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A monthly publication of the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce
Volume 7 | Number 11 | December 2014
Join Us! 3
One on One 9
Photo Gallery 10
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*Bayou Region includes Lafourche, Terrebonne, St. Mary and Assumption Parishes.
Join Us !
AFTER
BUSINESS
H URS
Networking at its best!
Business After Hours is held each month for Chamber members and their
employees to network and enjoy food, drinks and door prizes.
Thursday, December 18 • 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sponsored by: Stephanie Hebert Insurance Agency
854 Grand Caillou Road, HOUMA, LA
2015 Houma-Terrebonne
Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center
6:00 p.m. ‒ Cocktails ∣ 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. ‒ Banquet
Keynote Speaker:
Captain Richard Phillips
Hostage survivor of the April 2009 Somali pirate attack of the
Maersk Alabama, a container ship ferrying food aid to East Africa.
Attendees are guaranteed to receive an amazing message from his
captivating story of his five days spent as a hostage of Somali pirates
and his incredible rescue by the U.S. Navy.
The Chamber’s 2015 officers and outgoing officers and board members
will be recognized at the event along with the announcement of
the Chamber’s Community Champion and STAR awards,
The Courier’s Most Useful Citizen award, the Teenager of the Year and
HTV’s Eugene Folse Outstanding Veteran award.
Contact Us!
Officers:
Chairman of the Board
Donald A. Hingle II
Business First Bank
Chairman-Elect
Stephanie Hebert
Stephanie Hebert Insurance Agency
Treasurer
Earl J. Eues, Jr.
KEE Environmental Services, LLC
Vice Chairman-Community Development Division
Kathleen (Kate) Theriot
Coaching for Change, LLC
Vice Chairman-Chamber Development Division
Paul Labat
Foundation for Terrebonne General Medical Center
Vice Chairman-Infrastructure & Economic Develop. Div.
Stephen Smith
All South Consulting Engineers, LLC
Vice Chairman-Government Activities Division
Mark Folse
Coastal Commerce Bank
Immediate Past Chairman
Jennifer Armand
Armand Creative
BOARD MEMBERS:
Ann Barker
Leroy Guidry
Terrebonne Ford
Chet Morrison Contractors, LLC
Jason Bergeron
Mike Lewis
Technology Professionals, LLC
Big Mike’s BBQ Smoke House
Jeff Bordelon
Oneil P. Malbrough
EMR
Shaw Coastal Inc., a CB&I Company
Joseph Boudreaux
Bruce Murphy
Blackhawk Specialty Tools
Nicholls State University
Rene Claudet
David Rabalais
Retired - Quality Hotel - Houma
Terrebonne Port Commission
Reggie Dupre
Ann Summers
Terrebonne Levee & Conservation Dist.
Synergy Bank
H. Miles Forrest
Yolanda V. Trahan
Retired - The Courier
Terrebonne Foundation for
Academic Excellence
Michael J. Garcia, M.D.
South Louisiana Medial Assoc.
TICKETS AND SPONSORSHIPS MAY BE PURCHASED BY CALLING
THE CHAMBER OFFICE AT (985) 876-5600
Attendees enjoy a plated dinner, drinks and entertainment.
General public is invited to attend.
staff:
President and CEO
Suzanne Nolfo Carlos
Events &
Communication Coordinator
Betsy Breerwood
[email protected]
[email protected]
Administrative Assistant
Chantell Pepper
Membership Account Executive
Kay Thibodeaux
[email protected]
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
Kimi Walker
Chauvin Brothers, Inc.
3
[email protected]
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Winter Wonderland - 6pm-9pm
Main Street Courthouse Square
Once Upon a Cajun Christmas
Parade - 7pm
(985) 873-6408
Houma-Terrebonne Community
Band Christmas Concert
6:30pm @ Southland Mall
JCPenney Court
[email protected]
Chamber Executive Committee
Meeting - 8am
@ Chamber Office
Business After-Hours
5pm-7pm
@ Stephanie Hebert
Insurance Agency
Chamber Board Retreat
8am - 2pm
@ Twelve Oaks Plantation
Chamber Office Closed
December 24, 2014
through January 1, 2015
Chamber events denoted in color.
For more information about any Chamber event visit our website
at www.houmachamber.com or call 985-876-5600.
Table of Contents
On the Cover:
Remember to Shop Locally this Holiday Season!
3 Join Us!
4 Calendar of Events
5 Chairman’s Message
6 Notes from the President
7Focus on the Parish
Happy Holidays from the Chamber Staff and Board of Directors.
The Chamber Office will be closed from
December 24, 2014 through January 1, 2015.
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
4
8 Welcome New Members
9 One on One
10 Photo Gallery
12 Focus on Education
13Focus on Members
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Chairman’s
Message
Home Stretch
For those of you who like horseracing,
we are fast approaching the home stretch
of the end of another year. Unlike a horse
race, though, time marches on with no visible finish line, but we humans love to segment time to fit our needs or our situation.
If you think about it, the end of a year really doesn’t change anything…. We keep going to work, or school, we take care of our
families and our daily needs, etc. The end
of the year is just a time to take stock of
what has already happened and to tweak
the plan of where we want to go.
So what is my point? I don’t have enough
time to tell you here! Just kidding.
We are approaching the end of a very successful year at the Chamber. We are taking
stock of where we have been, and comparing our results to our goals. So far, we look
to be right on track. We are also planning
our transition into 2015 by doing new budgets, discussing the change in leadership
from me to Stephanie Hebert, and making sure we’ve covered all that we want to
cover. We are deciding what worked, what
did not work, and what needs to change.
We don’t want to continue to do things
just because “that is how it’s always been
done”. We want to stay fresh and useful to
our members.
You may have noticed that we’ve started a few new programs this year to keep
things new and exciting. We held an eastside Business After-Hours dedicated to focusing on the eastside chamber members
and prospects. We had our first “Meet the
Board” for new members which was well
attended by new members. We introduced
the inaugural Terrebonne’s Young Achievers Awards and I am very excited about
that! We will soon be announcing a new
initiative called “Chamber Cares” which involves Chamber members giving their time
and talents directly back to the community.
Stay tuned for more to come on this new
initiative. If you have any suggestions on
what your Chamber can do new or different to help your business, please let me or
the staff know!
From a community standpoint, we’ve
just completed a hugely important election, (with another important one coming
in December for teachers’ raises); we’ve
had a few very nice festivals and a stretch
of great weather; we’ve started to get ready
for Thanksgiving and Christmas; and we’ve
started thinking about the wrap up of our
own personal fiscal years. It definitely is a
busy time, but a good time.
