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Same folks, different name

Burns and Company Realtors merged with Amanda Beard Real Estate of Zachary. In addition to Beard, 10 other agents in the firm will continue to work in the Zachary-based offices representing clients throughout the area.

Extracurricular activities

Neighbors Federal Credit Union opened its first high school branch at Lee High School. To prepare for the responsibilities of running the Patriot Branch, students trained for eight weeks and shadowed employees at the credit union. They will earn internship credits as they run the branch with help from the staff.

New old-fashioned way

David Faulk and John Meek announced the formation of Faulk & Meek General Contractors, specializing in commercial construction projects in and around the Baton Rouge area. Faulk and Meek have a prior affiliation with Buquet & LeBlanc and bring a combined 22 years’ experience into this new venture.

Purchasing power

The National Credit Union Foundation awarded the Southern Teachers & Parents Federal Credit Union a grant to assist its members in purchasing pre-owned automobiles. Members who meet the criteria and complete the workshops will be eligible to receive up to $1,000 on their purchase. Workshops will address topics such as financial planning, preventative car maintenance and auto financing. The yearlong program began in February.

Experience this

AT&T launched its first experience store in Louisiana at 6770 Siegen Ln., in the building that previously housed Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. The 3,400-square-foot store features all AT&T products from home entertainment, music, video and games to more than three dozen screens and the latest wireless phones. The store features a fully integrated media experience, allowing customers to interact with the company’s extensive portfolio of wireless, broadband, video and wireline voice products and services.

Pro bono work

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz launched an expanded firm-wide pro bono initiative that will establish a comprehensive, structured and institutionalized pro bono program dedicated to overseeing and expanding pro bono services to meet the legal needs of the disadvantaged. Lisa W. Borden, a shareholder in Baker Donelson’s Birmingham, Ala., office, has been named Pro Bono Shareholder, a new position. Pamela W. Carter of the Louisiana offices will work with Borden to oversee and coordinate the firm’s pro bono work in Baton Rouge.

AWARDS/HONORS

James A. “Jim” Laurent Jr. was elected president of the Louisiana Cable and Telecommunications Association for 2008. Laurent previously served as a board member, secretary/treasurer and most recently as vice president for the association. He also serves as state director of government relations for Charter Communications. Laurent’s focus with the LCTA will involve state cable franchising legislation, pole attachment issues and image initiatives for the cable industry.

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center named three new members to the 2008 Board of Directors. Joining the board are Danny Montelaro, president of Regions Bank’s South Louisiana Group; Van Mayhall Jr., partner at Breazeale, Sachse and Wilson; and Karen Williams, pediatrician at the LSU Health Science Center Mid City clinic. Board members help guide and direct administrative leaders on hospital operations.

Jim Ellis, partner at Taylor Porter, was elected as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber for 2008.

The Salvation Army honored the Mall at Cortana for extraordinary service to help the area’s poor and addicted. Cortana provided room needed to organize the Angel Tree’s gifts for the poor at Christmas and welcomed Salvation Army bell ringers with kettles in its shopping area. The result was toys, clothes and candy for 2,235 area children.

Chef John Folse received the bronze medal for the 2008 Louisiana Literary Award presented by the Louisiana Library Association for his book After the Hunt: Louisiana’s Authoritative Collection of Wild Game & Game Fish Cookery. The book covers the history of man as a hunter of wild game and includes 500 recipes and countless images and photographs that pay homage to Louisiana.

The Baton Rouge chapter of Ducks Unlimited earned a spot among its Top 100 list, which is reserved for 100 chapters throughout the nation that raise the most grassroots dollars for the organization’s habitat conservation work.

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 of Cox Communications, Nicole Blanco of Medical Management Options, Mike Futrell of Mayor Kip Holden’s office, Amy Gautier-Davis of Louisiana Technical College’s Jumonville Campus, Jamie Haeuser of Woman’s Hospital, Leslie Herpin of Leslie Herpin Interior Design, Dwayne Honore of D. Honore Construction, Tommy Kurtz of Ascension Economic Development Corporation, Debbie Lamb of Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips, Michael Lang of Commercial Properties Development Corp., Stephen Loy of Louisiana Technology Park, Patrick Mockler of Mockler Beverage, Todd Schexnayder of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, Donna Sentell of Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board, Dorothy Thomas of Louisiana Family Recovery Corps, Rabbi Barry Weinstein of B’nai Israel Synagogue and David Zielinski of the East Baton Rouge Laboratory Academy.

Bruce Hix of James Construction Group was named president of the Louisiana Associated General Contractors, a statewide construction trade association of more than 700 construction businesses. Hix has been the vice president of James Construction Group since 2002.

Bob Breaux was named the 2008 Small Business Champion in Louisiana by the National Federation of Independent Business, Louisiana’s leading small business association. Breaux started his small business, Total Computer Systems, in 1983, and has been a member of the NFIB for 11 years. He is a member of the association’s Leadership Council since 2003 and chaired the advisory committee on heath care issues affecting small business owners.

The Baton Rouge Bar Association announced its 2008 officers: President C. Kevin Hayes of Roedel, Parsons, Koch, Blanche, Balhoff & McCollister; President-Elect Trent Oubre of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson; Treasurer Fred T. Crifasi; Secretary Preston Castille Jr. of Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips; and Past President Barbara G. Baier of the Louisiana Department of the Treasury.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy named Wal-Mart America’s largest corporate cash contributor for the third year in a row. The company donated $1,001,576 in Baton Rouge in 2007.

Charles Brent McCoy was elected chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Board of Directors. McCoy is executive vice president of business development for Lamar. The board also elected Dr. Richard Atkins of Baton Rouge as vice chairman.

Stacy Russo-Nichols of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network of Louisiana has been conferred her Chartered Life Underwriter [CLU] designation from the American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa. With this designation, Russo-Nichols is now a specialist in retirement and estate planning, group insurance, employee benefits, pensions and comprehensive planning.