Discover Lafayette

Holly and Eli Cure, owners of Antoni’s Italian Café, join Discover Lafayette as part of Eat Lafayette’s yearlong celebration of locally owned restaurants. They share their captivating journey that had them working as employees of other restauranters before becoming dedicated proprietors of their own establishment. Holly is a Lafayette native who always enjoyed the dynamics of the restaurant environment, having worked at Posado’s and Blue Dog Cafe before working at Antoni’s. Eli grew up in Covington where he first worked at B. J.’s Pizza at 14 years of age, starting out as a dishwasher and moving up to pizza making. He moved around the country, settling in Lafayette in 1993, building his hospitality career while gaining invaluable experience working at such restaurants as Canton City Inn, Chinese Buffet, Charley G’s, Prejeans, Don’s Seafood, Coyote Blues, and Chili’s. The couple met while working together at Blue Dog Cafe, where Eli was the manager and Holly worked as a hostess. The relationships they built while working at Blue Dog have remained strong, and friends from that time include Andrew Payne of Pamplona, and Danielle Fava, one of Antoni’s managers. Antoni’s opened in 1996 and has been locally owned and operated since inception, celebrating its 28th year in business this month. Holly and Eli worked at Antoni’s before taking over the reins from its original owners, Bruce and Lynda Cart, on August 5, 2013. The Carts trusted Holly and Eli’s knowledge of their business, its mission, and the dining preferences of Antoni’s existing clientele. They generously facilitated the purchase of the restaurant with a ten-year owner-financing plan that the Carts paid off early. Even though the restaurant had been around for years, the Cures had to start the permitting process anew in order to keep the doors open. And the inevitable repairs needed to be done. With Eli’s adeptness with carpentry and finishing work, the couple worked on Sundays to clean up and make the needed enhancements for their official opening. Holly says, “Each ceiling tile was taken down individually and we cleaned each and every one ourselves.” “Opening a restaurant is a step by step process, where one thing can’t happen before the other. First you set up your LLC, then you get the operating, Fire, Health, Alcohol permits. Each stage has different requirements. You have to ensure that all is working: ‘Are all the exit sign batteries operational?’ The Board of Health will inspect and require a level of cleanliness as if the restaurant kitchen had never been used before. Antoni’s was 17 years old when we purchased it, but it was if it was a new endeavor as we worked to get the permits.” Lynda Cart handed over all her original recipes to the Cures and long-time staple dishes such as the basil chicken salad and house-made pizzas have remained crowd favorites. Eli is the culinary expert in this family-owned endeavor and has created new recipes over the years and added twists to the traditional Antoni’s fare. Holly shared that one of her favorite foods on the menu is the plain cheese pizza, which is based upon the original dough recipe from Lynda Cart, their house-made Marinara sauce, and the part-skim Buffalo milk mozzarella which is a staple at Antoni’s. Cheese in the shakers is five-month aged sheep’s milk Romano. With their loving, hands-on management and innovative twists to the original menu, Antoni’s is a popular destination for lovers of Italian food.  From classic pizzas and calzones to exquisite offerings like Quail, Salmon, Shrimp, and Filet Mignon, there is truly something for everyone. Holly and Eli both spoke of a surge in the restaurant’s popularity, and attributed it to their dedicated staff, many of whom have worked at Antoni’s for several years. In the aftermath of COVID’s effects on the industry and changing expectation of workers, Holly and Eli have also endeavored to raise pay and be more flexible while upholding high standards of service. While it can still be difficult to recruit and retain in the hospitality business, Holly and Eli work to keep the staff’s mood light and happy by sharing laughter. Holly and Eli Cure are a united front in their quest to provide great service and delicious Italian food at Antoni’s. They are hands-on owners, and Holly says, “There is no rest for your mind. You don’t leave work and not think about it. There is always something that could have been done. Each day is an adventure.” Luckily, Holly can rely on Eli for any repairs that need to be done: “He is the MacGyver at Antoni’s. He can fix anything.” https://youtu.be/qIXCjDeSlgM The Cures recently opened a brand-new waiting and lounge area, called the ‘Blu Room,’ open on weekend evenings from 5 to 9 p.m., and offering live classical and jazz music. The Blu Room has its own bar and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis with no reservations being needed. For the 2024 kickoff of Eat Lafayette, Antoni’s offered its famous house-made meatballs. As part of Antoni’s celebration and participation in Eat Lafayette, any customer who mentions Eat Lafayette now through Sept. 8, 2024 can receive a free order of Garlic Focaccia with melted cheese. We’d like to congratulate Holly and Eli Cure, as well as their whole team, for winning the 2024 Culinary Excellence Award bestowed by Foodies of Lafayette. Antoni’s exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding restaurant known for its service, great food, and warm ambiance! Antoni’s is located at 1118 Coolidge Blvd., Suite A, Lafayette LA 70503. It is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday 5 p.m to 9 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.antonisitaliancafe.com/

Ken Simeral, a prominent figure in the real estate community in Acadiana, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his thoughts on investing in real estate when the numbers work in your favor, the importance of offering high-quality, targeted service to his clients, and his lifetime involvement in bettering our community. Ken is President-Elect of the REALTOR® Association of Acadiana (RAA). A devoted family man, he has been married to his wife, Deborah, since 1977 and they are the parents of two sons, Kyle and Jeffrey. Ken brings a seasoned voice to the industry: when he joined the former Lafayette Association of Realtors, there were 320 realtors; today there are more than 1850 members of the Realtor Association of Acadiana. Ken is owner of Magnolia Real Estate & Construction. He and his son, Kyle, operate Scott Quick Lube and Thermal Insulation Contractors. Ken, his wife, Deborah, and his sons own Simeral Properties, a company with multiple real estate holdings. And Ken enjoys the outdoors; he keeps horses and cattle on his 40-acre farm in Arnaudville where he and Deborah reside, and if you drop in, you may see him navigating his backhoe on the property. Pictured is La Maison Chatrian, a bed and breakfast home that Ken and Deborah Simeral offer to travelers visiting lovely Grand Coteau. Built circa 1835, the home sleeps 12 and is one of the oldest homes in Grand Coteau. Ken and Deborah spent seven years restoring the home. Restoration of historic properties is a passion of Ken’s. Ken took his first real estate class in 1972, at a time when interest rates were 18%. By the early 80s, they had lowered a bit to 12%. With his decades of experience in residential and commercial real estate, Ken has witnessed firsthand the cyclical nature of real estate and interest rates, and he counsels homebuyers not to let the current interest rates be a controlling factor in their decision to buy. A 1969 high school graduate, Ken started college that fall. Unfortunately, his timing put him in the first draft lottery to determine military service since WWII in 1942. When he pulled #64 (based upon his birthday), he decided to enlist in the Air National Guard, and thereafter spent some time in Korea during the Vietnam War. Ken never returned to college studies, but began his lifelong journey of work, where he learned from others, benefitted from his own hard work, and the art of making smart investments. Always good with numbers, Ken bought his first home in 1972 on Garfield St. in Lafayette while in his early 20s. While managing an 18-unit apartment complex in Lafayette, he bought his second property in the McComb Veazey neighborhood, and then used equity from the first two homes to roll financing into three rentals. He soon married Deborah and started working with the Grand Paper Company, a national outfit where he was hired to be only the third salesman in the territory after 150 years in business. When he was offered a national rep position with the company, he realized he didn’t want to be on the road each and every week; he wanted to be home with his family. Ken Simeral says, looking back on his rich life, “I was taught by older mentors. Everything I know I’ve learned from other people I could trust. The WWII generational ethics, how to do things right. Randolph Trappey was a mentor to me and I watched him build great houses. I just followed what he and others did.” Ken ended up teaching the Realtor Code of Ethics (“Code of Conduct”), and served as the Chair of Professional Standards for Realtors. Ken looks back at this early period of his life with gratitude about what he learned from others. He also has advice for young homebuyers who are looking from guidance