FREE HURRICANE SEASON HEATS UP
PORT FOURCHON CELEBRATES 60 YEARS
BUSINESS OUTSIDE THE BOX
MARINE INDUSTRIAL ISSUE JUNE 2020
PRESORT STD US POSTAGE PAID HOUMA, LA PERMIT NO. 17
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
PUBLISHER’S NOTE |
JUNE 2020 • VOLUME 3 • ISSUE6
TABLE OF CONTENTS SPOTLIGHT ON: MARINE INDUSTRIAL 10 14
THE TOP 08 FROM Thad Angelloz
PORT FOURCHON PRESSES ON
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NICHOLLS STATE UNIVERSITY
NEW TECHNOLOGY CREATES A SAFER ZONE
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DOING BUSINESS OUTSIDE THE BOX
GLPC and the Port celebrate 60 years SafeZone Safety Systems, LLC receives a US patent
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Three local businesses share coronavirus success stories.
NEWS 20 BUSINESS The Cajun Ninja Reaches 100,000 YouTube
IN EVERY ISSUE: 04
Leading Through Crisis
Subscribers
GOVERNMENT UPDATE
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Hurricane Season Starts June 1
OIL AND GAS UPDATE SB 440 is on the move
BUSINESS NEWS
Nicholls Students, Lafourche Inmates Come Together
22 Headlines and Accolades
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
PUBLISHER
Brian Rushing EDITORIAL Mary Ditch EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Drew Miller CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Keely Diebold CONTRIBUTING WRITER
CREATIVE Amber Duplantis SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lauren Pontiff GRAPHIC DESIGNER
ADVERTISING Deanne Ratliff DIRECTOR OF SALES Beth Tabor
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Michelle Ortego
CONTACT
SPOTLIGHT ON MARINE INDUSTRIAL
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ach year in late spring, we publish our Marine Industrial issue. This is our third in Bayou Business Monthly, but this magazine was preceded by special issues of the Times of Houma-Thibodaux. As I glanced back at a few of these issues, I realized there is one solid message each time we publish, no matter the state of the industry. Optimism. No matter how tough times are here in South Louisiana, our area seems to consistently keep our chin up, choosing to focus on the positive. This spring, we were faced with a rapid one-two punch. In April, U.S. crude for May delivery dropped below $1, while our country was in a lockdown for a pandemic. It wasn’t a very good day for the oil and gas industry. Since then, prices have evened out. On press week, the West Texas crude oil July contract was sitting slightly above $34 per barrel. But for some, the damage has already been done. In the bayou region, we are choosing to focus on the positive for our spotlight on marine industrial. We are happy to shine
Publisher: publisher@rushing-media.com Editorial: editor@bayoubusinessmonthly.com Sales: sales@rushing-media.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS
a light on Port Fourchon and the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, who are celebrating 60 years. Executive Director Chett Chaisson shared with us how the port is still forging ahead. We also check in on SafeZone, a local company that successfully recently received a U.S. patent for an isolation or negative pressure enclosure, thus offering an innovative new way to reduce the risk of hazards in hot work situations. Outside of the oil and gas industry, the coronavirus has majorly affected small businesses around the world. We take a closer look at three different local businesses and how they managed to think “outside the box” to stay open, keep people employed and make business happen. I am extremely proud of the way our area has dug in and continued to work hard to stay open. We are resourceful and creative thinkers. As the saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way.
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GOVERNMENT UPDATE |
JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
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BY TOBIE BLANCHARD, LSU AG
he 2020 hurricane season could bring new challenges as Louisiana residents also navigate the realities of COVID-19. The U.S. has already seen two named storms, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said coastal areas should brace for an active season. Preparations should include yards, homes, pets and having food and cleaning supplies, but disinfectants and some food items have been in high demand since the state went on lockdown following outbreaks of the novel coronavirus. LSU AgCenter food safety expert Wennie Xu said cleaning and disinfecting items such as soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, or general household cleaning and disinfecting supplies for surfaces are important, especially if a storm necessitates cleanup because of floodwaters or storm damage. Having a three-day water supply is important. “It is best to buy bottled water and prepare for one gallon of water per day per person,” she said. To keep food safe in the event of a power outage, keep the doors of your refrigerator and freezer shut as much as possible. “Frozen foods can be safely refrozen if they still have ice crystals on them or the temperature is 40 degrees or lower,” Xu said. She also said to make sure you have a manual can opener, a food thermometer to monitor temperature and bleach if you need to sanitize utensils, pots and water. Xu also said families should have two cloth face covering per family member. If an evacuation to a public disaster shelter is necessary, she recommends the following: • Practice social distancing. • Wash hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, and follow shelter policies for wearing cloth face coverings. • Avoid sharing food and drink with anyone if possible. • Avoid contact with high-touch surfaces as much as possible. If not possible, wash hands or use hand sanitizers containing 60 percent alcohol immediately after you touch these surfaces. • If you have high-risk individuals in your household, follow the public shelter’s policies. • If you have children in your household, model good behavior. “If you wash your hands often and keep a safe distance from others, your children are more likely to do the same,” Xu said. AgCenter nutritionist and registered dietitian Sandra May said when preparing for a hurricane, keep in mind foods that do not have to be refrigerated before or after opening will not spoil over a period of a few days, require little to no preparation and can be prepared without electricity.
Be sure to have at least a three-day food supply for each person in the household, she said. Another step for storm preparation is to make sure your home is ready. AgCenter housing specialist Claudette Reichel said to remember the letter “S” for home projects. She said to inspect shingles, soffits, seals, shutters and surroundings. Homeowners looking to replace a roof have hurricane-hardy options, such as windrated shingles and tear-resistant, synthetic underlayment. But if a replacement isn’t in the plans, Reichel said, homeowners can strengthen existing shingles with roofing cement. “Put some dabs under the first course of shingles and along the gable ends where it is most vulnerable,” she said. Roof damage is the biggest homeowners insurance loss following hurricanes. Reichel also recommended securing soffits with polyurethane sealant and stainless steel screws. “Soffits are less likely to get blown around and allow wind-driven rain into your attic and cause major damage,” she said. Inexpensive caulk will seal holes where wires, cables and pipes enter or exit your house. When high winds are expected, flying debris can damage windows. Shutters such as lightweight translucent removable storm panels are a good alternative to heavy plywood boards, Reichel said. AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard said landscapes can contain hazards during a storm. She recommends inspecting large trees and shrubs for dead branches. A licensed arborist should remove any trees or large branches that may be an issue. “Be sure that anything that can be picked up by a heavy wind is secured,” she said. “That includes tools, chemicals, trellising and planters.” Keeping drainage systems clear of debris is an important task for doing your part to keep stormwater from causing floods. Preparation also means getting pets and livestock ready for a storm. AgCenter veterinarian Christine Navarre said animals should have vaccinations and a check-up if necessary. “Healthy animals will be better prepared to handle the stress of relocation,” Navarre said. Microchipping animals or having identification for them in some way will help if you are separated from your animals. Navarre recommended storing identification numbers online in the cloud so they can be retrieved from anywhere. She also said to prepare an emergency to-go box that includes contact information for animals’ veterinarians, medications, feed and leashes. It also is important to get a pet used to its pet carrier before it is necessary for the animal to be transported in it.
