March 2019

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WENDY PICOU HEADS UP HER FAMILY’S DONUT LEGACY

SHAWN BOURGEOIS

SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN IN BUSINESS

MAR 2019

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE |

MARCH 2019 • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 3

TABLE OF

CONTENTS PUBLISHER

Brian Rushing

04

GOVERNMENT UPDATE

The Financial Case for Recreation Reform in West and North Terrebonne Parish

06

OIL AND GAS UPDATE

08

MILESTONES AT THE MALL

11

Supply cut could lead to higher prices Dawn Becker manages one of the largest retail stores in Houma.

FLETCHER EXPANDS, PLACES EDUCATION FIRST

Dr. Kristine Strickland creates a learning haven at Fletcher.

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WOMEN LONG A POWER BEHIND THE DONUTS

Wendy Picou shares her expertise in the donut world.

17 20 24 27

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Foundations being laid; wage gap persists

ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE

Shawn Bourgeois faces challenges head-on.

MOVERS & SHAKERS News Briefs

ON THE AGENDA

Corporate calendar of events

EDITORIAL Bonnie Rushing EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mary Ditch MANAGING EDITOR

Casey Gisclair MANAGING EDITOR

Drew Miller CONTRIBUTING WRITER

John DeSantis CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CREATIVE Amber Duplantis SENIOR DESIGNER Paul Guidry GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Nicholas Boutte GRAPHIC DESIGNER

ADVERTISING Deanne Ratliff SALES MANAGER Harold Cancienne, Linda Pontiff, Mike Woods, Lanie Roberts, Emily Rini

DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Monica Harrison

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

A

s I sit down to write to you this month, we are celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8. This day focuses on celebrating women’s achievements across the globe.

This year’s theme is Balance for Better, discussing the need for a more gender-balanced world.

In this month’s edition, we sit down with four women in very different industries to talk about what it’s like to sit in a position of power at the table.

Dawn Becker has been in a management role at Southland Mall for 20 of the mall’s 50 years. Currently the general manager, Dawn shares what her day to day looks like in the area’s largest shopping center.

Dr. Kristine Strickland has always believed in furthering yourself through education. As Chancellor of Fletcher Technical

Michelle Ortego

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Community College, she helps to pave the way for students to earn their education.

While the business bears her beloved father’s name, Wendy Picou is the worker bee behind Mr. Ronnie’s Hot Donuts. One of the co-owners along with her siblings, Wendy is happy to share her take on the donut business.

Shawn Bourgeois finds herself in the heavily male-dominated field of oil and gas. Serving as the Quality Manager at B&B Rentals and Manufacturing, Shawn faces challenges headon and believes in continually improving, whether it’s your business or in life in general.

The number of Louisiana women-owned businesses has doubled over the past 20 years according to reports from American Express. Roughly 144,600 Louisiana businesses are owned by women. I think we are headed in the right direction for women achieving more in the business world.

Bonnie Rushing

Kimberly Ross

CONTACT Publisher: publisher@rushing-media.com Editorial: editor@bayoubusinessmonthly.com Sales: sales@rushing-media.com

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Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphics content in any manner is prohibited.

Bayou Business Monthly is published monthly by Rushing Media.

MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

Here in the Bayou Region, it’s not uncommon to see women working alongside men and in positions of power and ownership within their own companies in industries such as the oilfield, real estate and health care.

OFFICE/CIRCULATION MANAGER

3

GOVERNMENT UPDATE |

BY MICHAEL BERGERON, RECREATION 2/3 BOARD MEMBER

THE FINANCIAL CASE FOR

RECREATION REFORM IN WEST AND NORTH

TERREBONNE PARISH T

MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

his is not about all the improvements that have been done already. I express my sincere appreciation to Parish President Dove and the Parish Council for all the action they have undertaken over the last year to make improvements in the recreation system.

There are really too many to list and the point of this article is not to list all the things that have been done, but to discuss a matter that has not been addressed by all those improvements - completing the Bayou Country Sports Park located between HWY 311 and Valhi Extension.

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My background and how I got involved in Rec 2/3 Governance My name is Michael Bergeron. I am Louisiana licensed Certified Public Accountant. I own and operate a CPA firm with offices in Houma and Thibodaux. In May of 2018, I was one of nine new appointees to Terrebonne Recreation District 2/3.

We got started with new Rec 2/3 Board meetings in June 2018. In our first meeting, the long-time director announced his retirement in a letter to the Board. He was gone

by July. We had numerous issues to tackle and no administrative support. Our Board had to quickly get up to speed on purchasing rules, employment rules, public bid rules, etc. In stark comparison to larger organizations, new Board members have to do most of this stuff themselves. Shortly after we were appointed, we conducted a planning retreat, prioritized our spending plan and hired a new executive director. We held town-hall type planning meetings that were, to my disappointment, sparsely attended. We set up a loose “committee” structure that allowed a group of Board members to meet privately to get a handle on construction, finance, personnel, etc.

As the end of the year approached, I decided that I could not longer serve as Board chairman, so I decided to not place my name in the hat. Happily, Mr. Jeff Teuton was able to take over as chairman.

Where we are now?

As of the January meeting, I am no longer the Chairman. At our last meeting in February, which I missed because my older son flew in that day after living a year away in Arizona, our Board unanimously passed a motion to ask voters if they will support a 10-year renewal of the 5-mil property tax which supports Rec 2/3’s mission. That mission is to build and maintain recreational facilities and parks in the recreation district. If I were present at that meeting, I would have supported that vote.