To live in the USA is a blessing that the
rest of the world envies. Our country has
its share of problems, but as long as we
have faith and care about doing the right
thing, and about being fair and honest, we
will continue to be blessed and prosper.
Let’s not take our freedom and our prosperity for granted. Let’s remember those
who have gone before us to make our lives
better. Let’s promise to do our utmost to
make the lives of our children better than it
has been for us. Let’s give to and help those
who are less fortunate than ourselves and
let’s be thankful for what we have and not
complain about what we don’t have. Terrebonne Parish is truly one of the most prosperous places in Louisiana, and therefore
the most prosperous place in the country
and the world. What a blessing!
Oh, and back to that horseracing
theme…. Horse #1, named “The Good
Earth”, is rounding the turn with a commanding lead!
Thanks for your contributions to “the
Good Earth” and may God Bless Terrebonne Parish.
Donald A. Hingle II
Chairman of the Board
Business First Bank
The Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce Invites You To Join!
A few of the benefits:
We would love to have you join our
 Website listing—$150 value
team and become a member of the
 Membership Directory—$200 value
 Ribbon Cutting—$200 value
Chamber. There are many benefits to
 New Member Advertising—$250 value
take advantage of and we would be
"When consumers know that a small business
is a member of the Chamber of Commerce,
happy to answer any questions you
they are 44% more likely to think favorably of
might have. Give us a call at (985)
it and 80% more likely to purchase goods or
services from the company in the fu876-5600 or visit our website
ture." (Research Study by: The Schapiro Group,
www.houmachamber.com for more
Inc., 2007)
info or to fill out an application. 6133 Hwy 311, Houma, Louisiana 70360 Email: [email protected]
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
5
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notes from the
President
Shop Locally this Holiday Season
Suzanne Nolfo Carlos
President/CEO
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
Saturday, November 29th, is Small Business Saturday. This holiday season consider shifting some of your holiday spending
to our locally owned businesses. As consumers, you encourage growth in our local
economy by supporting locally owned businesses. They are creating jobs, stimulating
our local economy, supporting our community events, teams and projects, as well as
providing local tax revenue.
Various studies across the country have
shown that per square foot occupied, locally owned businesses re-circulate more
money back into the local community than
chain stores. Local businesses strengthen
the economic base of our community in
two ways. A large portion of the dollars
spent with local businesses is used to make
purchases from other local entities, which
creates a ripple effect that can fortify our
community against difficult economic
times. In addition, local businesses support the parish tax base, which adds value
to the community by increasing its income
of
Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
so that there’s more tax dollars in our community to spend on schools, parks, law enforcement, and fire departments.
Other studies have demonstrated that if
each household would redirect just $100
of planned holiday spending from chain
stores to locally owned companies, there
would be significant local economic impact.
For every $100 spent at a locally owned
business, $68 stays in the local economy
compared to only $43 if spent at a national
chain. A small shift in market share from
chains to locals can result in a tremendous
increase in new economic activity, new
jobs, and new wages.
Nationally, small local businesses are the
largest employer and they account for the
majority of job growth. Local businesses
in our community create employment and
self-employment by providing jobs for residents. These businesses are also less likely
to close up, move operations to another
city or country, and take their jobs with
them.
6
Local businesses are more generous in
their support of local charities, schools,
and community events. Nonprofits on
average receive much more support from
local business owners than they do from
non-locally owned businesses. They are
more likely to give back to the community
in which they do business.
In a local business, you know the person
behind the counter, and they know you.
They have a deeper understanding of the
products or services they’re selling, and
they take time to serve their customers.
Local businesses tend to provide better customer service by giving special attention to
each patron they serve. They get to know
their customers and can make suggestions
for purchases based on that knowledge.
Shop local. Eat local. Spend local. Enjoy local. Support our local businesses that
support the community where you live,
work, and play!
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Focus on the Parish
Exciting Changes to Terrebonne Juvenile Justice Program
by Michel Claudet
Terrebonne Parish
President
New leadership, a new
building, and new programming are on the way for at
risk youth in Terrebonne
Parish.
We are proud to announce the appointment, pending council ratification, of Mr. Joseph Harris Jr. as the
new Juvenile Justice Director for Terrebonne Parish.
Joe is no stranger to this position as he has served
as the interim director for several months and the assistant director prior to that. Joe has been working
with the parish juvenile justice system since 1997 and
his reputation of compassionate leadership made him
the ideal candidate for the job.
Joe takes over the parish juvenile justice program
as a new state of the art detention center is under
construction. This approximately $10 million facility
can house up to 32 juveniles and will be located in
the new government facilities campus near Highway
90. This modern facility is designed to take advantage
of new juvenile justice licensing standards that focus
PARTY
NEW YEAR’S EVE
on education, rehabilitation, and safety. Most importantly the relocation of the juvenile detention center
from its current home next to Ashland Jail will remove
the negative stigma of it being a prison type incarceration center.
Terrebonne Parish Government is also working with
local law enforcement officials, City Court, and area
non-profit agencies to establish a juvenile Single Point
Assessment Resource Center (SPARC) as an alternative to detention for youth offenders. Such programs
have been very successful in Baton Rouge, Calcasieu
Parish, and Jefferson Parish as a way to provide assessment, counseling, and social services to youth
offenders without subjecting them to the penal system.
As can be seen, we are dedicated to making the
necessary investments to build the proper facilities
and to provide the best programming to insure that
the at risk youth of our community are given the opportunities to be productive members of society.
Downtown Parking Lot
Closes for Construction
The public parking lot located at the corner of Rousell Street and West Park Avenue (LA Highway 24) was
closed to vehicles beginning October 27, 2014. This
closure is necessary to accommodate the paving of
the entire parking lot.
It is anticipated that the project will be completed
by the end of February 2015. We feel that with good
weather and minimal delays this project will be completed ahead of schedule and prior to Mardi Gras.
Motorists who normally park in this lot are requested to seek other parking accommodations for the duration of this project.
Bayou Beer Festival
Receives Recognition
By the time you are reading this, the 2014 Bayou
Beer Fest has already taken place. It is important to
note that this two year old local festival is already receiving national recognition.
BeerFests.com has named the festival as one of its
top “can’t miss events” and saluted the local Bayou
Beer Society for putting together a premier gathering
for our region.
I am confident that this and other local festivals will
continue to grow and prosper as they improve the
quality of life of our residents and attract visitors to
our community.
DECEMBER 31, 2014 | 9:00PM - MIDNIGHT
Live entertainment, FREE party favors & FREE champagne!
STARTING AT MIDNIGHT
s
t
n
i
Po
NY MA
O N ALL P E N
C H IN E S!
