Exec-U-Store Records Management Facility has acquired the commercial records center and document shredding assets of Celtic Commercial Services. This acquisition allows the company to open its second location, joining its original facility in Lafayette. Exec-U-Store specializes in document imaging, records storage and management, data vaulting and on-site document shredding.
Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company now is a billion-dollar bank, having ended the second quarter at $1,023,080,093 in total assets. This distinction makes Gulf Coast Bank one of the five largest Louisiana-headquartered banks.
Lamar Advertising has completed its offer to buy back outstanding debt. The outdoor advertising agency says it spent $120.4 million buying back outstanding 2.875% interest convertible notes due next year. That represented 90% of the outstanding notes. Lamar was offering to pay $977.50 per $1,000 principal amount of notes, plus all accrued and unpaid interest.
Louisiana Association of Museums recently launched its Web site, LouisianaMuseums.org, designed by K-fx2, inc. This interactive resource includes a comprehensive directory of the museums and historic sites in Louisiana for local residents, tourists and museum professionals.
The Louisiana Capital Area chapter of the American Red Cross held a grand opening for its new headquarters on July 16. The building includes a disaster operations center, training classrooms and an industrial kitchen capable of preparing several thousands meals per day.
Peak Automotive, an Asian and European repair shop, opens its Hammond location on Aug. 1. Owners Brian and Kim Walker relocated to their hometown after spending the past 10 years in North Carolina. During their six years in business, Peak Automotive became recognized for its high level of customer service, female-friendly approach and fair, reasonable pricing.
The Prism Group, which provides business dispute resolution and performance solutions for companies and organizations, has been established by J. Alan Jordan, a practicing attorney for 23 years. The consulting firm specializes in helping businesses and organizations reach peak performance by putting their people, purpose and perspective first.
Rockit Science Agency, a full-service boutique advertising, public relations and interactive Web site agency, has become the agency of record for Frost-Barber, which provides high-end office furniture solutions and is the authorized Steelcase dealer in Baton Rouge. Rockit Science’s work will include a complete rebrand, new business-to-business marketing materials and a new interactive Web site solution. Frost-Barber’s past clients include Baton Rouge General, Grace & Hebert Architects, Gulf Coast Bank and Trust, Turner Industries and Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
Southwest Stainless and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana have each signed renewal leases for 20,000 square feet in the Sealy and Company-managed, Lightstone Group-owned warehouses in Industriplex.
Stupp Corporation opened a spiral weld mill that allows the company to more than double its workforce, retaining 193 jobs and creating at least 205 new jobs at an average salary of nearly $63,000 plus benefits. Of the 205 new jobs, 105 employees have already been hired. Through the middle of next year, Stupp plans to hire at least 100 more employees for the spiral mill. Initially projected at $60 million, the capital investment for this project is $80 million.
The Shaw Group’s maintenance division has been awarded a contract to maintain and do minor construction at Lion Copolymer in Geismar. The value of the three-year contract was not disclosed. The company manufactures rubber chemicals and chemical foaming agents at the plant.
SunShine Pages has purchased the Bayou Pages, an independent phone directory that’s distributed across Acadiana. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The move gives SunShine Pages, which is a subsidiary of EATEL, a network of directories stretching from Lafayette to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. SunShine Pages distributes 1.7 million phone books across southeast Louisiana and Mississippi, and Bayou Pages distributes 210,000 books across Acadiana.
VooDoo BBQ & Grill’s Denham Springs franchise has selected the Amite Crossing Shopping Center off Bass Pro Boulevard as the site for its new location. John Chen and Chip Gary purchased the franchise rights for the Denham Springs market earlier this year. The restaurant is scheduled to open later this year.
AWARDS/HONORS
Adams and Reese ranks No. 118 among the nation’s top 200 highest-grossing firms by their pro bono score. Adams and Reese attorneys logged a total of 6,676 pro bono hours in 2008. The firm had a pro bono score of 33.4, with an average of 28.7 pro bono hours per attorney and 38.2% of its attorneys performing more than 20 hours of pro bono work.
Bass Pro Shops’ Denham Springs location has received a Sustainability Award from the Association for Retail Environments. Built to meet LEED standards, the Denham Springs location features reclaimed lap siding with its faded paint on walls and casework, reclaimed wood flooring in lobbies and apparel areas, old V-grooved tin and rough-hewn siding from sawmill ends in an in-store swamp shack, and actual trees and branches serving as logs, handrails and coverings for structural I-beams. Fixtures incorporate reclaimed barn wood from Wisconsin, reclaimed oak flooring, rough-sawn pine, heavy-gauge metal, logs and hand-forged metal.
