Biz New Orleans January 2024

CEO of the year MICHAEL SAWAYA --New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

OUR 6 TOP EXECUTIVES OF THE YEAR

STARTING A BUSINESS THIS YEAR? Ask yourself, “What’s my motivation?”

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REAL ESTATE SNAPSHOT

How has your area fared?

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NEXT-GEN PAMPERING

High-tech meets wellness at this new spa

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JANUARY 2024

JANUARY EVERY ISSUE

PERSPECTIVES

08 PUBLISHER’S NOTE 10 ON THE WEB

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BANKING+FINANCE How New Orleans is riffing on financial innovation

14 DINING Martha Gilreath’s path to the opening of her brick and mortar bakery Nolita is paved with the sobriety she gained a mere four years ago.

16 SPORTS Where do the Saints go after the 2023 season?

18 ENTREPRENEUR Considering starting a business a business this year? Here’s a bit of food for thought.

FROM THE LENS 58 WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT? Two lawyers-turned-entrepreneurs are behind a new wellness spa that places a long list of unique therapy offerings under one roof.

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IN THE BIZ

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62 NEIGHBORHOOD GEM This Mid-City optometry clinic has 20/20 vision when it comes to its local patients.

64 IN MEMORIAM The Biz New Orleans staff say goodbye to professional photographer Greg Miles

22 HEALTHCARE Health department celebrates campaign to end HIV epidemic 24 LAW A few legal considerations for the Carnival season 28 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT New Orleans area snapshots from the 2023 Market Value Analysis 30 GUEST Tips on creating a culture and policy to combat drugs in the workplace 32 GUEST Despite the naysayers, the sky is not falling in New Orleans.

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GREAT WORKSPACES

An historic church transforms into a modern haven for women leaders.

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Executives of The Year 2023’s standouts made their mark

EDITOR’S NOTE

Publisher Todd Matherne EDITORIAL Editor Kimberley Singletary Art Director Sarah E.G. Majeste

Center Stage

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once heard our award-winning Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport described as the city’s welcome mat — often the first impression visitors have when they arrive. Following that analogy, that would make our convention center the foyer — and it’s an impressive one, one of the largest buildings in Louisiana.

Our city is not huge, so it’s kind of amazing to think that we have a building right in the middle of it that spans about 3 million square feet and we rarely, if ever, step inside it.

In the 13 years I’ve lived here, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been inside. A few times were for NOLA ChristmasFest with my family — which is celebrating its 10th year this year, and you should go — and the last time was last January, when I was fortunate enough to cover the 71st Miss Universe Pageant for Nola. com. I ended up sitting in the same row as our CEO of the Year, Michael Sawaya, in a night that I struggle to put into words. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but 6,000 screaming, stomping, flag waving people from all over the globe — a good portion dressed in floor-length sequins like they themselves were contestants — caught me completely off guard.

In the thunderous chaos of the evening, not long before Miss. USA was crowned the winner, I was able to grab a few words with Michael.

An extremely affable person, Michael was even more lit up than usual that night as he explained to me what a coup it was for New Orleans to host the pageant, whose social media followers alone numbered more than 23 million people around the globe. The event that night was being

Digital Media Editor Kelly Massicot Associate News Editor Rich Collins Perspective Writer Drew Hawkins Contributors Brenda Breaux, Nicole Dufour, Ashley McLellan, Misty Millioto, Chris Price, Ross Regard, Damian Simoneaux, Poppy Tooker, Keith Twitchell

watched by approximately 500 million people in 165 countries — and sprinkled into the competition were various clips of contestants enjoying some of our local delicacies and attractions like City Park, The National World War II Museum and Mardi Gras World. It was publicity on a scale that’s hard to match, and it was happening at our convention center — a center whose economic impact is estimated around $2.5 billion a year.

In our interview, Sawaya explained that what drew him to the job almost six years ago was the fact that not only that culturally is New Orleans a city like nowhere else, it holds possibilities unlike anywhere else not just in the U.S., but in the world. Getting people, groups, events, conventions, to want to come here is not a problem, but under Sawaya’s leadership, we will soon be welcoming them in a way that ensures they’ll want to keep coming back.

A huge congratulations to Michael Sawaya and this year’s six Biz New Orleans Executives of the Year. It is an honor to share the incredible work you are all doing every day to carry us into a brighter future.

Thank you for reading and Happy New Year!

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Account Executive Abby Palopoli (504) 830-7208 Abby@BizNewOrleans.com

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2023 Gold Best Feature Layout Gold Best Beat Reporting, Real Estate Silver Best Feature Series Silver Best Personality Profile Silver Best Cover Silver Best use of Photography/Illustrations Bronze Best Overall Design 2022 Gold Best Feature Gold Best Recurring Feature Silver Best Feature Layout 2021 Gold Magazine Design Gold Best Explanatory Journalism Gold Feature Design Silver Best Feature Bronze Best Use of Multimedia 2020 Silver Best Recurring Feature 2019 Gold Best Recurring Feature Gold Best Explanatory Journalism 2018 Gold Most Improved Publication Silver Best Recurring Feature 2017 Silver Best Recurring Feature Bronze Best Daily Email 2016 Bronze Best Feature Layout

KIMBERLEY SINGLETARY Editor Kimberley@BizNewOrleans.com

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

SALES TEAM

Packing the Calendar

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s we start the new year, I am reminded that we need to work overtime in January because, unless you are in the Carnival business, half of February is lost. With an early Mardi Gras date of the 13th, February will have two weeks of distracted business.

As such, this month we are looking forward to January events and not losing sight of the first quarter.

If you want to kick off your new year with excellent learning, check out Biz Leaders. Last year we started this intense, four-hour, small cohort workshop to help growing executives identify their personal strengths and fine tune their skills to become an even better leader. So far, we have hosted more than 35 Biz Leaders, and you can learn more about them and this program at BizNewOrleans.com/biz-leaders.

Our New Orleans Bride team is currently busy planning the winter bridal show, which will be held on January 9, 2024 at the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans. We are excited about the new venue and look forward to helping brides and grooms plan their special day. For more event details and information, visit BrideNewOrleans.com On January 12, Greater New Orleans, Inc., is having its annual meeting at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, and I know it will be another excellent event to a sold-out audience. Michael

KATE HENRY Hecht and his team work hard every day to grow our region’s economy, and I look forward to their annual update.

Speaking of Mardi Gras, the weekend of January 26-28 this year is the Mystick Krewe of Louisianians’ 75th anniversary Washington Mardi Gras in Washington, D.C., and it is sold out. Yes, it is fun and festive —with all the pageantry of festival queens, maids, krewe members and a king and queen — but make no mistake, it is all business. The lobby of the Washington Hilton is the playground, but it is also where introductions are made and deals develop. Look for our sister publication, Louisiana Life, in your hotel room as we spread a little love for our state with all the revelers.

Finally, looking ahead, you do not want to miss Idea Village’s New Orleans Entrepreneur Week from March 11 to 16. It is always an innovative week, celebrating new, dynamic talent. For more information and details, visit noew.org.

Have a great first quarter and make it a great year.

VP of Sales and Marketing (504) 830-7216 Kate@BizNewOrleans.com

MEGHAN SCHMITT Senior Account Executive (504) 830-7246 Meghan@BizNewOrleans.com

TODD MATHERNE CEO and Publisher Renaissance Publishing

ABBY PALOPOLI

START OFF YOUR NEW YEAR WITH BIZ LEADERS NEXT COHORT JANUARY 12 8

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Account Executive abby@bizneworleans.com (504) 830-7208

ON THE WEB BIZNEWORLEANS.COM

THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS TALKING ON BIZNEWORLEANS.COM Catch all the latest news, plus original reporting, people on the move, videos, weekly podcast and blogs, digital editions of the magazines and daily Morning Biz and afternoon newsletters. If it’s important to business in southeast Louisiana, it’s at BizNewOrleans.com.

BIZ TALKS PODCAST “At Urban South, we’re always pushing boundaries, and Driftee is a testament to our commitment to innovation.”

It’s truly an honor to be chosen as a host city, considering that IPW’s entire purpose is to showcase the United States to international buyers — meaning they believe New Orleans to be one of the best destinations in America to attract international visitors to the U.S. It speaks volumes about New Orleans and our ability to host global meetings and conventions, leisure visitors, major cultural festivals and national sporting championships.

Kelly Schulz, senior vice president of communications at New Orleans & Company, speaking on the news that the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will host U.S. Travel’s IPW, an international inbound travel trade show, from May 3-7, 2027. Each year, IPW has more than 90,000 pre-scheduled business appointments connecting 1,600 global travel buyers and press with several thousand U.S. travel suppliers. More than 5,000 travel professionals representing more than 60 countries participate.

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EPISODE 178

A Tipping Point for Tipping Do you tip 20% when picking up your own pizza? Do you add a gratuity when buying groceries from a local market? National tipping expert and Cornell University professor Mike Lynn discusses how the pandemic changed the game for tipping, and how the practice can be a way for businesses to fight inflation as they compete for employees.

Jacob Landry, founder of Urban South Brewery, speaking on the Dec. 7 announcement that his company had released its first non-alcoholic, THC-infused seltzer product called Driftee.

The beverage comes in three flavors: Lemon Lavender, Tangerine Ginger and Grapefruit. It will be produced and packaged in Louisiana and distributed statewide through a partnership with Wines Unlimited.

EPISODE 177

River District Rises Real estate developer Louis Lauricella shares his team’s vision for the $1 billion River District neighborhood, which he says may be the “largest, private, non-energy project in the history of our state.”

BI Z N E WO RL E AN S.COM

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AP PHOTO/GERALD HERBERT

IN THE BIZ

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DINING

ENTREPRENEUR

Martha Gilreath’s path to the opening of her bricks and mortar bakery Nolita is paved with the sobriety she gained a mere four years ago.

If you’re considering adding starting a business to your New Year’s resolutions, here’s a bit of food for thought.

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SPORTS

Where do the Saints go after the 2023 season?

IN THE BIZ DINING

POPPY TOOKER has spent her life devoted to the cultural essence that food brings to Louisiana, a topic she explores weekly on her NPR-affiliated radio show, Louisiana Eats! From farmers markets to the homes and restaurants where our culinary traditions are revered and renewed, Poppy lends the voice of an insider to interested readers everywhere.

Sweet Second Chances

By Mardi Gras 2022, the King Cake Hub took notice, and with their help, she sold 1,200 king cakes.

Martha Gilreath’s path to the opening of her The following year, Gilreath was working as executive chef at the Chicory House in the bricks and mortar bakery Nolita is paved with the Lower Garden District, where her king cakes sobriety she gained a mere four years ago. were also available for purchase. Her sales approached 1,700.

