Albemarle Corp. has announced the creation of an organic flame retardant that can be added to durable plastics. The new product, part of the company’s new earth-friendly brand GreenArmor, is due to be commercially available in late 2010.
AppOne, which serves as a bridge between lenders and independent auto dealers, is expanding into the Houston and northeastern Ohio markets. The company is now working with 15 credit unions in metro Houston and 10 in Cleveland, Canton and Akron, Ohio. The expanded business is a result of AppOne’s deal with Credit Union Acceptance Company, a Houston-based firm that works with about 130 credit unions.
Ferrara Fire Apparatus has been awarded a contract to build 10 new aerial apparatus fire trucks for the City of New York. The Holden-based company has been building vehicles for the FDNY for eight years.
Louisiana Lottery Company has partnered with Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club to develop a $2 scratch-off game that debuted on Dec. 15. The game features five top prizes of $10,000 and more than $1 million in total cash prizes. The colorful ticket features the three major Zulu characters—King, Big Shot and Witch Doctor—in full parade regalia.
Three stores—City Gear, Elegant Jewelers and Famous Labels—have opened in Cortana Mall. City Gear, occupying a little more than 3,100 square feet and located in the Dillard’s wing, features urban men’s and women’s clothing and footwear. Elegant Jewelers is located just outside J.C. Penney next to GNC. Famous Labels, a women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and home goods store, now occupies a nearly 15,000-square-foot space near Sears.
Zehnder Communications has purchased an office building on Bluebonnet Boulevard and plans to move its local operations there next month. The company had been in the LUBA building since Hurricane Katrina. Zehnder, which has recently been awarded contracts with the East Baton Rouge school system and the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, has boosted its local staff to eight employees and plans to hire two more workers.
ACCREDITATIONS/CERTIFICATIONS
Angela Loving of the Woman’s Hospital Infection Prevention Department has passed her certification exam in infection control. The certification is awarded based on an applicant’s ability to analyze and interpret collected infection-control data and the investigation and surveillance skills related to suspected outbreaks of infection. There are only 3,000 certified infection-prevention practitioners in the U.S.
Dr. Charles Thompson, an interventional cardiologist at Cardiovascular Institute of the South Zachary, has completed requirements of the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. Thompson completed an accredited course of education and training in cardiovascular computed tomography and passed an additional examination that demonstrates a high standard of physician excellence.
APPOINTMENTS/MEMBERSHIPS
Clint Seneca, the deputy assessor for Iberville Parish, has been named to the Port of Greater Baton Rouge Board of Commissioners by Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Gary Sanger, distinguished chair of finance in the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business and director of the college’s Securities Markets Analysis Research Training Lab, has been elected president of the Southern Finance Association for 2010. Sanger served as SFA’s vice president in 2009.
Gregory J. Cordaro, the president and managing broker of Cordaro Companies, has been elected national chairman of the LSU Alumni Association National Board of Directors. The association awards more than 200 LSU scholarships and 50 professorships each year.
Health Centers in Schools has added four board members. They are: Anne Frechette, Amedisys; Jamie Griffin, Actualize Services; Paul Kirk, Woman’s Hospital; and Adren Wilson, Equity and Inclusion Campaign.
LSU’s Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute has installed a 16-member advisory board that will help the institute pursue emerging entrepreneurship opportunities. Board members are: Darin Arceneaux, Associated Grocers; Tom Bromley, Bromley & Company; Linda Perez Clark, Kean Miller; David Crais, CMG; Michael Reese Davis, Hymel Davis & Petersen; Bill Hochstetler, Edward D. Jones & Co.; Kevin Langley, Ellis Construction; John Matthews, Louisiana Economic Development; Camm Morton, Ashby Hospitality; Ray Peters, Roy O. Martin; Bret Pinson, Pinson & Associates; Troy Prevot, LUBA Workers’ Comp; Buddy Roemer, Business First Bank; Dan Strecker, C-K Associates; Stevie Toups, Turner Industries Group; and Kurt Whitcher, Technically Advanced.
Patricia Crocker, the owner of Adventureland in Port Allen and co-owner of A Place to Grow in Baton Rouge, has been named president of the Childcare Association of Louisiana. Crocker has been serving on the board of directors for the past five years, most recently as vice president.
The Greater Pointe Coupee Chamber of Commerce has elected executive officers for 2010. They are: Amy Davis, Louisiana Technical College, president; Dustin Gardner, The Pangburn Company, vice president; Mary Witty, Jazzercise, secretary; and Alecisa Matte, Peoples Bank, treasurer.
AWARDS/HONORS
Adams and Reese has been selected among the Top 100 Law Firms for “delivering superior client service” by the BTI Client Service A-Team 2010 report. Adams and Reese ranked No. 96 in a field of more than 500 core law firms serving Fortune 1000 companies.
Dr. William James has received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. James is the chief public health veterinarian and executive associate for regulatory operations in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Services.
The Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center has received its first Four-Diamond Award from AAA Louisiana. AAA Four Diamond establishments make up just 3.5% percent and 0.28%, respectively, of the 58,000 AAA/CAA diamond-rated lodgings and restaurants throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Jones Walker has been selected as a Go-To Law Firm of the Nation’s Top 500 Companies by Corporate Counsel magazine. Firms are selected based on a national survey of general counsel of Fortune 500 companies and leading financial-services companies as well as research and analysis of public filings and resources. Jones Walker was commended by clients in the areas of corporate transactions/mergers and acquisitions, labor and employment, litigation, and securities.
Karen Stassi of Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge, Scotty Drake of Guaranty Broadcasting and Kevin Gautreaux of Louisiana Public Broadcasting have received 2009 Awards for Excellence in Medical Reporting from the Louisiana State Medical Society. Susan Hidalgo-Smith of WRKF-FM received a meritorious award.
LaPorte Sehrt Romig Hand ranks No. 35 out of 65 mid-sized firms named in the top 100 Best Accounting Firms to Work For by The Accountants Media Group, publishers of Accounting Today, Accounting Technology, CPA Wealth Provider, Practical Accountant and host of WebCPA.com and Best Companies Group. The rankings are based on five factors that include the number of new employees hired in the past year, percentage of employee turnover, percentage of promotion of internal fiscal-year staff, average hours of orientation for new employees and training hours per employee.
LSU Manship School of Mass Communication Dean John Maxwell Hamilton’s book, Journalism’s Roving Eye: A History of American Foreign Reporting, has been selected as one of the year’s best by Slate, a daily online Web magazine that produces commentary on news, politics and culture.
Verma Systems has been named to the 2009 CRN Fast Growth 100 list for a second consecutive year. The full-service network solutions company ranked No. 67, up from No. 88 last year. Verma Systems’ net sales have grown 81% from 2006-08.
Woman’s Hospital has been ranked No. 41 on Modern Healthcare Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Places in Healthcare to Work. Woman’s ranked No. 100 in 2008. The hospital improved its rankings in all eight categories, and its 90% survey average was higher than the average of all 100 facilities on the list.
Woman’s Hospital has received 2009 Quality Respiratory Care Recognition from the American Association for Respiratory Care. The designation acknowledges the hospital provides quality respiratory-care services to patients and the community by meeting AARC requirements.
