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MAY 2021

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE |

MAY 2021 • VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 5

TABLE OF CONTENTS 04

GOVERNMENT UPDATE

06

FROM THE TOP

08

OIL AND GAS UPDATE

One on One with Congressman Garrett Graves Christine Aucoin

Lafourche, Terrebonne receiving nearly $3 million in GOMESA funds

10

EMPOWERING WOMEN

16

HELPING HANDS FOR THOSE IN NEED

18

MOVERS & SHAKERS

23

G

Women’s Business Alliance

Junior Auxiliary of Houma Headlines and accolades

13

JILL GANIER

14

TINA CLOUTIER

15

LAUREN REBSTOCK

15

ALVA LEMON

CrossFit Crab Trap

Blanchard, Ganier and Associates CPAs APC Twisted Studio

La Boujee Boutique

Nicholas Insurance and Financial Services

PUBLISHER

Brian Rushing EDITORIAL Mary Ditch EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Drew Miller CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Keely Diebold CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CREATIVE Lauren Pontiff GRAPHIC DESIGNER

ADVERTISING Beth Ann Tabor

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Michelle Ortego

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

reetings! I know you are accustomed to

women in their careers, education and personal

hearing from Brian Rushing in this column,

lives. They aim to help the next generation through

SUBSCRIPTIONS

but for our annual Women’s Issue, I get to

mentoring, networking, and community involvement.

Bayou Business Monthly is published monthly.

The organization recently broadened their scholarship

Subscriptions are available for $24 for 12 issues.

you, according to Forbes.

Women own four out of ten businesses in the US.

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KARI RODRIGUE & HARLIE LEGENDRE

Business Calendar of Events

Let me start by throwing a few facts and figures at

•

12

ON THE AGENDA

share my voice.

•

WOMEN IN BUSINESS:

program to include the non-traditional student -

For more information, email

perhaps a woman who sat out to start a family and is

mail@rushing-media.com or visit

ready to further her education to rejoin the workforce.

rushing-media.com/subscriptions.

Junior Auxiliary of Houma is a non-profit service

In the last 20 years, the number of businesses

organization comprised of women in the local

owned by women in the US has increased by

community. Through various service projects, they

114 percent.

aim to create relationships with those who are

36 percent of small business owners are

underserved in our community, primarily women and

women.

children. Although the COVID-19 pandemic changed

What exactly do these women own? Across the

the way they were able to interact with those in need,

globe, women dominate in the beauty, health,

the women of JA continued to step up and provide

and fitness industries. They own food places and

support.

restaurants, retail stores, education-related businesses,

We are also proud to feature our Women Who Mean

and provide business services. Almost 60 percent of the

Business special section. In this section, we showcase

largest female-owned businesses started from scratch.

six local women who share their stories of success. Our

Women in the bayou region certainly do not shy

goal is to inspire and encourage others to strive for

away from the business arena! Our area is full of strong women who step up to the plate when it comes to

success in their own chosen paths.

Hold your heads high, ladies! Continue to be

owning or running local businesses. Not only do they

positive role models for

step up in their chosen careers, they also raise their

those around you, as you

families and volunteer for numerous philanthropic

support one another and

efforts.

achieve your next goal!

In this issue, we introduce you to two organizations that help to support our women in business.

The Women’s Business Alliance helps to support

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RUSHING MEDIA P.O. Box 5013 Houma, LA 70361 985.868.7515 bayoubusinessmonthly.com

Bayou Business Monthly is a free publication. The entire content of this publication is copyrighted by Rushing Media, with all rights reserved.

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.

GOVERNMENT UPDATE | BY DREW MILLER

U.S. CONGRESSMAN GARRET GRAVES (R-LA.) REPRESENTS LOUISIANA’S SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES AREAS OF LAFOURCHE AND TERREBONNE. THE BATON ROUGE NATIVE VISITED WITH BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY TO GIVE HIS THOUGHTS ON THE LAST COVID-19 RELIEF BILL, THE STATE VACCINE ROLLOUT, THE ENERGY INDUSTRY AND MORE.

U

.S. Congressman Garret Graves (R-La.) represents Louisiana’s Sixth Congressional District, which includes areas of Lafourche and Terrebonne. The Baton Rouge native visited with Bayou Business Monthly to give his thoughts on the last COVID-19 relief bill, the state vaccine rollout, the energy industry and more.

Q: What are some inclusions in the latest COVID-19 relief bill that you agree with?

A: There are some good things in that bill: additional funds for vaccines, additional funds for testing, helping to get the assistance to our schools to where we can get them up and running again, funding for broadband. We know people all over Louisiana, as we’ve pivoted to virtual schooling and remote working, don’t have the broadband access to be able to do their job or for their kids to get an education. So, these are fundamental things that I totally agree with and couldn’t be more supportive of. And I even agree with things like the stimulus payments, if they’re targeted — meaning targeted to people who need it, not just going out there and throwing money to everybody.

Q: What are some aspects of the bill you don’t agree with?

A: We’ve done eight COVID bills. Every single one of them has been bipartisan until now. This was the most expensive spending bill in the history of Congress, and it was done entirely on a party-line vote. I think that’s awful because the coronavirus isn’t partisan; it affects all of us.

