The Health Issue

FREE MILK DEPOT OPENS AT OCHSNER ST. ANNE

THIBODAUX REGIONAL CONTINUES EXPANSION

TGMC ADDS ENHANCEMENTS FOR ITS PATIENTS

ADDING ADVANCEMENTS IN HEALTHCARE

THE HEALTH ISSUE

NOV 2019

PRESORT STD US POSTAGE PAID HOUMA, LA PERMIT NO. 17

More Cancer Doctors. Better Quality Care.

Greater Patient Satisfaction.

NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

We take our role as the leader in cancer care seriously

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which is why we have more doctors to fight more types of cancer for the very best outcomes.

Doctors who are here everyday to help you fight cancer and win. If you need to battle cancer, these are the experts you want on your team.

Left to Right: Dr. Gerardo Arias, Dr. Scott Hebert, Dr. Nguyen Dang, Dr. Ashish Udhrain, Dr. Omer Khokhar and Dr. Laura Chauvin. Dr. Dani Dang joining in 2020.

For more information, call: 985.493.4008.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE |

NOVEMBER 2019 • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 10

TABLE OF CONTENTS SPOTLIGHT ON: 10 14 18 21 22 25 26

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TGMC CONTINUES TO THRIVE ON THE LEADING EDGE OF HEALTHCARE THIBODAUX REGIONAL MOVING FORWARD CIS AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER BREAKING GROUND WELLFIT PROGRAM MAKING LOCALS BETTER VERSIONS OF THEMSELVES MILK DEPOT OPENS AT OCHSNER ST. ANNE HOSPITAL WORK WELL, LIVE WELL WITH TGMC WELLNESS FOR LIFE FLETCHER, LADY OF THE SEA PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST PHARMACY STUDENTS’ OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN

PUBLISHER

IN EVERY ISSUE:

SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH

Brian Rushing EDITORIAL

GOVERNMENT UPDATE

October election sees higher voter turnout

06

OIL AND GAS UPDATE

08 28 32 35

FROM THE TOP

Trump energy policy flexes its muscles

Bonnie Rushing EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mary Ditch MANAGING EDITOR

Casey Gisclair MANAGING EDITOR

Drew Miller CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CREATIVE Amber Duplantis SENIOR DESIGNER

Nicholas Boutte GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Katie Portier

BUSINESS NEWS News briefs

ADVERTISING Bonnie Rushing SALES MANAGER

Deanne Ratliff SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

MOVERS & SHAKERS Headlines and Accolades

ON THE AGENDA

Corporate calendar of events

Elise Falgout, David Gravois, Linda Pontiff

OFFICE/CIRCULATION MANAGER Michelle Ortego

CUSTOMER SERVICE Kimberly Ross

CONTACT Publisher: publisher@rushing-media.com

THE HEALTH ISSUE

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s we come to the end of 2019, the healthcare sector continues to be leading the way with advancements in every part of the field. Right here in the bayou region, individuals can find cutting-edge medical facilities and treatments in their own backyard. In this issue, we highlight the achievements of our local healthcare institutes.

Terrebonne General Medical Center continues to move forward with enhancements to facilities and new services in their heath care line-up. TGMC has added hospitalist services, Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine, orthopedic specialists, and on staff pediatricians, among others. They also can boast the success of the Community Sports Institute, Wellness for Life and Well & Wise programs.

Thibodaux Regional Health System continues to push the envelope as they expand. The Wellness Center has changed lives, pushing people in the right direction when it comes to healthy choices. They are also proudly bringing to Thibodaux a new Cancer Center, slated to open in 2020. Thibodaux Regional was also just awarded their 12th consecutive Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award.

Cardiovascular Institute of the South is starting construction on a ground-breaking Ambulatory Surgery Center. The primary focus of the center will be peripheral vascular disease. The new facility

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

will be able to meet patients’ expectations and raise their level of comfort. At the new surgery center, the institute is aiming to train cardiologists from across the country and international locations as well.

Ochsner St. Anne Hospital has proudly opened the doors of the first Milk Depot in the area, servicing the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Louisiana at Ochsner Baptist. The Milk Depot provides a secure, convenient storage place for approved milk donors to donate their breast milk for others in need.

Through a partnership with Lady of the Sea General Hospital, Fletcher Technical Community College is leading the way with hands-on education for pharmacy technician students. Students will be able to complete coursework including an externship with Lady of the Sea Community Pharmacies.

As one of the largest industries and employment sectors in our area, our healthcare providers and supporting businesses are vital to our economy and quality of life. Those leaders continue to do what it takes to stay at the forefront of new technology and healthy living. In the following pages we take a look at how they do it.

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GOVERNMENT UPDATE |

BY MARY DITCH

OCTOBER ELECTION SEES HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT HOWEVER THE NUMBERS ARE NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

STILL BELOW 50 PERCENT

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he biggest complaint after all the dust has settled from an election cycle is usually the lack of voter turnout. Voter turnout is fundamental to our democratic process. Individuals must go to the polls and cast their votes in order for their voices to be heard.

At press time, the October 2019 gubernatorial primary election has just ended.

63,196 individuals qualified to vote in that election in Terrebonne Parish, and 58,511 qualified to vote in Lafourche.

Terrebonne parish had a 44 percent voter turnout. However, this number is higher then 2015, which saw 38 percent voter turnout in Terrebonne and 41 percent in Lafourche. In Terrebonne, the 2015 election did not have a candidate for sheriff, so for more a

more accurate comparison, we look back to 2011, in which turnout was 39.9 percent.

In Terrebonne parish, the highest turnout was in Council District 6, with 54 percent of voters re-reelecting Darrin Guidry.

This was the only race to have a turnout of higher than 50 percent. Across Terrebonne parish, the highest turnout was for sheriff, with 44.6 percent turnout. Parish president race followed closely, with turnout of 43.7 percent. In Lafourche, the sheriff’s race turnout was 47.6 percent.

Statewide races in both Terrebonne and Lafouche parish fared similarly. In Lafourche, 48 percent of voters participated in voting for governor, while 45.3 percent cast a ballot in Terrebonne.

Voters head to the poll again on November 16 for the general election. Several elections are headed to runoffs. Statewide, voters can pick their candidate for governor. In Terrebonne parish, voters will

cast ballots for sheriff and Council districts 2 and 9. In Lafourche, voters will select a parish president, district judge, and Council District 1. There is also a proposal to reinstate a tax for Recreation District 8.

Rhonda Rogers, Registrar of Voters for Terrebonne Parish, would like to stress the importance of double-checking your voter registration before the deadlines of the election in which you wish to vote. The most common issue on election day is voters arriving at the wrong precinct due to not updating their voter registration.

“I know most people do not think of updating their voter registration when they move, or get married (name changes), but it’s one of those things that should be part of that list of things to update,” shared Rogers. “One thing I asked the voters who thought they updated their registration was did you get a new voter ID card once you made the changes? That is your proof. If you did not receive a new voter ID card in the mail from my office, then there was no change to your registration. You, the voter, must check the

status of your registration and make sure the changes were made, before the deadlines.”

