A Publication of the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce March 2016CHAMBER CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Chamber Connection

Deliver to:Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce • 2111 North Trenton St., Ruston, LA 71270 • (318) 255-2031 • www.rustonlincoln.org

Each Tuesday“Chamber Update”

on Peach 99.312:20 p.m.

Mar. 10Leadership LincolnCulture & Judicial

Day

Mar. 15Business After Hours at Montessori School

of Ruston700 Woodward Ave.

5-7 p.m.

Mar. 17YEA! Investor Panel

Presentations(Shark Tank style)Open to the PublicLA Tech College of

Business6 p.m.

Mar. 22Ambassador’s Meeting

Noon

Save-the-Dates

YEA! Trade Show Event

April 23

Adopt-A-SchoolEnd of Year Celebration

April 26

Northern ExposureBaton Rouge

May 3-4

Louisiana Peach Festival

June 24-25

Monthly Open

Meetings

1st MondayRuston City Council

1st TuesdayLP School Board

2nd TuesdayLP Police Jury

3rd MondayPlanning & Zoning

Thursday, March 17, 6-8 p.m.

Think Shark Tank meets The Apprentice meets American Idol! Students will have six minutes to pitch their business plans to prominent local members of the business community. Based on the appeal and merit of the students’ plans and presentations, representatives from local companies or individuals determine the amount of funds to allocate to each business or social movement.

February was an exciting month for YEA! Now under the instruction of Judi Null for Segment 2 of 3, the students are getting closer to being the CEO of their very own businesses!

Segment 2’s classes have so far included Design Concepts for Marketing & Communications; Insurance & Risk Management with guest speaker Kim Dupree, State Farm Agent; E-Commerce Web Concepts – Learning about Online Shopping with guest speakers Holly Allen, owner of 2 Crazy Girls (Flower Shop) and Karen Kirkham, owner of Bullet Designs; Niche Marketing Design with Graham Morris of Newcomer, Morris & Young and Mark Coleman, LA Tech Graphic Designer; and Web Design with Aaron Paul of Business Technology Group (BTG).

On February 16 at the Library Events Center, the students and 5 local CEOs gathered for a CEO Roundtable at a public event. The CEOs volunteered one-on-one time with the students while answering their questions as they prepare to launch and run their own businesses as part of their YEA! class.

Students submitted questions that were presented by the facilitator, Patrick Blanchard. Questions included queries such as “What is the most important thing you have done to grow your business?,” “When starting your business, what would you have done differently?,” and “What are some of the best and worst decisions you’ve made?” The most impressive part of the evening was the interaction between the students and CEOs, after the event. These students were genuinely hungry for the knowledge attainable through their successful new acquaintances and likewise, the business leaders appreciated and enjoyed sharing their experiences. And that likely will not be the end of the newfound relationships as the students were invited to contact the CEOs as needed. “Thank you for the opportunity to speak at the YEA! CEO Roundtable. You have an outstanding group of young people. They are truly our next generation business leaders. I was very impressed with their projects as well as their ability and willingness to explain the details. Best wishes for great success to all,” remarked Tom O’Neal.

In preparation for the upcoming “Investor Panel,” students practiced their 30 second pitches while riding in an elevator.

Member FDIC

YEA! Trade Show

April 23, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.The presentation is a culmination of nine months

of hard work, resulting in the graduates owning and operating their own businesses. YEA! students will be selling their products and services.

The Trade Show is free and open to the public, and is a great way to decide if applying to YEA! is right for your child!

Thank you CEOs!

Tom O’Neal, President, O’Nealgas; Chris Garriga, Managing Partner, Log Cabin; Connie Cline, Owner, The Pewter Company & Tommy’s Tees; Jim Shepherd, Owner, The Cleaners of Ruston; Bill Elmore, President & CEO, Commander Communications

Confirmed Investors

Young Entrepreneurs Academy Upcoming Public

Events

YEA! Investor Panel Event

318-255-3733www.BankRuston.com

bankCOME

WITH US

To be an Investor Panel participant please contact Pam Jones, pjones@rustonlincoln.org or Judy Copeland, jcopeland@rustonlincoln.org.

Chamber UpdateBy Judy Copeland, President, Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

2 CHAMBER CONNECTION

Judy Copeland

Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Staff

Judy Copeland, PresidentIvana Flowers, Communications & Special Events

Melissa Carpenter, Office Manager

Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau StaffTravis Napper, Executive Director

Amanda Quimby, Marketing DirectorTori Ward, CVB Marketing/PR Assistant

Elizabeth Holloway & Hannah Yi, Administrative AssistantsDeadline for submitting newsletter information

is the 15th of the month.

