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2004 CityBusiness Women of the Year 

Hallema and Ann 

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One of CityBusiness’ 

2004 Women of the Year 

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Women 

2004 

of the Year 

• Respected Leader 

Table 

of Contents 

Women of the Year honorees 

Introduction 

Philomene “Missy” Allain 

Rita Benson LeBlanc 

Barbara C. Booth 

Lally Brennan 

Valerie Cahill 

Karen Carter 

Audrey Cerise 

Hallema Sharif Clyburn 

Dorothy M. Clyne 

Sandra Corrigan 

Elizabeth Coulon 

Virginia Davis 

Stephanie Dupuy 

Anita Gilford 

Dana Meeks Hansel 

Lane Hindermann 

Andrea Huseman 

Ellen Kempner 

Laura Lee Killeen 

Janice Kishner 

Dr. Susan Krantz 

Angelique LaCour 

Janet E. Larson 

Diane Lyons 

Carla Major 

Marilyn Maloney 

Lisa Maurer 

Mary L. Meyer 

Kathleen Mix 

Michelle Montz 

Carole Cukell Neff 

Dr. J. Coller Ochsner 

Stephanie Prunty 

Dr. Felicia Rabito 

Ann Rogers 

Gail Roussel 

Peggy Scott 

Tara Shaw 

Jaye Berard Smith 

Kathryn Smith 

Carol Solomon 

Kim Sport 

Liz Tahir 

Donna Taylor 

Fran Villere 

Ann Wallace 

Barbara B. Waller 

Bonnie K. Wibel 

Carol B. Wise 

Ellen Yellin 

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Congratulations, Kathleen, 

on being named one of 2004’s 

Women of the Year. 

Your colleagues at 

Delgado Community College 

are proud of you! 

• Dedicated Executive 

• Progressive Citizen 

Kathleen Mix, Vice Chancellor 

for Workforce Development and Education, 

Delgado Community College 

Photographer: Cheryl Gerber 

Published by the NOPG LLC 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 

Suite 1440, Metairie, La. 70005 

504-834-9292; Fax: 504-837-2258. 

Publisher and president: D. Mark Singletary 

Editor: Terry O’Connor 

Junior associate editors: Tommy Santora and Greg LaRose 

Director of custom publishing and industry reports sales: Ann Bower Herren 

Art director: Lisa Finnan 

Production manager: Julie Bernard 

Advertising coordinator: Heidi Decker

Congratulations 

Philomene ‘Missy’ Allain, 

RPH, RXM, DDR 

On being chosen 

as one of CityBusiness’ 

2004 

THE NEW ORLEANS HORNETS 

CONGRATULATE WOMAN OF THE YEAR 

Barbara Booth 

Mother, 

Wife, 

Hero 

From your loving family 

Kayla, Mark, Lucky

Women 

of theYear 

Honorees 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

2003 

2004 

Phyllis Adams 

Jan Boatright 

Patricia Denechaud 

Maura Donahue 

Betsy Dresser 

Lana Duke 

Nanci Easterling 

Midge Epstein 

Mignon Faget 

Donna Fraiche 

Patricia Habeeb 

Connie Jacobs 

Leslie Rosenthal Jacobs 

Alice Kennedy 

Ti Martin 

Judy Perry Martinez 

Elise McCullough 

Ruth Ann Menutis 

Siomonia Edwards Milton 

Phala Mire 

Margaret Montgomery-Richard 

Karyn Noles 

Ruth Owens 

Sharon Perlis 

Nellie Stokes Perry 

Leaudria Polk 

Kay Priestly 

Jan Ramsey 

Marguerite Redwine 

P.K. Scheerle 

Flo Schornstein 

Janet Shea 

Kim Sport 

Carroll Suggs 

Barbara Turner Windhorst 

Tonia Aiken 

Lauren Anderson 

Carol Asher 

Judy Barrasso 

Diane Barrilleaux 

Suzette Becker 

Elodia Blanco 

Julia Bland 

Cindy Brennan 

Maureen Clary 

Sally Clausen 

Dr. Elizabeth Terrell 

Hobgood Fontham 

Joni Friedmann 

Joanne Gallinghouse 

Brenda Garibaldi Hatfield 

Paulette Hurdlick 

Maureen Larkins 

Gay LeBreton 

Saundra Levy 

Londa Martin McCullough 

Linda Mintz 

Judith Miranti 

Angela O’Byrne 

Rajender “Raj” Pannu 

Kay Priestly 

Kat Rice 

P.K. Scheerle 

Eileen Skinner 

Bettye Parker Smith 

Sherry Walters 

Julie Condy 

Sherie Conrad 

Sheila Danzey 

Judy Dawson 

Ann Duplessis 

Patti Ellish 

Jean Felts 

Patricia Gray 

Beverly Gianna 

Sheilah Auderer Goodson 

Norma Grace 

Deborah Ducote Keller 

Donna Guinn Klein 

Roselyn Koretzky 

Corvette Kowalski 

Jennifer Magee 

Barbara Major 

Laurie Vignaud Marshall 

Suzanne Mestayer 

Nancy Morovich 

Barbara Motley 

Roberta Musa 

Iona Myers 

Rickie Nutik 

Tina Owen 

Sharon Rodi 

Wanda Sigur 

ChiQuita Simms 

Katherine Harlan Sippola 

Julie Skinner Stokes 

Ruby Sumler 

Nancy Bissinger Timm 

Ollie Tyler 

Pam Wegmann 

Ann Wills 

Ann Cassagne Anderson 

Annie Avery` 

Trilby Barnes 

Ginger Berrigan 

Dianne Boazman 

Donnie Marie Booth 

Christine Briede 

Kay Brief 

Stephanie Bruno 

Kimberly Williamson Butler 

Jane Cooper 

Shirley Trusty Corey 

Kay Dee 

Eugenie Jones Encalarde 

Alethia Gauthier 

Clem Goldberger 

Patricia Green 

Judith Halverson 

Barbara Johnson 

Barbara Kaplinsky 

Ruth Kullman 

Sharon Litwin 

Ana Lopez 

Barbara MacPhee 

Deborah Mavis 

Marguerite McDonald 

Cheryl Nickerson 

Danette O’Neal 

Jimmie Phillips 

Catherine Pierson 

Jane Raiford 

Rhonda Robichaux 

Julie Rodriguez 

Judy Shano 

Sandy Shilstone 

Susan Spicer 

Suzanne Thomas 

Deborah Villio 

Kay Wilkins 

Elizabeth Williams 

Donna K. Alley 

Dianne Baham 

Gaynell Bellizan 

Ruth Berggren 

Lolita Burrell 

Jeanette C. Butler 

Vanessa Claiborne 

Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson 

Elaine E. Coleman 

Katherine Conklin 

Lisa Crinel 

Susan G. D’Antoni 

M. Christine D’Antonio 

Sandra Dartus 

Camilla Q. Davis 

Catherine C. Dunn 

Carol Etter 

Peggy A. Feldmann 

Susan K. Fielkow 

Deborah Duplechin Harkins 

Deborah C. Keel 

Patricia A. Krebs 

Mary Landrieu 

Janet E. Leigh 

A. Kelton Longwell 

Charlotte Connick Mabry 

Laura K. Maloney 

Eve Barrie Masinter 

Elsie Mendez 

Eileen F. Powers 

Tonnette “Toni” Rice 

Deborah B. Rouen 

Dionne M. Rousseau 

Diane M. Roussel 

Kim Ryan 

Grace Sheehan 

Andrea Thornton 

Keeley Williams Verrett 

Dawn Wesson 

Charlee Williamson 

Philomene “Missy” Allain 



Lally Brennan 


Karen Carter 

Audrey Cerise 





Virginia Davis 


Anita Gilford 




Ellen Kempner 






Diane Lyons 

Carla Major 


Lisa Maurer 

Mary L. Meyer 

Kathleen Mix 






Ann Rogers 

Gail Roussel 

Peggy Scott 

Tara Shaw 

Jaye Berard Smith 

Kathryn Smith 

Carol Solomon 

Kim Sport 

Liz Tahir 

Donna Taylor 

Fran Villere 

Ann Wallace 



Carol B. Wise 

Ellen Yellin

2004 

Women 

of theYear 

CityBusiness receives record 106 nominations 

One is a pharmacist who donated her kidney to her 5-year-old daughter. 

Despite being born without arms, her daughter now lives the life of a normal 

11-year-old girl thanks to her mother’s nurturing and encouragement. 

Another is a breast cancer survivor who dedicates her time to raising 

money for nonprofit organizations. 

Then there’s the young executive following in her grandfather’s footsteps, 

looking to one day own a professional football franchise. 

These aren’t your ordinary businesswomen. 

CityBusiness received a record 106 nominations for the 2004 Women 

of the Year; 50 were selected and recognized for their professional and 

community achievements. 

In another first, Philomene “Missy” Allain was named Woman of the 

Year, a historic distinction voted on by a five-person Women of the Year 

alumni panel. 

Allain, a pharmacy manager at Walgreens in the French Quarter, contributes 

most of her community time to I-CAN, the International Child 

Amputee Network that helps children born with limb defects adapt to a 

normal lifestyle. The organization also advises families on their challenges. 

Allain’s daughter, Kayla, was born without arms and her kidneys 

failed at the age of 5. Allain donated one of her kidneys to Kayla and it 

was a perfect match. 

Allain has since served as the coordinator of I-CAN’s national convention 

in New Orleans, and Kayla recently received a Headmaster’s Award 

at St. George’s Episcopal School. She also plays the piano. 

Kim Sport, a volunteer and breast-cancer survivor of three years, 

became a two-time Women of the Year selection. She joins P.K. Sheerle 

and Kay Priestly, who have also twice won the award. Each woman has a 

chance next year to enter the CityBusiness Women of the Year Hall of 

Fame for winning the award three times. 

The world of sports contributed two honorees to this year’s distinguished 

list — Rita Benson LeBlanc, New Orleans Saints finance and 

business executive and the granddaughter of Saints owner Tom 

Benson; and Barbara Booth, the New Orleans Hornets vice president 

of finance and the only female chief financial officer in the National 

Basketball Association. 

