In Business

Shreveport Chamber names Board of Directors

The Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce has announced the 2017 Board of Directors, which were formally accepted during the Chamber's November Board meeting.

Don Olson of Hunt, Guillot & Associates will assume the chairmanship from Dr. Phillip Rozeman of Willis-Knighton Cardiology, and the Board transition will occur during the annual meeting luncheon on Jan. 26 at East Ridge Country Club beginning at 11:30 am.

For tickets to the annual meeting, contact the Chamber at 677-2500.

Members of the 2017 Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors are:

Executive committee: Chairman of the Board - Don Olson, Hunt, Guillot & Associates, LLC; Immediate Past Chairman - Dr. Phillip Rozeman, Willis-Knighton Cardiology; Chairman Elect - Steve Roop, Chase Bank; Treasurer - Mark Evans, Regions Bank; Vice Chairman Public Policy - Mimi Hedgcock, CSRA Integrated Technology Center; Vice Chairman Membership - Pete John, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers; Vice Chairman Education - Dr. Joseph McCulloch, LSU Health Sciences Center Rehabilitation Faculty Clinic; Vice Chairman Economic Development - Patrick Harrison, Sound Fighter Systems, L.L.C.

Returning directors: Kristen Brown, Brown Builders; Dr. Larry Clark, LSUS; Jim Elrod, Willis-Knighton Health System; Lyle Jeansonne, Citizens National Bank; Judy Madison, Red River Bank; Rick Larsen, Capital One Bank; Brent Latin, Young Professionals Entertainment, LLC; Brad Nichols, Eagle Distributing, Inc.; Cheryl Olive, GoPumpTV.com, LLC; Paul Pratt, Chesapeake Energy Corp.; Jim Shockley, Gordon Inc. (Representing the Manufacturing Managers Council).

New additions: David Aubrey, AT&T; Brian L. McNew, McNew Architecture, APAC (Director at Large); Pamela L. Pero, The Pamela Pero Real Estate Team (2017 President of the Chamber’s Business Development Connection); Patty Stanislas, Forte & Tablada, Inc. (Director at Large); Kourtney Washington, CenturyLink Center/SMG (2017 President of the Chamber’s Young Professionals Initiative).

Fritze elected 2017 BBB chairman

The Better Business Bureau Serving Northeast and Central Louisiana and the Ark-La-Tex elected at its annual meeting George Fritze, of Red River Chevrolet, as Chairman of Board for 2017.

Also elected were Lisa Janes, Town Square Media Shreveport/Bossier, as vice chairman, Brad Daniel, Capital One Bank, secretary-treasurer, Ricky Rogers, East Ridge Country Club, past chairman, and Mark Montgomery, Montgomery Realty & Development, executive committee.

Other officers elected were Andrew Fisher, president & CEO, Robin Guenard, vice president-operations and Bob Davis, vice president-sales.

One new member was elected to the Board, Sherry Martin, All Plumbing 24/7, Inc., Monroe.

Re-elected as board members for 2017 were Paul Pratt, Chesapeake Energy, Matt Locke, Lock Properties, Inc., George Sirven, Channel 3 TV; Carl Bullard, Gateway Tire; Jarrod Horton, Anti-Pest; Dwayne Butler, Red Carpet Employment Agency, Texarkana; and Mike Upton, Upton, Draughon, & Bollinger, LLC., Alexandria.

BRF team members make Silicon Bayou 100

BRF President and CEO John F. George Jr., M.D. and Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP) Executive Director Dave Smith have for the second year in a row been named to Silicon Bayou’s top 100 list of the most influential and active people in tech and entrepreneurship in Louisiana.

Dr. George, who joined BRF in 2013, was the visionary behind EAP. Counseled by Dr. John Sibley Butler of the University of Texas at Austin IC² Institute, one of the premier entrepreneurial think-tanks in the country, Dr. George sought to address the lack of a regional entrepreneurial ecosystem in North Louisiana, which has experienced economic downturn since oil and gas production slowed in the 1980s.