A lot of supporters of Recreation Reform ask me why I would have supported that tax.

The people who oppose consolidation seem to view the passage of TPR’s 2.2 mil property tax on the December ballot as an endorsement of the status quo and that renewal of the 5 mil Rec 2/3 as another endorsement. I view the renewal of Rec 2/3’s 5-mil tax as a separate issue from rec reform for a simple reason. Rec 2/3’s 5-mil tax, which brings in about $255,000 per mil - is an operational renewal. It will not get the rest of Bayou Country Park built. The Bayou Country Park is a much larger issue that one Recreational district

CANNOT handle on its own.

This realization was formed after months of being involved with the District at a very granular level. I’ve seen all the underlying details, signed checks to the vendors, seen the employees’ pay, observed their duties and benefits, dealt with consultants, etc. No way is that $1.2 million Rec 2/3 collects each year going to be enough to deal with the scope and cost of the Bayou Country Sports Park construction.

I set forth on a financial analysis of not only Rec 2/3 but also of adjacent Rec Districts – Rec 9, Rec 1, and Rec 8. Those districts are all within a couple of miles of the BCSP. I looked at where we are in terms of completion of the BCSP and how we could possibly collect enough to get to completion. I was searching for how many dollars the public was paying already towards recreation to determine how much might be available to be repurposed to help fund the BCSP. Why is one rec district charged with responsibility for a $28 million project?

Former Parish President Michel Claudet would be the best person to answer that question. I think the short answer is this – the Park is located inside the boundary of Rec 2/3. The bigger question is this – with the $3 million in its fund balance and a potential $1.9 million in state capital outlay dollars (which is far from a sure thing) and potential sales proceeds of the front portion of the MLK property of an optimistic $1.5 million, how is Rec 2/3 going to fund construction of a further $14+ million? The answer is clear as day – it cannot.

Should we go into debt to finance the construction of the Bayou Country Park?

Since Rec 2/3 does not have money in the bank or any other reliable sources to draw from, segregating our tax collection into funds for operating and capital projects is needed. Even the most optimistic operating assumption – that the District can operate on about $600,000 per year – leaves only $600K per year to spend on capital projects. How do you tackle those projects when almost every feature of phase 3 of BCSP costs more than $600K? The answer in government is that you borrow money and pledge a portion of your tax collection to re-paying the debt. Rec District 2/3 has a several other parks in its portfolio-Broadmoor, MLK, Westgate, Summerfield, Rozands, the Skate Park among others. Those places will need improvements too, slides will break, new equipment will be needed. If we tie up all of Rec 2/3’s capital outlay for repaying bonds, the other parks will deteriorate. No one wants to see that.

We are facing a $13 million shortfall. A mil in each district collects differing amounts depending on the assessed values of properties within each district. Rec 2/3 collects the highest amount of tax per mil due to the large concentration of businesses in its boundary. Collectively, all four districts identified collect

approx. $455K per mil. Three mils would be enough to generate $1.365 million per year which could be dedicated to a bond issue which could in turn produce proceeds of approximately $13 million which should be enough to complete the park. The 3-mil tax collection would be used to pay back the bonds principal and interest each year for about 10 years. I’d propose a sunset on that tax after 10 years.

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What are some options for a Path to Completion of BCSP? The options for funding BCSP as I see them are as follows: 1. Consolidate districts 1, 2/3, 8 and 9 and level the tax among all the districts to 8 mills with approx. 3 mills in the new consolidated district dedicated to debt service. 3 mills will bring in about 1.365 million per year, so the numbers may need to be tweaked. There will be a re-assessment in 2020 so 3 mils might be enough. Place an expiration on the 3 mills after the debt is retired or 10 years, whichever is first.

2. Do not consolidate and have a ballot initiative to raise a special debt service millage on just R23 to 5.7 mills (in addition to the current 5 mills needed for operations) – so 10.7 mills would be the total assessed on property owners just in 23.

Place an expiration on the 5.7 mills after 10 years or the debt is retired, whichever is first.

3. Get the council to create a special debt service taxing district to create a special tax election over Rec Districts 1,8,9, 2/3 and 10 imposing a 3-mil tax on this special purpose district. Place an expiration on the 3.0 mills after 10 years or when the debt is retired, whichever is first.

4. Do nothing and this project will languish, with smaller pieces being built as we go from cash flows. Phase 3 will need to be scaled back substantially.

Under options 1, 2 and 3 – the park can be completed in 3 to 4 years as envisioned and designed. Rec 2/3 has (tentatively) enough for phase 2, but nowhere close to enough for phase 3.

There is almost enough money being collected within the 4 districts now to make this a reality, but it cannot be pledged to debt because it is being collected by 4 districts and each district has certain caveats that they have placed on their collection. For instance, Rec 9’s millage does not allow the money collected to be “spent outside” Rec 9 district. Action is required on the part of the Parish Council and our elected and appointed leaders to chart a course to completion.

Timing for dealing with this is crucial. Much momentum will be felt this year (20192020) at the park. My advice is to not let it languish – finish it and honor Terrebonne residents with a first class completed facility. Much of the dollars needed for this are being collected already through recreation district millage, we just need to be able to consolidate them and pledge them to bond funding. We could get this done in a few years, but action is required to make that a reality. We need all four districts to participate so all the dollars being collected can be leveraged to create the maximum impact.