Board of Directors

Executive Board

Letter From The ChairBy Patrick Blanchard, Chairman, Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

Executive Chair & FinancePatrick Blanchard

LA Methodist Children’s Home

Chair Elect & Program Devt. Cathi Cox-Boniol Lincoln ACHIEVE

Past Chair, Mike Jones Argent Financial

Community Devt.Brandon Sutherland, Hampton Inn

Economic Devt., Lee DennyBank of Ruston

Organizational Devt., Donna Ott Hunt, Guillot & Assoc.

Alana Belton, Wingstop RestaurantSheila Bordelon, LP Assessor

Neal Carter, Community Trust BankMichael Gahagan, Holiday Inn Express

Emily Gatlin, Legacy Rehab (LOTS)Travis Lee, Chartreuse Pear

Rodney Manning, The Ensure GroupRandy Null, Ruston Artisans

Josh Perot, First National BankEarl Smith, Wells Fargo Advisors

Ex-Officio Members

Dr. Les Guice, LA Tech Univ.Courtney Hall, LP Police Jury

Kristi Lumpkin, Ruston Econ. Devt.Otto Meyers, Grambling State Univ.Gregg Phillips, Ruston Lincoln CVB

Doug Postel, LA Delta Community CollegeMike Stone, LP Sheriff

Ronny Walker, Ruston MayorRanaee Thomas-Walley, RL Crime Stoppers

Patrick Blanchard

State funding for colleges and universities has been such a recurring problem; it seems like a bad rerun every time the legislature has to find money for budget shortfalls. “Education and healthcare are the only things not protected from cuts,” is the familiar chorus.

I agree with State Senator Jim Fannin who spoke at a Committee of 100 event recently about anticipated budget shortages. He said, "As a state, we have to decide what services we want to pay for."

Fortunately, asking whether or not we should fully fund our institutions of higher education shouldn’t be such a difficult question to answer.

In purely monetary terms, according to La. Tech President Dr. Les Guice, for every dollar of the Louisiana Tech budget that is cut, we lose eight dollars of economic impact in the Ruston Lincoln region.

So in the best case scenario of Tech losing "only" $3 million in its budget this

half fiscal year, the Ruston Lincoln business community will lose $24 million of economic impact. To a lesser extent, this is also true for Grambling State University's budget. That's a $24,000,000+

hole in our local economy. There are also the indirect

losses of business and talent leaving the state, or avoiding us entirely because we seem incapable of managing our state finances.

Rarely are we faced with a decision with such a clear dollars-and-cents correlation. Without a doubt, raising revenue is only half the answer to our current state budget crisis. Spending reform is critical to a sustainable solution, and we must all make

sure that is enacted. For now, though, the health of our

business environment depends on the health of our universities and colleges. And their health depends on adequate state funding.

It seems like a bad rerun

An Open Letter to our State LegislatorsLouisiana’s financial plight is of tremendous concern to

its citizens. The partisan divisions in the Legislature at this critical

moment in our state’s history must be put aside in order for viable solutions to the fiscal crisis to be found.

We are deeply concerned about further cuts to higher education and healthcare and the devastating effects more cuts will have on our citizens and local communities. These proposed cuts will force our universities to reduce the number of educators and available classes, which will diminish the quality of our education system. The effects of these continued cuts will make our area less attractive to businesses looking to locate here. Our higher education institutions are absolutely essential to the future prosperity of our community and state. Providing them with stable and predictable funding must be one of our highest priorities. We must work together — politics aside — to resolve these problems.

The Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce strongly supports an immediate increase in revenue to prevent irreversible damage to our colleges and universities and to the state’s overall reputation. This recommendation is contingent upon wholesale budgetary reform which must follow to correct the systemic failures that regularly produce these predictable revenue shortfalls.

We hope and pray that your leadership will bring the Legislature together as one body to truly represent what is best for the citizens of Louisiana in the weeks and months ahead. Our very future is at stake.

On behalf of the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors,

Judy Copeland, PresidentRuston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

Patrick C. Blanchard, ChairmanRuston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

There comes a time when we need our voices to be heard and our faces to be seen. With our education and healthcare institutions on the chopping block, we as citizens have to decide what is important to our community and let our legislators know how we feel. Now is not the time to sit idle and think they will come up with a solution. I encourage you to write a letter, call, or even visit the capitol building to let them know where you stand.

