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Editor’s Note
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here are definite perks to this job.
One of which I recently enjoyed when I got to be one of the first people to walk into the new Microsoft store during their grand opening at Lakeside Mall Friday, Nov. 14, 2014. With the music pumping and staff members donned in colorful shirts dancing wildly about at what had to be one of the rowdiest grand openings I’ve ever seen, I was able to tinker happily with all the new technology at the company’s second Louisiana location (a Microsoft kiosk opened May 17th of this year in Baton Rouge’s Mall of Louisiana). In this issue we delve a bit deeper into two more business success stories. Both are household names – Whole Foods Market and Kickstarter – and both, it turns out have a strong connection to New Orleans and are returning back to their roots, so to speak, in exciting new ventures. How’s that for a tease? As Biz New Orleans continues its own expansion, I invite you to check out a new column penned (ok keyed) by Renaissance Publishing’s own Melanie Warner Spencer. This editor of New Orleans Bride, and master of all things proper, presents the debut of “Biz Etiquette” – a monthly look at how business professionals can make sure they put their best foot forward, whatever the situation. Looking toward an exciting new year, I invite you to keep us in the loop. Is there a business story begging to be told? A professional we should be profiling? A stunning office space we should share? A topic yet to be touched upon? Drop us a line at Editorial@BizNewOrleans.com. And don’t forget, we’re online too! Check out BizNewOrleans. com for the latest business news, original blogs and a daily video newscast. While you’re there, don’t forget to sign up for our daily newsletter. Here’s to a wonderful holiday season and happy reading!
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Kimberley Singletary
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DECEMber 2014 | volume 1 | issue 3
Publisher Todd Matherne Editorial Editor-in-chief Errol Laborde Managing Editor Kimberley Singletary Art Director Antoine Passelac Photographer Cheryl Gerber Web Editor Kelly Massicot Assoc. Multimedia News Editor Leslie Snadowsky Contributors Suzanne Ferrara, Pamela Marquis, Chris Price, Margaret Quilter, Peter Reichard, Kim Roberts, Judi Russell, Melanie Spencer, Keith Twitchell, Bonnie Warren advertising Vice President of Sales Colleen Monaghan Sales Manager Maegan O’Brien Maegan@BizNewOrleans.com (504) 830-7219 Account Executives Melissa Rehage Quijano Melissa@BizNewOrleans.com (504) 830-7225 Caitlin Sistrunk Caitlin@BizNewOrleans.com (504) 830-7252 PRODUCTION Production/Web Manager Staci McCarty Production Designers Monique DiPietro, Ali Sullivan Traffic Manager Erin Duhe administration Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive Vice President Errol Laborde Vice President of Sales Colleen Monaghan Director of Marketing & Events Cheryl Lemoine Administrative Assistant Denise Dean Distribution Manager John Holzer Subscriptions Manager Sara Kelemencky
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. 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 2014 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 self-addressed 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. 6
December 2014 BizNewOrleans.com
Contents
40
32 Features
From the Lens
On the Cover
32 Sugar Bowl Changes
64 Great Offices
Sugar Bowl President, Judge
How will the new playoff system compare?
By chris price
40 Whole Foods Market
A look at its new ad campaign and expanding Louisiana presence
By Pamela Marquis
70 Why Didn’t I Think of That?
Kickstarter’s new community partnership program
debuts in New Orleans.
80 Behind the Scenes
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50 years of business with Joseph Canizaro
Steamboat Natchez
(retired) Dennis Waldron. Photo by Jeff Johnston
BizNewOrleans.com December 2014
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Contents
48
22
75
Columns
Perspectives
News
18 Dining Biz
48 Food & Wine
17 Calendar 30 Biz Bits
A dozen restaurants to try in the new year
20 Tourism Biz
The cruising industry surges ahead.
22 Sports Biz
Wine dinners serve up revenue for local restaurants.
54 Education
Corporations and charter schools partner
The Pelicans are soaring high.
24 Film Biz
The business of being a stunt performer
26 Entrepreneur Biz
Tools every budding startup should have
28 Biz Etiquette
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Avoid the pitfalls of holiday work parties.
December 2014 BizNewOrleans.com
for success.
60 Construction
The residential boom in downtown
New Orleans
Upcoming events not to miss
Industry News
75 Biz Person of the Month
Q&A with actor Dennis Lauscha,
president of the Saints and Pelicans
78 Around Town - Events
Industry gatherings
Publisher’s Note
What a Year!
M
ost every business does strategic planning and sets a road map for the coming years. In the summer of 2013, my partners and I met to discuss our business and set four major goals for 2014. We devised a plan to strengthen our core businesses and to bring new projects into the mix. The four goals were: 1) publish our first book; 2) create an events division; 3) add depth to our management team; and 4) launch Biz New Orleans. We felt that achieving these goals would position the company well for the future. So how did we do? This year we published “The Essential Louisiana Cookbook,” with recipes by our Louisiana Life writer Stanley Dry and photography by Eugenia Uhl. The staff created a fabulous tool for cooking. Check it out at LouisianaCookBook.com. As for events, we are now producing more than 25 events a year, with our monthly New Orleans Magazine Hobnobber networking event and our annual Tops of the Town among them. We were very proud to create and execute New Orleans Sushi Fest, which attracted nearly 3,000 attendees. You can learn more about all of our great events by signing up for our daily newsletter at myNewOrleans.com. This year we added many talented people across the company and promoted and hired more managers than any previous year. I am extremely proud of our entire team and the great work they produce. We could not do it without them! Then there was Biz New Orleans. Since our launch issue in October, the business community has embraced this new feature magazine and its companion website BizNewOrleans. com. I thank everyone for their kind words and support. Please keep your thoughts and feedback coming – Todd@BizNewOrleans.com. What does 2015 have in store? Be on the lookout – our creative staff has some great ideas coming your way. n
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Meet the Sales Staff Colleen Monaghan Vice President of Sales Colleen Monaghan is a seventh-generation New Orleanian and member of the Mayflower Society, who loves her city with a passion. She is a UNO alum who has more than 30 years of experience in both publishing and the non-profit sector. Colleen enjoys art collecting, traveling the world and living life to its fullest. She has been known to organize fabulous events, both for herself and many charities in the New Orleans and San Francisco areas. You can reach Colleen at (504) 830-7215 or Colleen@BizNewOrleans.com.
Maegan O’Brien Sales Manager, Biz New Orleans Maegan O’Brien was born in New Orleans and raised on the Northshore in Mandeville, La. She graduated from Louisiana State University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in finance, but marketing and advertising are her true callings. She currently lives in Old Metairie and loves traveling, wining and dining, and spending time with family and great friends. You can reach Maegan at (504) 830-7219 or Maegan@BizNewOrleans.com.
Melissa Rehage Quijano Account Executive, Biz New Orleans Melissa Rehage Quijano was born and raised in New Orleans. She graduated from St. Mary’s Dominican, attended both LSU and UNO, and received a paralegal degree in 1996. She worked for 10 years as a paralegal in various law firms in New Orleans and then operated her own successful wedding photography business for 11 years. In addition to being on the Biz New Orleans team, she enjoys spending time with her two teenage children, cooking, the beach, 30A, laughing with friends, dancing every day and music. She has a love for shoes and lipstick. Her heart and soul is her children and everything New Orleans. You can reach Melissa at (504) 830-7225 or Melissa@BizNewOrleans.com.
Caitlin Sistrunk Account Executive, Biz New Orleans Caitlin Sistrunk was born in New Orleans and raised in Covington, La. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. While attending LSU, Caitlin fell in love with both marketing and advertising. She is ecstatic to begin her career as a sales associate with our new magazine. Caitlin loves painting, hanging with friends and cooking. You can reach Caitlin at (504) 830-7252 or Caitlin@BizNewOrleans.com. 14
December 2014 BizNewOrleans.com
Check us out on the web!
BIZ HOMEPAGE
Created in September 2014, BizNewOrleans.com is an interactive, reader-friendly news hub covering southeast Louisiana. The homepage features top news stories, daily blogs, videos and television spots, along with a calendar featuring upcoming business events in the region. Here you can submit an event, read the latest news, or catch up on a Biz-Cast.
BIZ-CAST Every day, Biz video blogger Leslie Snadowsky delivers New Orleans’ first video Biz-Cast, highlighting top business stories and local events.
WWLTV-WUPL PAGE
Tune in to WWLTV-WUPL every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to see Biz-Caster Leslie Snadowsky answer all the Biz questions you want to know.
BLOGS Biz New Orleans features weekly bloggers that each provide a unique spin on business news, from profiles on hot startups, to creative business fashion, to the business of sports and tourism.
FACEBOOK & TWITTER
Follow Biz New Orleans on Facebook and Twitter and you’ll see pictures from our parties, updates on our Biz family and up-to-date news stories and information. Don’t miss the latest and greatest! Follow, tweet and like Biz New Orleans.
NEWSLETTER Designed for the busy professional, the Biz daily newsletter delivers the Biz world straight to your inbox,
including direct links to blogs, news stories, and events. Enjoy all the Biz on your computer or mobile device every afternoon.
See it all at BizNewOrleans.com
Calendar
December Tuesday, December 2, 2014 2014 JEDCO Annual Luncheon 11:15 a.m. networking – 11:45 a.m. lunch Hilton New Orleans Airport – Grand Ballroom 901 Airline Drive, Kenner jedco.org
Tuesday, December 2, 2014 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce – Chamber 101 8:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Fidelity Homestead 1811 Metairie Ave., Metairie Contact Michelle Dugas at (504) 835-3880
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Thursday, December 11, 2014 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Christmas Business Card Exchange 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Contact Katie Ivory at (504) 835-3880 Katie@jeffersonchamber.org
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting Featuring Congressman Steve Scalise Hyatt Regency New Orleans 601 Loyola Ave. 11 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. www.neworleanschamber.org
Saturday, January 24, 2015 Mystick Krewe of Louisianians Washington Mardi Gras Ball Washington, D.C. MKOFL.com
ABWA Crescent City Connections Express Network Luncheon Featuring Charlee Williamson, executive VP of Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group Heritage Grill by Ralph Brennan 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Register at abwanola.eventbrite.com Or contact Lyndsey.Graham@e-hps.com.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015 LABI’s 2015 Annual Meeting Featuring Dr. Ben Carson 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Crowne Plaza Executive Center 4728 Constitution Ave., Baton Rouge LABI.org
Thursday, January 29, 2015 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting Luncheon 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Crowne Plaza New Orleans Airport 2829 Williams Blvd., Kenner Contact Katie Ivory (504) 835-3880 Katie@jeffersonchamber.org
We’d love to include your business-related event in next month’s calendar. Please e-mail details to Editorial@BizNewOrleans.com.
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Columns | Dining Biz Now open on Poydras Street - Johnny Sanchez. The new taqueria represents a collaboration between John Besh and rising star Aaron Sanchez.
A New Year Brings New Eats Throw these dozen restaurants on your list to check out in 2015.
T Peter Reichard is a native New Orleanian who has written about the life and times of the city for more than 20 years, including as a former newspaper editor and business journalist.
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he New Orleans restaurant economy continues to pullulate with new life, making the list of choices ever longer and more complex. To simplify things, here’s a sampling of 12 restaurants – one per month – to check out in 2015. All are either just opened or on the way. Brennan’s. A culinary pillar of the Vieux Carré that had deteriorated in recent years reopens under a familiar name but a steadier hand: that of Ralph Brennan. Slade Rushing, who has done intriguing work at MiLa, will don the chef’s hat at this Brennan’s reboot. – Late 2014 – 417 Royal St. Latitude 29. New Orleans gets a bit of Tiki with a cocktail-centric, fine-dining “PolynAsian” restaurant in the Bienville House hotel. Owner Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, known as a patron saint of the cocktail culture, will help to man the swizzle sticks in the space that
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formerly housed Iris. – Late 2014 – 320 Decatur St. Tacos & Tequila. Nick Bazan and Miles Prescott are ending the pan-Latin ways of Rio Mar to go straight down Mexico way with a new taquería named, yes, Tacos and Tequila. – Now open – 800 S. Peters St. Johnny Sanchez. Speaking of Mexico, one new taquería on the scene is a celebrity teamup from John Besh and rising national star Aaron Sanchez. Located in the Poydras Street building where Ste. Marie was short-lived, this is the second Johnny Sanchez location. (The first is in a Baltimore casino.) – Now open – 930 Poydras St. Balise. Balise is making its home in an ancient American Sector structure that has long felt under-appreciated. The former Ditcharo’s at the corner of Carondelet and Girod comes back to life with sparkle as Chef Justin Devillier and wife Mia (of
La Petite Grocery) open Balise. – Winter 2014 – 640 Carondelet St. Ursa Major. Future denizens of the South Market District development under construction in the CBD will be a captive audience for Ursa Major. It comes from the modern renaissance men who brought Booty’s Street Food to the Bywater, Kevin Farrell and Nick Vivion. – Spring 2015 – South Market District. Magasin Vietnamese Café. Also destined for the South Market District is a second location of the Nguyen family’s Magazine Street pho shop, Magasin. – Spring 2015 – South Market District. Purloo. The new Southern Food & Beverage Museum on O.C. Haley is home to a stationary restaurant from pop-up chef Ryan Hughes (formerly of Café Degas). Purloo will take diners on an edible journey across the American South. – Fall 2014 – Southern Food & Beverage Museum. New Adolfo Garcia restaurant (Name T.B.A.). Down the street from Purloo, restless restaurateur Adolfo Garcia (Ancora, High Hat Café, La Boca) is planning a new venue at the corner of Felicity Street. Garcia has a knack for opening restaurants in neighborhoods on the rise – a good sign for O.C. Haley. – Spring 2015 – 1800 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. The Manor on Magazine. On a far more established strip, Robert LeBlanc and Sean McCusker have taken over a true architectural gem. The Manor on Magazine will allow the duo that created Sylvain in the French Quarter to operate with more elbow room. Given the charms of Sylvain, diners will have high hopes for such a graceful new setting. – Winter 2015 – 3607 Magazine St. Altamura. Also on Magazine Street: Jack Petronella, owner of the new breakfast spot Manhattanjack’s on Prytania Street, is going to dinner – and back to his ancestors’ hometown in Italy – with Altamura. Co-restaurateur Coleman Jernigan will chip in on the chef-ly responsibilities. – Fall 2014 5119 Magazine St. Ming’s. From the Joe family, which created China Doll and China Orchid, comes a new Chinese restaurant in Lakeview. Ming’s is claiming the old Wolfe’s (later Zachary’s) location on Pontchartrain in the West End area. Lakeview has been without Chinese since the delightfully kitschy (think dim lighting and beaded doorways) China Rose / Imperial Palace on Robert E. Lee drowned. – Now open - 7224 Pontchartrain Blvd. n Photo By Cheryl Gerber
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Columns | Tourism Biz While Carnival Elation sits docked at the Port of New Orleans’ Erato Street Cruise Terminal, the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas uses the Julia Street Cruise Terminal. Construction begins on a third cruise terminal on Poland Avenue during the first quarter of 2015.