If you look across all the different committees that had to have to vote on certain sections of the bill, there were probably somewhere around 700 to 800 amendments offered. There were 220 amendments offered just on the House floor. All of the amendments were rejected.

I talked about some of the things that were in there were good, and there were some other things that we supported.

But somewhere around 8 to 9 percent of the bill was COVID

resources.

Not every American gets a stimulus check under the bill, yet some citizens of other countries get a stimulus check. That’s crazy. Not all Americans get a stimulus check, but prisoners get a stimulus check. I don’t think that that policy is really sound.

If you divide the amount of money by the number of taxpayers, it comes out to an average of $13,200 per taxpayer is how much we spent on this bill. Again, some people get $1,400. This isn’t Monopoly money; this is real stuff. There’s still a trillion dollars in the previous coronavirus bills that haven’t been spent yet.

I am all for looking at a new COVID bill and providing assistance to people. But if you still have a trillion dollars that hadn’t hit the street yet from previous bills, if you’re spending 116 times the amount that states have lost in tax revenue — what are we doing?

How is this spending that we can say is legitimately needed?

Q: With the vaccine rollout continuing to expand, do you believe this is the last COVID-19 relief bill that will pass?

A: I hope so. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that this summer by July, without a penny of extra money — including what we just did — that by July the economy would be back to pre-pandemic levels. That’s promising. For the first time, you’re actually beginning to see what looks like a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re just going to have to wait and see what happens.

Q: How do you feel the vaccine distribution is going in Louisiana?

A: I think it’s actually going pretty well. I think that they’ve been really aggressive in trying to get the vaccines out; we’ve been one of the top states in terms of how quickly the turnaround is, meaning when we get it to when it’s actually in people’s arms — which is great.

Q: The House’s passage of the Equality Act has generated a lot of discussion among our readers. The Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter U.S. Senate, urging its member

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Answers edited for clarity and brevity.

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to oppose it. What are your thoughts on the bill?

A: First of all, everyone deserves respect — that’s really important. But this bill doesn’t stop there, and that’s the problem. It actually establishes special status. When you start establishing special status, you start creating these really murky legal criteria and discrimination criteria that are really hard to define.

It comes down to the fact that as a father, as a brother to three sisters, I don’t think it’s okay to suddenly tell guys that you can compete in girls sports or you can go into the girl’s bathroom if — and let me be clear — if that’s how you feel.

I’m not okay with that, and I don’t think that the far majority of our community and our country are. We’ve got to base our decisions upon medicine and upon science — and this bill isn’t grounded in that way.

Q: What was going through your mind when the Biden administration’s executive orders on the energy industry, such as the 60-day moratorium on oil and gas leases in the Gulf, came down, and what long-term effects do you see them having?

A: I knew very well that the consequences were going to be earthshattering because while the words didn’t do this, the sentiment conveyed a game-changer policy from this administration. It’s conveyed to the financial markets that this is an anti-oiland-gas administration.

We saw in 2020 for the first time, since I think 1953, that where we were a net exporting country — you are going to see an absolute reversal of that trend.

Just because you’re decreasing supply by stopping production, doesn’t mean the global demand decreases. Other countries will benefit. You’ve already seen the prices go up. [Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries] recognizes that you’ve got an anti-oiland-gas administration. So if they keep their production cuts a little on target, it causes prices to go up. The strong message to the market is going to have a lasting effect.

5

FROM THE TOP |

QUICK QUESTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE

CHRISTINE

AUCOIN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CASA OF TERREBONNE, INC.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WORK:

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF:

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?

AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING AS A CAREER?

I enjoy meeting the volunteers that make the commitment to spend 30 hours in training in order to be an advocate for the children in foster care. They come from so many different backgrounds and life experiences.

MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

WHAT IS THE HARDEST?

6

I wanted to be a lawyer.

WHAT WAS YOUR VERY FIRST JOB? I worked in the cornfields of Iowa.

Since I am so new at this position, I guess the hardest part is making sure all deadlines are met.

WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP AND HOW DO YOU START YOUR DAY?

IS THERE ANYTHING NEW ON THE HORIZON?

I am up at 5:00 am. I start my day with two cups of coffee and my husband and I spend time reading a devotional and praying.

The Herman J. Courville Foundation will host the 14th annual Crawfish Boil-Off on May 8, 2021 with proceeds going to CASA. Most recently, the Inaugural Bayou Terrebonne Boucherie was held downtown on April 17 and CASA was in charge of the “Piglet’s Pen” (the children events area).

WHAT’S ONE LEADERSHIP SKILL YOU FEEL EVERYONE MUST LEARN? I believe the most important leadership skill to possess is the ability to communicate respectfully to others and listen and consider other view points.

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? I could not live without the love and support of my husband and family.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR FREE TIME?

I enjoy sewing quilts, puttering in my flower beds, playing Scrabble with my husband and spending time with family, especially my new granddaughter.

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OIL & GAS |

MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

L

8

BY DREW MILLER

afourche and Terrebonne Parishes are receiving a combined $2,822,451.31 in Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) funds for the 2020 fiscal year.

Passed in 2006, GOMESA created revenue provisions for the four Gulf oil and gas producing states, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, and their coastal political subdivisions.

GOMESA funds are used for coastal conservation, restoration and hurricane protection.