In December 2023, Gilreath a bakery at 3201

BY POPPY TOOKER Orleans Avenue, where she is eagerly anticipating the 2024 Carnival season.

The warmth and joyfulness Gilreath exudes is reflected in her new bakery. The bakery’s space includes a large, fenced side yard with plenty of seating and space for kids to play.

Her family has embraced her recovery and been instrumental in creating the beautiful, sunny space. aker Martha Gilreath, a Mandeville In that moment, she found her purpose in life.

From the color scheme to the design layout native, was raised in a big, loving After rehab, Gillreath was accepted into the of the space, Gilreath’s elder sister Courtney’s family that always had a king cake Baking and Pastry Arts program of the New design expertise shines. Her youngest brother, on the kitchen counter during Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute Turner, himself an expert woodworker, built the Carnival and that regularly made (NOCHI). striking bench lining the interior wall. trips to the French Quarter for “I’ll never forget my first day there,” she said.

“It was important to me that the prep table be beignets.

“My parking space was under I-10, exactly where right up front and visible,” she said. “I wanted As she got older, however, things I had been living in 2018. I looked around and kids to see what goes into making our treats.” became much less idyllic. thought, I can choose to return to addiction, or And what treats there are at Nolita! From When her college plans didn’t work out, I can choose life. I chose to live.” blueberry muffins to banana bread and chocoGilreath began working in restaurants where Even before Gilreath graduated as valedictolate chip cookies, everything includes a special drugs were always readily available. Before long, rian of her class at NOCHI, her entrepreneurial touch. Croissants are round instead of cresdrug abuse landed her on the streets. spirit kicked in and she decided to start baking cent-shaped and include rotating flavors like After a couple of attempts to get clean failed, king cakes professionally, googling “how to start hazelnut chocolate and pistachio cream. Her even her family lost hope. a business” and “how to form an LLC.” Meanmorning rolls — crafted from the same dough “I was in active addiction for 16 years,” she while, Gilreath developed a beautifully simple as her king cakes — feature hints of citrus and a said. “My mother even stopped taking my calls, version of a king cake, reminiscent of the brown sugar filling. Savory pastries like boudin explaining, ‘I have another five kids to raise.’” beloved McKenzie’s king cakes of Danish taste like “biscuits and gravy The first step toward a new life, however, her childhood. in a laminated pastry,” Gilreath began in 2020 at a treatment center, when a “It was crazy,” Gilreath rememreported.

Catch Poppy newly sober Gilreath baked a cheesecake for bered. “NOCHI let me use their “I am so blessed to be able to do Tooker on her radio another resident’s 21st birthday. kitchen to make the cakes and what I love,” she said. “My goal is to show, “Louisiana “I looked in through the dining room window we were printing labels at Office make a living and be happy. I truly Eats!” Saturdays and saw the joy on the kid’s face when he ate Depot,” she laughed. Naming her believe that it’s my job to recover at 3 p.m. and Mondays at 8 p.m. my cake,” she said. “I thought, ‘This is somenew business Nolita, she sold 250 loudly, to always be of service and on WWNO 89.9 FM. thing I can do.’” king cakes that first season. help others.” 1

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IN THE BIZ SPORTS

CHRIS PRICE is an award-winning journalist and public relations principal. When he’s not writing, he’s avid about music, the outdoors, and Saints, Ole Miss and Chelsea football.

Comme Ci, comme ça Where do the Saints go after the 2023 season?

BY CHRIS PRICE

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Where the offensive line was a foundational strength during the Sean Payton era, it hasn’t been the same force since he left. The O Line hasn’t been able to give proper protection on passing plays nor open the holes needed to effectively use the run game.

Be it seemingly constant pressure from opposing defenses or an overestimation of his skill set, Carr seemed to rarely find himself in a comfortable position as the team’s field general.

That seemed to prevent him from establishing the needed connection with skill players, especially wide receivers Michael Thomas, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. While he missed the first three games of the season due to suspension, running back Alvin Kamara as well as utility player Taysom Hill again proved to be the team’s best playmakers. Unfortunately, their contributions haven’t been enough to carry the team.

At the beginning of the season, it appeared that losing three quarters of the team’s defensive line would not be too much of an issue to overcome. However, with the exception of 2023 first-round pick DT Bryan Bresee, the loss of end Marcus Davenport, who signed with the Vikings; tackle David Onyemata, who joined the Falcons; and tackle Shy Tuttle, who moved to the Panthers; has seemingly been too much to overcome up front. That put a lot of

I L LU S T R AT I O N BY PADDY MILLS

ust five months ago, NFL commentators and prognosticators thought this was the year the New Orleans Saints would return to the upper echelon of the league’s teams.

Obviously, that is not the case.

As of early December, the Saints had played 12 of the season’s 17 games. Their record was 5-7, placing them in third place in the NFC South.

Through those 12 games, the Saints ranked 11th in total offense (348.3 yards per game), 10th in passing yards per game (243.2) and 19th in points per game (21.4) and rushing yards per game (105.1). Most alarmingly, however, was the unit’s Red Zone efficiency. Of the 44 times the offense made it within 20 yards of the endzone, they only scored 21 touchdowns (48%).

While the offense struggled to put points on the board, the defense took a step back from previous years’ performances. Through 12 games, the Saints were 15th in total defense (322.5 yards per game), 16th in points per game (21.2), 24th in rushing yards per game (125.5) and 7th in passing yards per game (197.0).

So what went wrong? A multitude of things that would take way more than this column space to fully explore.

pressure on the linebackers and secondary, and too often, opposing offenses — especially those with a quarterback who can run — slashed the D at inopportune times, enabling opponents to extend drives and wear down potential opposition.

Before the midpoint of the season, Saints fans expressed their frustration with general manager Mickey Loomis, head coach Dennis Allen, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and quarterback Derek Carr. That only grew as the season progressed and the team stayed mired in mediocrity. One fan even went as far as to purchase, print and give away 500 T-shirts emblazoned with “Fire Dennis Allen” before the Dec. 10 contest against the Panthers at the Superdome.

Saints owner Gayle Benson and team president Dennis Lauscha have a lot to consider as they review the 2023 season and prepare for the future. Lauscha, who served as Tom Benson’s right-hand man, has shared his management principles and philosophies on attracting and keeping fans previously. He says that the most important thing is that tickets are correctly priced. Second, fans have to feel the team is headed in the right direction as an organization, on and off the field. Third, fans have to like the team’s players, coaches and ownership.

Ticket pricing and ownership may be the only things going well for the organization right now.

Folks are upset with the performance of the team, the play-calling on offense and the play at quarterback. Already, Saints fans are selling their tickets (often to opposing fans) in the secondary market. With Carr’s contract, the team may be stuck with him for another season or two. That leaves changes on the coaching staff. This organization’s leadership is known for its loyalty. It’s time for it to show some to the fans before the ambivalence and apathy that plagued the team in the early decades of the franchise’s history become the norm in New Orleans again. 1

IN THE BIZ ENTREPRENEUR

KEITH TWITCHELL spent 16 years running his own business before becoming president of the Committee for a Better New Orleans. He has observed, supported and participated in entrepreneurial ventures at the street, neighborhood, nonprofit, micro- and macro-business levels.

Start a Business in 2024?

If you’re considering adding this to your New Year’s resolutions, here’s a bit of food for thought.

BY KEITH T WITCHELL

to start a new venture. The most successful entrepreneurs are often those who have identified a problem or need and have devised an innovative solution that they can turn into a business. Carefully researched and considered, well organized and adequately financed, the proverbial “better mousetrap” is indeed a pathway to success.

That success may still not come in terms of huge revenues, but there can be a world of satisfaction in seeing a creative idea improve society while providing a reasonable living for the business owner.

REASON 4: “I WANT TO CHALLENGE MYSELF.”

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hile it may not be as common as “I’m going to work out every day,” many people’s New Year’s resolutions may include, “This is the year I start my own business.”

Entrepreneurism can be a great New Year’s resolution.

Just make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.

REASON 1: “I WANT TO TAKE CONTROL OF MY TIME.”

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REASON 3: “I WANT TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.”

This, on the other hand, may be the best reason

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Understandably, many people feel confined by the corporate model of a 9-to-5 workday with two weeks of vacation. However, very few successful entrepreneurs work just eight hours a day. Most work more than five days a week, and frequently on holidays. Some may go years without a vacation, or even maybe more than a long weekend, and feel obligated to be available to staff and customers even when they are away.

Entrepreneurs may have more control over how they allocate their hours, but the time commitment is much greater than a regular job.

This is definitely one of those “be careful what you wish for” situations.

REASON 2: “I WANT TO MAKE MORE MONEY.”

There is probably no worse reason to launch a business than the desire to get rich. A few entrepreneurs do, but nearly one quarter fail in the first year, and half fail within five years.

Entrepreneurism is risky, and for people with significant financial obligations, such as family or property ownership, the risk becomes that much greater. Many entrepreneurs borrow money to start their businesses, which means failure could result in serious damage to their credit score. If a new venture can be started as a side hustle, or the individual has enough financial resources to absorb potential losses, the risk is reduced. However, extremely few new businesses turn into “get rich quick” stories.

For many startup businesses, financial success is only really realized when the operation is sold. Only a tiny percentage of startups actually generate enough revenue for their owners to go buy mansions and yachts.

It’s safe to say that this outcome is guaranteed.

But people need to be clear-eyed about just how much challenge is involved, and how much they are capable of taking on. Entrepreneurism is a high-pressure, high-responsibility field, especially if one hires staff, borrows money, invests significant personal resources and so on.

Being an entrepreneur also requires a broad skill set. Some of these skills can be learned, like developing a business plan, financial management or social media and marketing.

Others are innate, such as self-discipline, selfcare, and perhaps most important of all, people skills. Managing employees, maintaining customer relations, dealing with vendors and financiers, and simply handling the inevitable frustrations of working closely with a variety of human beings on a daily basis, requires an outgoing personality and a lot of self-control.

Taking a creative, innovative concept and developing it into a successful business venture is one of the most rewarding experiences anyone can have. It also requires a major commitment, typically involves a good bit of risk, and should be undertaken only after serious consideration.

No matter what your resolutions may be, Happy New Year! 1

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New Orleans 500 Influential, Involved and Inspiring Executives 2024 EDITION

The New Orleans 500, an annual publication from Biz New Orleans magazine, profiles the business leaders who are driving the greater New Orleans economy today and making decisions that will shape the region’s future. The book is overflowing with details about regional CEOs, presidents, managing partners, entrepreneurs and other executives who are as devoted to their professions as they are to civic affairs. It’s a diverse group that includes fourth- and fifth-generation owners of family businesses as well as young, social media-savvy entrepreneurs building their brands one like or follow at a time.