Two of New Orleans’ favorite pastimes — politics and fine dining — are 

also represented. Louisiana state Rep. Karen Carter heads into her second 

term in the Legislature, while Lally Brennan spends her days providing 

legendary New Orleans culinary experiences at Commander’s Palace. 

We thank all these women for their continued contributions to the 

city of New Orleans and we thank the nominators for bringing them to 

our attention. 

Tommy Santora and Greg LaRose 

junior associate editors 

New Orleans CityBusiness

Women of the Year 7A 

The 2004 

Woman 

of theYear 

Philomene ‘Missy’ Allain 

Position: pharmacist/pharmacy manager, Walgreens 

Family: husband, Mark; daughter, Kayla, 11 

Education: bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, Xavier University 

When Philomene “Missy”Allain began rearing her daughter,Kayla, 

who was born without arms, she knew she was in for a challenge. 

What Allain didn’t know was that the challenge lay in keeping 

up with the little girl’s energy. 

Today, Kayla is 11 and as active as any other fifth-grader, 

perhaps more so. She maintains high grades, plays piano, 

cheerleads and sings in the middle-school chorus. Kayla’s 

indifference to her own disability may be attributed to the fact 

her mother is also energetic and active within the community. 

Joanne Hilton, who nominated Allain for “Women of the 

Year,” met Allain through her godchild, who befriended Kayla 

when both were at Newcomb Nursery. The friendship has since 

extended to include the adults as well as the children. 

Kayla is now a successful student at St. George’s Episcopal 

School in New Orleans. 

“To see the way Missy handles her child and the abilities her 

child has, it gives all parents an idea of what’s possible for their 

own children,” said Hilton. 

Allain contributes time to the International Child Amputee 

Network, a group that provides information and support to families 

with children having limb defects. She has also worked with 

the Children’s Miracle Network, the New Orleans Epilepsy 

Foundation and New Orleans Council on Aging. 

For mother and daughter alike, it seems that one challenge 

would just lead to one more opportunity. For instance, when Kayla 

was 5, her kidneys failed due to a condition called dysplasia. While 

her child was being treated at Children’s Hospital, Allain met a 

child there who had leukemia. Coincidentally, she volunteered to 

raise money by participating in a “Team in Training” fund-raiser 

for a leukemia society and later learned the little girl would be an 

honoree of the event. 

“It gave me more inspiration to get through it all — to raise the 

money, to get across the finish line thinking about her and Kayla, 

thinking about what they’ve gone through — I can definitely walk 

for a couple hours. That was nothing compared to what they 

have to go through.” 

Allain’s latest endeavors include organizing a free informational 

session for diabetics at the main branch of the New 

Orleans Public Library and helping Kayla learn to roller skate. 

“The thing that impresses me most about Missy is how well 

adjusted Kayla is,” said Margie Fell, a secretary at St. George’s 

and long time friend of Allain’s. “Kayla has so many difficulties, 

but she’s the nicest kid around.” 

By trade, Allain works as the pharmacy manager at Walgreens’ 

French Quarter location. Allain has been a Walgreens’ employee for 

17 years. The French Quarter location is an environment she says is 

very enjoyable.“Everybody’s friendly.People who live in the Quarter 

come there, and tourists. So it’s a really friendly atmosphere. ... I like 

the interaction with people and being able to help them.” 

Allain also helps prepare college students for careers in pharmacy 

by contributing to the Xavier mentorship program, where 

students job shadow pharmacy professionals. 

“It’s a way to expose students to the great opportunities in 

pharmacy,” said Coti Gayles, director of the program at Xavier. 

Gayles said Allain was one of the first volunteers for the program. 

“She’s a positive influence for the students she works with,” 

Gayles said. “Some of the volunteers I had to kind of persuade 

them to do this but Missy jumped right into it, willing to be a positive 

influence and role model.” 

— Faith Dawson

Congratulations Carol Solomon on Your 

Selection as a CityBusiness Woman of the Year! 

Tenet Choices salutes Carol A. Solomon as one of CityBusiness’ Women of the Year for 2004. 

Ms. Carol Solomon believes everyone deserves quality, affordable — dependable — healthcare. 

Her compassionate attitude supports the culture of caring demonstrated to our 300 employees and 

nearly 40,000 members. She has built the company to accommodate the individual needs and personal 

service seniors want from a health insurance company. Her leadership has developed Tenet Choices into 

the largest Medicare Advantage health plan in the area, with annual revenues close to $320 million. 

Through Ms. Solomon’s vision,Tenet Choices is committed to building a stronger, healthier community. 

Because our physicians and employees are a part of this community,Tenet Choices offers a unique 

perspective to its members.That’s why we support the things that make New Orleans unique... like 

the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Hornets. 

For your leadership, innovation and caring nature, thank you Ms. Carol A. Solomon. 

We are proud to work with such a dynamic business leader. 

Proudly honors 

2004 

WOMAN 

of 

the 

YEAR 

Lisa Maurer 

Celebrating women everywhere 

The Smart Business Decision. 

New Orleans 

643 Magazine Street | New Orleans, LA 70130 | Phone: (504) 586-1200 | Fax: (504) 596-2800 

New Orleans • Baton Rouge • Houston • Jackson • Cleveland • Monroe • Dallas • Albany 

www.mcglinchey.com


Women 

of theYear 


Position: finance and business executive, New Orleans Saints; director of marketing and special events, New Orleans Voodoo 

Family: single 

Education: bachelor’s degree in AgriBusiness, Texas A&M University 

Growing up in the family business conjures up some 

familiar images: Youngsters climbing on a footstool to 

reach the cash register and grandparents passing along 

secret recipes to their progeny. 

For Rita Benson LeBlanc, childhood memories include 

behemoths shrouded in black and gold and scores of 

motorized metal machines in all shapes and sizes. 

As the grandchild of Tom Benson, LeBlanc was 

immersed in the diverse worlds of professional football 

and auto dealerships. That grounding has led the 27-yearold 

to a series of jobs that have prepared her to eventually 

take over the reins of the New Orleans Saints. 

“It just seemed natural since birth,” she said. “I just 

always knew I wanted to be a part of it all — the team, the 

dealerships, everything we’re that we’re involved with — 

and make it grow.” 

LeBlanc’s career in sports entertainment began in 1998 

with a series of internships with the National Football 

League. Her stops included NFL headquarters in New 

York, the NFL Properties Publishing Group in Los 

Angeles and NFL Films in Mount Laurel, N.J. She has 

spent the last four years with the Saints and was recently 

given a share of team ownership by Benson, who said his 

granddaughter was the only family member to show a real 

interest in working with the team. 

“I recognized that for some people there is a pressure 

to be in that role and the interest may not be there,” 

LeBlanc said about becoming the next Saints team 

owner. “For me it could never happen fast enough or I 

could never learn enough.” 

LeBlanc said her internships exposed her to places she 

always wanted to explore. But now that she is back in New 

Orleans, she has come to appreciate the city’s character 

and people even more. 

“Everyone is very friendly,” she said. “The South is still 

a wonderful, friendly place.” 

Since the NFL requires its member teams to be 

involved in their communities, LeBlanc is eager to find 

ways in which the Saints can give back to the people who 

have supported them over the years. The NFL, in turn, 

has recognized the franchise for its efforts, placing it 

among the league’s top teams in terms of community 

involvement, LeBlanc said. 

“You have to have interaction with your fans beyond the 

football field,”she said.“I’ve worked in all the different sides 

of an organization and there are people who feel all you have 

to do is win on the field. I see the overall big picture that 

everyone has to be successful in their interactions with the 

fans, the sponsors, to keep us on that exemplary level.” 

— Greg LaRose

10A New Orleans CityBusiness • November 8 2004 

Women 

of theYear 


Position: vice president of finance, New Orleans Hornets 

Family: daughter, Heather 15 

Education: bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration, Berry College 

Seeing the number of zeros on the paychecks of the 

New Orleans Hornets’ stars would mesmerize most of 

us, and even though it’s a small part of the job, it provides 

a thrill for the team’s chief financial officer. 

“Writing the checks is unbelievable,” says Barbara 

Booth, the Hornets’ vice president of finance. “It’s 

amazing to see what some of these players are paid.” 

Booth began working with the Hornets’ financial 

operations department on a contractual basis in 1999 

when her boss, Ray Woolridge, bought a minority 

interest in the National Basketball Association franchise 

and was placed in charge of establishing the 

team’s financial operations in New Orleans during the 

move from Charlotte, N.C. 

“The relocation from Charlotte to New Orleans was 

like starting a new business,” Booth said. 

Instead of enjoying the unique aspects of life in 

New Orleans, Booth’s indoctrination was filled with 

laying the groundwork for the team’s successful transition 

to a new home. “We worked 18-hour days on a 

regular basis and had a few where we worked 30- 

hours straight.” 

She said the experience was a lot of fun and one she will 

never forget. “We wanted to do everything to get off on the 

right foot and the city’s reaction has been phenomenal.” 

Her dedication was instrumental in the Hornets 

relocation, and she reaped the rewards of the team’s 

seamless transition. In January 2003, she was promoted 

to her current job becoming the only female chief 

financial officer in the NBA. Today, she oversees all 

Hornets’ financial and accounting functions, financial 

reporting, banking relationships, insurance, employee 

benefit plans and human resources. 

Booth said it feels good to be the only woman in her 

position in the NBA. “It’s a heavily male-dominated 

industry but I think I fit right in,” she says. 

Booth, a certified public accountant, was chief financial 

officer for Charlotte-based Big Play Entertainment, 

Atlanta based-Space Master International and a senior 

staff auditor in the Atlanta office of Arthur Young & 

Co. prior to joining the Hornets. 

Away from balancing the Hornets’ books, Booth is 

involved in school, church and community activities, 

and enjoys tennis and golf, skiing and spending time 

with her daughter, Heather. 