Fast Facts New Orleans is the 6th-largest cruise port in the United States. In 2013 the city saw its third record year in a row – 987,869 embarkations and disembarkations – and expects to top the 1 million mark for the first time by the end of 2014.
Smooth Seas Ahead
Annual spending by Carnival and other cruise operators in Louisiana tops $399 million, generating 7,548 jobs and $294 million in personal income.
Louisiana’s cruise industry is a $400 million/year business that’s only getting bigger.
A
Margaret Quilter is an Australian expat whose tales of adventures abroad have been published in international magazines. Check out her weekly blog, “Tourism Biz” at BizNewOrleans. com
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s 2014 comes to a close, the Port of New Orleans is expecting to exceed the 1 million mark for embarkation and disembarkation for the first time – mainly because the Carnival Dream, the largest cruise ship ever to call on the Port of New Orleans, has been using the city as its homeport year-round since April. Earlier this year, the Port of New Orleans signed an agreement with Carnival Cruise Lines that would keep the world’s largest cruise line sailing at least two ships year-round from New Orleans through 2019. Currently, the two home ported cruise ships, the Carnival Dream and Carnival Elation carry more than 400,000 passengers annually from Erato Street Cruise Terminal to the Caribbean and Mexico. As one of the prominent gateways to the Caribbean, Central America and inland river systems, New Orleans has been a popular port of call for cruise lines that favor the world-class facilities at Erato Street and Julia Street terminals. “Taking a cruise from New Orleans means a vacation both
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here and abroad,” says Mark Romig, president and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp. (NOTMC). The Port of New Orleans, in line with NOTMC, advertises New Orleans as two vacations in one, enticing passengers to extend their stay at the historic port. “We have a great driving market of a 500-mile radius to the city,” says Matthew Gresham, director of external affairs for the Port of New Orleans. “Plus, with the expanded direct flights from the Midwest and Northwest, we are seeing a lot more passengers coming in.” Passengers often spend an average of two nights before or after their cruises in the Crescent City, which creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond the port. A study by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) found that annual spending by Carnival and other cruise operators in Louisiana tops $399 million, generating 7,548 jobs and $294 million in personal income. With plans to start building a third cruise terminal on Poland Avenue in the first quarter of 2015, numbers are set to rise.
“The third cruise terminal will allow us to market for another home port of ship and additional unique cruiseship calls; those are the ships that come in and stay a day or two,” Gresham explains. “It would make New Orleans a port of call, if you will, for some of those luxury cruise liners. We get a handful of them a year now, but really a lot of cruise ships and cruise lines want those weekend slots and multi-day slots that we could offer there now.” Currently, Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International sail weekly to destinations in the Western Caribbean and Bahamas. The Great American Steamboat Co. American Cruise Lines, Travel Dynamics International and Blount Small Ship Adventures cruise along the coast and Mississippi River. As cruise ships continue to follow the trend of becoming more family-friendly, New Orleans can in turn promote all the city has to offer to family vacationers. “The city can market nearby attractions such as the Audubon Zoo, Aquarium of the Americas and Audubon Insectarium, the New Orleans Children’s Museum, National World War II Museum, swamp tours, plantation tours – all of which complement the traditional tourism offerings of New Orleans,” Gresham says. With 2015 on the horizon, the course is set for another record-breaking year as the popularity of cruising from the Crescent City continues – both with expanded cruise routes and New Orleans serving as a destination in itself. n Top photo courtesy of the Port of New Orleans
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Columns | Sports Biz Lower ticket prices have helped fill seats, resulting in a franchise record for ticket sales. Forbes magazine estimates the Pelicans’ current worth at $420 million.
Pelicans Soaring High The NBA team’s value has skyrocketed by 86 percent in the last decade.
T
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 & Chelsea football.
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om Benson saw a great business opportunity waiting to happen when he bought the New Orleans Hornets from the NBA for $340 million in 2012. According to Forbes, the team is now valued at $420 million – that’s $80 million, or 24 percent, more than a year ago, and $195 million, or 86 percent, more than the $225 million the franchise was valued at a decade ago. With $116 million in revenue and $11.2 million in operating income last year, along with a $50 million arena renovation nearing completion and a veteran team returning, there is hope that the “Nest” will be full of fans, profits will soar and
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getting to the playoffs will be a slam dunk. “We’re seeing an increase in the valuation of teams in both football and basketball,” says Dennis Lauscha, president of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. “Take, for instance, the recent selling prices of the Buffalo Bills ($1.1 billion) and L.A. Clippers ($2 billion). Obviously these are staggering numbers based on a number of factors, including the local market. But at the end of the day, we’re in this for the long run, and the reality is there is no intent to sell. We want to bring a championship to the area more than anything else.”
What’s In a Name? Shortly after Benson bought the franchise, he announced a plan to change the name to the Pelicans – the mascot of the city’s long dormant minor league baseball team – which was founded in 1887 and played in New Orleans for more than 70 years. With a new name and mascot came a complete overhaul of marketing and merchandising opportunities more fitting of the Crescent City and Gulf South region. Lowered Prices During the 2012-13 season, Hornets games had the NBA’s second-worst attendance, with 565,930 fans or just 13,803 per game. Along with the name change, Benson lowered ticket prices, which resulted in a franchise record for season ticket sales – 12,000. Attendance increased to 672,029, a per-game average of 16,390 for the 17,003-seat arena – it’s thirdhighest since moving to New Orleans in 2002. Depending on Davis In Anthony Davis, a 7-footer selected first overall in the 2012 NBA draft, the team has a great player to build around and a great ambassador to the public. Already an NBA All-Star, Davis is the Pels’ franchise player and will be at the center of the team’s game plan and marketing campaigns for years to come. Championship Hopes The Saints, valued at $1.1 billion, are one of the NFL’s more profitable teams despite their small market. If the Pelicans’ popularity continues to grow, profits will, too. And if Tom Benson & Co. can match their Super Bowl victory by summiting the NBA with a championship, the Pelicans will be “nothing but net.” n Photo By Cheryl Gerber
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Columns | Film Biz When things get too dangerous for an actor, a stunt professional is brought in. LEFT: Kevin Reid (right) was recently a stunt professional on “Terminator 5” and is currently doubling Lucas Black on “NCIS: New Orleans.” RIGHT: Vanessa Motta (right) has been the stunt double for actress Natalie Martinez (left) for a year-and-a-half. The two are pictured here during shooting of CBS’ television series “Under the Dome.”
Aaaand Action! Stunt professionals risk their lives for your entertainment, so what do they get in return?
B
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 and is thrilled to be covering its emersion in her newly adopted home.
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eing that Louisiana is currently the film-production capital of the world, I thought it would be fun to take a peek at the business side of the industry responsible for putting the “live” in live action. To do this I spoke with two of my friends - Vanessa Motta and Kevin Reid - both stunt professionals that have migrated from California to Louisiana in the past few years. Each has more than a decade of stunt work under their belt. The work In short, stunt work can be anything - from flipping a car, to sword fighting, to holding up an actress in a mosh pit scene – anything that is deemed too dangerous for an actor to perform. “On ‘Friday the 13th’ I was put inside a sleeping bag that was hanging from a tree and they lit the bag on fire. It then opened and I fell into a fire pit,” says Motta. Pay Anybody serious about being a stunt professional needs to join SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Only members of these labor unions are allowed
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to work on union projects – a vast majority of films. “We receive a set daily or weekly union rate,” Reid explains. “Daily typically means eight hours, after that we get overtime.” Performers also receive “stunt adjustments” – additional pay that depends on the danger level of the stunt. Adjustments are typically calculated for each time the stunt is performed. Just as with actors, stunt professionals also continue to receive residual pay, sometimes for years, if they are “principal performers” on a film that moves on to DVD or TV. Benefits Stunt professionals that make past a certain amount each year become eligible to receive health, dental and vision insurance that year through SAG-AFTRA. The labor union also has its own credit union and emergency financial assistance fund. Dues for the joint union are based on a sliding scale of how much a performer has earned on SAG or AFTRA projects. SAG-AFTRA also collects an additional 1.575 percent of all annual earnings made on union projects - up to $500,000. The scariest thing While Reid and Motta are both
used to looking danger in the eye on a regular basis, they agree that their biggest fear has to do with the uncertainty of the work. “Even while you’re in the midst of a project, you’re always hustling for the next gig,” Motta says. “You never know when the next job will come, so the nature of being in stunts means you have to be a big saver.” Twice a month stunt professionals receive an email called a “Stunt Contact” that provides a breakdown of upcoming films. “You use that to start calling and sending out your resume and headshot,” Reid says, noting that one of the best things that can happen for a stunt person is to double an actor that then continues to request them. For Reid that’s happened with actor Lucas Black, start of NCIS New Orleans, whom he’s been doubling for 10 years. Motta has been doubling actress Natalie Martinez for a year and a half. But how about fear on set? Do stunt professionals get scared? “Absolutely,” Motta says. “No matter the work and planning that’s gone into a stunt, in the end, anything can happen.” n
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Columns | Entrepreneur
What’s In Your Toolbox? Startup success rides on more than just a great idea.
B 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, non-profit, micro- and macro-business levels.
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uilding anything requires tools, and that’s as true for a business as for a house. I recently spoke with Dr. Mary Bartholomew, director of the Entrepreneurship Center at Nunez Community College, to find out what tools an entrepreneur should have in his or her box. Interestingly, one of the first things Dr. Bartholomew recommends is a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. “This should give you an overview of the environment for your idea,” she says. “Is it feasible? You should ask that first, before you start getting into greater detail. After all, no one is going to buy a snowmobile in New Orleans.” Assuming you pass this first test, it’s time to move into specifics. Some key items Dr. Bartholomew considers mandatory include:
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n Marketing Plan: including a market and competition analysis, marketing strategy with budget and a target audience for your product or service n Business Plan: including revenue projections (“Be conservative!” she cautions), expense projections, breakeven point and the amount of start-up capital needed n Funding Plan: including funds in hand, a credit history, potential sources for additional funding (this can be a variety of sources, even including entrepreneurial contests, but has to include a reasonable mix of likely/tangible along with the more speculative). n Sustainability Plan: addressing how will you grow the business, how you will deal with outside forces and major events and what happens if you are incapacitated. Dr. Bartholomew recommends thinking long-term right from the beginning.