O R D E R TO DAY B I N E W O R L E A N S .C O M

PERSPECTIVES

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HEALTHCARE

LAW

Health department celebrates campaign to end HIV epidemic

A few legal considerations for the Carnival season

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT New Orleans area snapshots from the 2023 Market Value Analysis

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GUEST

GUEST

Tips on creating a culture and policy to combat drugs in the workplace

Despite the naysayers, the sky is not falling in New Orleans

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BANKING + FINANCE How New Orleans is riffing on financial innovation

PERSPECTIVES HEALTHCARE

RICH COLLINS is an Emmy Award-winning writer, musician and actor known for the Disney Channel TV series “Imagination Movers.” He covers New Orleans business for the Biz New Orleans website when he’s not performing on stages around town and worldwide.

Bounce to Zero Health department celebrates campaign to end HIV epidemic

BY RICH COLLINS

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According to the Louisiana Department of Health, 8,642 people are living with HIV in the New Orleans metro area, which represents 38% of the State’s HIV cases. Nationwide, approximately 1.2 million people are living with HIV. An estimated 38,000 Americans are newly diagnosed each year. While the number of new inflections dropped by 73% between 1984 and 2019, the department said progress to further reduce those numbers has stalled. Without intervention, nearly 400,000 more Americans will be newly diagnosed over 10 years, despite the availability of tools to prevent transmissions. Bounce to Zero organizers aim to contribute to a drop in those numbers. 1

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yan White Services and Resources, a division of the New Orleans Health Department and regional advocate for public health, is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the “Bounce to Zero” campaign to end the HIV epidemic in New Orleans.

“This milestone represents a year of dedicated efforts, community engagement and significant progress towards the ultimate goal of eradicating the HIV epidemic in our city,” said Dr. Jennifer Avegno, director of the New Orleans Health Department, in a press release.

Avegno and her team credit the campaign for increased awareness, expanded test access, community engagement, strategic partnerships and streamlined access to care.

New Orleans has consistently remained in the top three U.S. cities with the highest rates of new infections per capita—following Miami and Baton Rouge.

“For over a decade, New Orleans has been in the top three for cities with the highest HIV infection rates,” said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Now, we are a national leader in creating dramatic improvements in testing, treatment, and battling the cruel stigma people living with HIV experience. These successes and changes are saving lives, and we will continue doing our part to meet the needs of our people while improving the health and well-being of our community.”

RWSR will remain focused on outreach efforts and education initiatives.

“Together, we can build on this first year’s momentum and make even greater strides towards a New Orleans with zero new HIV infections,” said Vatsana Chanthala, director of RWSR. “Please go to BounceToZrero.com.

You can help us to end the HIV epidemic in our community. Pledge your support to oppose stigma and discrimination.”

The Pledge can be found and signed at https://bouncetozero.com/pledge/. The website also centralizes information on HIV, including where to find testing, primary care, and supportive services in Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, and St. Tammany parishes.

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PERSPECTIVES LAW

DREW HAWKINS is a writer and journalist in New Orleans.

He’s the health equity reporter in the Gulf States Newsroom, a collaboration among public radio stations in Louisiana (WWNO and WRKF), Alabama (WBHM) and Mississippi (MPB-Mississippi Public Broadcasting) and NPR. He’s also the producer and host of Micro, a LitHub podcast for short but powerful writing.

Carnival Without Consequences A few legal considerations for the season

BY DREW HAWKINS

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“

Bart explained that what typically happens is someone from Georgia or Texas, for instance, drives to New Orleans, bringing a gun with them. After checking into a hotel, they may walk out on the street while wearing the firearm, as they do at home. In Texas, Georgia, Alabama or Mississippi — everywhere else in the South — they’d be fine. But not in Louisiana.

“And these people are flabbergasted when the police pull them over, frisk them and then arrest them for carrying a concealed weapon,” Bart said.

As for some “insider tips,” our experts were happy to oblige.

“One of the most important tips for me and anybody else is: ‘Where is the nearest bathroom?” said Bart. “You gotta have that on Mardi Gras day. Whether it’s bars, restaurants, hotels, porto-lets, whatever. Before you start drinking, be sure you know where the nearest bathroom is.”

Having a plan in place was one of Matt’s key insights, as well.

“Margaritas from Superior Grill for the parades on St. Charles are a must,” Matt said.

“Stay ‘off the beaten path’ to avoid the crowds and increase your chance of good throws. Put your kids (or friends) on your shoulders so you can reach those second levels of the floats.

And remember, it’s a marathon and not a sprint.

Pace yourself — with parades, walking, drinks, all of it. There is a lot of fun to be had!” 1

If you have ANYTHING to drink (or ingest any other controlled dangerous substance), DO NOT DRIVE. It’s much easier to get to a .08 blood alcohol level than you think. Plus, there are plenty of cabs and Ubers all over the city. Either option is much cheaper than a DWI case in any parish in the state of Louisiana.

Stephen D. Hébert, owner, Hébert Law Firm

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ight now, Mardi Gras Indians are putting the final touches on their hand-crafted, elaborately-beaded costumes, krewes are organizing their floats and riders, and thousands of people are pondering or finishing their costumes as they map out their plans for the parades next month.

Despite all the careful planning, Mardi Gras is also a time when people can make — let’s face it — stupid decisions. While some no-nos — like eating king cake before Twelfth Night — aren’t technically illegal, more serious, law breaking activities could earn you a hefty fine, — or worse — land you in jail.

So, to help you celebrate responsibly, we spoke to a few local legal experts to get some of their best tips and suggestions so you can laissez les bons temps rouler without worry.

Some of them are pretty obvious.

“Don’t urinate in public,” said Stephen D. Hébert of Hébert Law Firm. “And always be polite to law enforcement. If an officer acts like a jackass, then be even more polite.”

But others may not be so clear.

“Don’t walk around carrying glass,” Hébert said. That’s right, glass bottles and containers are technically banned for safety reasons — they can potentially be dangerous when they’re discarded on the ground. Luckily, this one is an easy fix: just pour your drink into a plastic cup.

You can grab one from one of the many bars along the parade route — or better yet, catch one from a float!

Another obvious one: Don’t drink and drive.

There have been too many tragic accidents directly caused by alcohol consumption. In today’s world, this one also has easy — and safe — solutions.

“There are plenty of taxis and ride-share services so you can enjoy the parades and parties without taking any chances,” said Meghan Matt, an attorney at Murrell Law Firm.

“If you’re arrested, call a local lawyer who knows the local quirks to get your case moving and you out of jail as fast as possible.”

Speaking of local lawyers, you may recognize Morris Bart’s name and face from his billboards around town. Bart echoed the advice to call a taxi or use a ride-sharing app like Uber or Lyft if you’ve been drinking. He also cautioned against carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

“And this is especially important because our neighboring states — Texas, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Florida — all allow concealed carry without a permit,” he said.

PERSPECTIVES FINANCE

DID YOU KNOW? With its founding in 1998, PayPal became one of the first fintech companies to operate primarily on the internet.

I SOUND BYTES How New Orleans is riffing on financial innovation

BY DREW HAWKINS

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n New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, another movement is gaining momentum — the harmonious convergence of finance and technology known as FinTech. The city is fast embracing financial innovation.

In simple terms, FinTech refers to the innovative use of technology to deliver a wide range of financial products and services — especially payment services.

FinTech companies leverage advancements in software, mobile applications, artificial intelligence, blockchain and other emerging technologies to enhance and streamline various financial processes. I know it sounds complicated, and the truth is, it can be. But FinTech can make a huge difference in people’s everyday lives.

The goal of FinTech is to improve the efficiency, accessibility, and affordability of financial services for individuals, businesses, and other entities. That can include digital payment solutions, such as mobile wallets, consumer apps like Venmo or PayPal, and contactless business systems like Square. FinTech provides users

with convenient and secure alternatives to cash or plastic.

“To me, broadly, FinTech is anything to do with the core products of payments or finance,” said Josh Fleig, senior vice president of business development at GNO, Inc. “That’s payment rail systems, people who are creating novel technologies to transfer money or exchange money from one place to another, whether that’s a geography or a business.”

In a city like New Orleans, with numerous small retailers and vendors, FinTech applications like Square or Cash App can be vital to survival.

“It’s an access game, right?” Fleig said. “If you think of restaurant apps like Toast or apps like Square and Venmo, everything in this category, it’s all about ease of access, low barrier of entry for small vendors.”

Fleig said FinTech applications can help small businesses — from a babysitter to a small restaurant — to easier receive payments for their goods and services. They don’t need to find a credit card payment processor, for example.

If you’ve ever been to a “pop-up” or an artist’s market where a small vendor set up shop and served food or sold hand-crafted items, chances are you’ve used a FinTech app to pay with your credit or debit card. Without this technology, many of these vendors wouldn’t be able to accept digital payments. So many restaurants got their start as pop-ups, with FinTech helping them grow into eventually moving into a brick-and-mortar establishment.

FinTech also allows income to be reported, thereby bringing more revenue into the city’s tax base. “I can pay my yard guy through Venmo and it’s all recordable,” Fleig said. “So it’s a little more of an above-board process getting some of those taxes back into the community.”

Fleig also said that FinTech entails novel approaches to finance. It could be a smoother web experience for someone who’s applying for a loan or managing their mortgage. FinTech platforms offer alternative lending and crowdfunding solutions that connect borrowers directly with lenders or investors. These platforms often use advanced algorithms and data analytics to assess creditworthiness and facilitate quicker loan approvals.

Also falling under the umbrella of financial technology are programs and apps that give people tools to manage their personal finances more effectively. Budgeting apps, expense trackers, and financial dashboards that can offer insights into personal spending patterns and help people with tasks like creating and managing a monthly budget or saving for a new car.

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The club’s goal is to educate people, inspire them to collaborate and create new ideas, and set up our members for success in joining the workforce and participating in financial technology.

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Max Allaire, president of Tulane FinTech.

Additionally, blockchain technology, which underlies cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, is a decentralized and secure ledger system.

FinTech companies leverage blockchain for various applications, including smart contracts, cross-border payments and improving transparency in financial transactions.

FinTech has broad potential, and is a growing field. Fleig said that’s why organizations like GNO, Inc., are supporting more and more local FinTech companies. Just a few local companies include iSeatz and Netchex.

“We work with our ESOs, our entrepreneurial support organizations, who are investing in startups, in new ways to build businesses and launch products and services from our region,” Fleig said. “Whether that’s Idea Village or Propeller or OHUB, we spend a tremendous amount of time laying the foundations and working with entrepreneurial support organizations.”

And while FinTech continues to grow and become more and more ingrained in the ways

business is conducted, the next generation of business leaders is already recognizing it as the way of the future. At Tulane University, a student organization called Tulane FinTech, or TUFT, promotes financial technology and educates the student body about financial technology, trending technology, and blockchain-based services.