— Chris Price


Women 

of theYear 

Lally Brennan 

Position: managing partner, Commander’s Palace and Café Adelaide 


Education: attended Southern Methodist University 

When Lally Brennan is asked.“What do you do for a living?” 

She responds, “I make memories.” 

“The restaurant industry is not a 9 to 5 job; I’m 

always working but I love what I do. It’s a lifestyle of 

meeting people every day, hearing their stories, spending 

time with them and making sure they enjoy their 

dining experience.” 

Lally, one of eight third-generation Brennans actively 

involved in the restaurant industry, serves as managing 

partner of Commander’s Palace and Café Adelaide. 

Brennan didn’t always know she would end up in 

the family business. She pursued a career in retail out 

of college. 

“My family wanted all of us to go off and do different 

things, and if we decided we wanted to be involved in 

the restaurant business, then we could come back,” she 

said. “I got involved in retail, but one day my father 

asked me to come back and I couldn’t say no to him. 

Apples don’t fall far from a tree and when you grow up 

and hear something all of your life, it’s instilled in you 

in a sense.” 

In 1979, Brennan was part of the Mr. B’s team 

when the restaurant opened in the French Quarter, 

and then in 1982, she began her 22-year stint as managing 

partner at Commander’s Palace. 

When not in the restaurant, Brennan said she is 

attending meetings and events to keep up-to-date on 

the restaurant industry. 

“The customers should get what they want. New 

Orleans is blessed with so many great restaurants, and 

part of your job is keeping up with the competition 

around you,” she said. Outside of her restaurant career, 

Brennan said she is most proud of her charitable work 

with Prevent Child Abuse. 

“You have to give as much time back as you can to 

charities that touch your heart, and children touch my 

heart,” she said. 

Brennan is also involved in Grace House and has 

aided the Audubon Institute, Longue Vue House and 

Gardens and the Contemporary Arts Center and was 

the co-founder of New Orleans’ Les Dames des 

Escoffier, which promotes women’s achievement in the 

culinary profession. 

“It’s so important to give back to the community; our 

community has done so much for us,” she said. “This is 

home for me and my family, and we want to be in New 

Orleans and continue to help it be a special place.” 

— Tommy Santora


Women 

of theYear 


Position: vice president, American Construction Management Services 


Education: attended Newcomb College 

Those who know Valerie Cahill’s story could say she creates 

her own opportunities. 

To hear her tell the story of how she became vice president 

of American Construction Management Services 

Inc., she modestly credits a chance meeting on an airplane. 

But Cahill actually played a major role in forming the 

company she helps run. 

About four years ago while flying to a business meeting 

in Texas, she struck up a conversation with Dwaine 

Foster, a Texas businessman. At the time, Cahill was 

working as a senior account executive for a major 

telecommunications company. 

On the plane ride, Cahill listened as Foster described 

his work as a construction consultant specializing in damaged 

buildings. She began thinking about her friends in 

New Orleans who owned commercial buildings, and “it 

occurred to me I would be doing my friends ... an enormous 

favor to introduce them to this dynamic ‘human 

resource,’” she said. 

Cahill, recognizing a golden opportunity, set up meetings 

between Foster and New Orleans area building owners. 

Out of those meetings, Foster started ACMS in 2000, 

and business in the metro area was bustling enough to justify 

making Jefferson the company’s headquarters rather 

than Texas, Cahill said. 

“He said he formed the company here because of the 

contacts I introduced him to and the volume of business 

that resulted, which was quite significant,” Cahill said. “As 

well, (the metro area) pleased him more than the many 

other cities he had and continues to do business in. 

“I knew that he and his team could fulfill a vital need of 

building owners and litigators, and I wanted to be a part of 

that progress and growth. The rest is history.” 

ACMS, a construction consulting firm that specializes 

in providing reports and expert testimony in commercial 

construction litigation, is branching out into Central 

America and Europe, Cahill said. 

Her responsibilities are numerous, including marketing, 

public relations, preparing estimates and documenting 

damages. 

She said her background in sales combined with a lifelong 

interest in real estate make her well suited for her 

position. She said she believes in the power of positive 

thinking, which can develop “an attitude of gratitude.” 

Cahill is the founder and vice chairwoman of New 

Orleans Homeless Pets. She also serves on the Junior 

League, Women’s Professional Council, Urban Land 

Institute, Commercial Real Estate Women, the World 

Trade Center of New Orleans and Committee of 21. 

— Deon Roberts


Women 

of theYear 

Karen Carter 

Position: Louisiana state representative, District 93 


Education: Mercy Academy; bachelor’s degree in international business/marketing, 

Howard University; J.D., Tulane Law School 

When state Rep. Charles DeWitt, D-Alexandria, asked 

the House Ways and Means Committee to pass a halfcent 

sales tax increase as a “temporary bridge” to later 

reform, state Rep. Karen Carter, D-New Orleans, was 

ready with a response. 

“If this is a bridge,I’d better take a boat or swim,”she said. 

Known for taking strong stances against taxing lowerincome 

people, helping welfare reform and lending support 

to the Orleans Parish School System, Carter began 

her second term and fifth year as representative for District 

93 in January. 

Carter was named to the “100 to watch” list for state 

and local Democrats by the New Democrats Online 

Leadership Council and has also received the Orleans 

Parish Legislator of the Year award from the Alliance for 

Good Government. 

“I like the legislative process, and everything that I’m 

fighting for I’m trying to make a difference in people’s 

lives,” she said. “There’s a real need in any community for 

leadership. It’s important for people elected to office to not 

just take public positions, but really make a difference.” 

In June, Carter pushed through House Bill 1659, which 

empowers the superintendent of any school system in academic 

crisis to act without his school board’s approval in 

most areas. The law also limits the authority of the school 

board to terminate the superintendent by requiring a twothirds 

vote of the elected members of the board. The discordant 

relationship between Orleans Parish Schools 

Superintendent Anthony Amato and dissenting School 

Board members led Carter to champion the measure. 

In April, Carter was appointed chair of the House 

Insurance Committee. In that position, she fought for contraceptive 

insurance coverage for women but the House 

killed the bill in May. 

On the welfare reform stage, Carter has promoted family 

stability and eased welfare recipients’ transitions from 

welfare to work by securing more state funds. 

In addition to holding public office, Carter has an independent 

practice as a bond lawyer. 

“Working for yourself gives you some flexibility to take certain 

cases you want to and fight for average people,” she said. 

Carter has also done community work with Dryades 

YMCA, where inner-city, low-income children have an 

option to public school systems. 

“I like community work because it gives me a chance to 

get out there and see what I need to fight for,” she said. 

“My agenda is for the betterment of the masses of the community, 

and I’m willing to take challenges and risks that 

help people.” 

— Tommy Santora


Women 

of theYear 

Audrey Cerise 

Position: president and chief executive officer, ASI Federal Credit Union 

Family: sons Charles, 46, Frederick, 42, and John, 41; daughters Elizabeth, 45, Helene, 43, and Mary, 39 

Education: attended Loyola University New Orleans; certified credit union executive 

The story behind Audrey Cerise’s impressive career as a 

credit union chief begins with a series of interrupted plans. 

Cerise attended Loyola University in the mid-1950s, 

majoring in medical technology, but left after two years to 

get married. As her family grew to include six children, she 

said, “I wanted nothing more than to be a mom and a 

housewife.” 

But after her marriage ended, she took a part-time 

job at the Louisiana Public Health Workers Credit 

Union. When the manager resigned several months 

later, she was persuaded to stay on “temporarily” until 

a replacement could be found. She ended up staying 

10 years before moving on to run ASI Federal Credit 

Union in 1979. 

Under her leadership, ASI grew from five employees to 

217, from a single branch to 14, and from $5 million in 

assets to nearly $200 million. 

Originally formed to give Avondale Shipyard employees 

access to emergency funds, ASI had a total of 5,000 

members when Cerise took over. Realizing the company 

could not survive relying solely on this membership base, 

she decided to expand. 

Today, the credit union has more than 70,000 members 

who work for some 400 different employers. Much of that 

growth has come from mergers with other credit unions 

that were affiliated with local businesses that closed during 

the 1980s. ASI also added about seven low-income communities 

to its field of membership. 

At a planning seminar last year, ASI executives decided 

to adopt the Southwest Airlines slogan “Go nuts!” as a 

way to motivate employees. The concept, Cerise said, is all 

about “having fun, doing for the community, respecting 

each other.” One of the company’s favorite community 

projects is Habitat for Humanity. 

Cerise also devotes personal time to the Girls 

Hope/Boys Hope organization, which she says “takes 

children who otherwise would not have a shot at a good 

education and gives them that opportunity.” 

“I’ve seen children get into that organization and 

watched them as they graduated from college,” she said. 

Cerise said her greatest success has been raising her 

children. “I couldn’t be any prouder than I am of all my 

kids,” she said. 

In her leisure, Cerise enjoys playing bridge and spending 

time with her 14 grandchildren. 

“Every Saturday, you can find me at a soccer game, a 

softball game or a baseball game somewhere,” she said. 

— Sonya Stinson


Women 

of theYear 


Position: senior account executive, Ehrhardt Group 

Family: husband, Floyd Clyburn; daughter, Jelani Bauman, 14; son, Floyd Jr., 3; step-daughter, Dasia Clyburn, 22. 

Education: bachelor’s degree in mass communications, Xavier University 

Rare is the parent who takes on a full-time job to spend 

more time with her family but that’s exactly what happened 

to Hallema Sharif Clyburn. She gave up running 

her own business as an independent media 

specialist/public relations consultant, which entailed lots 

of out-of-town travel and an unpredictable schedule, for 

a position at the Ehrhardt Group, where she has been 

employed since August. 

“I was ready for more structure,” she said. 

The New Orleans native and Xavier University graduate 

had certainly built up an impressive résumé. She worked 

every summer since she was 17, never taking any significant 

time off to explore life outside of the working world. She 

graduated from Xavier with a bachelor’s degree in mass 

communications, and eventually her work in communications 

took her all over the United States to jobs in government, 

television, entertainment and other fields. Yet she felt 

the city of New Orleans pull her back into its orbit. 