MIDNIGHT AFTER THE PARTY THROUGH 11:59PM, JANUARY 1.
Swipe at the kiosk to activate multiplier. See B Connected Club for details.
HWY 90 EXIT 181 | AmeliaBelleCasino.com
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1.877.770.STOP
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
7
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Welcome New Members
DON’T GET CAUGHT WITHOUT
COVERAGE FOR YOUR BOAT.
Glow Tanning Salon
Ashley Rhodes
(985) 655-4569
1437 Saint Charles Street, Suite 115
Houma, Louisiana 70360
http://www.loveglowtanning.com
Categories: Tanning Salons
The Quilting Niche
Debra Frank
(985) 876-9077
1220 Saint Charles Street
Houma, Louisiana 70350
Categories: Retail, Fabric Shop
Alliance Communications, Inc.
Leo Giroir
(985) 872-2345
4608 North Bayou Black Drive
Houma, Louisiana 70360
http://www.alliancecommunications.us
Call me today for a quote.
Insure your boat - hook, line and sinker with Allstate Boatowners Insurance.
Categories: Telecommunications Equipment Dealer, Telephone Service-Local
Moosa Movers
Michael Trahan
(985) 223-1990
445 Magnolia Street
Houma, Louisiana 70360
Categories: Moving Company - Commercial & Residential Furniture
Stephanie Hebert
(985) 872-0201
Roger McChargue Construction
Summer Odom
(985) 879-3010
136 Technology Lane
Gray, Louisiana 70359
http://www.macbuild.com
854 Grand Caillou Rd.
Houma
[email protected]
Categories: Construction, Contractors - General
Firehouse Subs
Kevin Morvant
(985) 850-2725
1826 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Suite 1
Houma, Louisiana 70360
http://www.firehousesubs.com
x055100015
Categories: Catering, Restaurants
B O AT I N S U R A N C E
Insurance subject to availability and qualifications. Allstate Property and Casualty
Insurance Co. Northbrook, IL. © 2009 Allstate Insurance Co.
(985) 879-4700 • 326 S Van Avenue Houma, LA 70363
www.jandjautorepairinc.com
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
69889
30 Day
warranty
on parts
and labor
8
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
One-on-One with Cindy Daigle of Wood Group, PSN, Inc.
The Chamber selects member businesses, organizations and individuals to highlight in this monthly
publication. Cindy Daigle, Houma Office Manager/
Accountant with Wood Group PSN was selected at a
recent General Membership Luncheon to be featured.
Earlier this month we interviewed Ms. Daigle to learn
more about her and Wood Group PSN, Inc.
In your own words, describe Wood Group PSN, Inc.
Wood Group PSN offers high integrity, brownfield
services that support
customers to optimize
performance, maintain production, reduce operating costs
and provide integrity
assurance. People are
at the heart of our
business and we live
by our seven core values: Safety & Assurance, Relationships,
Social Responsibility,
People, Innovation
Financial Responsibility and Integrity, with
safety being our number one priority.
How long has it been
in business? Is it locally owned and operated? Tell us a little about the history of Wood
Group PSN, Inc.
Wood Group PSN is a sub-business of Wood Group,
which started in the 1960s as a family-owned shipping
repair business in Scotland. It evolved through the
years to include engineering support, well support and
gas turbines and grew internationally with its first US
operations established in the 1980s. In 2000, Wood
Group acquired Mustang Engineering and Alliance to
provide leading engineering services for deepwater
facilities. That year, Wood Group also established our
power plant operations & maintenance business.
Wood Group PSN became part of the Wood Group
family when Wood Group acquired PSN (Production
Services Network), the leading global brownfield production services provider, in 2011.
Are there other locations?
Wood Group PSN has business operations in more
than 40 countries. Our American headquarters is located in Houston, Texas, and our US Offshore O&M
Services operations are located in Lafayette, Louisiana. We also have Measurement service operations
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
of
in Houma, LA.
What is the company’s
specialty?
Wood Group PSN
is a global provider of
pre-operations, hook
up & commissioning,
operations & maintenance, engineering,
Jan Rogers, Houma Business Manager and Cindy Daigle,
Houma Office Manager/Accountant
construction, project management, training and decommissioning services to the energy industry.
How many people are employed by Wood Group
PSN, Inc.?
Globally, Wood Group PSN employs over 30,000
people. Within the Gulf of Mexico, we have more than
3,000 employees performing services and managing
operations on over 1,200 facilities on the Continental
Shelf and in Deepwater.
What is the one experience you want for the clients
of Wood Group PSN, Inc.?
The most important experience that I would like for
a client to receive from Wood Group PSN, Inc. would
be satisfaction with our services.
Tell us about you. What is your title?
Houma Office Manager/Accountant
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Ruston, LA and moved to Houma when
I was 10 years old.
Did you attend/graduate from college?
I graduated from Nicholls with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.
Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
9
What are your primary responsibilities?
Overseeing the day-to-day business within our Houma office and managing the Accounting department.
How long have you been in the industry? How long
with Wood Group PSN, Inc.?
I have been in this industry all of my life, because
my daddy worked in the oil and gas industry for more
than 40 years prior to his retirement from Placid Oil
Company in 1986. I have been with Wood Group for
14 years.
What do you like best about Wood Group PSN, Inc.?
I like the laid back, friendly atmosphere here in our
Houma office.
Tell us about your family.
I have two children, one son-in-law, and three
grandchildren. And I delight in spoiling them all.
Do you have a fundamental philosophy for life or
business that you can share?
Focus on the good things in life and be happy.
Why does Wood Group PSN, Inc. invest in the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce?
Wood Group has been a member of the Chamber
since 1996. During that time, the Chamber has helped
us learn more about the community that we service
and how we can contribute to its growth and success.
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Photo Gallery
Volunteers of America and community partners celebrate the groundbreaking of Bayou Cane Apartments located at 137 Synergy Center Blvd. Attendees include from left to right: Frederick Tombar, III, Executive Director,
Louisiana Housing Corporation, Leonard D. Simmons, Jr., Board Chair, Renaissance Neighborhood Development
Corporation, Aron Weisner, Vice President, Enterprise Community Investment, Inc., Michel H. Claudet, President,
Terrebonne Parish, James M. LeBlanc, President and CEO, Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans, Mike King,
President and CEO Volunteers of America, Inc., Victor Smeltz, Executive Director, Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corporation, Patrick Forbes, Executive Director, Louisiana Office of Community Development, William
Callihan, Vice President, Community Finance Capital One Financial Corporation and Pastor Thomas Kitts, New
Vision Family Worship Center.