“We embrace technology and how it can benefit us in the workplace and our careers, and I think learning about FinTech and how it works, what advancements are being made, is the biggest goal so students can learn how to participate in the space as well as find ways to create new ideas,” said Max Allaire, president of Tulane FinTech. “So the club’s goal is to educate people, inspire them to collaborate and create new ideas, and set up our members for success in joining the workforce and participating in financial technology.”

Allaire is a junior majoring in marketing, and he works to bring in speakers — professionals who work in the FinTech space — for the club’s meetings.

“We bring in influential speakers to teach our members of the many applications of the technologies, while also giving students insight in how they can become future leaders,” Allaire said.

For Allaire, FinTech is also more than just making money. It’s also about financial inclusion. FinTech plays a crucial role by reaching underserved or unbanked populations. Mobile banking and digital financial services help provide access to financial products for individuals who may have limited access to traditional banking services.

“I think FinTech can give more opportunity and equity and equality to everyone in Louisiana, making it possible for people to have more safety in their money, be able to invest, take out loans, and in the future, purchase insurance that is guaranteed — no matter what happens.”

FinTech’s emergence in New Orleans holds tremendous potential for boosting the local economy, driving innovation and fostering financial inclusion.

Looking ahead, collaboration between FinTech startups and traditional financial institutions, innovation-driven disruption, and increased financial literacy will continue to shape the city’s economic future. And the Big Easy’s FinTech sector is primed to make its mark on the global stage by expanding internationally, driving financial inclusion, and participating in shaping regulatory frameworks.

As the FinTech revolution continues to gather momentum worldwide, the dynamic growth in New Orleans positions the city as a key player in the global FinTech ecosystem for years to come. 1

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PERSPECTIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

A Real Look at Real Estate New Orleans area snapshots from the 2023 Market Value Analysis

BY BRENDA M. BREAUX

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eminent real estate experts, provides an intricate examination of the city’s residential real estate market, serving as a vital compass for strategic urban development initiatives, community revitalization and investments essential for the city and its region’s prosperity.

NORA stands as a catalyst for community redevelopment, fostering investment, economic development, and an equitable, sustainable future for the city. Through collaborations with public and private partners, NORA implements innovative strategies to enhance the quality of life for residents and businesses – including the development of the most recent MVA. The 2023 MVA, the fourth of its kind completed in New Orleans, marks a significant milestone in understanding the evolving trends since the last analysis conducted in 2018. Key highlights from this recent report uncover substantial shifts that have shaped the local real estate landscape: • Continued Upward Trajectory in Housing Prices: The local housing market has shown unwavering resilience with a persistent upward trend in housing prices, showcasing substantial increases in median home values.

• Transformative Shifts in Home Ownership Patterns: A notable transformation in home ownership dynamics has unfolded since 2018, with a decline of nearly 32,000 renters and an increase of 26,000 homeowners. This shift underscores changes in the population residing in owner- and renter-occupied homes, as reflected by the American Community Survey (ACS), 1-Year Estimates.

• Surge in Land Sales Volume: The real estate market has experienced a remarkable surge in land sales volume, notably evidenced by the nearly doubled sales of vacant lots since 2019, presenting an evolving landscape in land transactions.

The MVA drills down into specific neighborhoods, offering insights into their individual progress within the real estate market. From New Orleans East’s uneven progress to Algiers

and the Lower Ninth Ward’s varied market types and Gert Town and Hoffman Triangle’s stabilization since 2018, these findings significantly shape NORA’s policies and initiatives, which are tailored to address the unique market conditions in each area.

Offering a nuanced understanding of their progress within the real estate market, specific neighborhood insights included: • Algiers and the Lower Ninth Ward: Algiers Point continues to be a node of market strength, surrounded by a variety of market types. More of the Lower Ninth Ward market is active than in previous analyses, showcasing resilience and growth.

• Gert Town and Hoffman Triangle: These areas have stabilized since 2018, with adjacent markets moving up on the MVA scale. Stability indicates opportunities for sustained development and community enhancement.

• New Orleans East: While there has been growth in some areas within New Orleans East, other areas have not kept up with the city as a whole, presenting great opportunities for targeted interventions.

• Gentilly: The market strength from the St. Anthony area continues to move east, shifting housing markets upward on the MVA scale.

This eastward shift follows NORA’s substantial affordable housing investments and signals a positive trajectory for Gentilly’s real estate market.

The MVA has a unique role in empowering residents, policy makers and stakeholders with insightful tools to precisely target housing intervention strategies vital for the city’s continued growth.

The release of the 2023 MVA to the public marks a watershed moment for policymakers, investors and community members invested in the sustained prosperity of the Greater New Orleans area. This comprehensive report, available at noraworks.org/impact/#mva, offers invaluable insights that pave the way for informed decision making and strategic planning. 1

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n a city known for its rich cultural tapestry, New Orleans is experiencing a transformative phase in its real estate landscape, as highlighted by the recently released comprehensive Market Value Analysis (MVA) from the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA). This meticulously conducted analysis, crafted in collaboration with

BRENDA M. BREAUX is the executive director of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, a catalyst for the revitalization of the New Orleans region, partnering in affordable and equitable strategic developments that celebrate the city’s neighborhoods and honor its traditions. She may be reached at bbreaux@nola.gov.

PERSPECTIVE GUEST

DAMIAN SIMONEAUX is the safety services manager for LWCC, a private mutual workers’ comp company. He may be reached by calling (225) 924-7788.

Just Say Yes to Creating a Drug-Free Workplace Tips on creating a culture and policy to combat this multi-billion-dollar problem

BY DAMIAN SIMONEAUX

WHAT’S THE BENEFIT OF A DRUGFREE WORK CULTURE?

The Nationwide Medical Review suggests seven transformative benefits of promoting a drugfree culture in the workplace: • Reduces operational costs • Preserves investor or shareholder interests • Protects loyal employees • Improves products and services • Results in better service to customers and clients • Increases profits • Helps many people lead healthier lives HOW CAN COMPANIES BEGIN TO CREATE A DRUG-FREE WORK ENVIRONMENT?

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ubstance abuse and dependence is an unfortunate and disheartening reality that affects Americans from all walks of life. Addiction is an equalizer that does not discriminate based on age, gender, race or socioeconomic status.

According to the Surgeon General, 20.8 million people meet the criteria for substance use disorder. This equates to nearly 8% of the country’s population and a huge portion of the American workforce – which has a real impact on U.S. companies.

This is why it’s so important for companies to develop drug-free workplace policies.

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HOW DOES A COMPANY CRAFT A DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE POLICY?

Having a drug-free workplace policy helps employers, employees, clients and customers.

Companies looking to create a drug-free workplace policy can find free resources and a sample policy on LWCC’s website. 1

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Research is clear on the financial ramifications associated with workplace substance abuse, but a high price is also paid in human capital.

When even one employee battles substance use disorder (SUD), the entire organization is at risk.

• Workers’ Compensation: When a worker has been injured as the result of alcohol or illicit drug abuse, employers could pay the price in

their policy premiums. Unfortunately, when an employee has an SUD, they are also five times more likely to file a workers’ compensation claim.

• Medical Costs: Those who suffer from substance use disorder are more likely to encounter costly medical conditions than their sober peers. According to a report from the National Safety Council, these employees cost an average of $1,852 more in healthcare premiums.

• Unsafe Work Environment: Substance abuse comes with some well-known side effects, which add up to an increased risk for workplace injury. Research has shown that employees with an SUD are 3.6 times more likely to be involved in workplace accidents, presenting a risk to both themselves, and their coworkers.

• Reduced Productivity: While their sober colleagues will have days that are less productive than others, day-to-day productivity of an addicted employee will average 33% lower. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, this lack of productivity costs employers $49 billion each year.

Employers should implement workplace practices that encourage safe, healthy lifestyles and discourage counter-productive behaviors, both from a personal and a business perspective.

Employers can protect themselves and their employees by taking these steps: • Recognize the impact of drug misuse on the bottom line.

• Get a comprehensive drug-free workplace program or review an existing policy and program.

• Offer a substance abuse policy in writing and deliver it to each employee in written form; the employee should accept, sign and date the form.

• Require post-accident drug testing within 24 hours of an accident.

• Invest in an Employee Assistance Program.

• Employ additional methods of drug testing.

• Ensure employees are aware of the evolving state of drugs and the employer’s drug-free policy. Provide supervisors with the tools to do their job effectively.

PERSPECTIVE GUEST

FRANK RABALAIS is a director and historic preservation specialist at Crescent Growth Capital.

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Despite the naysayers, the sky is not falling.

BY FRANK RABALAIS

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We forget that private firms have responded vigorously in the past 15 years to all of this public sector renewal and reform.

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owadays hardly a week goes by without my encountering some variety of the “New Orleans is doomed” sen timent. Earnest op-eds vie with outraged Nextdoor posts to lament our region’s accelerating collapse.

The only problem with this damning assessment? The preponderance of evidence indicates otherwise. Do residents realize that total regional employment has recovered — and surpassed — its pre-pandemic peak? That the number of workers in the local tech sector has surged since 2010? That educational outcomes among the city’s public school students are vastly better than before Hurricane Katrina?

I urge everyone to mix in some hard data with their gut feelings. Let’s look at how far we’ve come.

Consider New Orleans Public Schools. In 2004, six out of 10 Orleans Parish public schools were deemed “failing” by the state.

Nowadays, that’s true for only one out of six — and this transformation happened in the context of rising standards. It’s become harder to score higher, and yet the city’s public schools are scoring much higher.

High school graduation rates have soared, rising from the Class of 2004’s 54 percent to the Class of 2021’s 78 percent. Last year, 56 percent of New Orleans Public Schools’ high

school graduates enrolled as freshmen in twoor four-year colleges, a far greater percentage than the 2004 figure of 37 percent. A robust ecosystem of career training has also emerged, with the NOLA Public Schools-affiliated New Orleans Career Center and nonprofits like YouthForceNOLA partnering to ensure high school graduates possess career readiness and in-demand certifications for living wage jobs.

A comprehensive program of free and subsidized early childhood education for Orleans Parish preschoolers debuted this school year.

The new program’s annual budget exceeds $20 million, funded by a tax New Orleans voters approved last year. Our most disadvantaged students will soon be starting kindergarten better prepared than ever before, which will pay big dividends over time.

Finally, completion of the $2 billion School Facilities Master Plan means that NOLA-PS students enjoy, for the first time, uniformly top-notch facilities.

“Hang on,” you interject. “Public schooling was hardly the only thing going wrong, pre-Katrina.”