Clyburn said she considers it a blessing to have worked 

in so many industries and cities, but New Orleans’ culture, 

people and family-oriented environment cemented her 

decision to spend more time here. 

During her career, Clyburn spent seven years in television 

but discovered that she preferred working with 

clients and staying behind the scenes. Since then, she has 

worked in marketing, public relations and event planning 

for media giants such as Black Entertainment Television 

and ABC. 

Even though Clyburn is now busy with the demands 

of a career in which her areas of expertise include the 

medical, technology, entertainment and business fields, 

she still finds time to volunteer in the community. A 

member of several industry organizations, including the 

Public Relations Society of America, Press Club of New 

Orleans and the National Black Media Coalition, 

Clyburn also contributes time to the YWCA, specifically 

its “Parenting on Purpose” program, which teaches 

parenting skills to young people. She was named a 

YWCA Role Model in 2003. She said she especially 

enjoys working with programs that help young people. 

“There’s so many positive things going on here,” she 

said. “I want to reach out to high school and college students 

— pass the torch.” 

In the next year, Clyburn looks forward to completing a 

master’s degree in marketing from the University of 

Phoenix and to finding more challenges in her new position 

with the Ehrhardt Group. 

— Faith Dawson


Women 

of theYear 


Position: vice president and manager, wealth management, AmSouth Bank New Orleans 


Education: bachelor’s degree in history, St. Mary’s Dominican College 

As a bank wealth manager, Dorothy Clyne says the most 

interesting aspect of her job is the variety. 

“Because we have clients from so many different industries, 

I tend to learn a little bit about how lots of businesses 

operate,” she said. 

The most important part of her job, Clyne said, is her 

relationship with her clients. Her goal is “to develop a good 

personal rapport, but more importantly to provide good 

customer service. That means being responsible, being 

available, living up to your word and making sure you do 

everything you can to make something work for a client.” 

Born on New York’s Long Island, Clyne grew up in 

Houston and San Antonio and came to New Orleans in 

1979 to attend college at St. Mary’s Dominican College. A 

history major, she entered the banking field at a time when 

many banks were eagerly recruiting liberal arts graduates. 

Clyne’s first job out of college was as a trust officer at 

First National Bank of Jefferson Parish, where she spent 

five years. She then went to First National Bank of 

Commerce, where she advanced to vice president for 

private financial services. After Bank One acquired First 

NBC, she spent two years under the bank’s new ownership 

as vice president and wealth manager. Since 2001, 

she has been in her current position as vice president 

and manager in the wealth management division at 

AmSouth Bank. 

In 2003, Clyne was named a YWCA Role Model in 

recognition of her extensive community service, which 

includes membership on the boards of Goodwill 

Industries of South Louisiana, the Louisiana State 

Museum Foundation and Longue Vue House and 

Gardens. Clyne also is a member of the Ochsner Clinic 

Foundation’s Cancer Board of Counselors and an executive 

member of the Alliance for Good Government. This 

year she is on the committee for the annual Goodwill 

Industries fund-raiser Rolling Down the River, which features 

music, a silent auction and other activities aboard a 

Mississippi riverboat. 

In her spare time, Clyne enjoys attending antique auctions 

— “I always love to look,” she said — with a special 

interest in 18th and 19th century English furniture. But 

after moving recently to the Warehouse District, with its 

more contemporary flavor, she also developed an eye for 

modern pieces. 

Clyne maintains a connection to her college major by 

reading a good history book now and then and she has 

worked on several New Orleans political campaigns. 

— Sonya Stinson


Women 

of theYear 


Position: vice president, Regis Realty I; Louisiana real estate commissioner 

Family: husband, Kevin Corrigan; daughter, Shannon, 19; son Michael, 15 

Education: certification from the Society of Office and Industrial Realtors 

Sandra Corrigan has completed two-thirds of her 

appointment as a Louisiana Real Estate commissioner, 

and she said the position has given her a fresh perspective 

on real estate in Louisiana — not bad for 

someone who had already been in the business for 

more than 20 years. 

“The Real Estate Commission is the group that regulates 

the real estate industry in Louisiana,” she 

explained. “We help to protect the public; we review and 

evaluate laws and rules to make sure they’re adequate.” 

Gov. Mike Foster appointed Corrigan to the commission. 

This year, she acts as its secretary. 

During her “day job,” Corrigan works as senior vice 

president of Regis Realty I in New Orleans, where she 

supervises more than 1.3 million square feet of office 

space in three downtown buildings and facilitates all 

third-party transactions, representing tenants and 

landlords. 

If it sounds tough, it is. But Corrigan, born in Lake 

Charles and raised in New Orleans, said her job satisfaction 

outweighs any challenge it presents. 

“The great thing about my career is that I’ve 

enjoyed every minute of it,” she said. “Every transaction 

I do — I do about 50 to 60 a year — is entirely different 

from the last one. I don’t remember a time when 

I’ve ever been bored.” 

Corrigan has collected top sales awards and 

received honors from her peers, including the New 

Orleans and Jefferson boards of Realtors. In 1995, 

Corrigan took the reins as president of the 3,000- 

member New Orleans Metropolitan Association of 

Realtors. At that time the organization was only a year 

old, the result of a merger between the New Orleans 

and Jefferson groups. 

She helped steer the nascent organization and the 

MLS expanded to include the North Shore during her 

tenure. 

Corrigan is also a member of the Society of 

Industrial and Office Realtors, an affiliation she has had 

for more than 15 years. In 1997, she served as president 

of its Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama chapter. 

In her free time, Corrigan volunteers with several theater 

organizations and Jefferson Parish Little League. 

— Faith Dawson

energy 

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“Congratulating 

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NEW ORLEANS 

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We extend our 

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You’re all superstars to us!


Women 

of theYear 


Position: co-owner, Louisiana Casting Database LLC 


Education: bachelor’s degree in communications, University of New Orleans 

At age 26, Elizabeth Coulon spied a niche in the state’s 

newly hatching film industry that was ripe for development. 

With her partner, Timothee Hammond, Coulon 

founded Louisiana Casting, an “incubator” project 

through which Coulon and Hammond help Louisiana 

film projects find extras among local citizens. 

“We’re a casting company,” said Coulon. “Production 

companies come in town and they hire us to cast featured 

extras and stand-ins for their films. We work closely with 

producers and directors to deliver the right look; each 

company is different.” 

Louisiana Casting also maintains an Internet database 

with names and profiles of aspiring extras, a step 

up from the reams of paper with stapled Polaroid portraits 

for actors’ files. 

The project snowballed from the partners’ work 

experience in the casting office of the Ray Charles 

movie, “Ray.” Though she was no longer officially affiliated 

with a specific movie project, Coulon said that 

film’s extras continued to approach her about additional 

work. So in August 2003, she and Hammond organized 

the leftover files from the movie; which served as 

the beginning of the Louisiana Casting office. Since 

then, they have established a core of people interested 

in film work and have helped those people understand 

the film industry — for example, that each production 

day can last from 12 to 16 hours. 

“Because we’re local we understand the look of local New 

Orleans people,” Coulon added. “We did ‘The Skeleton 

Key’— where they wanted ‘bayou faces.’...If you’re not from 

here,you don’t really know what bayou faces are.We can stay 

away from the cliches....We’ll go where we need to go to find 

the right type of people.”But,she said,Louisiana is special in 

that its residents offer a variety of looks. 

Coulon cites the tax incentives that production companies 

receive for filming in Louisiana as crucial to the 

success of her company. If there were no incentives, 

Louisiana would attract far fewer films, she said. But for 

the extras, the project is a labor of love. 

“People just do it — I mean, it’s fun. They’re obviously 

not doing it for the money; as far as extras go, you 

don’t get paid all that much,” she said. 

Louisiana Casting is housed in the Nims Center 

Studios at the Robert E. Nims Center for Entertainment 

Arts and Multimedia Technology in Harahan. 

— Faith Dawson


Women 

of theYear 

Virginia ‘Gini’ Davis 

Position: president/owner, Crescent City Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation Services Inc. 

Family: son, Bret Davis, 35; granddaughter, Avery, 8 

Education: bachelor’s degree in physical education, University of California at Los Angeles; 

master’s in health science, Ball State University; certificate in physical therapy, 

U.S. Army Medical Field Service School 

Gini Davis followed a winding career path before starting 

a business in New Orleans. After serving as a captain in the 

U.S. Army during the Vietnam era, she worked 15 years in 

the physical therapy profession around the country before 

settling in the Crescent City. 

“New Orleans has been a really wonderful place,” she 

said. “As a native Californian, this has been a place I really 

never thought I would have ended up, but it’s been a great 

place for me to have a business.” 

Davis established Crescent City Physical Therapy over 

21 years ago, and the business has grown into one of the 

area’s largest therapy practices with five outpatient locations 

in the Greater New Orleans area. She also owns a 

rehabilitation supply company and a shoe company, 

Perfect Fit Shoes, catering to women who are looking for 

comfort and style. 

Davis has also extended CCPT offerings to encompass 

prevention, wellness and fitness services such as Pilates, 

personal training and therapeutic massage. 

“We’re part of a profession that has something to offer 

everybody, from newborns ... until you’re close to death,” 

said Davis. 

As an advocate of exercise and an avid runner, Davis’ 

name is well known among regular participants in the 

Crescent City Classic. She writes a training guide for the 10- 

kilometer race each year and offers fitness tips through various 

media outlets. Her volunteer efforts have helped numerous 

runners train for the event since its inception in 1979. 

“The Classic is one of the ways that people can start 

with some exercise on an easy plan over a number of 

months with a goal,” said Davis. 

After participating in a radio broadcast at the starting 

line of the 2004 Crescent City Classic, Davis walked in the 

race for the first time. In doing so, she was exposed to a 

new stratum of exercise enthusiast. 

“Those people in the back are having a great time,” 

she said. 

Davis views the Crescent City Classic as a prime 

opportunity for New Orleanians to begin an exercise 

regiment. She encourages walkers to cover a six-mile 

distance (nearly the length of the CCC) once a week 

and shorter distances twice a week. Davis believes 

everyone could still partake in the guilty pleasures 

New Orleans has to offer in moderation if they stuck to 

such a routine. 