The following is important information for the Nov. 16, 2019 Gubernatorial General Election: •The deadline to register to vote in person or by mail is Oct. 16.

•The deadline to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System is Oct. 26.

•Early voting is Nov. 2-9 (except Sunday, Nov. 3) from 8:30 a.m.6 p.m.

•The deadline to request an absentee by mail ballot is Nov. 12 by 4:30 p.m. You can request an absentee by mail ballot online or in writing through your Registrar of Voters Office (other than military and overseas voters).

•The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted mail ballot is Nov. 15 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).

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OIL & GAS |

BY CASEY GISCLAIR

TRUMP ENERGY

POLICY

FLEXES ITS MUSCLES NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

AFTER S AUD I IN CID E NT , O I L SHOU LD HA VE S H O T UP, B UT I T D I D N’T B E CAU S E O F U. S . PROD UCT I ON

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eventually life.

But the following “permit-a-torium,” as some oil experts locally call it, was just as shackling.

The Obama Administration put a lot of red tape on the process of drilling, which ran up costs and caused the United States to look other places to get their energy.

“It became very, very hard for the little guy, so to speak, to compete,” Port Fourchon Executive Director Chett Chiasson said of the previous administration.

“The desire was there, but profit margins were slim once all of the red tape got untangled.”

When Trump was elected, all of that changed.

His administration has worked to deregulate the industry, making the process of drilling easier and more profitable to companies.

He also came into office as fracking was gaining steam — a process that is now a power.

Add it all together and the United States is producing more oil now than ever before in its history. Oil production nationally is more than double today than what it was in the mid-2000s. The only other times we’ve even come close to these levels was in the 1970s during the Cold War Era. That surge of United States oil has worked to keep oil prices stable globally, which has kept gas prices stable — two major talking points for the President throughout his first term.

It’s also helped to protect the United States from drastic shifts in price when things happen in the Middle East — a completely new energy climate that we’ve seen in the past.

“It’s a new world for energy,” said Kenneth B. Medlock III, the senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

His comments were made to The Washington Post last month.

A different world, indeed, and Trump said, if re-elected, that won’t change anytime soon.

“We want to keep it going,” the President said at a rally. “We control the market. The market no longer controls us.

Those days are over.”

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n mid-September, a drone struck several key oil plays in Saudi Arabia, interrupting more than 5 percent of the world’s daily supply of crude.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, oil prices soared — surging more than 16 percent the next day.

But that was mostly an overreaction, because in the days after the incident, prices slowly crept back down and at press-time in mid-October, oil steadily sits in the $53/ barrel range.

So what happened?

President Donald Trump’s oil policy happened.

After the incident, concerns about global supply were cooled because the oil America has flooded on the market was plenty enough to cool global demand.

President Trump called the situation a “huge win” for the United States’ current energy policy.

“If we didn’t have the oil on the market, you’d be seeing oil that was out of control,” President Trump said at a recent rally. “But we’re winning again. American energy is winning. We’re working hard and we’re finally winning again by putting our great American oil on the market. We’re literally powering the world.”

President Trump, though sometimes one to exaggerate a little in his use of words, is spot-on with the statements above.

Since 2000, the United States has undergone a drastic change in its energy production picture. The country we are today would hardly even recognize the country that we were 20 years ago if the two were side-by-side.

At the start of the past millennium, well more than half of the oil used in this country was imported — a number that often hovered around or slightly above 60 percent at any given time.

But now, that number sits at just more than 5 percent, which means that almost all of the energy we use is created here in the United States.

So what changed?

Well, in the administration of President Barack Obama, drilling was heavily regulated — especially during the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill.

The spill cased a moratorium, which was

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FROM THE TOP |

QUICK QUESTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WORK: WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB? The best part of my job is being able to help our local teachers fund their innovative projects and then telling the community about their amazing work. Teachers do so much with so little, so it’s exciting to be able to surprise them with a big check now and then. I also love that we are creating the next generation of readers and leaders through our Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST? Like many non-profit organizations, fundraising is always a challenge. There are so many worthy causes in our community vying for attention, donors, and grants that it can seem overwhelming at times.

NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA FOR TFAE IN 2019 AND ON THE HORIZON FOR 2020?

KATIE PORTIER

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TERREBONNE FOUNDATION FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

We just announced a partnership with Chevron and Terrebonne Parish School District to fund the technology for a satellite component to the dual enrollment program. With this technology, students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to dual enroll and earn college credit – whether transportation issues or heavily involved in extracurricular activities – can now do so by attending the classes remotely.

We also have an upcoming fundraising event called Purses & Promises: A Girls’ Night Out For Children’s Literacy on Friday, November 1st at the Courtyard Marriott. Proceeds from this event help fund the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Terrebonne Parish. At this event, we’ll have gently used and new designer purses for sale, silent auction, and live auction. Just by attending, you’ll sponsor a local child in the program for one year.

WHAT’S ONE LEADERSHIP SKILL YOU FEEL EVERYONE MUST LEARN? I think being able to communicate (one-on-one and to a crowd) is an incredibly valuable skill to learn.

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TGMC CONTINUES

NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

TO THRIVE ON THE LEADING EDGE OF HEALTHCARE

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TGMC orthopedics team. Minimally invasive procedures; a comprehensive array of services, including sports medicine, state-of-the-art techniques and implants; and a pre-procedure educational program for all patients who go under for replacement surgeries are offered by the hospital’s orthopedics program. TGMC is also the recipient of the 2019 Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Orthopedics.

Pediatric Care, TGMC has expanded as well. “We have two amazing new pediatricians who have joined us within the last year or two, Dr. Jill Sutton and Dr. Courtnie Seaton,� Peoples said. “They take great care of all of our kids up to the age of 18.�

In addition to the new services and added specialists by the hospital to stay on the leading edge of healthcare, TGMC is also the only facility in the region to offer several unique procedures.

Through its partnership with Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS), TGMC offers 30 innovative clinical trials. Hybrid OR (which is for complex cardiovascular procedures such as a valve replacement), AAA stenting and minimally invasive cardiac surgical procedures are unique to CIS and TGMC’s cardiovascular care. All of which are the only in the region to be offered. Founder and President of Cardiovascular Institute of the South Dr. Craig Walker leads the state-of-the-art

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errebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) continues to grow and enhance its facilities while looking to stay on the leading edge of healthcare.

The medical center recently added hospitalist services.

The primary responsibility for Doctors Shyam Mani, Oleg Sinyavskiy and Nathan Sutton, along with the department’s nurse practitioners (NP), is to care for patients in a hospital setting. “This allows the other physicians to be able to have more availability in their clinics to see people when they're sick,�

TGMC President and CEO Phyllis Peoples explained. “So, that works out really well.

We have a wonderful team there.�

A newly expanded service, the TGMC Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine, specializes in treating wounds that are difficult to heal. The center has multidisciplinary teams of physicians, nurses and technicians with advanced training in wound care and hyperbaric medicine. It is also the only facility in the region to offer hyperbaric medicine – oxygen therapy that aids in the healing process. Patients benefit by having faster healing rates, longer lasting results, decreased amputation and increased mobility.

