Moving on: Former Lake Charles state Representative and Speaker of the House Chuck Kleckley has joined law firm Adams and Reese’s Baton Rouge office as a governmental affairs adviser and will begin working immediately. In a news release, the firm touts Kleckley’s experience at the parish and state level as well as his experience in several powerful legislative committees. “Our firm is known for its strength in government affairs and lobbying on a local, regional and national level,” Adams and Reese Managing Partner Gif Thornton says in a statement. “Adding Chuck Kleckley as a member of our team will further strengthen our government relations practice in Louisiana and across our regional footprint.”
Big money: Cox Business Louisiana and Inc. Magazine are offering $10,000 for the best pitch for a new product, business or idea during the eighth annual New Orleans Entrepreneur Week in March. Four judges, including Mike Hackley, founder of Baton Rouge-based ShoppersChoice.com, will hear the pitches and offer feedback to the contestants. Anyone interested must register by March 3, and five entrants will be selected to compete for the big prize. “We know that Louisiana is filled with entrepreneurs who just need an extra hand to reach that next level of success, and we view this contest as a way to help promote innovative talent across our local business community,” says Leigh King, vice president of Cox Business Louisiana. The contest will be held March 16 at The Chicory, 610 S. Peters St.
Big addition: Shell Chemical broke ground today on a $717 million expansion at its 800-acre alpha olefins plant in Geismar. The expansion is expected to make the Geismar plant the largest producer of alpha olefins and could add 20 new direct jobs, 93 indirect jobs and as many as 1,500 construction jobs. Baton Rouge-based Turner Industries has been selected as the general contractor. Around 2018, when construction is estimated to be complete, the new manufacturing plant will produce chemicals used in a variety of consumer and industrial products, such as packaging plastics, synthetic lubricants, drilling fluids and household detergents.
