BusinessReport.com

Free from paper

Louisiana Technology Park accepted ATLOS in its incubator. ATLOS, which stands for Automated Tracking Loan Origination System, is a Web-based software used to originate, track and distribute loans as well as reduce the vast quantities of paper typically needed for mortgage loans. The software, designed by Baton Rouge native and LSU alumnus Randall Nachman, has begun BETA testing and expects to go to market by the end of April.

Guide to politics

The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana released its Guide to the 2008 Louisiana Legislature. The updated guide is filled with key information about legislators, state-elected officials and agencies. Copies may be ordered for $9 plus tax. More information is available at PAR’s Web site, la-par.org.

Really Superior sales

Superior Office Products recently ranked No. 1 in the country and Central Region for 2007 sales of Xerox, rising to the top of more than 500 sales agents. Their achievement of $7.89 million in sales marked far greater sales than the highest category of $4.5 million reflects. Their 2007 sales exceeded their budget of $5.9 million by 133%.

Energized by Baton Rouge

Enercon Services Inc., a Tulsa, Okla.-based diversified energy consulting company offering engineering, environmental and management services, has opened a Baton Rouge office on Corporate Boulevard in order to provide engineering and construction services to power plant industries in the South. The initial client focus for the Baton Rouge office will be Entergy’s plants in the South.

Gone today, here tomorrow

NanoMatrix, a Baton Rouge-based company that develops products used in regenerative medicine, has been acquired by Organogenesis Inc., a Massachusetts company that was the first to mass-produce synthetic skin. Former NanoMatrix owner Bill Fioretti has launched a new company that he hopes TGRx is moving into the Louisiana Emerging Technology Center at LSU and should open its office next month. The company will have about 30 employees once it moves. TGRx uses technology developed by Dr. Richard Cooper, a scientist at the LSU Ag Center, to produce protein drugs, such as insulin and growth hormones for 10 to 20 times less than the current costs.

AWARDS/HONORS

Lea Ashley Shannon Wright, with Pendley, Baudin & Coffin in Plaque-mine, has been named a fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation.

Fifteen faculty members representing a variety of disciplines were selected for LSU’s 2008 Service-Learning Faculty Scholars Program, which offers $2,000 in stipends to encourage experiential education. The scholars are Eldon Birthwright, African-American studies; Rita Culross, women’s and gender studies; Nicole Dahmen, mass communication; Amy Fannin, communication studies; Fernando Galvez, biological sciences; Li Li, kinesiology; Alecia Long, history; Elaine Maccio, social work; Andrea Morris, foreign languages and literatures; Janet Norris, communication sciences and disorders; Charles Pecquet, construction management; Lawrence Rouse, oceanography and coastal sciences; Danny Shipka, mass communication; Mark Weaver, Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute; and Angela Woodland, accounting. Scholars were selected by a committee of the Service-Learning Advisory Council.

Baton Rouge-based Provident Resources Group received recognition for providing outstanding, quality affordable housing by the National Affordable Housing Management Association. Provident’s Sunset Ranch and Sierra Pines apartment communities located in Riverside, Calif., and Phoenix, respectively, were recognized as a National Community of Quality after meeting stringent criteria for affordable housing communities.

Glen Duncan, director of communications for Pennington Biomedical Research Center, received Public Relations Association of Louisiana’s 2007 Practitioner of the Year Award. The board also recognized Michael Johnson, senior communications specialist for Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation, as the first winner of its Member of the Year Award.

The Public Relations Association of Louisiana inducted the 2008 officers, including President Holly Houk Cullen of LSU’s Office of Public Affairs, Vice President Stephen Loy of Louisiana Technology Park, Secretary Amy Nolan of Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation, Treasurer Les Landon of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers and Immediate Past President Pierre Washington of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Mental Health.

Earl K. Long Medical Center received multiple awards for quality health care by the LSU Health Care Services Division. Dr. Jolene Johnson, associate professor of internal medicine was awarded the 2008 Chief Medical Officer Award, given for superior performance and dedication to the provision of quality health care. The 2008 TRRAQSSS Award for the most distinguished program was given to the LSU Diabetic Foot Program, which created a statewide program with 100% access and 133 telemedicine clinics. The 2008 TRRAQSSS First Place Award for clinical excellence was given to the Earl K. Long Medical Center Asthma Program for results in improvement in the overall quality of life for patients with asthma. The awards recognize excellent collective effort with measurable benefits or outcomes that must be able to be replicated. The seven hospitals of LSU HCSD were eligible.

The Louisiana Business and Technology Center appointed new members to serve on the advisory board, including Sharon Kleinpeter, vice president of Cox Communications’ Government & Public Affairs; Shelly MacNary, director of economic development for Entergy Louisiana; Robert D. Otterstetter, production reliability manager for Motiva Enterprises; and Bob Tucker, practicing partner at Jones Walker in the Business and Finance Group. Members enjoy a three-year tenure, during which time they give advice and networking assistance to LBTC staff and tenant companies.

Garth Roberts, vice president and general manager of Lamar Advertising, was appointed chairman of the board for the Louisiana Council for Economic Education. Roberts has been a Board Member for four years prior to this appointment. He also serves as a Board Member for Keep Baton Rouge Beautiful, Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation and Junior Achievement.

The Capital Regional Builders Association announced the 2008 officers and board of directors. Inducted officers include President Joseph Didier, Chairman of the Board Billy Ward and vice presidents Tom Ashley, Nathan Spicer, Mike Keith, Tricia Guitreau, Dennis Smith and John Holmes.

The Council for a Better Louisiana has announced the 2008 class of Leadership Louisiana. The program is designed to make business, education, nonprofit and cultural leaders more aware of the public issues and assets in Louisiana. Local members of the class are: Melissa Blake, Cox Communications; Nicole Blanco, Medical Management Options; Mike Futrell, Mayor Kip Holden’s office; Amy Gautier-Davis, Louisiana Technical College’s Jumonville Campus; Jamie Haeuser, Woman’s Hospital; Leslie Herpin, Leslie Herpin Interior Design; Dwayne Honore, D. Honore Construction; Tommy Kurtz, Ascension Economic Development Corporation; Debbie Lamb of Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips; Michael Lang, Commercial Properties Development Corp.; Stephen Loy, Louisiana Technology Park; Patrick Mockler, Mockler Beverage; Todd Schexnayder, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana; Donna Sentell, Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board; Dorothy Thomas, Louisiana Family Recovery Corps; Rabbi Barry Weinstein, B’nai Israel Synagogue; and David Zielinski, East Baton Rouge Laboratory Academy.

CERTIFICATIONS

Kathy Trahan, president/CEO of the Safety Council of the Louisiana Capital Area, and William Dufrene, vice president of operations for SCLCA, earned the American Society of Association Executives Certified Association Executive credential. The designation is the highest professional credential in the association industry awarded to less than 5% of all association professionals.

J.J. Casey Jr., financial adviser at Detlefs & Co., was authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to use the CFP certification marks in accordance with CFP Board certification and renewal requirements. The marks identify those individuals who have met the requirements of the CFP Board, have successfully completed financial planning coursework and have passed the CFP Certification Examination.

Kasey Perry, senior sales manager of tourism development at the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, earned her Certified Travel Industry Specialist designation from The American Bus Association. The program, administered by Indiana University/Purdue University, consists of five correspondence courses over one year and attendance and evaluation of eight ABA seminars.