Dr. Sina Pourtaheri, an orthopedic spine surgery specialist, and Dr. Nathan Patrick, an orthopedic hand and upper extremity surgery specialist, recently joined the

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

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program for peripheral vascular disease (PVD) at CIS. The facility also offers 24/7 cardiovascular surgery coverage.

The Mary Bird Perkins TGMC Cancer Center is the only cancer center in the region to have a comprehensive breast cancer center that offers advanced diagnostic imaging (3D mammography, biopsy), treatment and breast reconstruction surgery. The center also is the only in the region to provide Space OAR for prostate cancer, cancer clinical trials for its patients and the newest minimally invasive screening technique EBUS (endobroncial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration), which enables physicians to diagnosis lung cancer and determine the extent of its spread.

Led by Doctors Bedford Nieves-Cruz and Sandra Grant, the TGMC Women’s Health Center has the only Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the region, providing care for premature infants of all gestational ages.

Terrebonne General Medical Center aims to be a leader in the region by also being there for its community.

The TGMC Community Sports Institute provides certified athletic trainers to all Terrebonne Parish (TP) high schools to provide education, prevention and care to student athletes; concussion testing to more than 1,800 TP students; and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automatic external defibrillator training (AED) for Terrebonne Parish schools and recreation departments.

Local businesses partner with TGMC for its Wellness for Life program. The program was designed to reduce absenteeism and turnover, motivate employees, improve overall wellbeing, keep employees happier and more energetic, produce greater productivity, build better relationships between employer and employee and help curb healthcare costs for employers. The program offers on-site wellness screenings that include complete health history for each employee and

body composition analysis with complete aggregate report.

The TGMC Well and Wise program is a free educational wellness program designed for anyone age 60 and above.

During the program, participants receive the tools and resources they need to stay healthy and active through fitness classes, nutrition seminars and educational lectures led by TGMC experts.

As a member of the Ochsner Health Network, Terrebonne General Medical Center is part of an alliance of healthcarefocused entities across the greater Bayou Region.

Terrebonne General Medical Center is also embracing technology to make information and healthcare more readily available to its customers.

The medical center offers My Chart — which allows its patients to access medical information with the touch of a button.

Providers enter a patient’s info in EPIC, the electronic medical system used by a network of medical providers, and patients

have access to their own medical records through My Chart. Patients have secure and convenient access to their healthcare information online and can check their test results, schedule appointments, request refills, email their doctor, print their records and pay their bills through My Chart. It can be accessed by patients no matter where they are.

Telemedicine and telehealth are on the horizon for TGMC. Patients will be able to visit with their doctors via video through cellphones or laptops. The medical center is also looking into virtual medicine, giving healthcare professionals the ability to monitor health via smart watches.

“That's where the future of healthcare is going, and Terrebonne General Medical Center is at the forefront of all of that,” Peoples said. “We've been here 65 years, and we continue to grow. We’re going to keep moving into the future.”

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

THIBODAUX REGIONAL MOVING FORWARD WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART

CANCER CENTER

BY CASEY GISCLAIR

T

and we want people to know that we understand the decision that people have to make,” Stock said. “But we also want them to know that our commitment is to provide the best care for patients.

There are a lot of things that go into cancer care and a lot of people are affected — the patient, their families and it’s a life-changing experience for everyone. Our Cancer Institute will have the latest technologies and we will do our best to make sure that this difficult time is as manageable as it can be for those who are in need.”

The Cancer Center will literally save lives.

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases in our country and throughout the world, and rates in Louisiana are higher than national averages.

Thibodaux Regional has been proactive and saw the vision to light, leading up to the groundbreaking

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his magazine went to press in midOctober. But by the time this story reaches your hands, our friends at Thibodaux Regional Health System will have taken a giant leap forward toward making local medical history.

Thibodaux Regional was scheduled to break ground on its new, state-of-the-art Cancer Center on Oct. 17 — an event attended by community members and local lawmakers and dignitaries.

The groundbreaking was a massive leap forward in the eventual completion of a facility that CEO Greg Stock said will change the face of local medicine.

The facility will be four stories and encompass 80,000 square feet. It will feature state-of-the-art equipment and technology, giving locals the best possible chance to fight cancer — all while being able to stay here in our community.

“We know that there are people who seek treatment at facilities out of state

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

16

ceremony and the center’s eventual opening date.

Scheduled to be completed in 24 months, the facility is going to have both the best current technology and the ability to adapt to change.

Stock said one of the challenges in building a medical facility is that the technologies we use today are quickly obsolete tomorrow as medicine constantly evolves and becomes more sophisticated.

“We will change as the industry changes,” Stock said. “We will be proactive and we will evolve as needed.

We are going to stay ahead of the game and continue to be one of the leaders.

We want people here to have access to the best treatment methods and we’re

going to do everything we can to be better for our patients.”

That patient-centered approach will be evident all over the Cancer Center.

Stock said in addition to the state-ofthe-art equipment and technologies, the Thibodaux Regional Cancer Institute will have a comforting feeling to those within it.

Thibodaux Regional Board Chairman Jacob Giardina said cancer is a disease that impacts every, single person in a community — either directly or indirectly.

Stock agreed and said because of that, there will be a personal touch and a comforting atmosphere within the new facility.

Stock said he wants patients to feel at ease in knowing that they’re receiving the

best possible care, and he also wants the families of patients to feel at home, as well.

“It’s a challenge for everyone. It ripples down and affects lots of people,” Stock said of a cancer diagnosis. “We aim to make that process easier for everyone involved.”

Thibodaux Regional has a proven track record of success to do everything they say they’ll do.

The hospital recently demonstrated it can create a new, successful facility with the opening of its Wellness Center — a facility that’s been an unquestioned success, having helped change the lives of literally thousands of local people.

“It’s been just amazing to see,” Stock said of the Wellness Center’s successes.

As a patient-centered hospital, Thibodaux Regional also walks the walk.

Recently, they were awarded their 12th straight Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award — an honor which goes to only the top 10 percent of hospitals in the United States for patient experience and satisfaction.

Thibodaux Regional is the only hospital in Louisiana to enjoy that level of sustained, award-winning longevity.

“We are always striving to be better for our patients,” Stock said. “Any way that we can do more for them, we’ll explore it and look to achieve it. “

•

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18

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he Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) continues to grow and make its services more readily available for the Bayou Region community and beyond.

CIS held the ceremonial groundbreaking for its new Ambulatory Surgery Center on Oct. 18.

“We’re excited; it’s taken quite some time to get to this point,” CIS Chief Operating Officer Joey Fontenot said. “We think this is going to be a great new service for patients with low acuity peripheral vascular disease, and we’re very pleased that it has finally started.”

CIS has been working on plans for the new facility, which is located at 4089 W. Park Avenue in Gray, for the last 8-10 months, Fontenot said.