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
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OIL & GAS |
BY MARIA MARSH, LSU MANSHIP SCHOOL NEWS SERVICE
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
BILL SEEKS TO INVALIDATE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWSUITS FILED BY COASTAL PARISHES AGAINST OIL AND GAS COMPANIES
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committee on Wednesday [May 27] pushed a bill to the House floor that seeks to invalidate environmental lawsuits filed by coastal parishes against oil and gas companies. The House Natural Resources and Environment Committee voted 9-3 to advance Senate Bill 440, by Sen. Michael “Big Mike” Fesi, R-Houma. Advocates say the bill requires the money that the parishes would have spent on the lawsuits to go to coastal restoration efforts. “If we’re going to believe that these lawsuits are about restoring our coasts, then we need to put the money where our coast needs to be restored,” Archie Chaisson, Lafourche parish President, said in support of the bill. The committee voted to add amendments by Rep. Philip Devillier, R-Eunice, that would give the Department of Natural Resources, and Attorney General Jeff Landry sole discretion over the lawsuits instead of the parishes. “In one of largest disasters--this global pandemic--in the history of the world, and I have to be here, fighting for our right, St. Bernard Parish, to sue a company that polluted our parish,” Guy McInnis, St. Bernard Parish president, said. The amendment mirrored parts of a bill that Sen. Bob Hensgens, R-Cameron, withdrew last week. That bill was designed to get the lawsuits out of the hands of private trial lawyers who have been representing the parishes in the suit. Opponents say that neither the Natural Resources Department nor the Attorney General’s office have the money to cover the full cost of the lawsuits. Last week, the department estimated the cost of each of the 42 cases at about $4.3 million, or an aggregate of over $180 million. Fesi’s bill narrowly passed in the Senate by a 20-15 vote last week after debate over the bill’s purpose. If the bill is passed in the House, it will move to a Senate committee because today’s amendment was not part of the bill when the Senate passed it. The committee also approved a resolution by Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, that calls on local governments to drop the lawsuits against oil and gas companies.
“Pull back the curtain, and what it’s really about is Senator Hewitt’s resolution to dismiss the lawsuits,” John Carmouche, a private lawyer who represents several coastal parishes, said, referring to the amendment to Fesi’s bill. Hewitt said that the lawsuits have caused a chilling effect on the oil and gas industry, which generates a large portion of revenues in Louisiana. The industry has also taken a large hit in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that crippled oil prices. “The oil and gas industry is in dire need of a shot in the arm right now,” Gifford Briggs, president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, said. Crude-oil futures contracts sold for over $60 a barrel earlier this year and then fell below zero after the COVID-19 outbreak. They have since recovered to about $32 a barrel. Opponents of Hewitt’s resolution are concerned that the oil companies will cite it in pressuring local authorities to drop lawsuits that have been ongoing for years. “This resolution will be used in the courts,” Carmouche said. “It will be used to beat up local politicians.” “This resolution, by law, might be nothing, but this is a statement to the citizens of Louisiana that we don’t care,” he added a moment later. Gov. John Bel Edwards has expressed his support for the lawsuits by the parishes. The Legislature would need a two-thirds majority to vote to override any veto. Members in support: Jean-Paul Coussan, R-Lafayette, Ryan Bourriaque, R-Abbeville, Ronda Butler, R-Ville Platte, Dewith Carrier, R-Oakdale, Phillip Devillier R-Eunice, Daryl Deshotel, R-Marksville, Neil Riser, R-Columbia, Bill Wheat Jr, R-Ponchatoula, Buddy Mincey, R-Denham Spring Members in opposition: Timothy Kerner, R- Lafitte, Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, Rodney Lyons D-Harvey. Editor’s Note: We will continue to follow the progress of SB440 and SB359 into the anticipated special session in June. Updates can be found at houmatimes. com.
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
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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? Being the member of a team of people that continually push for the very best for our entire parish is definitely rewarding. Having the opportunity to cultivate messaging and tell others about our accomplishments; and moreover, the amazing accomplishments of our valued tenants in Port Fourchon on a routine basis is something I truly embrace in my current role with the GLPC.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST? It may sound a little strange, but just keeping on top of everything. Similar to others who work at the GLPC, many of us possess multiple titles, so at times finding the time and making sure I do my very best job can prove difficult. However, while this can be hard to juggle sometimes, it is also exciting because there is never a chance for boredom to set in.
JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA FOR THE PORT POST COVID-19?
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THAD ANGELLOZ COMMUNICATIONS & GRANTS MANAGER, GREATER LAFOURCHE PORT COMMISSION
More of the same. Thanks to the steadfast leadership of our Executive Director and dedicated Board of Commissioners, we are always pointed onward. Throughout the pandemic, we never stopped working. We continue to work towards ambitious goals that will certainly influence our area for the better in the coming weeks, months, and years.
WHAT’S ONE LEADERSHIP SKILL YOU FEEL EVERYONE MUST LEARN? In my opinion, the greatest asset any leader can possess is the art of DEFLECTION. When you recognize others contributions to your own SUCCESS and deflect praise, you enhance rapport with your employees/co-workers, and by extension look far better in their eyes. Ultimately, you should always be cognizant that without the team around you rowing in the same direction, you will never achieve your own goals or help your business or agency achieve there’s.
READY
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF:
WHEN
AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING AS A CAREER? I always had a gift for storytelling in the written form, according to those who know me best. Honestly, I thought at one point I may become a book author or if not that, I would certainly work as a sportswriter at a large-sized print publication.
WHAT WAS YOUR VERY FIRST JOB? A maintenance man and customer service worker at LaRousse’s Gym in Thibodaux.
WHAT TIME TO DO YOU WAKE UP AND HOW DO YOU START YOUR DAY?
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150+ SAFETY COURSES DISA/DOT DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING AVAILABLE
Every day is different, but most days I get off to an early start. I’d like to say I fix a protein shake, get in a 5-mile run and write a detailed plan for the upcoming day to keep me on track, but there is nothing near that exciting that happens. Basically, I wake up, take a shower, get dressed, and head to work – lol.