I think the least costly of the three options is option 1. Consolidate four of the Rec districts and enact 5 mills to operations and 3 mills to debt service. Sunset the 3 mils after 10 years or the debt is re-paid. I know some oppose consolidation, so I figured a way to accomplish this without consolidation, I just think it is costlier and will not result in a shared vision for parks and recreation. That’s really what I think we need, a shared vision, not the parochial mindset of “I know what’s best for my district.” Frankly, no one really knows what Rec district they are in unless they look at their property tax bill. The proposed consolidation area is pretty homogeneous. We shop at the same stores, we attend rec events together, we need to pull together and share in the cost of this community asset together.

As soon as one of the four districts incur indebtedness on its own, consolidation plans are sunk unless there is some sort of bond refunding and replacement with a new consolidation bond issue – which would be not so smart considering the cost of floating a bond issue. I urge everyone to seriously consider this proposal in the cooperative spirit it is offered. I have NO political motivation or aspiration – I just want to see the BCSP built the way it was envisioned, and I want to see it soon.

TAMCO

5

OIL & GAS |

BY CASEY GISCLAIR

SUPPLY CUT COULD LEAD TO

MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

HIGHER PRICES

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T

he price of oil has been like a roller coaster for the past year with ups, then downs in a constant cycle.

But in the past month, the roller coaster has hit a mostly calm patch with prices at $55/barrel to start February and prices at $56.62 at press-time in early March — with very few significant increases or decreases for the past month.

Will this calm patch last?

It’s not likely.

History shows that oil prices rarely are consistent and recent politics show that a drastic change may be on the way.

Oil experts stressed this month that they’re closely tracking the decisions of OPEC in regards to how it’ll handle production cuts on the global market.

OPEC originally said that it would review global supply in April to make a decision on how cuts were impacting the market in lieu of Iranian and Venezuelan oil being taken from the global market.

But they’ve since had an about-face and have pushed back that deadline to June to be able to better evaluate the market and what’s needed going forward into the future.

Further cuts could decrease the supply glut that’s kept prices lower than folks locally want. If that happens, prices could go north and quickly.

If the production cuts are lifted, prices could sink — an unknown future, but one which will play out in the coming weeks.

“There is uncertainty in the future

market,” Benjamin Lu with Phillip Futures told pool reporters earlier this month.

“Forecasts generally show there will be continued cuts which would support an increase. But there are other factors in play that could change the outlook day-by-day.”

Data collected by investment banking company Goldman Sachs supports a price hike in the coming weeks.

Goldman’s commodity Chief Jeffrey Currie told national media in early March that OPEC’s cuts were going to remove the “excessive oil” from the global supply in the coming months — a move which would cause the price to trickle upward heading toward the summer.

In recent months, global supply has gone down — both by design and also due to

sanctions on Iran and Venezuela. But price has struggled to take a significant upward tilt because global supply has also been down, as well.

But if the supply drain continues, the cuts will exceed demand soon, according to data collected by Sachs, which will impact price.

Currie said $70/barrel oil would be the price point he expected to see soon.

Business leader Barclays also agreed with that in an early March report, stating that $70/barrel will be soon coming.

“We retain our more bullish view of $70 (barrel oil) for the year,” their report reads.

So if experts all over the industry are thinking that conditions are favorable for a price increase, why is there such a lack of

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PRODUCTION OPERATORS a trade deal with China, which could impact the global economy and have a direct impact on demand.

But while Trump’s words and tweets have some on edge, Barclays officials said they believe OPEC still holds the cards.

If it continues to cut supply after that June meeting, the price will follow — regardless of what President Trump wants.

He remains a supporting character in this, they say, though they admit that his actions do cause a lot of the fog in the long-term forecast.

“The biggest source of uncertainty for oil markets this year is not the United States.

It’s OPEC’s response to United States policy decisions,” the company says in its report.

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certainty about the future?

It’s simple: politics.

OPEC has its own agendas for global price, but United States President Donald Trump has his own ideas, too, which often conflict with those of OPEC. President Trump has been outspoken in the recent weeks about his desire for prices to be as low as possible, calling cheaper oil a “tax cut” for the American people because they then pay less at the pump for gas.

Trump supports a larger oil supply globally and a lot of the increases have come from the United States where shale production has increased significantly in the past several years.

Trump also is attempting to hammer out

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

MILESTONES

8

AT THE MALL

The Virtual Academy of Lafourche

DAWN BECKER MANAGES ONE OF OUR

LARGEST RETAIL LOCATIONS

BY MARY DITCH

S

owned small businesses. Shopping malls are continually evolving and finding their place. Becker finds that a more diverse hybrid is taking the place of the traditional shopping mall, where it’s not just retail alone anymore, but a community that supports the efforts of its branches.

“You never really know what one day is going to look like from the next,” smiled Becker. “If I was a CPA, I’d walk into my office, I’d know exactly what my day entails and where I was on my to do list. It really isn’t like that here. I think that’s made it great because you can kind of have that variety. There’s not a whole lot of boredom to the job cause it’s all this diversity in the day to day aspects. I used to joke when I first started, that when you get that three o’clock lull, I can just go walk around the mall. I can go grab a pretzel and I’m still technically doing my job!”

As a woman in charge of the large property, Becker said that she hopes she is like the other women bosses that she has had in the extent that she feels women are more “team effort” oriented, that it’s more of a collaboration.

“I don’t want it to feel like ‘this is your box’ and ‘this is your specific job’,” shared Becker. “Everyone comes together, more in a group effort, versus ‘my job’ or ‘your job.’

Things get done faster with this approach.”