“There are three ‘category’ questions you should ask yourself,” she says. “What do you need to start your business? What do you need to grow your business? What do you need to diversify your business?” She also cautions against getting ahead of yourself, despite the omnipresent urge to move forward with your idea as quickly as possible. “In business, a little extra time invested at the beginning of a project is almost always returned down the road,” she says. “Be patient. Get all of your ducks in a row.” In other words, just like in the classroom, doing your homework is essential in the real world. As someone who has been involved with numerous business ventures herself, Dr. Bartholomew knows well: Any job is easier with the right tools in hand. Okay, so you know you need tools, now where do you find them? Fortunately, New Orleans is currently the biggest entrepreneurial tool shop on the planet. For a list of great resources, you can always consult the October 2014 issue of this column! Remember, while many resources may be free, paying for some professional assistance at some point is probably a good idea. n Photo Thinkstock
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Columns | Etiquette
Tis’ the Season Helpful tips for successfully navigating holiday office parties
T Melanie Warner Spencer is editor
of New Orleans Bride Magazine. Her writing has appeared in the Austin AmericanStatesman, the Houston Chronicle, the Chicago Tribune and Reuters. 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 at melanie@myneworleans.com. 28
he wildest on-screen office party scene I’ve ever viewed was season three, episode six of the AMC TV show “Mad Men.” The Sterling Cooper gang’s going-away party for Joan ends in bloodshed after one too many boozed-up employees takes a John Deere tractor for a spin and Guy’s foot is sacrificed to the drinking gods. Thankfully, most office parties—holiday or otherwise—don’t end with a trip to the emergency room, but it’s nonetheless an apt cautionary tale. According to a 2013 Battalia Winston survey, holiday parties have made a comeback. The numbers rose steadily over the past few years, up from 91 percent in 2012, and 74 percent in 2011. With 96 percent of companies polled hosting holiday parties in 2013, there’s a good chance most companies will continue the tradition. Whether it’s a casual luncheon at the office, a ballroom bash, or
December 2014 BizNewOrleans.com
a small Christmas dinner with the boss, business holiday parties are rife with the potential for faux pas. To imbibe or not to imbibe, what to wear and gifting are important concerns, and each sends a message to employers and colleagues. By keeping a few things in mind, you’ll be sure to send the right message. The 2013 survey reported that drinks would be served at 72 percent of the parties, so planning a strategy is key. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” Daisy’s friend, golf pro Jordan Baker muses, “It’s a great advantage not to drink among hard drinking people.” Even in alcohol-friendly New Orleans, consider this wisdom when contemplating that next cocktail. If you do partake, switching to water between rounds is an effective preventative measure. For teetotalers — either by choice or doctor’s orders
— why not ask the bartender to make you a “mocktail”? There’s also the time-honored covert tactic of a simple soda or tonic water with lime. Finding yourself overserved in front of your boss is not the best career move, but worst case, discreetly slip out and grab a cab. When it comes to attire, err on the side of conservative. Ladies, a blouse with a little sparkle, blazer, smart skirt or pants and a pair of heels can work for day or night with a quick after-work jewelry and handbag swap. For men, a holiday tie or cufflinks is festive, but not excessively funky. Everyone should avoid the over-the-top “ugly Christmas sweater,” an especially bad choice if vying for a promotion. Also, steer clear of styles that are low-cut, exceedingly short, ill-fitting, sporty, too casual or sexy. Gentlemen, channel your favorite version of James Bond or perhaps George Clooney. Women, think Audrey Hepburn or George Clooney’s new bride, the ever-sophisticated, Amal Alamuddin Clooney. Keep it classy (or keep it Clooney, your choice) and you’ll always strike the right chord. Gifting at the office can be tricky any time of year. The Emily Post Institute recommends forgoing a gift for your boss, unless it’s a group gift with coworkers, lest you come off as a brownnoser. Gifts to colleagues should be simple, inexpensive and, if humorous, kept work appropriate. Secret Santa and White Elephant exchanges are a way to take pressure off of not only the psyche, but also the budget. A good habit to form is to remind yourself before every office event that, no matter how casual the soirée, business rules apply. Always dress and behave the way you want to be perceived by your managers and colleagues. Also, tractors and tequila don’t mix—it’s all fun and games, until somebody loses a foot. n
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Biz Bits - Industry News SPEAKING OUT We’re excited to be a part of the Metairie/New Orleans community. Microsoft is here to provide the best choice, value and service to every customer that walks through the door and to reach out to the community and develop positive relationships. - Vanessa Louque, manager of the first Microsoft store in the New Orleans area – and second in the state of Louisiana – which opened at Lakeside Mall on Friday, Nov. 14. It is Mircrosoft’s 108th storefront.
RECENT BUSINESS RANKINGS
MOVING ON UP
No. 1 in Patient Safety East Jefferson General Hospital (2015 Care Chex® rating)
Site Selection magazine has ranked Louisiana No. 2 in the U.S. in its Annual State Business Climate survey – it’s Louisiana’s highest ranking to date. The top five states are as follows:
175 First-Tier Metropolitan Rankings Baker Donelson (2015 U.S. News – Best Lawyers, “Best Law Firms” list) Labor and Employment Litigation Law Firm of the Year Fisher & Phillips LLP (2015 U.S. News – Best Lawyers, “Best Law Firms” list) Top 100 Fastest-Growing Inner City Businesses – QCS Logistics (Fortune magazine’s 2014 Inner City 100) Top 200 Healthiest Banks in America – Hibernia Bank – No. 48 (DepositAccounts.com 2014)
FLu SEASon is here
1. Georgia 2. Louisiana 3. North Carolina 4. Texas 5. Ohio Just five years ago, Louisiana was No. 25. Since 2008, the state has secured over 83,000 new jobs and over $54 billion in investment.
The intensity of flu season varies year by year. So far, this season is light, but history tells us that seasonal influenza can progress slowly, or explode suddenly. It’s quite unpredictable,” says Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich, chief medical officer at MHM Urgent Care. “An influenza outbreak in the office can quickly get out of control and cripple operations. Because of this, many businesses offer vaccinations to their staff - that’s a very smart move!
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ENTREPRENEURS APPLY NOW!
ABWA Returns to New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS - Applications are being accepted until Dec. 12, 2014, for JEDCO’s third-annual entrepreneur pitch competition, JEDCO Challenge. The competition takes place every year during New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (Monday, March 23, 2015). The winner of the JEDCO Challenge typically receives $20,000 in direct capital and additional in-kind business services to help the company grow and find success locally. Applications are available at JEDCO.org.
NEW ORLEANS - Following a nine-year absence after Hurricane Katrina, the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) – a 65-year-old national organization based out of Overland Park, Kan. – is returning to New Orleans as the ABWA Crescent City Connections Express Network. “Before Katrina there were six ABWA leagues in New Orleans,” says Wendy Dolan, vice president of public relations and marketing for the network. “With a lot of help from the Baton Rouge group, including a cash contribution, we’re now able to get back on our feet.” The professional women’s group is devoted to personal development, continuing education, networking and philanthropy. Annual membership costs are $115 in national dues and $35 in local dues. On the second Thursday of each month, the group holds a networking luncheon. “All of our luncheons are at Ralph Brennan Heritage Grill,” Dolan says. “But our December luncheon is going to be extra fun – more like a party.” The luncheon will feature Charlee Williamson, executive vice president of the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, who will speak about her road to success and offer holiday entertaining tips. The luncheon is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is $25 for members and $30 for nonmembers. Registration is highly encouraged, though walk-ins are allowed ($35). To register for the luncheon, visit abwanola.eventbrite.com For information about membership, visit abwa.org or contact Membership Chair Lyndsey Graham at Lyndsey. Graham@e-hps.com.
Local Streetlights Go Solar HARAHAN - Founded in 2011, ClearWorld, located in Harahan, La., designs and retrofits alternative energy lighting solutions for traditional utility light poles. “Forty-five to 55 percent of a municipal’s overall yearly budget goes to street lighting,” says ClearWorld Founder Larry Tittle. “Our product costs the developer less than installing traditional infrastructure and, on the city’s part, means no electric bills or maintenance for 10 years. This translates into millions in savings over the life of our lights.” ClearWorld’s lighting is currently used in Jefferson Parish and will soon be installed in areas of Orleans Parish. The company has recently started offering other services, including: security cameras, traffic control devices, weather and emission control monitoring, back-up power for mission critical systems and ancillary services for utilities (frequency regulation, load shaving and demand/fast response). “From smart grid to smart cities, the future is here,” says Tittle. For more information, visit ClearWorld.us.
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College Football Playoffs
Sugar Bowl’s New format brings new Challenges “S e i s m i c s h i ft ” in p o st se a so n me an s n o gu aran tee of Nation al Ch am p i o n s h i p a nd e c o no m ic uncertain ty for New Orlean s B y C h ri s P ri c e | Pho t o g r a p hy b y Ch eryl Gerber
A
fter years of complaining about arbitrary computer-based ranking systems of the oft-maligned Bowl Championship Series (BCS), college football now has a four-team playoff to determine its national champion. While fans and media have finally received the postseason format they’ve clamored for for years, the change has left many financial uncertainties for the traditional partners involved, namely organizations like the Sugar Bowl and host cities like New Orleans. According to a study by economist Dr. Tim Ryan, last season’s Sugar Bowl between Oklahoma and Alabama had an economic impact of $250.5 million, including close to $20 million in city and state tax revenue. However, in 2008 and 2012, when the Sugar Bowl hosted the national championship, the economic impact was worth more than $400 million. “The financial dynamics of the playoff with a semifinal game every three years are not as beneficial to the bowl as the old BCS era was,” says Jeff Hundley, the Sugar Bowl’s chief operating officer. “It’s a seismic shift in the landscape, a dramatic change.”
Cautious Approach The Sugar Bowl has taken a very conservative business approach to the playoff format, thinking it will break even or make a marginal profit in the years it hosts a semifinal game (2015, 2018, 2021 and 2024). In the two years between semifinals, the organization will have to hustle to break even, Hundley says. For now, the bowl is going to see how the format plays out in its inaugural year. However, there is hope that the new playoff system will make the semifinal a net-plus. “If the CFP semifinal games truly capture the imagination and support of college football fans, we could actually be talking about a net gain for the city and state,” Sugar Bowl President Judge Dennis Waldron says. “That’s because we’ll host a semifinal game every three years instead of a championship game every fourth year. We’ll find out soon, as the first semifinal is rapidly approaching.” To help ensure interest in years when it doesn’t host a semifinal, the Sugar Bowl will feature a matchup between the top available schools from the SEC and Big 12, conferences with well-known teams that are all within driving distance or a short flight of New
Orleans, meaning fans are likely to follow their team, filling the Superdome along with local hotels and restaurants. “We’ve got good partners. And we’ll figure out a way to make this a winning situation for everyone. It’s one that we think will be good in the long run for the city, the businesses around the city, and, hopefully, for our organization, Waldron says.”
Room for Growth With ESPN signed on at $7.3 billion for the 12-year TV rights to promote and broadcast the playoffs (including $80 million a year for the Sugar Bowl through its various media through 2025) the Sugar Bowl will look at the value it provides and maximize its sponsorship levels accordingly. It is currently the only of the six major bowls to have the same title sponsor as last year. With ESPN’s reach, it’s safe to think sponsorships will become a major source of revenue for the bowl so that it may bid on future games and continue the community support it has graciously extended to New Orleans. In addition to the bowl game, the Sugar Bowl Committee is involved with various community
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Last year’s Sugar Bowl between Oklahoma and Alabama brought in $250.5 million, including close to $20 million in city and state tax revenue.
initiatives through hosting and sponsorships of sporting events, awards and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors more than 13,000 studentathletes each year, while injecting more than $2 billion into the local economy in the last decade. “While our methods may be changing as the result of the new playoff format, our mission remains the same,” Waldron says. “We are committed and fully focused on supporting a wide array of amateur sporting events to benefit young people and to aid the city and state tourism industry in the process.” “Fortunately, the BCS era was good to us, and we were able to put together a safety net that will help us endure whatever potentially stormy seas might be out there,” Hundley says. “We’re hopeful it will be calm and all will go well.”
BCS to Playoff With the guaranteed economic impact of the BCS’ quadrennial national championship game gone, the city now has to compete in an ever-tightening race to host the season’s ultimate game. For 80 years the Sugar Bowl has had a say in who played in its game in order to boost financials for the bowl and the city. “It’s a business relationship where the predominance of any excess revenue over expenses goes to the College Football Playoff group, and hence the conferences and schools participating,” Hundley says. One of the major changes for the bowls, he points out, in the change from the BCS to the playoff era is the decrease in the ticket commitment of each participating school from 17,500 to 12,500, suddenly giving each bowl an additional 10,000 tickets to sell. Additionally,
2015 National Championship Ticket Prices Club seating: $650 General seating: $450 Student seating: $200 Standing-room-only: $200
2014-2015 Dec. 31 Orange Bowl Fiesta Bowl Peach Bowl Jan. 1 Cotton Bowl Playoff Semifinals Rose Bowl Sugar Bowl Jan. 12 National Championship in Dallas, Texas
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Requests for proposals to host the National Championships in 2018, 2019 and 2020 will be distributed February 2015.
he questions how enthusiastic fans will be in supporting their teams through a full season, a conference championship game, a semifinal and National Championship game. “We had to sell locally,” Hundley says. “Based on the early indications of the general public sale, that went extremely well. There are precious few now; all that’s left is what we have for sponsors and the schools.”
Game Plan for a Championship In the first round of bidding to host the playoff championship, the Crescent City didn’t look varsity ready, putting up only half the value of the bids of the winning cities – Dallas (2015), Phoenix (2016) and Tampa (2017). Now, chief among concerns locally is how the Sugar Bowl and New Orleans will compete in order to maintain their position as one of college football’s most desirable postseason destinations. Hosting a National Championship, which is expected to have an estimated economic impact of $308 million on Dallas this year, is in the game plan. Championship sites are determined through a bid system, much like the Super Bowl or the NCAA Final Four. A request for proposals to host the game in 2018, 2019 and 2020 will be distributed to interested communities in February 2015, with site selections announced next fall. According to playoff rules, New Orleans will be unable to host the 2018 game because it is already hosting a semifinal. “We’re studying the landscape and doing our homework so that we’ll be prepared to respond appropriately,” Waldron says. With so much revenue potentially avail36
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able, the Sugar Bowl is expected to join forces with experienced partners in the tourism and convention industry across the city to make a much stronger impression with its bid for the championship in 2015. Mark Romig, president and CEO of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp., says his organization is willing to follow the Sugar Bowl’s lead to help land its goals. “It’s great to have a National Championship and the worldwide branding for the city that goes along with it, but the glass is not half empty without one,” Romig says. “Our convention and business meeting events are growing. We have 123 festivals now. This city is bursting at the seams with visitors even without a National Championship on the horizon.” That said, Romig says New Orleans is fortunate to have an event like the Sugar Bowl that annually has a $150 million impact. “Many cities would give their eyetooth to have an event like this,” he adds. “We’re very glad to be part of the playoff rotation through 2025. I’m thrilled for what we have and what we have coming.”