The primary focus of the center will be peripheral vascular disease because there is a growing incidence of it in the region, Fontenot explained. “...And as new technology continues to be developed, there are more and more applications for treating this disease in an outpatient setting,” he continued. “In an outpatient setting, we can control the costs better. We can meet patient’s expectations for their convenience better, and as high deductible insurance plans continue to become more and more present in our market, this represents an opportunity to help reduce some of the out-of-pocket costs for some patients.”

The upcoming facility will have two outpatient cath labs, two ultra-

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sound rooms, the CIS medical laboratory, patient exam rooms and a recovery area.

State-of-the-art medical technology will be used in the center, including lasers, multiple other devices to treat peripheral vascular disease and a highly sensitive vascular ultrasound system to help CIS medical staff identify small vessels.

“We’re actually looking at technology that’ll allow us to use as smaller amounts of contrast media, and in some cases, no contrast media on patients,” Fontenot said, “which makes the procedure more comfortable and safer for our patients.”

Fontenot added that the institute is aiming to train cardiologists at the new surgery center from across the country and from international

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locations as well.

“In addition, several of our physicians — in particular Dr. Craig Walker — are very interested in training cardiologists in how to treat peripheral vascular disease because it is undertreated,” he said. “This will be a good opportunity for those cardiologists and cardiologists in training in the New Orleans and Mississippi markets

to come down and get some hands-on training in the facility with experts that do a lot of peripheral vascular disease treatment.”

The Ambulatory Surgical Center should be operational by August 2020, Fontenot said.

The center in Gray isn’t the only thing currently in the works for CIS.

The organization is currently expanding its Thibodaux office, 1320 Martin Luther King Drive, as they have outgrown the facility. It also has just built an intensive cardiac rehab center in Lafayette; that center treats heart disease in an aggressive manner, including diet modification, cooking education and exercise training, Fontenot explained. CIS is also currently

doubling the size of its Baton Rouge facility as that practice continues to expand.

“We recently bought a building on Highway 311 in Houma where we’ve moved our business services to. Because again, we need more space as we continue to grow,” Fontenot added. “We have a lot of activity going on.”

•

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WELLFIT PROGRAM MAKING LOCALS BETTER VERSIONS OF THEMSELVES M

and Training Coordinator. “We want people to be the best that they can be throughout their lives. As a hospital, if a person is sick, it’s our job to give you quality care. But we also want to give people the opportunity to learn a wonderful new lifestyle so that you’re able to get well and can better avoid getting sick in the future.”

WellFit was launched in September 2018 and has since blossomed into something that all patients can use.

Since its launch, 250 participants have been enrolled and the results have been astonishing.

Richard said 89 percent of participants are able to increase their 6-minute walking distance over the course of the program.

Thirty percent of participants have lost more than 8 pounds in the 8 weeks, and 85 percent of participants were able to increase their quality of life scores.

“The stories that come out of it are amazing,” Richard said. “People tell us, ‘You know, I’d have never had the confidence to do what I’m doing right now, because I didn’t know how badly I was eating,’ or ‘I just didn’t know how to

exercise.’ In this program, we give people the tools to succeed in their lifestyle.

When the 8 weeks are over, we’re still available to them for ongoing coaching if they need it, but we want them to be able to go back home, take the things they’ve learned, and live healthy lives on their own.”

To enroll in the program, a patient must see a physician and be referred, but Richard said the process isn’t difficult, because physicians are now aware of WellFit and its successes and are happy to refer their patients.

The program spans 8 weeks, during which participants have unlimited access to the Fitness Center. During the duration of WellFit, participants attend guided workout sessions two times a week for one hour. A fitness specialist is always on hand to make sure that workouts are done properly and that the patient is in a safe setting.

Once baseline information is obtained from the patient, medical experts are able to pinpoint areas where improvements are needed and work begins toward progress.

“We will do whatever we have to do to

put that person in a position to lead a happier, healthier life,” Richard said.

“If they are a smoker, we have ways we can easily align them with assistance to stop smoking. If someone is overweight, we will align them with a dietitian. If someone is preparing for surgery, we can help strengthen them before the operation so that recovery after the surgery can be so much faster. There’s just so many ways we can assist, and physicians are are very supportive of their patients being in this program.”

To learn more about WellFit or to inquire about how to seek a referral, call (985) 493-4765.

WellFit is just one component of a Wellness Center that’s done nothing but amazing things for our community since its inception, helping to positively touch the lives of literally thousands of locals.

Thibodaux Regional CEO Greg Stock has said multiple times that the Wellness Center has been an unquestioned success — a facility that’s exceeded lofty expectations.

•

NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

ost of the time when someone visits a hospital, it’s a bad thing — because a person is sick or is having a medical emergency.

But the folks at the Wellness Center of Thibodaux Regional are attempting to change that.

They want to see people often throughout life, but not only at their low points, but at the high points of life.

They want to teach people the tools to living happy, healthy lives so that those bouts with sickness may never occur.

The Wellness Center is educating and assisting locals through WellFit — an 8-week program that is medicallyintegrated and creates an individual’s customized plan for improving overall health and well-being.

To be part of the program, you must be referred by a physician. WellFit can assist just about anyone in need with 12 different pathways including orthopaedic, cancer recovery, mental health, chronic pain, weight/lifestyle management, diabetes, functional fitness and others.

“Here, we call it getting upstream,” said Katie Richard, MA, BSN, RN, Education

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

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here is a large need for donor human milk in hospital neonatal intensive care units across the United States. Mother’s milk is especially crucial to vulnerable premature babies and significantly decreases the odds of life-threatening complications and infections. One in eight babies is born preterm. Despite their best efforts, sometimes mothers of preterm infants are unable to provide their own milk. Pasteurized donated human milk is the next best option. A milk depot provides a secure, convenient storage place for approved donors to donate this scarce resource.

As part of Ochsner’s continued commitment to providing evidenced-based programs that support mother-infant bonding and safe feeding practices, Ochsner St. Anne Hospital is proud to announce that it’s the first in the region to open a Milk Depot for the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Louisiana at Ochsner Baptist.

The Mothers’ Milk Bank of Louisiana (MMBL) received accreditation from the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) in March 2018, making Louisiana the 22nd state in the U.S. to open a HMBANA-accredited donor human milk bank.

Women who are actively lactating are eligible to be screened by the MMBL staff at no charge to become an approved human milk donor. Depot sites such as Ochsner St. Anne function as a user-friendly and safe satellite storage facility for HMBANA milk banks such as MMBL. The milk is stored and shipped frozen to MMBL for pasteurization.

Nonprofit milk banks like MMBL follow HMBANA guidelines to ensure donor human milk is safe and available to the infants who need it most. The human milk dispensed is processed to meet the specific needs of fragile and sick babies “We are extremely excited to have a local place where approved donors can drop off their life saving milk to be used for infants in need across our state” said lactation nurse Pam Folse from Ochsner St. Anne Hospital. “We are so grateful to Dr. Natasha Goss, OB/GYN at Ochsner Women’s Health Center – Raceland, for being both a resource and our first official approved donor here at the Ochsner St.

SOUTH LOUISIANA MEDICAL ASSOCIATES

23

NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

Anne Milk Depot.”