As Southland Mall celebrates the big “5-0”, Becker looks back at what having

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

outhland Mall has been a local treasure in our community for 50 years. The first shopping mall of its kind in our area, the mall has been a shopping destination for generations.

But did you know the true hidden jewel of the mall sits just upstairs, keeping a watchful eye on both tenants and customers?

Dawn Becker has been a part of Southland Mall for the past 20 years, first as marketing director and now as general manager, running the day to day of the shopping giant.

After graduating with her MBA from Nicholls State University, Houma resident Becker applied for various positions out of college, eventually becoming the marketing director for a smaller mall in Hammond. After 10 months or so, the marketing director position at Southland Mall opened up. Becker applied for the position and got it, which allowed her to move back home to Houma. She served as marketing director for seven years before becoming the general manager. As the most senior staff member on the team, she just moved into the higher position with ease.

“You start to get involved in other aspects outside of your position, then as people leave, you take on those responsibilities,” shared Becker. “I just feel like its destiny. I was the next senior person so I just transitioned from marketing to management.”

Being a part of Southland Mall is unique for all those involved, especially management. Southland Mall is 600,000 square feet and currently houses 70 tenants, most of which are independently

Attention parents of all school age children residing in Lafourche Parish looking for an individualized, f lexible educational setting for their children.

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

a shopping mall of this size means to the area.

“We’re very fortunate to have a mall of this size here in our community,” she shared. “It’s important to shop local, and more than just to help keep our tax dollars local – it’s about employing the hardworking people that we do. The mall is a

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starting place for so many careers, with high school and college age individuals all getting their start working at the mall.”

The weekend of March 22-24 will be a huge celebration, marking the 50-year milestone for Southland Mall. Community activities planned include: the launch of a farmers’ market with local produce; a

mural contest on existing wall space; a Super kids Club Event; a $1000 shopping spree giveaway; meet and greet with the Disney Channel’s Isaak Presley, who plays Ethan Diaz on “Stuck in the Middle”; and a pet adoption fair through the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter with all adoption fees sponsored by Southland Mall.

“It’s surreal to think I’ve been here 20 years,” said Becker. “It barely feels like five.

It’s ever changing and that keeps it different.

Some days you come up with a cool event and others you help someone find their car in the parking lot. It’s a balance.”

•

FLETCHER EXPANDS PLACING EDUCATION FIRST DR. KRISTINE

STRICKLAND CREATES A LEARNING HAVEN AT FLETCHER

BY DREW MILLER

F

MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

letcher Technical Community College continues to grow and evolve (looking to break ground on a new building at their campus in Schriever this year and continuously expanding their program) under the watch of Dr. Kristine Strickland, who has always put education and students first since she took over as chancellor three years ago.

This comes as no surprise, as Dr. Strickland has been an educational leader since she was a young child.

“I grew up always wanting to play school and make kids do homework…I was that kid in the neighborhood. I was real popular; I'm sure you can imagine,” the Ohio native laughed. “I always wanted to be a teacher. I always admired my teachers coming up all the way through school.”

Originally wanting to teach high school English while getting her bachelors from Ohio University, as Dr. Strickland continued her education, she gained more appreciation of

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

student life in higher education and took on administrative roles.

Moving to Louisiana in 1993 to take on the Residence Hall Director position at Tulane University, she later went on to have an illustrious and celebrated career in Louisiana higher education serving as Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Development at Our Lady of Holy Cross College; Vice President for Student Services and Student Financial Assistance with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System; and Executive Dean for the West Bank Campus at Delgado Community College—where she also was the head of the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

Prior to being chancellor of Fletcher, she was the Dean of Students at the college for a few years and later returned when the position of chancellor opened. “It was an institution that I had really enjoyed

and loved working at, and I loved the community,” Dr. Strickland said on the decision to return.

During her journey through the various colleges she held such high positions in, Dr. Strickland said, she always has been afforded the opportunities to break barriers.

She goes in headfirst—which she attributes to her big personality and growing up with five older brothers.

While in graduate school, the university chose her to be the first woman hall director of an all-male residence hall. “It [breaking barriers] has been wonderful for me in terms of my own development,” she explained.

Although she has had many ups as a woman pioneer in higher education, Dr. Strickland noted it has also come with its fair share of adversity. “Earlier in my career I worked at an institution where I wore a pantsuit and was told by somebody in the

organization that I would never advance because I wore pants,” she remembered.

“I was in a meeting, sort of earlier in my career. I was the only woman in the room, and the men in the room kept interrupting me mid-sentence. And I would sit dutifully,” Dr. Strickland also recalled. “Then, a couple meetings later, and I was back in the same room with the same group. One of the men was talking and I interrupted him and he stopped the meeting and said, ‘I cannot believe that you dared to interrupt me.’ What was interesting about it was, I don't even think he realized that they continually did that to me…”

Dr. Strickland, however, was never scared of adversity and always persevered because of her love of higher education and betterment of student life.

“Find your passion,

pursue it with your heart, and you'll be successful. Don't be afraid to take risks. Don't be afraid to get outside of your comfort zone,” she said for aspiring women in all fields. “I look around every day and see women breaking more and more barriers.”

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

The donut shop that is a household word in the Bayou Region bears the name of a man. But long before equal opportunity for women was a “thing” the family business made use of all its members regardless of gender. And while “Mr. Ronnie” Picou held the throne of Houma Donut King, his wife and daughter played a key role in the company’s success and continue to do so.

