Members wanted: BNI Louisiana is forming a new chapter in the Baton Rouge area, the business networking group announced this morning. The BNI Vision Partners Chapter will meet weekly on Thursdays at 10 a.m. at La Madeleine, 7615 Jefferson Highway. The BNI group is seeking professionals who are interested in growing their business by maximizing their marketing efforts through word-of-mouth, referral networking. Through BNI, members have the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and, most importantly, business referrals in a positive, supportive and structured environment. Only one person representing a professional specialty can join a BNI chapter. BNI members participate in up to 52 networking meetings each year and receive tools to help them network effectively. More details can be obtained by contacting Cami Miller at (225) 278-6888 or by email at cami@eatel.net.
Out of the blue: A Water Institute of the Gulf project that focuses on linking shifts in blue crab populations to changes in the coastal landscape has been awarded $283,578 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Water Institute is partnering with Nicholls State University on the project. The grant funding will come in September, says the Water Institute in a news release issued this morning, and will be used to create a full study. “With a focus on maintaining fishing opportunities and jobs, the study will raise awareness and increase understanding of the connection between blue crab populations, marsh fragmentation and submerged aquatic vegetation distribution,” reads the release. “The outcomes will inform discussion of management issues and decision-making for the blue crab fishery.”
On board: Former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme has been elected to a three-year term on the board of directors for Lafayette-based MidSouth Bancorp, while Baton Rouge bariatric surgeon Dr. Andrew Hargroder has been elected to a one-year term on the board for MidSouth Bank, a subsidiary. Delhomme formerly served on the MidSouth Bank board of directors, having been first elected in 2013 and reappointed to a second one-year term on the bank’s board in May last year. MidSouth says the addition of Hargroder to the board will help the bank strengthen its presence in the Baton Rouge market, which is one of its fastest-growing. He will also assist the bank with its strategic plan to further expand its services into the health care sector, the bank says in a news release issued this morning.
