P-66 and CCA Create Floating Islands

CCA LA & Phillips 66

Expand “Floating Islands" near Prien Lake

CCA’s Lake Charles Chapter and conservation partners join with local students to combat coastal erosion and create new marsh

The Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana’s Lake Charles Chapter, Phillips 66, Martin Ecosystems and local students from Pearl Watson Elementary, LaGrange High School, Westlake High School and Episcopal Day School teamed up last month to help rebuild the coastline near Prien Lake with a Floating Islands installation.

Volunteers from Phillips 66 joined local CCA chapter volunteers and more than 100 students at Prien Lake Park to build approximately 2,000 square feet of new wetland island habitat and place them in the water. After each “island” was planted, it was placed in the lake in and towed to the nearby installation location. Each 7.5 x 19.5 foot island contains 120 plants and were placed endto-end and anchored to the water bottom. Roughly 1,500 native plants, including seashore paspalum and smooth cord grass, were installed. This technology allows these plants to take root in the water bottom while providing protection to the existing shoreline from the natural elements.

This is the third large-scale habitat partnership between Phillips 66 and CCA in recent years. In 2018, the two groups worked together to expand the Brad Vincent Artificial Reef in Calcasieu Lake. In 2019, CCA and Phillips 66 partnered on a floating islands marsh grass project in Prien Lake. This year, the groups expanded the floating islands project, doubling the size.

“Environmental stewardship is a commitment essential to Phillips 66’s vision of providing energy and improving lives,” said Jolie Rhinehart, Phillips 66 Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex General Manager. “Our employees are excited to volunteer to rebuild our coastline with innovative technology, fortifying marshland and conserving critical habitat.”

CCA Louisiana Executive Director David Cresson echoed Rhinehart’s sentiments. “Over the past decade, building and enhancing marine habitats has become a major component of CCA’s work across Louisiana, and it simply would not be possible without incredible partners like Phillips 66,” said Cresson. “Their leadership in the community and on the coast has been evident through their commitment to projects like this, and we appreciate the opportunity to work with them in building this new habitat.”

Funding for the Lake Charles project was provided through a $100,000 philanthropic donation from Phillips 66. In-kind services for the project were provided by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Department. The Stream Family donated the property and high salinity grass for the floating islands.

Julie Miller

Heidi Bloomer

Alicia Mhire Crystal Reyes

Megan Dimas

Lisa Ledano

First Federal Bank Announces Promotions

The Board of Directors of First Federal Bank of Louisiana has announced seven recent promotions.

Logan Fontenot

• Julie Miller has been promoted to Senior

Vice President and Loan Production

Support Manager. • Crystal Reyes has been promoted to

Assistant Vice President and Compliance

Officer. • Heidi Bloomer, Records Management

Manager, has been promoted to Assistant

Vice President. • Megan Dimas, Deposit Administration

Manager, has been promoted to Assistant

Vice President. • Alicia Mhire, Loan Servicing Manager, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. • Lisa Ledano, Branch Operations Manager, has been promoted to Bank Officer. • Logan Fontenot, Business Relationship

Specialist, has been promoted Bank Officer.

Julie Miller is Senior Vice President and Loan Production Support Manger. Miller has 30 years of banking experience and her responsibilities include planning and overseeing the direction and development of loan underwriting, processing and closing.

Crystal Reyes is Assistant Vice President and Compliance Officer. She has been with First Federal Bank for 14 years. Reyes is responsible for managing all facets of compliance affecting bank operations, marketing, deposits and lending.

Heidi Bloomer is Assistant Vice President and Records Management Manager. She manages the Records Management Department and the Deposit Services Department. Bloomer began her career in banking in 2008 when she joined First Federal Bank.

Megan Dimas is Assistant Vice President and Deposit Administration Manager and has been with First Federal Bank for 19 years. Dimas oversees all aspects of deposit accounts and the Call Center department.

Alicia Mhire is Assistant Vice President and a Loan Servicing Manager. She is responsible for overall loan and credit card operations and has been a banking professional for over 18 years.

Lisa Ledano is Bank Officer and Branch Operations Manager. She has been with First Federal Bank since 1991. Ledano ensures customer service and compliance objectives are met by overseeing operational practices across all branch locations.