Out of the nearly $249 million in the FY 2020 going to Gulf states, the federal government awarded Lafourche $1,143,534.60 and Terrebonne $1,678,916.71. The state as a whole is being given $109,948,761.

“This $109 million in GOMESA funding will be vital for restoring Louisiana’s coast and strengthening our hurricane protection efforts, and is welcome news for the communities, small businesses and people in our state. Our coastline is the first line of defense against powerful gulf storms, which is why Louisiana took action to dedicate revenues generated from offshore energy exploration and production to coastal restoration and hurricane protection,” said House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) the day it was announced.

“Today is a reminder that the actions taken by the Biden administration to ban oil and natural gas leasing will deny us future coastal revenues, and will have a destructive impact on the state of Louisiana and the protection of the millions of people who call this home,” he continued.

GOMESA funding relies on oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico. Industry leaders and Louisiana lawmakers have been vocal with how President Joe Biden’s executive actions, such as the moratorium on lease sales and new

drilling operations in the Gulf, may affect the funding.

Congressman Garret Graves (R-La.) also addressed his concerns with the Biden administration’s policies and how they relate to protecting Louisiana lands.

“Every single penny of this funding will be invested in our flood control, coastal restoration, and hurricane protection.

But at the end of the day, as great of news this is, the focus needs to remain on the current trajectory of President Biden’s policies, that stop future domestic energy production, that pose a threat to our communities – whether that be the increased risk of flooding, the accelerated erosion of our coast, and the displacement of our local jobs,” Graves said.

“We had five named storms last year and one of the first actions of the new administration is to effectively cut off our hurricane protection funds. With these disastrous moratoriums, we will become more and more vulnerable with every hurricane that comes through the Gulf - exchanging critical protection and restoration for immense coastal vulnerabilities,” he continued. “This is not a tradeoff I am willing to accept and neither should you.”

The nearly $110 million Louisiana will receive in the 2020 FY (Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020) is down nearly 29.4 from the previous year. Last year saw record lows in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the FY 2019, the state was awarded $156 million.

According to reports, Louisiana and its parishes have received nearly $455.2 million as part of the revenue sharing system, more than 40 percent of the total amount disbursed to the states since 2009.

•

STATE OF LOUISIANA AND PARISHES DISBURSEMENTS:

State of Louisiana – $87,959,009.28 Assumption Parish – $730,415.36 Calcasieu Parish – $1,157,927.48 Cameron Parish – $1,479,017.16 Iberia Parish – $1,156,003.39 Jefferson Parish – $1,824,145.96 Lafourche Parish – $1,143,534.60 Livingston Parish – $914,542.00 Orleans Parish – $1,512,050.85 Plaquemines Parish – $2,149,993.79 St. Bernard Parish – $1,035,622.20 St. Charles Parish – $780,781.25 St. James Parish – $681,467.28 St. John the Baptist Parish – $736,370.32 St. Martin Parish – $819,457.22 St. Mary Parish – $963,784.84 St. Tammany Parish – $1,201,627.95 Tangipahoa Parish – $880,267.16 Terrebonne Parish – $1,678,916.71 Vermilion Parish – $1,143,826.79

TOTAL – $109,948,761.59

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MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

BY DREW MILLER

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Founded in 2004, the Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) of Houma is an organization dedicated to advancing women in their education, careers and personal lives.

“The Women’s Business Alliance at its heart works to improve the quality of life for women by supporting them in their personal and professional endeavors and relationships,” said Katherine Theriot, the organization’s communications co-chair. “We pull together women who can support each other, lift each other up and further our mission and our goals in life and business.”

WBA aims to enrich its members through networking, education, community involvement, mentoring and creating innovation and effective growth.

Helping the next generation is a main WBA goal. In addition to mentoring, it

offers its annual Academic Scholarship Program to graduating seniors who are residents of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes and have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average.

But in the last few years, the organization broadened its scholarship application to include the nontraditional student, Theriot said. “That’s a lady who is returning to school maybe after sitting out: she went into the workforce immediately, and now she’s looking to further her education for her career or to change careers,” she explained.

The alliance also gives back through its annual Athena Award, which is given to women who “strive toward the highest levels of personal and professional accomplishment, who excel in their chosen field, devote time and energy to their community in a meaningful way and forge paths of

leadership for other women to follow.”

Billie Babin, WBA Steering Committee Chair, said such recognition makes WBA stand out from other networking organizations. “We try to lift women up not only in business but just in everyday life,” she said.

Each Athena recipient chooses a nonprofit for WBA to donate to.

WBA had to cancel its 2020 Athena Award banquet due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. However, with limited capacity and masks encouraged, it was still able to host some of its events.

Its breakfast, lunch and after-hours events focus on learning, inspiration and networking, respectively.

“At the luncheon, somebody gives us an empowering talk, and you get re-motivated our own personal mission statement and why we do what we do,” Babin said. “At our learning breakfast, you honestly might learn some things

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that you may already know, but you add more tools to your toolbox.”

“I always feel uplifted and energized after one of our Women’s Business Alliance gatherings. There’s just something about the energy in the room and convening with everybody that’s so fulfilling for me personally,” Theriot said.

Networking is key with the Women’s Business Alliance, as the organization provides a cost-effective way for a small business owner to connect with the local community, Theriot noted.

Babin, a second-generation WBA member, said she joined to help her business, Bayou Boutique, which the organization has done through networking.