Season KickOff Classic In addition to a Championship Game, the Sugar Bowl is currently studying the idea of hosting a premium game at the start of the season as an additional source of revenue. It would basically be a bowl game to kick off the season rather than end it. Atlanta, Dallas and Houston have all added kickoff games with prominent programs and lucrative results in recent years. For instance, an estimated $44.3 million was injected into the Atlanta
economy as a result of the 2013 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game between Alabama and Virginia Tech, which drew 73,114 fans. The lineup for the AdvoCare Cowboys Classics in Dallas includes teams known for having passionate, travelling fan bases – Alabama-Wisconsin in 2015, Alabama-USC in 2016, Florida-Michigan in 2017 and LSU-Miami (Fla.) in 2018. It’s completely feasible to see city leaders work toward advertising New Orleans as a Labor Day weekend destination for college football fans to enjoy a three-day vacation to end the summer and begin the fall football season. “We’ve had extended discussions with school and television partners and are continuing to look seriously at such an opportunity,” Waldron says. “Because of the complexities of team scheduling and television rights, it isn’t an easy process. Nonetheless, we are moving forward with our discussions on this front.”
New Playoff Format Each of the 10 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences (American Athletic, Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-12, SEC and Sun Belt) and their member institutions is expected to at least double the annual revenue that had been received under the BCS arrangement. “The College Football Playoff will include the top four teams, but every conference will benefit under the new arrangement” playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock says. “This approach rewards those teams that are part of the event and is fair to all the conferences and independent institutions that participate and make the College Football Playoff possible. It really will be a big win for all.” The four teams that go to the College Football Playoff are determined by the 12-member College Football Playoff Selection Committee, which includes current and former coaches, student-athletes, collegiate administrators and journalists, along with sitting athletics directors. It includes Barry Alvarez, athletics director, Wisconsin; Mike Gould, former superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy; Pat Haden, athletics director, USC; Tom Jernstedt, former NCAA executive vice president; Jeff Long (chair), vice chancellor and athletics director, Arkansas; Oliver Luck, athletics director, West Virginia; Tom Osborne, former athletics director and coach, Nebraska; Dan Radakovich, athletics
director, Clemson; Condoleezza Rice, former provost, Stanford; Mike Tranghese, former commissioner, Big East conference; Steve Wieberg, former journalist, USA Today; Tyrone Willingham, former head coach, Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington. Archie Manning resigned from the committee due to health reasons earlier this year.
New Year’s Extravaganza The format of the playoff will be great for fans, especially traditionalists who like bowl games on or near New Year’s Day. There will be back-toback triple-headers on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day featuring the playoff semifinals and four premier bowl games. The semifinal games will rotate between six current bowl games – the Sugar and Rose, Orange and Cotton, and Fiesta and Peach. This year, the semifinal games will be played on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, before the National Championship is played in Dallas on Monday, Jan. 12. The selection committee will choose the four teams for the playoff based on strength of schedule, head-to-head results against common opponents, championships won and other factors. They will announce the playoff semifinal pairings and bowl assignments live on ESPN at 11:45 a.m., on Sunday, Dec. 7. Those games will feature matchups of the No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3-ranked teams, based on the closest geographic proximity of the No. 1 team. For instance, if a team from the SEC is ranked No. 1, they would likely play in the Sugar Bowl rather than the Rose. On Dec. 7, the committee will announce pairings for the Orange, Cotton, Fiesta and Peach bowls, as well as the final top 25 rankings.
The Sugar Bowl is currently studying the idea of hosting a premium game at the start of the season as an additional source of revenue - following in the steps of cities like Atlanta, Dallas and Houston. A 2013 kickoff game in Atlanta brought the city an estimated $44.3 million.
2015-2016
2016-2017
Dec. 31 Peach Bowl Playoff Semifinals Orange Bowl Cotton Bowl
Dec. 31
Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl Rose Bowl Fiesta Bowl
Jan. 2 Rose Bowl Cotton Bowl Sugar Bowl
Jan. 11 National Championship in Glendale, Ariz.
Jan. 9 National Championship in Tampa, Fla.
Orange Bowl Playoff Semifinals Peach Bowl Fiesta Bowl
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Whole Foods
Whole Foods Market broke ground in Shreveport on Oct. 14, 2014. The 36,200-square-foot store will be constructed in part with local cedar and cypress and will feature a self-serve pizza oven and pecan -smoking pit. The store is set to set to open in fall 2015. 40
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Market digs in Finally receiving competition, the healthy foods pioneer is rallying to retain its standing in a $35 billion industry.
By Pamela Marquis
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“N
o occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden.” – Thomas Jefferson Jefferson was one of America’s first organic gardeners. He believed that a healthy garden started from the ground up, and he regularly added organic matter to his soil. He also thoroughly enjoyed his organic fruits and vegetables. The organic food industry has been growing strong in the United States, with increasing awareness regarding health, environment protection, food safety, and animal welfare reforms. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program is credited with helping create an organic industry that includes 17,000 organic businesses with an estimated $35 billion in retail sales. “There is a growing trend in today’s society to try to get back to nature,” says Commissioner Mike Strain with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. “Many people feel eating organically will help achieve a return to a more natural state for them and their families. Generally speaking, if you buy local, organically grown products, you’re buying fresh and regional products. Each and every day, we must embrace all types of agriculture to expand the production of safe and affordable food to meet the demands of a growing population. Organic foods represent one of those sectors.” Leading the organic food industry is Whole Foods Market Inc. Its reputation as a store where shoppers can buy items without the pesticides and additives that are frequently present in “regular” food, has made it into one of the country’s largest publicly traded 42
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food and drug companies. It ranks 218 on the Fortune 500 list, with a market value of almost $19 million and an annual revenue in 2013 of $12.9 million. Whole Foods was founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, when four local businesspeople, John Mackey, Renee Lawson Hardy, Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, decided the natural foods industry was ready for a supermarket format. It started in a 10,500-square-foot space with a staff of only 19 people. Whole Foods now operates 399 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom and employs 85,000 team members. The company plans to add another 40 or so stores as part of its aggressive growth strategy.
Competitors Today, however, health-conscious shoppers have many more options to find their natural and organic foods. Kroger, one of the country’s largest supermarket chains, has recently seen its stock soar in large part because of its fastest-growing department – natural foods. The supermarket chain is expected to surpass Whole Foods within two years and become the nation’s top seller of organic and natural food, according to a recent JPMorgan report. Even Wal-Mart has begun a major program to expand into organic foods. In addition, stores such as locally owned Rouses are also becoming worthy competitors. “Over the last few years, we have seen our organic growth skyrocket,” says Patrick Morris, produce buyer for Rouses Supermarkets. “We carry an extensive variety of quality organics, and we offer them at a great value. The organics section has become
a destination at our stores. We are the local company, so we live and breathe it every day. Being successful with ‘local’ means having a trusting partnership with the farmer, where both parties can benefit. We get out in the fields daily with the farmers to help cultivate that relationship.” All this competition has had a direct impact on Whole Foods’ bottom line. The company remains highly profitable, but recently it’s seen its same-store, year-over-year sales growth slide. The company missed its earnings targets for three quarters, and this spring it experienced a 19 percent plunge in its stock price. So it may come as no surprise that Whole Foods, which for many years eschewed national marketing, has recently entered the advertising fray.
New Marketing Campaign For the first time in the company’s nearly 35-year history, Whole Foods is doing more than word-of-mouth and community relations as a way to build its brand. Late in October, the company launched a $15 million national marketing campaign using the theme “Values Matter” in television, print and digital advertisements. The campaign was created by Partners & Spade, a New Yorkbased advertising agency, and is guided by Whole Foods’ new global vice president of marketing and communication, Jeannine D’Addario. “We are leaders and pioneers in this industry,” D’Addario says. “And as we seek to introduce our brand to new customers, it’s important for us to talk about who we are and what we offer. This campaign will distinguish what Photography courtesy of Whole Foods Market
makes our brand special, our food different and our quality superior. It’s our opportunity to reaffirm our unwavering commitments to our core values, which are at the heart of our brand.”
Ads
Fast Facts - WFM founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas ranked 214 on Fortune magazine’s Fortune 500 list annual revenue in 2013 approached $13 billion the purchase of New Orleans local supermarket The Whole Food Co. in 1988 was the company’s first expansion outside of Texas. currently there are 399 stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. gave $82,700 in 2014 to a variety of local nonprofits in Louisiana.
TOP SPREAD: A view of four of the five Whole Foods Markets currently operating in Louisiana. From left to right: Arabella Station on Magazine St. in New Orleans, Lafayette, Baton Rouge and Metairie. RIGHT: The company has a strong focus on local products. The Broad Street location currently sells more than 330 locally made products.
The TV ads are luminous, reverent and highly cinematic. Emmy Award-winning commercial filmmaker Gerard de Thame directed them, and the Austin-based full-service advertising agency GSD&M is handling media strategy, which includes running spots during many prime-time television shows. Ads will also appear in business, food, health and lifestyle outlets, both print and digital.
Foods Market will be one of the first retailers to accept Apple Pay, Apple’s new mobile payment system. The company is also creating its first customer-loyalty rewards program, catching up with what has become a standard among many grocers.
“Whole Paycheck”
Prior to its new advertising campaign, Whole Foods relied on community-based marketing. It passionately supports neighborhood events and donates 5 percent of after-tax profits to a variety of nonprofit organizations. In Louisiana, in fiscal year 2014 alone, Whole Foods gave more than $82,700 to a variety of nonprofits, including Hollygrove Market and Farm and Keep Baton Rouge Beautiful. “We received much-needed funds for our Emergency Response Team,” says Evan Marie with the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, which helps communities that neighbor the state’s oil refineries and chemical plants. “Whole Foods’ contribution directly supports residents working to protect their communities.”
It remains to be seen whether the ads will combat the company’s reputation for being a high-priced, out-of-reach grocery with the nickname “Whole Paycheck,” but D’Addario believes the company is making a difference on that front, too. “We’ve worked really hard over the last few years to move away from a high-price perception,” D’Addario says. “We don’t consider ourselves as a luxury brand or a bargain brand. We cater to all demographics. For example, if you want to eat healthy on $5 a day at Whole Foods Market, you certainly can.”
Attracting New Customers The company has also made several other steps to attract and keep customers. Whole
Community-Based Marketing
EARLY NEW ORLEANS TIES The Whole Food Co. opened its doors in New Orleans in October 1974 on Cohn Street in a 1,100-square-foot space. By 1978, the tiny BizNewOrleans.com December 2014
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Whole Foods Market Throughout Louisiana New Orleans Arabella Station 5600 Magazine St. Opened Dec. 4, 2002 60,000 sq. ft. | 235 team members housed in an old streetcar barn built in 1893, which sits on bustling Magazine Street.
Metairie Veterans 3420 Veterans Memorial Blvd. Opened May 18, 2005 52,246 sq. ft. | 301 team members features a cooking demonstration station and two sit-down dining venues.
Broad Street 300 N. Broad St. Opened Feb. 4, 2014 25,000 sq. ft. | 150 team members anchors the ReFresh Project, a 60,000-square-foot development that aims to stimulate growth in New Orleans’ Broad Street commercial corridor and to improve access to fresh, high-quality food and healthrelated programs in the community. sells more than 330 local products.
Baton Rouge 7529 Corporate Blvd. Opened July 20, 2005 50,635 sq. ft. | 300 team members active community room with a professional kitchen for instruction. certified cheese professional on staff.
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Lafayette 4247 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy. Opened Sept. 24, 2014 36,200 sq. ft. | 150 team members
more than 100 local suppliers and 300 local products. beer and wine bar with 16 beers on tap (emphasis on local beers) and three wines on tap built green from the ground up espresso machines built in Florence, Italy COMING SOON - Shreveport Near the intersection of East 70th Street and Fern Avenue Slated to open fall 2015 Approximately 36,200 sq. ft. Will have approximately 140 team members coffee house, fresh juice bar, a pecan-smoking pit and indoor and outdoor seating areas. wood used in designing the store will be harvested from local trees such as cedar and cypress self-serve pizza oven
Photography courtesy of Whole Foods Market
OPPOSITE PAGE TOP: Instead of a ribbon cutting, a new opening is celebrated by “breaking bread” - as seen here at the Lafayette store’s opening on Sept. 24, 2014, which included a visit by Mayor Mitch Landrieu. OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM LEFT: Broad Street location in New Orleans. OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM RIGHT: Local young leadership organization The 705 received 1 percent of the Lafayette store’s sales on opening day. TOP LEFT: “Organic agriculture is one of the fastest-growing segments of American agriculture,” says Secretary of Argriculture Tom Vilsack. TOP RIGHT: A rendering of the future Shreveport store.
store was doing more than $1 million of business per year - its success fueled by a committed staff and a very loyal customer base. “Going into the store on Cohn Street always felt like going home,” says Diane Black, a local resident who often visited the store. “It was so cozy and full of the aroma of life.” In 1981, Whole Food Co. opened a larger store on Esplanade Avenue. The store anchored the growth of Faubourg St. John, now one of the city’s most sought-after neighborhoods. In May 1988, Whole Foods Market acquired Whole Food Co., and the Esplanade store became the company’s sixth store and its first foray out of Texas. “It was awesome having Whole Foods in the neighborhood,” says Karen Terranova, owner of Terranova’s Supermarket, which has been in business on Esplanade Avenue since 1925. “It brought plenty of people looking for different things, and it enhanced our business for sure. Their employees patronized our store, coming over to buy their Cokes and snacks.”
Stores All Whole Foods stores offer many of the same things, but there is a real push to offer food that is local to each store. The company employs local foragers whose sole responsibility is to increase local suppliers. Each store also tries to have a unique look with its own flavor, charm and community events. There are currently six stores in Louisiana (see sidebar).
Broad Street and The ReFresh Project Whole Foods Market’s Broad Street store, which opened Feb. 4, 2014, anchors the ReFresh Project, a 60,000-square-foot development that aims to stimulate growth in New Orleans’ Broad Street commercial corridor and to improve access to fresh, high-quality food and health-related programs in the community. The site houses Liberty’s Kitchen’s full-service café and commercial kitchen, Tulane University’s Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine, and offices for FirstLine Schools, Broad Community Connections and Boys Town Louisiana. The project was developed by Broad Community Connections, a local nonprofit focused on revitalizing the area, and L+M Development Partners, a New York-based firm that specializes in low-income and marketrate housing.