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sales@advancesafetytraining.com 985.262.1590
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? My family is something I couldn’t live without. I have a beautiful wife and four amazing children that mean everything to me. They are my motivation, and the people that bring the most joy to my life. Even on the toughest of days, I wouldn’t trade my crew for anything in the whole world.
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WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR FREE TIME?
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Relaxing. I enjoy attending sporting events and supporting my Nicholls Colonels!
FAVORITES/THIS OR THAT: Favorite food: Any pasta dish with Louisiana seafood in it, and pizza
How do you take your coffee? With one pack of sweetener, that’s it Chocolate or vanilla ice cream? Vanilla Pen or pencil? Pen, blue ink Early bird or night owl? Both? Depending on what’s going on in my life dictates which category I fall into
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PORT FOURCHON PRESSES ON | BY
GLPC AND THE PORT CELEBRATE 60 YEARS WITH RENEWED FOCUS
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BY MARY DITCH
Training Starts July 7, 2020
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have also worked on creative solutions with some of their tenants on ways to help them maintain their workforce through this stretch. Chaisson has been instrumental in taking the first steps to getting our economy up and running again, safely. He was selected to sit on a task force aimed at helping businesses come back online throughout our state. As the Board President of the South Central Industrial Association (SCIA), Chaisson and his colleagues sent a letter to our legislative leadership in Washington, D.C, including President Donald Trump to encourage them and him to take further steps to help the oil and gas industry through this downturn. On behalf of the GLPC Board and valued tenants, Chaisson also drafted and sent a letter to President Trump highlighting ways he could aid in our eventual recovery from what has become a tumultuous time. Port Fourchon and GLPC have continued to dedicate themselves to moving projects forward to be ready as business comes back online. Starting January 1st, the GLPC and Port Fourchon entered its 60th anniversary with high hopes, which included the launch of a new logo and brand. Out of respect, they decided to postpone the debut of this impactful new identity and instead focus on the projects at hand. They have continued to work on approvals to dredge Belle Pass to 50feet, and just recently received approval from the Corps of Engineers and the Assistant Secretary of the Army to move
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s Port Fourchon geared up to push forward, full force into 2020, they were met head-on with multiple challenges, as was everyone in our country. COVID-19 caused many of the Port tenants and the Port itself to slam on the brakes and come to a screeching halt. While oil and gas is considered essential, the manner in which employees had to come to work changed drastically. “As a region, country, and Port, we have experienced plenty of challenges in these first few months of this newest calendar year,” shared Chett Chiasson, Executive Director. “While these challenges have tested us all, I am pleased to report that we have continued moving forward unimpeded. This is a credit to our hard-working staff, the guidance and oversight of our Board of Commissioners, and our valued tenants, who have truly risen to the occasion during these unprecedented times. Through following state/parish and CDC guidelines, which includes, but is not limited to; practicing social distancing, washing hands regularly, using handsanitizing agents, and implementing other uniform changes throughout the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC) when it comes to disinfecting work spaces, we have continued to work towards projects and initiatives that hopefully make our agency and Port stronger than ever.” Acutely aware of the struggles many of the tenants faced, the Port was able to offer short term rental relief across the board to assist in this difficult time. They
CHANGE A CHILD’S STORY
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
forward with Congressional Authorization to dredge Belle Pass, Bayou Lafourche to Flotation Canal, and the Northern Expansion to 30-feet with the understanding that the next phase will see us continuing for an additional 20-feet. In the meantime, the infrastructure needed for the Fourchon Island development can begin. Chaisson explained how this eventual investment will serve as a premier Deepwater rig, repair, and refurbishment facility, along with providing 86-million cubic yards of sediment over the 50-year lifespan of the project. “This rich sediment will not only help to further build-up Port Fourchon but will also aid greatly in the coastal restoration and protections needed for areas around Port Fourchon and the greater community,” he said. Of further importance to Port Fourchon, their future LNG project continues to slowly inch closer to becoming a reality. Chaisson shared a recent productive meeting with Energy World officials reaffirmed the company’s initial commitment that will see them investing nearly $900 million in Port Fourchon and Lafourche Parish.
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Additionally, the Port is progressing through the design-bid-build model for the construction of an Airport Corridor and Bridge project that they received a $16.4 million federal BUILD grant for at the end of 2018. This $35 million project that has Federal Grant, State Capital Outlay, GLPC, and Lafourche Parish Government financial components attached to it will set the Port down the path of having an industrial park on the same footprint of the airport in the coming years. “In the next several years, you can rest assured that you will see many large-scale investments being made by our Port and other partners to not only move our parish forward, but to provide more in the way of mitigation to help protect our entire region, as well as establishing sites to enjoy recreational pursuits such as kayaking and fishing with our future Coastal Wetlands Park playing a central role in our plans,” shared Chaisson. “Our hope is to maintain current business, attract new business, and help to diversify our economy for our community’s long-term viability.”
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NICHOLLS STATE UNIVERSITY |
BY RAY PETERS, MS, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
LEADING THROUGH CRISIS – EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WOW! These last weeks have been challenging for the people of the Bayou Region, around our state, and the world. Businesses close. People are laid off. Schools close. Children are sent home. Parents become teachers. Restaurants close. People are learning to cook again. Toilet paper and hand sanitizers have become valued commodities. Only “essential” businesses remain open. Throughout my professional career, I was always made to remain on the job when all “non-essential” personnel went home. Today, there has been much discussion on what is an essential business and what is not. One Thibodaux merchant complained that he did not understand how mulch could be an essential product and clothing not. To his point, our local big-box DIY retailer seems to be doing well. Most businesses in downtown Thibodaux remain shuttered. Since being required to transfer my traditionally face-to-face leadership class to a virtual, online format, my students and I have discussed many elements of leadership amid COVID-19. We talked about the performance of leaders ranging from President Trump and Governor Edwards to Mayor Cantrell in New Orleans, all of which are in the tenuous situation of leading through crisis.
As I often share with my students, all leadership is situational and contextual, subject to change at any moment. Roles are different. Focuses are different. Leading at the federal level is different than leading at both the state and local levels. As I understand it, constitutionally, governors have the primary leadership authority over directing crisis management activities in their respective states. I do not believe this is widely recognized. When I look at leadership, I view it through the prism of emotional intelligence. Our leadership textbook defines emotional intelligence as a “person’s ability to understand his or her own and others’ emotions, and then to apply this understanding to life’s tasks; the ability to perceive and express emotions, to use emotions to facilitate thinking, to understand and reason with emotions, and to manage emotions effectively within oneself and in relationships with others.” Expressed more plainly by Christopher Sirk, “Emotional intelligence is the ability to
understand and take care of one’s emotions, as well as express them judiciously.” Key elements include empathy, self-awareness, and self-regulation. Even more simply, e m o t i o n a l l y intelligent people take responsibility for themselves and their actions. They are not victims, and they do not blame others. Right now, we need leaders that can effectively practice emotional intelligence. Additionally, during this time of crisis, we need leaders, according to a recent Gallup article, who are trustworthy, show compassion, demonstrate stability, and provide hope. Even during the best of times, leaders need to be available and, more importantly, approachable. Employees need to know and feel confident that their leaders have their best interests at heart. So, during times of crisis, leaders need to be more present and visible, to inspire confidence, and provide employees with a sense of security.