from seasoned real estate owners such as himself. “It has to be a good investment before you worry about pretty colors on the wall. Before buying, determine whether the cost of the house purchase plus the cost of repairs equals the value of the home when it is all said and done. Anything I’ve ever done, I have calculated what the value is when finished. Get an independent inspection done.” Ken also shared that in the ‘old days,’ a realtor marketing package would include an independent inspector report that pointed out flaws and repairs a house may need. Sellers would pay for needed repairs as well as the cost of the first year home warranty for things that went awry; but in those days, homes were sold with a warranty, unlike today, when “As Is” is always the norm. Never rely upon a seller’s inspection, Ken advises: “Always get your own inspection done.” First time homebuyers used to stay in their home an average of seven years. After kids were born and life changed, an upgraded, enlarged home would be pursued. Today, people stay in their homes for less time. Yet, while today’s conditions seem to be evolving, many things never change, according to Ken Simeral. Ken Simeral says, “Interest rates are cyclical yet human behavior is predictable. Know what you can afford. Shop the banks and get quotes on the cost of a loan. It’s important to get pre-qualified. Don’t buy more than you can afford, which many people do. It is also critical to have a good banker on your team. They need vision to help you get what you need. The trust has to come from both sides and it can take years to build. And lastly, real estate is local. You need a good, local real estate agent that understands our market. They need to ask, ‘Where do you work? What school do you want your children to attend? What is important to you?” Ken has worked in the Lafayette area exclusively, except for a brief foray to Columbia, South Carolina from 1985 to 1990 when the market crashed locally due to the oil bust. His focus is on the commercial real estate sector. Ken shared that the real estate brokerage business has changed dramatically in Lafayette and around the U. S. There are very few of the old time brokerage companies such as the former “Van Eaton & Romero” in Lafayette. He said that, “Van Eaton was a full-service brokerage firm, as was the former Coldwell Banker, who brought in agents to train them and do everything that they needed to be prepared to represent their clients adequately. The commission split between broker and agent was calculated on the level of service the brokerage firm provided its agents.” Today, very few of our local real estate brokerage firms have any direct ownership connection to our community. Yet Ken says, “Real estate is local. There are many really good real estate agents here, locally. Your agent needs to know your preferences for school districts, convenience in your every day life, what you want in your home, what you can afford. They need to be attuned to local issues to offer you the best advice.” Ken Simeral’s service in the real estate professional industry has not gone unnoticed. He was awarded the Lloyd G. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award in December 2015. He is also especially proud of earning the National Association of Realtors’ Emeritus Award which recognizes members who have forty years of membership and who have completed at least one year of service at the national association level.  Late last fall, a federal law suit filed in Missouri was settled (“Burnett et al v. National Association of Realtors et al”), challenged the NAR’s rule requiring sellers to pay commissions for both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. Plaintiffs argued that this practice artificially maintained high commission rates, harming sellers financially. While this wasn’t the practice in every state, including Louisiana, the settlement has caused an upheavel in how buyer brokerage agreements are handled. So now, buyer agency agreements must be negotiated between a realtor and the buyer(s). Ken explained that the outcome has solidified that licensed real estate agents must now use a buyer agency agreement that sets forth the real estate commission rate which has been negotiated between the homebuyer and his agent, before being shown homes. Details are still being worked out locally. As for the arts, Ken and his wife, Deborah, are huge supporters. He loves the Acadiana Center for the Arts with “its bar, cushy seats, and the variety of musicians he has heard over the years, especially Louisiana Crossroads. He is also an active supporter of the Nunu Arts and Culture Collective (“NUNU”), which features not only local and national performers, but offers a place for artists to show and sell their wares. We thank Ken Simeral for his service to our community and for sharing his experiences. Besides his real estate involvement, he has been actively involved with economic development in St. Landry Parish. To contact Ken, please reach out to him via email at ksimeral84@gmail.com.

With June being National Homeowner Month, it seems like a good time to welcome a seasoned Mortgage Loan Officer to Discover Lafayette. Home Bank’s Sandy Cormier, NMLS# 493798, Member FDIC/Equal Housing Lender, joins us to discuss the types of loans available to consumers who are looking to build or buy their dream home, as well as what you need to do to qualify for a loan. Sandy has been with Home Bank for 25 years and with that time comes a depth of experience that is hard to beat. Whether its helping first-time homebuyers, people seeking construction loans, or individuals wanting to upsize/downsize their current home, Sandy along with her peers in the Home Bank Mortgage Lending Department are available to assist in providing your best option. Sandy Cormier, Mortage Loan Officer with Home Bank, loves what she does. “You get to help people with the biggest purchase of their lives. And, she says “It is better to buy than rent. Your home is an asset and the current interest rates shouldn’t be a deterrent. If you are renting and have to pay the first and last month’s rent plus the deposit, you’ve probably gotten together your 3% needed for a downpayment on owning your home. Having a mortgage is one of the best ways to build your credit.” When you begin shopping for a home, it is advantageous to get guidance from an experienced mortgage lending professional, such as Sandy, to determine what you can afford and what you will be ultimately be qualified to borrow. People frequently get two things confused: “prequalified” vs. “preapproved” for a loan. When you prequalify, the mortgage lender does a basic credit check to see where you stand on the ability to repay a mortgage. You get an idea of where your credit score ranks, but this does not certify to third parties that you are actually ready to get approved for a mortgage loan. When you get pre-approved, a more extensive background check occurs that unveils your true ability to repay a mortgage loan. A letter can be issued to show realtors and sellers that you are ready to purchase, and the letter is good for six months. The lender will first pull your credit scores from the trifecta of credit reporting companies (Transunion, Equifax, and Experian) to obtain your average credit score based upon the information the three companies provide. These credit agencies pick up on any recent delinquencies (within the past 24 months) you may have experienced in paying your bills. Note that older delinquencies don’t affect your credit score in the same way that recent ones in the past two years do. Also interestingly, the credit agencies don’t report on utility payments, and more recently, don’t report on deliquencies in medical bill payments. The lender also obtains your W-2’s for the past two years, conducts asset verifications (your bank statements and reserve savings). If you are thinking about opening your own business after being an employee of a company, note that the lender will verify what you earned the past two years while being self-employed, so opening your own company may delay your ability to be pre-approved or pre-qualified for a mortgage loan. When you are looking to qualify for a home mortgage loan, lenders look at three major categories of information: First, lenders work up your “debt to income analysis” by looking at your gross monthly income (before taxes) and your current debt commitments (car loans, revolving credit, etc.) so that you can come up with a projected mortgage payment that will cover the cost of owning a home in your price range. Sandy says that 43% debt to income ratio is what you want to achieve, i.e., when you total up your current debt, and include your projected mortgage payment, your debt should be just 43% of your gross income. If you have a high credit score, this percentage may be adjusted a bit, but it is a good frame of reference. Sandy also recommends that if you know you are looking to be approved for a home mortgage loan, it is not a good idea to go out and buy a car or get into other debt that weighs you down. If you own a car and have less than 10 payments left on your loan, this information is not filtered into your ability to repay a loan. But if you go out and buy a new car, you have drastically increased your debt to income ratio. It is also not a good idea to go out and open up several new revolving credit accounts such as