Employees Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 17 consecutive years. The company’s lowest earners average $13.15 an hour, in addition to benefits such as health care. No executive makes more than 14 times the employee average. “The energy and passion of our team members creates an electric atmosphere,” says Dwayne Shelton, Baton Rouge store team leader. “They are our biggest asset, and we
deliver the ultimate shopping experience through tastes, smells, service and product knowledge.”
Into the Future “Organic agriculture is one of the fastestgrowing segments of American agriculture and helps farmers receive a higher price for their product as they strive to meet growing consumer demand,” says Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack at a recent policy conference in Washington, D.C. As the industry booms, Whole Foods is continuing its expansion throughout the world. Part of the company’s strategy is to open stores in underserved areas, smaller markets and so-called “food deserts” where finding fresh fruit and vegetables can be challenging. “Next year in the Whole Foods Market Southwest Region - which encompasses Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas we’re currently slated to open seven stores, including the Shreveport location in the fall,” says Kristina Bradford, Louisiana community and media relations coordinator. “We have a team who continuously scouts locations throughout the United States to find the best opportunities for Whole Foods Market to put down roots and open a store.”
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Perspectives A closer look at hot topics in three southeast Louisiana industries
48 Food & Wine
54 Education
58 Construction BizNewOrleans.com December 2014
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Perspectives | Food & Wine
Dinners in Commander’s Palace’s Wine Room are held for up to 12 people year-round. Prices range from $200 to $2,000 per person.
Creative Pairings Pay Off Wine dinners offer restaurants a way to boost revenue, foster relationships with suppliers and help patrons discover new favorites. By Judi Russell
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f you serve wine to your dinner guests, chances are you follow the old rule of thumb that recommends reds with beef and whites with chicken or fish. This limited way of thinking is exactly why wine experts at some local restaurants - in a push to get customers to become a bit more educated and adventurous - are spreading the word about creative food and wine pairings through wine dinners. Often a collaboration between a restaurant and one of its sup48
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pliers, a wine dinner does more than introduce patrons to a raft of new wines, it also allows the chef to prepare items that don’t usually make it to the daily menu. It then suggests unique and f lavorful pairings. Customizing at Commander’s Three or four times a year, Dan Davis, self-described “wine guy” at Commander’s Palace, invites a winery to take part in a dinner for about 30. Together, he and the winery decide which
wines to showcase, and then Davis meets with Commander’s culinary wizards to design a special menu to go with the wines. “It’s a lot of fun,” he says. For those that don’t want to wait for the next official wine dinner, daily dinner guests at Commander’s can order the “chef’s playground” – a menu of six to eight courses the chef whips up using the best and most interesting stuff that comes through the kitchen door. After that menu is written, Davis
selects wines to match. Most evenings, Commander’s also offers a chef’s table in the kitchen. The table seats four, and must be booked as much as eight months in advance. After the chef designs a customized tasting menu, Davis pairs the wines. “We have three basic levels, depending on what you want to spend,” he says. “We have 45 wines by the glass and a couple hundred half-bottles to pair.” Davis recommends a pour of about 2 to 3 ounces per course if Photo courtesy of Commander’s Palace
For New Year’s Eve, Galatoire’s offers a special Champagne dinner at both its New Orleans and Baton Rouge restaurants.
diners are tasting a series of wines. For a really special occasion, Commander’s offers its Wine Room. Dinners are held for up to 12 people, and the price per person can range from $200 to $2,000. Davis selects the wines, in consultation with the host, and then the chef designs a menu to match. Galatoire’s Gets Bubbly Galatoire’s President and CEO Melvin Rodrigue says he uses wine dinners to promote both the restaurant and the wineries it works with. The dinners give people exposure to five or six different varietals, which he says can offer a nice change from the typical practice of drinking just one type of wine with a meal. Rodrigue says there’s so much more to wine than reds and whites. For instance, it’s important to consider the spiciness of the foods and the amount of fat they contain. It can also be fun to try wines made in different parts of the world. California is still the dominant domestic wine-producing region, but Rodrigue says the Northwest continues to gain strength, especially pinot noirs from Oregon and cabernets from Washington. Galatoire’s wine cellar also contains a strong representation from France, where the restaurant has its roots. For New Year’s Eve, the restaurant is kicking the traditional Photo courtesy of Galatoire’s
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Perspectives | Wine Dinners Try This at Home Local experts make the following recommendations to those pairing wines with food: Check the tannin levels of a wine. Wines with even a moderate tannin level (you’ll experience furring of the mouth or puckering of the gums) should be paired with foods with fat, such as a ribeye steak. If your dessert is sweet, don’t choose a sweet wine. Instead, opt for something like a red, spritzy wine from Piedmont with cleansing effervescence. Try pairing red wine with semisweet or semisavory desserts, such as a fruit-based buckle, and serve with cheese. Dessert wines can be great with savory courses, such as seared fois gras, for example. --J.R. Source: Dan Davis, Commander’s Palace; Melvin Rodrigue, Galatoire’s
A recent wine dinner at Antoine’s featured Wines of Trimbach - a favorite brand among the 16,000 bottles in the restaurant’s cellar.
Champagne dinner up a notch. Galatoire’s Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne dinner will include the brand’s Brut Reserve, Brut Rose, Blanc de Blanc and several others paired with such dishes as scallops, duck leg confit, prime filet and cheesecake. “It’s a gorgeous menu and a great Champagne house,” Rodrigue says. The dinners will take place at the restaurant’s New Orleans and Baton Rouge locations. Reveillon Ramps Up John Mitchell, who became sommelier and director of outlets for the Windsor Court Hotel in February, likes to offer a wine-related activity once a month in the Grill Room. Previous events have included an all-Swiss wine and fondue dinner and a 50
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John Mitchell, sommelier and director of outlets for the Windsor Court Hotel.
class in new California wines. In December he’s holding a Champagne class, timed to help holiday hosts make their selections. Mitchell is also working with sommeliers at other restaurants to create a “wine dinner dine-around,” where participants can sample foods and wines at each restaurant and enjoy special talks about wines. The Grill Room offers a daily tasting menu, with Mitchell selecting appropriate wine pairings. He’ll also be selecting wines for the restaurant’s Reveillon dinners. In December, dozens of New Orleans restaurants offer festive prix fixe dinners in a nod to the Creole custom of feasting after Christmas Eve midnight Mass. The custom is referred to as “reveillon,” which means “awakening” in French.
Mitchell is also eager to design wine dinners for customers celebrating special events. He says that because New Orleans is a well-known wine market, sommeliers are able to get the best wines, many of which are produced by a small number of people in small quantities. A Cellar that Sells If you’re craving a specific type of wine, chances are good Matthew Ousset can find it in Antoine’s wine cellar. Ousset, the restaurant’s wine and beverage manager, keeps track of more than 16,000 bottles, stored by region. Ousset says Antoine’s has established a following for its wine dinners. Recently, the restaurant had a dinner Photo courtesy of Antoine’s Restaurant and The Windsor Court Hotel
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featuring wines of Maison Trimbach. Jean Trimbach is the 12th generation of his family to make Alsatian wines. “We sell a lot of Trimbach wines here, pinot gris, pinot blancs, pinot noirs, rieslings,” Ousset says. When Trimbach was in town, he wanted to do a wine dinner at Antoine’s, and Ousset says he jumped at the chance. “Most people tend to order the same wines they’re familiar with,” Ousset says. “If they are willing to try something a little different, but still in the same ballpark, the waiters can usually make good recommendations.”
Executive Chef Brandon Felder uses wine dinners at Le Foret to create imaginative wine and food pairings. Shown here is a view of the restaurant’s wine cellar.
Surprising Pairings Le Foret Executive Chef Brandon Felder says that his restaurant uses wine dinners to assist wineries in launching a new wine, or to showcase a particular offering the winery wants to feature in the New Orleans area. “We close out the entire restaurant and [develop] a menu with the different wines we are showcasing and have a great time with it,” he says. Recently, the restaurant held a wine dinner pairing culinary specialties with wines from a Napa, Calif., group named Amici “friends” in Italian. Felder likes the way wine dinners give him a chance to exercise his imagination. At a recent dinner, he paired a pinot noir with crabmeat ravioli. “The winemaker said it was the best pairing of the night,” he says. Felder takes his culinary cues from the season and the weather. In winter, for example, people love so-called comfort foods, lots of cuts of meat and hearty favorites like osso bucco. “Stay tuned,” he says, for a wine dinner in early January. n
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Photo courtesy of Le Foret
A STUNNING COLLECTION OF 50 TRADITIONAL (AND SOME NON-TRADITIONAL) LOUISIANA RECIPES. AN ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE FOR YOUR KITCHEN, OR THE PERFECT GIFT FOR A LOUISIANA FOOD LOVER. Author Stanley Dry — Louisiana Life “Kitchen Gourmet” columnist, former senior editor of Food & Wine magazine and accomplished cook — brings history, culture and spice together in his first book, The Essential Louisiana Cookbook, a Louisiana Life product by Renaissance Publishing. From classics, such as red beans and rice and a variety of delectable gumbos, to modern creations sure to become weeknight traditions, this collection of recipes will be a go-to for native Louisianans and those new to the state’s rich culinary landscape.
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Perspectives | Education
A partnership between Chevron and Lusher Charter School, Project Lead The Way works to foster greater interest in math, science and engineering among high school and middle school students. This year the program was expanded to include Lusher’s elementary school students.
Corporations in the Classroom Businesses are partnering with local charter schools to make a difference in education. By Judi Russell
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harter schools share one similarity with every other type of school: Their budgets never cover all of the schools’ needs and wants. To fill that gap, schools often turn to local business partners, where forging a bond can give the school the extra support it needs to offer the level of educational experience it was formed to provide. A strong relationship between a school and company also allows members of the community to play a more active part in educating its young people. Leading the Way at Lusher Such is the case with Lusher Charter 54
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School and business partner Chevron. The energy company supports “Project Lead the Way,” a program to spur students to become interested in math, science, engineering and technology. The program spans all 50 states, including four parishes across Louisiana where the company has a presence. In 2012, Chevron began its relationship with Lusher by offering teacher training and the materials to equip a Project LTW classroom. As the high school program f lourished, Chevron began to offer similar training and equipment for Lusher’s middle schoolers. This year, the program became available to elementary school students as
well. Leah Brown, a public affairs representative for Chevron, says the teacher training is rigorous and the classes the students take “are one of the closest things I’ve seen to real-world engineering at the high school level.” She speaks from experience, having taught high-school engineering. The aim is to give students a solid background in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. The hands-on activities make STEM classes fun, Brown says. For example, students might read the familiar “Three Little Pigs” story and then construct houses with differPhotos by Cheryl Gerber
McDonogh #32 Charter sixth grader Keshyne Craft
John Morrow, a science teacher at Lusher, teaches students to build simple machines as part of Project Lead The Way. Photo by Cheryl Gerber.
ent materials and use a fan to see which blow down. To make it even more enjoyable, students in the elementary grades can build their houses out of edible materials. John Morrow, who teaches science at Lusher, has a degree in manufacturing engineering and 31 years of experience as a Navy pilot. He says the program challenges students to use the skills they are taught to go way beyond just memorizing information. In the principles of engineering class, they learn about, and build, simple machines. Next, students move on to compound machines and add electricity. To take it to the next level, computers are brought in to teach robotics and basic programming. “It would be extremely difficult to teach at this level without the help from Chevron,” Morrow says. “Project Lead the Way has master teachers you can use as a resource.”
Chevron also supplies the school with all the metal, gears, screws, sensors and other materials the classes call for. Uniting for Uniforms Sometimes business partners can help schools with the basics. Danielle Trezek is operations manager at McDonogh 32 Literacy Charter School in Algiers. The students - ranging from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade - wear uniforms made by Uniforms by Logo Express in Gretna. “Some kids wouldn’t start school at the beginning of the year because their parents couldn’t afford to buy uniforms,” Trezek says. To help, Logo Express donates gift cards that provide a 20 percent discount on uniforms. The school’s social workers then give them to parents who need them. “It’s a big help,” Trezek says. Reggie Sadhwana, owner BizNewOrleans.com December 2014
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Local company Logo Express is providing 20 percent off gift cards for McDonogh 32 to distribute – helping to make uniforms more affordable for families that are financially strained.
of the uniform company, says he’s worked with McDonogh 32 for the past six or seven years and developed a real relationship with them. He says he’s glad he can help, pointing out that often things many people take for granted are difficult for some to provide. Trezek says McDonogh 32’s biggest needs are basic – crayons, Kleenex and backpacks, and would welcome other business partners who want to pitch in. Lowe’s Lends a Hand It can be difficult for a business to choose a school in their community. To avoid playing favorites, Lowe’s Home Improvement has a national program, Lowe’s Heroes. Each store gives each school in its community a year of volunteering. This year, the Lowe’s on Elysian Fields Avenue is partnered with Nelson Charter School. Deondra Anderson, administrative man56
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ager at the Lowe’s store, says she and her fellow workers look forward to visiting Nelson and spending time with the students. Last spring, they made Easter baskets and held an Easter egg hunt for the pre-K and kindergartners. They also brought the kids to the store for activities. Employees also beautified the garden in front of the school, raised money for school supplies for sixth- and seventh-graders, and are planning a Christmas party for Dec. 13 complete with elves, Santa Claus, a clown and gifts. Each Lowe’s Hero adopts a student, Anderson says. “The kids love it.” “The school is pretty happy about it too,” says Trinnell Spears, Nelson’s interim principal and director of curriculum and instruction. “It’s a benefit for our students, in that it shows that someone in the community is actually involved in the school and cares about the school.”