True, and that’s why it’s essential to recognize additional transformative developments of the past 15 years. These include: • The $14 billion storm surge protection perimeter around our region, which proved its strength during Category 4 Hurricane Ida; • The city’s first master plan, given the force of law, and complemented with a revised, progressive zoning code which mandates best practices in stormwater management and which permits — by right — the mix of uses historically characterizing the city’s older neighborhoods; • A completely rebuilt New Orleans Public Library system and New Orleans Recreation Department, with both boasting greatly expanded programming and far larger budgets than those of 2005; • A new international airport, 2019’s $1.3 billion MSY North Terminal, which now offers more nonstop flights to more destinations – over 50 – than at any time in the past; • A wholesale network redesign of local public transit, the first in the Regional Transit Authority’s history, one that established in 2022 a route system adapted to the employ-

ment and usage patterns of today, instead of those prevailing in 1950; • A $2.3 billion roadwork program, an effort twenty times bigger than anything the city has attempted before, now about 25% complete, to radically upgrade New Orleans’ notorious streets; • Construction commencing on the $3 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, which will harness the sediment load of the Mississippi River to help rebuild the protective cordon of wetlands south of the city.

“Yeah, but…” you splutter, growing annoyed.

“That’s all true enough, but we’ll never get anywhere unless we attract more private investment, more than just new hotels or restaurants.”

We forget that private firms have responded vigorously in the past 15 years to all of this public sector renewal and reform. Investment has poured into historic commercial corridors like Freret Street, Bayou Road, St. Claude Avenue, Oak Street and Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, corridors that were languishing pre-Katrina.

Longstanding corporate anchors like Pan American Life Insurance, IMTT and Jones Walker have recommitted to downtown. An entirely new neighborhood, the $1 billion South Market District, has taken the place of what were, for decades, barren surface parking lots along Loyola Avenue, and the River District, another new, multi-billion-dollar neighborhood slated to welcome Shell’s local headquarters as its anchor tenant, is under development adjacent to the Lower Garden District. Savvy marketing of New Orleans as a “low cost/high culture” locus for the tech sector combined with effective state incentives has grown tech employment by 60 percent since 2010; more than 11,000 workers are now employed in digital media in Greater New Orleans. Tech entrepreneurship has boomed, with notable wins including the acquisition for more than $1 billion in 2021 of a local startup that didn’t exist fifteen years ago, Lucid.

Healthcare and the biosciences have also thrived. Ochsner Health now operates 46 hospitals (versus six in 2005) and employs more than 40,000 individuals; this summer, it announced a groundbreaking partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center to develop a national center for cutting-edge oncology. The region’s entrepreneurial surge extends into the

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health sciences and biotechnology as well, with the New Orleans BioInnovation Center’s biosciences incubator on Canal Street notching wins like Obatala Sciences and AxoSim. Higher education also dominates. Thirteen two- and four-year institutions of higher learning enroll more than 70,000 students, and Orleans Parish’s largest private employer is Tulane University. We are one of the few American cities with two medical schools, and Xavier University is partnering with Ochsner to start a third.

Advanced manufacturing is likewise flourishing. Commencing with the Apollo Program, every manned space mission NASA has launched included rocket components built at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East, which now employs close to 5,000 workers and whose tenants include Lockheed Martin, Boeing and GE Renewable Energy.

Finally, there’s the maritime sector. The Port of South Louisiana is the largest in the Western Hemisphere by tonnage handled, and the Port of New Orleans — already among the busiest break-bulk cargo centers in the nation with its key products of coffee, steel and rubber but less competitive in containerized shipping – is developing a $1.5 billion container port in St. Bernard Parish.

SO WHY IS EVERYONE SO BUMMED?

I believe the answer is three-fold. 1) The mid-1980s Oil Bust and then Hurricane Katrina, separated by a mere 20 years, administered ruthless body blows to Greater New Orleans. The majority of the past 40 years has felt like time spent just recovering lost ground. 2) A metastasizing resurgence of crime coincided with the pandemic and the ever-more-alarming consequences of climate change (e.g., the insurance market meltdown), making residents once again doubt the city’s viability. 3) Our region is instinctively, reflexively dedicated to downplaying good news and marinating in bad news. We too easily slip into a deeply counter-productive headspace of chronic, low-level demoralization, even though it poorly corresponds to reality.

Even before Katrina chased about a hundred thousand inhabitants permanently from our region, Greater New Orleans’ population trends were deeply impacted by the now almost-forgotten Oil Bust, which gripped the region starting in 1986.

Before the Oil Bust, Greater New Orleans had registered more than two decades of brisk population growth. In the 1980 Census, the 10-parish region boasted 1.43 million inhabitants (versus just over 1 million inhabitants counted in the 1960 Census). By the 2020

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High school graduation rates have soared, rising from the Class of 2004’s 54% to the Class of 2021’s 78%.

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Census, the same 10 parishes contained just 1.45 million residents. But these sobering population figures — basically no net growth over 40 years — must be understood in the context of the recovery from these twin calamities: the Oil Bust and then Hurricane Katrina. So let’s flip the script. Population statistics that tabulate the net addition since 1980 of “only” 20,000 residents should prompt celebration of a recovery against all odds. Properly appreciating the full gravity of forty years of severe challenges, our collective success in surviving them, and our leveraging of (especially) Hurricane Katrina to rebuild stronger should evoke not hopelessness but instead valuable perspective and a measure of justifiable optimism.

We should also better calibrate our expectations. Greater New Orleans is now the 47th largest metro area by population in the nation.

Our peer regions are places like metro Buffalo, metro Louisville, metro Milwaukee, metro Memphis and metro Birmingham. Are we doing as well as these places? Better, I would say, especially upon our honest recognition of the accomplishments and advantages we retain. By contrast, engaging in exercises like comparing Greater New Orleans’ job market to those of cities like Atlanta, Dallas or Houston — regions now six to seven times as populous (or even to regions now twice as populous, like Austin, Nashville or Charlotte) — is like critiquing

Houma for not possessing the live theater scene of Manhattan. We need to cease making unrealistic comparisons.

Finally, we need to stop telling ourselves that our only industry is tourism. I hear this about as often as I hear predictions of the city’s imminent demise. But it’s not true. Roughly one in seven jobs in Greater New Orleans is in tourism or hospitality, which hardly makes tourism the only game in town. It’s a leading economic sector here, not the leading economic sector.

I write at such great length not only as a NOLA-Till-Ya-Die type but also as someone who has been splitting time between here and Knoxville, Tenn., since mid-2020.

Tennessee is, along with Florida and Texas, one of the most popular states for in-migration in the nation these days. So, how does it stack up? It’s…OK. Roads are smoother, there’s less litter, and the climate is milder, but Tennessee’s rate of violent crime is slightly higher, per capita, than Louisiana’s, and poverty is widespread.

Knoxville is poorer than New Orleans, and an appreciably lower percentage of the population has earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. Public schools are mediocre (last year, 59 percent of Knox County students did not meet the state’s expectations in the reading portion of the highstakes exam administered to third graders), and racial diversity is largely absent.

Knoxville’s major streets consist mostly of anonymous, endless assemblages of strip malls, surface parking lots and power lines. It’s hard to see why Knoxville is nonetheless steadily growing, hard to think that much other than its residents’ sturdy self-belief is decisive to its ongoing expansion, as its qualities are not fundamentally more compelling than those of Greater New Orleans.

Additionally, Knoxville’s unfortunate aesthetic characteristics are largely shared by most other American cities. Perhaps only 5 or 6 others possess anything like New Orleans’ enormous and beautiful historic built environment, our walkability, our authentic folk culture and sophisticated amenities, even though some 45 are now more populous than us. Warts and all, New Orleans is one of the world’s great cities.

Most other places in this country just aren’t.

There’s so much more work to be done to complete the visionary, post-Katrina project of building the best New Orleans ever. When crime strikes, it can be life altering. Too many still live in poverty in this city. And political grousing at City Hall can be exhausting. But take heart. So much has been accomplished in the recent past, by all of us. With all of our participation, so much more is possible. 1

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PORTRAITS BY ROMERO & ROMERO

EXECUT At the end of every year, the Biz team looks back on the biggest stories and accomplishments that occurred in the New Orleans area business community and finds the people behind those wins. For 2023, the good news spanned across a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, nonprofit, hospitality and tourism, higher education and workforce development, and the environment. In the following pages we’re excited to bring to you the names, faces and stories of the people whose hard work, dedication and leadership are moving our region into a more positive, healthy and productive future. We think you will agree that honoring their inspiring accomplishments is a great way to welcome the new year.

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stronger Louisiana starts with successful children.”

Libbie Sonnier, executive director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, not only believes these words, she fights for them every day.

In partnership with educators, governmental agencies, and other nonprofits, the Institute provides policy analysis, research and data in support of policies for the betterment of Louisiana children from birth to age 4.

While caring for the youngest, most vulnerable members of society might seem like an obvious priority, as recently as five years ago the state provided no direct funding in this area.

Through the leadership of Sonnier and the institute, 2023 saw an historic new investment in early childhood care and education in Louisiana. $52 million was appropriated to increase the number of children served, creating an annual total of $87 million.

According to Sonnier, this still leaves some 150,000 at-risk kids age 4 and under unserved. While some local jurisdictions are helping to pick up the slack — New Orleans, for example, is providing $21 million annually for the next 20 years — Sonnier remains deeply concerned about the unmet needs.

“Ninety percent of brain development takes place in the first four years of life,” she noted. “Yet we still hear people saying that early childhood care and education is ‘babysitting,’ and that mothers should stay home and take care of their children.”

This brings up another aspect of the issue, workforce and economic development. Sixty-seven percent of parents work to support their families. Yet the shortage of daycare options costs Louisiana employers $773 million each year, ranging from lost productivity to hiring and training new employees to replace parents who quit to care for their children.

The institute made important progress on another front this year: obtaining a $3 million grant from the Early Education Investment Collaborative to explore ways to improve compensation for early childhood educators.

“They are often seen as babysitters,” observed Sonnier, “but they are trained professionals who should be paid accordingly.”

Building public awareness and institutional connectivity around the link between early and ongoing education is a key focus for the institute. Another important accomplishment was helping the state Department of Education improve its data systems to incorporate this link.

Nonetheless, Louisiana ranks among the top 20 states for accountability in early care and education systems. Sonnier hopes this will give officials the confidence to continue boosting funding, until all Louisiana children can start their lives on the path to adult success. — By Keith Twitchell

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LIBBIE SONNIER --EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR --Louisiana Policy Institute for Children

LUCIO A. FRAGOSO --PRESIDENT AND CEO --Children’s Hospital New Orleans

Greater New Orleans, and one of only three in Louisiana.

Fragoso also spearheaded a partnership with the New Orleans Health Department to create a community program focused on gun safety. Led by trauma surgeons in partnership with local community advocates, the project has distributed 750 biometrically locked gun safes, and is about to add 400 more to that total.

“We see a lot of patients with accidental gunshots in the ER,” reported Fragoso, “which is entirely preventable. This is not a political campaign against guns, it is about educating families that have guns about gun safety.”