Suzanne Nolfo Carlos, Chamber President/CEO, Brenda Babin, Busy Bee Clinic, LLC, Donald A. Hingle, II, Chamber
Board Chairman and Executive Vice President & Regional CEO of Business First Bank, Dee Hingle, K & B Industries
and Kate Theriot, Chamber Board member and CFC, LLC attend the Business After-Hours at Café Cannata’s in
October.
Corey Messina, Messina’s Lawn Maintenance and Keith Pontiff, Transamerica Agency Network attend the Business After-Hours at Café Cannata’s.
Jennifer White, The Courier & Daily Comet, Emily Melancon, Rushing Media and Coleman Cormier, D.C. with
Flynn-Manceaux-Arcement-Pizzolato-Thompson Chiropractic & Physical Therapy Clinic visit at the Business AfterHours at Café Cannata’s in October.
Christopher Naquin and Jacob Aucoin pose with Lane Bates and Joel Ohmer with Cannata’s Family Market at the
Business After-Hours at Café Cannata’s. Special thanks to Cannata’s Family Market and staff for sponsoring the
event.
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
Christopher Guarisco, Transamerica Agency Network and Jimmy Blakeman, Cannata’s Family Market attend the
Business After-Hours at Café Cannata’s. Congratulations to Mr. Guarisco for winning one of the generous door
prizes donated by Cannata’s Family Market.
10
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Photo Gallery
Carolyn Bourgeois, Bourgeois & Associates, Inc., Vincent Cannata, Cannata’s Family Market, Roger Bourgeois,
Bourgeois & Associates, Inc. and Yolanda Trahan, Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence visit at the
Business After-Hours at Café Cannata’s. Special thanks to Mr. Cannata and his staff for hosting the event.
Janel Ricca, Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, Mark Lee, Coastal Mechanical Contractors, Inc. and Rebecca Durocher, Carmouche Insurance visit at the Business After-Hours at Café Cannata’s.
The Terrebonne Port Commission celebrates a ground breaking ceremony at its Multi-Use Government Complex on Bayou LaCarpe Road. Attendees from left to right include: Representative Gordon Dove, Ken Watkins,
Commission Legal Advisor, Andrew Blanchard, Port Commission President, Chris Erny, Port Commissioner, Senator Mary Landrieu, David Rabalais, Port Commission Executive Director, Senator Norby Chabert, Representative Joe Harrison, Dan Davis, Port Secretary, and Steve Crispino, Port Commission Vice President.
Leadership Terrebonne Alumni Association (LTAA) sponsored the General Membership Luncheon in October.
Lori Toups Benoit, LTTA Public Relations Chair, Karen Schilling, Leadership Terrebonne facilitator, Pat Gordon,
LLTA Board Chairman, Angela Rains, LTAA Treasurer & Recruitment Chair, Donald A. Hingle, II, Chamber Board
Chairman and Executive Vice President & Regional CEO of Business First Bank, Suzanne Nolfo Carlos, Chamber
President/CEO and Chas Roemer, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education President, RRM & Co. President and luncheon speaker attend the event.
Stephen Harris, Louisiana Workforce Commission presents “Employers Take Charge” to Lunch & Learn participants at the Chamber office. Attendees received an overview of unemployment insurance basics and appeals.
The Junior Auxiliary Provisional Class of 2014 and fellow members, School for Exceptional Children students
and faculty, and Superintendent Philip Martin celebrate a ribbon cutting for the newly renovated library. The
design and work was completed by the members of the 2014 Junior Auxiliary Provisional Class.
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
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Focus on Education
Terrebonne’s Success and
Terrebonne’s Schools
by Philip Martin
Superintendent
Terrebonne Parish consistently ranks as one of the
top locations in the nation in
which to live, work, and play. We enjoy record levels of employment and businesses are moving in, it
seems, every single day. We are rated as one of the
happiest metro areas in the USA, and are recognized
as being the second most exciting city in Louisiana. In
summary, it is a great time to be here in Terrebonne
Parish.
But ask anyone what, in their opinion, is one of the
most critical factors in sustaining this level of growth
and prosperity, and you are likely to hear that having
a top quality education system is at the center of it
all. We couldn’t agree more.
Yet here is some sobering news. Although the Terrebonne Parish Public Schools District ranks among
the top third of all districts in Louisiana in terms of
student achievement, and is one of the largest school
districts in the state, we pay our teachers in the bottom third - 49th out of 69 school districts to be exact. Not only are we on the bottom of the state in
compensation, we also significantly trail neighboring
parishes that are an hour or less commute from Terrebonne. Add to this the demand for quality personnel not only within education, but also within private
industry that an economy like ours creates, and you
can see how compensation rises to the top of the
challenges within our school system.
To begin to address these issues, a sales tax issue
has been placed on the ballot for the December 6
elections. It is a one-half cent sales tax, of which 100%
will go to improving teacher and employee salaries.
The tax is based on extensive input from the citizens
of Terrebonne Parish, as well as from our chamber
of commerce and others. With this tax, we will begin to have the resources to retain the teachers and
employees who make a difference in the lives of the
18,000 students who come to our schools each day,
and to attract new teachers into the profession and
into our parish. Most would agree that without this
tax, Terrebonne Parish will face challenges in staffing
our schools with the educators that you expect and
that we demand.
Certainly there are questions about this issue. We
understand this and welcome any and all inquiries
from the public. This is a matter of critical importance
to our community and we encourage you to carefully
consider this issue on December 6.
Sales Tax Proposition for School District
Shall the Parish School Board
of the Parish of Terrebonne, State
of Louisiana (the “School Board”),
under the provisions of Article VI,
Section 29 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, and other constitutional and statutory authority, be
authorized to levy and collect a tax
of one-half of one percent (1/2%)
(the “Tax”), in perpetuity, from
and after April 1, 2015, upon the
sale at retail, the use, the lease or
rental, the consumption, and the
storage for use or consumption,
of tangible personal property and
on sales of services in Terrebonne
Parish all as defined by law (an estimated $13,000,000 reasonably
expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
of
an entire year), with the proceeds
of the Tax (after paying the reasonable and necessary expenses
of collecting and administering
the Tax), to be dedicated and used
for paying salaries and benefits
for teachers and other personnel
employed by the Terrebonne Par-
ish School Board; including, starting the fiscal year beginning July
1, 2015, an initial salary increase
of $4,000 per year for employees
whose salary is based on teacher
pay scales and an initial salary increase of $2,000 per year for other
full time employees.
DON’T FORGET
TO VOTE
DECEMBER 6th!
Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
12
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Synergy Bank Partners with TPCG to Help Disabled Residents
Several low-income residents with disabilities in
Terrebonne Parish now have handicapped accessible
accommodations to their home through a generous
donation from Synergy Bank to the Terrebonne Parish
Consolidated Government’s (TPCG) Handicap Accessibility Grant Program.