“I’ve made a lot of connections within the community through just different things I’m involved in,” she said. “It’s a great networking opportunity. You meet all different kinds of business owners. You name it -- we have an owner involved in the organization.”

More information on the Women’s Business Alliance of Houma can be found at www.wbahouma.org.

“We have a great group of ladies, and welcome more to join us,” Theriot said.

“Our mission is to empower and educate women in the community,” Babin added. “And that’s what we do.”

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May’s Issue of Bayou Business Monthly places a focus on Women Who Mean Business.

Join us as we strive to help ensure that women and girls from all walks of life can be inspired by positive role models and know that success can be achieved.

Our special advertising section helps professional women in our area share their business success stories and encourages a new generation to strive for success in their chosen career path.

KARI RODRIGUE & HARLIE LEGENDRE

W

CROSSFIT CRAB TRAP

MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

alk through the doors of CrossFit Crab Trap in Thibodaux, and you’ll find a community dedicated to meeting people where they are in their fitness journey.

For co-owners Kari Rodrigue and Harlie Legendre, leading programs at their gym presents a valuable opportunity to empower women to find balance in their everyday lives and to provide them with a support system.

“We have a majority of women, and as kind of leaders in the gym, they look up to us and say ok, well they can balance work, being a parent… and also accomplish some of these [fitness] goals,” Rodrigue said. “And that’s a big thing around here - all the women getting excited for each other and just pushing each other.”

The programs at CrossFit CrabTrap are geared toward being modifiable to each trainee’s needs and applicable to everyday life.

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Knowing firsthand the pressures that women face to look and be a certain way, Rodrigue and Legendre are not focused on appearances, but rather on building confidence.

“We’re not geared toward making somebody thin or a woman [having] six-pack abs. We’re not encouraging that sort of fitness,” Legendre said “I get super emotional and happy about being a part of helping like women after postpartum…and feeling confident again.”

As women leaders in their field, Rodrigue and Legendre hope to help other women to leave behind the pressures they face and find peace in a community of like minded people who understand their everyday struggles.

“We really try to make this the best hour of anyone’s day,” Legendre said.

“You can leave all the stress of your day job or home life at the door.”

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS | SPONSORED CONTENT

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MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

or over 20 years, the Bayou area residents and businesses have trusted Blanchard, Ganier and Associates CPAs APC with their accounting needs.

With locations in Houma and Thibodaux, the wellestablished firm is known for its dedication and precision in finding solutions for its clients. The executives and employees at Blanchard, Ganier and Associates CPAs APC lead with a passion for what they do. That passion is displayed by Jill Ganier, CPA, partner at Blanchard, Ganier and Associates CPAs APC. A native of Houma, Ganier was always gifted with numbers and aimed to be a teacher growing up. But while attending college, her classes didn’t challenge her enough, so she switched her major to Electrical Engineering.

“I did not like the physics portion of it, but I loved the math aspect,” she shared. “I then switched to accounting because I wanted the business portion. I had more of a business mind with the math aspect.”

After graduating from Nicholls State University, Ganier entered the workforce in 2003 as a public accountant.

She took a liking to the profession and decided to pursue her certified public accountant (CPA) designation to further her career.

Ganier joined Michael J. Blanchard, CPA APC in 2007 and was named partner in 2016. Subsequently, the firm changed its name to Blanchard, Ganier and Associates CPAs APC in March of this year.

“It was an exciting time for me,” she shared on being named partner. “I felt accomplished and that I finally achieved what I set out for.”

With its long-term, hardworking and dedicated employees, the firm has built trust with its clients and always puts their needs first, Ganier said.

“We’re always looking out for them,” she continued. “I find we’re on the cutting edge of new laws. We’re always keeping an eye open, especially lately with the COVID tax law changes and all of the stimulus packages. We’re always willing to assist and to help.”

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MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

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14

hat do you want to be when you grow up? ‘I’m going to be an entrepreneur.’ That was always my answer.

I always wanted to own my own business,” Tina Cloutier, owner of Twisted Studio, recalled.

With a background in oil field sales, Cloutier developed thick skin and confidence. “Being a woman in business wasn’t scary to me,” Cloutier admitted. A flexible schedule and a staff of twelve certified instructors allows Cloutier to have a balance between her professional life and home life as a wife and mother.

After struggling with a health issue that resulted in surgery, Cloutier was unable to exercise for a year. Over this time, her body had atrophied. She wanted to get back to working out, but couldn’t lift weights and run anymore. Looking for something with more health benefits, she discovered the Pilates Reformer and Cloutier knew she found her workout. The immediate visible and mental results were incredible and she wanted to know more. She was inspired by researching Joseph Pilates who developed the reformer in the early 1900’s to help bedridden war veterans. “It was a way of getting them walking again.

So, they actually went from being bed bound to walking with this machine. On the other end of the spectrum, it is used by professional athletes. I was totally inspired and my passion began,” Cloutier explained.

After purchasing Twisted Fitness last summer, Cloutier immediately faced the challenge of keeping the doors open during the Covid-19 pandemic. While having a prior plan to expand and rebrand as Twisted Studio, she had to remain focused on keeping her instructors and clients safe. This year, she is moving forward and is planning to add more classes such as TRX to the extensive list of classes the studio already offers, including Spin, Pilates Reformer and Mat, Bootybarre, Zumba and Yoga. Additionally, the studio recently earned an invitation to the Better Business Bureau as an accredited member.

