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Advertising

Brent A. Sims joined Rockit Science Design as vice president of marketing and partner in order to assist in the transition to full-service boutique ad agency, Rockit Science Agency. Sims will head up public relations and strategic marketing for existing clients and new national clients.

Communications and Media

Rusty Atkinson was named director of network technologies for Cox Greater Louisiana. Atkinson previously served as Region Americas Office Automation Service Delivery manager for STMicroelectronics. He also has served in various leadership roles in the information technology departments for Sprint, the U Zone and Custom Information Services.

Herb Bennett was named director of field service for Cox Greater Louisiana. Bennett previously served the Cox New Orleans system for more than 24 years. He most recently served as field service manager.

Melissa Blake was named director of governmental affairs for Cox Greater Louisiana. Blake previously served for six years as manager of Governmental Affairs. She will oversee all aspects of Cox’s franchise and legislative activity as well as serve as in-house counsel for the Cox Greater Louisiana system.

Monte Danos was named director of marketing for Cox Greater Louisiana. Danos has more than 14 years experience in the telecommunications industry, previously serving as product development manager. He will lead strategy and development of existing products.

Jude Marino was named director of call center operations at Cox Greater Louisiana. Marino previously served the Cox New Orleans system in a series of management roles. He is now responsible for customer service functions in a 13-parish service area.

Vickie Peak was named director of accounting for Cox Greater Louisiana. Peak previously served as system controller. She is now responsible for directing accounting functions including month-end closing, financial review and variance reporting.

Mike Steele joined WBRZ-TV as its capitol correspondent. Steele previously worked as a reporter, editor and weekend anchor at KLFY- TV in Lafayette and as a weather forecaster/anchor at KLAX-TV in Alexandria.

Education

Rhett Butler joined LSU’s E.J. Ourso College of Business Office of Advancement as associate director. Butler previously worked in management capacities for automobile dealerships in the Oklahoma City area. He has also been employed as a history teacher and as a baseball and football coach at schools in Oklahoma and Texas.

Lisa O’Beirne joined LSU’s E.J. Ourso College of Business Office of Advancement as associate director. O’Beirne previously served as external relations coordinator at the College of Charleston’s School of Business and Economics in South Carolina, as manager of federal and external relations at the American Medical Group Association in Alexandria, Va., and as legislative correspondent for Senator John Breaux in Washington, D.C.

Financial and Insurance

Arlen “Tiger” Blackwell joined Stanford Group Company as senior financial adviser. Blackwell previously served as senior financial adviser for Premier Financial Management. He graduated from LSU, where he lettered in baseball in 1992.

Keith Cox joined Stanford Group Company as senior vice president/financial advisor. Cox previously served as president of Premier Financial Management, a retirement planning and investment management firm. He is a certified financial planner and the past president of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors as well as a member of the Financial Planning Association.

Kathi Gill was named president and CEO of Neighbors Federal Credit Union. Gill previously served as executive vice president of the credit union for the past 15 years. She currently serves as vice president of the Baton Rouge Credit Union Chapter.

Government

Kristy McKearn joined the Baton Rouge Area Chamber as senior vice president of government affairs. McKearn will oversee BRAC’s political advocacy efforts and direct the organization’s lobbying efforts. She served as a public policy adviser for Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz. She also has served as a vice president with the New Orleans Hornets and as public policy advisor for former Gov. Mike Foster.

Charlette Minor joined the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency as program administrator. Minor will coordinate the agency’s efforts with Community Housing Development Organizations. She previously served with the Freddie Mac Corporation and has worked with other community organizations.

Industry

John Cagnolatti joined CDI Engineering Solutions as manager of business development for its Baton Rouge office. He previously served as business development director for Davies Engineering. Cagnolatti is active in industrial trade associations, including the Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance, and is the current chairman of the board of directors for the Ascension Chamber of Commerce.

Bryan Milton was named executive assistant to the chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil Corporation. Milton previously served as chemical plant site manager, achieving notable results including the Louisiana Chemical Association’s SAFE Award. Milton served at six different ExxonMobil locations in the United States and Europe before serving as manager of ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge Chemical Plant in 2006.

Dan Schuessler was named plant manager for ExxonMobil. Schuessler previously served on special assignment as ExxonMobil’s Japan chemicals adviser. He joined Exxon Chemical in 1986 as an engineer and advanced with the company though various engineering and manufacturing assignments.

Steve Gautreau was named vice president of human resources at Excel. Gautreau, who has been with Excel for 11 years, had most recently served as manager of training and recruiting. He will now manage all human resources, benefits, recruiting and training functions for Excel’s United States and Virgin Islands operations.

Jay Hennings was named vice president of Excel Maintenance Services. Hennings has more than 35 years of experience in construction, maintenance and operations within the petrochemical industry. He previously served as director of U.S. operations for Borden Chemical.

Joey Myers was named president of Excel Contractors, Sun Constructors and Excel Plant Services. Myers previously served as vice president of estimating and procurement. He will now oversee daily operations and manage all construction services, as well as improve the companies’ competitiveness and quality of services.

Tim Pruitt was named vice president of estimating and procurement for Excel. Pruitt, who has more than 18 years’ experience, previously owned Bronco Construction Corporation. He will be responsible for managing both departments’ day-to-day activities, as well as overseeing project proposals for all Excel companies.

Byron “Boo” Ragan was named senior recruiter for Excel. Ragan has seven years of recruiting experience and has worked for Excel for more than eight years. He will supervise recruiting activities in Louisiana, as well as staff all personnel for maintenance projects in Louisiana as well as construction projects located throughout the United States and Virgin Islands.

Gerald Watts was named president of Excel Technical Services. Watts has more than 30 years of industrial construction experience and plans to develop electrical and instrumentation construction projects utilizing union labor on a national basis.

Nonprofit

Shannon Robshaw was named executive director of Louisiana Quality Health Care Forum. Robshaw previously served as executive director of the Mental Health Association of Louisiana, as director of strategic management and fund development for the Office of Mental Health and as an executive management officer at the Department of Health and Hospitals. She will now oversee the daily operations of the quality forum and implement the policy decisions of the board of directors.