Synergy Bank donated $25,000 to the TPCG Department of Housing and Human Services program
this year. With the donation, TPCG was able to provide wheelchair ramps and grab bars to several lowincome residents in the parish giving them greater
accessibility and mobility. Every year the Department
of Housing and Human Services receives numerous
requests for assistance through the Handicap Accessibility Grant Program. Handicap ramps can range
from $2,500 to $4,000 per installation. Each applicant
must meet certain criteria set forth by both the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development and
the Handicap Accessibility Grant.
“Synergy Bank is proud to partner with Terrebonne
Parish Consolidated Government on the Handicap Accessibility Program,” said Jerry Ledet, Synergy Bank
President and Chief Executive Officer. “We understand
the challenges that low-income homeowners face
and to purchase a handicap accessible ramp is out of
the question for many residents. Being able to assist
There really
is no place
like houma.
those in need in our community is an honor and
privilege.”
“This funding allows us to address the needs
of our most vulnerable populations, the elderly and disabled. We are thankful to Synergy
Bank for their generous donation to assist
this group of low-income homeowners in our
community,” said Darrel Waire, Director of
the Terrebonne Parish Department of Housing and Human Services
Synergy Bank is a community bank headquartered in Houma, Louisiana. Founded in
1998, Synergy’s total assets as of December
31, 2013 equaled $432,580 million. Synergy Bank has been recognized as one of the top
five banks in Louisiana for excellent performance and
soundness according to the Louisiana
Bank Performance
Report 2nd quarter
2014. Further information visit www.
banksynergy.com.
When we became part of the community here in Houma, we did it with the promise to offer each of our
neighbors the best in service, knowledge and guidance. We have carried out that promise each year since. Today
we are one of the state’s top accounting and consulting firms offering a myriad of services from tax planning for
businesses and individuals and audit and assurance to litigation and forensic accounting. Our experts are eager
to share our accumulated knowledge and help you reach your goals or prepare for the unexpected. Call us today
and let us show you how we can help you thrive in the place we call home.
bourgeoisbennett.com
New Orleans 504.831.4949 | North Shore 985.246.3022 | Houma 985.868.0139 | Thibodaux 985.447.5243
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
13
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Rougarou Fest Brings Honors to
White Car Marketing
White Car Marketing earned an international Hermes Creative Gold Award
for its work on Rougarou Fest, the annual Houma-based festival that celebrates the rich folklore of southeast
Louisiana’s Bayou Region. Hermes Creative Awards
( w w w. h e r mesawards.
com) are an
international
honor
bestowed upon creative agencies in a
variety of communicative disciplines,
from advertising to design.
Lornell Parfait, Creative Director for
White Car Marketing, spearheaded
the designs and overall event marketing campaign for the winning entry.
With a focus on fun typography and illustration, the design team embodied
the eerie tradition of “The Rougarou.”
Through a branding concept including a logo, print materials and a social
campaign, the White Car team conceptualized and implemented designs and
content appealing to a diverse audience.
Parfait sees the award as a win for
both our community and the agency,
sharing: “Collaborative efforts among
graphic design, content creation and
project management were required to
bring the concepts for this campaign
to life. Each team member’s individual talents definitely came together to
conceptualize and execute this outstanding result, and it’s great to know
our work can in turn benefit Louisiana’s
coastlines.”
Named as one of the nation’s top 10
Halloween costume parties by USA Today, Rougarou Fest is the primary fundraiser for the nonprofit South Louisiana
Wetlands Discovery Center. The familyfriendly festival showcases a myriad
of spooky activities, from a challenge
course plagued by zombies (known as
the Rougarou Run) to the Krewe Ga
Rou parade.
Cody Blanchard, Founder of White
Car Marketing, recognizes the gravity of this merit, stating: “Receiving an
international creative award for our
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
of
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC
Hosts Holiday Tree for Life Ceremony
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC invites family, friends and
supporters to honor cancer survivors, remember
loved ones and thank
caregivers at a special
Tree for Life ceremony
Thursday, Dec. 4 at 6
p.m. at the Cancer Center.
Honor your loved ones
by dedicating an ornament that will be displayed on holiday trees at
the Cancer Center during
the month of December.
Ornaments may be purchased at the front desk
of the Center, or online
at
mbptgmc.org/tree,
with a minimum donation of $10.
“The Tree for Life Holiday Ceremony is such a
beautiful way
for
patients,
caregivers and
community
members
to
recognize
a
loved one by
dedicating an
ornament
in
his/her honor,”
said Melanie Rasmusson,
the Cancer Center’s director. “This event offers
a unique way to make a
donation, and a difference, during the season
of giving.”
Explained Amy Ponson,
director of development
for the Cancer Center,
“One hundred percent of
the funds raised through
Tree for Life will help support early detection and
screening programs as
well as the Cancer Center’s mission to improve
survivorship and lessen
the burden of cancer in
the Bayou Region.”
For more information about Tree for Life,
please contact Amy Ponson at (985) 851-8661
or aponson@marybird.
com.
Mary Bird Perkins
Cancer Center at TGMC
is located at 8166 Main
Street, Suite 201, in Houma.
TGMC Campus Entirely Tobacco Free
work with the Rougarou is a great
honor. I couldn’t be happier with the
outcome of our team’s hard work and
dedication to the marketing efforts of
the Rougarou Fest. This project has not
only allowed us to partner with such a
great event, but has also given us the
opportunity to help raise awareness
for our disappearing coast.”
White Car Marketing was founded
in 2013 as an agency geared toward
helping businesses communicate more
effectively. Located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, White Car Marketing serves
south Louisiana with a focus on major
companies and non-profit organizations located within the Bayou Region.
As a creative agency, White Car has
grown by forming affluent partnerships
with its clients, expanding its realm of
services, and delivering marketing materials that not only look good, but produce results.
Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
As a leading healthcare provider,
Terrebonne General Medical Center
(TGMC) is making changes to clean
the air for our patients, employees,
guests, and families. In partnership
with Tobacco-Free Living, all campuses
of TGMC became entirely tobacco free
on November 1, 2014. TGMC has been
a smoke free facility and will enhance
this commitment with an entirely tobacco free campus enforced including
cigarettes, e cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or vapor products will not be allowed anywhere on TGMC campuses.
TGMC’s priority is for patients to have
the best environment of care in which
to recover and receive treatment.