Since attending training last year to become a reformer instructor herself, Cloutier realized how much she enjoys teaching classes. She explained “I wasn’t expecting the gratification that I get out of it. But to see how important a workout is for people’s mental and physical health, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to help other people just as I had been helped throughout my journey to health. What I do is a labor of love.”

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LAUREN REBSTOCK

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LA BOUJEE BOUTIQUE

hat started out as an online-only boutique while she was living in Brazil with her husband has now grown into a mini empire for La Boujee Boutique and owner Lauren Rebstock. With a strong online presence, pop-up shops across the area and two physical locations in Cut Off and Houma, Rebstock continues to forge ahead, making fashionable waves as she goes.

“I’ve always loved fashion,” Rebstock shared. “I’ve always been intrigued by this and it was always an interest of mine. Moving to Brazil really prompted me to do something while I was there. I didn’t yet speak Portuguese; I didn’t know anybody. I needed an outlet for all of my energies. With the online boutique, it seemed like a great time to try it out.”

The online boutique was extremely successful.

After about a year and a half, that success, coupled with pop-up shops across our communities, turned into the opportunity to open a physical location in Rebstock’s hometown of Cut Off. A second location opened in November 2020 in downtown Houma.

The boutiques carry clothing and accessories, from

dresses to loungewear, in inclusive sizing from extra small to three X. “We opened the week of Black Friday and everyone said I was crazy,” Rebstock recalled. “They were like ‘you’re still in a pandemic’. Many people, friends of mine, were closing their stores because they couldn’t survive the setbacks. I get something in my head and I’m just, I don’t know, hell bent! La Boujee Cut Off was supposed to be a warehouse for my online store and within two weeks I was like, no, we’re building out a store. And then [La Boujee Houma] came together in less than a month. It was a risk, but now I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

Growth for the brand doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Rebstock has plans to continue her expansion by the end of 2021. Before the pandemic, she was looking at trucks to create La Boujee on wheels.

But Rebstock believes God was pointing her in another direction, and opened the Houma location instead. “I love growth. I feel like multiple locations challenges me. I feel like it’s the fun part, and I love a good challenge.”

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ALVA LEMON ESQ.

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“It’s tremendous having the opportunity to give women the insight to see, hey this is another arena that we can get into,” Lemon said. “I have a daughter, so my daughter gets to see her mom as a boss….but she sees more than just success - she sees me happy.”

Lemon said that she has a deep love for both her work and the Houma community.

With a strong commitment toward inclusiveness, Lemon feels a heightened responsibility as a woman in her field to be an influence to the community around her.

“I want my legacy to be, hey, this is a woman who looks like me, she comes from similar circumstances as I do and she’s been able to do this,” Lemon said.

Above all, she leans on her Christian faith as the driving force behind everything she does.

“It’s a promise that [God] made to me, and a commitment that I fulfill to him. If he granted me this, then I will give back,” Lemon said. “I think it’s very important to let people know that without God, I couldn’t do anything.”

MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

fter running her own successful law firm in Baton Rouge for over a decade, Alva Lemon made the decision to move to Houma in the fall of 2019 to start a new life. She saw this change as an opportunity to start a new career path in insurance - one that she views as a channel for making a difference in the lives of the community she has grown to love so dearly.

Lemon is the owner and operator of NIFS Insurance and Financial Services - an independent agency located on Goode Street in Houma. NIFS Inc. is a full service brokerage writing policies for everything from personal (auto/home) to commercial (P&C/ Workers Comp./Group benefits).

One of the few female insurance agency owners in the area, she hopes to stand as an inspiration for other women.

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BY KEELY DIEBOBLD

MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

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s the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic changed the way that businesses and organizations operated over the last year, local non-profit organization Junior Auxiliary of Houma has remained committed to its promise of building and upholding relationships with its community.

“The overall mission of JA is to provide a service, not just to provide material things, but to…create relationships with those who are underserved in our community as it relates to child welfare. That is one of the heavy focuses of Junior Auxiliary as a whole,” JA President Kellie Walters said. “And so still being able to make that connection with them keeps our mission going.”

JA is a non-profit, service-base organization comprised of women from the local community. It was founded in 1973 as a branch of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries (NAJA).

Members of JA become involved with service projects and events that allow them to be actively involved in aiding needy people in the community in a hands-on way, with a main focus on child welfare. Locally, the group offers aid to the Haven, the Hooper Dorm, Louis Children’s Crisis Center and more local organizations and charities that support children in need. However, members welcome service to all kinds of organizations.

Membership in JA is centered on a five-year commitment.

Women enter the organization as provisional members each November, and undergo six months of training to learn about the chapter and its projects. Once their training is complete, they become active members in May. After five years of active membership, women can become associate members and remain involved however they choose.

When the pandemic first began to shut businesses and locations down in March of 2020, Walters said JA immediately shifted to virtual meetings and operations.

Large-scale events like the organization’s annual Dancing With the Stars fundraiser were cancelled and replaced by smaller-scale fundraising events like a pop-up garage sale last summer.

More importantly, Walters said JA members sprang into action to brainstorm creative, innovate ways to continue their service in a safe, socially distant manner.

