selected St. James Parish as the future home of a $9.4 billion, 2,400-acre chemical manufacturing complex.

Number of restaurants in Orleans Parish Aug. 2005 984 (pre-Katrina) June 2018 1,216 Source: June 2018 analysis

by The Advocate

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ood/Dining Food is everything in Southeast Louisiana so it’s not surprising the industry has been very active. In Sept. 2014 the Southern Food and Beverage Museum opened on O.C. Haley Blvd. That same fall, Ralph Brennan (our cover feature for June 2015) reopened Brennan’s.

In 2015, Alon Shaya opened Shaya — quickly named “Best New Restaurant in America” by Esquire — and Nina Compton opened Compère Lapin.

Other notable openings included Balise, Willa Jean, Primitivo, St. Roch Market, Legacy Kitchen, Desire Oyster Bar, and SWEGS. Moroccan carrots with chermoula and mint, labneh, lutenitsa, lamb ragu hummus with crispy chickpeas and pita bread, sit on a table at Shaya Restaurant, which opened in 2015.

Imports/Exports

In 2015, oil prices plummeted by 46.5%, hitting $1.67 a gallon in October. As a result, the New Orleans area lost as many as 8,000 jobs. The same month, the Port of New Orleans celebrated the first anniversary of the return of Chiquita Banana after 40 years (including 10 years spent in negotiations). Unfortunately, they didn’t stay long.

In July of 2016, following a change in management, Chiquita announced it was returning to

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Thousands of people converged on New Orleans for the Major League Gaming World Finals in October 2015.

(NOEW), expanded its presence across eight neighborhoods for the first time in 2018, and in March of 2019 — Idea Village partnered for the first time with Tulane University to create the 10thiteration of the event.

In June of this year, Dreamleague Gaming announces New Orleans as its new Southern hub for its entertainment leagues, and in October, GDG New Orleans and Women Techmakers New Orleans will host New Orleans’ first community-run developer conference — DevFest New Orleans at Loyola University’s Miller Hall.

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ech When news came that New Orleans would be hosting the Major League Gaming World Finals from Oct. 16-18, 2015, GNO, Inc., president and CEO Michael Hecht called it a win that “solidified Greater New Orleans’ reputation as the fastest growing software market in America.” At that time, nobody could have expected the growth that would follow.

The biggest win so far, however, came in 2018 with the opening of DXC Technology, a company expected to create 2,000 tech jobs within its first 6 years in business. It claimed the title of one of the “Top 20 Economic Development Deals in North America” in 2017 by Site Selection Magazine.

Also in 2018, Indian tech firm iMerit announced it will open its first U.S. delivery center in New Orleans, Accruent announced that the upcoming addition of a 250-job tech center and LM Wind Power shared plans to establish its Technology Center for the Americas at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

The region’s most celebrated entrepreneurial gathering, New Orleans Entrepreneur Week 56 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

Major league gaming word final photo: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

The National Fried Chicken Festival launched in 2016, as did Susan Spicer’s Rosedale and BB Kings Blues Club. That year was big for new grocery options as well — Mandeville welcomed a Whole Foods and the region’s first Trader Joe’s opened in Metairie.

Arguably the biggest industry story of the past Culinary five years hit on Oct. 21, 2017, Pioneers Lost when the Times-Picayune 2015 revealed the results of its Dick Brennan Sr. eight-month-long investiga- Paul Prudhomme tion into Besh Restaurant Group for sexual harassment. 2018 Two days later, John Besh Ella Brennan stepped down from BRG Mr. Okra (Arthur James Robinson) (which owned 12 restaurants, a bar and event space). The 2019 scandal brought a huge Carl Schaubhut, industry problem to light. owner of DTB According to a 2015 study Leah Chase

by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC), 46% of males and 60% of females and transgender restaurant workers view harassment as “an uncomfortable aspect of work life.”

Another scandal brought changes to Tales of the Cocktail in 2018, causing CEO Ann Tuennerman to sell to Gary Solomon Jr., head of the Solomon Group, and Neal Bodenheimer, owner of bars Cure and Cane & Table. The organization was restructured as a nonprofit and gave back $250,000 in grants at its July 2018 event.