“This initiative focuses on our patients that we care for every day at
TGMC. We know that clean air is the
healthiest possible environment that
we can provide and it is important that
our employees and community also
benefit from a tobacco-free campus,”
14
said Phyllis Peoples, president and CEO
of TGMC. “We want to thank our community for their cooperation as we lead
the way in healthier lifestyles.”
In addition, the health of our employees is a major focus. We will continue to offer services such as smoking
cessation classes to employees and all
in our community who are interested
in quitting. The hospital also offers
many overall health options to anyone
interested through our Healthy Lifestyle Center. This includes our weight
management program, Wellness 360,
Workout 360 gym, and diabetes management services.
If you are interested in quitting, Mary
Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC offers free smoking cessation classes. For
more information on cessation, please
call (985) 873-4603 or (985) 873-6304.
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
BTNEP Awarded Grant for
Bayou Lafourche Cleanup
The Barataria-Terrebonne National
Estuary Program (BTNEP) has been
selected as a recipient of a Healthy
Communities Grant by Keep Louisiana
Beautiful, the State’s premier antilitter
and community improvement organization.
This year’s grant, in the amount of
$8,140.00, will support BTNEP’s 2015
Bayou Lafourche Cleanup that will take
place on March 14, 2015. The event is
projected to clean up 106 miles of the
bayou from Donaldsonville to Leeville.
In the past three years, over 3000 volunteers have donated their time to
cleaning up the waterway that supplies drinking water to residents of Lafourche, Terrebonne and Assumption
parishes. Volunteers have included
families, governmental agencies, parish officials, schools, churches, chambers and small and large companies.
Norris Named Vice President of Nursing
Thibodaux Regional Medical Center is pleased to announce that Beth
Norris, RN-BC, MSN, has been named
Vice President of Nursing. Norris will
replace Brenda Arceneaux, RN, BSN,
MSN, who has retired after 40 years
of nursing service.
Norris earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master’s degree
in Nursing from Loyola University
in New Orleans. She has more than
27 years of experience and has held
several leadership positions in Inpatient and Outpatient services. Norris most recently served as Vice
President of Outpatient Nursing
Services for a large hospital in
New Orleans. She holds certification in Medical Surgical Nursing,
is a Nurse Management Fellow
of the American Organization
of Nurse Executives, and is a
past Louisiana Great 100 Nurse
recipient.
According to Alma Robichaux, Education Coordinator, BTNEP’s goal is to
bring awareness about the importance
of keeping Bayou Lafourche clean and
to get people to see Bayou Lafourche
as a great natural resource.
“It is both amazing and heartbreaking to see what people throw in our
drinking water supply,” said Robichaux.
“We have found everything from a disgusting cigarette butt to a toilet. We
have even found a kitchen sink!”
The volunteers have removed over
55 tons of trash in the last 3 cleanups.
For more information regarding the
Bayou Lafourche Cleanup or to volunteer for the 2015 event please contact
Alma Robichaux at [email protected].
Join us Downtown Houma for
Proudly partnering with TPCG’s annual
Synergy Bank’s
Parade Floats • Caroling • Tree Lighting • Santa Claus
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
15
Winter Wonderland
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Danos Wins Prestigious ESGR Awards
The Louisiana Committee for Employer Support
of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of
Defense office, recently honored Danos with the Pro
Patria Award in recognition of the company’s extraordinary support of employees who serve in the Louisiana National Guard and Reserve.
The annual Pro Patria Award is the highest honor
bestowed by a state ESGR committee to a civilian employer. According to Louisiana ESGR Vice Chair Larry
Jones, the committee selected Danos to receive the
Pro Patria Award because of the company’s leadership practices, including adopting personnel policies
that make it easier for employees to participate in the
National Guard and Reserves.
Each year, guard and reserve employees, have the
opportunity to nominate their employer for the Freedom Award. Danos was a semi-finalist on a national
level and one of only three employers recognized
from Louisiana.
“I am so proud to receive this award on behalf of
Danos,” said Hank Danos, president. “What makes
this award so special is that we were nominated
by one of our employees – Doug Kunkle, U.S. Coast
Guard Reserve. I have tremendous respect for the
men and women who serve in the armed forces, and
Danos is honored to have veterans and reservists as
part of our team.”
In addition to the Pro Patria Award, Danos has also
received the Department of Defense’s Above and Be-
Terrebonne Parish and
Synergy Bank Partner to
bring Winter Wonderland
to Christmas Parade
Danos recently received the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
(ESGR) Pro Patria Award from the Louisiana Committee for ESGR, a Department of Defense office. Pictured from left: Doug Kunkle, U.S. Coast
Guard reservist and Danos vessel program manager, Hank Danos, owner and president of Danos, and Larry Jones, vice chair of the Louisiana
ESGR Committee.
yond Award, Seven Seals Award, and was a finalist for
the national Secretary of Defense Employer Support
Freedom Award, the highest recognition given by the
U.S. Government to employers for their outstanding
support of employees serving in the Guard and Reserve. In 2013, two Danos employees – Reed Pere,
production services division manager, and Eric Danos,
executive vice president –received the ESGR’s Patriot
Award.
Once upon a Cajun Christmas Parade,
the Annual Downtown
Christmas Parade sponsored by
Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government
is scheduled on Friday,
December 5 at 6:30pm.
“PAPA NOEL” will arrive at the Courthouse
Square after traveling in
a twenty float parade
from
Terre b o n n e
H i g h
School,
d o w n
M a i n
Street, right onto Barrow
Street, and then right
onto School Street to the
Courthouse Square.
Synergy Bank will host
a “Winter Wonderland”
next to the Courthouse
Square which
includes
a
snow pile
of
30
tons
of
real snow
from
5:30pm-9pm, and magical falling snow in the
Courthouse Square following the Christmas
tree lighting by Santa
Claus. Santa will light
the Christmas tree at
the end of the parade.
Children will have the
opportunity to play in
the snow, enjoy parade
floats, caroling and see
Santa and Mrs. Claus.
For more information,
2016 National Retiree RV Rally Chooses Houma
Family Campers & RVers (FCRV) will travel to
the Houma-Terrebonne
Civic Center on March
14-21, 2016 for their
National Retiree Rally.
The event is expected to
draw hundreds of FCRV
members from across
the country traveling in
an estimated 300 RVs.
In addition to activities
planned at the Civic Center throughout the weeklong rally, members will
visit local attractions and
businesses to experience
the culture, cuisine and
entertainment of South
Louisiana. The public is
invited to visit during the
rally to meet the travelers and learn about the
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
of
FCRV organization. Visit
w w w.fc r v. o rg /c o m e camp-with-us/retireerally for more information.