at TJ Maxx (and all other retailers), furniture stores, or other credit cards. Second, lenders pull your credit scores from the three major credit reporting agencies. You will need a minimum score of 620 to qualify for most loans, and the lower the score, the higher your interest rate may be. The earlier you talk to a lender on this issue, the better. You and your spouse/partner may need to improve your credit score to be approved for a mortgage loan and your lender can assist with tactics to make this happen. Note that many consumers get their credit score from Discover, but Sandy says that this is not the same as what the three major credit reporting agencies may reflect on your credit history. Also note: too many credit inquires may adversely affect your credit score. If you go out and apply for several credit cards at various retailers, this damages your score each time you apply. It is best, according to Sandy, to have one major credit card for use at all retailers. Sandy did note one exception: if you are shopping for a car, you can look at several dealers and their credit inquiries are collectively contained within a period of time as “one,” thereby not adversely affecting your credit history. Third, lenders want to see what ‘reserves’ you have. Do you have savings? A 401K or IRA account? You don’t need liquid savings, Sandy says, but you do need to show that you have equity to fall back upon if you hit hard times and have the capacity to make your payments. Most people are nervous when considering the prospect of borrowing money for a home loan. Sandy puts them at ease by first telling them about the various type of mortgage loans available at Home Bank. Types of Mortgage Loans: Conventional Loan: You don’t need 20% down payment to qualify. From Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, a 3% down payment and 620 minimum credit score is needed. Private Mortgage Insurance is paid until you reach 20% home equity on your payments. FHA Loan: Backed by the Federal Housing Administration. 3.5% down and a 580 minimum credit score. But you’re on the hook for mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) until you refinance to a different type of mortgage, move, or pay off your loan. VA Loan : This is only available for for veterans and service members, and there is no down payment required. Minimum credit score varies by lender but is often 620. No ongoing mortgage insurance after closing. These are arguably the best mortgages available. First Time Homebuyer Loans: The City of Lafayette has a First Time Homebuyer Program for middle to low-income buyers. You can get closing costs covered with these programs, and there are grants available for qualified buyers who meet requirements. USDA (Rural Development) Loan: For those on low-to-moderate incomes buying in designated rural areas (which in Lafayette Parish includes the towns of Broussard, Scott, Youngsville, etc.) Zero down payment is required. Credit score requirements vary by lender but often 640. CRA loans: Community Reinvestment Act loans which help persons of low to middle income levels (less than 50% of area median income) purchase homes. 100% financing is afforded to these income-restricted individuals. Construction Loans (1 time closing): Helps reduce closing costs by signing only one set of documents. Upon completion, you may have the option to reduce your interest rate if lower. You know your interest rate going in to construction and can lock in your loan rate at beginning of construction. First time homebuyers have a multitude of grants/second mortgage programs available to help cover closing costs and meeting their downpayment needs. Sandy recommends that young buyers as well as those of all ages who have never owned a home to visit with her to determine available resources. While you may be able to calculate your mortgage note insofar as your principal and interest are concerned for the life of your loan, there are several other costs to factor in when determining what your mortgage payment will ultimately be. Mortgagors (home buyers) will also have to pay into escrow along with their monthly payment costs such as their homeowner and flood insurance, property taxes, and potentially Homeowner Association Dues. Sandy recommends that all applicants shop their home/flood insurance rates prior to being approved so that a true assessment of what their monthly note will be. There are a couple of other obligatory professionals that assist in your home closing experience alongside your mortgage lender. First, an attorney is needed under Louisiana law (and best practices) to conduct a real estate title search and confirm that you are receiving clear title to your home. Appraisers are also required by the bank to confirm that the value of the home equals what you have agreed to pay. Additionally, some people use surveyors (at their discretion) to get a flood elevation certificate to determine how susceptible the home will be to flooding. This information may help you lower your flood insurance premium. Home mortgages may be taken out in periods of repayment over 15, 20 or 30 years. The interest rate for each type of loan is not substantially different in the long run; with a shorter term loan, you are just paying back the principal balance over a lesser period of time thus saving overall interest payments over the course of your loan. Sandy recommends that first-time homebuyers go for 30 year loans; once they confirm there is no prepayment penalty, they can always pay off the principal balance before the final due date and save substantially on interest costs. If you start out with a smaller monthly payment with a 30 year note, you have the flexibility to make larger payments over the course of the loan to reduce your principal balance. Sandy does advise that you tell your lender that the extra payments you are making are to go directly to principal balance reduction. As an example, if your note is $1,000 and you send in $1,500, alert your lender that the extra $500 payment is to go directly to principal balance reduction; otherwise, some of the payment will be attributed to interest payments. What if you don’t have a credit history, i.e., you are young or just have never borrowed money or bought a house? Home Bank offers a Credit Builder Loan, where you can borrow just $500 which you can put into a savings account and repay the note over one year. Credit reporting agencies pick up on this activity and it helps you build your credit score. Sandy also recommends opening up one credit card and pay your balance in full each month. Even if you just charge small amounts, say for gas fillups in your car, your positive payment activity is reported to the three major credit agencies. It is never too soon to start building your credit score, as well as learn ways to improve your score so that you are ready to buy your dream home. Sandy is a mom and wife, and understands the challenges every family faces. We thank Sandy Cormier, NMLS# 493798, Member FDIC/Equal Housing Lender, for joining us to share her insights on building your future. It’s always best to think ahead about big purchases such as your home. For more information on your ability to qualify and get pre-approved on a loan, please visit https://www.home24bank.com/personal/home-loans.

South Louisiana Community College’s (“SoLAcc”) Anne Falgout, Director of Strategic Communications, and Lana Fontenot, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and External Relations and Executive Director of the College’s Foundation, join Discover Lafayette to discuss the latest developments at SoLAcc and its recent rebranding. SoLAcc currently offers more than 50 programs, leading to associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates, to almost 12,000 students annually, at its campuses in Abbeville, Crowley, Franklin, Lafayette, Morgan City, New Iberia, Opelousas, St. Martinville, and Ville Platte. The College also offers a wide range of non-credit instruction and training, for careers that need certification training such as power linemen, industrial scaffolding, and commercial driving, which students can complete in under six months. Following an Academic Blueprint prepared five years in advance, SoLAcc endeavors to build educational programs that fit the needs of each community they serve. Many people in our region don’t have high school diplomas, and SoLAcc steps up to offer Adult Basic Education Services, assisting individuals in passing the High School Equivalency Exam (“HiSET”) which replaced the former GED exam. Students of all ages come to SoLAcc for this program, sometimes after their own children graduate from high school, and are guided by the college counselors to figure out the best way to obtain an appropriate degree while qualifying for grants, loans, and other institutional aid resources to help cover the cost of their education. SoLAcc was awarded the Hunger-Free Campus Award by the Louisiana Board of Regents in 2024. The typical age of a SoLAcc student has declined in recent years, from 27 years of age to 24 years of age today. This is a huge shift in demographics, due to the college’s effective outreach program. Additionally, SoLAcc’s tuition is on average about 40% less than a tradtional four-year colleges and institutions. Anne Falgout says, “The top issues that come up when we speak with prospective students is affordability and flexibility