Sharing expertise “Liberty Bank & Trust has handled Einstein Charter School’s financial affairs for some time, so a partnership between the two was a natural,” says Einstein CEO Shawn Tarantino. “Both the school and the bank are vested in seeing eastern New Orleans prosper.” Liberty underwrites a gala each year at which Einstein student musicians perform. “It provides our students with a platform to play music in a public arena along with other notable New Orleans musicians,” she says. Liberty also visits the school for career days. But one of the most important ways Liberty aids Einstein Charter is to give the school’s administration sound advice on handling its budget. “Liberty has always been very supportive of education,” says Ann Duplessis, a senior vice president of the bank. Photo courtesy of Algiers Charter School Association
Duplessis was active in the chartering of the school and she’s been happy to see it expand and thrive. In addition to sponsoring events, the bank has helped keep the school on sound financial footing, which is important as charter schools are also businesses that have to operate within a budget. Companies that want to partner with a school but aren’t sure how to begin can contact Hands On New Orleans, a nonprofit affiliated with the national Points of Light Hands On Network. The group acts as a clearinghouse, matching volunteers with schools and other places that need them. Executive Director Chris Cameron says that last year the organization participated in 162 projects all over the city. “Schools often need help with painting classrooms, hallways, bathrooms and common areas,” Cameron says. They also welcome light construction work, such as constructing garden boxes or picnic tables and chairs. Other projects include cataloging books, organizing a library, building outdoor teaching gardens or painting murals. To find out how your business can help, visit HandsOnNewOrleans.org. n
Photo courtesy of Einstein Charter School
Each year, Liberty Bank & Trust underwrites a gala at which Einstein Charter School students perform. Liberyy also assists the school with financial advice.
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Perspectives | Construction
M ovi n g On D own The number of people calling Downtown New Orleans home has doubled since Hurricane Katrina By KIM ROBERTS
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veryone loves a comeback story, and Downtown New Orleans is in the midst of the comeback of a lifetime. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, our iconic city incurred a population decrease, but in the past nine years it’s been enjoying a resurgence in both population and business opportunities. Another example of the nationwide trend of young professionals moving into urban dwellings, New Orleans is also aided by booming growth in the film, technology and medical industries. “We are seeing so many more young professionals moving into cities to take advantage of all of the various amenities city life has to offer, such as restaurants, museums, public art, nightlife, shopping and culture, as well as the convenience of being able to walk or ride a bike to work,” says Bill Hoffman, senior v.p. for corporate planning and development at Woodward Design + Build. “Also, we are seeing more and more older couples who are empty nesters making the move into the city in an effort to downsize and to enjoy all that being Downtown has to offer, as well as cutting down on commute times.” According to the Downtown Development District (DDD), based on a recent census count, the number of people living downtown has doubled since Hurricane Katrina. Apartment and condominium rentals are at an all-time high, with occupancy at a resounding 98 percent capacity. Currently, 1,400 housing units are in some phase of development in the Downtown area, with expected completion within the next 12 to 24 months. “The residential boom that the Downtown area is currently experiencing can be contributed to a combination of converging conditions,” says Kurt Weigle, president and CEO of the Downtown Development District. “First, there is a national trend of individuals becoming reacquainted with the joys of urban living, and New Orleans is blessed to some degree to be considered a walkable city with dynamic hospitality and remarkable heritage that is attractive to residents.” Weigle adds that the migration downtown is also helped by the continued expansion of retail. “Our city is one of the few places where one could live their entire life without having to leave the Downtown area,” he says. “We are somewhat self-contained because we have grocery stores, medical facilities, shopping outlets, and restaurants, all within walking distance. You don’t have to leave your neighborhood to get what you need.” The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the real estate market in New Orleans is bouncing back because of homebuyer desire to remain in the city, the allure of historic homes, and the fact that downtown happens to be a prime location for Carnival. “Things are really looking positive for New Orleans right now in the real estate market,” Hoffman says. “Demand is definitely greater than supply at this time. Luckily there are still plenty of buildings and land available for apartments to be built, though there is not as much available as there was five years ago.”
1,400 housing units are in some phase of development in the Downtown area, with expected completion within the next 12 to 24 months.
Photo Thinkstock
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TOP LEFT AND RIGHT: The South Market District, which is set to include more than 700 luxury apartments, is currently pre leasing. MIDDLE: The Factor’s Row buildings on Carondelet St. are a redesign of former offices into 49 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail.
Residential developments that have recently come on-line and are attracting a lot of attention include 144 Elk Place, South Market District, the Iberville housing development, 833 Howard Ave., and Factor’s Row. Although rent varies with the size and location of each apartment, on the lower end prospective renters can expect to pay $1.75 per square foot for a one-bedroom unit that is 750 square feet – or $1,300 per month. On the higher end, renters might pay $2.50 to $3.50 per-square-foot. “Not all of the units on the market are the same shape and size in the housing developments because they are designed to fit the architecture,” Hoffman says. “A number of historic buildings Downtown have been converted into family dwellings. We are starting to see a price escalation because the demand for apartments Downtown is growing.” Hoffman says the city is about one to two 60
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years away from seeing the first buildings being converted into condominiums. “For a long time there really wasn’t a demand for condos, but now the demand is picking up,” he says. No one can deny that there are definitely more people out and about and on the street Downtown, and that retailers seem to be flocking to the city to set up shop – including the Outlet Collection at the Riverwalk and a flurry of new businesses cropping up on Canal Street. “New Orleans has quickly become one of the few cities at the top of the list for expansion among retailers,” Weigle says. “Across the country, the retail community is sitting up and taking notice of our city, and they want to move here to take advantage of the opportunities it has to offer.” According to the Downtown Development District, more than 65,000 people work
Downtown, and that number is expected to grow as industry continues to move in. “Entrepreneurs are coming to the New Orleans region, both Orleans and Jefferson parishes, for a chance to make it big,” says Jerry Bologna, executive director of JEDCO. “The region is benefiting from the migration of people into the area and all of the new jobs that are becoming available.” Bologna adds that fewer people are moving out of the region because of many factors, including the economic boom and job opportunities. Issues of quality of life and family proximity are also factors. “People want to live close to their family members and teach their children about their heritage and culture,” he says. The residential boom, new job opportunities and additional retail outlets have benefited Downtown New Orleans and will continue Photos courtesy of South Market District and Trapolin-Peer Architects
Currently under construction, the Iberville community on Treme Street will transform 848 housing units to 390 units of public housing thanks to $30.5 million in grant funding.
FAST FACTS Downtown apartment and condominium rentals are currently at 98 percent capacity. 1,400 housing units are in some phase of development, with expected completion within the next 12 to 24 months. More than 65,000 people work downtown - a number that is expected to grow as industry continues to move in. Renters are typically paying between $1.75 and $3.50 per square foot.
to attract more businesses and people to the area. “Downtown is vibrant and alive with activity,” Weigle says. “As it continues to expand it will enhance everything that is dynamic about being Downtown.” Weigle says the boom in population in the Downtown area has had another welcome effect – it’s made it one of the safest areas in the city. “There are more eyes on the street and more people walking around,” he says. “There are also enhanced lighting and safety measures in place.” Weigle says the future looks bright. “The DDD’s mission is to look as far forward as it realistically can, and we see that the development of the city is mirroring what happened in the suburbs about 50 years ago – first there was a residential boom, second, there was a retail boom, and third came the addition of industry and office space,” Weigle says. “Now, we are seeing the reverse of this, in that it is happening Downtown instead of in the suburbs.” n
Photos courtesy of HANO
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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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L U X U R Y
R E A L
E S T A T E
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Great Offices
50 Years of Faith and Vision Joseph Canizaro, the man behind One Canal Place and owner of First Bank and Trust – an $800 million community bank – looks back on five decades in business. By Bonnie Warren Photography by Cheryl Gerber 64
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TOP LEFT: Andrew Carrick Gow’s (1848-1920) “Washington’s Farewell to the Army” is featured at the rear of Canizaro’s board room, while Federico Moja’s (1802-1885) “St. Mark’s Square, Venice” hangs above the buffet to the left. TOP RIGHT: A Gorham French/American bronze figure of Christopher Columbus has a place of honor in the board room. BOTTOM LEFT: Michele Marieschi’s “A Capriccio of Mediterranean Coastal Town with Fisherman” hangs on the wall above a marble bust of Julius Caesar. BOTTOM RIGHT: Artist Adriano Galise created the mosaic behind the couch he titled “Madonna of Perpetual Help.”
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oseph C. Canizaro has always been a man who can see what others can’t. “Before I moved to New Orleans, I remember climbing up the stairs of the World Trade Center while it was under construction,” he says. “As I looked down at how Canal and Poydras streets almost converged at the Mississippi River, I remember thinking, ‘This is where I want to construct a great building - a model for what the future of New Orleans can be.’” Overlooking the city skyline from his office in the First Bank and Trust Tower, Canizaro spoke about his vision.
“I could see how a project such as One Canal Place, on the edge of the French Quarter, could be a positive force in providing great office space for New Orleans, as well as promoting tourism with a grand hotel and an elegant shopping center,” he says. Plans were soon completed for One Canal Place and Canizaro found just the right partner he needed to make his dream come true – the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. “He was anxious to invest in such a monumental project,” Canizaro recalls. “The only problem was the Shah was overthrown in the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and for a time the
project looked doomed.” Fortunately, Canizaro was able to keep the project alive and today One Canal Place, the Westin New Orleans at Canal Place hotel and the Shops at Canal Place, now owned by and managed by The Berger Co., are a city showpiece. Today Canizaro serves as president and chief executive officer of Columbus Properties, L.P., a real estate development company he founded in 1966, and he holds the title of chairman of the board of First Trust Corp., the parent company of First Bank and Trust. He purchased the bank in 1991. BizNewOrleans.com December 2014
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A large porcelain eagle by the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Armani graces the coffee table in the reception area. The painting in the back, “The Launching of the Garibaldi in Naples – 1860” is attributed to Antoine Leon Morel-Fatio. BELOW: “I find my collection of religious art to be a further journey in my faith,”says Canizaro
Canizaro’s projects have been as diverse as building the Texaco Center building on Poydras Street, First Bank Center (formerly known as the Galleria in Metairie) and the Information Technology Center Office Complex located at the University of New Orleans Research and Technology Park. Columbus Properties has developed, acquired and managed office buildings, hotels and mixed-use projects, as well as land and residential projects throughout the Southeast and Southwest regions of the country. “I definitely have a numbers brain,” he says. “I do extensive research and crunch all of the numbers before I ever take the first step on a project, and I have learned how to be a good project manager, an essential element in completing anything.” Canizaro credits his father, a surgeon who practiced in Biloxi, Miss., with much of his success. “He taught me to be a confident person,” Canizaro says. “Early on I learned the value of working hard and making sure I had all of the facts before moving ahead with the next 66
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step in my life.” Among those steps was a move to New Orleans in 1964, where he immediately became active in the business community. “I have never regretted making New Orleans my home,” he says. Canizaro, undeniably one of the most successful men in the past half century of New Orleans business, sits in his office at 909 Poydras Street, the last of the great buildings he completed (originally called the LL&E Tower), where he is surrounded by a collection of religious art that represents one of his primary interests in the past decade. “I find my collection of religious art to be a further journey in my faith,” the devout Catholic says. “There is something very inspirational about being surrounded by great religious art of the past centuries.” While Canizaro’s collection gives his office a museum-like quality, it is the setting that he calls “the gallery,” a long hallway that extends from the reception area, past the doors to the boardroom and on to his private office, that’s the real attention grabber. The gallery features floor-to-ceiling win-
Cesare Dandini’s (1596-1657) “Madonna col Bambino e I Santi Elisabetta e Giovanni” is showcased in the gallery, with Tom Lazer’s handcrafted glass vases on display in the case.
dows that flood the space with natural light and provide an interesting view of New Orleans. Here, large paintings, sculptures and even a noted collection of handblown glass vases are worthy of note. Canizaro’s collections extend to his home, a showplace that garnered the cover of Architectural Digest magazine. In it you’ll find near-priceless religious art, including a painting by one of his favorite artists, Botticelli, a noted Italian Renaissance artist whose work hangs in the major museums of the world. His home also features a private chapel where he prays on a regular basis and Mass is said on occasion. Canizaro is also a member of Legatus, the association of practicing Catholic CEOs started by Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino’s Pizza. Canizaro was the founder of the New Orleans chapter and has been very active in its projects. “Legatus is not a philanthropic organization per se, but it is faith-based and interested in issues of charity and community,” he says, quickly adding, “Business is not just about how much money you can make.