It occurred to me that there may be some citizens out there who want to get more involved but just aren’t quite sure where to start. The internet has made it easier for us to

get connected and to watch these legislative sessions without even leaving your home or office.

Don’t know who your elected officials are? Visit this site to find out: https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/ElectedOfficials

Watch these live broadcasts of our legislators in Baton Rouge:

http://senate.la.gov/sessioninfo/livebroadcasts.asp

http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Sched/Hse_

MeetingSchedule.aspxI hope this helps you to get more

active or if anything just to be more informed.

Getting more informed

CHAMBER CONNECTION 3

•

RUSTON

(318) 254-5117 | OPEN 11AMMIDNIGHT | 7 DAYS A WEEK

(OFF 1-20 BEHIND RAISING CANE’S)

Board Spotlight

How has your Chamber involvement been of value to you?

I owe much of what is currently good in my professional life to the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. Back in 2009 when my former employer passed up the opportunity to sponsor my tuition for Leadership Lincoln, I paid for it out of my own pocket and took a day of vacation for each of the 10 classes.

Without that class the following things would probably never have happened:

• Meeting Judy Copeland, our current Chamber President, and her talented and committed staff,

• Learning about The OWL Center, and falling in love with it and its mission,

• Serving as the Volunteer Coordinator for the 2012 Louisiana Peach Festival,

• Actually working at The OWL Center for three great years,

• Being asked to serve on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce,

• Serving, as I now do, as the Chairman of the Board of Directors

of the Chamber of Commerce, and

• Being asked by Rick Wheat, CEO, (and Leadership Lincoln classmate) to serve as the Director of Development and Public Relations/In-house Counsel of the Louisiana Methodist Children's Home.

As Robert Frost ended one of my favorite poems, The Road Not Taken,

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

And none of it could have happened without the love and support of my wife, Janis.

Patrick BlanchardLA Methodist Children’s Home

Director of Devt. & Public Relations/In-House Counsel

(318) 255-5020patrickcblanchard@gmail.com

YEA! teaches kids ages 11 to 18 how to identify their passions, develop a business idea, write a business plan, pitch investors for funding, and obtain all the necessary components to create a fully, formed and functioning business or social movement by the end of the 30-week class.

As a non-profit organization, YEA! relies on the generosity of the community and of sponsors; people who identify with entrepreneurship and want to help pave the way for the future business leaders of tomorrow. “YEA! strengthens the community, and the community strengthens YEA!,” said Gayle Jagel, Founder and CEO of YEA!. “Our program managers and instructors seek out people in every facet of the business community to help our students’ dreams become reality.”

YEA! runs during the academic year from November to May, with classes meeting every Thursday from 5-8 p.m. in the College of Business at LA Tech. The program is currently accepting applications for next year’s YEA! Class of 2016-17.

YEA! is made possible by our

great community Sponsorships. Thank you! Local Championship Sponsor - Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Scholarship Sponsors - Bank of Ruston, Grambling Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., & Rocketfast Car Wash Other Supporters - Louisiana Center for the Blind, State Senator Mike Walsworth, and Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home

Lincoln Builders was honored in February as Ruston’s Employer of the Month. Lincoln Builders employs more than 50 people and has an ap-proximate $60 million economic impact in the community.

Ruston’s Employer of the Month

Thanks to The Visual Difference, LLC staff for being great hosts for the February Business After Hours. If you weren’t there, stop by and ask Dr. Jennifer Floyd about the new Pelleve RF Wrinkle Reduction treatment or help for Macular Degeneration.

303 North Trenton St.(318) 202-5845

Visual Difference hosts February Business After Hours

Photo album on Facebook.com/RustonChamber

Holly Hunter of 2 Crazy Girls speaking on E-Commerce – Online Shopping

4 CHAMBER CONNECTION

The Chamber Connection (023/623) is published monthly for $12 a year by the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, 2111 North Trenton St., Ruston, LA 71270. Application to mail at Periodicals postage rates paid at Ruston, LA and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Chamber Connection, 2111 North Trenton St., Ruston, LA 71270-4420. All contents copyright and may not be reproduced without permission of the publisher.

Printed 2016 by Ruston Newspapers, Inc.