For their Sweet Seniors project, which is geared toward nursing homes and assisted living residents, Walters said the organization provided activities like puzzle books and craft projects organized by members of JA, particularly around holidays.

In lieu of the organization’s traditional annual reverse

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MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

trick-or-treat project where children of JA members deliver candy to nursing homes, Walters said the organization hosted a Halloween parade outside the homes so that residents could open their windows to watch.

In addition, JA adopted a pen pal project for members to connect with their Sweet Seniors through written letters and drawn pictures.

“We worked with the activities directors of the different homes, and they provided us with some names of residents that could be a pen pal for one of our members, and so our members took a name from each home, and we’ve been writing to our designated pen pals throughout the last several months,” Walters said.

For the children in group homes supported by JA, Walters said members have provided meals and socially-distant birthday celebrations like car parades, as well as prepared holiday-based activities for residents.

The organization has held Zoom meetings with the children to keep in touch with them, and to celebrate occasions like birthdays.

Walters said that it is important for JA members to ensure that the children they serve know that they have not been forgotten amidst the “new normal” brought about by COVID-19, and that they can always rely on JA. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, Walters believes that the last year has revealed how important JA’s service to the community is and has brought members together to develop ideas that will likely continue to be adopted by the organization moving forward.

“To see our members just really jump into action despite what was going on in their personal lives, despite the fact that a pandemic is scary, they were so willing to just jump and help and create different ways for us to serve to make sure that we did not lost touch with out community in that way,” Walters said. “I think it’s brought forth even more service to our community and brought to light even more creative ways to touch those that we do serve.”

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS |

HEADLINES & ACCOLADES

TFAE SELECTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence is a nonprofit organization dedicated to positively affecting academic achievement and to fundamentally improving education for the students in the Terrebonne Parish Public School System. After an intensive search, the foundation is pleased to announce the selection of Ashlee Champagne Barahona as its new executive director. The foundation selected Barahona after an extensive search led by members of the executive board.

A statement from the board read: “We are pleased to have Ashlee join us as Executive Director for TFAE. Her broad experience in nonprofit management, fundraising and marketing make her ideally suited to lead the Foundation during these challenging times for our public school system.

We are excited for the ideas and opportunities her vast knowledge base will deliver for the betterment of public education for the children of Terrebonne Parish.”

Barahona joins the foundation after 10-years of work with the United Way for South Louisiana. She has extensive knowledge in marketing, public relations, leadership, business development and fundraising, having had the opportunity to lead corporate and employee giving

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FLETCHER SURPASSES $2 MILLION IN SAVINGS FOR STUDENTS

campaigns. She is particularly proud of her work organizing big and small fundraisers and working alongside committee members in the community to raise over a million dollars every year. Barahona also served on Leadership Terrebonne’s Executive Board from 2010 to 2015.

“I am a proud public school graduate and lifelong resident of Terrebonne Parish. I am privileged to have worked alongside hundreds of local servant leaders in our community in my professional career. Together we are stronger, together we make bigger impacts, and it is in this spirit that I begin my work at the foundation. I am excited to work with an exceptional board made up of the most knowledgeable individuals in our community. Together we will help the students and teachers in Terrebonne Parish public schools meet the challenges this pandemic has created,” said Barahona. “It only works if we all work together; our community, workforce and children rely on it. I am honored to be part of the organization working alongside the school board to help in any way we can to enhance our public-school education.”

Barahona started her role as Executive Director on February 15, 2021.

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The Louisiana Library Network (LOUIS), a program of the Louisiana Board of Regents, recently announced $26.8 million in reported savings for higher education students in Louisiana since 2012 by using Affordable Education Resources (AERs), Open Educational Resources (OERs), and other open access materials. Since 2015, Fletcher Technical Community College has saved students over $2 million by using open educational resources. An interactive display of Fletcher’s student savings and impact is available at https://louislibraries.org/alearningla.

“I am so proud to be a part of a team that works so diligently to reduce costs of course materials for students,” commented Jodi Duet, MLIS, Director of Library Services at Fletcher. “Through OER and AER efforts, the faculty and staff at Fletcher have proven that affordability and access are priorities, and we will continue to work to increase the savings for our students.”

Fletcher began using OER in 2015 with the adoption of a nocost, open textbook for Freshmen Studies. Since 2015, Fletcher has been involved with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System e-learning Innovation Fund and Affordable Learning Louisiana projects. Affordable Learning Louisiana is led by LOUIS, The Louisiana Library Network. LOUIS partners libraries and faculty to save students money through the use of OER and AER.

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MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

OERs are openly licensed materials that are used for educational purposes.

OERs often replace the student textbook entirely and can be free resources or lowcost resources. These resources can be used for teaching and learning and can be adapted and redistributed. Faculty who adopt an OER for their course can ensure that students have first-day access to the course materials at little or no cost to them.

AERs are a single or collection of required educational resources that may be offered at no or low cost to a student through a post-secondary education institution or an affiliated college bookstore at a presales tax cost to a student that does not exceed an amount equal to four times the federal minimum wage. AER includes copyright-protected material purchased by a library and provided to a student at no cost.