Just as Dr. Goss, a physician at the hospital where she donated, made her involvement in the Milk Depot personal, the creation of the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Ochsner Baptist was personal as well.

“In the spirit of milk being donated by mothers in the Louisiana community, we’re trying to grow this milk bank from financial donations and community support,” said Dr. Harley Ginsberg, Section Head of Neonatology and Medical Director of the NICU at Ochsner Baptist. Dr. Ginsberg, the driving force behind developing the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Louisiana at Ochsner Baptist, spearheaded the campaign by being the initial donor; he and his wife, Susan, donated $5,000, and then contributed a $100,000 matching grant.

“We realized that if we were not willing to take the lead, then we had no right asking others to put a penny toward the project,” Dr. Ginsberg says. “And the Ochsner community, from the doctors and nurses to our organizations that have partnered with our philanthropy department, has been tremendously supportive of this initiative.”

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“This is not just a ‘feel-good’ project,” Dr. Ginsberg adds. “Study after study shows that a mother’s milk is vastly superior to any commercially prepared formula, especially with regard to nutritional and immunogenic support.” Mother’s milk offers the best available protection against necrotizing enterocolitis, an often-fatal affliction of the intestines in preemies.

Studies show that preemies fed mother’s milk have one-sixth the incidence of this disease.

Local mothers interested in donating their milk first undergo a screening process which includes lab work. Once the screening process is complete, the donor is given a MMBL donor ID number and can drop off milk at Ochsner St. Anne Hospital in Raceland, seven days per week.

Approved donors can bring their milk to the third floor Mother Baby Unit between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. To schedule a drop off call, 985.537.2335.

For more information on the milk depot at Ochsner St. Anne, please contact the Lactation Department at 985.537.8291.

•

Dr. Natasha Goss, who is the milk bank’s first official donor, delivering her breast milk to lactation nurse, Pam Folse.

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benefits include reducing absenteeism, motivating employees and improving employees’ overall wellbeing. Healthier employees tend to be happier and more energetic, leading to greater productivity.

Think about the impact on the entire community that would have.

The TGMC Wellness for Life program

“We have been using The TGMC Wellness for Life program for 5 years now at Supreme Services to help run our health fair and other health functions through the year. Kirbie and her team are wonderful. They are always available to address any questions or concerns we have throughout the year. They make the process each year run as smoothly as possible and help get everything scheduled. They do onsite screenings very quickly and efficiently, which our employees enjoy. We are always pleased with the services we receive.”

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if needed •Follow-Up Calls for Abnormal Test Results • Flu Shots

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TGMC’s Wellness for Life has the capability to produce healthier organizations, employees, families and community. The positive possibilities are endless and together, we can work towards creating a healthier community and leaving our low ranking health status behind.

Encourage your employer to become a part of the program. Dozens of local businesses have already done so. If you are a business owner and would like to learn more, please contact Kirbie LeCompte at TGMC Wellness for Life at 985.850.6208 or visit TGMC.com.

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

errebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) Wellness for Life offers solutions to improve employer’s workforce to help curb healthcare costs and increase productivity.

Over the last several decades, an epidemic of “lifestyle diseases” has developed in the United States.

According to a study done by the RAND Corporation, unhealthy lifestyles, such as inactivity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and frequent alcohol consumption, are driving up the prevalence of chronic disease, such as diabetes, and heart disease leaving Louisiana as one of the least healthy states in America. Terrebonne Parish continues to struggle with a large percentage of its residents facing major health complications: approximately 40 percent of Terrebonne Parish is obese, 20 percent smoke and 30 percent lack the recommended amount of physical activity.

These chronic conditions have become a major burden, as they lead to decreased quality of life, premature death and disability, and increased health care cost.

Local corporations and their leaders can play an influential role in helping their employees choose healthier lifestyles, and this is not a one-sided arrangement. Both

25

FLETCHER, LADY OF THE SEA

PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST PHARMACY

STUDENTS’ OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN

NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

BY CASEY GISCLAIR

26

O

ne of the biggest purposes of college is to provide students with a chance to get prepared to be leaders in the workforce, upon graduation.

Thanks to a partnership between Fletcher Technical Community College and Lady of the Sea General Hospital in Galliano, locals studying in pharmacy will get the chance to do exactly that with real-life training at a facility that serves the medical needs of thousands of people in the south Lafourche Parish area.

In mid-September, a partnership was announced which will allow Fletcher students to be able to fulfill their externship requirement at Lady of the Sea Hospital Community Pharmacies in Cut Off. The partnership was actually launched in June and it will prepare students to enter the pharmacy field and pursue certification, including the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s PTCB exam.

Lady of the Sea CEO Karen Collins said the partnership is great for Fletcher, the hospital and the entire community. She said she’s pleased to have the hospital involved in the endeavor.

“Lady of the Sea Hospital and Community Pharmacies welcome the opportunity to partner with Fletcher Technical Community College to provide externships and

workplace environments for their pharmacy technician students,” she said. “We are committed to providing educational opportunities for students, and support expanding the healthcare workforce for our community.”

The program is available to all students in Fletcher’s Pharmacy Technician Program.

The program's coursework is divided into three parts: online instructions (at least 50 hours), 2 day in-classroom lab and checkoff and a technician externship (80 hours).

The online instructions cover pharmacy calculations, dosage calculations, IV flow rates, drug compounding and dose conversion, among many other topics.

The two day in-classroom lab gives the students hands-on practice on what they have learned online.

The externship takes it a step further and provides students with real-life pharmacy experience.

Fletcher Technical Community College Chancellor Dr. Kristine Strickland said any deal that gets students real-life training like this one is a major win.

“Fletcher Technical Community College is grateful to Lady of the Sea Hospital and Community Pharmacies for providing our Pharmacy Tech students with opportunities to gain hands-on, real world training in their profession,” said Chancellor Dr. Kristine

LADY OF THE SEA CONTINUING TO EVOLVE A lot of folks locally don’t know much about Lady of the Sea. It’s a small, community hospital quietly tucked away in Galliano.

The hospital has its limitations, sure, but it’s also a lifesaver to folks in the small, rural community it serves.

Lady of the Sea is constantly trying to evolve and do more to meet the needs of its people.

The hospital has added several doctors

to its medical team in recent months to try and help serve the needs of the community.

Lady of the Sea is also a local leader in diabetes care. The hospital hosts several diabetes education classes through its Learning Center, which provides locals education and tips on how to live with the disease and how to improve self-care skills so that they can better manage the disease and their lives.

The program has been certified by the American Diabetes Association and provides a six-hour training for patients, including information on signs and symptoms, risk factors, nutrition management, physical activity, monitoring blood sugars and managing medications.

Additional information is provided on reducing the risk of common complications, as well as useful information on handling common life situations that may impact the health of a diabetic patient.

The program includes follow-up appointments to assist in monitoring after all classes have been completed.

A physician may refer patients to the Diabetes Education Program. Once a referral is made, the patient will be contacted by the staff, a class schedule will be discussed and a position will be held for the patient. Some patients can bring a spouse, caregiver or parent to help relay the most information possible.