Greater New Orleans is...

7th in the Nation for Tech and Digital Media Business Growth (2013-2018) 3rd for Percentage of Women in the Tech Workforce (Feb. 2019) 5th for Percentage of AfricanAmericans in Digital Media Jobs (Oct. 2018)

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ducation and Workforce Development The most common issue Biz hears about from its readers is concern over our region’s lack of a skilled workforce. In the past five years, however, there have been huge efforts to address this shortage.

In 2015, Delgado broke ground on its River City site and Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Churchill Technology and Business Park, completed its $21 million Sidney Collier technical college and opened the Marvin E. Thames Sr. Learning Resource Center and the Delgado Entrepreneurship Center. In 2016, the Delgado Maritime and Industrial Training Center opened, as did UNO’s Digital Animation Studio.

In the fall of 2017, UNO saw its largest increase in undergrads in 8 years (a 15% increase), and in 2018, the Tulane A.B. Freeman School of Business completed its $35 million expansion, which included 80,000 square feet of new and renovated space at the Uptown campus. The school also expanded its footprint with the Stewart Center CBD, which is co-located with the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute, which opened Downtown on April 13, 2019.

In August of 2018, Loyola University made school history when it announced Tania Tetlow, J.D., as its new president. Tetlow is the first female and first layperson president in the school’s 108-year history.

Throughout this past year, Tulane and Delgado signed a transfer agreement and a number of new programs were announced at universities throughout the region. This fall, classes started for Tulane University’s MBA/Sustainable Real Estate Development Degree program — the only one of its kind in the nation.

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ealthcare The healthcare industry has seen unprecedented expansion over the past five years. The creation of a booming medical corridor launched in the summer of 2015 with the opening of the $1.1 billion, 2.3 million-square-foot UMC New Orleans at 2000 Canal St. and its promise to employ 2,000 people. The following year the $1 billion Veterans Affairs hospital opened right next door.

Further southwest, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Wellness Center was dedicated on Oct. 27, 2016. The $73 million center is the first of its kind in the state that focuses on prevention, fitness education, rehab and sports and wellness. The economic impact to Lafourche Parish is estimated at $5.2 million a year.

On Jan. 11, 2017 Children’s Hospital broke ground on its $300 million expansion. The largest since the hospital was founded in 1955, it is expected to be complete Greater New in 2020. In May of the same Orleans Ranks year, Tulane opened its $1.1 1st in the Nation million Professional Athlete for Job Growth in Healthcare Care Team Clinic, followed in August by Crescent Care 2007 14,400 breaking ground on a $23 employed in the million comprehensive health industry center on Elysian Fields.

2017 25,700 — a Also in 2017, Ochsner 78% increase bought MHM Urgent Care (130,960 people and announced its plan for in Louisiana a $100 million expansion in employed in healthcare in 2017 Greater Baton Rouge region. — Bureau of Labor In recognition of very active Statistics) expansion efforts and its role in the growth of the industry, Ochsner’s Warner Thomas served as our CEO of the Year in our Jan. 2018 issue. Later that year, Dr. John Ochsner passed away.

Finally, over the past few years medical marijuana has been a hot topic. In 2015, legislators set out framework for growth and distribution of the plant, with the first crop to be available in the fall of 2018. Instead, the first sale occurred on Aug. 7, 2019. Nine pharmacies throughout the state are currently distributing marijuana for limited medicinal use.

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ntertainment When Biz launched in Oct. 2014, “Hollywood South” was going strong. Things changed, however, on June 19, 2015 with the passage of HB829, a bill that capped film incentives at $180 million — a big blow considering the state had issued $308 million in credits the previous year. Within a year the film business had declined by 80%. Among the casualties was the closing of Filmworks New Orleans, a 37-acre film studio in New Orleans East, which closed March 31, 2016 after only 1½ Musicians years in business.

We’ve Lost As the film industry slowed, other entertainment options popped up, including a new movie theater — 2014 Lionel Ferbos the Broad Theater opened in March 2016 — and the rebirth of a local gem — the Orpheum reopened Sept.