During periods of crisis, leaders must demonstrate a strong willingness to make difficult decisions - deciding what to do, and then taking decisive action. I use a simple formula, determine the right thing to do, and then do it. Remember, difficult situations rarely have simple solutions. Probably the most challenging leadership role during times of crisis is providing vision. Yes, according to Max Dupree, a leader’s fundamental purpose is to define reality. But, during critical times, people want to know where they are going, and can they trust their leader to get them safely to the intended destination. Candidly, during this crisis period, this has been most frustrating to me – much talk about tactics, but limited vision. I hope we have turned the corner with this deadly virus by the time this article is published and that we have returned to normal, whatever that looks like. Also, personally, for the first time in my professional career, the label “essential” has been removed from my job duties. Ray Peters is MBA Director & Leadership Instructor at Nicholls State University. He can be reached at ray.peters@nicholls.edu.
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
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afeZone Safety Systems, LLC., a local leader in providing safety equipment and training for onshore and offshore work environments in the oil and gas industry, recently received a U.S. patent for an isolation or negative pressure enclosure, thus offering an innovative new way to reduce the risk of hazards in hot work situations. The isolation enclosure is the next offering in SafeZone’s line of pressurized welding enclosures (PWE), which the company has provided since its inception in 2004. “SafeZone has introduced a new technology that is patented for the safe execution of hot work in live production areas to isolate production equipment that either leaks or has the potential to leak where workers can safely perform hot work...in close proximity without shutting down the production process,” Ben Tobias, SafeZone vice president of operations, said. The negative pressure enclosure draws from the same concept as the company’s typical PWEs. A normal PWE enclosure serves to create safe environments for people involved with hot work environments in live production facilities by closely monitoring the conditions inside of the PWE while hot work is done. This ultimately removes the need to shut
down the facility in its entirety, Tobias said. SafeZone installs the soft-panel structure in the work environment, and workers enter the enclosure. Once they are inside, a positive pressure is established in the PWE, and gas detectors monitor the air quality to ensure it is clean and free of flammable gasses that could lead to an explosion or fire. Those on the outside can control every factor that has the potential to produce a spark by viewing data on monitors and adjusting accordingly. “What we have done with this is we have taken a potentially hazardous location, and with our process, we have turned it into a safe welding area because we have workers inside that are welding inside of a safe area,” Tobias said. The new negative pressure enclosure functions with the same concept in mind, but in the opposite way. If there is production equipment present that is known to be leaking or serves as a “suspect area” that could potentially leak flammable gases or vapors, a negative pressure enclosure is constructed around that piece of equipment to isolate it from the exterior work environment. Instead of positive pressure, a negative pressure feed is sent to a known fresh air exhaust location and away from
the work environment. Thus, workers are able to weld outside of the enclosure instead of being inside of it, though its overall purpose remains the same. “All we’re doing is isolating a potentially hazardous leak source from production equipment, and then the workers are at that point, welding and doing hot work in all the areas that are surrounding without the need for shutting down the facility because we have...removed any potential for that flammable gas for that leak source or potential leak source to escape and make its way into the hot work area,” Tobias said. If any of the detectors in the work area were to pick up on a hazardous level of gas, they would initiate a full shutdown of the work environment and turn off everything with the potential of producing a spark. Tobias said such an enclosure is beneficial for areas where a significant amount of welding must be done because it ultimately offers a more efficient, timelier method for safely executing work. In addition, removing a potentially hazardous location gives workers peace of mind while functioning in that environment. “If there’s a concern, people are not going to assume the
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These are people that have dependents. We as a company, as SafeZone, have a responsibility to protect the people that we send offshore,” Tobias said. Tobias said SafeZone’s process for upgrading and improving safety measures is “evergreen,” with research and development constantly taking place. Looking ahead, he said the company has plans for future upgrades. In the meantime, though, he is proud of the innovation and years of experience the team at SafeZone brought together to make their latest patent a reality. “We’ve got a lot of years of experience in the safety field,” Tobias said. “In the end, what we have is a complete product of equipment and people and top technology, top tier skills and knowledge, and that is what makes us successful to do these safetysensitive projects over and over, again and again.”
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
risk. Nobody would do that,” Tobias said. Tobias said the concept of introducing a negative pressure enclosure had been ongoing for a while in the company’s 16 years of providing PWE’s, but the SafeZone team realized they could add “much more value” with the introduction of this new design. The negative pressure enclosure patent falls in line with SafeZone’s continuous pursuit of ways to advance its technology and safety measures throughout its existence, Tobias said. For example, the company is currently on its fifth revision to its control systems. Tobias said the company has a responsibility to protect the people, assets and environment involved with hot work. For this reason, it’s especially important to continue to update technology as much as possible and “engineer the risk out.” “[Everybody] that’s offshore is somebody’s mother, brother, sister, father, uncle...