It’s about making a positive impact on your community and country.” Canizaro takes great pride in being a trustee and former chairman of the Urban Land Institute, a national professional organization established in 1936 that boasts 30,000 members worldwide. “[ULI] is devoted to improving the quality of real estate developments and their impact on the environment,” he says. He is also proud to have served on the Harvard University Graduate School of Design’s Advisory Committee on Real Estate Development. Canizaro is quick to point out the value of surrounding yourself with the right people. “The best example I can give you is Gary Blossman, the president and chief executive officer of First Bank and Trust,” he says. “He joined our team five years ago, and he has been a fantastic manager. It has been a pleasure to get out of his way and let him manage. Nothing succeeds better than success.” Canizaro is currently working with a top neuroscientist on two major projects right now to help raise the funds to build the New
Orleans Center of Research for Neuroscience. He is also working with Gov. Phil Bryant of Mississippi to develop a Diabetes Research Center at a new community he is spearheading called “Tradition” in Biloxi. “I am enjoying the challenge of developing Tradition, a 4,800-acre planned community in Biloxi on the Gulf Coast,” he answers. “Since I am from that area, I have a unique appreciation of the beauty of the area.” Tradition is adjacent to the largest national park in Mississippi and near the beaches that stretch from Bay St. Louis to Ocean Springs. “We have paid a lot of attention to setting aside large areas for parks, trails and nature preserves,” he says. There’s do doubt that in the past 50 years Joe, as he is called by his friends, has left his mark on New Orleans. “I am ever mindful that my faith in God has played a positive role in my life,” he says. “It keeps me humble, focused and always striving to be of service to others.” n
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Giving Back
To celebrate the centennial anniversary of Baldwin Haspel Burke & Mayer, the law offices covered $10,000 in necessary repairs to a historic cannon that will be used in the Louisiana State Museum’s upcoming Bicentennial Celebration.
THE CORPORATE GIVING MARRIAGE: A match made in New Orleans by Suzanne Ferrara
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ere in New Orleans, the desire to help others is more than evident. Owners and chief executives of numerous companies and businesses have embraced the concept of ‘corporate giving’, and have realized that their success is due in no small part to the loyalty of their friends and neighbors. Paying it forward is alive and well in the Crescent City. “I think most companies feel like they’ve been blessed and really want to give back to the communities they serve,” says Betsie Gambel, president of Gambel Communications, a well-known New Orleans public relations firm. “That is the whole reason for giving: If our community is better, then the companies that work in those communities will be more successful.” At the heart of Gambel’s work is community relations, and at the heart of that, so to speak, 68
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is helping a company with its giving program. “One of the things we are passionate about is putting people and ideas together.”
“We give to show our commitment to the areas where we live and work… and to help causes that are both needed and beneficial to our communities…” – Jerry Reso, Jr., Baldwin Haspel Burke & Mayer Law Offices But taking the mission of a for-profit and finding the perfect nonprofit match isn’t done in an instant. Putting the right donor with the
right recipient requires some careful thinking and a bit of self-analysis. “We are mindful and sensitive to spreading financial resources across as broad a base as possible,” says Fidelity Homestead’s Alton McRee. “Yet at the same time, we realize there are more opportunities than there are resources. Therefore, we have to be strategic and selective in nature.” Being strategic and selective meant McRee and Fidelity had to look beyond itself. “We had to ask, ‘What kind of overall added value does a particular donation bring? Does it bring added value to the community?” In 2011, Fidelity decided it wanted to make a serious commitment — a major gift, a lead gift — to the arts. They found their perfect match in the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) and its parks concert series. “At $50,000-plus, they are our largest corpoPhoto courtesy of Baldwin Haspel Burke & Mayer
rate sponsor,” says LPO chief executive officer James Boyd. “Fidelity’s support is crucial for the LPO because the parks concerts are very expensive; it’s an outdoor venue and very visible events with very large audiences. We wouldn’t be able to do any of that without Fidelity’s sponsorship.” In addition to sponsoring the entire parks concerts series (most sponsors cover just one concert), Fidelity looked at another tool that could make the series just a bit easier. “We
“… We don’t give in order to receive; we give because we want to help others…” – Richard Flick, Banner Chevrolet Ford
ABOVE: Richard Flick (right), president of Banner Chevrolet Ford, feeds the needy in Covington. BELOW: Americorps member Amy Bean works with students at Arthur Ashe Charter School as part of City Year New Orleans’ program to encourage students to stay in school.
Photos courtesy of Banner Chevrolet Ford and City Year New Orleans
donated one of our large courier vans so that those crucial instruments could make it to the venues. Our logo’s on the van, which carries the name ‘LPO on the Go’. So, not only did we address another need, but it also provided a great marketing opportunity for Fidelity.” Wait a second: Marketing opportunity? In a philanthropic venture? You bet. Actually, it makes perfect sense, and goes so far as to strengthen the donor/recipient relationship. In fact, that has played a key role in Gambel’s development of a giving program for one of its clients. “When we are forming a giving program for Banner Chevrolet Ford,” says Gambel, “we know they ultimately need to sell cars for them to continue giving. It’s got to be from the heart, but it also has to make sense for them.” Banner Chevrolet Ford president Richard Flick has been giving for many years to causes such as Boys Hope Girls Hope, Second Harvest Food Bank and Bridge House. But as he and the people of Gambel Communications work to take that corporate giving to the next level, there’s that new realization that, with the right for-profit and nonprofit, ‘giving’ and ‘marketing’ can form a perfect marriage. “I think Richard is grappling with, ‘I already do this and I want to do more, but how can I leverage this to help the business in some way?’” analyzes Gambel’s director of strategy Amy Collins. The new corporate giving program, called ‘Banner Cares,’ will officially begin in 2015. “We are trying to figure out a few key marquee things where Banner will have a prominent presence, and where the community will readily identify Banner with those things.” BizNewOrleans.com December 2014
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Giving Back Whatever the giving and marketing strategy turns out to be, Flick, whose Banner Chevrolet Ford gives well over $100,000 each year, wants to make sure it reflects his view that it’s never too early to set an example for our area’s young people. “People don’t slow down to think how lucky it is to have what they have, or to think about those less fortunate in that situation,” ponders Flick. “I think it is very important to get children involved at an early age.” Setting an example for children, and at the same time, meeting their needs, is at the – Alton heart of City Year New Orleans, a program that sends college students from AmeriCorps into five area schools. A team of 10 AmeriCorps members goes into a school such as Samuel J. Green Charter School, and works with the students to keep them in school and on-track for graduation. Entergy gives $75,000 to help keep City Year New Orleans up and running, and is recognized as a vital partner. “It is a full-time service before school, in class and after school, providing assistance for the academically challenged,” says City Year New Orleans executive director Peggy
Mendoza. “It is imperative we have a company like Entergy supporting us. Without their support, 10 percent of our budget would not be met. Entergy knows the quality of our program and sees our results.” From Entergy’s side, those results drive the bus in the corporation’s decision to give to City Year New Orleans. “The decision boils down to accountability and outcome,” offers Patty
Orleans. A cannon used both in the Battle of New Orleans and the Civil War needed a new carriage, and the law firm came in to cover the $10,000 cost of repairs. “The cannon is one of the highlights for the Louisiana State Museum’s upcoming bicentennial exhibit,” explains Baldwin partner Jerry Reso, Jr. “We wanted to tie our history into the history of the cannon, and at the same time, create such a relationship with a nonprofit that it helps us focus on what we need to do to be good citizens.” For these corporaBank tions, connecting the dots to partner with the right non-profit is the key to truly helping the community at-large. “If you can position yourself as a marketing opportunity, you can place yourself in bigger money, and everybody wins,” says Amy Collins. “The nonprofit gets more money, and the corporations get exposure they might never have had. It all makes for a stronger community.” n
“…Why do we give? It’s part of our corporate responsibility to be a good community citizen…” McRee, Fidelity Homestead Savings Riddlebarger, Entergy’s director of corporate social responsibility. “Is it really a return on our investment? And does it accomplish the greatest impact and greatest good? City Year has measures that are trackable and accountable and make impact.” Sometimes a giving opportunity falls in line with an historical celebration. As the law offices of Baldwin Haspel Burke and Mayer prepared to celebrate its very own centennial as a business, partners became aware of a need tied into the bicentennial of the Battle of New
Fidelity Homestead’s “LPO Van on the Go” ensures the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s instruments travel safely.
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Photo courtesy of Fidelity Homestead
Baldwin Haspel Burke & Mayer Law Offices was one of the main sponsors for this year’s Give Nola Day May 6, 2014.
10 Tips for an Effective Business/Nonprofit Partnership By Betsie Gambel, President of Gambel Communications 1. Match the businesses and nonprofit. Look at both entities’ missions and the interests of employees. Determine what value you have for each other. Are you a good fit? 2. Identify the goal of the partnership. Is it a long-term relationship such as a capital campaign, or is it an annual appeal or a fundraising event? Are volunteers wanted or needed? 3. Make sure the nonprofit/business you associate with is credible. Check credentials/501(c)3 status; review the list of board members and donors; examine services provided; look at its Website and social media platforms; check references. 4. Establish a budget. While cash donations are always appreciated, consider ways other than money that can be part of the partnership mix. Maybe regular use of a company conference room or using its communications department can support the nonprofit. Identify the source of funding — whether it be from philanthropy or marketing — and develop the partnership accordingly. 5. Designate a philanthropy “czar” (corporate social responsibility department for large companies) to manage the partnership. A company’s philanthropy can be time-consuming. Having someone assigned to be the liaison is helpful.
Photo by Ashley Merlin
6. Have a written agreement or contract. What does each party give and get in return? Think beyond logo and a table of 10 at galas or fundraisers. Ask to introduce an event speaker or to have access to a nonprofits membership or employees. 7. Leverage the partnership to maximize results. Have your partnership work for you (doing good is good for business) by “owning” an aspect of an event or campaign. Make the company’s participation memorable rather than just being a part of “logo soup” on marketing materials. Host a Bloody Mary party before golfers tee off at the golf tournament or volunteer to be the emcee or auctioneer. • Participate at the appropriate level; if you are not going to use your tickets, for example, offer them to clients, customers, prospects or even other nonprofits. 8. Evaluate the partnership at least annually. What worked, what did not, and what could be done better? Did both sides fulfill the terms of the agreement? 9. Manage the relationship. Nonprofits you can never say thank you too many times; keep in touch with your sponsors throughout the year. 10. Hire a firm that specializes in partnerships to make the most of your community investment. Some companies have a partnership specialty and can serve as “matchmakers” while helping a company or nonprofit devise donor strategies. For lasting gifts, work with an estate planner or lawyer.
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Kickstarter Partners With New Orleans
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The company responsible for funding everything from films to food trucks Has chosen the Crescent City to debut its newest initiative. By Kim Singletary
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ast year a Delorean hovercraft cruised the San Francisco Bay, virtual reality glasses called Oculus Rift took the tech world by storm, and a short documentary film called “Inocente” took home an Academy Award. None of these would have been possible without Kickstarter. Since its launch on April 28, 2009, Kickstarter has served as a web space where creative people pitch their ideas for everything from documentaries, art books, restaurants and bassoon quartets, to video games, hip-hop albums, comic books and food trucks. The public is then invited to become a backer to whichever projects they like. In reward for their support, backers receive various rewards that depend on how much they’ve given. Rewards can range from their name credited on an album to signed copies or special screenings. If the funding goal for a project is met within the creator’s deadline, the project receives that funding. If the goal is not met, backers are not charged and no money changes hands. It’s fair to say the concept works. On March 3, 2014, Kickstarter passed the $1 billion mark in money pledged to projects. More than half that amount was pledged in just the past year - March 2013 to March 2014. Projects attracted over 7.3 million backers spanning 224 countries on all seven continents. The result? Just short of 74,000 successfully funded projects. More than 850 of these projects are in the New Orleans area, where Victoria Rogers has been assigned to lead the company’s first local partnership. “I’m working with organizations like the New Orleans Film Festival, Idea Village, Propeller, Launchpad, 52businesses, 4.0 Schools, and Platforms Fund,” Rogers says. “We’re going to be guiding people through the funding process – in part through different events and workshops.” Rogers says New Orleans was chosen as the new program’s inaugural city for many reasons. “Obviously this is a culturally rich place with a very strong entrepreneur community,” she says. “In a way, it’s also a way for us to return to our roots.” The New Orleans connection Kickstarter’s founder Perry Chen lived in New Orleans for eight years as an artist and waiter, and it was here that he came up with the idea for the company. “Back in 2002, Perry was living in New Orleans and he really wanted
to bring some DJs to Jazz Fest to do a show but he had no money,” explains Julie Wood, spokesperson for Kickstarter. “At that point he thought there should be a way to ask people who were interested in the show to put the money up front.” Chen returned to New York in 2005 and, with the help of co-founders Charles Adler and Yancey Strickler, launched Kickstarter in 2009. The Name “It’s perfect because it explains exactly what we do,” Wood says. “When we first started out it was spelled without the ‘e.’ That was a fad back in 2009, to leave letters out. I think the guys pretty quickly realized that the fad was probably short lived though. I think it was only a few months before they put the ‘e’ back in. Competition “There are, of course, other ways to raise money for an idea, but we are by far the biggest site like this on the Internet,” Wood says. Marketing “Our marketing has really been word of mouth,” Wood says. “Some of the projects have been pretty high profile –the Veronica Mars movie, Oculus Rift, the movie by Zach Braff, a project from “Reading Rainbow” – so I think that has really helped.” Kickstarter has also begun hosting its own events, including a block party in New York, and film festivals in New York, Los Angeles and London. Revenue You will not see any ads on Kickstarter.com. All of the company’s revenue comes from the 5 percent fee that is charged to successfully funded projects. What this has done is add an extra financial incentive for the company to help creators. “Most of us spend our days working with creators who are doing Kickstarter projects, providing them with whatever help and guidance they need,” says Wood, who is one of 96 employees based out of Kickstarter’s Greenpoint, Brooklyn, headquarters. “Our success rate has been pretty consistent since our launch – about 40 percent,” Wood says. “Approximately 2.2 million people have backed more than one project. There’s a real community around Kickstarter.”
LEFT: The musical village Dithyrambalina — a sonic playground, performance venue and laboratory for musical architecture in New Orleans created by New Orleans Airlift — received over $60,000 in funding through Kickstarter from 655 backers on Oct. 30, 2013. Photo courtesy of Todd Seelie for New Orleans Airlift.