2015 2015 following a $13 million renovation by Tipitina’s Allen Toussaint Roland von Kurnatowski and Dr. Eric George.

In 2017, with the film industry still slow but hopeful, 2016 Buckwheat Zydeco Starlight Studios opened its $12.5 million, 12-acre campus near NASA’s Michoud facility and the New 2017 Orleans Film Society welcomed a new executive Fats Domino director, Fallon Young. In 2018, with film business 2018 picking up steadily again, Deep South Studios, the Lazy Lester largest design-built independent film and television full-service facility in the Southeast, welcomed its 2019 first tenant on the Westbank.

Dave Bartholomew Finally, this past spring Jazz Fest celebrated its 50th Spencer Bohren anniversary, the Joy Theater opened after $200,000 Dr. John in renovations and GNO, Inc. launched the New Art Neville Orleans Music Economy Initiative (NOME), aimed Paul “Lil Buck” Sinegal at bolstering the business of music in the region.

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anking & Finance There were four big stories in this industry that Biz has covered over the past five years, by far the biggest being the failure of First NBC Bank. Only four years after going public in 2013, the bank’s share prices had plummeted by 90% due to poor lending standards and federal and state regulators soon closed the bank and initiated a $1 billion cleanup, the biggest in the nation since the end of the financial crisis in 2010. In an article in our March 2018 issue, we talked about the resultant moves by Whitney Bank to reopen all closed 29 branches and other banks like Fidelity and Gulf Coast were working to pick up the pieces.

Looking back to 2015, that was the year that EMV or chip cards became standardized and we spread the word that businesses who hadn’t switched could be liable for credit card fraud.

In our Nov. 2016 issue, we highlighted a new law that was going to take effect in April 2017 that required investment advisors to put clients’ needs ahead of own. Local advisors weighed in on their thoughts on the law, which aimed at cutting back on high fees.

On Dec. 22, 2017, the tax reform act was signed into law. Meant to simplify the tax code, it actually added 573 sections to the Internal Revenue Code and created some uncertainty in the industry along with a promise to especially benefit business and wealthier individuals. A guest piece provided

by Postlewaite & Netterville in the March 2018 issue broke down what local businesses could expect from the changes.

Downtown Continues to Grow

$7 billion

in investment since 2005

45 +

national retailers added recently including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Tiffany & Co, True Religion, The Art of Shaving and many more

175

restaurants & bars

63

sidewalk cafes

20,355

hotel rooms

Over 85%

of “Vacant and Underutilized Properties” either redeveloped or under development since 2012

67,000 +

jobs, making Downtown the largest employment center in Louisiana

142,764

people are in Downtown on the average weekday

6,775 units

Number of apartments and condos have more than doubled since 2008

93%

residential occupancy Source: Downtown Development District

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SPONSORED

NEW ORLEANS CHAMBER MEMBER SINCE 2012

GORDON STEVENS CEO, New Orleans Steamboat Company neworleanssteamboatcompany.com | 504.586.8777 Gordon Stevens, President/CEO of New Orleans Steamboat Company and Gray Line Tours, understands the role of a business community in building a city— which is one of the reasons he is a proud member (and board member) of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce. Stevens cites the representation that the Chamber provides for their members and for the business community from networking to politics.

Part of that growth for Stevens has involved expanding operations. Alongside the famous Steamboat NATCHEZ, Stevens has been renovating and developing a brand-new riverboat: CITY of NEW ORLEANS. The boat, a former gaming vessel from Rock Island, Illinois, has been overhauled by local subcontractors (including Dixie Machine, Bluewater Electric, Southern Diesel and DNL Air Conditioning & Refrigeration) and New Orleans Steamboat Company crewmembers (Captains Bill Wilson and Steve Nicoulin and Chief Engineer Scott 76 / Biz New Orleans / november 2019

Vieages and Project Manager Matt Dow) for the last two and a half years.