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
BUSINESS OUTSIDE THE BOX | SPONSORED
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BY DREW MILLER
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this pandemic,” she added. “We’re just blessed to have this little community that we have right here off of St. Charles and we’ve even expanded our base up like all throughout Houma, Bourg and Thibodaux. So we just feel really, really thankful for it.” Steph Domingue, owner of Shoe Shi Boutique in Thibodaux, said since she opened her store 13 years ago, she never saw the possibility of it closing one day. “That was never in my mindset,” she said. “I told myself 1,000 percent: our doors will not close...I always had a very strong will to be a small business owner and do everything that it took, which is a lot of work to be perfectly honest...to do everything that I had to do in order to make it work.” Even though non-essential businesses in Lafourche were forced to close their doors, Domingue says the bills did not stop coming: “We still had to pay rent; we still had previous bills from orders that we had placed before that, that were still coming in. So it wasn’t just like the bills just ceased to exist.” In addition to the bills, Domingue had to deal with a significant amount of inventory that the fashion boutique had to sell before it became what she calls “stale merchandise.” She continued: “So I needed to figure out a way to move it quickly and to move it efficiently.” To move product quickly and efficiently, Domingue utilized the store’s business social media pages, which she had been building up long before the pandemic. She showcased Shoe Shi’s new, trendy outfits and accessories through the sites, allowing for customers to still see what’s in store and place orders. Not just wanting to use the online platforms to sell merchandise, Domingue made sure to engage with her customers daily on the Shoe Shi VIP Facebook page. “It was really the VIP page that brought us through the quarantine,” she said. “I went to the store every single day. I went live several times a week, just talking to my customers like, ‘How are you? What are you doing? I would just talk to them about normal things because I think everybody needed that sense of normalcy.” Domingue said her business actually grew during the stay-at-home order. “It was probably the hardest I’ve worked in the 13 years that we’ve had our business. It didn’t come easy,” she shared. “I had to work my tail off. I worked seven days a week, the
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s the novel coronavirus spread rapidly across Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards issued a stay-at-home order and placed restrictions on certain types of businesses while others considered nonessential were forced to close their stores. To stay afloat, local owners had to adapt to the “new normal” by rethinking and reinventing their business during the pandemic -- such as Erica Cheramie and James Cabirac, owners of Hi-5 in Houma. “We closed a little earlier than most businesses just because we’re a children’s store and we really didn’t want to take any risks,” Cheramie said. “You got to think about your employees. You want to do what’s best for them and let them still have hours, but you don’t want to subject them to any illnesses.” With locations at 1234 St Charles St. and in the Southland Mall, Hi-5 offers party supplies, seasonal décor, novelty gifts, toys, candy and more at $5 or less for each item. Although the local shop attracted many families that marveled at the various items for sale, when it physically closed, it didn’t stop the demand. “The day after we closed, we came in just to kind of get our thoughts together,” Cheramie remembered. “Just with the amount of phone calls that were coming through, we just started taking curbside and delivery orders, and then word got around.” She continued: “So we started promoting it, and we started doing care packages -or what I call sanity packages -- which is just like some toys, snacks and things to keep the kids occupied that we tailored it to each child.” Even with shifting operations completely to the St. Charles location, which caused some business to go down, Cheramie said, the store still remained busy. “Our customers are really loyal to us; the phones are always ringing,” she continued. Hi-5 has done thousands of Easter, birthday and graduation baskets during the pandemic, while providing pickup and delivery options. “If they can’t come to Hi-5, we can bring Hi-5 to them,” Cheramie said. At press time in late May, both locations are still closed to the public, but they have plans to possibly open up soon on a limited basis, Cheramie said. “We are just really appreciative of our customer base. If it wasn’t for them going out of their way and making orders, we wouldn’t have been able to stay open past
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entire day until like 6:00 p.m, almost every day. And it was exhausting.” The boutique located at 416 N Canal Blvd. is now open to limited hours, Domingue said, but they are planning to open up to regular hours on June 1. “Our customers are everything; without them our doors would absolutely be closed,” she added. “So even though we had to put in all the hard work, our customers showing up and continuing to be there and continuing to be loyal to us is absolutely everything. If you don’t have loyal customers at the end of the day, you don’t have a very good business. Them continuing to show up and just be there is why we can show up and be there.” For Louisiana restaurants, their “new normal” after the pandemic hit was going strictly to takeout and delivery. Glynn Voisin Jr., general manager of Houma’s La Carreta (1327 St. Charles St.), said that the transition wasn’t necessarily difficult, but it was an adjustment. “I think the hard part was getting our staff in line for strictly to-go and a different way of operating a restaurant. They’re hired to serve tables, and now they’re strictly doing to-go and having to wear a mask and all
these procedures,” he shared. “But as a team we got through it.” Because the Mexican cuisine restaurant couldn’t serve patrons in the dining room or patio area, Voisin said business did go down, but they stayed fairly busy producing pickup orders. “I mean there were days that I was just shocked; I kind of felt overwhelmed that we’re doing this, with just a small group of people,” he remembered. “And then eventually it just got better and better, and the better we got at it, the better the system we have in place became.” La Carreta staff decided they wanted to still find a way to bring the community together during tough times the pandemic brought, while also maintaining social distancing. Thus, the idea formed to do drive-in movies. “It was kind of discouraging: this is what our life is. I’ve dedicated my entire life to this restaurant, and not being able to serve the public was kind of hard,” Voisin shared. “So we needed to figure out how to maintain business and bring people together in the community with them also being separate. And the drive-in movie just kind of came as a natural idea for me.”
Boat Orders “Just seeing the light at the end of this tunnel and the customer’s feedback are just what drives us...If they weren’t here, we wouldn’t have any reason to be here. And we would have nothing to fight for.” -Glynn Voisin Jr. Staff members are also implementing other safety precautions: taking temperatures before and after every shift, wearing masks, frequently washing hands and sanitizing areas, etc. “There’s different methods on cleanliness that we’re trying to adapt to,” Voisin said. “And nothing for the bad: I mean it’s nice to be cleaner than ever.” The biggest stress relief is that their patrons have been understanding and respectful of the rules, Voisin said. “I think mostly because they also want to be out of the house too and want to do whatever they can to end this as quickly as possible,” he continued. “So the more people that follow the rules, the better and the quicker this will end.” With many employees not being able to work for months and having to turn away customers when the building reached capacity, Voisin said, the virus took a toll on the resturant and the community -- mentality and physically. “Just seeing the light at the end of this tunnel and the customer’s feedback are just what drives us,” he added. “If they weren’t here, we wouldn’t have any reason to be here. And we would have nothing to fight for.”
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Voisin said he posted the idea on Facebook, and within minutes, he got a projector, screen and speaker donated to the restaurant for temporary usage. “People wanted us to succeed and La Carreta and other restaurants to do well...because we’re all in the same situation together.” The drive-in movie nights were not only a hit with customers, Voisin said, but also a morale booster for the local community and the staff. “It just turned into this thing that was getting the community so pumped,” he said. “I think the movie nights gave us the drive to continue on and not give up.” “It seemed worth it to see the reaction on people’s faces, just the joy in their hearts to come out and stay in their car, but still be together as a family doing something that’s real cool,” he continued. “It was really nice. It’s something that we want to adapt in the future and continue to do.” Opening to 25 percent capacity and other restrictions was an adjustment as well, Voisin explained, as the outside patio was extended to the parking lot and staff had to work with the Fire Marshal to measure out tables. The outside area is first come, first served and the inside dining area, which is now down to 12 tables, can only be acquired through reservation on the OpenTable app.
