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Voice to text

Alltel Wireless and SpinVox, the leading provider of Voice-to-Screen messaging, announced a partnership in the launch of a new service called Voice2TXT. The launch makes Alltel Wireless the first U.S. carrier to offer the ability to receive voicemails in text form. Voice2TXT is available on any Alltel Wireless SMS text message capable phone and converts incoming voicemails to text messages in the customer’s inbox.

Economic honors

Louisiana has finished fourth in Business Facilities magazine’s first State of the Year awards, which go to the places that did the best job of economic development. Louisiana had $5.75 billion in investments during 2007, which created nearly 2,000 jobs. Texas took the honor as state of the year, with $15.4 billion in investments creating more than 9,300 jobs. Alabama was second, followed by Michigan.

Pressing needs

Franklin Press purchased a new program, MetalFX, enabling it to offer clients metallic printing. A Komori six-color press was purchased to accommodate the MetalFX project as well Florescent, PMS, varnish and coating. The press offers quick made-ready for smaller, more targeted press runs.

Generous to a vault

Jackson-based Highlands Bank held a grand opening for its first Baton Rouge location, 5505 Highland Rd., near Lee Drive. The branch has been open since late October. The site was formerly home to State Investors Bank. The 104-year-old financial institution also has offices in Zachary, Slaughter and St. Francisville, and it plans to open a branch in Central by the end of the year. In conjunction with the grand opening, the bank offered a special five-month CD and a $2,500 CD giveaway.

Rehabilitating Baton Rouge

Townsend Recovery, an outpatient addiction treatment center, chose Baton Rouge for its newest location. The center—the seventh location for the company that started in September 2007—opened at 5215 Essen Ln., Ste. 8. Townsend currently has sites in Louisiana, Alabama and Florida and will be expanding into Texas.

AWARDS/HONORS

Paul Amedee, environmental health and safety manager for Shaw’s Maintenance Group, was named the 2007-08 president of the Greater Baton Rouge Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers. The chapter provides professional development to members, safety education to the public and safety recommendations to legislative bodies.

The Baton Rouge Gallery elected its Board of Directors: President Connie Diniz, Vice President Trudy Fusilier, Secretary Jerry Goudeau and Treasurer Mark Goodson.

The Shaw Center for the Arts was chosen as one of the 13 projects to receive the American Institute of Architects Institute Honor Award. The award is the highest recognition of works that exemplify excellence in architecture, interior architecture and urban design.

The YWCA elected Valerie W. Carville as president of its 2008 board of directors. Carville served on the board the past two years and has been on the ENCOREplus and March Madness Book Swap committee chairs. She is also a member of Forum 35.

CABL announced its 2008 board of directors. Representing Baton Rouge are Jay H. Campbell of Associated Grocers, John Spain of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Renae Conley of Entergy Louisiana, John Finan of FMOL Health Systems, Charles Landry of Jones Walker Law Firm, Gordon Pugh of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, Norman Saurage III of Community Coffee and Eloise Wall, a community volunteer.

Entergy received the Edison Electric Institute’s Advocacy Excellence Award for its Low Income Initiatives. The award honors programs that are aimed at helping the 20% to 30% of Entergy customers living in poverty across its four-state utility service territory. The company also received the award in 2005 and 2007.

Alton E. Bayard III, a shareholder in the Baton Rouge office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, was named to Louisiana Super Lawyers. This is the second year he was selected in the practice area of estate planning and probate.

The Board of Regents installed its 2008 officers including Chair Pat Strong, Vice Chair Artis Terrell and Secretary Robert Levy. The board’s executive committee includes Scott Brame, W. Clinton Rasberry, Mary Ellen Roy and Harold Stokes. In addition, Pat Strong and Theresa Hay, the board’s assistant commissioner for planning and research, will serve as its 2008 representatives on the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission, and Richard D’Aquin will represent the board’s Proprietary Schools Advisory Commission.

Adams and Reese was selected for inclusion in MultiCultural Law magazine’s Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity for 2008. The firm was also selected among the Top 100 Law Firms for Women from Women 3.0 magazine, a sister publication that promotes and enhances the importance of continued success for women in the corporate circuit.

Emily Black Grey, a partner at Breazeale Sachse & Wilson, received the Judge Joseph Keogh Memorial Award for Outstanding Service in the Community. The Baton Rouge Bar Association gives the award annually for outstanding leadership. In addition, Grey was named to the American Bar Association House of Delegates to represent the association on a national level.

CERTIFICATIONS

Sean M. Johnson, a principal in the firm of Grace and Hebert Architects, earned his LEED Accreditation from the U.S. Green Building Council. The designation represents the individual’s knowledge of the LEED Rating System and its application in practice.

Tina Powell, Jason St. Romain and Jeffrey Hevery of the Louisiana Financing Agency were recognized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development as Certified HOME Program Specialists. The recognition comes after a HUD-administered exam in October on the rules, regulations and applications of HOME funded programs.