UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE

UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE...
Letter from the President: Mr. Adrian Baudoin
A little over a hundred years ago, a man named Paul
Breaux started a small school for African-American
students in the Lafayette area. That school later
became part of the Lafayette Parish School System, and
Paul Breaux served as principal until 1926. He passed
away soon thereafter, and a middle school located
in Upper Lafayette still bears his name to this day.
(Source: lpssonline.com)
Upcoming Events
Annual Crawfish Boil
April 13, 2011, 6pm-8pm
5238 Moss Street
Presentation on Opportunity
Machine
May 25, 2011, 11:30am-1:00pm
McDonald’s of Acadiana HQ
106 Oak Way Lane
I often wonder about the fine people whose names
appear on schools in our parish. It amazes me how
they managed to perform such generous deeds
Paul Breaux
Mr. Adrian Baudoin
that are honored by the naming of a school. At our
Acadiana Computer Systems
most recent meeting, Upper Lafayette honored Bo
Ramsay, one of our founding board members, who contributes generously
to education and other charitable causes. Let’s hope that this tradition of
generosity in Lafayette Parish continues for another hundred years.
In the fall, my son will likely attend Paul Breaux Middle School where the French Immersion program
as well as gifted and honors programs are offered. During a recent visit, I was impressed by the young
men and women who served as our guides while we toured the school and learned about its programs. I
believe that this school offers some of the best educational opportunities available in our area. I’m also
happy to know that it’s located in Upper Lafayette.
Annual Crawfish Boil
ULEDF Board of
Directors & Staff
Adrian Baudoin, President
Beau Phares, V. President
Todd Citron, Sec/Treas.
Dr. Ross Judice, Past Pres.
Amos Batiste
Don Dupuis
Cherie Hebert
Ed Krampe
Andre Moreau
Dwight Prudhomme
Dwight “Bo” Ramsay
Herbert Schilling
Monty Warren
Deborah Young
Jan Swift, Director
ULEDF’s third Annual Crawfish Boil will be held
on Wednesday, April 13th 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the
lovely home of Steve and Laurie Dupuis at 5238
Moss Street. Based upon popular demand, Seth
Citron’s Crawdaddy’s On-Site Catering will cater the
crawfish and Schilling Distributing Co. is generously
supplying beverages for the event. You will not want to miss this! Please
invite friends and family to join us at this fun Spring celebration. Tickets may be purchased for $25.00 per
person by contacting [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you there!
May Meeting to Focus on Opportunity Machine and Resources for Emerging Businesses!
Upper Lafayette’s mission is to be a catalyst for growth and positive change in our
community. What better way to assist hardworking business owners who wish to
grow their business and increase their wealth than to host a forum highlighting
the cost-free business resources available right here, right now, in our own
backyard?
On May 25, 2011, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at McDonald’s of Acadiana’s
headquarters located at 106 Oak Way Lane (near Eraste Landry/Foreman Dr.
intersection), ULEDF is hosting a forum on the Opportunity Machine (“OM”).
Our guest speaker, Bob Miller, “head machinist” for OM, will lead a discussion
on resources available to businesses right here in Acadiana. (See article on Bob
on page 3.) Joining Bob will be Dr. Joby John, Dean of UL’s B. I. Moody III
College of Administration, along with Mark Galyean, Director of UL’s Small
Business Development Center, Gregg Gothreaux, President /CEO of Lafayette
Economic Development Authority, and Tom Cox, Golfballs.com and Immediate Past President of LEDA.
The luncheon is being generously sponsored by McDonald’s of Acadiana/Casa Ole and our own ULEDF
successful business entrepreneur, Ed Krampe. The first 70 people who RSVP may attend this event at no
charge and enjoy a delicious Case Ole buffet!
Seating is limited. Please network this event to your family, friends and business associates. Our goal is
to help grow business and be a resource for all who can be a catalyst for positive things to happen in our
community. Please RSVP to [email protected] or call Jan Swift at (337)278-0408. We hope to
see you there…who knows what the future holds for you!
Volume 29, Page 1
April 2011
www.upperlafayette.com
UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE...
New Member Spotlight: Pope John Paul II Academy
Upper Lafayette welcomes our newest member, Pope John Paul II Academy (“PJPA”),
a private, Catholic, lay-owned, college preparatory school currently located at 3470 NE
Evangeline Thruway in Lafayette. PJPA provides a classical liberal arts education for
grades PK3-12th.
PJPA recently held a successful fundraiser at the Cajundome with nearly 500 people in
attendance, more than twice the number of people who had previously attended their
fundraisers! The highly popular guest speaker, Bret Baier spoke about the importance
of parents’ decisions regarding their children’s education in the context of current events
and the culture.
PJPA recently acquired a portion of property at 1522 Carmel Drive in Lafayette for
its new permanent campus. PJPA will renovate the current buildings for classrooms,
labs and libraries and will hopefully be complete by Fall 2011. Once the expansion is
completed, PJPA will be able to offer single-sex classrooms for each grade level as they
have planned since their founding in 2007. There will also be a small community of
nuns, the Preachers of Christ and Mary, who will teach Spanish and organize mission
trips for the students!