Known as the “Friendliest People in the World,”
Family Campers & RVers
is an organization dedicated to camping fellowships, the preservation
of our international heritage, and the strengthening of family bonds
through shared activities
in the outdoors! Family
Campers is a memberowned, non-profit organization with activities
and programs for youth,
teens, adults, and retirees. Family Campers
also has programs in
Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
many areas, including:
Conservation, Wildlife,
Campers Actively Moving
Program (CAMP), and
Disaster Awareness and
Safety Training (DASAT).
985.222.2858
1459 Tiger Dr
Dr.,
., Thibodaux
www.calldougs.com
Doug & Jeff Tauzin
OWNERS
A/C &
16
NG
HEATI
$29 Tune-Up
Special!
Per system. One use per customer.
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Junior Auxiliary Updates SEC Library
Do you remember
those school days when
you looked forward to visiting the library? Whether it was checking out a
book or watching a video
with your class, those
small field trips made
the day so much brighter
and more fun. Well, the
library at the School for
Exceptional Children just
received a much needed
make-over by the 2014
provisional class of Junior
Auxiliary of Houma.
Houma’s School for
Exceptional Children is a
public school serving students in grades PK – 12
with special needs. The
2014 provisional class of
Junior Auxiliary of Houma identified a need at
the school and decided
to revamp their library.
With the upgraded paint,
décor, furnishings, books,
DVDs and art supplies
provided by JA of Houma,
the SEC library is an advanced, therapeutic surrounding where students
can thrive. JA of Houma
has taken every detail
into account in order to
cater to each student’s
individual development
whether it is auditory,
visual or tactile learning styles. JA of Houma
wanted to create an environment that is soothing
as well as stimulating for
the faculty, staff and students so that they get excited to take that trip to
their library. JA of Houma adopted a theme of
“Under the Sea” for the
design of this new setting
with sectioned spaces for
reading, watching videos
and creating arts and
crafts.
JA of Houma’s provisional class diligently
worked to finish this
project by the end of October with the big reveal
on November 5th, 2014.
The walls and furniture
were cleaned and painted. Local artist and JA
of Houma member, Ellen
McCord shared her talents by painting a mural
to enhance the “Under
the Sea” theme. Once
the walls were completed, members began to
move furniture back in
and got to work on setting up the reading and
arts and craft corners.
Everything came together beautifully and hopefully the children and
staff will enjoy this space
for many years to come. Thanks to the staff of the
School for Exceptional
Children especially Mrs.
Cynthia Davis (Principal) as well as the 2014
provisional members of
JA of Houma:
Lauren
Bordelon, Valerie Callais, LaDonna Cruse,
Kayla Danos, Heather
Fairchild,
Monique
Fick, Annette Guidry,
Jennifer Guidry, Anne
Martinez, Ellen McCord, Misty McElroy,
Kimberly Parker, Candice Poiencot, Nikki
Robichaux,
Celeste
Roger and Melanie
Toups
(Provisional
Trainer).
Business First Bank Ranked
Among Best Banks to Work For
American Banker’s recently released
its second annual ranking of the Best
Banks to Work For. Business First Bank
ranked 23 on the list. An analysis is
performed with the Best Companies
Group, which conducts extensive employee surveys and reviews employer
reports on benefits and policies. Companies must opt in to be considered,
and applicants must be commercial or
retail banks, or the commercial or retail
banking units of diversified financial
services companies. They also must
have at least 50 employees working in
the United States.
The employer questionnaire captures
information about workplace policies
and practices. The employee survey,
typically conducted online, consists of
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
of
approximately 80 statements that employees respond to on a 5-point agreement scale. The survey also includes
two open-ended questions and seven
demographic questions.
For companies with fewer than 200
employees, all employees are surveyed.
At larger companies, Best Companies
Group randomly selects between 250
and 400 employees to participate, depending on the company’s size. In both
cases, the targeted response rate is 65
percent or more.
Both data sets are analyzed to determine the ranking.
For more information or to see the
complete list of winners, please visit
www.bestbankstoworkfor.com.
Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
17
Technology Professionals, LLC Ranks
No. 3660 on the 2014 Inc. 5000 with
Three-Year Sales Growth of 88%
Inc. magazine ranked Technology
Professionals, LLC number 3660 on its
33rd annual Inc. 500|5000, an exclusive
ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing
private companies. The list represents
the most comprehensive look at the
most important segment of the economy—America’s independent entrepreneurs. Companies such as Yelp, Pandora, Timberland, Dell, Domino’s Pizza,
LinkedIn, Zillow, and many other wellknown names gained early exposure as
members of the Inc. 500|5000.
“This is a great accomplishment
for our company,” commented Jason
Bergeron, Technology Professionals
Partner. “We would not be where we
are today without the support of our
employees, great relationships with our
clients, and our spouses. This award
speaks volumes for the growth of our
area and a mission we have to promote
technology awareness, innovation, and
education in Southeast Louisiana.”
The 2014 Inc. 5000, unveiled online
at Inc.com and with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue
of Inc., is the most competitive crop in
the list’s history. The average company
on the list achieved a mind-boggling
three-year growth of 516%. The Inc.
5000’s aggregate revenue is $211 billion, generating 505,000 jobs over the
past three years. Complete results of
the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that
can be sorted by industry, region, and
other criteria, can be found at www.inc.
com/inc5000.
“What surprises me, even though I
know it’s coming, is the sheer variety
of the paths our entrepreneurs take to
success, thematically reflecting how our
economy has evolved,” says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. “This year there are far more social
media and far fewer computer hardware businesses than there were, say,
six years ago. But what doesn’t change
is the fearsome creativity unleashed by
American entrepreneurship.”
Technology Professionals, LLC is an
11 year old technical consulting company headquartered in Houma, LA. They
focus on bringing complete technology
solutions to companies of all shapes
and sizes in all industries including the
private and public sector from Texas to
Florida. For more information contact
Jason W. Bergeron at 985-868-6851, by
email at [email protected], or online
at www.techprollc.com.
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
TGMC Nurses Named to
“Great 100 Nurses”
Two nurses from Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) have been
named to the 2014 “Great 100 Nurses.”
Angela Cheramie, RN and Dana Olivier,
RN, were honored at the 28th Annual
Great 100 Nurses Celebration held in
October at The Pontchartrain Center.
Each year over 1,000 people attend
the gala honoring 100 nurses, nominated by their peers, patients, family,
friends and colleagues who have exemplified concern for humanity, as well as
making outstanding contributions to
both the community and the nursing
profession.
Great 100 Chairman and Founder
P.K. Scheerle, RN said, “This event has
such a deep meaning and touches so
many wonderful people in the healthcare community. We are extremely
delighted to have the opportunity to
properly honor and thank some of the
amazing nurses that endure so much
and have such an invaluable role in our
community.”