“It’s wonderful to see people discover or rediscover 

later on in their life that they can do this,” she said. 

— Greg LaRose


Women 

of theYear 


Position: director of the New Orleans Office of Film and Video 


Education: bachelor’s degree in communications, Loyola University; master’s in drama-communications, 

University of New Orleans; Ph.D. in art history, film history and intellectual history, University of Texas 

With 15 films now in production in the New Orleans 

area, it’s a wonder Stephanie Dupuy has time to sleep, 

much less do anything else. But after two years of work 

in the Mayor’s Office of Film and Video, Dupuy is 

used to the craziness that accompanies her position. In 

fact, she loves it. 

“I’m a one-person office but I love my job,” said Dupuy. 

With more than 20 years of experience in the film 

business, Dupuy said she loves tackling new projects. 

A love of movies and architecture, instilled in her by 

her father from a young age, helps her scout locations 

and has aided her in wooing productions to the New 

Orleans area. 

“Because I know the area so well, I’m able to scout 

locations and convince people to film here, whether the 

movie is set here or not,” said Dupuy. “I like snaking 

movies away. The Ray Charles movie that was just 

filmed here was all set to film in Georgia. Offices were 

open, people were hired, but I convinced them that 

New Orleans was a better choice.” 

Though her job comes with many perks, like making 

friends with celebrities such as Robert Duvall and 

Francis Ford Coppola, Dupuy said the biggest bonus is 

the thrill and satisfaction she gets from being able to 

help local talent break into the movie industry. 

“My job is a very direct way to bring fulfilling employment 

to New Orleans. I think the economic flourishment 

it brings is just as important as the artistic one,” she said. 

In addition to helping the artistic talent of the area 

thrive, Dupuy said she loves seeing things that bear her 

imprint on the big screen. 

When she’s not involved in the movie business, 

Dupuy donates her time to the Cystic Fibrosis 

Foundation, the Faulkner Society, the Creative Arts 

Council and the New Orleans Film Festival. 

Dupuy also spends her time renovating her 1870s 

house in the Garden District, an area of the city she 

says she’s very passionate about. She also collects 

works of “the great artists in the region” and “sharing 

the joy of life” with her Dalmatian and “domestic partner,” 

Balthazar. 

— Nicole Haase


Women 

of theYear 

Anita Gilford 

Position: founder/executive director, Angels’ Place 

Family: husband, Marion Gilford; sons, Chad Busha, 32, and Marques Gilford, 22 

Education: R.N., Touro Infirmary School of Nursing; bachelor’s degree in nursing, Holy Cross College; 

master’s degree in nursing, University of South Alabama 

Anita Gilford was a surgical nurse at Ochsner Clinic 

Foundation Hospital for 14 years before moving to the 

home healthcare field. When her son, Marques, was 

diagnosed with cancer at age 11, she was forced to 

experience what she could not even bear to witness as 

a medical professional. 

“I always said I could never be a pediatric oncology 

nurse, a nurse taking care of children with cancer,” she said. 

Watching her son go through spinal taps, surgery 

and chemotherapy, Gilford recognized her calling. She 

made a promise to God to build a respite center for 

children with cancer and to spend the rest of her life 

helping seriously and terminally ill children. 

“When that happened, a complete feeling of peace 

came over me,” she said. “I knew I was going to be able 

to handle everything.” 

Gilford’s vision was Angels’ Place, an organization that 

provides end-of-life care for children with terminal illnesses. 

While working weekends in hospice care, she 

formed the non-profit entity and operated it out of her 

own home. Since 1993, Angels’ Place has provided families 

with support as they cope with caring for a gravely ill 

child. The assistance comes in the form of support services 

and links to community resources to meet the physical, 

emotional, social and spiritual needs of the family. 

Over the last 11 years, Angels’ Place has helped nearly 

300 children and more than 450 family members. 

The next phase of Gilford’s plan for Angels’ Place is 

the construction of a home to provide parents and children 

with a facility for respite care and services. She has 

worked with state lawmakers to pass one measure to 

establish such a site and another to set up procedures 

that will allow others to follow her example. It will be 

the first such center of its type in the country. 

Gilford has already persuaded others to support her 

vision. The annual “Trunk or Treat” fund-raiser at Zephyr 

Field and two CDs with compilations of local bands are 

just a sample of the backing Angels’ Place has received. 

Gilford said her faith has been at the core of her 

vision for Angels’ Place, and its embodiment is that 

Marques, now 22 years old, is alive and healthy. 

“I know what these parents are going through and I 

just want to help them in any way I can,” she said. 

— Greg LaRose


Women 

of theYear 


Position: executive vice president, First Bank and Trust 

Family: husband, Steve Hansel 

Education: bachelor’s degree in finance, Louisiana State University; 

master’s degree in business administration, University of New Orleans; Series 7 license 

Banking in the 21st century is about a whole lot more than 

allocating capital and collecting loan payments. It involves 

building personal relationships and interpreting complex 

data, taking well-researched risks and acting as a confidant 

and adviser to businesses that rely on the bank. Dana Meeks 

Hansel, an executive vice president at First Bank and Trust, 

represents the new face of banking in these times. 

“I am responsible for commercial lending, loan closing 

and trust private banking,” she said. “In today’s world, 

banking is about developing long-term, profitable and 

mutually reciprocal relationships. With First Bank, we 

have found our niche in one-on-one consulting banking.” 

Hansel’s typical day involves a variety of meetings and 

oversight of customer calls with lenders. “I am busy with 

a lot of report reading and analyzing what the data means, 

specifically trend analysis and trying to assess how to 

maximize earnings and customer service,” she said. 

As a member of the executive management team, 

Hansel is responsible for helping shape the overall 

strategy of First Bank and Trust. 

“The key to success is, first and foremost, having a 

great team,” she said. “It is important to emphasize 

teamwork. I believe in empowering people that work 

for me so that they can maximize their strengths, and I 

can work with them from a mentoring standpoint.” 

This perspective can also be seen in Hansel’s 

involvement with volunteer organizations. 

“I have been involved in several organizations at 

ground zero and helped them grow. Then I am a firm 

believer in recruiting new people, mentoring them and 

stepping aside,” she said. 

Hansel helped develop Dress for Success — a not-forprofit 

organization that provides low-income women 

with business clothing, the Krewe of Muses and the local 

chapter of Commercial Women in Real Estate. She is currently 

the chairwoman for the Louisiana Museum 

Foundation’s upcoming gala and sits on the board of 

directors for the local Make-A-Wish foundation. 

Regarding Make-A-Wish, Hansel said, “Once you 

meet a child that you’ve helped make a wish come true, 

you are hooked for life.” 

Hansel has been with First Bank and Trust since 

1999. She is married and considers reading and travel 

two of her favorite hobbies. A recent trip to Brazil 

stands out in her mind as refreshing time well spent. 

— Billy Thinnes


Women 

of theYear 


Position: owner, Real Estate Consortium 


Education: attended the former Soule Business College, New Orleans, the University of New Orleans and 

Loyola University New Orleans; licensed real estate broker in Louisiana and Wyoming 

You get an inkling of the independent spirit that drives 

Lane Hindermann from her decision to expand her New 

Orleans real estate business to a location more than 1,400 

miles away. 

In 2001, Hindermann moved to Jackson, Wyo., and 

opened a branch of her company, the Real Estate 

Consortium. 

“I had fallen in love with the mountains and the way of 

life out there,” said Hindermann, who launched the New 

Orleans-based commercial brokerage firm in 1983. 

Hindermann stayed in Wyoming for more than a year, 

while her sister ran the day-to-day operations at the New 

Orleans office. She returned to help the flagship business 

recover from the market downturn in the wake of the Sept. 

11, 2001, terrorist attacks. 

Since 1987, the primary business of the New Orleans 

office has come from the medical industry, although 

Hindermann also deals in retail and office space for other 

types of clients. The Wyoming office handles residential as 

well as commercial sales. 

Hindermann spent four years in the 1970s as a secretary 

for Lyons Hudson Architects, always envisioning a 

career change at some point. “I knew I didn’t want to be a 

secretary all of my life,” she said. 

After receiving her real estate license through the firm’s 

in-house real estate school, she was hired in 1978 as a residential 

agent for Wagaspack Pratt, one of New Orleans’ 

premier architectural firms at the time. In 1979, she went 

to work in the commercial division at Latter & Blum, 

working as both a salesperson and property manager 

before starting her own business. 

Hindermann is a member of the New Orleans 

Metropolitan Association of Realtors and the Teton 

County Board of Realtors in Wyoming. She also belongs 

to the commercial investment division of the New Orleans 

Board of Realtors, the Louisiana Realtors Association and 

the Wyoming Association of Realtors. 

A former art and art history student at Loyola 

University, Hindermann recently launched L&B Designs, 

an artistic partnership with a friend, Beth Christina, who 

also is a real estate broker. Hindermann concentrates primarily 

on the business end of the partnership, while 

Christina produces the art: oils on canvas with whimsical 

animal themes. 

Hindermann counts earning her first broker’s license 

and “being on my own for almost 25 years” as her most 

gratifying career accomplishments. 

“I’ve competed with the big houses ... and survived 

through a whole lot of cycles in this business,” she said. 

— Sonya Stinson


Women 

of theYear 


Position: commercial leasing and brokerage specialist, Corporate Realty Inc. 

Family: husband, Jeffrey; sons Alexander, 12, and Devon, 9 

Education: bachelor’s degree in psychology, Newcomb College of Tulane University; 

Certified Commercial Investment Member 

At first glance, there may not appear to be a connection 

between Andrea Huseman’s college studies in psychology 

and education and her eventual career in commercial real 

estate, but the West Hartford, Conn., native used her college 

background to become attuned to each client’s personality 

and preferences. 

“I enjoyed working with businesses in determining their 

short term and long term needs,” she said. “By being in 

commercial real estate, one is able to work with individuals 

to successfully complete their objectives for investments.” 

