Greater Hammond Chamber starts year with Scalise, Nungesser
January 08, 2018
Over 300 business leaders joined the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce at their 2018 Installation and Awards Luncheon on Thursday, Jan. 4, at the Southeastern Louisiana University Student Union Ballroom. Chamber members celebrated the new year with both House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser addressing the crowd.
2017 Chairman Mark Dispenza, Kaizen Strategy, praised the efforts of the board of directors, staff and committee leadership over his year of service. The Chamber advocated for their members’ No. 1 concern of advancing quality public education in Tangipahoa Parish, by engaging the community in a discussion on facts about our school system, representing members at each school board meeting and promoting the recent school board millage proposals. Dispenza noted other great strides such as initiating programs like the 24-day Small Business Express shopping event and Business Owners Sharing Strategies (BOSS) groups where owners can work through their own business issues with their peers.
“It’s the cumulative effort of a number of motivated, talented individuals working together that makes the Greater Hammond Chamber a leader in promoting the economic vitality of our community,” Dispenza said.
Accepting the reins for the new year, Elsbet Smith Hollywood, Chehardy Sherman Williams, applauded the Chamber for continuing to provide many benefits and relevance to its members. She stated that the Chamber is able to balance tradition and innovation in engaging members by truly listening to the ideas and issues members bring forth.
“We are going to do a lot of listening in 2018,” Hollywood said. “I’m eager to hear your input and your suggestions. You make this community exceptional and we want to ensure that the Chamber reflects that exceptionality.”
Sponsored by the Tangipahoa Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau, the event allowed the Chamber to celebrate their Business Member of the Year along with the Frances Chauvin Volunteer of the Year, Board Member of the Year and Ambassador of the Year.
First Guaranty Bank earned Business of the Year Award honors. In 2017 the company expanded into Texas, poised to build new facilities and create more jobs while maintaining their main office and financial hub right here in Hammond. First Guaranty Bank invests in the Chamber as a Premier Level Member, and in the community through partnerships with organizations such as Rotary, TARC, Boy Scouts, Options, Kiwanis, the Juvenile Detention Center and others. The bank also partnered with Mayor Pete Panepinto, the City of Hammond and the Hammond Airshow Foundation to sponsor the Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow which will take place October 20-21 of this year.
Elsbet Smith Hollywood was named Frances Chauvin Volunteer of the Year for her wisdom and consistent willingness to help serve, lead and guide the Chamber. Small Business Committee Chairman Hayley Taff was honored as Board Member of the Year for her work with the BOSS groups, Small Business Express event and the Business Book Club. D’Ann Davis, who was with Northshore Broadcasting and recently accepted the position of Executive Director with the Louisiana Children’s Discovery Center, was honored as the Ambassador of the Year.
“We are fortunate to continue to have outstanding business leaders serve on the Greater Hammond Chamber Board of Directors. They do a great job representing their 650+ fellow members and helping the Chamber fulfill its mission,” President and CEO Melissa Bordelon said.
The Chamber also honored outgoing board members Amanda Adams with Bayou Booksellers, Rev. Barry Chance with First Presbyterian Church in Hammond, Calvin Fabre with Envoc, Bridget LaBorde with Northshore Technical Community College, Stacey Neal formerly with the Tangipahoa Economic Development Foundation and now with Louisiana Economic Development, Brian Shirey with Northshore Broadcasting, Erica D. Williams with Erica D. Williams Attorney at Law, and Amy Ybarzabal with Northshore Home Builders Association.
Judge Brenda Bedsole Ricks swore in the 2018 Board of Directors. The Board of Directors includes Chairman Elsbet Smith Hollywood, Chehardy Sherman Williams; Chairman-elect Ginger Cangelosi, Tangipahoa Economic Development Foundation; Treasurer Jared Lauderdale, Hammond Square - Stirling Properties; Immediate Past Chairman Mark Dispenza, Kaizen Strategy; President and CEO Melissa Bordelon, Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce; Ryan Barker, Chappapeela Sports Park; Sally Carlisle, Farm Bureau Insurance; Glenda Dobson, Cypress Pointe Hospital; Greg Drude, Wainwright Real Estate; Daryl Ferrara, Whitney Bank; Theresa Harris, Florida Parishes Bank; Dr. Kay Maurin, Southeastern Louisiana University; Elizabeth Reno, Primerica; Rick Sedberry, Fidelity Bank/NOLA Lending; Hayley Taff, Orion Properties of Hammond, LLC; Belinda Vining Trepagnier, Parishes Supportive Living, Inc.; Kim Walker, 5 Stones; Michael Watkins, North Oaks Health System; Larry Bleakley, Shell Robert Training & Conference Center; Meghan Notariano, Parker Layrisson Law Firm; and Sandy Summers, Southeastern Louisiana University Small Business Development Center.
Big Frog Custom T-Shirts and More of Hammond won the Best Decorated Table Award.
Visit the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce Facebook page for other photos from this event.
