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FELGER ACCEPTS POSITION ON NATIONAL BOARD
FEBRUARY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLYE stablished in 1991, Felger’s Footwear has become a household name in the Houma area, priding itself on being a family-centered small business with a commitment to making the process of shoes not simply a transaction, but a chance to build personal relationships with the local community. Now, as the store approaches its 30th anniversary of operation this year in the midst of a pandemic that has rattled small businesses across the country, longtime owner Brenda Felger is taking on a new role with the National Shoe Retailers Association’s (NSRA) Board of Directors and carrying over that relational approach to serve as a mentor to other shoe retailers nationwide. “I’ll be using my background for the past 30 years and helping other retailers just like me - smaller retailers,” Felger said. “Right now, we’re all in the same boat. So anybody that’s really in business, new or otherwise, we’re all kind of navigating things differently.” The NSRA was founded in 1912 by shoe store owners who sought a way to use their collective knowledge to guide one another and figure out solutions to overcoming challenges in the shoe retail industry. Now, the NRSA continues that mission through programs, services and networking opportunities geared toward adjusting to an ever-changing business landscape. The organization is made up of independently-owned shoe retailers across the country and guided by its Board of Directors. A longtime member of the NSRA, Felger said she was nominated by another board member to join the organization’s Board of Directors. A voting process among members confirmed her as part of the
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board, on which she will serve until her term expires in September of 2023.
Felger said her role will entail using her 30 years of experience as the owner of a shoe business to assist fellow retailers with their own businesses. The Board of Directors meets several times a year to assess the marketplace and determine what actions the NSRA can take to most effectively aid its members, Felger said.
“I can’t talk or get anything done for myself, but as a group, we have more buying power, talking power, lobbying power - all of that,” Felger said.
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact small business, Felger’s new role feels especially poignant.
“We’re going to share our knowledge of how we handled it and were still successful in what we do. Not everybody can say that, unfortunately, and the industry as a whole is getting tougher and tougher,” Felger said.
Felger said she has always viewed working in the shoe retail industry as an opportunity for ministry, through mentoring her staff members and offering a stepping stone to obtaining life and business lessons that they can take with them beyond Felger’s.
The timing of being given a chance to take that same approach to her role on the NSRA Board of Directors amidst the store’s 30th anniversary “feels right,” Felger said.
“I’ve always believed that you should give back to your community, to other people,” Felger said. “It’s just the right thing to do. I believe that you have to be involved in your community if you want your community to thrive, so if I want other communities to thrive like we do, it’s time for me to share that information in any way possible.”
To everyone who has been a part of Felger’s Footwear’s 30-year journey, whether as an employee, customer or vendor, Felger said that “thank you” does not seem enough.
“Our customers have been a part of us for 30 years, and I’ve seen children grow up. I’ve seen children that have grown up having babies, and so I get to see that cycle again. That’s really rewarding,” Felger said. •
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CIS PERFORMS FIRST PROCEDURE IN NEW AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER
Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) completed the first outpatient procedure January 5, 2021 in its new Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) located at 191 Innovation Ct, Ste B in Gray, La. The peripheral angiogram was performed by world-renowned interventional cardiologist, Dr. Craig Walker. A first-of-its-kind in the region, the CIS Ambulatory Surgery Center was built with patients and their families in mind and offers the community innovative outpatient procedures in a convenient and comfortable setting. This same-day surgical care, including diagnostic and treatment procedures, is a lower-cost alternative to a hospital-based stay.
The facility includes two catheterization laboratories equipped for interventional procedures to treat coronary disease, as well as peripheral artery disease and venous disease in the legs. It also includes a cardiovascular clinic for patient followup appointments.
“It has been my life’s mission to return home to South Louisiana to establish a world-class cardiovascular program for our area,” said Dr. Craig Walker, native of Bourg and founder of Cardiovascular Institute of the South in 1983. “Over decades, our focus has not wavered, and CIS is now recognized as a leader in cardiovascular care throughout the world.”