The renovation has created a luxurious four-deck sternwheeler, complete with three enclosed rooms, an elevator, a state-of-the-art audio/visual system, bars, a commercial kitchen and a calliope.

Starting in November, the CITY of NEW ORLEANS will set sail on the Mississippi in downtown New Orleans, offering services including dinner cruises, private parties, brunch cruises, corporate events and weddings.

Stevens, who is a partner in Café Beignet Restaurants with Peter and Keil Moss, works with the Chamber for everything from networking and lobbying to ribbon cuttings at the grand opening of Café Beignet’s newest and fourth location on St. Peters Street. A fifth location is coming soon on Canal Street. He works with the Chamber because it provides leadership for the businesses throughout the city, championing growth and ongoing success of New Orleans.

“Stevens cites the representation that the Chamber provides for their members and for the business community from networking to politics.”

Southe ast louisiana businesses in full color

from the lens GREAT WORKSPACES / WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT? / MAKING A MATCH / ON THE JOB

Tech company Accruent’s new 20,000-squarefoot digs are built to grow with the company as they seek to hire 350 more employees over the next two years.

From The Lens g r e at w o r kspac e s

At a Glance

Culture Club Accruent moves into new space in Poydras Tower in preparation of planned expansion of New Orleans operations

by Melanie Warner Spencer photos by sara essex bradley

Accruent Co. Description

Technology company with an emphasis on physical resource management Location

400 Poydras Tower Date of Opening

December 2018 in temporary Warehouse District space; Aug. 19, 2019 in new offices in Poydras Tower Size/square footage

20,000 square feet

In June of 2018, Austin, Texas-based

technology company Accruent announced that it would expand to New Orleans, bringing with it a goal of hiring 350 employees over the span of two years.

After operating out of a temporary space in the Warehouse district, the company, currently at 64 employees, relocated in August to its new space on the sixth floor at 400 Poydras Tower. With the help of Mapp Construction, CTA Architects— who designed Accruent’s Austin headquarters—and AOS—who provided the furnishings—Accruent has transformed the 20,000-square-foot office space into a bright, yet sophisticated workplace with a wealth of collaborative areas, New Orleans flavor and, most importantly, room to grow.

“My No. 1 goal is to create a place that allows everyone in our office to do their best possible work each day,” said Johnny Culpepper, director of New Orleans and strategic programs at Accruent. “Our design and space allow that to happen, but we reach these goals by building a foundation of trust, integrity, kaizen [the Japanese word for improvement], humility, winning attitude and not being afraid to fail.

Accruent’s Louisiana clients—which according to a June 2018 NOLA.com report number close to 50 — include Entergy Corp., LSU and Ochsner Health System.

The company also counts Whole Foods,

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Number of Employees

64

in Charge

Johnny Culpepper, director of New Orleans and strategic programs

(Top) Among the highlights of the 20,000-square-foot Accruent offices at 400 Poydras Tower is the French Quarter café-style break room. Bistro chairs and tables paired with warm wood, along with a bar and arched, inset beverage station create a charming space. (Bottom) Natural light, wood accents and a French Quarter-inspired color palette dominate the design.

Seating and collaboration areas, as well as meeting rooms are tucked into spaces throughout the office, allowing for informal and formal gatherings, as well as space for breaks or a change of scenery. Height adjustable desks and sustainable LED lighting with dimmers also add to employee flexibility, comfort and productivity.

Starbucks and Verizon among its national clients and globally its reach numbers in the thousands.

“We work with over 10,000 customers across several different industries,” said Culpepper. “Our software helps our clients get the most value from their physical investments.”

As he strives to make more positions at the company available as quickly as possible, Culpepper keeps culture building at the forefront.

“We promote a positive work atmosphere by creating an environment that focuses on being humble, having a winning attitude and everyone having a hand in growing our winning culture together,” he said. “We encourage our employees to be courageous, inspiring, adaptable and to deliver results, which in turn creates a place where we can be successful together. In the next 12 months, our goals include continuing to build a great culture, hiring 75 additional employees and beginning phase two.”

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Accruent’s new space reflects those objectives, while at the same time exhibiting a sense of place.