These community partnerships are a key focus for Children’s under Fragoso’s leadership.

“We have to take our care outside the four walls of the hospital,” he noted.

Fragoso also expanded the hospital’s “ThriveKids” program, which focuses on the mental health crisis facing children today.

Along with serving public schools in Jefferson Parish, in 2023 Children’s added the entire New Orleans public school system to the program, thanks to funding from the City of New Orleans.

Now operating on 180 campuses and serving over 100,000 students, the program gives particular attention to suicide prevention.

“Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents,” Fragoso pointed out. “We provide immediate resources to kids in need.”

The breadth and excellence of the services at Children’s landed it a place on Newsweek’s Top Children’s Hospitals in the World list this year for the third consecutive year. A quaternary (comprehensive care) facility, the hospital sees approximately 170,000 patients per year, making a total of over half a million visits.

Yet Fragoso continues to focus on expansion. A new on-site care center is set to open in 2024 that will double the number of patients the hospital can treat at any one time. Continuing to add staff is another top priority.

“We serve the most vulnerable kids, and thousands more still need help,” said Fragoso. “We never say no to a child.” — By Keith Twitchell

2023

was a year of growth in every imaginable way for Children’s Hospital New Orleans, including programs, staff, partnerships, facilities and patients served.

It also celebrated new leadership. In February 2023 Lucio Fragoso became the hospital’s president and CEO. Fragoso was promoted to the role after serving as chief financial officer and chief administrative officer since joining Children’s in 2019.

“We don’t want any kid to have to leave Louisiana for their care,” said Fragoso, who hit the ground running.

Under Fragoso’s leadership Children’s earned verification as a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center, making it the only verified pediatric trauma center serving

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COLETTE HIRSTIUS --SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO --Shell

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n Sept. 14 it was announced that Shell — among the largest companies in the world and the largest oil producer in the Gulf of Mexico — would not only be keeping its Gulf of Mexico operations headquarters in New Orleans, it would be constructing a new, 142,000-square-foot multi-floor office building that would serve as a much-needed anchor for the emerging River District neighborhood of New Orleans.

In addition to ensuring that more than 800 jobs will stay in New Orleans, the new headquarters will be the first major office space in the River District and the first Class A office building to be constructed in New Orleans since 1989. It is scheduled to open in late 2024 or early 2025.

Described by GNO, Inc., President and CEO Michael Hecht as “one of the biggest economic development wins for New Orleans in a decade,” the decision would not have happened without the championing of one woman: New Orleans native Colette Hirstius.

In 2021, after almost two decades at Shell — including time spent in Alaska, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and West Africa — Hirstius was named head of the company’s Gulf of Mexico operations.

She has credited her New Orleans upbringing to helping her succeed with the energy giant. A graduate of St. Mary’s Dominican High School and Tulane University, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in geology, Hirstius said she is committed to helping her home town.

“Our Gulf of Mexico operations were born here, and this move allows us to be as vital to the city’s vibrant future as we have been foundational to its past,” said Hirstius at the Nov. 19 groundbreaking of the River District. “As the global demand for energy continues to grow, lower carbon oil and gas like that produced in the Gulf of Mexico will remain critical in ensuring a balanced energy transition.”

Hirstius is firmly focused on the company’s future in the Gulf, and in her hometown, at a time when the energy industry is expanding and changing.

“This year is the 45th anniversary of our deepwater business, and I am proud that we are still finding new ways to harness the innovation of our people here in Louisiana, not just to do what we’ve always done, but to do it in ways that lower our carbon footprint to meet the new challenges we face as a society.” — By Ross Regard

STEPHEN J. WATSON --PRESIDENT AND CEO --The National WWII Museum

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hile interviewing for a job as membership programs director at what was then The National D-Day Museum, Stephen J. Watson said he recalls the transformational moment that took him from interested job candidate to eager recruit. “(Founding president/CEO) Nick Mueller and Hugh Ambrose, son of (museum co-founder) Stephen Ambrose, shared the vision to grow and develop the museum in a way that would tell the full story of the second World War,” he said. “It was thrilling, and I knew this was where I wanted to be. I said, ‘I’m in.’”

Twenty years and $400 million in developments later, Watson, now president and CEO of The National World War II Museum, saw this vision come to fruition with the November 3 opening of the Liberation Pavilion, the last of seven permanent exhibit halls and developments for the museum. The pavilion’s opening capped off the weeklong “D-Day to Liberation: Road to Victory Celebration,” which featured numerous events, including the 2023 Congressional Medal of Honor Society Convention saluting 60 new Medal of Honor recipients.

The festivities also included a parade honoring 42 World War II veterans, home front workers and Holocaust survivors.

“It was an amazing conclusion to an incredible journey,” Watson recalls. “This museum has grown while the population of the World War II generation has dwindled. We always said there was a sense of urgency to have these World War II veterans present as we completed the project. To host and recognize these individuals, as well as the Medal of Honor recipients, was a great privilege.”

But the recent milestone does not mean the end of development for the museum. In addition to refreshing and redeveloping exhibits and programs, Watson and his team are creating a comprehensive strategy to expand the museum’s education programs and outreach potential. One concept is a Leadership Training Center, where participants — ranging from high school students to executives — can hone their leadership skills using World War II case studies and methodologies. Museum leadership also hopes to strengthen institutional outreach to classrooms nationwide, especially in higher education.

“We must do more than have a great museum in New Orleans,” Watson explains. “The people of the World War II generation are gradually leaving us, making our mission even more imperative.

We will continue to find ways to ensure that this story is told.” — By Nicole Dufour

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BREN HAASE

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--CHAIR --Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Board

hen it comes to unbelievably complex and transformative projects within the state of Louisiana, very few in recent years have been to the scale of the $2.92 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project.

The largest ecosystem restoration project in not only Louisianan but in American history, the Mid-Barataria project broke ground Aug. 10, 2023 with a goal to divert fresh water and sediment from the Mississippi River and use it to rebuild coastal wetlands. It is projected that over 50 years, the sediment carried by the project will restore over 17,000 acres of wetland habitat, which will reduce the impact of storms on nearby communities and support healthier habitat for wildlife and fish.

Leading the construction is the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), and leading CPRA as both the organization’s executive director since 2019 and chair of its board since last July — both positions appointed by Gov. John Bel Edwards — is Bren Haase.

Haase has been on the staff of CPRA since its development following Hurricane Katrina.

For more than 25 years he has worked in coastal wetlands ecology, restoration and regulation in the private sector, along with federal and state governments. Among his past accomplishments was playing a key role in developing and advocating for Louisiana’s $50 million Coastal Master Plan in 2017, for which he was honored with the Governor’s Award for Conservationist of the Year.

Haase also assisted CPRA this past year in leading the “Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Plan.” This plan encompasses the next three years of budgets, expenditures and revenues, and details projects that will be undertaken by the state and its partners. The $1.62 billion plan is by far the largest in CPRA history.

Haase said he attributes much of his success to “following through on commitments, building solid working relationships even with those that don’t agree with me, and surrounding myself with quality people.”

A native Louisianan, he said that his parents and grandparents helped him to foster his love for Louisiana’s natural environment.

“Continuing to share those experiences with my wife and sons is motivation to restore our habitats and ecosystems and protect its unique communities from natural and man-made disasters alike,” he added.

Haase looks forward to continuing the significant progress that has already been made in the coastal program by dreaming of even larger projects to protect Louisiana’s coastline. He also seeks to develop the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Plan and muster support for funding bills such as the RISE and BREEZE acts to ensure a better tomorrow for Louisiana as a whole. —By Ross Regard

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DR. ROCHELLE FORD --PRESIDENT --Dillard University

illard University may be a small HCBU nestled quietly in its Gentilly neighborhood, but it clearly punches well above its weight. Under the leadership Dr. Rochelle Ford, who became Dillard’s eighth president in July 2022, it continues to grow its programs and facilities at an

impressive rate.

The most visible evidence of this is the new on-campus living and learning center, which recently broke ground and is scheduled to open in May 2025.

Students, faculty and staff will be housed in the facility, which will also include a community space, small businesses and a business incubator.

“It’s a way to extend learning from the classroom into the residence hall,” explained Ford, who helped obtain a $40 million federal loan for the project.

Less visible but possibly more vital to the student experience, in 2023 Dillard reignited its study abroad programs. Participants in the Ray Charles Program in African-American Material Culture traveled to Italy and Cuba to learn about local cuisines. Partnering with a university in Japan enabled Dillard students to travel there to study innovation and STEM initiatives.

Most impressively, Dillard was selected to represent the United States in a global research project to advance United Nations sustainability goals.

“Having that global reach really expands opportunities for our students,” said Ford.

Also on the program side, this year Dillard launched its Master of Nursing program, with concentrations in nursing education, administration and entrepreneurship.

“Many nurses these days are traveling nurses, working as independent contractors,” Ford pointed out. “We teach them how to market themselves, how to adapt to new environments, how to start complementary businesses in the healthcare field.

“The program will help fill the pipeline to meet nursing needs around the state and across the nation,” she continued, noting that Dillard graduates are instructors in many other local institutions’ nursing programs.

Ford’s first full year at the university’s helm did have its challenges. The extreme summer heat created the need for additional air conditioning as students were moving on campus in August. Then the university lost power campus-wide after an animal damaged the electrical system.

“Fortunately, the community really rallied to help us,” reported Ford. “Entergy repaired the system so that it was stronger than before. Hilton housed some of our students, and Loyola served meals for us. With each challenge we faced, it really demonstrated the strength of the New Orleans community.”

In turn, Dillard’s programs, projects and graduates, guided by Ford, continue the tradition of giving back to that community. — By Keith Twitchell

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MICHAEL SAWAYA --PRESIDENT --New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

CEO OF THE YEAR M

ichael Sawaya is the hardest-working New Orleanian on two wheels.

Since 2018, he has served as the president of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, a domain that spans about 3 million square feet — the sixth-largest convention center in the country.

It’s a lot of ground to cover, especially now, when the center — which boast approximately 400 full-time employees — is in the midst of $557 million in capital improvement projects that reach even beyond its walls.

A problem solver by nature, Sawaya long ago adopted a trusty companion to get him where he needs to be — a Segway. It’s an item he says is invaluable to his management style, one that has helped earn the convention center a top regional workplace designation for eight years running. In 2021, that recognition expanded further, to a National Top Workplace honor — the only convention center in the country to hold that title.

“If I don’t get around and say hello to people and look them in the eye and tell them I appreciate what they do, then they’re not committed to the vision that we have,” he said. “Then they don’t deliver the best every day when they walk in the door, and they don’t go out and recruit people like them to join us. I continually ask them to tell me how they feel — what they like and don’t like and how we can continue to improve.”

