Starmount Life Insurance Company/AlwaysCare Benefits broke ground on its Goodwood Boulevard headquarters on Feb. 18. The new facility was designed by Grace & Hebert Architects; Arkel Constructors is the project’s General Contractor.
The Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center partnered with St. Elizabeth Hospital for a grand opening of its Gonzales location on Feb. 12. The facility features state-of-the-art technology to provide a broad range of cancer services to area residents.
Mestizo Louisiana Mexican Restaurant celebrates its 10th anniversary on March 1. Owner James Urdiales asked nine local artists— Jill Mulkey, Tony Mose, Alex Harvie, Lou DeAngelo Sr., Jennifer Oliver, Brittany Howard, Betsy Williamson, Keith Amos and Pam LaBauve—to incorporate the M10 logo into a painting. Urdiales will paint the 10th picture. Their work will be presented at the anniversary celebration, and the paintings will remain on display throughout the year.
Advertising agency The Day Group has been awarded a contract to rebrand and develop strategic marketing efforts for VME Process, a Texas-based oil and gas technology company with offices and manufacturing facilities in Texas, Malaysia and Singapore. VME Process provides oil and gas separation technology for operations in the onshore and offshore refining arena.
LSU has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The award is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. Honorees for the award were chosen based on a series of selection factors, including scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.
Rockit Science Agency was awarded a contract with Houston-based security firm Red Tiger Security to develop global marketing strategies and branding.
Compressor Engineering Corporation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 10 for its 44,000-square-foot facility in Walker.
Abita Beer announced the arrival of its Big Beers in Big Bottles, 22-ounce bottles of Abita Andygator and Abbey Ale. The new bottles feature an oversized canvas with a hand-painted design.
AWARDS/HONORS
Baton Rouge General was named Hospital of the Year by the Louisiana State Nurses Association for a record fifth time. A national judging team of experts selects hospitals on value and respect for nursing, strong emphasis on nursing in the decision-making process and an environment that encourages and supports the profession of nursing and advanced certification.
EMCO Technologies has been honored by DiversityBusiness.com as No. 3 among the Top 100 Women’s Business Enterprises in Louisiana, No. 332 of Top 500 Diversity in the U.S. and No. 156 of the Top 500 Women Owned Businesses in the U.S. in 2008. EMCO has been recognized as a leader in the fields of technology, manufacturing, food service and professional service sectors.
Scott M. Russo was named Agent of the Year for the Baton Rouge general office of New York Life Insurance. Russo, a New York Life agent for 24 years, was recognized for outstanding sales achievement and exemplary client service and professionalism.
Holly Powell was named HR Professional of the Year by the Baton Rouge chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management. Powell, a human resources business partner at Jacobs Engineering Group, has more than 20 years’ HR experience.
Hancock Holding Company, parent company of Hancock Bank, has been ranked in the top 10 of America’s 150 Best Banks by Bank Director magazine for the second year in a row. Hancock is the only bank headquartered in the Southeast to earn a spot in the top 10.
Louisiana Public Broadcasting Producer Ben Williams was honored with a Grammy for being part of the team responsible for the CD Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival by BeauSoleil and Michael Doucet. The CD was honored with the 2009 Grammy for Zydeco or Cajun Music Album. Williams handled the sound mixing for the concert.
Kristy Miller has been selected as the statewide coordinator for U.S. Department of Education’s Network Addressing Collegiate Alcohol and Other Drug Issues. Miller will provide oversight for the Louisiana Higher Education Coalition to Reduce Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs, or LaHEC. She currently is the interim associate director of the Louisiana Center Addressing Substance Use in Collegiate Communities.
Charles D’Agostino, executive director of the LSU Louisiana Business & Technology Center, has been appointed to the Louisiana Coalition for Capital Board of Advisors. The LLC is a broad-based coalition of leaders who support economic development and job creation through long-term access to capital for Louisiana ventures and small businesses.
For the sixth consecutive year, Adams and Reese ranked among the nation’s 250 largest firms, according to The National Law Journal’s annual NLJ 250. Adams and Reese ranked No. 170, with 253 attorneys nationwide at its 10 offices in the south central U.S. and Washington, D.C.
Jones Walker ranked among the nation’s 250 largest firms, according to The National Law Journal’s annual NJL 250. Jones Walker climbed 19 spots to No. 163, reflecting the firm’s growth of nearly 15% in 2008.
Four Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center nurses were recognized by the Louisiana State Nurses Association with Nightingale Awards, which honor quality service in the industry and individuals who have made a special effort to excel. Deborah Ford, vice president of patient care services, was named Nursing Administrator of the Year; Dana Milazzo Ydarraga, nursing project coordinator, was named Mentor of the Year; Susan Steele-Moses, program director of nursing research and adult health clinical nurse specialist, was named Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year; and Chanell Bradford, a staff nurse in cardiology, was named Rookie of the Year.
The LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business will induct five individuals—William F. Borne, Maurice J. Coleman, Jonathan E. Martin, Roy O. Martin III and Richard E. Matheny—into the Hall of Distinction on Feb. 27. Individuals with a strong association with the E.J. Ourso College and those who have distinguished themselves through their personal and civic achievements are considered for induction.
LSU researchers were recognized in the American Institute of Physics’ Top 10 Physics Discoveries of 2008. Jim Matthews, John Wefel and T. Gregory Guzi were recognized for their work with cosmic rays. Matthews partners with the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina to conduct his research, and Wefel and Guzik work with the Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter balloon experiment led by the LSU Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Earl K. Long Medical Center received multiple awards for quality health care at the 12th annual Health Care Effectiveness Forum, entitled “Medical Homes and Academic Health Systems: Fostering Excellence in Health Outcomes in the LSU System.” EKLMC won first place for clinical excellence in its care for patients with asthma, first place for most improved for its tobacco cessation program, second place for most improved in its care for patients with congestive heart failure, second place for most improved in its care for patients with diabetes and second place for most improved in its care for patients with renal disease.
John M. Steitz, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Albemarle, was elected to Innophos Holding Inc.’s board of directors. Innophos Holdings is a leading specialty phosphate producer in North America.
J. Scott Fargason was appointed as an advisor to the Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum. Fargason is a professor of the LSU Department of Finance in the E.J. Ourso College of Business. The Forum is a nonprofit that works to improve the quality of health care for the state’s citizens.
NOMINATIONS
Rob Stuart Jr. was appointed to the Louisiana Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors by Gov. Bobby Jindal. The board serves as the sole reviewer and administrator of LED’s financial assistance programs. Stuart is the president of Capital One Bank of Louisiana and is a member of the executive committee of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.
PHILANTHROPY
ExxonMobil planted 100 trees, including a new centennial live oak tree, in its north Baton Rouge complex on Feb. 14 as part of the company’s Century of Partnership 100th anniversary celebration.
Gatorworks sponsored Twestival on Feb. 12, a charity event that brought Twitter users together to connect in person. The goal was to raise money to support Charity:Water, a nonprofit that provides developing countries with safe and clean drinking water. Gatorworks develops Web sites for clients with a focus on identity and brand development, graphic design advertising and modern Web design.