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BUSINESS NEWS | STAFF REPORTS
THE CAJUN NINJA BRINGS LOUISIANA COOKING TO OVER 100,000 YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBERS
JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
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ouma native Jason Derouen joined the YouTube community as an outlet for entertainment, but four years since his first video went viral, the “Cajun Ninja” has become a worldwide cooking sensation, now with over 100,000 subscribers to his channel. Derouen hit the 100,000 subscriber milestone in April, which was rewarded with an official plaque from YouTube itself. Though he has reached roughly the same amount of fans as what he compares to the capacity of Tiger Stadium, he said the achievement is “humbling.” “It’s a huge milestone, but I always have the mindset of like one is greater than a million,” Derouen said. “That one-on-one conversation on a daily basis with someone in my inbox, someone in the comments, or someone I meet outside of this - those little one-on-one interactions mean so much to me, and without those one-on-one interactions, you cannot reach 100,000 subscribers.” Derouen’s audience extends far beyond Louisiana, even reaching worldwide audiences. He said his videos are being viewed in over 40 countries, according to his social media analytics. Derouen posted his first cooking video on Facebook in 2016, which was a chicken and sausage gumbo tutorial that picked up over a million views in just two days. After the success of that video, he knew he wanted to pursue a YouTube channel.
He drew inspiration from entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, who emphasizes the importance of chasing happiness over making money. Derouen said this sentiment spoke to his soul. “I was tired of chasing that corporate life of trying to have that really up-there job with the big salary and all the perks that come with it. I wanted to just have something that was mine that I knew I could do whatever I wanted with it,” Derouen said. Derouen said he had just been laid off of his job when he decided to start his channel. He initially wanted to create it for entertainment, but cooking “fell into place” along the way. After his first tutorial went viral, he saw the potential to reach a wide audience. However, he said he never thought his channel would reach this level of success. Now, his brand even includes a line of apparel and an official Cajun Ninja spatula. For Derouen, the most rewarding part of his YouTube career has been showcasing his family, especially his wife Misty. He believes that this aspect of his channel has resonated the most with his audience. “My page started growing even more when I would show my family. I think it made people relate to me more. It made it more real to them, that I was just this family guy cooking in the kitchen. I wasn’t just some media personality trying to grow a bunch of likes and follows,” Derouen said.
In an unprecedented time where people are at home more than ever looking for activities to keep them busy, Derouen said he hopes his videos teach people that they always have something they can share with the world. “I’m not the best cook or anything. I’m not a chef. I’ve never been to culinary school. I just threw out there what works for me,” Derouen said. “Because I’ve done that, it’s allowed more people to see what I do and have the courage to do something on their own...Somebody was able to see my [videos] and go, ‘I want to try this.’” Though Derouen said he has never really planned anything that has happened with his channel, he does have a few ideas in mind for what may come next, including a cookbook and his own line of seasoning. With all of his success, Derouen’s advice to those looking to break into the YouTube world is to let go of the idea that it’s all about revenue and followers. “That’s typically what people get wrapped up in...When you do that, you kind of get down on yourself because you’re so focused on those numbers that you lost sight of what makes you happy,” Derouen said. “Focus on whoever is watching. If you’re putting out something right now, and one person tunes in and says, ‘Oh my gosh, this is amazing,’ you are winning,” Derouen said.
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Since 1992
NICHOLLS STUDENTS, LAFOURCHE INMATES COME TOGETHER FOR UNIQUE PROGRAM
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the criminal justice system and advocates for prison reform. “I expected an interesting experience, a unique educational opportunity, but I wasn’t thinking about the bigger picture. By the end, not only did I not feel awkward anymore, but I felt like I handmade a connection. Many have dreams similar to mine,” said Zachary Smith, a senior psychology major from Schriever. “We tackled heavy stuff, and we didn’t always agree on everything. Therein lies a huge strength of the class. It was real.” Nicholls students applied to take part in the program and were interviewed and by a selection committee. Inside students were selected by the correctional complex programming staff based on the length of sentence, diversity, and good behavior. During the closing ceremony held May 7 students heard from U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, Nicholls President Dr. Jay Clune, Lafourche District Attorney Kristine Russell and Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre. In an effort to protect all students and create an equal playing field, Callais and the students referred to each other using only first names. Damien, an inside student, said he expected to be judged by his status as a black man and a felon and that scared him. But that was not how he was treated. “The most powerful aspect of the Inside Out Program lies in its ability to give hope to the ones society dubs as hopeless,” he said. “Hope can give one the ability to overcome mountains of adversity. I will carry this hope with me as I pioneer my way through a different way of living.”
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icholls State University and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office recently celebrated the inaugural closing ceremony of a unique, transformative learning experience that puts university students in a new classroom setting with incarcerated students to study social issues. The Nicholls Inside Out Program is the first of its kind in Louisiana. The course paired 10 Nicholls students, or Outside students, with 10 inmates, or Inside students. The students met once a week at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex to discuss a wide range of topics centered around criminal justice. All students were responsible for the same readings and an equal amount of writing. Kristen Callais, instructor of sociology and program facilitator first approached Sheriff Craig Webre about the program three years ago when she learned that Louisiana, known for having the highest rate of incarceration in the world, was one of the few states without Inside Out. She received training and certification in 2019 from the international Inside Out Prison Exchange Instructor Training Institute held at Lewis University and Stateville Maximum Security Prison. The course was offered for the first time this Spring. Callais said the program’s academic focus is to broaden and deepen the students’ knowledge of the criminal justice system. The students adjusted to an online educational format during the spread of COVID-19 and, for their final project, pieced together over 50 videos filmed from 12 different locations to create an awareness campaign that humanizes those involved in
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BOLLINGER SHIPYARDS BOLSTERS USCG STRATEGIC PRESENCE IN THE INDO-PACIFIC THEATER
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Bollinger Shipyards LLC (“Bollinger”) has delivered the USCGC MYRTLE HAZARD to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Florida. This is the 162nd vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 39th Fast Response Cutter (“FRC”) delivered under the current program. The USCGC MYRTLE HAZARD is the first of three (3) FRCs to be home-ported in Apra Harbor, Guam, increasing the presence for the U.S. Coast Guard in the Indo-Pacific Theater. Additionally, later in 2020, Bollinger will be delivering the first of six (6) FRCs that will be home-ported in Manama, Bahrain, which will replace the Island Class Patrol Boats supporting the Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, the U. S. Coast Guard’s largest unit outside of the United States. “Our latest delivery of the USCGC MYRTLE HAZARD is an important milestone in the FRC Program as it is the first of several vessels that will expand and support the Coast Guard’s operational presence and enhance the U.S.’s mission in the Indo-Pacific region – a focal point emphasized by both President Trump and Admiral Shultz,” said Bollinger President & C.E.O. Ben Bordelon. “Building ships for the U.S. Coast Guard provides critical assets to bolster our national security interests, both domestic and abroad. We are proud and humbled to be partners in the FRC program.” The homeporting of three FRCs in Guam is part of the U.S. Coast Guard’s “doubling down on Oceania,” allowing more frequent and longer patrols in an area where the U.S. Coast Guard has increased its presence over the past 18 months and is aligned with the priorities set in the 2018 National Defense Strategy on countering strategic