Culpepper said the design team drew inspiration from the French Quarter for the design and color palette and added architectural elements familiar to the New Orleans area.

“When we discovered [CTA] had an office in New Orleans, we saw an opportunity to work locally with a group already deeply familiar with our culture, values and design philosophy,” he said.

“We strive to build agile office environments that

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foster creativity, collaboration, communication and productivity among our employees: CTA has consistently aligned with that goal.”

Seating and collaboration areas, as well as meeting rooms, are tucked into spaces throughout the office, allowing for informal and formal gatherings, as well as space for breaks or a change of scenery. Height adjustable desks and sustainable LED lighting with dimmers also add to employee flexibility, comfort and productivity, Culpepper says. While the collaboration spaces in general

rank high on Culpepper’s favorite aspects of the design, a specific space stands out for him.

“Our break room feels more like a French Quarter café,” he said. “A place that is inviting and warm, where you could have a cup of coffee or glass of wine—a place where you want to stay longer and enjoy the surroundings.”

When visitors enter Accruent’s offices, he said he hopes the biggest takeaways are the “wow” factor of the design and “the winning culture that we have at Accruent.”n

“When we discovered [CTA] had an office in New Orleans, we saw an opportunity to work locally with a group already deeply familiar with our culture, values and design philosophy. We strive to build agile office environments that foster creativity, collaboration, communication and productivity among our employees: CTA has consistently aligned with that goal.� - Johnny Culpepper, director of New Orleans and strategic programs at Accruent.

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From The Lens why did n ’ t i thi n k o f that ?

A Slice of Heaven Looking for the best pie to serve this holiday season? Windowsill Pies continues to prove itself a local standout.

Windowsill Pies owners and pie chefs extraordinaire Nicole Eiden and Marielle Dupré are set to launch their first brick and mortar location this month.

by Ashley McLellan photos by sara essex bradley

Nothing tops off a great Thanksgiving

or Christmas feast like a beautifully made pie, so who makes the best in Southeast Louisiana? According to Broadway at least, it’s a two-women-powered local company called Windowsill Pies.

Before last summer’s production at the Saenger Theatre of “Waitress”—which tells the story of a waitress and expert pie maker—the Broadway show invited local companies to offer up their “most whimsical pie recipes” to compete for the title of “Official Pie of Waitress New Orleans.”

In true underdog fashion, Windowsill Pies beat out both Gambino’s Bakery and Haydel’s Bakery to secure the honor with its Lazy Summer and Strawberry Cream Pie. The recipe was inserted into all of the show’s cookbooks sold during the New Orleans engagement, and a mini version of the pie was sold at the Whole Foods Market on Veterans Boulevard.

Since then, Windowsill Pies also won $10,000 and the title of “Best Chinese New Year Pie” on an episode of Cooking Channel TV’s “Sugar Showdown” (which will air again on Nov. 15).

And now, these proficient piemakers are on the move. Nicole Eiden and Marielle Dupré have been working out of a commercial kitchen on Octavia Street since 2011, but Windowsill Pies will soon open its doors at a new permanent home at 4714 Freret St. Eiden hopes the move will not only make their creations available to an even-wider customer group, but will allow the team to expand selection and hire a staff.

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where to buy Windowsill Pies, 4714 Freret St., open around Thanksgiving 2019, and online at windowsillpies.com New Orleansarea Whole Foods Markets French Truck Coffee, Uptown, LGD, and French Quarter locations The Drifter Hotel, 3522 Tulane Ave.

Not surprisingly, fall and winter are the company’s busiest times of year, although during spring and summer, hand pies and specials are often added to the rotation, creating a get-them-while-you-can following among customers.

“Thanksgiving is our busiest time of year, followed by Christmas,” Dupré said.

“During those two months we sell close to 1,000 whole pies, and that doesn’t even include all the hand pies we sell wholesale to every French Truck Coffee location.”

In addition to French Truck locations, Windowsill Pies are also currently sold at all New Orleans-area Whole Foods Markets, The Drifter Hotel and Marjie’s Grill, as well as on the company’s website, WindowsillPiesNOLA.com.