New Members

Training that makes Sense!318/254-7993www.traininglogic.net

tevans@traininglogic.net

Exceeds all customers Expections Every time•

• Strategic Planning • Safety • Sales• Team Building • Customer Service

contact us today.Philip J. Caronia337.344.7663pcaronia@tsys.com www.tsysmerchantsolutions.com

Endorsed Provider for Electronic Payments.

Grow Your Business with the Ruston Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

•

Providence Real Estate, LLC • 301 East Alabama, Ste. B • Ruston • (318) 202-5939 www.providencerentals.org

Trenton Street Realty, LLC 114 South Trenton St.

Ruston(318) 497-0859

www.trentonstreetrealty.com

McCarter Financial Group, LLC

S. Greg McCarter, LUTCF

Most people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.Psalm 1:3

2028 E. Kentucky Ave.Ruston, LA 71270

318-255-1444FAX 318.255.1480

gmccarter@suddenlinkmail.commccarterfi nancialgroup.com

.

Leadership Lincoln XXIX – Industry Day

Monster Moto

Franke Consumer Products

Frosty Factory

Leadership Lincoln’s February focus is on Industry. Some may wonder if there’s even enough industry in Lincoln Parish to devote an entire day to it. Did you know that right here in Lincoln Parish we make from 300,000 to 1 million sinks each year? Or that we manufacture

and ship daiquiri machines to almost every country in the world on six of the seven continents! (Antarctica really has no need for daiquiri machines.)

Class XXIX started the day off at the Daily Leader where the presses have been running for more than 120

years. They then went to the Monster Moto site where Joe Osborne, the Dealer Sales Manager lead the tour. The 100,000 square foot facility is expected to open in the spring of 2016 and begin some manufacturing by June 2016. Monster Moto’s headquarters is being relocated to Ruston from Dallas, Texas. In 2014 they sold 20,000 units. The group also toured WPI South, our metal fabricator.

Lead by the company president, Heath Williams, the class toured

each station of Frosty Factory seeing the process by which each machine is built. The class broke for lunch and ate a delicious Newk’s meal sponsored by Business Technology Group (BTG) at RPAR’s softball field while discussing their class project.

Later, after learning all about sink making, they sat down with Zach Daniel,

Franke Consumer Products’ HR Manager. Zach briefly explained the inventory and quality control charts that covered the walls of the board room. Headquartered in Switzerland, the Franke Group employs around 9’000 people at 72 subsidiaries on

4 continents, and exports to over 100 countries. Our own Ruston division is the training ground for them all!

If you would like information on applying for Leadership Lincoln XXX please visit our website,

RustonLincoln.org or call Judy Copeland at 255-2031.

CHAMBER CONNECTION 5

2 5 5 – 1 1 1 1R U S T O N L I N C O L N

C R I M ES T O P P E R S

Rewards up to $2,000•

www.theuncommonbank.comMember FDIC

* APY = Annual Percentage Yield. La Cap Checking (Share draft) Accounts are variable rate accounts. La Cap may change the dividend rate for your account as determined by the credit union Board of Directors. Dividends are posted and compounded monthly. No minimum balance required to maintain the account. Applicable fees and conditions could reduce the earnings on your account. Quali�cation to earn dividends: - 25 or more posted non-ATM debit card transactions per month: - 4.25% APY on balances up to but not exceeding $5,000 - .15% APY on balances exceeding $5,000. If quali�cation stated is not met: - .15% APY on entire balance. Must meet criteria for opening a checking account.

Federally Insured by NCUA800.522.2748 / lacapfcu.org

Earn 4.25DIVIDEND ON UP TO $5,000 EACH MONTH

ALL ACCESS ADVANTAGE CHECKING

MJD0714

• Business IT Support• Ruston Owned & Operated• Technical Support Plans• Ruston Fiber Internet• APP/SQL/Web Development• Cloud Services• IT Consulting & Outsourcing

318.251.8993

visit us online www.btgsupport.net •

Ambassador Spotlight

2000 Farmerville Hwy. Ruston, LA 71270 www.genesisenergy.com•

Dicky NealyBroker

2406 Kavanaugh RoadRuston, LA 71270dicky.lri@gmail.com

Office: (318) 255-7480Mobile: (318) 243-6253

Fax: (318) 254-8077

Timothy EverettAssistant Banking Center ManagerUniversity Banking Center (Cooktown Rd.)Phone: (318) 232-6103teverett@originbank online.com

What sparked your interest in working in your field?