competitors such as China and Russia. U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz stressed the strategic importance of the service’s presence in the region saying, “We’re on a trajectory where the geostrategic importance of the Oceania region has not been higher here in decades, and it’s a place that the Coast Guard’s looking to be part of the whole-of-government solution set.” While the last 12 weeks of the USCGC MYRTLE HAZARD’s build occurred during the COVID-19 global pandemic, Bollinger undertook precautions to ensure the health and safety of employees and maintain its delivery schedule. In addition to increased and enhanced sanitization practices across the shipyard, Bollinger enacted more liberal leave and remote work policies as well as altered shift schedules to promote social distancing. Bordelon continued, “Delivering vessels on schedule and on budget to the Coast Guard in these unprecedented times given the COVID-19 challenges that we are all facing shows the resiliency and dedication of our incredibly capable workforce. The FRC hot production line continues to produce and provide stability in the industrial base for the U.S. Government and our Bollinger workforce, assuring economic benefit for the Lafourche Parish Louisiana region, our vendor partners in the 40-plus states that support the FRC program, and our country.“ Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished himself or herself in the line of duty. A young mother in 1918, Myrtle Hazard answered a helpwanted ad for a qualified radio operator after graduating from a radio and telegraphy class at the Baltimore YMCA. Extremely skilled in telegraphy and proficient in Morse code, the Coast Guard enlisted Ms. Hazard on January 21,
1918 and she became the service’s first female electrician. Ms. Hazard worked at U.S. Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C. as an electrician’s mate 3rd class and was later promoted to electrician, 1st class, before being demobilized after the war’s end. The FRC is an operational “game changer,” according to senior Coast Guard officials. FRCs are consistently being deployed in support of the full range of missions within the United States Coast Guard and other branches of our armed services. This is due to its exceptional performance, expanded operational reach and capabilities, and ability to transform and adapt to the mission. FRCs have conducted operations as far as the Marshall Islands—a 4,400 nautical mile trip from their homeport. Measuring in at 154-feet, FRCs have a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art C4ISR suite (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), and stern launch and recovery ramp for a 26-foot, over-the-horizon interceptor cutter boat. Bollinger Shipyards LLC is a leading designer and builder of high performance military patrol boats, oceangoing double hull barges, offshore oil field support vessels, tugboats, rigs, lift boats, inland waterways push boats, barges, and other steel and aluminum products from its new construction shipyards as part of the U. S. industrial base. Bollinger has 10 shipyards, all strategically located throughout Louisiana with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi River and the Intracoastal Waterway. Bollinger is the largest vessel repair company in the Gulf of Mexico region.
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DANOS NAMES RENEE PIPER VP relations at Nicholls State University for seven years. Piper has also been named executive director of the Danos Foundation. Founded in 2017 by Danos employees, the Foundation awards funds to non-profit organizations through Danos GIVES, the Foundation’s grant-giving program, and Danos WORKS, a program that contributes money to qualified organizations where Danos employees volunteer their time. A graduate of Louisiana State University, she and her husband have two children and live in New Orleans, Louisiana. Taking over the leadership of the marketing and communication department is Nicole Williams. A 25-year industry veteran and graduate of Northwestern State University, she joined Danos in 2008. Williams and her husband have three children and live in Larose, Louisiana.
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
Danos is pleased to announce that Renee Piper has been named vice president of marketing, strategy and community affairs. In her new role, Piper is responsible for leading the company’s marketing initiatives, strategic planning and execution, and building community engagement in Danos’ key markets. “Danos has a vibrant 73-year history, and we are excited to have Renee join the executive team to help lead us forward,” said Owner Paul Danos. “Renee’s in-depth marketing and leadership experience across a variety of industries will serve as an invaluable asset to our company.” Piper has more than 25 years of marketing experience, which includes positions in the gaming, retail, economic development and higher education sectors. Before joining Danos in 2014, Piper served as the director of university
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BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES, INC. COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF PEDESTAL BANCSHARES, INC. Business First Bancshares, Inc. (Business First) (NASDAQ: BFST), the holding company for b1BANK, has completed its acquisition of Pedestal Bancshares, Inc. (Pedestal) and its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Pedestal Bank. The acquisition became effective May 1, 2020, in accordance with the terms of the previously announced agreement. “We are committed to being our regions’ bank of choice, come good times or bad” said Jude Melville, president and CEO of b1BANK. “This merger is a significant step towards that goal. We’re excited about the team growing and look forward to delivering to clients the same level of expertise and service they are accustomed to receiving from their bank, service that we know is particularly meaningful in this period of stress we together find ourselves making our way through.” With the completion of the acquisition, b1BANK has approximately $4.1 billion in assets, $3.0 billion in loans and $3.3
billion in deposits (estimates include $0.4 billion of loans and deposits associated with the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program). The bank’s locations will increase to 48 full-service banking centers across Louisiana and in the Dallas, Texas area. Mark Folse, the former President and CEO of Pedestal and Pedestal Bank, will relocate to Baton Rouge to join b1BANK’s executive team. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. acted as financial advisor to Business First and Alston & Bird, LLP acted as legal advisor to Business First. Stephens Inc. acted as financial advisor to Pedestal and Fenimore, Kay, Harrison & Ford, LLP acted as legal advisor to Pedestal.
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JUNE 2020 | BAYOU BUSINESS MONTHLY
DANOS WINS WORK IN DELAWARE BASIN
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Danos has been awarded a major contract with a leading, Texas-based natural gas and oil production company for the installation of a tank battery and satellite facility. Located outside of Loving, New Mexico, project work began in March and is expected to be completed by the end of August 2020. “Providing excellent service on projects of this scope aligns with Danos’ steady growth in the Delaware Basin,” said owner Mark Danos. “We look forward to continuing to increase our project portfolio and customer base in the area.” Approximately 50 Danos employees will be assigned to complete the project, which will utilize several of Danos’ service lines including coatings, construction, fabrication, instrumentation and electrical and production workforce. Founded in 1947, Danos has been providing services in the Permian
and Delaware basins since 2012. The company offers a total of 13 different service lines, including: automation, coatings, construction, fabrication, instrumentation and electrical, mechanical maintenance, production workforce, project management, regulatory compliance, scaffolding, shorebase and logistics, specialized consultants and valve wellhead.
