At the table: Padma Vatsavai, founder and CEO of Baton Rouge-based Vinformatix, has been named to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Council. The world’s largest business organization, the Small Business Council is the Chamber’s primary policy and action group that assists in the development of the Chamber’s strategies for legislative, regulatory and international initiatives.
Funding boost: The Louisiana Department of Education announced it has earned five competitive federal grant awards, totaling $115 million, from the U.S. Department of Education. The grants, which vary in dollar amount and length, will enhance literacy programming and instruction; expand direct mental health services for students, create opportunities for teachers to earn credentials in STEM, fields; and establish a leadership program for current and aspiring special education administrators.
Layoffs: Uber is laying off 350 employees from its food delivery, autonomous vehicles, safety, insurance and other teams. The move is the latest in a string of staff reductions at the ride-hailing giant since its ill-fated initial public offering. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an email to employees this morning that it would be the last wave of the layoff process which began months ago. Uber laid off 435 employees on its product and engineering teams in September. In July, 400 employees in the marketing department lost their jobs. Read the full story.