“This state-of-the-art Ambulatory Surgery Center and Office-Based Lab is another giant step in achieving my life-long dream. It is equipped with the best available imaging and treatment tools, and the staff is hand-picked. This center was created to achieve our goals of improving patient access, comfort, and convenience as well as decreasing cost and risk of infection.”
Within the opening week, CIS physicians and staff will complete about 10 cardiovascular procedures at the ASC, and that number is expected to grow exponentially in next few months. A formal ribbon-cutting event will take place in the near future. To learn more about the ASC or find a CIS cardiologist or location near you, visit www.cardio.com. •
LEADERS NEVER STOP LEARNING
Even with 40 years of professional/ corporate experience, a master’s degree in leadership development, and two professional certifications, I continuously seek ways to continue selfeducation. As an instructor in leadership and occasional leadership consultant, I must remain professionally relevant. You see, the world is continually evolving and changing, and by not staying current with updated management and leadership practices, I would be ineffectual to both my students and clients.
Most recently, I completed two significant developmental activities. The first is Leadership Lafourche, a leadership immersion program designed to train cross-sections of Lafourche residents for productive roles focusing on the future and well-being of Lafourche Parish and its associated institutions. The second is Ethical Leadership, presented through NASBA Center for the Public Trust.
While Leadership Lafourche is typically a 9-month program, it was extended to twelve months because of COVID-19. Surprisingly for me, I was asked to be the featured speaker at our graduation ceremony. I looked upon the opportunity as something of a valedictorian address – something I never dreamed I would ever do.
I started the body of my presentation by sharing three thoughts that I generally convey to my students at the beginning of each semester. (1) An organization can never be something the people are not. (2) Leadership is defined as the ability to make and sustain relationships and then influence through those relationships. (3) Leaders never stop learning.
There it is - leaders never stop learning. No matter how good and capable we believe we are, there will always be opportunities to improve our knowledge, skills, and abilities. Only the naïve fail to recognize the need to continue learning and growing. Even the most successful people in business have professional coaches they can count on to help them identify competency gaps. Every successful athlete, after every game, watches film to identify areas where they need to improve. There is always something new to learn.
I also mentioned my participation in an Ethical Leadership training program. Ethics is a critical element of my leadership class. It is the prism through which leaders make decisions. According to the NASBA Center for the Public Trust, “ethical decision making is one of the most important components of sustainable business success.” The program is divided into three training modules: (1) Culture Matters: The value of an Ethical Culture. (2) Leadership Matters: The Need for Ethical Leaders Everywhere. (3) Strategy Matters: The Key Components of Ethical Business. (Participants are tested on all three modules.) The most significant takeaway from this training focuses on organizations’ need to establish a functional code of conduct, an internal locus of control. As individuals, we develop our values from family, friends, schools, social organizations, church, etc. While personal character is important, everyone’s values are different, which leads to ethical diversity. We do not always share the same behavioral expectations, making it necessary for organizations to establish internal guideposts. The internal guidance becomes more critical when leaders are put in a position to make instant decisions.
Lastly, I would be remiss by not sharing that I am continually reading new materials to gain even more leadership insight. As Harry S. Truman once said, “not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” Because I require outside reading in my leadership class, I read what I am assigning to my students. Currently, I am reading The Inspirational Leader by Gifford Thomas. It is a condensed version of much of what I teach.
Having said all the above, the absolute best way to learn to lead is to start leading. Leading takes courage. Leading is experiential. Remember, you never learn to swim until you jump into the pool. You never learn to lead until you start leading. Just never stop learning.
One more thing. If you really want to advance your knowledge, skills, and abilities, we (Nicholls State University) are currently recruiting for our next Executive MBA cohort. We anticipate starting the 18-month program, most probably in mid-spring. No GMAT is required. Visit nicholls.edu/mba for more information.
Ray Peters is MBA Director & Leadership Instructor at Nicholls State University. He can be reached at ray.peters@nicholls.edu.•