During college I worked a handful of retail positions and always enjoyed getting to interact with people. Origin had been my bank for years, and I always had a good rapport with the personal bankers when I would go in to do my deposits. They seemed like they had a lot of fun there, and I wanted to be a part of that.

What has been the highlight of your work?Mark Twain put it well when he said, “The

secret of success is making your vocation a vacation.” I have always been a firm believer in setting personal goals and I enjoy helping people. At Origin Bank, I have the

opportunity to do both every single day. It is a great feeling to accomplish something

you have set out to do, and when that accomplishment also positively impacts people in our community, you really have something special.

How has membership in

the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce been of value to you and your professional development?

Being a recent graduate of Leadership Lincoln and becoming an ambassador has already helped me grow as a person. Through our various meetings and group activities last year, I had a lot

of chances to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone. My confidence has grown, I made new friends, and know a lot more about our community.

Community InvolvementUnited Way Reading Program (2 years)Peach Festival Volunteer (5 years)Countless Volunteer Activities with

Origin Bank (5years)Leadership Lincoln 2014-2015

On February 1 the Chamber brought together nine Lincoln Parish officials for a “state of the union” type event to talk about “where we stand as a community.” About 100 Lincoln Parish residents gathered for this community update.

Reflecting on the positive response and interest from citizens when we organized the political forum and mayoral debate in 2014, the Chamber board knew we needed an ongoing event that collectively informs our members and all residents of our parish about what’s going on and what’s in the plans. Judy Copeland, Chamber President said “This type

of informational event is a piece of a dream that’s coming true. When we are united, there is nothing we can’t do. Supporting one another comes from knowing one another’s needs and plans and this is a great beginning.”

For an hour and forty five minutes, attendees listened as each speaker gave a brief update on current events and plans for 2016. Afterwards as they enjoyed hors d’oeuvres from Aramark @ GSU, they had a chance to meet and chat one-

on-one with the officials.“Lincoln Parish United was another

of a long line of things that the Ruston Lincoln region is doing right. It has already led to a proactive coalition of local businesses and nonprofits,” shared Chamber Chairman, Patrick Blanchard. “We should expect more good things to come from this and other Chamber of Commerce programs!”

Speakers included LP Police Jury Administrator, Courtney Hall; Sheriff Mike Stone; Dr. Les Guice, LA Tech; Dr. Willie Larkin, GSU; Doug Postel, LA

Delta Community College; Superintendent Mike Milstead, LP Schools; Vienna Mayor, Walter Carpenter; Choudrant Mayor, Bill Sanderson; Grambling Mayor, Edward Jones; and Ruston Mayor, Ronny Walker.

Lincoln Parish United

Tuesday, March 155-7 p.m.

“The students, staff and parents of

Montessori School of Ruston are so excited to be the March Host for Chamber Business After Hours. Please join us Tuesday, March 15th to enjoy delicious snacks as you tour our amazing school and get an inside look at the Montessori Philosophy of Education. We’re looking forward to you coming! “

~ Renée Hunt, Director

Business After Hours is a well-attended, “end-of-the-workday” networking event designed to help participants make new business contacts, develop potential new customers, and build exposure for their businesses.

Business After Hours to be hosted

by Montessori School of Ruston

Hunt, Guillot & AssociatesRuston, Louisiana•

6 CHAMBER CONNECTION

®

Ruthie EvansGeneral Manager IIRuston/Bastrop/Jonesboro

1001 Cooktown RdRuston, LA 71270

F 318.251.2711E ruthie.evans@suddenlink.com

Find Where You Fit!

FINANCIAL SPONSORSHIP

Schools of Academic Excellence Initiatives

Student and Teacher of the Year

Adopt-A-School

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIESLeadership And Achievement Initiatives

Student Internships

Job Shadowing

Contact Cathi Cox-Boniol, Lincoln ACHIEVE Coordinatorccox@lincolnschools.org, 318-255-1430

Lincoln ACHIEVE . . . building partnerships to benefi t education, enhance the business environment, and contribute to

a quality life in Lincoln Parish.

originbankonline.com 318-255-2222

•

•

After losing a friend to inflammatory breast cancer Vicki Caskey could not seem to stop thinking about the dignity with which her friend lived in her final days and how she never allowed cancer to take her pride away. Caskey began to brainstorm ways she could help others in some way, in the fight against cancer.