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LOUISIANA BANKERS ASSOCIATION ELECTS 2020-2021 OFFICERS, BOARD MEMBERS The following regional directors were elected during LBA’s annual meeting: • Swouth Central Region: Jeremy M. Callais of MC Bank in Morgan City • Southeast Region: Chris Ferris of Fidelity Bank in New Orleans • Southeast Region: Chip Knight of Hancock Whitney Bank in New Orleans Other LBA directors continuing to serve for the upcoming year are: • Acadiana Region: Jason P. Freyou of Home Bank, N.A., in Lafayette • Southwest Region: Justin Holt of Lakeside Bank in Lake Charles • Northeast Region: Ryan R. Kilpatrick of Origin Bank in Ruston • Capitol Region: H. Brooks Lewis of Citizens Bank and Trust Company in Baton Rouge • Central Region: Bryon C. Salazar of Red River Bank in Alexandria • Northwest Region: Jason D. Smith of Citizens National Bank, N.A., in Bossier City • Robert T. Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of LBA in Baton Rouge
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Carly Leonards, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer of JD Bank in Jennings, has been installed as the 2020-2021 Chairwoman of the Louisiana Bankers Association. Leonards is the first female elected to head the Association’s board of directors. “The strength of Louisiana’s banking industry has never been more present than during the current COVID-19 event. And, LBA’s leadership is definitely representative of the industry. We are excited that our first ever Chairwoman takes the reigns. Carly will guide us through the next year with strong leadership skills and extensive banking knowledge,” said LBA Chief Executive Officer Robert Taylor. During this unprecedented time, LBA’s annual meeting was held by proxy. Leonards succeeds Gary S. Littlefield, Baton Rouge Market President of Gulf Coast Bank and Trust Company. As outgoing LBA Chairman, Littlefield will continue to serve for one year as Immediate Past Chairman on the LBA Board of Directors. The other 2020-2021 LBA officers are: • Chairman-Elect Jerry P. Ledet, Jr., of Synergy Bank in Houma • Treasurer K. Brent Vidrine of Bank of Sunset
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NEW TOURISM CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGES PROSPECTIVE AND RETURNING VISITORS TO “REMEMBER LAFOURCHE”
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As the world begins to emerge from the COVID-19 cocoon in which it’s been enveloped for the past few months, the entire travel industry is laser-focused on how to encourage visitors to newly discover or eagerly return to tourism destinations around the country. The team at Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, the organization responsible for positioning Lafourche Parish as a regionally, nationally and internationally recognized tourism destination, has spent the past few months building a new strategy for attracting visitors and stimulating economic recovery and growth throughout the parish. On June 1, just as travelers are becoming more comfortable packing their bags and returning to the open roads, the tourism office will unveil its new “Remember Lafourche” marketing campaign. The program – which includes print, digital and social media advertising as well as strategically positioned billboards in such key drive markets as New Orleans, Houston and Biloxi -- will build off the parish’s proximity to those markets while also demonstrating the differences that truly set this destination apart. The campaign comes on the heels of intensive research the tourism office conducted throughout 2019 to determine who its visitors are, where they’re coming from and what draws them to the parish. Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism partnered with Randall Travel Marketing, a research firm based in North Carolina, to conduct visitor surveys several times last year. All that research demonstrated that leisure travel – people coming to the parish simply to visit, without a tie to business or work – has increased over the past few years. Those visitors are most likely to come from other parts of Louisiana; the neighboring states of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi and Texas; and Canada and France. Guests are drawn by the region’s Cajun culture, natural beauty, outdoor adventures, delicious food and friendly locals, all factors that ensure that their first visit is usually followed by return trips. “The key to our ongoing success as a tourism destination is attracting visitors
the first time, because we know there’s a strong likelihood that they’ll be drawn in by Lafourche Parish’s charms and become repeat guests,” said Timothy Bush, President & CEO of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. “We may not have a big marketing budget, but we have an unlimited quantity of creativity and passion for our destination. We used that to develop this concept of speaking to visitors who either live in or are visiting our drive markets and simply encouraging them to venture a short distance in search of unique, authentic bayou experiences that only we can provide.” Research conducted by countless organizations within the travel industry since the COVID-19 outbreak indicates that road trips are going to be the preferred type of vacation Americans embark on for the remainder of 2020. Studies also show that travelers will be drawn to smaller towns and rural areas, seeking more space and craving opportunities to get out on the water or experience the outdoors in other ways. Those opportunities combine to make the third and fourth quarters of 2020 the perfect time to position Lafourche Parish as a quick getaway from other places in Louisiana as well as surrounding states. Revenue generated by visitors – whether they’re eating in restaurants, staying in hotels, visiting a museum, taking a swamp tour, going out for a day of fishing with a charter captain, or simply purchasing gas and groceries – benefits each resident of Lafourche Parish. In 2019, according to the study, tourism generated more than $54 million in economic impact for Lafourche Parish. In addition, data from the Louisiana Office of Tourism shows the tourism industry supported 1,110 jobs in the parish in 2018, the latest year for which data is available. In short, tourism is going to be an essential part of the parish’s economic recovery following COVID-19.
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NICHOLLS AND CHEVRON AWARD $40,000 TO SMALL BUSINESSES DURING VIRTUAL PITCH COMPETITION The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Nicholls State University and Chevron partnered to create a virtual pitch competition to help with COVID-19 recovery in Lafourche, St. Mary, Assumption and Terrebonne parishes. As part of the competition, each small business submitted a statement on how COVID-19 has affected them and how the funds will be utilized if selected as a winner. The SBDC has now awarded eight Bayou Region small businesses $5,000 each to go toward recovery efforts. Winners included Big Mike’s BBQ, Conner’s Repair Service, Country Kids Learning Academy, The Cove, Dat Sauce, Root2Rise, White Car and Workout360. “Chevron believes in contributing to the areas where we live and work and, especially during this challenging time, supporting Louisiana small businesses,” said Leah Brown, Public
Affairs Manager for Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit. “We’re proud to partner with Nicholls to help a diverse group of local companies. Through these funds and the incredible work of Nicholls’ Small Business Development Center, we hope to see these businesses recover and thrive.” “When the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, it created a dark cloud of uncertainty over the Bayou Region and its future,” said Jimmy Nguyen, Assistant Director of SBDC. “Nicholls and SBDC established this contest to provide hope for these businesses to progress forward. With Chevron’s generous donation, it provided not only financial relief but a boost of human energy to help the region overcome these challenges and become stronger.” As mentioned, Country Kids Learning Academy was one of the eight winners chosen by a panel of SBDC consultants. Owners Bonnie and Casey Soulet said
that the pandemic caused renovations to their facility to fall five weeks behind schedule. The academy plans to use the funds to purchase technology to support student learning. “It means a lot to us that our company was a winner in the competition because it will directly benefit the students of Country Kids Learning Academy by funding a mobile computer lab and learning tablets. It will also fund activities for students to explore and experiment with force and motion, magnetism, engineering, rollercoasters, ramps, chain reactions and more,” said Bonnie Soulet. “We look forward to providing these valuable opportunities for our students. This says a lot about our company and the fact that people believe in our business idea, our determination and our knowledge in the childcare and early childhood education industry.”
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