Dr. George hired Smith, a 32-year veteran in government, technology transfer and early-stage technology development, to oversee the program. With Smith at the helm EAP has outperformed its annual goals for companies screened, job creation and local investment.

Under Dr. George’s and Smith’s direction, EAP has screened about 350 startups and business ideas, and provided direct services to more than 120 companies looking to launch and grow locally. EAP currently has under contract and is providing services to 24 local companies that have so far contributed 66 local jobs, representing an annual payroll of more than $4 million.

These companies have been able to garner more than $42 million in investment from angel investors, grants and banks to advance their operations.

Caddo Sheriff announces promotions

Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator recently promoted Gilbert Roraback to captain and Bradley Acklen to lieutenant.

Roraback joined the Sheriff’s Office in November of 1999. He has worked in security, booking, work release, and grievance at the Caddo Correctional Center. As a captain, he will oversee the Work Release program. Roraback holds a master’s degree in management and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1995 to 1999.

Acklen was hired as a Caddo deputy in July of 1997. He has worked in patrol; security, transportation, and the Special Investigations Unit at the Caddo Correctional Center; and Work Release. As a lieutenant, he will continue to serve in the Work Release Program.

Also receiving recognition were 26 deputies for their years of service with the Caddo Sheriff’s Office. They are: KaSaundra Green, Bonita Snow, Parker Crockett, Vicky Holcomb, Adrian Rawls, Tabatha Wynn, and Philip McEntyre, five years; Stephen Ashcraft, Robert Chapman, Matthew Cowden, LaQuisha Pouncy, Jonathan Kennedy, Tony Dickey, Lakeshia Gaines, Aldonia Battle, Kameelah Howard, and Leroy Turner, 10 years; Steven Viola, Roderick Hall, and Linda Ford, 15 years; Frank Edmondson, Shonda Abercrumbia, and Susan Williams, 20 years; Sean McCullough and John May, 25 years; and James Bonnette, 30 years.

Gomes joins CHRISTUS Physician Group

CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System has announced Dr. Nadia Gomes has joined CHRISTUS Physician Group.

Dr. Gomes is now practicing with Dr. Susan Kemp at CHRISTUS Primary Care Associates, located at 1460 E. Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Ste. 700.

Dr. Gomes is Board Certified in Family Medicine and specializes in comprehensive care for the entire family. She has a passion for women’s health and pediatric care as well as preventative medicine. Dr. Gomes is now accepting patients ages 2 and up.

Dr. Gomes was born in Canada where she completed her undergraduate training at the University of Manitoba. She went on to pursue her medical degree at Medical University of the Americas in St. Kitts and Nevis. She completed her residency in Family Medicine at LSU Medical Center.

Patients may call 681-5580 to make an appointment or visit www.christushealthsb.org to make an online appointment.

YPI elects business specialist to Board

Business Development Specialist Sara Patronella was recently elected Member at Large for YPI - Young Professionals Initiative of Northwest Louisiana's 2017 Board of Directors.

Patronella joined Blanchard Walker in 2016 and orchestrates business development as the firm celebrates its Centennial year.

YPI is an organization of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce whose mission is to create a network of community leaders under the age of 40 in efforts to enhance the development of Northwest Louisiana for attraction and retention of young professionals.

The YPI Board of Directors plans, implements and oversees all events and activities of the organization. Others listed as YPI board members are Kourtney M. Washington, Shondale Coleman, Emerie Eck Gentry, Colton Kyle, Meredith Johnson, Courtney Spradlin, Whitney Loe, Kyle Stadtlander, Kelly Rich, Darras Lattier, Katie Bursley, Michele Marcotte, Valerie DeLatte, Kamesha West, Alex Stinchcomb, Shea Jazmin Jernigan, Elizabeth Pattillo, Kendall Payne, Terboris Posey, Marisa Roberson, Michael Sanders, Jack "Bump" Skaggs and Deean Wallace.