It’s that nonstop focus on the next achievement that drives Sawaya, who was drawn to New Orleans from San Antonio, where he was serving as executive

director of the city’s Convention and Sports Facilities (CSF) Department. The job included overseeing operations at both San Antonio’s convention center — where he directed a $325 million expansion — and the Alamodome — a 64,000-seat multipurpose indoor stadium where he led a $60 million expansion.

“Frankly, I looked back one day and said, ‘I’ve done everything I set out to do and I enjoyed it all so much,” he said. So when a recruiter came to me about an opportunity in New Orleans and I saw the possibilities here, I thought nowhere in the world is there a convention center in a central business district on a river with 40 acres of undeveloped land that it owns and controls. I thought, what an opportunity to do something really wonderful in a city that is all about hospitality. It just seemed like an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”

When Sawaya first stepped in the door of the aging, 1984 facility in his new role, his message was crystal clear.

“I told everybody that it was the decade of delivery, and that it was time to stop talking about what we were planning to do and start getting some things done,” he said.

What followed was the creation of the convention center’s first-ever capital plan. But while $557 million may seem like a hefty price tag, Sawaya offered some industry perspective.

“I look around the country and I see cities who are spending billions to reinvent what they have,” he said.

“That is what we are competing against, so we always have to have an active reinvestment plan.”

Of that $557 million, Sawaya said about $180 million in improvements have been completed thus far.

“That includes things like the linear park, all the restrooms in the building, the lighting in the exhibit halls, all the technology in the building,” he said.

“Currently, we’re working on the meeting rooms, and we’ve completed the first phase of a modernization of the public areas surrounding those meeting rooms.”

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There’s also the roof.

“We are about three-quarters done with replacing our 40-acre roof, one of the largest roofs in the country.”

Other planned improvements include exterior upgrades and the addition of public art, something Sawaya feels passionate about.

“We have no real public art in our building,” he said.

“We have got to have an expression of our community’s culture in our building so that people know that they’re in New Orleans.”

The plan also includes $26 million to be invested in an adjacent mixed-use development, a project that has taken shape under the name the River District, the groundbreaking for which took place Nov. 29.

The $1 billion project will include the new Gulf South headquarters of Shell and a Top Golf.

“About two years ago, we went through a public process to select a master developer. We spent a couple of years trying to negotiate the right agreements and layout and map out what the future looks like and how that all gets developed to make sure that that neighborhood is set up, and that the city had all the things it needs to support the development.”

Sawaya said the convention center will continue to be an integral part of the development process.

“We have a master development agreement,” he said, “and every deal on each parcel has its own ground lease, which the [convention center] board will have to approve for the tenant to go forward.”

One part of the plan that hasn’t moved along so smoothly is the addition of a headquarters hotel.

“We’re the only city in our competitive set that does not have at least one headquarter hotel, either attached to the building or adjacent to the building,” he said. “So, it’s something that we absolutely have to do. It’s among my very highest priorities.”

While Sawaya credits the pandemic shutdowns with enabling the convention center to accomplish some renovation projects twice as fast as they could have if they had been open for business, it also threw a major snag in the hotel plans.

“When the pandemic hit, the financial investor for the hotel said, ‘We don’t think it’s a very good time to build a hotel, so we’re going to go buy a hotel somewhere,’” he said. “So that went away, and we began looking at — regardless of the fact that we own property — where’s the absolute best place to put a headquarter hotel? We identified a property that we don’t own, and we spent a while trying to convince an investor to sell his property and be a partner with us.

That didn’t work out.”

Undeterred, Sawaya sought out another opportunity and says he hopes to report good news in the very near future.

“I am in current negotiations with a hotel developer to bring a sizable hotel headquarter project to the forefront,” he said, “but I can’t go into details quite yet.”

Sawaya has long been excited by hotels.

Sawaya grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he and his sister and brother were raised by a single

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mother. He graduated from the University of Arkansas after paying his way through school with hotel work.

“My family has always been in hospitality, either in the restaurant business or in the hotel business,” he said. “My aunt and uncle had a motel in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and they invited me to come up there and work in the summers when I was young and impressionable. I was 14 and coming of age and didn’t really know where I was heading in life and that break gave me exposure to something that became a lifelong passion of mine — hospitality.

Six months after graduating from college, he received the shock of his 23-year-old life.

“I went to work one day, and they said, ‘You need to be in Tulsa tomorrow morning.’ I said, ‘For what?’ and they said, ‘We’ll let you know when you get there.’

I got there and they said, ‘This is your new hotel. You’re going to be the general manager. I remember my first response was, ‘Well, I don’t know how to do that,’ and they said, ‘You’ll do just fine.’ I went home that Wednesday, hired someone to take my place and trained them, and was at work in Tulsa on Monday morning.”

Early in his career, he earned a reputation as a fixer.

“I ran 12 hotels in 19 years. I was the troubleshooter,” he said. “I was the one

who went into hotels that were having issues and did a situation analysis, found out what they needed to turn it around, and then moved on to the next one.

That work even brought me here to Louisiana in 1984.

I had a hotel in St. Francisville for 100 days.”

Over the years he also developed his own leadership style.

“I used to say in my last job, if I could dream something up, and find a way to pay for it, they let me do it,” he said. “I think leadership is all about trust in a lot of ways.

“I’ve been fortunate because I’ve had to prove myself in whatever position I was in. And once you do that, and people know you deliver and they know they trust you, then they give you more room to work. My leadership style is very much based on trust.”

With the convention center, he said that feeling of trust is something he’s been fighting hard to build in the community.

“I’ve spent a lot of time since I arrived in New Orleans going around the community and making presentations about who we are, what we do and what the effect of it is,” he said. “I am the public face of this building that most people in the community don’t come into, because they don’t have a reason to, but we’re a major enterprise that affects all of our lives and we have to make sure that resonates with the residents here.”

Sawaya also wants to ensure the convention center resonates with potential clients, and that means bringing practices into the 21st century.

“I walked into a building that wasn’t even recycling,” he said. “Sustainability has long been a priority for most facilities around the country, and we were way behind. Not only did we say, ‘We’re going to make improvements,’ we made it a goal to be among the best.

Last year, the convention center was awarded LEED Gold certification.

“We’re the largest facility in the country, in the world, actually, that has met the standards for LEED Gold,” he said. “Going from worst to first, that was a monumental accomplishment, but being able to get everybody on board to understand the importance of that, to make the right investments to make sure the board supported what we were doing, I think that that represented one of our largest challenges, one that we’ve fortunately overcome.”

Currently the plan is for the capital improvements to be completed in 2025, but Sawaya said he has no plans of his own to move on.

“I saw a quote once that said, ‘America is not America without New Orleans.’ There’s just no place like it,” he said.

In addition to riding in a few Carnival parades, Sawaya said he’s happily immersed himself into the culinary culture of the city.

“As of last week, I’ve been to 339 different restaurants. Yes, I keep count,” he said. “Nobody knows as much about different restaurants as Ian McNulty and I.” —By Kim Singletary 1

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NEIGHBORHOOD GEM

IN MEMORIAM

Two lawyers-turned-entrepreneurs are behind a new wellness spa that places a long list of unique therapy offerings under one roof.

This Mid-City optometry clinic has 20/20 vision when it comes to its local patients.

The Biz New Orleans staff said goodbye to professional photographer

GREAT WORKSPACES An historic church transforms into a modern haven for women leaders.

FROM THE LENS GREAT WORKSPACES

SALON22 2401 Bienville Street // New Orleans Salon22Nola.com // Salon22Nola // @Salon22Nola

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A historic church transforms into a modern haven for women leaders.

BY MIST Y MILIOTO PH OTOS BY SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

L A co-working space dedicated to supporting local professional women, Salon22 occupies the main area of what was once a Mid-City church.

ooking to create a membership-based professional women’s club to connect leaders and change-makers, Christa Talbott, Fay Kimbrell, Fresh Johnson and Mariska Morse founded Salon22 in September 2021. Since then, the club has grown to more than 150 members. “[This] is primarily a club providing opportunities for women to develop community and grow as individuals, as we believe personal development and large-scale change are connected,” said Talbott, Salon22’s co-founder and program director. “To meet this goal, we provide an inviting atmosphere to support women who are launching their dreams and contributing to societal change. We offer our membership a dedicated community co-working space for professional women who work remotely and are eager to make connections.”

Salon22 soon found it needed facilities to accommodate its growing numbers. That’s when the founders turned to New Orleans architecture firm NANO to create the perfect space.

As luck would have it, NANO had rezoned a historic Mid-City church at 2407 Bienville St. in 2016 before buying the property. Led by project manager Sam LeBlanc, the team started renovating the church in 2021, beginning with remediation of the roof above the first-floor space.

NANO redesigned the historic church, which was built in 1944 and designed by Ferdinand Lucien Rousseve (the first Black architect

licensed in Louisiana), to offer space to multiple tenants, including Salon22 .

Salon22 recently moved into the church’s main areas, while NANO now occupies space that it created by using the original opening of the organ area and extending the second-floor area.

“No walls were removed during the project [because they] were ideal in their layout, but we did add doors and openings to further balance the space and provide access for a multi-tenant facility,” said Terri Dreyer, owner and founding partner at NANO. During the redesign, NANO kept a number of original elements intact, including the bell tower, the stages on the first and second floor, all of the classroom walls, the original exterior brick, the oak stairs, the metal columns and all of the stunning stained-glass windows, which were restored.

To create the perfect environs for its club, Salon22 reached out to Nomita Joshi-Gupta, principal of Spruce and Nomita Joshi Interior Design. Joshi-Gupta applied what she calls international modernism design as a way to incorporate elements from many cultures and countries.

“We [used] colors, textures, shapes and forms that were modern yet welcoming and practical,” she said. “Us women love to do

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everything with flair, and we brought that into the space.”

Joshi-Gupta redesigned the sanctuary to become a multipurpose space. It now features six distinct pods (less formal spaces outfitted with tables and chairs for solo work, collabora-

tions and meetings), two central open-seating areas and a stage seating area (with two large meeting areas that can be converted to host guest speakers, panels and talks).

“We wanted the space to have an upscale hotel/residential feel,” Joshi-Gupta said. “We

Salon22 features six distinct working areas, each with their own personalities.

QUICK LOOK Number of years in operation 2 years Style of architecture Late Gothic Revival Square footage 12,660 Number of Employees 4 Persons in Charge Christa Talbott and Fay Kimbrell Architecture NANO Interior Décor Nomita Joshi Interior Design Initial Brand Development Minmoo Art and furnishings Nomita Joshi Interior Design

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Salon22’s carefully designed space harnesses feminine power, providing an environment where women can connect, collaborate, work and create.

designed each pod to have different furnishings so that the space would not look institutional.

