Names in the News: People shaping the future of Lake Area business
Published 6:57 am Sunday, December 24, 2023
Aspinwall given Achievement Award
The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance Foundation recently hosted its annual Investors Luncheon, which provided an economic recap for Foundation supporters.
Adam Knapp, the New CEO for the Committee of 100, keynoted the lunch program giving a statewide economic overview, and shared his plan to build Louisiana’s Economy over the next 10 years.
At this year’s luncheon, Neal Aspinwall of Sowela Technical Community College was presented with the 2023 Achievement Award as this year’s partner in economic development.
The award was presented by Jason Guillory, 2023 chair of the SWLA Economic Development Alliance.
“We would all probably agree, the major issue facing every company and organization is workforce development,” Guillory said in presenting the award. “The premier workforce training and development entity is Sowela Technical Community College. Despite the devastation of the hurricanes and other natural disasters, Sowela, under the leadership of Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall, has rebuilt and continues to grow.”
Forest elected as CCPS Fellow
Jerry Forest has been elected as Fellow for the Center for Chemical Process Safety.
CCPS is an organization within AIChE, with over 200 member companies, that identifies and addresses process safety needs in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and petroleum industries. CCPS Fellows is a peer-recognition program to honor the leaders among its membership, recognizing individuals who exhibit extraordinary dedication to their field and commitment to CCPS.
Forest has held various leadership positions in AIChE and CCPS, including past chair of the Process Safety Division, past vice chair of CCPS Planning Committee, PPSS Symposia chair, industry chair on 7 CCPS projects, and participation in over 20 projects.
Forest is a CCPS certified process safety professional and has been previously recognized as an AIChE Fellow.
He is a retired senior director of process safety at Celanese, former Global Process Safety Manager and Global EHS Manager of Engineering and Support at LyondellBasell. He presently teaches chemical engineering process safety at LSU and is a process safety improvement consultant at Jerry Forest, LLC.
Johnson steps down from board
After more than 35 years of dedicated service, Shelley Johnson, a committed supporter and advocate of Southwest Louisiana, is stepping down from her role on the Creole Nature Trail Scenic Byway District Board of Commissioners. The resignation took effect on Dec. 15.
In her letter to the board, Johnson expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to promote the natural beauty of Southwest Louisiana and advocate on behalf of the Department of Interior, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Scenic Byways program. Throughout her tenure, she committed to showcasing the value of the trail and building lasting relationships with community professionals and stakeholders.
Johnson was pivotal in promoting the Creole Nature Trail, known as “Louisiana’s Outback,” which boasts 180 miles and encompasses four wildlife refuges. The trail holds the prestigious designation of being one of only 57 national scenic byways recognized as an All-American Road in the United States.
Local real estate agents honored
The real estate market in many areas of the country saw a correction in 2022-2023 to a more sustainable pace following the buying and selling frenzy of the past few years. Experienced and knowledgeable real estate professionals continue to be the go-to trusted advisors for those navigating the changing market.
EXIT Realty is home to thousands of such professionals across the U.S. and Canada and recently the corporate head office recognized the outstanding achievement of its champions during a prestigious awards ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Calif.
The ceremony was a highlight of the company’s annual convention presided over by EXIT Realty Corp. International Founder and Chairman, Steve Morris, and Co-Chair, Tami Bonnell.
During the event, Bayleigh Rigdon, franchisee with EXIT Bayou Realty in Lake Charles, and Josh Foster, franchisee with EXIT Realty Southern in Sulphur, were both honored with the Bronze Award. The award was given in recognition of closing between 25 and 49 real estate transaction sides during the production year July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.
Locals featured on national TV program
Adam Johnson of The Johnson Firm and Brent Hawkins of The Hawkins Law Group have been featured on an episode of “Accused: Guilty or Innocent?” as part of A&E’s “Crime & Investigation” series. The episode aired on Dec. 7 and is now streaming on platforms such as Discovery Plus, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.
The piece tells the story of Brandon Perkins of Eunice who was arrested for a shooting that took place on a Piney Woods Trail Ride in Evangeline Parish.
“Accused: Guilty or Innocent?” is filmed solely from the perspective of the defendant.
Contacted by Brickwork Productions, Johnson, Hawkins, their respective staff members, and Perkins were shadowed by a team from Great Britain as the March 2023, seven-day trial, was held in Ville Platte. Filming took place over the course of eight weeks.