in classes as they choose which institution to attend. Affordability plus Quality equals Value!” Student Success Live is an in-person new-student orientation that all students take before registering. Guidance on resources and expectations help SoLAcc’s retention rate of students. About 3/4 of the college’s students are first generation college students and have no frame of reference about what to expect. Many know no one who has gone to college. SoLAcc works to help each student holistically and offers free tutoring at every campus. More than one-half of SoLAcc’s students are university bound and find that first obtaining a two-year Associate’s degree at the college is the most economical method to earn their credits. SoLAcc partners not only with UL-Lafayette, but also McNeese, Holy Cross, and Nicholls State to offer a 2 + 2 agreement that allows students to seamlessly transfer their credits from the community college to the universities. Lana pointed out that SoLAcc is the largest feeder of students to UL-Lafayette and its graduates start the university ready to excel. The Early College Academy, which is ‘baked into SoLAcc’s Devalcourt location in Lafayette,” is rated in the top 1% of public high schools in Louisiana, and is particularly well-known for its students’ math and reading proficiencies. The high school shares faculty with SoLAcc and the benefit of of this dual enrollment program is that students can earn their two-year Associate’s Degree while earning their high school diploma. This enables the students to start at a university as a Junior. Many people attend SoLAcc after having graduated from a traditional four-year college and established in a career. As an example close to home, Lana’s husband, educated to be a teacher and experienced as a fifteen-year veteran of teaching middle and high school students, became an Emergency Medical Technician after enrolling in SoLAcc during COVID. He graduated after a short-term training program, and was immediately hired by Acadian Ambulance. He worked there for six months driving an ambulance, and then in January of 2021, entered the paramedic program at SoLAcc, and graduated in December of 2021, being presented his diploma by his wife, Lana Fontenot! A partnership between the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Community Corrections division and South Louisiana Community College offers inmates a technical diploma track in Welding. Working with inmates who are nearing their date of release, mobile welding units are deployed to teach the skills necessary for employment. At the conclusion of the yearlong program, a graduation ceremony is held with SoLAcc supplying the caps and gowns for the students. LPSO sets up apprenticeships and any monies earned are kept secure until the prisoner is released. SoLAcc hopes to add HVAC and culinary to this program. South Louisiana Community College recently completed its rebranding. Anne Falgout says, “We call it a transformation; we came of age. We didn’t change so much as we evolved into ourselves. While we do compete with traditional 4-year educational institutions, our biggest competitor is LIFE.” So many of SoLAcc’s students choose between the college or getting no education. Their top issues are affordibility and flexibility, as they grapple with childcare and transportation challenges. Lana Fontenot has been employed by the college for twelve years, after time spent working at UL-Lafayette and an early stint as a radio host known as “Lana Banana.” Hired by former SLCC Chancellor Natalie Harder, Lana came on during a time of transition when Acadiana Technical College was being merged into SLCC, creating a comprehensive community college. Under her leadership as Executive Director of the South Louisiana Community College Foundation, scholarship monies available to students have experienced a 20-fold growth. Anne Falgout worked in economic development for over two decades before joining SoLAcc as Director of Strategic Communications. She served as executive director of Vermilion Economic Development Alliance, and worked at Lafayette Economic Development Authority prior to that. “‘We train our students for life. We ask what does that student need to be successful and how do we meet their needs? Working at SoLAcc is the most economic development I’ve ever done. It is unreal how many lives we touch by just giving one student an opportunity. It impacts their family, their employer, and their community.” In closing, Discover Lafayette would like to thank Lana Fontenot, Anne Falgout, and the entire team at SoLAcc for their commitment to helping people reach their full potential by providing them with an education that readies them for their desired career. For more information about South Louisiana Community College educational offerings and its campuses throughout Acadiana, please visit https://www.solacc.edu/.

Tracy Tullier, a Breaux Bridge resident and Supervising Guide of Tours at the Louisiana State Capitol, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her beloved work in guiding people through our state’s majestic Capitol, as well as sharing Louisiana’s rich history with visitors who hail from all parts of the U. S. and countries around the world. Tracy Tullier at the Louisiana State Capitol, photo credit to Jan Risher, the Advocate. While many Louisiana residents have never experienced the tour of our State Capitol, in 2023 visitors from 115 different countries made the trip, and over 65,000 registered signed in. Tracy explained that in addition to these registered guests, many people don’t sign in for a tour but still show up to wander around the beautiful building and make the trip up to the top floor Observation Deck to take in the sights of the Mississippi River, LSU’s campus, and surrounding buildings of downtown Baton Rouge and beyond. Tracy came to our attention over the past couple of years when Lafayette Junior Leadership Class students traveled to Baton Rouge to learn about state government, the legislative sessions held at the State Capitol, and have the opportunity to meet elected officials from Acadiana. She makes the day, her smile captures your heart, and you know you are in good hands. Tracy is professional, enthusiastic, and well-informed, ready to shape your understanding about Louisiana, weaving in facts and tidbits of historical events such as when Huey Long was shot inside the Capitol building, how the current State Capitol came to be built, and how the House of Representatives and Senate work. On her tours, Louisiana really comes to life! Pictures below were taken by Jan Risher of the Advocate and depict the chandeliers on the Capitol’s first floor (which weigh two tons), and photos of the Senate and House Chambers. The Louisiana State Capitol was built in 14 months, and cost $5 million to construct. It was the brainchild of Governor and U. S. Senator Huey Long. It is the tallest capitol in the United States. And as Tracy Tullier states, “Our capitol has more questions than it does answers” when she recounts the many interesting events that have taken place in the building, including Huey Long’s death, the bombing that took place in the Senate Chamber in 1970, and how thereafter, a pencil (or something) got stuck in the Senate Chamber’s ceiling. Ironically, Senator Long died before he could dedicate the Capitol, so that honor was fulfilled by his successor, Louisiana Governor Oscar K. (“OK”) Allen. Pictured below is a photo of the early Capitol Building. If you haven’t made this trip to Baton Rouge to visit the Capitol, this tour should be added to your bucket list of things to do in your lifetime, as it is truly a lifetime adventure and one that will awaken your interest in Louisiana culture. Tracy Tullier and her fellow tour guides are employed by Louisiana’s Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, under the office of Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. Tracy worked at the Slidell Welcome Center before being employed at the Capitol several years ago, and encourages people to check out all of our state’s Welcome Centers to learn more about Louisiana. During the interview, she thanked her boss, Jason Miller, for his support, and complimented her peers throughout the state who are employed at our regional welcome centers who encourage people to check out local attractions, dining, lodging, and events as they pass through Louisiana. Before you travel to the Capitol, you may want to visit online at https://house.louisiana.gov/pubinfo/VirtualTour/lacaphistory.htm to gain more information about the experience. The State Capitol is free and open daily for tours, from 8 till 4:30 p.m. If you want to make a reservation for the tour, call 225-342-7317. The tour guides will confirm your appointment via email. You can also walk in without an appointment and request to be included on the next tour. Plan to spend about an hour of your time engulfed in beauty and history. When you visit Louisiana State Capitol, you can also visit the many nearby attractions which include the Old State Capitol, the Old Governor’s Mansion, the Capitol Park Museum, the USS Kidd, the Louisiana Art and Science Museum, the Native American Mound, Magnolia Mound, Burden Museum and Gardens, LSU Museum of Art, and much more. We thank Tracy Tullier and her co-workers who do so much to promote Louisiana. This was a heartwarming interview that we are proud to share.

