Who joined whom or got promoted?
United Way of Acadiana has named Jason Huffman director of impact strategies. In this position, he leads research efforts, develops programs supporting United Way of Acadiana's goals, implements new strategies to reach those goals, serve son coalitions and works closely with partners receiving PACT Grants. Before joining the UW staff, Huffman served as the director of strategic initiatives at Georgia College & State University. Huffman completed a selective Executive Leadership Institute training program in 2009-2010 and served as president of the Old Capital Kiwanis Club in Milledgeville, Ga., in 2005-2006. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Huffman earned his bachelor's degree from Hiram College in Ohio, majoring in mathematics and music, with a specialty in trumpet performance. He earned his master's and doctoral degrees in mathematics from UL Lafayette.
Natalie J. Harder, chancellor of South Louisiana Community College, was named to the 2014 Board of Trustees for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. SACSCOC is the regional accrediting body for degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. It is the nation's oldest accrediting agency. Last year SLCC successfully completed a rigorous accreditation process with SACSCOC, following the merger of SLCC and Acadiana Technical College. In her trustee role, Harder will be one of 77 members representing approximately 800 institutions. She will help determine Commission policy, review and make decisions regarding the accreditation of institutions, and serve as a liaison between the membership and Commission staff.
Bryant DeLoach has joined MidSouth Bank as Commercial Lender for the Lafayette market. DeLoach, who was recruited from Chase Bank, works out of MidSouth's main location at 102 Versailles Blvd.
A Lafayette native, DeLoach has 12 years of banking experience, having most recently worked for Chase Bank as Commercial Relationship Manager. Prior to joining Chase, he was District Sales Manager for Wells Fargo for a decade. DeLoach has a bachelor of science degree in business management/marketing from UL Lafayette. A member of the UL Alumni Association and Ragin' Cajuns Athletic Foundation, he also coaches LYSA soccer and Lafayette Little League.
Registered Nurse Theresa Freyou was promoted to chief nursing officer at Dauterive Hospital. The New Iberia native earned her BSN from UL Lafayette in 2002 and her MBA through the University of Phoenix. Freyou came to Dauterive in the fall of 2008 as director of maternal child care and was named associate chief nursing officer in 2012.
Larry Curtis has been selected for inclusion in the 20th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of admiralty and maritime law and personal injury litigation plaintiffs. Larry was also named by Best Lawyers as the 2014 "Lawyer of the Year" for the Baton Rouge metropolitan area which includes Lafayette in the practice area of personal injury litigation plaintiffs. Selection to Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 25,000 leading attorneys cast almost 2 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their specialties.
Acadiana Women's Health Group welcomed Dr. Erin Bouillion Hemsell, OB-GYN, to its team of physicians. The Judice native graduated magna cum laude from UL Lafayette in 2005 with a degree in biology. She earned a medical doctorate in 2009 from LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport before completing a residency in obstetrics and gynecology in June at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
LHC Group named retired NFL Pro Bowl quarterback and former UL Lafayette standout Jake Delhomme to the company's Founder's Advisory Board. The board was established to promote and maintain a positive company culture based on trust, empowerment and teamwork. Lafayette-based LHC Group is a national provider of post-acute care services.
Dr. Mohammed Amari, a board-certified pulmonologist and critical care specialist, has joined The Regional Medical Center of Acadiana's staff. Amari most recently worked for North West Medical Center in Bentonville, Ark. He treats an array of chest and respiratory conditions including asthma, emphysema, COPD and pneumonia. After obtaining his medical degree in 2000, Amari completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. He then was instrumental in establishing a hospitalist program at Christus St. Patrick Hospital before completing a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans in 2011.
Architect Brent A. Frick of Lafayette has been elected to the 2014 Louisiana Chapter of the American Institute of Architects board of directors executive committee. Frick, of Don J. O'Rourke and Associates LTD., is vice president for District C.
W. Chad Murray was named director of human resources at Allison Marine Holdings. Murray most recently worked for MI SWACO, a Schlumberger company, where he served as regional HR manager for the Gulf Coast and Southern Land Operations. Murray, who lives in Youngsville, has more than nine years of HR experience, having started his career at Winn-Dixie Logistics of Hammond in 2004 as an HR generalist. He then was HR manager at TETRA Technologies before joining MI SWACO in 2008 as the HR manager for Gulf Coast Operations. He was promoted to Regional Manager of HR in 2009. Murray graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in business administration, and an MBA from Southeastern Louisiana University. He holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute and was the recipient of the 2011 Human Resource Professional of the Year by the Acadiana Society for Human Resources Management. Murray is also an adjunct professor at UL Lafayette, teaching HR management, and is president-elect of ASHRM.