“Our menu has always been seasonal, and we’re looking forward to having the ability to expand on that seasonality once we open our own place,” she said.

“We’ve had part-time seasonal help in the past and are looking forward to making

our first real hires for Freret Street in the coming weeks.”

Inspiration for the ever-changing selection of pies comes from traditional New Orleans recipes.

“In general, we keep five savory and five sweet pies of varying sizes and formats on our menu at all times,” said Dupré. “We draw inspiration from our city and its heritage. Vanilla Bean Bourbon Pecan Pie [is our most popular]. It stays on our menu year-round as our signature pie, and uses lots of Louisiana ingredients: pecans from New Roads, honey from Ponchatoula’s Best, and Steen’s cane syrup instead of corn syrup.”

For Eiden and Dupré, one of the biggest challenges of running their own business has been finding a place to create their product.

“Real estate has always been our biggest challenge,” Eiden noted. “Looking back, one of our toughest barriers to growth was finding an affordable commercial kitchen. We were lucky to eventually find one after a few years in business, and it really allowed us the latitude to work when we needed while not crushing our budget. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of such affordable kitchen space for startup culinary business in New Orleans. More recently, in order to grow and realize our brick-and-mortar vision, we discovered that finding the right location at a price that fit into our business plan was a long process.”

Keeping the business growing has taken the careful skills each woman learned on the job in restaurants and, for Dupré, in culinary school.

“We both felt frustrated and limited in the restaurant positions available to us and the career paths those would lead to,” Dupré said. “We were craving a creative, artistic outlet that would both provide us with a satisfying immediacy and strengthen our connections to our community. We wanted to harness the spark we’d always had as long-time friends, combining our shared values and diverse creative styles with our passion for baking.”

Combining recipes and baking talents, both Eiden and Dupré, who met as servers in an Uptown restaurant, bring a specialized menu of skills to the business.

“We have a diverse combination of baking experience and restaurant business sense,”

Dupré said. “Marielle graduated from California Culinary Academy with a degree in ‘baking and pastry’ over 10 years ago and has worked as a baker and pastry chef in many restaurant and hotel kitchens in the years since, both in San Francisco and back home [here] in New Orleans. [I have] worked front of house in restaurants most of my life. [I feel I am] also the creative heart of the company.”

A startup plan came together organically, with the basic structure put together on the fly, according to Eiden.

“We didn’t begin from day one with an actual business plan in place. Once we decided our goal was to open our own place, we did begin putting one together with the help of a few local mentors,” she said. “The process of getting the business plan to where it is today helped us answer the important questions we hadn’t even realized we needed to ask. It has been an evolving document.”

Marketing has also played a key role in the success of Windowsill, a task the owners took on themselves, with an emphasis on capturing the uniqueness of their product, and connection to the local culinary heritage they embrace, according to Dupré.

“We wear many hats as owners.

Prioritizing professional food photography has been important for us,” she said. “Nicole has taken the lead on social media, which is our main marketing platform. We like to highlight our local ingredients and show the handmade nature of our process. We also send out seasonal email newsletters, which have proven effective for us. Finally, we try to say ‘yes’ to collaborations—we always enjoy working with others both in and out of the industry, from Paradigm Gardens to Mid-City Open Studios and everything in between.” n

Windowsill Pies’ menu varies from season to season, with a selection of both savory and sweet pies and hand pies that incorporate locally grown and sourced ingredients.

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From The Lens m aki n g a m atch: b usi n e ss e s a n d n o n pr o fits

The Power of Two Wheels New nonprofit BYOBikes invites local companies to help provide local underserved children with a life changing gift this Christmas.

By Pamela Marquis photos by cheryl gerber

In 1965, an 11-year-old Robin Tate picked up

empty Coke bottles from along the river front and from outside the A&P on Royal Street.

With money earned from that endeavor, he bought his first bike, a banana-seat Schwinn Sting-Ray. He and his friend, Rickie, both bought their used bikes from a bike shop on Rampart for $35 each.