Pastor Jay Miller of The Family Church and Lafayette Christian Academy (LCA) joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his latest venture, the launch of KVNTV 19.2 (available on over-the air tv antennas which pick up local broadcasts) and its accompanying app for enjoyment on digital devices. (Pictured above are Chris Rader, Jan Swift, and Pastor Jay Miller at taping of our podcast). KVNTV is scheduled to launch on September 1, 2024, and is based in Lafayette on the campus of Lafayette Christian Academy and The Family Church. The network will deliver free high-definition broadcasts of high school sports throughout Acadiana. With the app, you’ll be able to watch for free from anywhere and enjoy your friends’ or families’ sporting events. The goal is to bring full coverage of sports events to the masses while showcasing the talent of Acadiana high school athletes, coaches, and athletic programs. Every high school team is invited to participate for free, whether it is football, basketball, baseball, softball, track, volleyball, tennis, dance, cheerleading, etc. Football games will be broadcast live on Friday nights, and Pastor Jay envisions adding Thursday night football games as the network grows in capacity. Video on demand will also be available so that fans can go back and watch their favorite games. An introductory Meet and Greet is scheduled on June 13, 2024, 10 a.m. on the campus of Lafayette Christian Academy, 223 Stone Avenue, Lafayette LA 70507, to discuss KVNTV and how local schools and coaches can participate while earning money for their schools. Attendees will learn “all things media” including how to livestream your event in partnership with KVNTV, how to host an interview or podcast show, what equipment to buy, best media practices, and much more. Incentives to attend the Meet and Greet include door prizes of ipads and iphones. There is no fee imposed upon the schools for uploading sports content. Further, KVNTV will provide videographers, media technicians, and photographers to assist schools in recording their events and shows, with the assistance being made possible through monies generated from advertising dollars. Businesses will find the cost of advertising on KVNTV not only affordable, but also rewarding as their financial support will allow all local high schools to upload their sports content for free. Another perk of advertising on KVNTV is the fundraising capabililty it lends to local schools. 20% of the advertising revenue generated through your business’s ads will be returned back to the school that you designate, if that school is a partner with KVNTV. As an example, if Lafayette High Baseball wants to stream their games live or produce an interview show at KVNTV, a business owner that supports the program can sponsor the show and 20% of the advertising revenue is returned to the school’s baseball program to use in the manner it sees fit. An even better fundraising opportunity is available for schools who produce and record their own sports shows to broadcast on the network. Advertisers who are connected with that school’s programs (i.e., parents, grandparents, or alums) can buy ads on KVNTV and all monies generated stay with the school. It’s a built-in moneymaker for the sports program. The school can sell its own commercials and keep the revenue. The bonus is that the business gets their commercial aired and the school keeps 100% of the advertising revenue. If the business wants to advertise on KVNTV outside of their favorite school’s programs, they will contract directly with KVNTV and 20% of that advertising revenue will be returned to their designated school. The network will offer content 24/7, seven days a week. As for new content, the goal is to start by offering new content, Monday through Friday, from 6 to 10 p.m., which programs will then replay six times each throughout the week. The Louisiana High School Sports Association (LHSSA) will also be offering content to KVNTV for broadcast, such as great championship games of the past. KVNTV 19.2 will offer free high-definition video, available on over-the-air antennas, with a range of approximately 250,000 to 300,00 families in the Acadiana area. Pastor Jay’s goal is to expand the station’s reach by making the station available to viewers statewide within the next three years. LCA will offer a broadcast elective for Juniors and Seniors to teach how to be an on-air talent, as well as how to edit video, procure advertising, and succeed in the industry. Jay sees great possibilities for the project to grow and help all schools showcase their talent. Lafayette Christian Academy and The Family Church has been televising its sports and church services for several years, with a current staff of about ten. They produce content daily on social media sites and through their own app. Experienced in editing its own productions and ads, Pastor Jay’s team come to the table with extensive experience, with the network being handled by people who know what they’re doing. On a side note, LCA began streaming their football games seven years ago. The school has highly successful, competitive teams and has been in seven consecutive state football championships in the Super Bowl, winning four of them. Over time, their audience grew from 200 to 15,000 viewers per game. This success in broadcasting, as well as the lucrative advertising dollars generated for LCA’s benefit, was the catalyst for Pastor Jay launching KVNTV. Visit https://www.kvntv.com/ for more information. You can check out opportunities to partner with KVNTV, beginning at levels as low as $250 per month for twelve months, to received a professionally produced 15 second commercial aired 12 times per week for 52 weeks.

Jamie Harson, owner and chef of Scratch Farm Kitchen, joins Discover Lafayette to share her commitment to serving the highest quality, fresh, locally sourced ingredients, in delicious combinations which fit the needs of any patron’s dietary preferences or restrictions. Located at 2918 Johnston Street in the Winnwood Shopping Center, Scratch Farm Kitchen has a growing legion of followers who flock in to see the daily menu, set forth on a board next to the cash register, showcasing the meals of the day. Crowd favorites such as hash-based bowls, grit-based bowls, hamburgers, and a special dish known as Boudini, a biscuit topped with boudin, cheese, egg, pesto, kimchi and Jamie’s homemade mayonnaise, are always in high demand. Jamie and her dedicated staff prepare from scratch all of the condiments accompanying meals, including their own ketchup, mustard, mayonaise, cheese, jams, and broths. They cure their own meats, and ferment products such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and sodas. The meals are colorful, delightful in their simplicity, and a testament to the virtues of eating fresh, local, wholesome foods prepared by loving hands. There is no online menu. Fresh ingredients steer the meals of the day….which is how things always used to be. “The best way to describe my food is to say it’s street food inspired. It started on grills outside. It’s American food, farm to table. I like to say my food is transparent and honest. We can answer questions about what is in our food. It is clean and simple food. Like Julia Child said, ‘Food doesn’t have to be great masterpieces, it just has to be simple and have good ingredients,'” says Jamie Harson, who relies upon local vendors to source items she does not make herself. Jamie is responsible for all the menu choices, creates the dishes offered, and prepares the soups herself. She speaks highly of her talented staff, who support her vision, saying, “They’re the best. I have a dedicated and devoted team that I can trust. I walk in everyday and that’s where I want to be. And, our clientele inspire me.” “Scratch Farm Kitchen operates only on grills, no fryers and no ovens. Everything is fresh, assembled on the line in the front of the restaurant, with all the prep activity being conducted in the back kitchen. The menu changes seasonally, in keeping what can be sourced locally. And the menu has been a learning process, from experience through the years. “If things don’t sell, they’re off the menu”, says Jamie. Jamie’s journey in the food business began as a young child, helping out at her grandfather’s farm in Duson. Picking blackberries and figs, as well as pecans on her hands and knees, or shucking corn, typically for eight hours a day. These weren’t really her favorite activities. But that’s what led her to appreciate the seasonal aspect of local food. After Jamie’s grandfather died when she was eight, she lost contact with the idea of farming until she had dream at 18 years of age. Jamie says, “I was in Portland, Oregon, and had all these pictures of a farm in my head, and called my dad (former District Attorney Mike Harson) about it and he said, ‘You’re dreaming of the family farm.'” Jamie knew she’d be back there one day. Jamie didn’t return to our area until she was 30, when she called her dad and said she was ready to go out to the family farm in Duson again. At the farm, which she called “Bon Temps Family Farms,” she began raising her family (she now has four children), along with hundreds of pigs, chickens, ducks, goats, and other livestock. Jamie had no experience in farming or ranching, and says she “learned everything on Google!” Her passion from the beginning was starting from ‘scratch.’ Jamie says, “If I was going to raise chickens, I started when they were little.” Jamie jokingly recalled one day when she drove home to the farm on Ridgefield in Duson and saw many state troopers outside of her property; all of her 300 plus pigs had gotten loose and were delighting in their freedom, jumping for joy! She had just started Scratch, and was still breeding, raising, and roasting the pigs herself. “The pigs got out everyday.” When the State Police asked what to do to gather the pigs up, Jamie knew she could herd them back into their stalls with food…..imagine hundreds of pigs running, jumping, and celebrating going back home! As a side note, raising, breeding, and roasting the pigs took a toll on Jamie, and she realized one day that it was too much to continue raising pigs alongside building her restaurant business. Once she let go of that part of her business, Scratch Farm Kitchen really took off. Jamie had always “envisioned having a small drive-thru breakfast by her farm in Duson where she could offer egg biscuits and coffee. That was the genesis of how the dream of Scratch started.” A former partner of Jamie’s, Kelsey Leger, helped that dream come to fruition, as she wanted to help. She had experience in the restaurant business, and wanted more hands on experience in the farm to table movement. And Jamie wanted to put the farm to table food on people’s plates. Scratch started out doing private dinners for 40 people, which were successful. “We would take large seasonal abundance like the old days. What do you do with three sacks of corn when it comes in? You can pickle it, make corn maque choux, corn soup, freeze it, etc. That’s essentially how Scratch was built. What do you do with 30 pounds of cucumbers? You basically build a pantry as if you were living off the land. Trade with your neighbors. I love that interaction between community, growers and family!” Next came humble beginnings as a pop up vendor at Moncus Park’s Farmers Market, to operating from a food truck (which was bought from Collin Cormier of Viva La Waffle). Jamie credits Pat Mould, the renowned local chef, who had been a steady customer of her food truck, to help her get the Scratch truck permission to locate on UL-Lafayette’s campus. She was ready to move on to have access to increased foot traffic and bring her business to the next level. For about a year, Scratch Farm Kitchen meals served hungry college kids where curry bowls and burritos were popular. And the bonus was the kids posted about Scratch Farm Kitchen on social media, sharing photos. People would show up with the photos, saying “What’s this? I want it!” Running a small restaurant business isn’t conducive to obtaining loans from bankers, and Jamie had to pay cash for needed expenditures as the business grew. One year at Festival International, Scratch “blew up,” experiencing long lines and happy customers. In 2019, Scratch moved into its initial brick and mortar restaurant at 402 Garfield Street in downtown Lafayette, staying successful strictly through word of mouth advertising and loyal clientele. While COVID presented challenges, Jamie was determined not to shut down, not to return to a food truck. They would post menus on Instagram and every night, people would text their orders in for the next day. The menu was kept simple, such as only burgers on Thursdays. Jamie remembers serving 200 – 300 burgers in three hours. The team of Jamie, her partner, and her 14-year old daughter kept the business afloat and Scratch actually did better business than they might have without the COVID shutdown. And the good part was there were no supply chain issues as they made all their condiments from scratch. By mid-June, Jamie plans to open Scratch Farm Kitchen at night, another important milestone in her business. Business is flourishing and she has the right staff in place to step up her offerings. “I love where I’m at. Especially moving into our new location. It’s like moving into a castle. It was the next right move.” One dream that Jamie still has is to blend her farm with the restaurant, to enable her employees to work at both, to work outside, and to know more about where the food is coming from. Jamie says, “The farm to table is happening already around the country. Lafayette is hungry for this. I follow my intuition and that’s what helps me grow my business. We thank Jamie Harson for her incredible mission to serve our community only the best, freshest, locally sourced foods. Check out @scratch_that_midcity for more information on Scratch Farm Kitchen, 2918 Johnston St., Lafayette or call 337-295-4769.