“We each have our own little part,” said Wendy Picou, the 53-year-old coowner of Mr. Ronnie’s Hot Donuts on Tunnel Boulevard, a business expanding this week into the St. Charles Parish community of Boutte. Her role in the family business began in 2005, and she has worked hard at it ever since.

Critical injuries suffered when she was struck by an automobile have, she acknowledges, slowed down her body. But the physical issues have not shaken her enthusiasm.

“I have done everything,” she said. “Hiring, ordering, operations, managing and some payroll,” Wendy said, when asked about her share of the duties.

“My mom still does a lot of the bookwork.”

Brother Kellen Picou’s talents tend toward the systems used in the operations, Wendy said, and her brother Bud is unmistakably the outfit’s donut man.

But Wendy’s jack-of-all-trades role extends to many different areas, although

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

she herself is modest about her contributions. Like her mother and siblings, Wendy finds it hard to talk about the business without paying proper homage to her father, whose vision while operating a Tastee Donut franchise on Barrow Street years ago for restauranteur Al Copeland led eventually to the opening of the Tunnel Boulevard site and its mouth-watering offerings.

The Terrebonne High School graduate says she owes every positive attribute she has to her parents.

“I am so honored,” she said. “I feel like I am privileged to have had a dad that worked so hard and taught us how to work. My mom has taught us the fine details of everything. This lady, she is a genius at what she does. She pays attention to every single detail.”

A key area of Wendy’s responsibilities involves the hired help. She is the first to acknowledge that neither herself nor any other personnel manager can be right all the time. But she tries hard -- without a crystal ball -- to determine how applicants will work out on the job. Because the business is family owned, employees are required to guard the Mr. Ronnie’s reputation for quality and cleanliness by being self-starters.

“The donut business is so unique and different, especially our donut business,” Wendy said. “Someone can be really good in an interview and you think they are going to do a good job but they don’t. Some people I hire on the idea that they may turn out okay and they turn out to be awesome.”

Common sense, Wendy says, is what she looks for in employees once they are on the job, along with the ability to work hard and not wait to be told what has to be done.

“When you see something that needs to be done, you do it because it needs to be done,” Wendy explained. “If there’s an empty pan of donuts, refill it. The counter

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is dirty, let me clean it. Some people just walk right by. Our motto is ‘quality, service and friendliness.’”

Devotion to the needs of customers and well-displayed courtesy, therefore, is another big requirement for people who remain working under Wendy on the Mr. Ronnie’s team.

“People have to ask ‘what can I get for you’, it’s the personal touches that they bring, each employee, to give the customer service,” Wendy said. “We don’t need people who have robotics. You are more than that when you are here. We want to keep the ones that care, who know the proper way to box and bag the donuts. Everything is important, from making the coffee to making the donuts and everything in between.”

Wendy said what she and other members of the family management team expect of employees is nothing less than what they expect of themselves.

A few Mondays ago, on Lundi Gras, Wendy worked the full graveyard shift meeting crushing needs from hungry Carnival revelers. The work was hard and she was tired as can be imagined on Fat Tuesday. Nonetheless, she said, she wouldn’t trade the good feelings that come from a job well done. This Carnival season was bittersweet as it was the first year she and other relatives worked without the presence of their patriarch and mentor.

“There were some tears,” she acknowledged, before giving a final assessment of the dedication she shares with other family members.

“We have always been hands on and none of us would do it differently,” Wendy said. “We care. This is our family business and it is my dad’s name and legacy that we want to keep alive.”

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS:

BY JOHN DESANTIS

B

usiness leaders say programs are in place to increase employment and management opportunities for women in local workforces.

But census numbers indicate a persistent gap in wages between men and women based on cold data from the year 2016, the latest available.

The average male salary in Terrebonne Parish is listed as $67,454 annually, while the

average for women stands at $33,018. That translates to male employees earning 2.04 times the salaries earned by females. The types of jobs held by each set of workers varies, which analysts say could indicate why the disparity is so high. A disproportionate number of women tend to work one or more jobs in service industries, rather than high-paid management positions. This is the case, statistics indicate, even though women have a slight edge over men in

graduation rates from local high schools.

In Lafourche -- whose figures are joined with those in Assumption Parish -- the gap is a little smaller. The average male salary according to the most recent numbers was $62,913 compared to $34,896 for women.

That means that in 2016, full-time male employees in Lafourche and Assumption parishes made 1.8 times more than female employees.

Historically male-dominated industries

related to the Bayou Region’s oil-and gas services may have another effect. Hard work is being done -- and has been done over a half decade especially -- to boost the potentials for women to earn more and to have greater choices.

The South Central Industrial Association and the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce are among the organizations that are doing what they can to make a difference.

MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

FOUNDATIONS BEING LAID; WAGE GAP PERSISTS

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

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NICOL BLANCHARD, CEO HOUMA-TERREBONNE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

“They need to get away from this, it’s a guy thing. It’s not a guy thing. You can become an engineer. You can become a truck driver, a CDL.” - Jane Arnette

parishes, Hewitt has generously involved herself in programs that are having an effect on girls in the Bayou Region, including Terrebonne, by providing strong example and inspiration.

Other signs of change, Blanchard said, can be seen through what she perceives as an increase in chamber membership among women.

Although hard data is not currently available, Blanchard said she has observed greater numbers of women joining up because of their entrepreneurial businesses.

SCIA’s former president, Jane Arnette, continues to give encouragement to young women seeking careers in local industry.