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS |

HEADLINES & ACCOLADES

GOOD EARTH GULF COAST BOURBON BENEFITS HACHE GRANT ASSOCIATION’S FUTURE DOWNTOWN BANDSTAND PROJECT A Houma distiller and a local spirits retailer have partnered on a unique project enabling customers to aid a project benefitting the southeast Louisiana entertainment industry, while treating themselves to signature bottles from the certified very first batch of a homegrown whiskey, distilled entirely with Louisiana corn.

The first batch of Bayou Terrebonne Distiller’s Good Earth Gulf Coast Bourbon was available for sale at Cannata’s in numbered bottles specially marked for the whiskey’s premiere in early April, with a portion of sales being donated to the Hache Grant Association’s planned downtown Houma bandstand.

“We are proud to present our clientele with the opportunity to purchase bottles of this

historic whiskey, while also helping a cause that will breathe life into downtown Houma through a venue for musicians who reflect the diversity of cultures we have come to know and love in Terrebonne Parish,” said retailer Vince Cannata, whose Houma locations are making the limited-edition bottles available for purchase, with labels identifying them by barrel number, and certificates that can be personalized by the customers who give them a home.

Whiskey master Noah Lirette, who personally oversees the distilling, barreling and bottling processes, expressed pride in the role his product is playing, as a component of Louisiana’s emerging distilling culture, and helping to turn the bandstand concept into reality.

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MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

NICHOLLS ONLINE MAGAZINE TO FEATURE UNITED HOUMA NATION IN SPRING 2021 ISSUE

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Garde Voir Ci, an award-winning online magazine created by the graduating students of the Mass Communication Department at Nicholls State University, is featuring the origins, culture, traditions and land of the United Houma Nation in the Spring 2021 issue of “The Lost Bayou” series.

“The Lost Bayou” series covers land, cultures and communities that have been lost due to environmental change and natural disasters. The first two issues in the series covered the Grand Bayou community of Assumption Parish and Isle Derniere in Lafourche Parish.

The United Houma Nation, a tribe of 19,000 citizens, spreads across six parishes in the South Louisiana region: Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson, St. Mary, St. Bernard and Plaquemines.

The communities reside among the bayous and canals where Houmas traditionally earned a living within the area. Historically, these communities have remained near the water, but

environmental changes are forcing many to consider relocation, further threatening a loss of this indigenous culture. The stories of the United Houma Nation and its people will be brought to life on Garde Voir Ci’s website and social media accounts.

As a multi-media magazine, Garde Voir Ci is designed so that each graduating student of the Mass Communication department has a specific role fitting their skills. These roles include management, video editing, photography, feature writing, graphic design and public relations. By working together to create this magazine, the class will learn how to utilize their skills in a real world setting.

The inaugural issue of “The Lost Bayou” series featuring Grand Bayou was named a national Hearst Journalism Award finalist for digital news/enterprise.

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NICHOLLS ESPORTS PARTNERS WITH STRATIFY Nicholls State University is thrilled to announce a partnership between Stratify and the Nicholls Esports Team.

Jason Bergeron, CEO of Stratify, will provide a $10,000 inkind partnership by lending his expertise and guidance to the newly formed competitive gaming squad. Stratify is a business consulting company with a mission to “drive economic growth one opportunity at a time.”

Bergeron has decades of experience in leadership, information technology and strategic solutions. He said he is particularly excited because it was his interest in gaming that got his career started.

“An initiative like this provides a future for our youth along with possible economic development opportunities,” Bergeron said. “Our region needs to look at innovative opportunities like this along with technology to help solidify our future. This cause is personally important to me.”

Nicholls Esports was first created in January 2021. The team will compete in the College Call of Duty League this year, with the intent of competing in new games in the future.

“I am excited with this collaboration,” said Elizabeth Layton, access services librarian with Ellender Memorial Library and coach of the Esports team. “This will give us a great opportunity to not only have someone that can speak the language of gaming but also to build bonds within the community.”

Momentum for the program is moving fast. During the 2021 Give-N-Day, the newly formed organization raised $18,725, the second-highest amount ever for Give-N-Day. “Not every partnership has to have a monetary component.

Here, Jason is going to be lending his leadership, consultation experience and passion for gaming to these students,” said Jeremy Becker, executive director of the Nicholls Foundation. “A university is at its best when it can combine social experiences with academic knowledge. These students will have the opportunity to learn from a local business and community leader as members of this team.”

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HOYCHICK JOINS TGMC AS IN-HOUSE COUNSEL

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MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) announces Danny Hoychick as in-house counsel. In his role, Hoychick will be responsible for handling business transactions, reviewing contracts, conducting negotiations, overseeing risk management, and assisting with strategic development.

Hoychick earned his Juris Doctor degree from Louisiana State University in 2001. Prior to joining TGMC, Hoychick worked at the law firm of Watkins, Walker & Eroche for 14 years, where he practiced in multiple areas, including malpractice defense, premise liability defense, contracts and corporate law.

Hoychick is married with four children and is an active member of the community. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Downtown Houma. His professional affiliations include membership in all Louisiana state and federal courts and membership in the Terrebonne Parish Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association, Louisiana Hospital Association and the American Health Law Association.

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS |

HEADLINES & ACCOLADES

MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

DREW BREES JOINS BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES, B1BANK BOARDS

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Business First Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: BFST) and b1BANK announced today the addition of Drew Brees to their respective boards of directors.