Dr. Amanda Logue, Chief Medical Officer for Ochsner Lafayette General, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss Ochsner’s new General Surgery Residency Program. Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the surgical residency program received nearly 600 applications for three coveted spots. The 5-year surgery program is expected to grow, training a new class of three residents per academic year, wth the inaugural class beginning July 1, 2024. Ochsner is also pursuing accreditation of Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Transitional Year Programs. On April 16, 2024, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, the region’s only Level 2 Trauma Center, celebrated the launch of its new General Surgery Residency Program, which will begin July 1, 2024. Located inside the new, recently constructed tower at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, the completed Graduate Medical Education space will be 17,115 square feet. Phase 1 includes eight resident sleep rooms, a resident lounge, classrooms, rounding rooms and lactation rooms. Phase 2 will house numerous simulation labs and additional classroom space. Ziad Ashkar, MD, will serve as the Designated Institutional Official (DIO), ensuring the program meets the rigorous accreditation standards set by the ACGME. Dr. Dennis Eschete will serve as the Program Director for General Surgery. About 25 surgeons will be rotating, with the core group of teaching physicians being Dr. Willard Mosier, Ochsner Lafayette General’s head of trauma, Dr. Jason Breaux, Dr. Michael Horaist and Dr. Racheed “Joe” Ghanami. The new residency program is both a strategic response to the escalating physician shortage and a model for innovative care solutions leading to increased patient access. In a 2024 report, the Association of American Medical Colleges projected that physician demand will grow faster than supply, leading to a projected total shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. Moreover, Louisiana is projected to rank third nationally for a shortage of physicians by 2030, according to a Human Resources for Health analysis. Speaking of the physician shortage being experience here and nationwide, Dr. Amanda Logue shared that 140,000 patients came through Ochsner University Clinics in 2023. “It’s a huge volume, there’s a huge need for more physicians.” Ochsner Lafayette General’s new surgery residency program doesn’t replace its ongoing partnership with LSU School of Medicine’s at University Hospital & Cinics; it complements it. Dr. Logue stated, “The reality is there’s a critical need for more physicians, which is why we started our own program in addition to the existing one. This program also signifies our deep commitment to advancing medical education and addressing the dire need for surgeons in our healthcare system.” Importantly, data shows that most physicians practice within 70 miles of where they trained, so Ochsner hopes that Lafayette will be a compelling place for their residents to start their medical careers. The goal of the program is not only to provide top-tier educational opportunities, such as training at the region’s only Level 2 Trauma Center, but also to inspire innovation and compassion among the residents. The residents will learn to navigate the complexities of healthcare delivery with a patient-first approach, having the opportunity to take part in cutting-edge research and be at the forefront of developing new surgical techniques. Ochsner Health is Louisiana’s top healthcare educator of physicians. Annually Ochsner and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals. It currently offers 33 Acreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education programs, training over 330 residents and fellows each year. Dr. Logue is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Clinical Informatics, having completed her undergraduate training at LSU in microbiology, and medical training at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. She completed her residency training and chief resident year at University of Tennessee in Memphis in internal medicine. Married with three children, ages 16, 14, and 10, Dr. Logue grew up in Baton Rouge. She has worked with Ocshner Lafayette General for 15 years, and as Chief Medical Officer since October 2019, having previously served as Medical Director of the Hospitalist team, on the Information Systems team, and Chief Information Medical Officer. Dr. Amanda Logue loves Lafayette’s culture, university, and family-friendly environment. When she was hired by then-Lafayette General’s CEO, David Callecod, she says, “I knew at the time that Lafayette General had an intention to make it a good place to work, to receive care. I wanted to be a part of that. So I came on as a Hospitalist.” As Ochsner Lafayette General’s Chief Medical Officer fifteen years later, she still makes rounds as a way to keep her clinical skills sharp, and to stay connected with the nurses, techs, housekeeping, and other staff. We thank Dr. Amanda Logue for her medical service to our community and wish Ochsner Lafayette General and its incoming residents the best of success in transforming our region’s medical education landscape.