“Once we had our bikes, we could get a job as delivery boys for Royal Pharmacy and make the big bucks,” he joked. “That bike opened up the world for me way beyond the French Quarter. For example, we could ride down Esplanade Avenue to City Park. Getting that bike was simply amazing.”

Tate is now the president of Tate Entertainment Group and manages tours for clients like Jeff Dunham, Tim Allen, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. He rides 4 miles every morning along the Mississippi River on a specialized bike he purchased from Bayou Bicycles.

Tate’s daughter, Ali Brown, also an avid cyclist, recently downsized and restructured her successful event-planning business, Align Meeting & Events, and moved back home from Tampa, Florida, to be with family and friends.

In an effort to do something for her home city, this past May, she and her father founded BYOBikes—a nonprofit whose vision is to make a difference in local underserved children’s lives through bicycle ownership.

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“A bike brought me the freedom to explore,” Brown said. “I want to help children feel that same freedom and joy. I want to use this platform to give back to the community.”

“I now have the time, energy and funds,” Tate added. “So, it’s the time to give back.”

BYOBikes plans to teach responsibility, encourage community spirit, promote a healthier lifestyle and provide transportation to school, work and all the things that every New Orleanian wants to enjoy. It relies on the donations of funds to purchase bikes, volunteers to build the bikes and the assistance of local community organizations to distribute the bikes.

Brown said the organization would not be possible without the work that’s already been done by city initiatives, such as “Safe Routes to School,” a program administered

by New Orleans Health Department.

“Whether it’s on the bus, in a car, or on their bike, we want to give them the skills and knowledge of how to be safe when traveling,” said Jennifer Avegno, MD, director of the New Orleans Health Department.

“New Orleans is one of the biggest bike cities in the U.S.,” said Brent Bogan, president of BYOBikes. “So many in our community can’t enjoy the full benefits of our amazing city due to geographical, economic or transportation issues. We take things like access to a bike for granted but these bikes can get kids to their first jobs or to UNO or to Southern.”

BYOBikes works with city officials, New Orleans Police Department, the school systems, local non-profits and faith-based organizations throughout New Orleans to identify those children and youth who could receive or would be able to earn bikes.

“We’ve been working with the police in the Ninth Ward,” said Bogan. “They work in the community and know who the outstanding kids are. Kids who get bikes can also be recognized by their school’s teachers or advisors; however, they must be living under some socio-economic stress.”

“As a civil servant, I’ve chosen to dedicate my professional career to helping others and bettering our communities,” said Matt Pattin, who also serves on the BYO board

Ali Brown, Brent Bogan, Eddie Murphy and Robin Tate—the pedal power behind BYOBikes

THE BASICS

BYOBikes Mission

Collect as many bicycles as possible and get them into the hands of children in need for the Christmas holiday Goal

Raise $25,000$50,000 before the end of the year CONTACT

(504) 324-8433 ali@byobikes.org

Major Fundraising Event Celebration of the Spokes Sunday, December 15 3 to 9:30 p.m.

City Park Festival Grounds.

A team Bike Build will take place from 3 to 5:30 p.m. with the goal of building 150-200 bikes in one afternoon. Teams of five people can build a bike in 30 minutes. Participants receive discounts on tickets to the festival that follows, which will include entertainment and food trucks.

and is the chief of operations for the days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays New Orleans Office of Homeland and Saturdays). The shop offers Rhubarb Security. “Working with BYOBikes visitors the use of its tools free of client Dook allows me to build relationships charge, as well as advice and help Jones (left) with our youth, who one day will and volunteer from shop volunteers as needed.