The idea that repeatedly came to mind was to help cancer patients purchase wigs. “Though having something like a head of hair may not see like a necessity to some,” said Caskey, “ We now understand, to cancer patients, it has so much to do on the emotional end of fighting cancer.” This was the genesis for the non-profit Wiggin’Out.

She floated her idea around to co-workers, family and friends for a while, but it wasn’t until she met Elizabeth Turnley of Northern Louisiana Medical Center that the Wiggin’Out idea would become a reality. While Caskey believes the Wiggin’Out organization was meant to be; she firmly believes without Elizabeth Turnley it would not have happened. Elizabeth is the reason the ball started rolling. Also instrumental in the success of Wiggin’ Out is Tiffani Byram, who ensures her magazine The Minute Magazine publishes an annual issue dedicated to getting the word out about the non-profit’s general cause as well as its annual fundraiser.

Byram praised the pairing between The Minute Magazine and Wiggin’ Out, saying, “There was never any doubt that we wanted to support Wiggin Out in a big way. From the very beginning, the idea of an issue and event were paired together because we knew that it would help create a larger impact in our community. The Wiggin Out issue gave our readers an opportunity to get to know each of our champions in a very real and honest way before the event. That connection helped solidify what Wiggin’ Out is all about by putting a face and a story to our efforts. It also allowed us to introduce many more individuals than we could feature at the event alone and to spotlight some of the amazing organizations that have partnered with Wiggin Out to provide help and support to cancer patients throughout North Louisiana.”

Together a board of directors was formed with representatives from Louisiana Tech University, Northerrn Louisiana Medical Center and The Minute Magazine and in October of 2011 the first Wiggin’Out event was held at Squire Creek Country Club. Five such events have been held since that first year along with several other businesses joining and hosting fundraisers throughout the year benefitting Wiggin’Out. Elizabeth Turnley says of these fundraising efforts, “Wiggin Out would not be where it is today without the support of the community and the individuals who make up

the board of directors. As we start preparation for our 6th Annual Gala, it amazes us that we are in our 6th year of meeting the needs of those who are currently undergoing chemo therapy and in need of assistance. “ She also wants to say to everyone, “Thank you again for your support and generosity these past six years. We look forward to another 6!”

Though helping patients in affording potentially expensive wigs and headwear (prices

ranging from $200 and higher) is their primary purpose, they also help in purchasing other important items such as lymphatic garments and prosthetic bras. Wiggin’ Out supports women, men and

children. All donations to Wiggin’ Out stay in North Louisiana.

“I am humbled year after year by our community support. I stand in awe at the number of people who so willingly come together for the greater good. Together we are making a difference in the lives of those fighting cancer,” says Caskey. She views Wiggin’ Out as her “heart’s passion” and hopes that the love and joy she and the board feel by serving this organization is felt by cancer patients and allies to Wiggin’ Out alike.

Attempting to live day to day with pride is an important aspect of living with cancer. So is realizing that it is fine and even necessary to let one’s guard down and accept support. The Wiggin’Out Board of Directors, including Vicki Caskey (The Minute Magazine), Tami Davis (Northern La. Medical Center), Mrs. Jennifer Holtz, Marisol O’Neal (Origin Bank), DeShae Pardon (Ruston Daily Leader), Elizabeth Turnley (Northern LA Medical Center) and Patrick Walsh (LA Tech), serve on a volunteer basis. They truly want others to know that there is empathy and support in the world, specific to this particular plight. This is the essence of Wiggin’Out.

For more information about Wiggin’ Out, to apply for assistance or to make a donation please visit www.wigginout.org.

Helping those fighting cancer in North Louisiana

Downtown Campus

309 Jackson Street Monroe, La

(318) 966-4000

North Campus

3421 Medical Park Drive Monroe, La

(318) 966-4000

Community Health Center

2600 Tower Drive Monroe, La

(318) 966-6200

stfran.com•

Business Spotlight

CHAMBER CONNECTION 7

www.ensureagency.com•

Tech SupportBy Martha Hartwell, Hi-Tech Computers of Ruston

•

I’m afraid of frogs--and not just a squeamish turn-your-stomach type of deal. No, mine is a completely paralyzing phobia. I can’t explain it and don’t even really like to think about it. But for some inexplicable reason, this is the reality I live in. Thinking that something significant must have happened early in my life, people have suggested hypnosis in order to get to the bottom of my issues. However, I figure if it was that traumatic I’m really not interested in re-visiting it. It’s just easier to duck and run. Yet there’s one thing I can’t duck nor run from; I might not be here had it not been for frogs.