Huseman’s father was also an influence, she said, as he 

was an investor in real estate holdings. 

Commercial real estate was a successful career choice. 

The Louisiana Board of Realtors honored Huseman with 

a Diamond Award in 1989 for the highest value of all commercial 

leases in a year. She has also won the Ruby Award 

in 1988 and 1990 for the largest number of commercial 

lease transactions in a year, and the Commercial Industrial 

Division Special Achievement Award in 1997 and 1998 

for the highest single lease value. 

“A broker is not just crunching numbers but also finding 

space that meets the needs of their clients,” Huseman says. 

Along with real estate attorney Marie Moore, Huseman 

co-founded the New Orleans chapter of Commercial Real 

Estate Women network in 2002. The organization’s membership 

consists primarily of women in a variety of professions 

and industries that are involved in real estate. In 

February, as chapter president, she co-chaired the host 

committee when the national CREW winter delegate 

meeting came to New Orleans. 

Along with the networking opportunities her CREW 

affiliation provides, Huseman lauds the group’s commitment 

to community service. 

“What attracted me to CREW is that they believe not 

only in taking care of yourself but also in taking care of others,” 

she said. 

Each June, New Orleans CREW holds a major fundraiser, 

with proceeds for the past three years going to Dress 

for Success, a not-for-profit organization that provides 

low-income women with business clothing. During this 

year’s holiday season, CREW will hold a benefit for Girls 

First, a local organization that sponsors a summer camp 

and workshops for inner-city girls. 

Huseman is a board member of the Newcomb Alumni 

Association and past board member of Jewish Family 

Services of Greater New Orleans. In 1999, she and her sister 

started the Florie Gale Arons Poetry Endowment at 

Newcomb College, in honor of their mother’s 70th birthday. 

The siblings plan to use money from the sale of Florie 

Arons’ book of poetry, which was published after her 

death, to help fund scholarships for Newcomb students. 

— Sonya Stinson


Women 

of theYear 

Ellen Kempner 

Position: vice president and management supervisor, Peter A. Mayer Advertising 

Family: husband, Lee Sucherman; daughters, Jamie, 19, and Emily, 14 

Education: bachelor’s degree in communications, American University (summa cum laude) 

The personification of the credo “busy is better” can be 

found by locating Ellen Kempner. A vice president and 

management supervisor at Peter A. Mayer Advertising, 

Kempner uses words like “juggle” and “troubleshoot” and 

phrases like “great palate of activities” to describe the hectic 

professional and personal pace of life she embraces. 

“During my typical day I manage a group of eight 

account service people and a host of clients,” Kempner 

said. “On the account service side, we are the liaisons 

between our clients and the agency. Specifically, I meet 

with clients, help develop marketing plans, engage in 

team leadership and put out lots of lots of fires — both 

internal and external.” 

Kempner’s group typically manages eight to 10 

clients. In her role as an executive and supervisor, she 

coordinates the talent in her group — the media people, 

the creative folks, the traffic professionals and 

account services managers. 

“I like to develop a partnership relationship so that 

we are all (client and firm) working toward a common 

goal,” she said. “I treat people the way I want to be 

treated, with respect, understanding and kindness. I 

think I am good at developing relationships with clients 

in an environment that is mutually trusting and rewarding 

and at the same time I always want to represent the 

company that I work for in the best possible light.” 

Kempner’s work at Peter A. Mayer only represents 

about a third of her life. The remaining two-thirds are 

divided between family and volunteer work. She has 

two daughters, Jamie, who is attending Southern 

Mississippi, and Emily, a freshman at McGehee. Her 

husband of 23 years, Lee, receives heaping praise for 

his supportive role in her life. 

“I could not have done what I have done or become 

the person I am if it weren’t for Lee being here and helping 

me hold down the fort at home,” Kempner said. 

On the volunteer side, Kempner is on the board of 

trustees for the Louisiana SPCA and the Touro 

Synagogue. She is also active with the United Way and 

a past president of the New Orleans Advertising Club. 

“Being very involved in the community through volunteering 

and giving something back, that’s just a part 

of my DNA,” Kempner said. “Doing things to help 

people or help animals, those are things that I am really 

passionate about.” 

— Billy Thinnes


Women 

of theYear 


Position: executive vice president of marketing and advertising, Beuerman Miller Fitzgerald 


Education: bachelor’s degree in journalism, University of Georgia 

For Laura Lee Killeen,nothing is more significant than maintaining 

the highest ethical standards in everything she does. 

“That’s really important to me. If one person conducts 

themselves improperly, the whole industry suffers,” 

said Killeen. 

A New Orleans native, Killeen grew up in the advertising 

business. Her grandfather, Joseph L. Killeen, 

helped found the original Fitzgerald Advertising Inc., 

and her father, Buzzy Killeen, is a legend in New 

Orleans advertising. 

With Beuerman Miller Fitzgerald since 1990, 

Killeen has worked with such New Orleans clients as 

Tabasco, CDM Coffee and Chicory, Zatarain’s, Le 

Meridien Hotel and Lagasse Inc. 

Killeen is a member of the Advertising Club of New 

Orleans and was presented the American Advertising 

Federation’s Silver Medal for Lifetime Achievement in 

1999. She has also been named Top Executive of the 

Year, Account Executive of the Year and received 

numerous industry awards. 

In addition, Killeen is a past board member of the 

Contemporary Arts Center, the World Trade Center 

and the Better Business Bureau. She was also a creative 

consultant for the United Way of Greater New Orleans 

and volunteered her creative services to the New 

Orleans Center for Creative Arts, Longue Vue Gardens 

and the United AIDS Task Force. 

According to Killeen, if someone asks her to volunteer 

and she has the time, she will do it. In Killeen’s 

nomination form, Sydney Besthoff, a contributor to the 

Contemporary Arts Center and former CEO of K&B 

Drug Stores said, “In my opinion, Laura Lee Killeen 

was one of the most dedicated volunteers that I was 

privileged to bring into the CAC. Her objectivity, professionalism 

and commitment were a major factor in 

fulfilling the marketing needs of the CAC in its transitional 

years and long-term growth strategies.” 

Killeen also champions causes for mental retardation, 

an area close to her heart as her brother, Michael, 

is developmentally disabled. 

Killeen said her job is not for everyone. 

“You have to love it. I am kind of married to it. It 

really has been my life,” she said. “You get to see a 

result. You see sales go up or see a client get publicity. I 

really like that about my job.” 

— Nicole Haase


Women 

of theYear 


Position: chief operating officer and nurse executive, East Jefferson General Hospital 

Family: husband, Stephen; daughter, Robin 

Education: registered nurse diploma, Dawson College; bachelor’s degree in health and social service administration, McGill University; 

bachelor’s and master’s degrees in health arts, master’s degree in business administration, University of St. Francis, Metairie campus; 

Johnson & Johnson Fellows Program in Management for Nurse Executives, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania 

Janice Kishner, who comes from a family of nurses, 

came of age at a time when a woman’s most likely career 

choice was either nursing or teaching. 

Kishner chose the former course, and she has built 

an outstanding career in nursing and health administration 

that spans more than 30 years. 

Born in Montreal, Kishner first came to Louisiana in 

1983, spending a year in nursing at Bossier Medical 

Center in Bossier City before arriving in the New 

Orleans area. 

She has been at East Jefferson General Hospital since 

1984, starting as unit director of pediatrics and pediatric 

intensive care. A string of promotions included 

becoming vice president/nurse executive in 2000 and 

senior vice president of clinical operations in 2003. She 

was appointed to her current position as chief operating 

officer and nurse executive in May 2004. 

Under Kishner’s leadership, the American Nurses 

Association awarded East Jefferson the “Magnet 

Hospital” designation for excellence in nursing in June 

2002, the first for a Louisiana hospital. 

“My job is to make sure that all of the tools, supplies 

and procedures run smoothly, so that all of the ‘white 

noise’ people sometimes face in trying to get the job 

done isn’t there,” Kishner said, alluding to the variety 

of glitches that can interfere with patient care. 

With a long list of educational credentials already 

under her belt, Kishner is now pursuing a master of 

nursing degree at Loyola University in order to comply 

with a new requirement for chief nurses at magnet facilities. 

She also plans to pursue a doctorate in organizational 

development at Tulane University. 

A certified personal trainer, Kishner works out daily 

and advises friends on their exercise regimens. She also 

enjoys bike riding and is gearing up for the “Tour de 

Cure” in support of the American Diabetes Association 

next spring. 

As impressive as Kishner’s achievements are, what 

matters most to her isn’t highlighted on her résumé. 

“It’s the day-to-day moments when people say, ‘I 

really appreciate your support,’ ” Kishner said. “It’s not 

the big moments. It’s the recognition people give me 

for having made something work for them.” 

— Sonya Stinson


Women 

of theYear 


Position: dean, College of Liberal Arts, University of New Orleans 


Education: bachelor’s degree in English, Newcomb College, master’s degree in English, 

Mississippi State University, Ph.D. in English Renaissance literature, Tulane University 

Susan Krantz doesn’t list becoming the first female dean 

of the College of Liberal Arts and only the second female 

dean in University of New Orleans’ history as her accomplishments. 

For her, the job she does is important because it helps 

create a time capsule of New Orleans. 

“I see my role as someone who celebrates all the arts 

and culture of this city and helps the city by doing so,” 

she said. “The College of Liberal Arts of UNO is 

absolutely critical to the growth and development of this 

city. I see us as a real leader in jazz, fine arts, communications 

and film making, and we are vital to the perpetuation 

of the heritage of the city of New Orleans.” 

Krantz says UNO is a leader in these areas and her job 

is to ensure it stays that way. 

“A place like New Orleans that’s so rich and has so 

much heritage — we’re (UNO) right out there. I hope to 

keep us at the forefront,” she said. 

With UNO since 1987, Krantz is involved in many 

facets of on campus life. She began teaching at UNO in 

English and Women’s Studies. In addition to being a professor, 

she has served as a member of the UNO Executive 

Committee, the Academic Deans Council, and the 

Committee on New University Center as well as coordinator 

for Retention Initiatives and Student Persistence. Prior 

to being named dean, she served as vice chair of the 

University Senate, associate chair of the Department of 

English and chair of the Faculty Council Committee on 

Student Publications. 