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Strickland. “The ability to provide opportunities for students to learn in the work environment are invaluable and we appreciate the continued partnership with Lady of the Sea Hospital and Community Pharmacies.”

The Pharmacy Technician Program students who started in June have completed the online portion of the program and are now taking certification exams and moving on to their externships.

The next Pharmacy Technician Program will begin in March and registration will be available in January.

Financial assistance through your local regional Louisiana Workforce Commission office or Motivation Education & Training, Inc. (MET, Inc.) or a payment plan option through FACTS Management may be available for those who qualify.

Contact Fletcher’s Workforce Solutions at 985.448.7938, or workforcesolutions@ fletcher.edu.

27

NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

BUSINESS NEWS |

28

BY DREW MILLER

TFAE AWARDS OVER $77,000 IN GRANTS TO LOCAL SCHOOL TEACHERS

T

errebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence (TFAE) has provided a total of $77,105.82 in grants to Terrebonne Parish public school teachers for the 2019-2020 school year.

Members of TFAE and the school board traveled from school to school on October 10, delivering checks to surprised recipients.

The TFAE Innovative Ed-Venture Grant, which “encourages teachers to submit bold and innovative ideas and projects that would actively engage their students,” was awarded to 10 teachers. The grants ranged from $263

to $14,400.

The highest one — $14,400 — was given to Terrebonne High School teacher Rayemona Boyd for a high-tech, fully functioning science lab for her students.

“I’m so excited. I think I’ve written two or three grants in the last 21 years — never really got funded. Maybe have gotten a few little things here and there, but this is by far and large the biggest donation,” she said. “This equipment is so expensive that the school could not afford to purchase it. The district has shown interest, but again, it’s a rather large amount. So, we would have had to do a lot of fundrais-

ing. TFAE has done that fundraising for us, and we are very appreciative.”

Other Innovative Ed-Venture Grants recipients include Broadmoor Elementary School teacher Allyson Fonseca, who is taking her fourth graders on a field trip to learn about westward expansion by taking a real train ride; Bayou Black Elementary School teacher Trisha Authement, who is creating a “makerspace” library that includes technology, coding tools and hands-on activities; and Houma Jr. High School (HJH) teacher Rae Bangs, who is using the funds to acquire technology and hands-on materials for her special

needs class to learn about coding.

“I’m going to give them an opportunity to do problem solving on a different level, especially with coding,” Bangs said after she received the grant. “That’s something that they’ve never done before.” “[The grant] is going to let them explore the different things that are conductive to make the closed circuits. So, we’ll give them experience that they’ve never had as well,” added HJH teacher Jennifer Hopkins, whose “Closing the Gap with Closed Circuits” project awarded her a $1,511.49 grant.

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has awarded over $1 million grant dollars to Terrebonne Parish public school teachers. TFAE’s grants are funded through donations made to the organization’s endowment as well as direct donations to the grant program.

“The teachers of our parish are so dedicated to their students. It is incredibly inspiring to see firsthand,” TFAE Executive Director Katie Portier said. “They deserve all the support they can get. Thanks to our many donors and sponsors, TFAE is proud to be able to offer grants to help teachers and students achieve academic excellence.”

•

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ture Grants, TFAE also handed out 77 New Teacher Grants. Teachers new to teaching — or new to a subject or school — each received the $500 grant. TFAE aims to ease the financial burden for these teachers by funding such classroom necessities as crayons, pencils, papers, storage and dry erase boards, among other items, through this grant.

TFAE also partnered with The Bayou Board of Realtors to provide three teachers with the Bayou Board of Realtors Journey to Careers Grants, which awards funds to teachers of a business or career class.

Since 2012, the local non-profit TFAE

29

BUSINESS NEWS |

BY DREW MILLER

NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

LOGA PRESIDENT TALKS LEGACY LAWSUITS, ELECTIONS IN STATE OF THE INDUSTRY ADDRESS

30

T

he Louisiana Oil & Gas Association (LOGA) President Gifford Briggs gave a State of the Industry address on October 8 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Houma, in front of local politicians, business owners and other oil and gas industry representatives.

Briggs opened the presentation by talking about social media and the importance it has in creating the narrative for the oil and gas industry. “…While we’re punching holes in the ground, providing energy and economic security for people all over the globe, there are people out there that want to bring us down. They are working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to talk about the horrible things that our industry does,” he said. “But what we don’t do is share our story. We don’t talk

about the great things that we do… We need to share the stories [on social media] of the people in our community…”

Briggs later continued to detail the history of the “roller coaster ride” that is the oil and gas industry, with its up and down swings, which led him to one of the current concerns for Louisiana energy production — shale oil production in Texas.

“Everyone’s moved out to Texas and moving into the Permian Basin, the shale production has brought US energy production to record highs,” he said. “The swing producer is no longer Saudi Arabia and OPEC [Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries}. The swing producers are the American shale companies that were small independents and are now a major oil and gas companies…”

Later, the head of LOGA addressed

legacy lawsuits and the effect he is witnessing them create on local the oil and gas industry. “People have lost interest in Louisiana. They’re scared to do business here,” he said.

Briggs attributed most of, if not all, the damage to the Baton Rouge-based law firm Talbot, Carmouche & Marcello — specifically John Carmouche — saying that one law firm and one trial lawyer “has brought the South Louisiana oil and gas industry to its knees.”

The law firm is representing six parishes in more than 40 lawsuits against several oil and gas companies. Briggs addressed the latest settlement the firm was behind – the $100 million payout by Freeport McMoran. He said it was not a settlement, rather an agreement “between two guys that were having coffee or a beer” be-

cause nothing was signed. The settlement happening in the middle of an election cycle was brought to question by Briggs, too.

Soon after, Briggs discussed the importance of the ongoing elections — choosing candidates that are for the oil and gas industry, 2019 Louisiana Amendment No. 1 (concerning taxed offshore drilling equipment stored in Louisiana) and redistricting.

“This is such a critical time for our industry. It’s a turning point...,” Briggs said.

“Do we want to be a state like Texas that welcomes jobs and opportunities and investment with record funding for infrastructure, schools, roads, hospitals, the whole deal? Or do we want to be a state like Louisiana that’s pushing the industry out?”

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LOCAL SHOE RETAILER RECEIVES HIGH HONOR her, said it was just “business as usual”, as they didn’t treat the secret shopper any differently than they would any of their other valued customers.

“Felger’s Footwear should be very proud of their achievement and prouder still to share it with their shoppers and their community,” said Jennifer Beaudry, editor of Footwear Insight. “We evaluated more than 120 stores and those that made the list represent the best of those stores.”

The family-owned-and-operated store was established in 1991. The Felgers and their staff aim serve their patrons and the Houma-Thibodaux community in any way they can.

“We’re local; we support local. So, we support the community in many different aspects,” Felger said. “We’re just going to continue to be diligent about what it is that we do. We’ve been here 28 years, and maybe we can be here 28 more, at least.”

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

F

elger’s Footwear, 1539 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Houma, recently received the Gold Medal Service Award for Outstanding Customer Service from Footwear Insight magazine.