You see, my daddy paid for me with frogs. More accurately, when I was born in 1959 he paid for my delivery with money he made from selling frogs. As an elementary school student, he had a little business where he would catch frogs and then sell them to area restaurants that served frog legs. Along the way he learned about supply and demand, how to manage resources, the craft of marketing his product, the essentials of customer service, and the critical piece about work ethic. He was incredibly successful, bringing in fifty cents per pair of frogs. And thanks to his keen skill at managing money, profits from this little business were on hand to make a nice return years later. He paid for me with $100 cash—400 frogs worth of profit from his business.

Despite the fact that this is all about something that terrifies me, I find this story both compelling and inspiring. I love the spirit of fearlessness that permeates daddy’s story. As a child of the Great Depression, this was a young boy who was fully committed to doing what was necessary to improve his quality of life. And he did it on his own terms. He found something he liked to do and was good at, he developed a plan, he put the effort into it, and he saw it through. Then in the long run, he was able to positively affect his own life through the fruits of his labor. In fact, he continued to benefit from it even after I was born. So basically, our family was founded on the solid investment he made through his

own will and determination. He planted that seed at a young age and its cultivation continues to reap results almost three-quarters of a century later.

I was reminded of this when I attended the recent CEO Round Table event within our Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!). Observing the passion of the young people involved and seeing them taking the steps necessary to invest in their own interests through uniquely

fueled determination was nothing short of inspirational. I especially love how they are meeting the challenges of starting their businesses

head-on while avoiding the tendency to duck obstacles and run from hard work. They are intuitive and open to the suggestions and expertise from those who have already traversed a successful business path. Yet they are doing it on their own terms. Each has found something they like and are good at; they’ve developed a plan

that supports their passion, attended courses, put the

necessary effort into it, and are determined to see it through.

Just like in daddy’s story, they are young. However, they are utilizing skills and developing characteristics that can positively impact the remainder of their lives. They are both fearless and focused, and it is a joy to be even a small part of helping them along their journey. As community stakeholders, we don’t need to be afraid of playing a significant role in the development of young dreams. In fact, is there a better place to start? Such an investment can only enhance the possibilities for our collective future while creating an even better reality for us all.

A Pause at the Podium

Cathi Cox-Boniol

By Cathi Cox-Boniol, Coordinator, Lincoln ACHIEVE

Fearlessly focused on the future

We often want to get the latest and greatest technology as soon as is comes out, but sometimes it’s better to wait. Find out what you could gain from Windows 10 as well as things to consider before upgrading.

Microsoft released Windows 10 in July 2015, and until July of 2016 anyone who is running Windows 7 or 8.1 can upgrade for free. Home users that have previously updated their systems through Windows Update have received a range of persistent pop-ups encouraging them to upgrade. However, business systems have so far been excluded from this advertising - until now.

Business systems that use regular Windows Update for their updates will start receiving the upgrade offer in the US later this month, and worldwide thereafter. The upgrade notifications have annoyed many home users who do not want to upgrade.

They will surely be even more annoying to business users. In light of this, Microsoft is finally offering a way to control the upgrade offer. Administrators can block upgrading through Windows Update and suppress the taskbar advertisement. In addition to this, Microsoft is also offering a good way to reject the

upgrade and make the notifications about it go away all together.

Some main features that you could gain from the Windows 10 upgrade are:

Cortana - the virtual assistant first introduced on Window Phones 8.1 is making the jump to PC.

Edge - Say goodbye to Internet Explorer and say hello to

Microsoft’s Edge, a brand-new browser built from the ground up for speed, slickness, and surfing the modern web.

Virtual Desktops - Known as “the poor man’s multi-monitor,” this setup allows you to go back and forth between open apps or multiple virtual “desktops.”

Something to consider before

upgrading to Windows 10 is the compatibility of your business applications. Often times it is better to wait a while before upgrading rather than right after a new Windows upgrade is released. This is because the applications that are crucial to your business have to release an upgrade after the Windows upgrade and, more often than not, it is not immediately after the Windows upgrade is released. If the application version you are running is not compatible with the latest Windows upgrade then you will have some problems – your application could run slow, close unexpectedly, or not save your work even if you told it to.

If you are getting or if you start getting notifications about upgrading to Windows 10 and you have any questions, call HiTech Computers at 318.599.1800. We can check on the compatibility of your business applications and let you know whether or not you should upgrade. If you choose not to upgrade, we can surpress the advertisments and notifications to upgrade to Windows 10.