PJPA’s New Campus
For more information on Pope John Paul II Academy, please visit their website at www.
pjpa.org, or contact Headmaster Kevin Roberts at (337) 896-6050.
PJPA’s New Main Building
Member Spotlight: The Aspen Clinic
Locally owned and operated by Steve and Laurie
Dupuis, Aspen Clinic is located at 3639 Ambassador
Caffery, Suite 410. Aspen Clinic has been in business
for over 22 years and now enjoys 9 different locations
in South Louisiana. Steve started out as a general
manager at a Baton Rouge health club prior to
opening the Aspen Clinic. While he was training
people at health clubs, he realized there were other aspects to the weight loss process that were missing,
such as how to eat and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The Aspen Clinic’s mission is “to provide their patients with the motivation and education they need
to make simple lifestyle changes that will enhance their overall well-being and improve their quality of
life.” Steve tells Upper Lafayette, “Each year the Aspen Clinic helps thousands of people lose weight and
keep it off, with many of them losing 100 lbs. or more. Losing weight, for most of our clients, is a life
changing experience and that’s a wonderful thing to be a part of.” Patients may sign up for one month
at a time, with no major financial commitment up front. Part of The Aspen Clinic’s process is educating
Steve and Laurie Dupuis
their clients on the nutrition that affects our culture and different alternatives to make meals healthier.
The Aspen Clinic understands the Southwest Louisiana culture of eating and drinking and therefore
knows how to arm their clients with knowledge and education to make their own smart and healthy choices. While there is no healthy
variation on cracklin’, there are many ways to alter your favorite indulgences,which falls in line with Steve’s mantra of “nothing tastes as
good as thin feels.” Steve told Upper Lafayette that the most difficult part is motivating people to get started, but once they start to see
results, it gets easier from there.
The Aspen Clinic is continually thinking of new ways they can help even more people. One idea they are considering is an adolescent
summer camp. Also, the Aspen Clinic will be opening their first Texas clinic in Houston on April 1st, making it the 10th location!
They will be introducing a new line of digestive enzyme supplements, which will be available to patients and the public by mid April.
For more information about The Aspen Clinic, please visit www.theaspenclinic.com or call (337) 991-9200.
Volume 29, Page 2
April 2011
www.upperlafayette.com
UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE...
March 2011 Membership Meeting
We had a great turn out for our March 2011 Membership Meeting generously sponsored by
Louisiana Oil & Gas Association. The Acadiana Center for the Arts was a lovely setting in which
to honor Dwight S. “Bo” Ramsay for his philanthropic contributions to the community.
Dr. E. Joseph Savoie, President of UL - Lafayette introduced Dr. Paula Carson, who shared
statistics on the dynamics of corporate giving. MBAs currently sacrifice 8% of wages to work
for a socially responsible business, but would forgo up
to 14% of their wages for the right cause. Four in ten
consumers prefer purchasing from firms that do good
and 90% of consumers are willing to switch to a socially
Dwight S. “Bo” Ramsay was honored by
conscious product if price and quality are equal. In
ULEDF.
summary, corporate philanthropy generates goodwill
from socially conscious consumers, attracts passionate
and productive employees who remain loyal to the company, fends off government regulators
and activists’ intervention through its proactivity, attracts socially conscious investors, and
enhances the reputation of business.
All in all, it was another great meeting for Upper Lafayette! Thanks to all who made it a
great time, and again, Upper Lafayette salutes it own beloved Bo Ramsay!
Dr. Paula Carson discussed the impacts of
philanthropy.
Upper Lafayette Interviews Bob Miller, Opportunity Machine
The Opportunity Machine (“OM”) is a business accelerator designed for technology-focused start-ups
looking to grow their businesses and become a part of Lafayette’s developing technology ecosystem. Its
“head machinist” (Executive Director) is the engaging Bob Miller, a veteran of three technology start-ups
who recently moved back to Louisiana from Silicon Valley. Although Bob has a great sense of humor, don’t
be misled; he is driven to make a difference in helping young businesses grow and thrive in this market
with all the tools necessary for success.
Bob Miller
OM is an organization set up to serve as both an incubator and resource clearing house for growing techoriented businesses in the community. In an interview conducted by Jan Swift, Upper Lafayette On the
Move!, OM was compared to the Louisiana’s TOPS program inasmuch as there is no cost to apply and
receive assistance. OM is a fabulous opportunity for local business people who are in need of mentoring,
resources and direction. Miller will interview and “triage” incoming applicants for the program and offer
advice or referrals to help them refine their presentation. When they’re ready, businesses will make a
presentation to the Opportunity Machine steering committee for acceptance into the program. Miller says
that in order to qualify as a resident member, a business must prove itself to be self-sufficient for one year.
Once accepted, Opportunity Machine plans to help connect all its members with angel investors and other
partners who can help them grow their business. “The key for us is creating an environment where people
can share ideas,” stated Miller. For more information, please see www.opportunitymachine.org or email
Bob Miller at [email protected].