“Women need to know, it’s okay, you can become an engineer. It’s not a guy thing,” Arnette said. “They need to get away from this, it’s a guy thing. It’s not a guy thing. You can become an engineer. You can become a truck driver, a CDL.” Blanchard said the program not only raises awareness but also promotes female empowerment for the young girls attending. She said that Females Fueling can have future benefits to companies and women who end up entirely separated from the energy sector.

“It’s about showing these girls women in the energy industry and showing them what’s possible. Even if they don’t work in oil and gas, maybe they’ll think, if they can do that, I can do something else I want to,” Blanchard said.

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Although just in her first year as Chamber CEO, Nicol Blanchard said more women are taking a leadership role in such programs.

“We are trying to grow within the region and have been doing it for about five years through the local school systems,” Blanchard said.

A program called “Females Fueling Our Workforce” has featured female executives who visit schools and show girls how they have succeeded in what is acknowledged as a male-dominated world.

“They talk about how they balance life and family and are still successful,” said Blanchard, noting that the program has spread the word to girls in Terrebonne, Lafourche, Assumption, St. Mary and St. John parishes.

One speaker who has received particularly enthusiastic reception is Sharon Hewitt, now a state senator for Louisiana’s 1st Senatorial District, but who has amassed a portfolio of civic and community leadership, in particular as a pioneer in the oil-and-gas industry. She managed major deep-water assets in the Gulf of Mexico for Shell and ahs been recognized within the industry as an innovative problem-solver.

As a mother, she never flagged from devoting energy to her children, involving herself with the PTA and other organizations.

During the 2016 legislative sessions, Hewitt received national awards for her contributions to business. Although her district covers northshore communities including Covington and Slidell, as well as portions of Orleans and Plaquemines

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hen Houma native Shawn Bourgeois entered the workforce after graduating from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in marketing, she didn’t see herself as co-owner and quality manager for a highly successful oilfield-related rentals and manufacturing company.

But with her adaptability, willingness to learn and improve and positive can-do attitude, she can flourish in any environment— including the heavily male-dominated oil and gas industry.

Before Bourgeois joined her now husband Lyle’s company— B&B Rentals and Manufacturing—she worked her way up another local oilfield company, where she gained the necessary knowledge to run B&B. The local business B&B Rentals and Manufacturing offers Gulf-compliance-standard equipment rentals, precision manufacturing and quality torquing for companies in the oilfield.

After starting off at B&B doing accounting, Bourgeois accepted the challenge of becoming quality manager as well.

“I really enjoyed the accounting side of the business the most, but when asked to step up and run the quality department, I took on the challenge,” said Bourgeois. “It is a totally different animal than accounting; the hardest thing to learn was that it is an ongoing challenge…It is about continually improving your processes and procedures, which is a good lesson in life: Never stop improving.”

Bourgeois said the people she gets to work with and the relationships she has built with those people and their families

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over the years are what she enjoys most about her job.

“I like the fact that I wear many hats and get to be involved in all aspects of the business,” she added.

Although she truly loves what she does, there are difficulties that come with the position—but she never shies away and positively faces them head-on.

“There are always challenges in running a company from front door to the back, but particularly when in the Quality Manager role, I usually have to deal with the negative issues that come up,” Bourgeois explained.

“The Quality Manager is usually the one that people try to avoid. I try to keep a positive attitude and let employees know that complaints and non-conformances are opportunities for improving our service to the customers and improving our operations within.”

As far as being a woman in the oil and gas industry, Bourgeois feels it has never set her back.

“Women thrive in some qualities that men can lack and vice versa, so I believe we all complement each

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other…” she expressed. “I really do believe that the only thing holding a woman back is herself. Look at all the successful women in this world today.”

“The challenge is not being a woman I think, the challenge is the ever changing regulations and standards in the industry,” she added.

With Bourgeois’ attention to detail and industry regulations while being quality manager–as well as still doing some accounting for the company—she has helped B&B grow and prosper into the successful business it is today. The company recently opened facilities in Midland, Texas.

“It gives us a chance to offer solutions to the energy market in the Permian Basin as well as the Gulf and show the growing companies out there what B&B can do for them,” Bourgeois said on the new location. “It is a challenging as well as a fun

experience that we look forward to.”

Bourgeois said she sees more growth for B&B in the future. She noted that her fellow partners constantly come up with solutions that challenge her in the quality field. She doesn’t mind, as she is eager to learn the latest innovations in the industry and to be of service to the people of her company.

When asked if she had any advice to give to other

women Bourgeois said, “Keep putting your heads in doors and asking if you can help with anything. Keep learning and assisting others, and opportunities will always open up for you.”

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS |

NEWS BRIEFS

MEYER ACHIEVES CIRCLE OF SUCCESS RECOGNITION AT AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL Thomas J. Meyer, APMA®, CFP® a Private Wealth Advisor with Meyer Financial Group, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Thibodaux, has qualified for the company’s Circle of Success annual recognition program and will be honored for this achievement in 2019.

To earn this achievement, Meyer established himself as one of the company’s top advisors. Only a select number of highperforming advisors earn this distinction. He

has 20 years of experience with Ameriprise Financial.

As a Private Wealth Advisory practice, Meyer Financial Group provides financial advice that is anchored in a solid understanding of client needs and expectations and is delivered in one-onone relationships with their clients.

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GCO WELCOMES NEW ORTHOPEDIC SPINE SURGEON Gulf Coast Orthopedics is pleased to announce the arrival of Dr. Sina Pourtaheri, MD, a fellowship-trained board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon. Dr. Pourtaheri is a native of New Orleans, having attended

medical school at Tulane University, completed his residency at Seton Hall and his spine fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic.