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Thanks to Kickstarter pledges, an old New Orleans home became Dancing Grounds’ state-of-the-art dance facility that includes two studios and community space.
Most Funded Project In 2013 the Pebble E-paper– a digital watch you customize with apps that works with an iPhone or Android phone – set out to make $100,0000. The idea received over $10.2 million, becoming the highest funded project in the company’s history. This past August, however, a new winner was crowned - the Coolest Cooler. A cooler that features, among other things, a built-in rechargeable blender, Bluetooth speaker and USB charger, the Coolest Cooler crushed its modest $50,000 goal to bring in over $13.2 million. Biggest Challenges “We’ve had some incredible success, but we still represent a new way of creating things so there’s still some skepticism and confusion over how it all works,” Wood says. “The Internet is still a young place filled with new and interesting ways to reach out to people.” New Orleans Community Partnership The future of Kickstarter is focused on spreading the word about the Website. “This year we’re making an effort to focus on our funded projects and how they are existing in real life,” Wood says. “For instance, we just added signage to the MoMA design store in New York that lets people know that the store has more than 30-odd items that were funded by Kickstarter.” This is also where the new community partnership program fits in. In a formalized program called “Kickstarter Create,” Kickstarter representatives will provide mentorship, access to the creator community and educational resources. Creators will be selected by Kickstarter and the organizations. The goal will be to showcase launched projects at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (March 20-27, 2015) and Launch Fest (April 2015). Project pages are due Dec. 19. Participants will be selected Jan. 8, 2015. To get on the mailing list, or for more information on Kickstarter Create, email NewOrleans@Kickstarter.com. n
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Local creator Tippy Tippens’ Bird Project was funded through Kickstarter in 2010. The project’s black, bird-shaped biodiesel glycerin soaps enveloping a white, ceramic bird keepsake were sold to fund BP oil-spill cleanup.
in New Orleans The following are a sampling of projects that were looking for funding last month. Here’s My $2 – Economic Impact Study on the Film Industry in Louisiana. The New Orleans Tattoo Museum – a “living, interactive tattoo museum” “Leah Chase: Faith, Family & Food” – documentary film on the “Queen of Creole Cuisine” “Allen the Alligator Counts Through New Orleans” – children’s counting book The Oyster Bed – a stylish reinvention of an oyster plate Photos courtesy of Dancing Grounds and Tippy Tippens
Q&A - Biz Person of the Month
Dennis Lauscha and his wife, Jennifer, with Gayle and Tom Benson
A Multi-Team Player
An inside look at what drives, and challenges, the president of both the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. By CHRIS PRICE
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ennis Lauscha has come a long way from his childhood days spent crawfishing in Jean Lafitte National Park. The quintessence of “local boy makes good,” Lauscha is currently one of the most powerful players in the multimillion-dollar business of sports in Louisiana. Since 2012 he has served as president of both the New Orleans Saints pro football and New Orleans Pelicans pro basketball teams. As Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson’s right-hand-man, Lauscha is part of the team that represents the Saints at NFL owner’s meetings and helps bring future Super Bowls to town. He helped negotiate the Superdome lease that will keep the Saints in New Orleans through 2025, as well as worked on the deal to name both the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the Smoothie King Center. Photo by Michael C. Hebert/New Orleans Saints
The Marrero native and Jesuit High School graduate is undoubtedly a huge figure in the business of Louisiana sports, but his affiliation with the industry actually began over two decades ago while working as an accountant with national accounting firm Arthur Andersen. Lauscha worked as the club’s auditor for four years before Benson recruited him 17 years ago. He has since held a variety of positions, including the Saints’ executive vice president/chief financial officer (2009-12), senior vice president (2006-09), and vice president, and vice president/chief financial officer (1998-2006). In addition to his duties with the Saints and Pelicans, he holds multiple roles within other Benson holdings, including New Orleans FOX affiliate WVUE-TV and Zelia, LLC. BizNewOrleans.com December 2014
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LEFT: Lauscha oversees everything about the Pelicans and Saints outside of selecting players and coaches. OPPOSITE LEFT: Enjoying a Pelicans game OPPOSITE RIGHT: Lauscha with his family at a Saints game.
priced right, second, your fans have to feel that you are headed in the right direction as an organization on and off the field, and third, your fans have to like your players, coaches and ownership. If you can score on all three of those, then you are going to be successful from a business perspective. BIZ: What is your most memorable moment working in professional sports?
BIZ: Can you give me a brief overview of what it is you do in your work?
DL:If it has anything to do with football or basketball operations, Mickey Loomis is responsible. I’m responsible for everything else – overseeing the clubs’ financial operations and government affairs, as well as its marketing, ticket and suite sales, legal, stadium, community affairs, human resources, information technology and facilities departments. Everything other than the actual selecting of players and coaches.
BIZ: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
DL: Wow. The most rewarding day I’ve ever had was when we won the Super Bowl. But it’s the victories on the field, on the court and everything we do on the business side. It’s the feeling of victory when the stadium is sold out, when sponsorships are fulfilled, when suites are sold out, when our fans have a great experience, when we get high ratings on our customer service reviews. It’s the small victories. BIZ: What is most difficult or challenging?
“What a lot of people who want to get into sports don’t realize is that it’s a sevendays-a-week job that starts for us with NFL training camp in mid-July and won’t end for us hopefully until June with an NBA championship.”
DL: What a lot of people who want to get into sports don’t realize is that it’s a sevendays-a-week job that starts, for us, with NFL training camp in mid-July and won’t end for us hopefully until June with an NBA championship. It’s a very long season with only a handful of days off during that period. You really have to be committed to wanting to put in that many hours and be motivated professionally to be focused for that long. There are a lot of small victories that motivate you throughout the season so that you can stay focused and enjoy what you’re doing.
BIZ: What is a typical day like for you?
BIZ: How do you deal with these challenges?
DL: A typical day is…there is no typical day! If anything, we’re always trying to find what the best practices are in the industry and really trying to push that forward. We’re always challenging ourselves to be the best. That’s not just lip service, but actually following through – setting goals, following up to see if we hit those goals. We demand a lot of accountability from our employees. That’s the way we manage here, and it’s worked out very well for us. 76
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DL: With the length of the season, there are sacrifices. We’re away from our families and do a tremendous amount of traveling. So we try to offer all of our employees a great worklife balance. We try to involve the families as much as we can. That’s the most difficult. BIZ: Do you have a management philosophy?
DL: I have a few management principles and philosophies, but at the end of the day what sells tickets is that first, you have to be
DL: The easy one would be winning the Super Bowl, but we have an enormous amount of power inasmuch as we are able to affect the community in positive ways. I can tell you the opening of the Superdome after our return from the evacuation from Hurricane Katrina, that night, the Steve Gleason blocked punt. I mean…It was heart-wrenching. BIZ: What do you enjoy doing most in your spare time?
DL: Spending time with family. I have two young children, and they’re just an absolute joy to be with. We try to take advantage of our time to take trips to the Gulf Coast or do a staycation in New Orleans and visit a lot of our local attractions. BIZ: Do you have hobbies?
DL: I truly love the profession of business. If I’m not at work, I’m usually reading about business, reading business magazines or searching the Internet about old businesses. I love the concept of businesses and companies and their role in society. BIZ: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
DL: When I was on the first day of the job with Arthur Andersen I had lunch with the managing partner, and I asked him the same question you just asked me. He said there will be days when you’re on the highest of highs or the lowest of lows, but the true professional is one that can stay even-keeled through everything. It was a great piece of information he passed on to me. BIZ: Who has been the biggest role model in your life? Why?
DL: Without question, Tom Benson. He is a true role model. As a businessman, he’s done truly amazing things. He’s completely self-made. He came from humble beginnings and has built a truly successful organization. He’s well into his 80s now, and has the same Photo by New Orleans Pelicans
work ethic now as he did 17 years ago when I started working here. He’s always challenging himself. He’s always challenging us to be better. He’s always looking for opportunities. But he also really cares about the community. He’s constantly giving back. I’ve seen a side of Tom Benson that a lot of people don’t get to see, and that’s the caring and giving side. When he sees something negative about New Orleans in the national press, he jumps all over it. When he sees a company considering leaving, he’s the first one to pick up the phone, make the call and ask them to stay invested in New Orleans. He truly cares. If you look at his calendar, he’s got more charitable events planned now than at any other time in his life. He does it because he knows it’s important. BIZ: What might someone be surprised to know about you?
DL: I don’t like crowds. For a guy whose job it is to sell crowds, who wants to see large crowds, one of the best things I like doing is getting away once in a while and going to a museum or someplace where it’s really quiet. I’m in big crowds more than 100 times a year, so it’s nice to get away. BIZ: If you weren’t working in pro sports, what would you like to be doing instead?
DL: I think about that all of the time. I started my career working for a public accounting firm, so I’d probably be with a public accountPhotos by New Orleans Pelicans and Michael C. Hebert/New Orleans Saints
ing firm. Regardless, I’d hope I’d give it my all, take pride in it, be successful and help the organization accomplish its goals. BIZ: What’s it like to be a native and serve as president of the Saints?
DL: It’s a dream come true, to be perfectly honest with you. My friends and family were always gigantic Saints fans. I listened to and watched the games as much as I could when I was a kid. I went to the University of Alabama for undergraduate school and missed the heck out of not going to or being able to watch all of those games. I think I have a neat perspective as president since I began as a fan. I know how much the Saints mean to the community. A lot of people who have my position with other teams are not from the city in which they’re working, but I have a real feel for how much the fans love our teams. To be quite honest with you, that goes into every big decision we have to make, whether it be ticket or concession prices. Whatever it is, the conversation here is always about the fans and what it means for them. It’s vitally important to me that we always keep our eye to what the fans want, what our fans’ expectations are and how we can achieve them. We want to deliver the best product we can. n
Vital Stats: Name: Dennis Lauscha Age: 45 Hometown: New Orleans Family: Wife, Jennifer; son, Patrick, 10; daughter, Evy, 7 Education: Jesuit High School, New Orleans; University of Alabama, bachelor’s degree in business; Loyola University of New Orleans, master’s of business administration; the NFL Managers Program at Stanford University’s Executive Education Graduate School of Business; licensed Certified Public Accountant Honors: 2014 Distinguished American Award, Allstate Sugar Bowl Chapter of the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame; Alumnus of the Year, Loyola University of New Orleans’ College of Business; Young Leadership Council 2010 Class of Role Models. Community Involvement: Visiting Committee of the Loyola University School of Business; NBA’s Team Advisory Council of Presidents; NBA All-Star Game Host Committee; Stuart Hall School Board of Trustees; Louisiana Museum Foundation Board. He has previously served as board president of the Preservation Resource Center, president of the regional chapter of the Boy Scouts of America and as a member of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Blight Transition New Orleans Task Force and of the Super Bowl XLVII Host Committee. BizNewOrleans.com December 2014
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Events Inaugural WELL Building Symposium
BGR Excellence in Government Awards
Oct. 20, 2014
Oct. 21, 2014
Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans
Westin Canal Place, New Orleans
Dedicated to improving human health and well-being through the built environment, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) held its firstever WELL Building Symposium Oct. 20. The symposium brought together professionals in design, real estate and construction to discuss wellness in real estate through a full day of programming, workshops and keynote presentations.
Established in 1994, the BGR Excellence in Government Awards recognizes government employees for outstanding performance and creative problem solving. Among the winners were Robert Becker, CEO of New Orleans City Park; James Ruckert, CFO of Port of New Orleans; Thomas Stone, fire chief for Bernard Parish; and Michael Teachworth, founder of StopTheTolls.org.
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1. Tom Gubanc, Cindy Vallina and Michael Roizen. 2. Drew Brees 3. Onno Zwaneveld, Casey Craig and Jeremy Bowman
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1. Andy Kopplin, Jared Munster, Katherine Cain and Charles West 2. Janet Howard and Bob Becker 3. Merritt Lane, James Ruckert, Thomas Stone and Kelly Duncan
Jefferson Chamber of Commerce
St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce
Breakfast Featuring Dennis Lauscha, Oct. 24, 2014
Luncheon featuring Dr. Loren C. Scott, Oct. 28, 2014
Royal Palm, Harvey
Tchefuncta Country Club, Covington
President of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans Dennis Lauscha spoke at a breakfast for the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. Lauscha is entering his 17th season with the Saints and has served as president of the Pelicans since 2012. In addition to his roles with both organizations, he also wears many hats within other Tom Benson holdings, including FOX affiliate WVUE-TV.
Louisiana economist and professor emeritus at Louisiana State University Dr. Loren C. Scott presented his “Louisiana Economic Outlook� Oct. 28, just in time for local business leaders to create budgets and strategies for 2015.
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1. Alex Aldrich, David Barback and Lisa Jennings 2. Dennis Lauscha 3. Mike Stanfield, Michelle Dugas and Robert Bonnaffons
1. Rick Danielson, Elizabeth Manshel and Larry Manshel 2. Dr. Loren C. Scott 3. Sakari Morrison, Shelby LaSalle and Lacey Toledano
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Behind the Scenes
Golden Pipes
Once upon a time, the sounds of a calliope would echo out across New Orleans - drawing those near and far to the city’s riverfront. One hundred years later, the call remains the same. Three times a day for the past 25 years, Debbie Fagnano has climbed atop the Steamboat NATCHEZ to play the 32-note steam pipe organ - signaling that another cruise will soon begin. The NATCHEZ celebrates its 40th anniversary in April 2015. In 2013, the iconic steamboat carried 304,000 passengers - a number expected to have increased significantly in 2014. Are you “in that number?” With special Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve cruises, a steamboat cruise is sure to add a little local flair to your holidays. SteamboatNatchez.com 80
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