“Being that we’re the only store in the state of Louisiana that’s ever been awarded this honor, we were thrilled,” said owner Brenda Felger. “It really just kind of justifies what we do; we must’ve done something right.”

Before they received the award, a secret shopper was sent by Footwear Insight to Felger’s, unbeknownst to their staff. That shopper graded the store on various aspects, including the greeting, presentation of the product, measurement of the foot, checkout process and cleanliness of the store, Felger explained.

Felger’s Footwear received a perfect score.

Rebecca Felger Romano, Brenda’s daughter who runs business alongside

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS |

HEADLINES & ACCOLADES

LECOMPTE NAMED TGMC’S NEW DIRECTOR OF ANESTHESIA SERVICES

POLK STREET BRIDGE BEING REPLACED

Terrebonne General Medical Center has named its new Director of Anesthesia Services.

Nicole LeCompte, CRNA, earned the job after having been a member of the TGMC family since she first graduated as a nurse working the ICU. She most recently served as the Clinical Coordinator of the Anesthesia Department, a position that she held for five years.

LeCompte graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now UL-Lafayette) and then from LSU Health Science Center as a Certified Registered Nurse (CRNA).

She also worked in the TGMC Cardiac Catheterization Lab, as well as in the Surgery Department.

TGMC President and CEO Phyllis Peoples says the promotion is much deserved.

“Nicole is a highly motivated employee who possesses the self-direction that is needed in such a critical role,” said Peoples. “Her previous experience at our hospital will provide her with the knowledge and expertise needed to be a huge success in her new role.”

The bridge at Polk Street, near Hwy. 311 in Houma is getting a major overhaul.

The bridge, which was closed to traffic in late August, is being completely replaced. The new bridge will feature a sidewalk and LED light poles for safety. The engineering company Milford and Associates is in charge of the project. The above sketch is what the new bridge will resemble.

The project, which is slated to take 125 days, has an estimated completion date of December 29, 2019.

Traffic may detour to St. Charles Street or Civic Center Boulevard while the Polk Street bridge is closed.

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

SOUTH TERREBONNE TEACHER NAMED CHEVRON/SAINTS TEACHER OF THE WEEK

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A South Terrebonne High School teacher was honored earlier this month at the Saints game.

Science teacher Adrianna Adams was recognized as the New Orleans Saints/ Chevron Teacher of the Week.

For winning the honor, Adams was able to attend the game and be recognized before the sell-out crowd of 70,000+ fans.

Adams is a decorated local teacher and

the reigning Terrebonne Parish Teacher of the Year.

A Nicholls grad, Adams teaches Intro to Engineering, Honors Physics, Environmental Science AP and Chemistry.

Students say they love Adams’ highenergy, fun-loving style. Her curriculum is tough, but fair and students often say they have fun in her classroom.

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THIBODAUX REGIONAL SECURES HONOR FOR 12TH STRAIGHT YEAR For the 12th consecutive year running, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center has been recognized for excellence in patient experience.

The Outstanding Patient Experience Award was bestowed by Healthgrades during a celebratory rally of 40+ hospital staff. With 3,400 eligible hospitals nationwide, 443 received the award, only 17 were in Louisiana: Thibodaux Regional is the only hospital in Louisiana to receive it every year.

According to Maggie Foley, Director of Quality Solutions for Healthgrades and who bestowed the award during the event, Healthgrades is a for-profit organization

which seeks to inform patients to find the best physician or hospital for their needs. The company has existed for 12 years.

CEO Greg Stock, said that the award was important to the hospital both as proof of patient satisfaction and for recruitment of staff.

“It helps us understand we are doing the right things and we’re doing them well - so it’s verification,” said Stock.

And as for recruitment, he said, “It matters to us ... everybody would love to work for a hospital with a better reputation.”

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CHEVRON OFFERS GRAND OPPORTUNITY TO LOCAL TEACHERS

LATE PORT COMMISSIONER REPLACED ON BOARD BY HIS BROTHER

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ed to school spirit to help the climate and culture of the classroom, she said.

“If you just really want kids wanting to be in your classroom, that’s the key,” Williamson explained. “If you make them happy being there, they’ll learn from you for sure.”

To apply for the grant, teachers can post their project on DonorsChoose.org. Each submission has a $1,000 limit. The process is easy, Williamson acknowledged, and DonorsChoose gives timely feedback in case the project does not meet the grant’s requirements.

Anyone can donate to the projects of their choosing on the DonorsChoose website and/or fill up their vehicle at participating Chevron locations — from which Chevron and Extra Yard for Teachers will donate $1 per 8-gallon or more fill-up to the program’s total.

“Everybody feels a part of being a successful link for education, and it just helps bring the community together with education, which is a good relationship to have,” Williamson said.

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EUES APPOINTED TO TGMC BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) is pleased to announce that Earl Eues, Jr. has been appointed to the TGMC Board of Commissioners for a four-year term.

“We are proud to welcome Mr. Eues as an esteemed member of the TGMC Board of Commissioners,” said Phyllis Peoples, president and CEO. “We look forward to utilizing his emergency preparedness expertise, and experience as TGMC continues to provide leading edge healthcare services to the people of Southeast Louisiana.”

Eues is the owner of KEE Environmental Services, L.L.C., an environmental consulting firm located in Houma and established in 2006. He has over 30 years of experience in environmental regulatory, permitting and assessment. Eues also has 25 years of emergency management experience and currently serves as the Director of the Terrebonne Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. He is very active in the Houma community volunteering his services to many local organizations where he currently or formerly presides on their boards.

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

The Greater Lafourche Port Commissioner killed earlier this month in an accident on a tractor will be replaced in his seat by his brother.

Rodney Gisclair was sworn into office as an Interim Port Commissioner at a meeting held on Sept. 25.

Rodney now holds Seat B on the Commission, which was vacated when his brother, longtime commissioner and wellknown community businessman Perry Gisclair died in the wreck.

Rodney Gisclair will hold the seat until a special election in the spring. He said he will likely not seek election for the position full-time, but added he’s honored to fill in his brother’s shoes for the coming months.

“My brother was an amazing man, and his legend will always live on. I look forward to doing right by him in my interim capacity on this board,” Rodney said.

Board President Chuckie Cheramie said the entire community is still mourning Perry Gisclair’s passing, adding that Rodney stepping up to fill the void meant a lot to the board and also our area.

“These types of changes are always difficult,” he said. “Losing Mr. Perry has been so tough for all of us on this board, but we are appreciative that his brother has graciously agreed to serve on this board in the interim.”

Beginning earlier this month and running through Oct. 30, public school teachers — grades K-12 — from Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes can submit classroom projects for the chance to receive grants from Chevron through its Fuel Your School program.

“It was just such a blessing for our classroom. It’s a real game changer when $1,000 worth of supplies comes in, especially when you’re a new teacher,” said Melissa Williamson, a teacher at H. L. Bourgeois High School who first applied for a Fuel Your School grant four years ago. “The kids were excited; I was excited. So, we started sharing the program with other teachers at our school.”