He is passionate about new developments in spine surgery. He has authored over 45 journal articles and 4 book chapters. Dr. Pourtaheri was a part of the orthopedic surgery department at UCSD in San Diego, Ca. prior to his move to Houma.

Dr. Pourtaheri’s interests include Shotokan Karate, snowboarding, playing the violin and running. He also founded the Tulane medical outreach to Romania program. He is excited to begin seeing patients in the Houma, Morgan City and Galliano clinics.

MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

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TFAE HONORS LOCAL VETERAN, ATTORNEY WITH HONOR OF DISTINCTION The Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence (TFAE) has named Major General Hunt Downer, Jr. as the recipient of its 2019 James J. Buquet Jr. Award of Distinction.

The award is given annually to a Terrebonne Parish public high school graduate who is recognized for vision and excellence in their chosen field or other areas of personal endeavor.

In a news release issued by TFAE, they said that Downer was chosen because he has provided service unselfishly to his community, state and nation.

Downer has been in service for decades – a long, dedicated career in the National Guard, as well as a career in politics in

addition to his job as an attorney.

He began his military career as an enlisted soldier in 1968 in the United States Army Reserve. He then joined the Louisiana Army National Guard where he ascended to become Major General.

Downer also served seven terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives, holding the positions of Speaker Pro Temp and Speaker of the House.

Today, Downer is an attorney at the firm Waitz and Downer.

“I am humbled to be recognized with this award, especially one named for Mr. Jimmy Buquet, who’s wife Mrs. Glenny with her service on the BESE board, has done more for public education and its reform than

CANCIENNE RETIRES AFTER 40+ YEARS OF MEDIA SALES Rushing Media recently announced the retirement of one of their longest tenured employees, Harold Cancienne, at the end of March 2019.

Cancienne has been in media sales his entire career, beginning with radio sales in 1978. In 1997, he joined the Guidry Group and began selling print advertising in the South Louisiana Business News. That pa-

per became the Tri-Parish Times and is on stands today as the Times of Houma-Thibodaux. Cancienne has also sold advertising for the Gumbo Entertainment Guide, The Weekly, Point of Vue magazine and Bayou Business Monthly.

In his retirement, Cancienne looks forward to playing golf, fishing and traveling with his wife Laura.

one can imagine,” Downer said. “She was an inspiration to me in my work to improve public education in Louisiana.

“My public education from Honduras Elementary, Houma Elementary, Houma

Junior High, and culminating in my graduation from Terrebonne High School in 1964 provided me with the building blocks for my future.”

•

•

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TGMC NAMES FEBRUARY EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH Terrebonne General Medical Center announced last week that Roxanne Hernandez is its Employee of the Month for February.

Hernandez is an Emergency Department Secretary II – a role she’s enjoyed for the past three years, according to TGMC. Hospital officials say that the honoree has helped tremendously during a crucial transition and continues to keep the department running smoothly with her organization, efficiency and attention to detail.

Her communication skills are signifiant as she compiles all meeting minutes with accuracy and communicates them effectively with Emergency Department staff. Hospital employees say she is approachable and is willing to listen.

Roxanne said she’s enjoyed her current role, adding that “these three years have been the best yet,” for her at the hospital.

She said she was honored to be TGMC’s employee of the month – an honor the hospital gives monthly to employees who dedicate themselves daily to showcasing the outstanding and constant commitment to the well-being of patients, their extended families and staff.

The Employee of the Month also makes

it a priority to live the TGMC mission of providing exceptional healthcare with compassion. The honoree is chosen across any department of the hospital and come from people of all experience levels.

“I am very proud to be a part of the Emergency Department team,” Hernandez said. “I have to say, it never gets boring in the department and I love all the challenges. My favorite thing about my job is having the opportunity working alongside my co-workers. They inspire me and are like family.

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Danos and Phoenix Construction broke ground for Danos’ new Permian office on Wednesday, February 21. Set on an 11.56-acre lot, south of Interstate 20 between Midland and Odessa, TX, the 20,245 square-foot building will house office and meeting space, training facilities and computer-based training stations. Additionally, the building will have a 12,522 square-foot shop, featuring drive-thru and crane bays, with space for fabrication, automation, instrumentation and electrical, coatings and hydro-testing, work.

“In the seven years we’ve been working in the Permian, our customer base has increased, and our employee number has grown to over 500. We are committed to expanding our presence in the area, and with Phoenix’s help, our new office will position us for continued growth and success,” said Danos owner Mark Danos.

“We are excited to get this project underway, and our team is set to build a quality facility for Danos here in Midland,” said Jeff Hudson, project manager for Phoenix Construction.

The new office will consolidate multiple, existing offices for Danos in the Midland/Odessa area. Construction is expected to be completed summer 2019.

“Partnering with Phoenix Construction has been a great decision for Danos thus far,” said Mark Danos. “We look forward to the new opportunities building will bring to Danos, our employees and our customers.”

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS |

NEWS BRIEFS

TGMC DOCTOR NAMED LEADING LADY

GREATER LAFOURCHE PORT COMMISSION BOARD ELECTS OFFICERS At the February 13, 2019 board meeting, the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC) board elected its officers. The board elected Harris “Chuckie” Cheramie, Jr. as President, Rodney Gisclair as Vice President, Perry Gisclair as Secretary, and John Melancon, Jr. as Treasurer.

New Port Commission President Harris “Chuckie” Cheramie said, “I appreciate the confidence that my fellow commissioners have in my ability to represent Port Fourchon and the South Lafourche Airport. I look forward to the opportunity to serve as board president and continue to guide our port and airport in a positive direction along with my fellow commissioners.”