Kevin Blanchard, CEO of Downtown Development Authority (“DDA”) and Downtown Lafayette Unlimited (“DLU”), and Jessica Hauerwas, Executive Director of DLU, join Discover Lafayette to discuss their organizations’ missions, focus and programming. The two organizations work together to preserve and enhance Downtown Lafayette’s place as the heart of Acadiana, providing resources for businesses, developers, and community members to keep Downtown Lafayette thriving and successful. DLU was formed in the November 1983 as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization as the oil bust was causing people to relocate, as a mechanism to reinvigorate downtown; DDA was created in 1992 by Louisiana legislation not long after and is supported by a dedicated tax of 15 mills paid by downtown property owners. Kevin was hired to take over the helm of the two organizations earlier this year upon the departure of Anita Begnaud, who served as Downtown Lafayette’s CEO for the past several years. He brings rich experience to the table, having served as Executive Director of the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority, COO for Southern Lifestyle and Development, and Chief Development Officer and Public Works Director at Lafayette Consolidated Government under the Joey Durel Administration. He practiced as an attorney with the Onebane Law Firm, was Editor-in-Chief of the Louisiana Law Review and covered government and politics as a reporter for The Acadiana Advocate newspaper. Jessica was hired in November 2023 to oversee DLU’s day-to-day operations and promote downtown as an economic driver, cultural epicenter and key element of the region’s quality of life. She leads its fundraising strategies, nurtures relationships with the organization’s members, donors, and partners, and works on programming DLU’s events (such as Bach Lunch, Downtown Alive, and Lunch and Learn) and helps downtown businesses promote their own events. Jessica previously worked in marketing and operations with Acadiana Center for the Arts and had served as president of the DLU board. Family friendly programming is a key focus of Downtown Lafayette, as it not only provides wonderful entertainment for our community, but it serves to drive people downtown who may not have experienced its growing attractions. DDA and DLU are working to have people see downtown as a safe neighborhood, “as a great place to feel free to play, get entertained, work and live,” says Kevin. Downtown Alive is celebrating its 40th year Longtime goals of Downtown Lafayette have focused on the construction of residential spaces to attract permanent residents and achieve infrastructure improvements supporting the needs of a vibrant downtown. A residential market study commissioned by DDA shows a demand for 1,000 residential housing units in the downtown area over the next five years. New properties recently completed downtown include the Vermilion Lofts, The Lofts at the Municipal Apartments, and the Monroe Apartments. Building downtown brings its own unique challenges as the streets were built in the late 1800s and properties were placed on postage-size spaces. Kevin explained that there is a higher cost to the developer in repurposing these existing older sites, but the benefit to the community is great as existing infrastructure is utilized and the increased density creates a bigger tax base. “I am so optimistic about where we are in Downtown Lafayette. In 2016, we had a 5,400 person capacity in our downtown bars. Today, that number is 3,000. In 2017, the moratorium on bars was lifted and a conditional use process was put in place. It has promoted a health, active nighlife situation. Six or seven years ago, there were 19 restaurants downtown; now, there are 29.” says Kevin Blanchard. Private individuals are seeing the benefits of donating dollars to downtown, and one shining example is the new 6,000 square foot, $1 million state-of-the-art Playground at Parc Sans Souci, which was financed totally with private donations. The playground was designed for accessibility to people of all ages and abilities, and officially opened to the public on April 19, 2024. It’s a great place to meet for play dates and Kevin says people are driving in from surrounding towns to enjoy this new addition to downtown, causing foot traffic to spread. Festival International was held the weekend of April 24, 2024, and Kevin stated that 150,000 people were in attendance on the Saturday of festival. The event was safely coordinated, mostly by hundreds of volunteers working under the direction of Executive Director Scott Feehan, and the festival’s dedicated board of directors and staff. A new event called Farm to Table(aux) benefiting DLU is scheduled for November 10, 2024, and will be held at the AcA. It will celebrate all the things people love about downtown: the food, art and culture. General Admission tickets are $175, and VIP tickets are $225. A new initiative to convene property owners, residents, tenants, and stakeholders together to take action for a cleaner, safer Downtown will be kicked off on May 7, 2024, 11:30 to 1:30 at Rock “N” Bowl de Lafayette. Kevin Blanchard will discuss DDA and DLU’s vision on how Neighbor to Neighbor will bring the community together to align on rules and regulations, ways to hold people accountable, and steps that can be taken to continue efforts into making Downtown a welcoming environment for all. Discussion points will include: Residential living, Nightlife, Zoning and ordinances, Trash and litter maintenance, and Rules and regulations for transparency and accountability. The event is open to the public and registration may be made here. The #1 issue Kevin receives feedback on is the perception that nightlife is out of control. In DDA and DLU’s efforts to attract people downtown to reside, play and work, this is a critical issue to address. Post 10:00 p.m., there is still a chaotic atmosphere as many youth under the age of 21 head downtown to enjoy the nightlife scene. Kevin wants to see an ordinance enacted that will crackdown on underage drinking, and recounted actions taken in Baton Rouge after the tragic death of a female LSU student, who, with a blood alcohol level of .319, was raped, dropped off on the street by her assailants, then fatally hit by a car. In Baton Rouge’s Tigerland, the bar owners now self-regulate on monitoring the drinking age of its patrons as it is not worth it to be shut down and lose business. “We need to get to this point as a community. Residents don’t want to live around the chaos.” “Early adopters” of living downtown are either young, married couples with no children, or unmarried individuals. Empty nesters are a growing market but are still not in the early adopter audience, which DDA wants to target as they continue to work to showcase downtown as a neighborhood. “Downtown is the new mall. You park once and you’re able to eat, shop, and have unique experiences. We’re working to encourage people who haven’t been downtown in a while to come down and experience it. You can now see people on sidewalks 24/7 and it feels right as there are more residential spaces,” says Jessica Hauerwas, Executive Director of DLU. It helps to remember history, to put the significance of a vital downtown core into perspective. Before the 1950s, before the interstate was built, downtown was “the town of Lafayette.” People lived there, worked there, shopped there, and ate there. It is still a place to be regarded as a neighborhood, and is thriving. Kevin says, “While there are issues with affordable housing, homelessness, and adjudicated properties in areas that abut Downtown Lafayette, DDA and DLU’s new mindset is to lead conversations and work with neighborhood coteries to solve common problems.” What helps the core of Lafayette ultimately benefits our whole region. As Kevin eloquently said, “I think Lafayette is best when it’s betting on itself. We can do this….we can figure it out.” For more information on DDA and DLU, as well as upcoming events, visit https://downtownlafayette.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/downtownlafayette.

Jeannie DelGreco, a Lafayette realtor with eXp Realty, joins Discover Lafayette to share her rich and storied entrepreneurial journey in sales. While Jeannie’s current career today as a mom and realtor with eXp Realty is fulfilling and successful, in this interview, Jeannie looks back at the various lessons learned and experiences she survived that made her the person she is today. And to put it into perspective, Jeannie is a highly successful real estate agent with eXp Realty, being ranked in 2023 by the firm as the #4 sales agent in Lousiana and #2 in Acadiana with $14 million in sales volume. While Jeannie has never thought of herself as a sales person, she remembers as a child launching a small business selling Mother of Thousands (Kalanchoe laetivirens) plants door to door all on her own. She says, “It was a brave thing to do, knocking on doors to sell the baby plants I had placed in small egg cartons, asking people to buy one for 25 cents or 4 for $1.00! At LSU as a student, she similarly worked with a friend, painting t-shirts or party cups for sorority events to earn extra spending money. One summer changed Jeannie’s life trajectory when she was asked to spend the summer with her mother’s close friend from New Iberia, Sandra DeBlanc, who lived in Columbus, Ohio and was employed as Director of Sales for Victoria’s Secret Catalog. Sandy had served in the Air Force Intelligence during the Vietnam War, and was a wonderful role model for this young girl who needed a bit of direction. Sandy hired Jeannie to join the sales force team for Victoria’s Secret Catalog for the summer and she was on her way to learning customer relations. During the time Jeannie worked for Victoria’s Secret Catalog, it was before the internet became a dominant method way to make sales, and people had to phone in their orders. Catalogs were mailed out weekly and the sales force in Columbus were mainly college girls such as Jeannie. She loved the work and learned how build rapport with customers. She learned how to deal with people who were calling in angry about an order that had gone awry, as well as those who were just shopping, asking for assistance. Jeannie found it natural and easy to describe the garments, get the customers to envison themselves in an outift, and suggest ways to finish a look, encouraging customers to buy more, thereby increasing average order volume. She remained in Columbus, and attended The Ohio State University studying business, marketing, and human resources. “I loved the sales work at Victoria’s Secret Catalog, and I also learned key lessons from my mom’s