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Military victory

A team headed by IEM was awarded a contract to support the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps under the Seaport‑e Rolling Admissions procurement vehicle. Worth $5.3 billion annually, the vehicle allows IEM to compete in all seven Seaport-e geographical zones across the United States for individual command task orders related to naval weapons systems acquisition and life-cycle support. This support includes modeling, simulation and analysis, software engineering and development, quality assurance support and program support. The contract has a one-year base period with one five-year award term and one additional four-year award term.

Learning like a fox

Portico Learning Solutions, a Baton Rouge-based company that provides custom eLearning software to companies and government agencies, has struck a deal with Fox Networks Group to develop an employee-training program. More than 3,300 Fox employees are set to go through the “Cool Change” program, designed to reduce the network’s energy consumption.

Surf’s up

Subscribers to EATEL’s high-speed Internet service now have free access to exclusive online content from Disney, ESPN and SOAPnet. The content includes access to a library of Disney cartoons, shows and games, the ability to watch up to six sporting events at once and in-depth access coverage of soap operas. The services can be accessed through eatel.com or eatel.net.

AWARDS/HONORS

Jones Walker ranked in the top tier in each of the nine practice areas of Chambers USA in Louisiana. The firm received top rankings in banking and finance, bankruptcy/restructuring, corporate/mergers and acquisitions, energy and natural resources, environment, gaming and licensing, labor and employment, real estate and litigation: general commercial.

Jones Walker was named to The BTI Consulting Group’s The Survey of Client Service Performance for Law Firms: The BTI Client Service A-Team. The BTI Consulting Group issues the annual survey, which is the only client service ranking based solely on unprompted client response during in-depth interviews with corporate counsel at Fortune 1000 and other large companies.

Buck Abbey was awarded the Frederick Law Olmsted Award for exemplary tree planting and conservation work at the state or regional level. Abbey is a nationally recognized authority on municipal landscape ordinances and codes and serves as an associate professor of landscape architecture at LSU’s Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture.

The Greater Baton Rouge Association of Health Underwriters elected new board members, including President Trish Freeman, President Elect Dennis Rodgers, Past President Ronnell Nolan, Secretary Krista Dettman and Treasurer Dale Ducote.

Michael Hudson was named president of the National Association of State Radio Networks. NASRN is compromised of 30 networks throughout the U.S. with 1,496 affiliate radio stations. He is currently vice president of sales and marketing for Louisiana Network, Louisiana Agri-News Network and Tiger Rag magazine.

Marta-Ann Schnabel received the Louisiana Bar Foundation’s President’s Award in recognition of her outstanding support, volunteer service and dedication to the mission and goals of the LBF.

The Pro Bono Project was awarded the Grantee Award for excellence in service and programming by the Louisiana Bar Foundation. The Pro Bono Project worked post-Katrina to engage the services of law students, law professors and out-of-state volunteer attorneys to provide legal services to returning residents and newcomers within two months of the storm.

Tim Averill, general counsel for the Louisiana Supreme Court, received the Horn Blower Award, which is given to a partner organization in recognition of outstanding support and leadership in assisting the Louisiana Bar Foundation in advancing an initiative, project or program.

Phillip A. Wittmann received the 2008 Louisiana Bar Foundation’s Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award. Wittmann was selected for his long-standing devotion to excellence in trial practice and for upholding the standards of ethics and consideration for the courts, litigants and all counsel in his practice of the law.

Jack K. Whitehead Jr., a shareholder in the Whitehead Law Firm, was installed as 2008-10 treasurer of the Louisiana State Bar Association.

Louisiana State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section presented the Bat O. Sullivan Jr. Chair’s awards to Angelique Duhon Freel and Michelle F. Plauché. Kelly E. Balfour received the Hon. Michaelle Pitard Wynne Professionalism Award. Christopher K. Jones received the Pro Bono Award. The Baton Rouge Bar Association received the Service to the Bar Award for its “Cocktails with the Court” program.

The Louisiana State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section installed Valerie Briggs Bargas of Seale, Smith, Zuber & Barnette as section chair. She is joined by Past Chair Karleen Joseph Green of Phelps Dunbar.

LUBA Workers’ Comp was awarded a financial strength of A- Excellent by A.M. Best. The rating reflects LUBA’s excellent operating performance and its strong business profile in the Louisiana workers’ comp market. LUBA retains 97% of its policyholders.

Ideal Steel was named a 2008 Louisiana Lantern Award winner by the Department of Economic Development. The company was recognized for demonstrating excellence in manufacturing and community involvement.

The Our Lady of the Lake marketing team earned top honors at the annual Aster Awards, a national health care awards program recognizing excellence in health care advertising. The team was presented with the Judge’s Choice Award for its internal publication, A Tribute to Leadership. The team also earned recognition at the Healthcare Advertising Awards, a national competition sponsored by the Healthcare Marketing Report. The OLOL marketing team earned two bronze awards, one silver award and three certificates of merit.

The Legacy Planning Group of Zachary has been selected by Goldline Research as one of The Most Dependable Wealth Managers for Women in the United States for 2008. The list appeared in the June 16 issue of Forbes Magazine. More than 856 wealth managers were evaluated during the selection process.

Sharon Wallace-Jenkins was named the recipient of the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s 2008 Robert Ross Personal Achievement Award for Louisiana. The national program recognizes the accomplishments and community service of people with disabilities caused by any of the diseases in MDA’s program.

Taylor Porter received honors for high practice area rankings in Chambers USA. The law firm received honors in the areas of labor and employment, corporate/mergers and acquisitions [honoring John S. Campbell Jr.] and litigation: general commercial [honoring Harry J. “Skip” Philips Jr.] Taylor Porter ranked in the top tier for environmental law in Louisiana. Anne J. Crochet and Paul O. Dicharry ranked in this practice area.

Grace & Hebert Architects’ interior design department received two awards at the International Interior Design Association Delta Regional Chapter’s 2008 gala. The firm was honored for corporate design [One Hancock Plaza] and institutional design [for St. Joseph’s Cathedral].

George H. Karam, the Paula Garvey Manship Professor of Medicine at the LSU School of Medicine, has been elected to the American Board of Internal Medicine Board of Directors. ABIM sets the standards and certifies physicians practicing in internal medicine and its subspecialties who possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to provide high quality care.

Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s documentary Atchafalaya Houseboat won an International CINE Golden Eagle Award. The LPB documentary was based on the book by Gwen Roland about her years on a handmade houseboat in the 1970s. Atchafalaya Houseboat was produced and directed by Christina Melton. This is Melton’s second CINE Golden Eagle for LPB in five years. The videography and editing was done by Rex Q. Fortenberry and Keith Crews.

The Young Democrats of Louisiana concluded their convention by reorganizing after a three-year hiatus and electing a slate of leaders. Among East Baton Rouge Parish representatives chosen to leadership positions were Donald Hodge Jr. [vice president-administration], Jermaine Watson [vice president-finance] and Whitney Dawn Breaux [sergeant at arms].