Quick Business Tip from BBR Creative’s Cherie Hebert
How to inexpensively promote your business
Customer retention is smarter and a lot less expensive than constantly working to reach new prospects. If
we focused more on providing value to existing customers than struggling to constantly increase business
through new relationships, our businesses would be more sustainable and grow at a steadier rate. One
customer retention strategy is to stay in touch with customers on a regular basis. First, capture customer
contact information and build a database. Also mail or e-mail useful news to your customer base
consistently. Hearing from you regularly keeps your business in the forefront of the customer’s mind.
Cherie Hebert
Volume 29, Page 3 April 2011
www.upperlafayette.com
UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE...
April Community Events
6th
7:30PM
Upper Lafayette, On The Move! TV Show
Acadiana Open Channel Cox 16 & LUS 4 (AOC2)
6th
6PM-8PM
The Mercredi Show-Don Rich & The Don Rich Band
Pelican Park Concert Stage, Carencro
20th
9th
2PM-6PM
2nd Annual Top of the Hops
Cajundome Convention Center, Lafayette
26th
13th 6PM-8PM
Upper Lafayette Third Annual Crawfish Boil
5238 Moss Street, Lafayette
13th 6PM-8PM
The Mercredi Show-Nik’l Beer
Pelican Park Concert Stage, Carencro
20th
27th
29th
7:30PM
Upper Lafayette, On The Move! TV Show
Acadiana Open Channel Cox 16 & LUS 4 (AOC2)
6PM-8PM
The Mercredi Show-Sean Vidrine & ‘Da Classics w/
Charlo
Pelican Park Concert Stage, Carencro
12PM-1PM
ECGC Women’s Business Center Credit Score Education
Seminar
Workforce Development Office, 1305 Diesi Street, Opelousas
6PM-8PM
The Mercredi Show-Dustin Sonnier & Six Pack
Pelican Park Concert Stage, Carencro
11AM
LCHCC 2011 Healthcare Classic
Farm d’Allie Golf Club, Carencro
Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation is an association of proactive individuals and business leaders, joined
together to be a catalyst for change. The Foundation’s mission is to enhance and direct the positive, planned growth of Upper
Lafayette, focusing on the quality of life, while participating in the overall development of the Greater Lafayette Metropolitan
Area. Contact Lindsey at [email protected] for more information.
Special Thanks to Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation Members!
PLATINUM
Acadian Ambulance Service
Acadiana Computer Systems, Inc.
Acadiana Rubber & Gasket
Aries Marine Corporation
ASH/Badger Oil Company
Home Furniture
Hub City Ford, Inc.
IberiaBank
McDonald’s of Acadiana
MidSouth Bank
Our Lady of Lourdes
Republic National Distributing Company
Schilling Distributing Company
The Southwest Group
Whitney Bank
SILVER
Accel Protection & Technologies
Allstates Building Systems
American Safety & Industrial Supply
Aspen Clinic
BBR Creative
Edward Jones/Bob Crist
Master Builders & Specialties
Mello Joy Coffee Company
Steven Santillo, APLC
Stone Energy Corporation
Stirling Properties
Terry J. Rogers, LTD
Walters Funeral Home
BRONZE
Acadiana C.A.R.E.S.
Acadian Hills Country Club
Associated Travel Group
Jean Breaux, Jr. & Associates
Alan Broussard
David Courville–Architect
Crawdaddy’s On-Site Catering
Derek Development Corp, LLC
GOLD
Atmos Energy
Fenstermaker & Associates
Home Bank
Honda of Lafayette
Opelousas General Health System
VALOR Commercial Real Estate
BRONZE CONT’D
Joey Durel
ECGC Women’s Business Center
House of Faith Church
Lafayette Convention & Visitors Bureau
Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic
Lee Verret/State Farm Insurance Agency
Lynn Guidry–Architect
Lowry’s Printing and Copying
Flo Meadows
Melancon I-49 Storage Center
Northwood United Methodist Church
Petroleum Club of Lafayette
Pope John Paul II Academy
Richard Leblanc/Leblanc’s Auto Wholesale
Ron J. Gaubert Realtors
Ken Simeral
SLEMCO
Buddy Webb/Rayne State Bank
Sylvan Learning Center
In Memory of Shirley Jane Romero Rogers
Our heartfelt condolences are extended to the family of Shirley Jane Romero Rogers, who passed away on March 30, 2011. A lifelong
resident of Lafayette, Shirley Rogers operated Northside Paint Center, a family owned business on Moss Street, with her son, Terry
J. Rogers. The Rogers family and Northside Paint Center were recognized at Upper Lafayette’s January 2011 ULEDF meeting as a
Business Success Story for having served Acadiana for over 50 years. The Rogers family is truly representative of the hard-working
ethic that keeps our country great, and we will all mourn Shirley’s passing.
Volume 29, Page 4
April 2011
www.upperlafayette.com