Cristo Mar have the opportunity to do the same “You know the saying, ‘Give for the next generation.” a man a fish and you feed him Brown said BYOBikes has already for a day; teach a man to fish and you received about $12,000 in donations feed him for a lifetime? said RUBARB since its launch. A donation of $150 allows volunteer, Liz Lichtman. “Well, we say BYOBikes to purchase a bike, helmet, something like that but it’s, ‘It’s better lock, lights, bike registration with the to teach someone to fix a flat than to city and attend a mandatory safety class sell them a new tire.’” for children and teenagers to take before The shop has become a popular spot receiving the bike. for area youth, who enjoy free snacks The new organization has also been on Saturdays. collaborating with other local bike-related “Anyone is welcome to enjoy snacks organizations including Rusted Up Beyond with us,” said Mezer, “but it’s the kids All Recognition Bikes (RUBARB). Volunteers who come knocking at our door; we are began RUBARB in March 2006, after like a kid magnet.” collecting heaps of unused flood bikes, BYOBikes currently picks up donated pulling them from garbage piles in the bikes from places like Tulane University, streets, and fixing them up for both residents which may have hundreds of bikes abanand volunteers. Today, RUBARB is a full-scale doned by students. RUBARB used to get upper Ninth Ward community bike shop some those bikes, but picking them up was a challenge for the small organizations. run entirely by volunteers.

“I think it’s important to have equity “Now BYO brings them to us, and we through transportation and to be a resource can fix them,” says Lichtman. “We didn’t to our underserved community,” said threereally have the capacity to do that, so it’s year volunteer David Mezer, who is also an a great partnership.” employee at Bike Easy.

Currently, BYOBikes is concentrating Located in the St. Claude neighborhood on giving bikes to children and teenagers at 2239 Piety Street, RUBARB is open three between the ages of 8 and 15. Plans are to

Ways to give Donate bikes Help pick up donated bikes Volunteer to be a drop-off point for donated bikes Have employees participate in a bike build at Celebration of the Spokes (see Major Fundraising Event) Book a corporate Bicycle Build-off through Align Meeting & Events at (504) 982-5764 Join BYOBikes for a Hump Day (Wednesday) weekly bike ride.

Attendees meet at Liuzzas on Bienville Street at 6:15 p.m. and ride the Greenway to Downtown and back. A social hour follows with drink specials and kidand adult-friendly games.

Retail and restaurants: Include BYOBikes in your corporate Give-Back Programs, where you pick a day or night and a portion of all sales goes to BYOBikes

eventually expand that age range from4 to 18 and then ultimately offer bikes to entire families.

Working with small local businesses is an intentional part of the organization’s strategic plan.

“Small businesses in New Orleans are everything,” said Bogan. “We didn’t want to just roll into Walmart and buy 200 bikes.”

BYOBikes gets many of its new bikes from Mike’s Hardware, which sells disassembled bikes to the organization at cost because they believe in its mission.

“I remember my first bike, with all its decorations. It was a growing extension of my personality,” said Rob LeFleur, co-owner of Mike’s. “It extended my boundaries and certainly grew my independence.”

Brown also plans to draw on her background in event planning to involve corporations in BYOBikes’ mission by hosting bike builds as corporate teambuilding exercises.

“Bicycle Build-Offs” will feature teams that have roughly 30 minutes to assemble a child’s bicycle using a variety of standard tools to assist them in the process,” says Brown of the process. “Even though the assembly is relatively straight forward, on-site event staff would be available to assist any team during the process.”

Following the event, each of the bicycles that was assembled is donated to a child and each of the children receiving the donation is paired with the team that assembled their bicycle.

“This activity can be conducted immediately following the event, or can take place at a later time,” said Brown. “Either way, it leaves a lasting impression on both the children who receive [the bikes] and the participants who had the opportunity to donate them.” n

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PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Ace and the Louisiana Open Housing Act, which make it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. For more information, call the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office at 1-800-273-5718.

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From The Lens ON T H E J O B

Full Circle Five years in, Biz New Orleans remains all about the people. portrait by romero & romero

The first issue of Biz New Orleans

was published in Oct. 2014, and in it we kicked things off with a cover feature on our own “Mr. Business,” GNO, Inc. President and CEO, Michael Hecht, in a piece that explored how Hecht was selling New Orleans as a destination to outside companies. Five years later, Hecht recently indulged us in recreating that first cover on the streets of New Orleans’ now even more bustling downtown.

A unique mix of business and lifestyle, Biz continues to tell the stories of the people behind the companies and organizations constantly transforming Southeast Louisiana. Thanks for reading! n

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