Brees is the former quarterback of the New Orleans Saints and later this year will join NBC Sports as a studio analyst for Football Night in America. In his new role, Brees will also cover the Super Bowl and the Olympics for the network. Over the course of his 20-year career in the National Football League (NFL), Brees was recognized as the 2006 Walter Payton Man of the Year, won Super Bowl XLIV while being crowned its MVP, and was elected to 13 Pro Bowls. In addition to success on the football field, Brees is a successful entrepreneur with endeavors in franchise ownership, restaurant partnership and life-style apparel development. As a philanthropist, he and his wife, Brittany, have raised funds and contributed more than $45 million through the Brees Dream Foundation to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and support various community charities that provide education and assistance to families in need.

“Drew is a champion in every sense of the word, both on the field and off. We are proud to have him as a member of the b1BANK team and hope to leverage his passion and commitment to excellence as we support our region’s small businesses and entrepreneurs in their drive to win,” said Jude Melville, president and chief executive officer of Business First

Bancshares, Inc. and b1BANK. “Drew has already made well documented differences in the lives of the communities which we are blessed to have the chance to serve. We are honored that he would include community banking in general, and our institution in particular, in his playbook as he commits to continue impacting our region materially in the future, perhaps to an even greater degree than during his playing days.”

Brees is well known for his support of the New Orleans and Louisiana community in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In 2010, President Obama appointed Brees co-chair of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. Drew has participated in multiple United Service Organizations, Inc. (USO) tours including visits to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates. He holds a degree in industrial management from Perdue University.

“I am always looking for opportunities to partner with people and organizations that do the right things the right way, and I have experienced that personally as a client of b1BANK,” said Brees. “In formally joining the b1BANK team, I look forward to contributing to their ongoing efforts to support the health of small businesses throughout their expanding footprint, which I know will not only benefit the company’s stakeholders but will have a positive and meaningful impact on our local communities for many years to come.”

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13TH ANNUAL CHAMBER GOLF CLASSIC MORRISON DEEPWATER RISER SERVICES VP NAMED TO ALMA MEMBER ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR STUDENTS

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TFAE RUN FOR EXCELLENCE

To celebrate 30 years of Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence, their annual Run for Excellence is going to be offered in in-person and virtual formats! Participants will be able to join in the fun virtually, completing their miles from May 5-7. The in-person race will be held on May 8 in Downtown Houma with celebrations and fun along the route. For more information, visit RunForExcellence.com.

May 8, 6 p.m.

Downtown Houma

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

The Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce will host their monthly general membership meeting with guest speaker Lori LeBlanc, Vice President of LMOGA & Executive Director of GEST. Admission is $25 per person with payment required in advance.

Seating is limited; masks are required.

May 25, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Courtyard by Marriott, Houma

LAFOURCHE CHAMBER ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET

The Lafourche Chamber Annual Awards Banquet honors businesses, organizations and individuals whose service or performance positively impacts the quality of life in Lafourche Parish, Grand Isle and/or the bayou region of southeastern Louisiana.

May 27, noon Royal Villa, Raceland

MAY 2021 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY

Morrison, a leading energy service company for the oil, gas and renewables industries, is pleased to announce that John DeBlieux, Vice President of Deepwater Riser Services, has been named by The American Equity Underwriters to the American Longshore Mutual Association (ALMA) Member Advisory Council (“Council”). As a new council member, DeBlieux will serve on the Council voluntarily for a term of two years and will work diligently with other forward-thinking maritime industry professionals to better the industry.

Incepted in 2014, the Council is a group of industry professionals who provide insight into waterfront employers’ unique challenges. Working closely with AEU’s senior management team, they provide input on company innovations, recommend new products and services, and advise on industry-wide concerns affecting waterfront employers.

“We are extremely pleased to have John represent Morrison and Deepwater Riser Services on the ALMA Council,” stated Morrison CEO Chet Morrison. “John’s in-depth knowledge will give him a seat at the table to help make impactful decisions and advise on industrywide concerns that will affect waterfront employers not just in the Gulf of Mexico, but in foreign trade zones as well.”

Deepwater Riser Services, a division of Morrison, provides comprehensive inspection, transportation, maintenance, repair, and storage services for marine drilling risers and equipment. To learn more about Deepwater Riser Services, please visit riserservices.com.

Chet Morrison Contractors, LLC (Morrison) is an energy service company that delivers integrated infrastructure solutions to clients in the oil and gas and renewables industries. With more than 38 years of experience, worldwide facilities and a wide range of specialized resources, the company prides itself on providing creative alternatives and value-added solutions to every project, both onshore and offshore. The company adheres to the highest standards of quality and safety with uncompromising regard for the environment. For more information, visit: www.morrisonenergy.com.

The Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce will host its 13th Annual Chamber Golf Classic. The Golf Classic features great food and drinks on the course as well as a number of prizes and golf-related awards for closest to the hole and longest drive. The format for the tournament will be a four-person scramble with a shotgun start. The entry fee is $125 per person or $500 per four-member team. Entry fees include player registration, green fees, tournament specialty items, golf carts, refreshments, lunch, driving range fees, prizes, ditty bag, team photo, and 2 mulligans per golfer!

May 3, Tee Off 11:30 am Ellendale Country Club, Houma

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