The program was created to fund mostly Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) projects, but other types of projects are accepted.

The first couple of projects she requested through Fuel Your School had STEM supplies in it, Williamson said, along with basic classroom supplies. For example, a lot of her students arrive without writing utensils, she said, so she always requests pencils. She has also ordered items relat-

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS |

HEADLINES & ACCOLADES

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS RECEIVE $20,000 GRANT Capital One Bank recently donated $20,000 to two local schools, Montegut Elementary and Bayou Black Elementary, to update their technology.

The grant, secured by Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence (TFAE), will be used to purchase new Active Panels — also known as Smart Boards — for said schools.

“The more a teacher can truly engage a student, the more that student will learn,” TFAE Executive Director Katie Portier said. “These Active Panels will be used to incorporate new and exciting ways to engage and excite students. We are excited to work with Capital One Bank and Terrebonne Parish School District to supply local teachers and students with this much needed technology in their classrooms.”

The amount donated can purchase nearly six Active Panels. The Terrebonne Parish School District (TPSD) is funding the remaining $7,373, however, so each school can receive four new panels, bringing the total to eight.

“It’s a very powerful tool for instructing children,” TPSD Superintendent Philip Martin said. “It allows for so much creativity and the possibility of addressing kids at different levels, which is really difficult to do many times for a teacher.

This really enhances that.”

Teachers can use these tools for any subject, Portier explained. She also acknowledged the teachers’ creativity in how they use the panels, as they incorporate them into virtually any lesson plan to increase student engagement.

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

THIBODAUX REGIONAL ADDS TO MEDICAL TEAM

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Thibodaux Regional Medical Center has announced two new additions to its medical team.

Dr. Omer Khokhar and Dr. Venkata Devabhaktuni have been added to the already award-winning Thibodaux Regional Medical team.

Dr. Omer Khokhar is a HematologistMedical Oncologist. He has joined Thibodaux Regional’s Oncology Clinic located in Thibodaux Regional’s Cancer Center.

Dr. Khokhar received his medical degree from Lahore Medical and Dental College in Pakistan.

He completed an Internal Medicine Residency as well as a Fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the

University of Missouri in Columbia, MO. Dr. Khokhar received numerous awards and honors including the Michael C. Perry Endowed Fellowship Outstanding Fellow Award and Christiana Care Health System Diamond Award for Patient Care.

Dr. Venkata Devabhaktuni is a psychiatrist. His office is located at Thibodaux Medical Clinic at 931 North Canal Boulevard.

Dr. Devabhaktuni received his medical degree from Guntur Medical College in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. He completed a Psychiatry Residency Program at the University Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School in North Chicago, IL.

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CORLEY NAMED TGMC EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) honored Simone Corley, a Computer Systems Analyst in the Information Technology Department, as the October Employee of the Month. She has been an employee of TGMC for 29 years.

Corley continually demonstrates great patience and treats every user with respect and communicates that she is there and willing to help them get their problem solved. When she is in charge of a process, technology, or project, she

takes ownership and stands by her work.

She has excellent communication skills and her attitude is inspiring, coming to work every day ready with positivity and a commitment to her coworkers.

“I feel honored to be chosen as Employee of the Month,” shared Corley.

“It feels good to know my managers thought of me and had such kind words to say about me. I enjoy working with everyone at TGMC and assisting people.”

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ON THE AGENDA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON

Join the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber for their monthly membership luncheon featuring guest speaker Senator Norby Chabert. Admission is $25 for members and $30 for non-members; advance registration and payment required.

November 12, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Courtyard by Marriott, Houma

BUSINESS AT LUNCH

DONATION LEADS TO NEW NICHOLLS STUDENT MEDIA CENTER move the communication department into the future is really important to our family because we know how important a role it plays in so many careers,” she said.

“Journalism and media are changing. You may file a story in print but also release a blog post and create a video to go with it. Having everyone in one place will help them replicate what is happening in the real world.”

The new space will be located adjacent to the Mary and Al Danos Theater, across the lobby from the Bob Blazer TV Studio.

Construction on phases one and two are expected to be complete by early 2020.

With the new space, students will be able to share content across multiple platforms while working in a learning environment that more closely resembles industry settings.

Included will be a public relations office, a photo studio, a conference room and a large, open workspace where student journalists from the Nicholls Worth, La Pirogue, KNSU Radio and KNSU TV can work together.

“This space will allow students working on various projects to share space, content and ideas way more efficiently than they have been,” said Dr. James Stewart, mass communications department head.

“We’re so thankful to Tina and Corey because this is going to give our students a more realistic learning environment.”

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Join the Thibodaux Chamber for Business at Lunch. This month’s topic is the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: One year after implementation, lessons learned and practical guidance for navigating the new tax law. The presentation will be lead by Jodie Arceneaux and Robert Martin, LaPorte, APAC. Admission is $25 for member and $30 for non-members.

November 14, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Bayou Country Club, Thibodaux

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

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

November 14, 5-7 p.m.

Outside and In, Houma

ELECTION DAY! NOVEMBER 16 BIG LUNCHEON

Join the Bayou Industrial Group at their monthly luncheon featuring guest speaker Dr. Craig McClain, LUMCON. November 18, 12-1 p.m.

Bayou Country Club, Thibodaux

Join the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber for their monthly membership luncheon featuring local education leaders Dr. Kristine Strickland, Fletcher Technical Community College; Dr. Jay Clune, Nicholls State University; and Philip Martin, Terrebonne Parish School Board. Admission is $25 for members and $30 for non-members; advance registration and payment required.

December 3, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Courtyard by Marriott, Houma

BIG LUNCHEON

Join the Bayou Industrial Group at their monthly luncheon.

December 9, 12-1 p.m.

Bayou Country Club, Thibodaux

SCIA MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON

Join SCIA at their monthly meeting.

Admission is $25; reservations are required.

December 10, 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Courtyard by Marriott, Houma

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

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

December 19, 5-7 p.m.

Downtown Jeaux, Houma

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NOVEMBER 2019 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

Nicholls’ Colonel Media Group will soon have have a new, state-of-theart workspace to prepare them for the evolving media landscape, thanks to a donation from the Callais family.

Corey and Tina Callais recently donated $295,000 to create the DeSalvo-Callais Family Convergence Media Center .

The center will bring together the various student media publications currently spread around the campus.

Corey (BS, 1987) and Tina DeSalvo Callais (BA 1981) are Nicholls alums who worked in broadcasting.

Corey is now the chairman of United Community Bank, Pelican Waste and Callais Capital Management. Before, he was a general manager for KLEB-AM and KBAU-FM Radio and a CEO of Callais Cablevision.

Tina is an inductee into the Nicholls Hall of Fame. She became the first female play-by-play announcer in Louisiana as part of a 30-plus-year career in radio and TV journalism.

She is also a critically-acclaimed author of 8 published books.

“Nicholls provided a great education for Corey and me. The mass com department is where I got my start. The university as a whole has helped so many of the people in our community and people whom we’ve worked with over the years too. Giving back to help Nicholls

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON

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