Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct the opening date of Twine at 2921 Government St. Daily Report regrets this error.
Opening soon: Local caterer Steven Diehl plans to open Twine, a specialty food and meat market, in the Model Block development at 2921 Government St. on Friday, Aug. 12. The market will feature a seasonal and diverse menu of prepared foods, including complete dinners, as well as hand-cut selections of local beef, pork, chicken and seafood, and heat-and-serve side dishes, Diehl says in a news release. Customers will be able to bundle the various menu items together as a meal, per the suggestions of the chef, or choose individual items. All of Twine’s products and ingredients will be sourced with the goal of partnering with and supporting Louisiana farmers, fishermen and vendors, Diehl says.
At the helm: The Louisiana Small Business Development Center at Southern University has tapped Kent Smith as its new director. Smith earned an undergraduate degree in marketing from Southern and has an MBA in organizational leadership and management from Ashford University. He previously served as an assistant vice president at Capital One Bank, community retail banking manager at Wells Fargo, and vice president of retail operations and customer service for ExxonMobil Federal Credit Union. He has also served as a board member with the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. Through strategic partnership initiatives, and innovative and interactive training, Smith says his goal is to build and brand the LSBDC as the Baton Rouge market epicenter for small business planning, training and growth.
Workplace wellness: The Mary Bird Perkins-Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center is expanding its community education and early detection program to the corporate world with a contribution from Albemarle, the center announced this morning. The initiative, tentatively called the Corporate Access Program, will begin with a pilot for the delivery of cancer prevention services in the workplace with three area companies. During the approximately six-month pilot phase, the cancer center team will utilize feedback from these corporate participants to model the forthcoming program. Anticipated services include onsite cancer screenings, risk assessments and interactive, in-person educational seminars. Get complete details.