Logan Fontenot is Bank Officer and Business Relationship Specialist. He has been with First Federal Bank for five years. Fontenot is responsible for maintaining and developing business banking relationships with clients.

APG Announces New Executive Officers for 2022

APG (Alliance for Positive Growth) has named their executive board officers for 2022. Trey Hays, Private Banking Manager with First Federal Bank of Louisiana, will serve as president for the organization. He has been an APG board member since 2018 and is passionate about smart development opportunities for the Southwest Louisiana region. A Louisiana native, Hays attended the University of Southwest Louisiana and has lived in Lake Charles since 2008. At First Federal, he brings together wealth management solutions and innovative, personalized service for his clients. Hays oversees the operations and staff of the Private Banking department and has over 20 years of experience in the financial industry, with the past 11 of those years as a Commercial/Private Banking relationship manager.

Movers and Shakers in Southwest Louisiana...

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Trey Hays

Other officers of the APG Executive Board include:

• Vice President: Tommy Eastman—Flavin

Realty • Secretary: Mary Kay Hopkins—Mary Kay

Hopkins LLC • Treasurer: Ryan Hess—Hancock Whitney • Ex-Officio: Matt Redd—Redd Properties • Officer: Bart Yakupzack—Jack Lawton

Companies • Officer: Joseph Banks—Liberty Plaza

Properties Learn more at www.apgrowth.org.

Lakeside Bank Welcomes Bryan Armentor

Bryan Armentor has been named a Vice President/Lending at Lakeside Bank.

Armentor brings over 13 years of banking experience

to his new position with Lakeside. For the past eight years, he has held management positions at a regional bank where his responsibilities included business development, commercial lending and branch management.

Armentor will be working at Lakeside’s Main Office, located at 4735 Nelson Road in Lake Charles. His office number is (337) 474-3766.

Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Effat Rasul Joins Imperial Health

Imperial Health has announced the addition of Effat Rasul, MD, FACP, Internal Medicine physician, Effat Rasul, MD, FACP to the group’s medical staff. Dr. Rasul will practice with Dr. Benjamin Williams and Dr. Errol Wilder at 771 Bayou Pines East, Lake Charles.

Dr. Rasul is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and is a Fellow of American College of Physicians. She has a special interest in optimizing medical management of complicated medical conditions.

Dr. Rasul will accept most insurances including Medicare. For more information, or to make an appointment with Dr. Rasul, call 337-433-1212. 771 Bayou Pines East, Lake Charles.

Johnnie Kleinschmidt, PT, PRPC, Opens New Office for Motion Mentors

Johnnie Kleinschmidt, PT, PRPC, has relocated her pelvic rehabilitation and Johnnie Kleinschmidt, PT, PRPC total body wellness clinic, Motion Mentors Physical Therapy, to a new office at 4845 Ihles Road, Suite B, in Lake Charles.

Kleinschmidt offers treatment for pelvic disorders in men, women and children through specifically designed exercise programs, as well as myofascial release techniques, visceral mobilization, biofeedback, manual and integrative therapies.

To make an appointment, call 337-438-9171. Referrals can be emailed to pt@motionmentors. com or faxed to 337-312-4977. For more information, visit www.MotionMentors.com.

LOA, an affiliate of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, is the statewide, professional membership organization comprised of orthopaedic surgeons, orthopaedic residents and ancillary healthcare providers that fosters exceptional quality of care through education of physicians and the public.

Dr. Hale specializes in joint replacement surgery, including robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement; sports medicine; knee surgery; shoulder surgery; hip surgery; fracture care; orthobiologics and arthritis treatment.

Steven Hale, MD

Dr. Steven Hale Elected Second Vice-President of the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association

Steven Hale, MD, orthopaedic surgeon with the Center for Orthopaedics, was elected Second Vice-President of the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association (LOA) at the organization’s 2022 Annual Meeting in New Orleans this month. He will ascend to first Vice President next year and will become the President of LOA in 2024. The Center for Orthopaedics is the region’s largest musculoskeletal group, with offices in Lake Charles, Jennings and Moss Bluff. Learn more at www.centerforortho.com.