It is a great honor in the life of a
nurse. The funds raised at this significant event are placed in a dedicated
fund called “The Great 100 Nurses
Foundation,” which is housed within
the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
The funds will be used for nursing
scholarship, recruitment and retention
of experienced nurses at the bedside
and valuable nursing research.
Together, Olivier and Cheramie have
almost six decades of experience at
TGMC. Cheramie has served at TGMC
for 28 years and works as a registered
nurse in the Women’s Center Labor
and Delivery unit. TGMC’s prestigious
Women’s Center is an internationally
designated Baby Friendly hospital and
offers optimal, compassionate care for
mothers and their babies as well as
health and wellness care for women of
all ages. Olivier has served at TGMC for
28 years and works in the Information
Technology department. Our state-ofthe-art Information Technology department is vital to providing TGMC with
the tools needed to treat patients and
maintain all computer systems that assists the staff with daily patients care
including, medications, diagnostic testing and procedures.
“TGMC is incredibly proud of our
nurses being recognized as part of this
year’s Great 100 Nurses,” said Phyllis
Peoples, president and CEO of TGMC.
“For 60 years, our nurses have provided exceptional care to the members of
our community and they deserve to be
honored for their service and dedication to our patients,” she continued.
Dana Olivier Angela Cheramie
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
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Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
18
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Local Chambers: The Rodney Dangerfields of History?
by Chris Mead
At this time of election campaigns,
many local chambers of commerce
make news via candidate forums, endorsements, and more. But after the
first Tuesday in November, the silence
returns. The U.S., however, would be almost unrecognizable if the million acts
of 7,000 local chambers could somehow
be removed from its past. Here are a
few reasons why we’ve forgotten what
chambers have done and continue to
do:
1. They tend to avoid taking credit. As
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “There is no
limit to what can be accomplished if it
doesn’t matter who gets the credit.”
2. They don’t have overt power and
so they must share credit for accomplishments with those who have the
final say, even if the project was the
chamber’s idea. This inability to control
the whole thing makes poor news copy.
“The chamber was 40 percent responsible for the new convention center” is
a headline none of us will ever see.
3. Individuals, not groups, capture
our attention. Do we think about the
600,000 shivering French troops outside Moscow, or the short, charismatic
man responsible for it, with his hand inside his vest?
4. Chambers, by design, start things
and spin them off. Many festivals, transportation projects, and civic improvements began at chambers but went on
to be managed by other groups. Years
later, we forget where it all started.
5. “Rich boy makes good” or “rich
boy does good” makes boring copy. Yet
most chamber members aren’t rich.
And sometimes these individuals, rich
or poor, put their heads together and
change their communities in fascinating ways.
6. The business of business people
is business. Entrepreneurs are lionized
for the way they line their wallets. We
don’t usually think of their other lives,
in which they may eclipse their business achievements.
7. “It was inevitable.” Of course if
you put influential people in 7,000 cities and towns together, for a dozen or
more times a year for 10, or 50 or 200
years, something’s going to happen.
But the real question is, why do some
chambers hit it out of the park, while
others hit themselves on the head –
sometimes repeatedly?
8. Government organizations and
nonprofit groups have proliferated, frequently with the support of chambers
of commerce. It’s not hard to get lost in
these many-thicketed woods.
9. Local chambers aren’t ideological.
They often lean to the right on general economic and business issues, but
when it comes to getting that bridge
funded or a bond issue for a muchneeded school, they can veer to the left
faster than a speeding politician. Not
being easily classified politically, chambers are not easily grasped by students
of history.
10. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce,
founded in 1912, is often seen as the
leader of local chambers; in some ways
it is, but there is no hierarchy or unified
governing body in the American chamber universe. Local chambers are not
“chapters” under the national chamber. The U.S. Chamber, often involving
the loose federation of local chambers,
has played a major role in American history. And so, too, have thousands of local chambers, plugging away on policy,
politics, and place-making since the first
one emerged in New York in 1768.
11. Most chamber members are
neither saints nor villains. They aren’t
ashamed of profits but they want to
help their community. Where’s the hot
story in those intertwined goals?
12. Chambers of commerce depend
to a significant extent on something
you can’t touch. What is the “Atlanta
spirit” or the “Spirit of St. Louis”? While
we’ve toned down the boosterism of
a century ago, chambers of commerce
still rely on bonds among individuals
within the chamber, and within the
community, to make things better than
they are. Whether it’s a “rah-rah” spirit
or a buttoned-down, urban, noblesse
oblige-inspired caring for the community, it can be very real.
13. Local chambers are “just local.”
Where’s the sweep of history and the
path of armies? Where’s the glamour of
Main Street? What’s the glory in changing a street-sign ordinance? And yet,
as Tip O’Neill said, “All politics is local.”
Jerusalem, Florence, and Athens are
local. From comparatively little places,
big things can happen.
Chris Mead is senior vice president
of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and author of The Magicians of Main Street: America and its
Chambers of Commerce, 1768-1945.
Congratulations to the 2014 Leadership Terrebonne Class!
Danny Babin
Don Barre’
Mark Boudreaux
Natalie Campbell
Brian Detillier
Craig Carlos
Todd Dufrene
Dana Coleman Donald Gautreaux Jr.
H o u m a - Te r r e b o n n e C h a m b e r
of
Commerce Focus/November 23, 2014
Nikki Gilton
Dirk Guidry
Suzie Heney
19
Ken Himel
Brigitte Kinsella
Angie LeBlanc
Clay Naquin Sr.
Werlien Prosperie, III
Vicki Rouse
Ben Smith
Terry Trahan Jr.
Kimi Walker
w w w. H o u m a C h a m b e r. c o m
Tailgate Greats at ROUSES
we know you’re hungry
for football
We’re boiling shrimp and crabs, frying chicken, smoking ribs, and setting out a game
day spread that can’t be beat. We have prepared food, sandwiches and stadium-size
servings of your local favorites Rouses Ready. Just grab and go. Our Butcher Shop
features hand-cut steaks, homemade sausages and seasoned & marinated meats
ready for the game day grill. #GEAUXCOLONELS #LETROUSESMAKETHEFOOD
tailgate greats
Whole & Mini Muffalettas • Mini Po-Boys and Finger Sandwiches
Hot Pizza • Fried Chicken Tenders • Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Shrimp Dip, Crab Dip and Key West Smoked Fish Dip
Deviled Eggs • Guacamole, Salsa and 7 Layer Dip
Coleslaw, Macaroni Salad & Corn Macque Choux
ROUSES IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF NICHOLLS FOOTBALL. GEAUX COLONELS!
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