Pictured above – The Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce started the new year hearing from House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. Pictured are Greater Hammond Chamber President and CEO Melissa Bordelon, 2017 Chairman Mark Dispenza, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, 2018 Chairman Elsbet Smith Hollywood, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and 2016 Chairman Brian Shirey. Photo by Phillip Colwart Photography
2017 Chairman Mark Dispenza, Kaizen Strategy, praised the efforts of the board of directors, staff and committee leadership over his year of service. The Chamber advocated for their members’ No. 1 concern of advancing quality public education in Tangipahoa Parish, by engaging the community in a discussion on facts about our school system, representing members at each school board meeting and promoting the recent school board millage proposals. Dispenza noted other great strides such as initiating programs like the 24-day Small Business Express shopping event and Business Owners Sharing Strategies (BOSS) groups where owners can work through their own business issues with their peers.
“It’s the cumulative effort of a number of motivated, talented individuals working together that makes the Greater Hammond Chamber a leader in promoting the economic vitality of our community,” Dispenza said.
Accepting the reins for the new year, Elsbet Smith Hollywood, Chehardy Sherman Williams, applauded the Chamber for continuing to provide many benefits and relevance to its members. She stated that the Chamber is able to balance tradition and innovation in engaging members by truly listening to the ideas and issues members bring forth.
“We are going to do a lot of listening in 2018,” Hollywood said. “I’m eager to hear your input and your suggestions. You make this community exceptional and we want to ensure that the Chamber reflects that exceptionality.”
Sponsored by the Tangipahoa Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau, the event allowed the Chamber to celebrate their Business Member of the Year along with the Frances Chauvin Volunteer of the Year, Board Member of the Year and Ambassador of the Year.
First Guaranty Bank earned Business of the Year Award honors. In 2017 the company expanded into Texas, poised to build new facilities and create more jobs while maintaining their main office and financial hub right here in Hammond. First Guaranty Bank invests in the Chamber as a Premier Level Member, and in the community through partnerships with organizations such as Rotary, TARC, Boy Scouts, Options, Kiwanis, the Juvenile Detention Center and others. The bank also partnered with Mayor Pete Panepinto, the City of Hammond and the Hammond Airshow Foundation to sponsor the Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow which will take place October 20-21 of this year.
Elsbet Smith Hollywood was named Frances Chauvin Volunteer of the Year for her wisdom and consistent willingness to help serve, lead and guide the Chamber. Small Business Committee Chairman Hayley Taff was honored as Board Member of the Year for her work with the BOSS groups, Small Business Express event and the Business Book Club. D’Ann Davis, who was with Northshore Broadcasting and recently accepted the position of Executive Director with the Louisiana Children’s Discovery Center, was honored as the Ambassador of the Year.
“We are fortunate to continue to have outstanding business leaders serve on the Greater Hammond Chamber Board of Directors. They do a great job representing their 650+ fellow members and helping the Chamber fulfill its mission,” President and CEO Melissa Bordelon said.
The Chamber also honored outgoing board members Amanda Adams with Bayou Booksellers, Rev. Barry Chance with First Presbyterian Church in Hammond, Calvin Fabre with Envoc, Bridget LaBorde with Northshore Technical Community College, Stacey Neal formerly with the Tangipahoa Economic Development Foundation and now with Louisiana Economic Development, Brian Shirey with Northshore Broadcasting, Erica D. Williams with Erica D. Williams Attorney at Law, and Amy Ybarzabal with Northshore Home Builders Association.
Judge Brenda Bedsole Ricks swore in the 2018 Board of Directors. The Board of Directors includes Chairman Elsbet Smith Hollywood, Chehardy Sherman Williams; Chairman-elect Ginger Cangelosi, Tangipahoa Economic Development Foundation; Treasurer Jared Lauderdale, Hammond Square - Stirling Properties; Immediate Past Chairman Mark Dispenza, Kaizen Strategy; President and CEO Melissa Bordelon, Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce; Ryan Barker, Chappapeela Sports Park; Sally Carlisle, Farm Bureau Insurance; Glenda Dobson, Cypress Pointe Hospital; Greg Drude, Wainwright Real Estate; Daryl Ferrara, Whitney Bank; Theresa Harris, Florida Parishes Bank; Dr. Kay Maurin, Southeastern Louisiana University; Elizabeth Reno, Primerica; Rick Sedberry, Fidelity Bank/NOLA Lending; Hayley Taff, Orion Properties of Hammond, LLC; Belinda Vining Trepagnier, Parishes Supportive Living, Inc.; Kim Walker, 5 Stones; Michael Watkins, North Oaks Health System; Larry Bleakley, Shell Robert Training & Conference Center; Meghan Notariano, Parker Layrisson Law Firm; and Sandy Summers, Southeastern Louisiana University Small Business Development Center.
Big Frog Custom T-Shirts and More of Hammond won the Best Decorated Table Award.
Visit the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce Facebook page for other photos from this event.
Pictured above – The Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce started the new year hearing from House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. Pictured are Greater Hammond Chamber President and CEO Melissa Bordelon, 2017 Chairman Mark Dispenza, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, 2018 Chairman Elsbet Smith Hollywood, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and 2016 Chairman Brian Shirey. Photo by Phillip Colwart Photography