In addition to her service to UNO, Krantz has served 

on the Louisiana Unit Advisory Board that advises the 

Board on Elementary and Secondary Education on colleges 

of education accreditation. She was an examiner for 

the Louisiana State Board of Examiners for Higher 

Education and a liaison for the UNO College of Liberal 

Arts with the Louisiana Blue Ribbon Commission on 

Teacher Quality. 

Honored as a Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Honoree by the 

UNO Chapter in 2001, Krantz has also received the UNO 

Summer Scholar Award and the UNO Alumni Award for 

Excellence in Teaching. 

Krantz is well published, having had her research on 

areas as varied as Renaissance drama and culture, stage-tofilm 

adaptations, Shakespeare and curriculum and gender 

issues published in various books, magazines, reviews and 

newsletters. She also authors and edits many of UNO’s inhouse 

publications. 

— Nicole Haase


Women 

of theYear 


Position: president, Discover Films Inc. 

Family: daughter Lauren Lastrapes, 24; son Mark Lastrapes, 22 

Education: bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Loyola University 

Educational filmmaking was not what Angelique 

LaCour planned to do with her professional life. After 

earning her degree in education in 1976 from Loyola 

University, she taught parochial school for three years. 

Then, as a stay-at-home mom, she began working as a 

freelance journalist. 

While researching a story for The Times-Picayune 

about rape, she made an unexpected discovery. She 

noticed there was a high incidence of cases in which the 

victims knew their attackers. 

“This was the late ’80’s,” she said, “and no one really 

was talking about acquaintance rape.” 

After more research, LaCour said she felt the need to do 

something about it. She set on a new life course, one that 

would marry her interest in finding a new profession with 

her commitment to the community and the well being of 

children in particular. She made a short film on the subject. 

After a run on PBS, LaCour began submitting the film 

to the educational market. When more than 20 companies 

wanted to distribute the film to high schools and colleges, 

she realized she had embarked on a new career. In 1993 

she made another film, “What’s Wrong with Tobacco,” 

and saw immediate growth. 

“We took off from there,” she said. 

Today, Discover Films Video, LaCour’s New Orleansbased 

production company, makes educational videos 

designed to target at-risk children from all social strata. 

LaCour has produced more than 25 films for national 

distribution tackling difficult issues from tobacco and 

drug abuse to rape and sexual abstinence. 

While LaCour has found unexpected success in promoting 

education through Discover Films Video, she is 

also committed to nonprofit educational work. She is the 

founder and chairwoman of the Children’s Health 

Initiative, which has the mission of promoting healthy 

lifestyles for youth and their families through prevention 

education and cessation awareness. 

LaCour said her motivation in her professional and 

community service ventures springs from the same place 

— “making a difference.” 

She adds that one thing important for young women 

just starting a career is to “never let our work, career or 

whatever you call what you do for a paycheck totally 

define you. If you do what you love, the money will come. 

It always works out that way.” 

— Matt Jones


Women 

of theYear 


Position: neonatologist, staff scientist, director, Ochsner Children’s Research Institute 

Family: husband, Craig; son, Isaac, 10; step-daughters, Amy, 33, and Karen, 27 

Education: bachelor’s degree in anthropology, University of Nebraska; 

master’s degree in neonatology, University of Nebraska College of Medicine 

“Out of control” was the name of a sailboat Dr. Janet 

Larson and her husband, Craig, used to race. 

The name fit, said Larson. “We sailed out of control.” 

Though Larson and her husband have long retired 

from their fast-paced hobby, she is still at the helm of 

another activity she loves: caring for babies, inside and 

outside the womb. Larson is the head of Ochsner 

Children’s Research Institute. 

Among other contributions, Larson is credited as 

the co-inventor of in-utero gene therapy, which was 

patented in 2002. 

“We realized that babies in the womb could breathe 

and swallow,” which makes them prone to cystic fibrosis 

disease, said Larson. “It’s primarily a lung disease 

and is inherited. It is the most common lung disease, 

and one in 20 people is a carrier.” 

By inserting the healthy genes into the amniotic fluid, 

the baby takes them in through the lungs, said Larson. 

Larson has published 25 original scientific articles 

and has been featured on Dutch Education 

Television, Discovery Health and programs about 

cystic fibrosis therapy. 

Larson attributes her success to a balance between 

constant researching and practicing clinical medicine, 

which she said are complimentary. 

“Because I do research, it helps me take care of my 

patients. It makes me a better physician and doctor,” 

she said. “I also find that I’m always questioning 

things, rather than going into things blind. And 

because I do clinical medicine, it helps me do research 

and become a better researcher.” 

Larson has received the National Institutes of Health 

Clinical Investigator Award and a National Institutes of 

Child Health Research Grant, and was named 

Louisiana Technologist of the Year. 

Larson isn’t the only family member involved with 

medicine. Her husband is a professor of medicine at 

Louisiana State University’s Health Science Center. 

Larson began practicing yoga and meditation a couple 

of years ago, and said it’s still a work in progress. 

She also pursues kayaking enthusiastically. 

She is also involved with the Southern Society for 

Pediatric Research and the Pontchartrain Yacht Club. 

But she insisted that she and Craig are finished with 

racing. “We like to watch our son, Isaac, race.” 

— Chris Anderson

2 eyes, 

2 ears, 

12 perfect toes. 

And he even has his mother’s horn. Meet Satchmo, the 

baby rhino. He’s just one of the new arrivals here at the 

Zoo. We’ve got jaguar cubs, a sea lion pup, and a whole 

host of other newborns. So bring your kids to meet 

ours and see how wild childhood can be. 

auduboninstitute.org 

Audubon Zoo 

A Facility of Audubon Nature Institute 

On December 13 CityBusiness 

will explore critical areas of the 

legal industry and ask question 

that will impact the future of 

our legal market. 

L E G A L 

S E R V I C E S 

G U I D E 

• How can current legal professionals get ahead? 

• How is technology affecting the practice of law in New Orleans? 

• What are local lawyers doing to get noticed by potential clients? 

• How does the public view the law business? 

• Is popular perception skewed by media distortion? 

We will answer these questions and more 

in this important supplement to CityBusiness. 

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION CALL CHARLOTTE BENTON AT 293.9735


Women 

of theYear 

Diane Lyons 

Position: president, Accent on Children’s Arrangements 

Family: husband, John; sons John III and Thomas 

Education: bachelor’s degree in education, Louisiana State University 

Diane Lyons, president of Accent on Children’s 

Arrangements, parlayed New Orleans’ reputation as a 

top convention destination into a vacation opportunity 

for families. 

Lyons had worked in the destination-management 

industry since 1977. But in 1990 she decided to target 

conventioneers with children in tow, children who often 

had no plans or activities to keep them busy. 

Today, Accent on Children’s Arrangements employs 

10 people full-time and services children of conventioneers 

in New Orleans and outside the city as well. Her 

business has been profiled in The New York Times, USA 

Today, the Wall Street Journal and on “Good Morning 

America.” But before the burst of positive press, Lyons 

said her own experience as a working, traveling mother 

encouraged her to create Accent. 

“You shouldn’t have to choose between family and 

work. You should be able to combine both. There should 

be more balance,” Lyons said. 

When other harried parents began to approach her — 

often having doled out plenty of money for tickets and 

tours to occupy their children while they were in seminars 

— it became clear to Lyons that on-the-go child care 

was needed in the community. 

Lyons said it has always been important to her to 

exceed state standards for child care. When security concerns 

surfaced among travelers after the Sept. 11, 2001, 

terrorist attacks, Lyons said she had already addressed 

some of those issues. 

“We have to do a fire drill. We have to know where we’re 

going to take those kids should we have a fire drill, a bomb 

threat,whatever....We were way ahead of the game on that.” 

Some conventions attract as many as 1,000 children, 

such as the recent McDonald’s convention in Orlando, 

Fla. Accent’s staff kept the youngsters busy for three days. 

“That’s like running a whole school of kids you don’t 

know,” Lyons said, adding that during the same trip she 

rode a roller coaster with thrills that wilted in comparison 

to her job of keeping the McDonald’s children organized. 

Because her travel prevents her from making longterm 

commitments to the community, Lyons arranges 

charitable programs in conjunction with her schedule. 

She took a group of inner-city children to the zoo during 

a meeting planners convention and asked conventioneers 

to have their children bring a copy of their 

favorite book to give away to a children’s hospital or a 

battered women’s shelter. 

— Faith Dawson


Women 

of theYear 

Carla Major 

Position: director of Human Resources, Community Relations and Workplace Initiatives, Harrah’s Entertainment New Orleans 

Family: daughter Keesha, 28; son Kyle, 19 

Education: bachelor’s degree in management, University of New Orleans 

The most important and rewarding part of Carla Major’s 

job is being able to give back to her hometown. Born and 

raised in New Orleans, Major sees her job as one way she 

can effect change at home. 

“My job is important because it makes a difference to 

the community that I’ve lived in all my life. The employment 

and promotion of locals gives many the opportunities 

and advantages that they’ve never had before,” she 

said. “We also give back to the communities themselves 

through grants. Every one of our employees and volunteers 

participate in our HERO (Harrah’s Employees 

Reaching Out) program. We make a difference and that’s 

important to me.” 

Major actually holds two positions at Harrah’s and 

each has specific responsibilities and goals. 

“As the director of human resources, my job is to 

recruit, train and retain the top talent in our community 

and our industry. As the director of community relations, 

it’s my job to ensure that we maintain Harrah’s as a great 

corporate citizen,” she said. 

Though Major might simplify her job to a few sentences, 

Lois Anglin said of Major in her nomination form, 

she “is responsible for the day-to-day operations of 

Harrah’s Human Resources Department (and) administers 

and manages the procedures, policies and community 

activities of HERO and all employee workplace initiatives 

to maintain employee morale, increase employee satisfaction 

and (organize) recognition programs.” 