friend, Sandy, who taught me that you have to pay your dues in the work place. Don’t expect to come in and be promoted right away. You have to earn your position.” On the day of Jeannie’s graduation from The Ohio State University, her parents were in town and attended a festival with her. While enjoying the festival, she met a milliner named Patricia Shypertt who made custom hats and holding a raffle to give away a flat travel hat to the lucky winner. Lo and behold, Jeannie won the hat and started a conversation with the milliner inquiring about her practice of designing hats. This serendipitous event led Jeannie down another path, where she decided to become a milliner. She quit her job at Victoria’s Secret Catalog, became a waitress to support herself, and started making custom hats in Columbus, Ohio. Jeannie on graduation day with mentor Sandra DeBlanc “I had always had this idea that to be artistic, it had to begin when you were very young. You couldn’t change course in your 20’s. Patricia Shypertt (the milliner who mentored Jeannie) was in her 40’s and she said, ‘Oh no, I just learned how to do this two or three years ago. I’ll help you in any way I can.” After Jeannie began garnering clients, her parents wanted to invest in her company, and took her on a buying trip to New York City. While there, her dad suggested that they explore the real estate rental options. They found a loft in Nolita (North of Little Italy) in lower Manhatten at 212 Bowery Street, just a few doors down from the famous Bowery Mission. Her dad asked her if she wanted to move to the city, and he covered the initial rental costs of securing the loft space. The loft would take about two months to be ready and Jeannie moved to NYC to open her millinery business there. Hats on display in Henri Bendel store in Columbus OH Hats in J. Peterman Store Jeannie in the Bowery Loft A small wholesale rep company, Meridian, signed Jeannie on to market her custom hats, along with other entrepreneurial artists making custom jewelry, pottery, etc for display and sale. All the supplies she needed were right there in the Garment District in NYC and her loft conveniently included an outdoor space where she could spray the toxic chemicals needed to shape and set the hat’s form. Jeannie quickly garnered a great following of Orthodox Jewish customers who wore hats every day, and before she knew it, she had a large contract to supply hats for the renowned J. Peterman company. She was careful to be professional in her business dealings, having formed an LLC to protect herself personally from liability or monetary claims. But, unfortunately, J. Peterman never completely paid Jeannie’s company for the hats she sent them as the company went into bankruptcy. Initially, they had sent her $8,000 of the $24,000 they owed, which she deposited into her LLC bank account. After bugging them daily to find out when she could expect the balance she finally learned the heartbreaking news that J. Peterman had filed for bankruptcy and there would be no further payments. She asked to have her hats back, so she could sell them, but she learned the hard way about Rule # 1 in bankruptcy: when a company or individual goes into bankruptcy, all assets are frozen and unpaid merchandise is not returned. She was left holding the bag for the remainder of the invoice. She decided to shut down her hat business, realizing that a 9 to 5 job wasn’t so bad after all, with a lot less stress. She took a job at Delia’s, one of the first factory direct sales outlets focusing on young teen consumers, which sparked a fashion revolution. All was well until the day she remembers her then-boyfriend/now-husband, Anthony, was visiting her apartment and noticed she had gotten mail from J. Peterman. Jeannie didn’t want to open it, as she was done with the retailer unless they gave her back her hats so she could recoup her losses. So Anthony opened the letter and informed her that she was being sued by J. Peterman, demanding that she send back the $8,000.00 An unbelievable outcome, until you realize Rule # 2 of bankruptcy: the bankruptcy trustee goes back 60 to 90 days from the time the debtor files for bankruptcy to retrieve any and all payments the bankrupt made to third parties during that time! While she was operating business under her LLC, the $8,000.00 check had been made payable to her personally, and she had deposited it into her LLC bank account not thinking anything of it. She was found to be personally liable and responsible for paying back the money she was paid. Pictured is the actor, John O’Hurley, who played J. Peterman on the NBC Seinfeld show, along with the actual John Peterman, founder of J. Peterman. At the 11th hour of bankruptcy proceedings of the J. Peterman company in 1999, O’Hurley bailed out the company, becoming an investor and co-owner of the company, and is a co-owner to this day. Photo attributed to today.com/video. Jeannie was never made whole for her $24,000 invoice for custom hats, and had to file for personal bankruptcy on the advice of legal counsel. “I felt like a truck hit me. J. Peterman still had my hats, and I thought, please just give them back, I can sell them and pay my expenses incurred while creating them. I got legal advice to file for personal bankruptcy, which went against my grain and upbringing.” She had to go to bankruptcy court in NYC and today looks back and feels as though she earned an MBA with all she went through as a small business owner. “Most laws are not skewed in favor of small business people. Such is life. You can either be resilient, pick up and move on, or you can be a victim. That is not me to be a victim.” In the meantime, while working at Delia’s running the sales force, Jeannie realized the company wasn’t hitting their marks on sales. She was interviewed by a consultant, who ironically had come from Victoria’s Secret Catalog where Jeannie had previously worked, who was brought in to troubleshoot for Delia’s. After a long day of him listening to Jeannie coach the sales team, the consultant asked what he could do to help and she responded, “Get me the sales people from Columbus.” The realization of the employee pool and the ever-rising costs of prime real estate in NYC led the management team at Delia’s to shut down and move the entire business to Columbus, Ohio. Jeannie, along with the 250 former employees of Delia’s sales team, received a nice severance package. Jeannie decided to get certified in yoga, and studied under the world-renowned Cyndi Lee, in Union Square, New York City. Jeannie Derouen DelGreco studied for ten months under the tutelage of the world-renowned Cyndi Lee, the first female Western yoga teacher to fully integrate yoga asana and Tibetan Buddhism. Lee founded and ran the OM yoga enter, and is one of the most influential teachers of yoga in the U. S. and abroad, having trained thousands of yogis. When it was time to get back to a day job, Jeannie joined Kiehl’s, a high-quality skin care company in New York City, which at the time was located solely at Third Avenue and East 13th Street, which is now its flagship store. The company had originally opened in 1851, and had remained a small family-owned store until being purchased by L’Oreal in 2000. Jeannie was brought on as a part of the team to help transfer operations from a family owned business to the world of corporate America. Kiehl’s wanted to maintain its focus on extreme customer service and Jeannie brought just the right skills to the table. Time went on, and she and her husband, Anthony, were living in Queens, NY, with two small children, and he was an IT Director with New York Life. Anthony was tired of commuting long distances to get to work and missed seeing his young children as he left early and returned late from work each day. Plus, Anthony had always wanted to live in the South, and Lafayette was the perfect place to relocate with Jeannie’s family ties. He looked for a job and found one with a local bank in Lafayette. When Anthony informed his New York Life employer of his decision to move, they countered the next day to allow him to keep his position and work remotely from Lafayette, which was a much better fit given his years of experience with the company. This was in the early days after 9/11 when people were just realizing that you didn’t have to be onsite for a job to effectively work, but not many people were actually taking advantage of this. Off to Lafayette the DelGreco family moved. In the early days of their move, Jeannie taught yoga at Red’s and City Club, and got into the volunteer lifestyle. But she was soon ready for another business challenge, and met two friends, Jana Hickey and her mother, Charlotte Ducote, who encouraged her to get her license to become a realtor. Jeannie quickly realized she had to hustle to get clients as no one just calls you up asking for help. Jeannie jumped into the work world, learning how to service clients effectively by shadowing successful realtors and took classes. She originally started at Keller Willliams, for which she credits great training. Her first sale involved a son of someone she met at Red’s, who wanted to buy a mobile home. Her first sale involved “Wheel Estate!” Jeannie has used all the skills gained throughout her sales career to break down barriers to success in the real estate business. Her journey has helped her weather the inevitable ups and downs in the real estate business. She will cold call potential clients, and identifies opportunities which others may overlook. Jeannie generously shared her tactics during our interview, which include calling neighbors of a house which recently sold to see if they might want to sell their home as the home has the right address, the right neigborhood to successful sell. She will also call people whose listing agreement recently expired, to see if they might want to partner with her, and even reaches out to people who live in a desirable neighborhood that a client wants to live in, to see if they have considered selling. Jeannie DelGreco says about cold calling potential sellers, “I’m not trying to sell, I’m just asking if they any interest in selling. Lo and behold, people will say they really do want to sell, how did I know? That it is a sign from God that she called.” She believes in being honest with people who are looking at homes and points out issues before they become a problem, such as a perceived defect in a property. That way, all involved are informed and able to make an educated decision. A true professional. Discover Lafayette wants to thank Jeannie DelGreco for being such a gracious guest on our show. For more information or to get in touch with Jeannie, visit https://jeanniedelgreco.exprealty.com/.