Dr. Nicholas "Nick" Spitzer received this year's James Williams Rivers Prize in Louisiana Studies. Spitzer, a professor of anthropology and American Studies at Tulane University, is also the producer and host of the show "American Routes," which airs on National Public Radio. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Center for Louisiana Studies has awarded the prize since 1992, honoring those who contribute to Louisiana culture. Previous recipients include authors Ernest Gaines and James Lee Burke, musicians Ellis Marsalis and Zachary Richard, and the late artist George Rodrigue. This year's selection committee noted Dr. Spitzer's contributions in the field of Louisiana folklore. The James Williams Rivers Prize in Louisiana Studies honors people and organizations that have contributed or rendered, recently or over the course of their careers, outstanding scholarly study, work or teaching about the culture, history, art, architecture, crafts, flora, fauna, music, literature, law, performing arts or geography of Louisiana, or about its people. The prize consists of a cash award and other acknowledgments. It was established with private funds donated in memory of James Williams Rivers, a New Orleans architect and graduate of UL Lafayette who died in 1991.
Patty Marshall has joined City Club at River Ranch and Carriage House Hotel in the newly created position of sales director, in charge of membership, new private events and hotel sales. Marshall, who obtained a business/petroleum land management degree from LSU and has been in the hospitality industry for 25 years, started her sales career in Aspen, Colo., at the Sardy House Hotel and continued learning at the front desk of the 5-star Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla. She also worked in sales at the former Concord Resorts in Orlando and Delta Orlando Resort. For the past 15 years she worked at the Hilton Lafayette, having served as director of sales and marketing since 2001.
Local technology firm Aristotle's Alexander has promoted Bryan Fuselier from senior solutions architect to chief technology officer. The Lafayette native has extensive experience in wireless communications, mobility platforms, and end-to-end business processes. Fuselier has 18 years of experience in the technology sector and has been with Aristotle's Alexander since 2012.
Cindy Duhon has joined Acadiana Metro Realty's residential sales team. Duhon, who was licensed in 2008 and is a retired Lafayette Parish School teacher, specializes in residential home and land sales. She is a graduate of UL Lafayette and a resident of Lafayette. Duhon is a member of the Realtors Association of Acadiana, LA Realtors Association and the National Association of Realtors.
Darnall, Sikes, Gardes & Frederick has promoted CPAs Adam J. Curry, Kyle P. Saltzman and Blaine M. Crochet from managers to partners in the firm. Curry practices in the areas of taxation and wealth management. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from UL Lafayette in December 2002 and went on to achieve his CPA license in 2003. In 2006, Curry earned the NASD Series 7 and NASAA Series 66 licenses and is a licensed financial advisor, assisting the firm's clients with their financial and investing needs. He is a registered representative with 1st Global Capital Corp. Saltzman specializes in performing audits, reviews and compilations for a broad array of for-profit, not-for-profit and governmental clients. He also specializes in the performance of internal control audits and agreed upon procedures engagements. Saltzman joined the firm in 2002 after earning his degree from UL Lafayette, graduating Cum Laude. Crochet practices in the areas of audit, reviews and compilations for governmental entities and non-public companies. He graduated from LSU with his master's degree in accounting in 2006. Having interned with the firm from 2002 until 2006, Crochet became a full-time accountant in 2007 and earned his CPA license in 2008.
Jackie Lyle was a delegate to the 2014 Kennedy Center International Arts Leaders Forum, a two-day summit of influential artists and arts leaders discussing critical issue facing the global arts community at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Along with representatives from across the nation and around the world, Lyle participated in discussions that focused on the importance of the arts as economic drivers for communities and the future of arts funding in the U.S. and abroad. Lyle is an arts consultant based in Lafayette and Realtor with Van Eaton & Romero. She most recently launched the Apollo Theater's James Brown: Get On the Good Foot: a Celebration in Dance in partnership with Lafayette and is currently collaborating with Starvox Booking.
The Office of Distance Learning at UL Lafayette has earned the 2013 Sloan-C Award for Excellence in Faculty Development for Online Teaching. Sloan-C awards "recognize the tremendous advances in online learning that result from the ideas and initiatives of individuals and colleges and universities globally," said Meg Benke, president of Sloan-C's board of directors. Burks Oakley II, chairman of the Awards Selection Committee, said the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's program "is robust and focused on providing authentic experiences that successfully prepare faculty to design and teach hybrid and online courses."
MidSouth Bank donated a used computer to the Imani Temple #49's tutorial program, providing a much-needed tool to assist the organization in improving local students' school performance. MidSouth Bank made the donation after learning that many of the children who attend the tutorial program have no home computers, which are often required to complete homework assignments.