The Port Commission are elected for six-year terms by the citizens of the 10th ward of Lafourche Parish. The executive board’s officers are nominated and elected by the board of commissioners every three years.

The board, which has jurisdiction over Port Fourchon and the South Lafourche Airport, is the only elected port commission in the state.

Terrebonne General Medical Center Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Joni Claville has been named a recipient of the Leading Lady Award - representing the Southeast region for 2019.

The Leading Lady Award Ceremony honors female business leaders who represent Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Georgia. Recipients have attained success by leading with class, character and charisma.

Dr. Claville was honored at a 3-day leadership and entrepreneurship event held in January in Baton Rouge.

“We are proud and fortunate to have such amazing leaders here at TGMC,” said Phyllis Peoples, President and CEO of TGMC.

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DANOS ACQUIRES SHAMROCK ENERGY SOLUTIONS

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MARCH 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

PAUL’S AGENCY WELCOMES NEW TALENT

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Paul’s Agency is excited to welcome new hires, Chris Rome and Laurie Oncale, to their Houma and Morgan City offices.

Chris Rome, a native of Houma and graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL), joins the Morgan City office as an Account Executive. He joined the team in February and has aspirations to grow within the company. Chris is tasked with the role of servicing existing commercial accounts, and actively seeking new, commercial business opportunities.

“What drew me to Paul’s was the opportunity to work for an agency that has such a long history of success, professionalism, and institutional knowledge. With the rapid advancement of technology as well as the generational age gap in the insurance industry, my goal is to learn from the experienced insurance professionals at Paul’s Agency and apply new methods to enhance and expand our services. As an agent, I hope to provide impactful insurance solutions to current and future clients, build upon and strengthen relationships with our carrier partners, and most importantly, to never stop learning.” said Chris.

Joining the Paul’s Agency Houma office is Laurie Oncale, a native of Baton Rouge, graduate of Louisiana State University (LSU), and now a resident of Thibodaux.

Previously, Laurie spent three years with State Farm and nearly five years with Terrebonne Insurance, totaling almost eight years of experience in the industry. Laurie is Property and Casualty, Health, and Life Insurance licensed.

As a Client Service Manager, Laurie will handle an integral aspect of the agency — client assistance. She will field inquiries from insured, underwriters, and producers, as well as assist with all renewals, endorsements, and certificates.

“As I enter this new position at Paul’s Agency, I’m excited to learn even more about this industry and advance my career alongside these talented individuals.” said Laurie.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity, and to join this growing team.”

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Danos announced last month that it has a tentative agreement to acquire Shamrock Energy Solutions.

The deal is expected to be in place in March and it will grow the Danos team to 3,200 employees as all 1,000 of Shamrock’s workers are going to be retained.

The closing is subject to remaining contingencies, according to Danos.

Shamrock is a privately-owned oilfield service company that’s been in existence for 22 years. They are based out of Houma.

“There are a lot of synergies between the companies,” Danos Owner and Executive Eric Danos said. “Both are privately owned, Louisiana-based and have a similar customer-centric, values-based approach to business.”

The acquisition will expand Danos’ portfolio service offerings – production workforce, construction, fabrication, coatings, scaffolding, automation, project management, materials management,

shorebase and logistics, and specialized consultants – adding mechanical maintenance, valve and wellhead, regulatory compliance and measurement, and power generation.

Eric Danos said this deal will allow his company to be more inclusive for its customers.

“This strategic investment allows Danos to better meet our customers’ needs through expansion of craftsmen, geographies served and service lines offered.”

Shamrock Owner and President Jeff Trahan said he’s excited to see what the Danos team can do with the business.

“Danos exemplifies many of the same family-oriented values we’ve established at Shamrock,” said Trahan. “I’m excited to see how the integration of Shamrock’s business into Danos builds upon the foundation of excellence we’ve established when I purchased the business in 2008.”

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ON THE AGENDA LUNCH-N-LEARN

The Thibodaux Chamber is hosting Lunch-N-Learn: Team Building with Coach Tim Rebowe. Join as the Nicholls Football Coach shares uplifting words. This member’s only event is $25.

March 13, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Join the Thibodaux Chamber for an evening of mingling with fellow businesses and community members at the March Business After Hours with food provided by Big Mike’s BBQ. March 14, 5-7 p.m.

BAYOU COUNTRY CHILDREN’S MUSEUM, THIBODAUX

LUNCH & LEARN

The Houma-Terrebonne Chamber hosts a Lunch and Learn by Tammy Shearer of Bourgeois Bennett CPAs. She will be discussing tax deductions, both personal and business. Lunch is optional for $10 per guest.

March 15, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

HOUMA CHAMBER OFFICE

SCIA MEETING

Join SCIA at their monthly meeting featuring guest speaker Rick Tallant of Shell, Vice President Production, GOM Deepwater.

March 19, 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, HOUMA

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON

Join the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber for their monthly membership luncheon featuring our local area delegation. Admission is $25/member and $30 for nonmembers. Registration deadline is March 20.

March 26, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, HOUMA

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Business After Hours is held each month for Chamber members and their employees to enjoy food, drinks and door prizes while networking.

March 28, 5 – 7 p.m.

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BIG LUNCHEON

The Bayou Industrial Group hosts their monthly luncheon with guest speaker Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser.

April 1, noon BAYOU COUNTRY CLUB, THIBODAUX

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