The Baton Rouge chapter of International Association of Administrative Professionals has elected officers for 2009-10. They are: Debra Roth, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, president; Nancy Giddens, Providence Engineering, secretary; DeEtte Abshire, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, treasurer; Katherine Morris, Louisiana Lottery, director; and Donna Stewart, Louisiana High School Athletic Association, immediate past president/director.
Grace & Hebert Architects has received the Award of Recognition for Hospitality Design by the International Interior Design Association’s Delta Regional Chapter. The award recognizes the firm’s work on LSU’s Alex Box Stadium, which opened earlier this year. The Delta Region includes Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.
Jimmy Field, a Louisiana Public Service commissioner, has received the Above and Beyond Award from the state chapter of Employer Support for Guard and Reserve. The award, given through the Department of Defense, recognizes employers at the state level who have exceeded the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services and Reemployment Rights Act.
Kean Miller has been named to the inaugural “Midsize Hot List” by National Law Journal. The list honors law firms from 100 to 300 attorneys that demonstrate exemplary innovation in practice management, fee arrangements, attorney recruitment and retention, and business development, especially in the face of current economic challenges. The list is comprised of only 20 law firms from across the United States that demonstrate “creative, innovative strategies to stay competitive.”
Louisiana Network has received four first-place awards and four second-place awards from the Associated Press. Louisiana Network received first place for best newscast, best sportscast, best spot news and best breaking weather. It received second place for best sports story, best continuing coverage, best general news and reporter of the year.
MAPP Construction has been awarded a National Associated Builders and Contractors Pyramid Award for its Chevron Northpark project. The Chevron Northpark project in Covington is the first LEED Gold Certified project for Chevron Corporation and Louisiana. In addition, the company recently completed its Ernst and Young Victory Park project in Dallas. This project, totaling 141,749 square feet, utilized many environmentally conscious building techniques and is currently undergoing the review process to receive LEED Silver certification.
Marine One Acceptance Corp., a Dallas company that provides financing for boats, RVs and trailers, has joined the AppOne platform. AppOne is a Baton Rouge-based company that serves as a bridge between boat and independent auto dealers and finance companies. The move will connect Marine One with more dealers and streamline the loan process. Marine One, which specializes in helping people with credit blemishes, has originated more than $225 million in loans since it was started in 1995.
Neel-Schaffer Inc. has been ranked No. 241 by Engineering News Record, a weekly magazine that annually lists the top 500 design firms in the nation. The Jackson, Miss.-based firm, which employs a staff of engineers, planners, environmental scientists, architects, landscape architects and surveyors, has an office in Baton Rouge.
Northwestern Mutual of Louisiana has been recognized as a Compassionate Employer by The Compassionate Friends, a national nonprofit self-help support organization for families who have experienced the death of a child. This recognition is given to an employer for exceptionally compassionate workplace policies and practices supporting bereaved employees following the death of a child of any age, from any cause.
Patricea Katherine Angelle, the owner, compounding pharmacist and consultant of Prescription Compounds, has been named a Fellow by the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists in recognition of her contribution as a specialist in the industry.
Rosemary Hannie, the owner of Rosemary Hannie Management Consulting, has been installed as the president of Quota International, a service organization with clubs in 14 countries. She is the 74th international president in the club’s 90-year history, and she is the third member of the Baton Rouge Quota Club to serve in the post.
William Balhoff, Charles Comeaux, Jake Netterville and Dionne Viator have been honored by the Society of Louisiana CPAs. Balhoff, the managing director and CEO of Postlethwaite & Netterville, received the Distinguished Service Award for his notable, long-term commitment to the profession. Comeaux, a partner with L.A. Champagne & Company, and Netterville, formerly the chairman of the board for Postlethwaite & Netterville, received the Life Membership Award presented to members with an extensive record of achievement to benefit the future of CPAs in the state. Viator, the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Baton Rouge General Medical Center and General Health System, received the Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry Award, which recognizes the contributions of a CPA to the business success of an employer and the individual’s contribution to the profession through involvement with the LCPA.
ACCREDITATION/CERTIFICATION
Stephen P. Jackson of Cockfield Jackson Architects recently passed his LEED accreditation testing and has become a LEED Accredited Professional, a distinction established by the U.S. Green Building Council.
PHILANTHROPY
The Forever LSU Campaign received a $300,000 gift from America’s Wetland Foundation to start a professional studio to restore, protect and sustain wetlands, as well as a gift from Charlene Muffoletto Favre for the College of Education and Tiger Band.
Neighbors Federal Credit Union raised $30,000 for the Baton Rouge Area March of Dimes to help the nonprofit organization fund research into premature births, birth defects and infant mortality.
Public Affairs Research Council has received a major gift from the estate of a former employee to establish the Emogene Pliner Research Internship Endowment Fund. Additional donors include Charles Ellis Brown, and Sean Reilly and Jennifer Eplett-Reilly.