We loved mixing colors, shapes and textures to achieve this comfortable harmony.”

There are also three office spaces along the left side of the building, along with two private conference rooms, two bathrooms and a dry-bar area with seating along a modular wall structure.

Meanwhile, a 700-square-foot breakroom and fully equipped galley kitchen (attached to the sanctuary building and with its own entrance) features a serene blue/green palette and church pews that have been reconfigured to create seating areas.

In keeping with Salon22’s concept of embracing the power of women, Joshi-Gupta made every design choice — from the colors and furniture to the lighting and function of spaces — based on how women like to work and gather. Each space has its own design personality. For example, one of the private meeting rooms is blue with wallpaper, and a mid-century table and chairs, while the other private meeting room features marble tables and plush chairs.

Both the pods and meeting spaces have custom-designed privacy screens that can be moved to make multiple space configurations.

They also have an acoustic screen for noise control.

“One of the most interesting features was the use of a modular paper wall system that divides the sanctuary from the other offices,” Joshi-Gupta said. “Upon entering, you see a reception desk with the paper wall behind the desk, and, on the other side, the paper wall houses the dry bar and seating components. The wall is fully collapsible and portable and has acoustic qualities.”

A coworking space, event venue and professional social club, Salon22’s carefully designed space harnesses feminine power, providing an environment where women can connect, collaborate, work and create. 1

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FROM THE LENS WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?

A ONE-STOPSHOP FOR HIGHTECH SELF CARE

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THE COVERY WELLNESS SPA 4712 Magazine St. 504-522-6300 // thecovery.com

Two lawyers-turnedentrepreneurs are behind a new wellness spa that places a long list of unique therapy offerings under one roof.

BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN PH OTOS BY EDMUND D. FOUNTAIN

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pas that go beyond massages and mani-pedis have become the go-to trend for casual and professional athletes, as well as those looking to boost their antiaging regimens or in search of a new kind of spa experience.

Capitalizing on this trend, Jacob Tramontin and Sasha Area recently opened New Orleans’ first Covery Wellness Spa this past July with the goal of bringing this franchised brand of wellness and beauty care to Magazine Street.

The Covery Wellness Spa boasts a long menu of popular and on-trend spa options.

“We offer a range of non-invasive modalities designed specifically to help people look and feel their very best,” said Tramontin. “From whole-body cryotherapy, red light therapy, and infrared sauna to IV drip therapy, Hydrafacial, CryoSkin and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. What

sets us apart is the fact that we offer such a wide array of modalities and therapies under one roof.”

While the first Covery Wellness Spa was founded in Baton Rouge, Tramontin and Area saw New Orleans, and its Magazine Street location, as excellent candidates for something new in healthcare and wellness.

“Sasha and I both have legal backgrounds and spent several years practicing law together,” said Tramontin. The Covery New Orleans is our first foray into the health and wellness world, but we hope to continue by opening several other locations across the greater New Orleans area. We both live Uptown and felt that it was a perfect complement to all of the fitness studios that line Magazine Street.”

Tramontin cites the national trend and sees New Orleans embracing new ideas and new ways of incorporating health and wellness into our daily routines.

Louisiana natives Jacob Tramontin and Sasha Area opened The Covery Spa on Magazine Street as a way to provide wholebody wellness treatments for both professional athletes, casual sports enthusiasts and anyone looking for a new kind of spa experience.

“New Orleans has long been known for indulgence and decadence, but these days, especially post-COVID, I think people are more health conscious,” he said.

An October 2023 LinkedIn report links the rising popularity of wellness spas with the dominance of social media and online influencers.

“The aging population’s demand for anti-aging treatments, along with increased disposable income, has also played a substantial role in the market’s growth,” the report said.

A membership is not required to book services and treatments, but for those looking to make the spa a regular haven, memberships are offered at $399/month (which includes unlimited foundational services and two premium services), and $99/month (which

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The Covery Spa offers a wide range of treatments such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, CryoLift body sculpting, lymphatic drainage therapy, red light therapy, cold therapy and more.

GET TO KNOW YOUR THERAPIES IV Drip Therapy “Administers a high dose of minerals and vitamins directly into your bloodstream …vitamin IV therapy allows it to rapidly absorb nutrients at higher doses.” Fans of IV therapy claim it treats issues including fatigue, migraines, hangovers and dehydration, among others.

Red Light Therapy “A treatment that may help skin, muscle tissue, and other parts of your body heal.

It exposes you to low levels of red or near-infrared light. Infrared light is a type of energy your eyes can’t see, but your body can feel as heat.” Benefits are said to include relief of skin aging and damage, osteoarthritis, and reduce the appearance of acne scars, UV damage, burns and more.

Cryotherapy “Any treatment that involves the use of freezing or near-freezing temperatures.”

Fans of this treatment claim it to be a good alternative for pain relief, muscle healing, weight loss, reduced inflammation and more.

SOURCE: MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy — “A pressurized chamber delivers oxygen that’s two to three times higher than normal air pressure, which helps your lungs gather and absorb more oxygen. Oxygen helps the tissues in your body heal and withstand infections.”

Practitioners use this treatment for anti-aging benefits, sports injuries, migraines and more.

SOURCE: THE CLEVELAND CLINIC

SOURCE: WEBMD

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includes four treatments a month). Members at all levels also receive 20% off therapies and 30% off packages of eight therapies or more.

Premium therapies include hyperbaric oxygen therapy, CryoLift body sculpting, lymphatic drainage therapy and more.

Foundational therapies include red light therapy, DID YOU KNOW? heat therapy, Halotherapy The health and wellness market and cold therapy, one of worldwide was valued Tramontin’s prefe rred at over $4.3 trillion in treatments.

2020, a figure which “My favorite treatment is set to increase to is the whole-body cryoalmost $7 trillion by 2025.” therapy,” he said. “It’s a quick, two-to-three-minute SOURCE: FEB. 2023 STATISTA REPORT session at temperatures as low as -175F. The cold shocks your system, leaving you with reduced inflammation and an endorphin rush that will leave you feeling great for the rest of the day. I prefer cryo since it’s a dry treatment, but we will soon be offering a cold plunge for those that prefer a wet cold treatment.”

While cryotherapy and some other wellness treatments have been popular mainly in professional athletes, Tramontin sees it — and all of the spa’s options — as beneficial to people at all fitness levels.

“The ideal member or client is anyone that has decided to prioritize their own self-care,” he said. “As we all get older, our bodies start responding differently and recovering more slowly from our typical workout or even everyday activities. Our infrared sauna, red light booth and cryotherapy chamber will help ease those aches and pains more quickly.” 1

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FROM THE LENS NEIGHBORHOOD GEM

EYES ON CANAL 4205 Canal Street B // New Orleans 504-777-7780 // EyesOnCanal.com facebook.com/eyesoncanal // @EyesOnCanal

Eyes on Canal This Mid-City optometry clinic has 20/20 vision when it comes to its local patients.

BY KEITH T WITCHELL

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s medical care becomes increasingly centralized and corporate, small, independent clinics often struggle to compete. This means being connected to the surrounding neighborhood helps – a lot.

“So many of our patients are our neighbors,” noted Ashley Collins, office manager for Eyes on Canal.

“We run into them while we’re at lunch or at the grocery store.”

Collins herself lives a block away from the optometry clinic, which is located at 4205 Canal Street in Mid-City. Eyes on Canal offers comprehensive eye exams, including diabetic eye exams; treats diseases such as glaucoma and dry-eye disease; and sells glasses and contact lenses (including outside prescriptions). Walk-in patients are welcome, and most insurance and Medicaid plans are accepted.

As the name suggests, Eyes on Canal is rooted in its unique neighborhood.

“There are many Mid-City residents who only want to go to businesses in the neighborhood,” Collins observed. “They go shopping, they get a coffee next door, and they come see us.”

The clinic reciprocates by being very client focused.

“Being a private practice sets us apart, allows us to make accommodations for patients that larger centers can’t make,” Collins said. “Being smaller makes it easier for us to adapt to our patients’ needs.”

As examples of this, Collins pointed out that an artist, a fisherman and someone who works at a computer all day all have different eye-care requirements. In addition to occupation, family history and life circumstances also contribute to

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making each patient unique. Locating the clinic on Canal, on the streetcar line, was done intentionally to make it convenient for lower-income patients who may not have access to a vehicle.

This community approach comes from Dr. Monique Jackson, the owner and optometrist.

Jackson is originally from Alexandria, Louisiana, but after training and practicing in Houston, she and her husband moved back to his home city of New Orleans. They opened the practice in 2017, in a building that had been badly flooded during Hurricane Katrina but restored to help preserve the mixed-use neighborhood on that segment of Canal Street.

“Dr. Jackson really identifies with all her patients, and rather than rattling things off in medical terms, she explains everything in plain English,” said Collins. “She gives everyone individual attention, regardless of their walk of life. If she makes a referral to a specialist, she follows up with the patient, stays in communication.”

Eyes on Canal’s community involvement also extends to a variety of collaborations that help bring eyecare to a broader base of people.

Jackson and her staff of seven partner with nearby New Harmony High School to provide free vision exams for students. Additional partnerships with Bridge House and Grace House bring much-needed services to these institutions’ clients.

The clinic also makes good use of social media, not just for marketing, but also for providing eye health information and promoting community giveaways.

Like almost every other small business, the COVID-19 pandemic created a lot of challenges.

The optical shop was not available for walk-ins, and much of the care pivoted to telemedicine.

But as things return to normal, Eyes on Canal has come back strong.

“We bounced back fairly quickly, thanks to our community,” Collins stated. “We love being in Mid-City, being in the heart of everything.” 1

FROM THE LENS IN MEMORIAM

BI Z NE W O R L E ANS SE P TE MBE R 2022 D OWNTOWN D E VE LO PM E NT D ISTRICT

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8/15/22 6:55 PM

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MARCH 2 0 2 3

The Biz New Orleans staff mourn the loss of professional photographer Greg Miles

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hotographer Greg Miles, 57, died of a reported heart attack on Nov. 19 at his home in New Orleans.

The prize-winning photographer was born in Connecticut and raised in Maryland. He began his career in fashion photography in New York City before moving to New Orleans in 2001.

For more than two decades, Miles specialized in shooting New Orleans culture and real estate for a long list of magazines and corporate clients. He’s also shown his work in several gallery exhibitions.

Miles worked for the Renaissance Publishing family of magazines for nearly two decades and was a major part of its rebirth after Hurricane Katrina.

Miles has photographed hundreds of musicians, including Fats Domino, B.B King and Kid Rock. His commercial clients included Gibson Guitars, Island Def Jam Records, NPR, Neiman Marcus, W Hotels, Harrah’s Casino, Sonesta and Task Performance.

Our community has lost a true artist. Our hearts go out to Miles’ friends and family. 1