Considering an upgrade?

8 CHAMBER CONNECTION

•

• 3 Meeting Rooms• Free Breakfast Bar• Fre WiFi Internet

Holiday Inn Express & Suites®

Ruston1825 Roberta AveRuston, LA 71270

318-513-9777holidayInnexpress.com/

Touring Lincoln Parish

Member Anniversaries

By Tori Ward, CVB Marketing/PR Assistant

Store your stuff at

Conveniently located near Tech CampusServing Ruston over 30 years!

821 W. California • (318) 255-8750

The History and Happenings of the Dixie

Tori Ward

Ground Breaking & Ribbon Cutting

The Dixie Center for the Arts has several exciting events happening this spring! To kick things off, there will be an incredible musical performance on March 18 by the Dukes of Dixieland, a unique jazz band from New Orleans. Next on the calendar is the always-popular Joe Woods’ Wildwood Express Show on April 9. This variety show is typically a sell-out event, so get tickets early to secure your seat. You also don’t want to miss the entertaining and interactive mystery play “Monday Always Leads to Murder” performed by the Ruston Community Theatre on April 21-24.

While people come from all over the state and surrounding areas to see the wonderful shows hosted at the Dixie, very few people know the extensive history behind this theater and how it became to be a central hub for the arts in North Louisiana.

Serving the community for nearly 90 years, the Dixie Center for the Arts has become a Ruston landmark. You can’t pass through Downtown Ruston without noticing its brightly lit marquee adorned with the famous flashing star on top.

This historic theater was built in 1928 and was originally named the Astor Theater. At that time, the theater played silent films and held various concert performances. In 1932, the theater experienced a name change, as well as the addition of the gorgeous chandelier inside the theater.

It was given its current name, the Dixie, after a sale to the Dixie Theater Corporation of New Orleans in the 1950s. After closing for a brief period, the renovated Dixie opened again in

1956 with two big improvements: air conditioning and the famous flashing marquee.

What most people don’t know is that in its history, the theater was sold five times and survived a devastating fire in 1933. Although it has seen several changes, the legacy of the Dixie continues in Ruston.

Since the Dixie Center for the Arts held their first meeting in 1996, the theater has experienced a great deal of restoration and growth. In the past 10 years, full seasons of events, parties and

concerts have reinstated the Dixie as the Home of the Arts in North Central Louisiana.

At any given time of the year you can visit the Dixie and catch a play or musical performed by the Ruston Community Theatre, various musical performances from all across the country, comedians, local recitals, and other exciting displays of performance art. The North Central Louisiana Arts Council also calls the Dixie home and supports visual arts by displaying artwork by local artists in the lobby.

This Dixie Theatre is also available for rent by organizations or individuals. This rustic theater is the perfect place to host any type of performance,

concert or party. Additionally, you can rent the brightly lit marquee outside the Dixie Theatre if you need to share a special message. Fun fact: the marquee has been part of a marriage proposal or two.

The Dixie has truly contributed so much to the arts in North Louisiana and the Ruston community, and we couldn’t imagine our town without its presence. Next time you’re in Downtown Ruston and have some free time on your hands, stop by the Dixie to see the historic theater and check out their calendar for some great performances.

75+ Years

First National Bank

25+ Years

Mason Forest Products, Inc.

15+ Years

County Market

Hood Companies

McDonald’s

Ruston Nursing & Rehab Center

10+ Years

Papa John’s Pizza

5+ Years

Aramark @ GSU

Eskamoe’s Frozen Custard

Ruston Community Theater

1+ Year

Brister’s BBQ Smokehouse

Cissy’s Flooring And More

Heritage Realty Group, LLC

Louisiana Tech University

Theatre

PowerHouse Tumble and Cheer

RE/MAX Results Realty

Sue Paperie

Weyerhaeuser Real Estate

Development Co.

Wiggin Out

St. Francis Medical Center, opening in the fall of 2016 will be located on Celebrity Drive behind Walmart. This facility will include the following services: lab, imaging, primary care, pediatrics, and urgent care.

stfran.com

St. Francis

Medical Center

Vintage & Vogue

Vintage & Vogue is one of Ruston’s newest downtown

shops, blending old fashioned sophistication with modern gifts and

accessories.

103 North Trenton St., RustonMon-Sat, 10:30-5:30p.m.

vintageandvogueruston.com