Major fronted the push that led Harrah’s to be named 

one of New Orleans top 10 “Employers of Choice” by 

CityBusiness. 

Major volunteers and serves on the boards of many 

local organizations. 

Most recently, Major has become part of the 

University of New Orleans Board of the New Charter 

School and the UNO Foundation. In addition, she is the 

chairwoman of the city of New Orleans Board of 

Zoning, vice chairwoman of the New Orleans Economic 

Advisory Board and a member of the UNO Education 

Advisory Board, the Chamber of Commerce Education 

Committee, the Greater New Orleans Education 

Foundation, the Xavier University Business Advisory 

Council and the Black Heritage Festival Board. She is 

also on the executive board of the Council for a Better 

New Orleans/Metropolitan Area Committee. 

Major was a founding member of the Women’s 

Leadership Institute of the United Way and is a member of 

the Class of 2005 of the New Orleans Regional 

Leadership Institute. 

— Nicole Haase


Women 

of theYear 


Position: attorney/partner, Liskow and Lewis PLC 

Family: husband, the Rev. Paul F. Longstreth; son Paul David Longstreth, 33; and daughter Kimberley Longstreth, 30 

Education: bachelor’s degree in political science, Louisiana State University (magna cum laude); 

juris doctorate, Paul M. Hebert LSU Law Center 

Marilyn Maloney admits that it was “almost a fluke” that 

she went to law school. When she graduated in 1972, 

there were few women in law school. In her class of 300, 

there were 10 women. 

While she saw many of her fellow political science 

graduates working as file clerks, she knew she wanted 

something more challenging. 

“There was not a lot of upward mobility,” Maloney 

said. “The political science department at LSU worked 

closely with the law school and I decided to apply.” 

Maloney’s career path led her to the New Orleans 

law firm Liskow and Lewis. Today, she is a partner in 

charge of its business section. 

“I was the first woman at this law firm and I’ve always 

been treated well,” Maloney said. 

Maloney said her mother was the most influential person 

in her early life. “She was one of those ladies who did everything, 

volunteering to the hilt. She was a role model for me.” 

That is where Maloney developed her own love of 

volunteer work. 

“I volunteer a lot with my church. I also do pro 

bono work.” 

One project that she is particularly pleased to be 

involved with is the Ulster Project, a group which brings 

young people from Northern Ireland, both Catholic and 

Protestant, to the United States for a month. 

“It’s a way to build bridges in a country that is so 

divided,” Maloney said. 

Maloney said her most challenging task has been balancing 

her career and her family, especially with a career 

in law, which is not a “9 to 5 job. It’s an ongoing struggle.” 

Maloney is a member of the American College of Real 

Estate Lawyers. She is also vice president of the 

Louisiana State Law Institute. The institute consists of 

lawyers who donate time to create major legislation. 

“We’re helping to rewrite the law. The Louisiana Code 

was originally written in the 1800s and we are revising it 

bit by bit,” Maloney said. 

Maloney is active in the Louisiana Bar Foundation, 

which she called the charitable arm of the Bar 

Association. The group donates time and money to legal 

services around the state. “We don’t as a society provide 

legal services to everyone who needs it but the Bar is 

helping to bridge that gap. It’s a way to make a difference,” 

Maloney said. 

— Angela Johnson


Women 

of theYear 

Lisa Maurer 

Position: partner at McGlinchey Stafford PLLC, Public Finance 


Education: bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Louisiana State University; 

juris doctorate, LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center 

If the idea of building a new riverfront stadium for the 

New Orleans Saints ever develops into fruition, Lisa 

Maurer wants to be involved. 

Maurer, who has been with McGlinchey Stafford for 

nine years, works in the public finance arena and has 16 

total years of experience in public law. With a full range 

of duties from the development and administration of 

bond programs for political subdivisions and other 

governmental units to acting as bond counsel, underwriters’ 

counsel and bank counsel, Maurer has put her 

thumbprint on multiple New Orleans public projects. 

“It’s a type of practice where you can see a successful 

outcome,” Maurer said. “Over the years, the practice 

area has grown so much, and there’s no way to tell 

year in and year out how much the workload will be 

because it’s interest rate and need driven.” 

Maurer worked with the underwriters in phases three 

and four of the Morial Convention Center and has also 

worked on such projects as the New Orleans Arena, 

Zephyr Stadium and construction at Xavier University. 

The public finance arena intrigued Maurer when 

she started working at a Baton Rouge firm during law 

school. “They had a large public finance area, and I just 

really enjoyed it once I got my feet wet.” 

After her graduation, she landed with Kutak Rock, a 

law firm in Baton Rouge. Maurer worked there for four 

years before joining McGlinchey Stafford. 

Maurer’s community involvement includes Project 

Lazarus, a home for persons with HIV/AIDS who cannot 

take care of themselves and have no family. She just 

completed a six-year term on the board, helping with 

fundraising projects like Halloween’s in New Orleans. 

“I have lost many friends to AIDS, and it’s a type of 

organization that is near and dear to my heart,” she said. 

“We all owe something back to the community.” 

Maurer received the Paul Plauche Award for her service 

in Halloween’s in New Orleans. 

She is also involved with an Adopt-a-Family program, 

where she helps with the purchasing of 

Christmas gifts, food, decorations and gift certificates 

for the less fortunate. Through her membership with 

the New Orleans Bar Association, Maurer gives her 

time to the organization’s Secret Santa program. 

“It’s extremely rewarding to make a difference in 

people’s lives.” 

— Tommy Santora


Women 

of theYear 

Mary L. Meyer 

Position: attorney/partner, Adams and Reese LLP 

Family: husband, Tony; daughter, Alyse, 18; and sons Stephen, 14, and Peyton, 4 

Education: bachelor’s degree in English, Louisiana State University; 

juris doctorate, Paul M. Hebert LSU Law Center 

Mary Meyer knew she wanted to go into the practice of 

law when she was still in high school. 

“I knew that obtaining a law degree would provide me 

with an excellent education not only for practicing law, but 

also for understanding how business and government 

function,” Meyer said. “I also wanted to go to law school 

so that I could enter into a profession that would allow me 

to be self-sufficient.” 

Meyer, a partner in the litigation practice team of 

Adams and Reese LLP, said her biggest challenges have 

been similar to those other women in business face. 

“While women lawyers have made great strides in the 

practice of law, there are still significant hurdles that women 

face in the practice. I am happy to say that Adams and 

Reese is very supportive of all its attorneys and recognizes 

the value that diversity brings to business,” Meyer said. 

Meyer has successfully defended several pharmaceutical 

and medical device companies in product liability claims 

and was lead counsel for a national insurance company 

involved in litigation in Louisiana. She frequently lectures 

locally and nationally on issues concerning products liability. 

Meyer is a member of the New Orleans, Louisiana, 

American and Federal Bar associations. 

In the future, Meyer would like to continue mentoring 

female attorneys through the practice of law and “hopefully 

help further the advancement of women in the profession,” 

she said. 

Meyer is active in numerous charitable organizations. 

She supports Muses, the American Heart Association and 

Adams and Reese’s volunteer community program 

HUGS (Hope, Understanding, Giving and Support). She 

is also an active member of the Women’s Leadership 

Counsel and United Way. 

She is a graduate of the United Way’s Young 

Leadership Development program. The program was 

designed to teach young professionals what is involved in 

being on the board of a not-for-profit organization. 

Meyer has taught Junior Achievement programs and 

continues to volunteer her time at Trinity Episcopal 

Church. She is also very active in Adams and Reese’s pro 

bono program, CA&RE (Caring Adams and Reese 

Employees), which helps the needy who require legal services 

but cannot afford representation. 

— Angela Johnson


Women 

of theYear 

Kathleen Mix 

Position: vice chancellor of work force development and education, Delgado Community College 

Family: husband, Dr. Jim Diamond; daughter, Tania 

Education: bachelor’s degree in education, University of New Orleans; master’s degree in education, UNO 

When she was in high school, Kathleen Mix made a list of 

everything she wanted to do before she died. 

One item stood apart from the others: making a difference. 

“If I was going to do anything on that list, it was 

going to be that one.” 

For the past 25 years, Mix has been making a difference 

in education and workforce development, helping everyone 

from mentally and physically handicapped people to 

abused women and Maltese teenagers. 

Mix began her career as a teacher in Delgado 

University’s Rehabilitation Center, where she set in 

motion a handful of extracurricular programs to add vitality 

to the lives of those less fortunate. 

One program was taking her disabled students bowling 

on the weekends. “They lived in one of the school’s 

dorms and on the weekends they had nothing to do,” she 

said. Every Saturday, Mix and her students bowled for 

free. She also organized a Special Olympics track team, 

which won a bronze medal at the statewide meet. 

Mix started the Women’s Services Center to address 

the needs of unemployed or abused women. 

“The whole idea of it is to help them get back to work 

or back to school. It’s all about helping them get on with 

their lives,” she said. 

Mix also organized an event called Girls on the Go, a 

program designed to present career choices to over 200 

young women. Mix invited around 30 professional women, 

each representing a different field, to talk to the group. 

“I wanted to introduce them to engineers, attorneys, 

women in safety and health fields,” she said. “I wanted the 

young girls to see all of their options.” 

For the past six years, Mix has been speaking to teens 

about the diabetes problem in the Mediterranean island 

country of Malta. 

“The folks there don’t have adequate medical services, 

nor do they really know about the disease,” she said. 

One of the educational tools Mix has implemented 

involves a “Diabetes Rap,” a song produced by Delgado 

Community College. 

Mix is setting up an exchange program between Malta’s 

students and Delgado’s. “We would teach their students 

something like New Orleans history and they would teach 

our students medieval history,” she said. 

Mix said she’s excited to be a part of this year’s 

Women of the Year. 

“It validates something I’ve always wished for — to 

make a difference.” 

— Chris Anderson


Women 

of theYear 


Position: owner, Cresent Commercial Mortgage 


Education: bachelor’s degree in history, Louisiana State University 

Michelle Montz began her career as a commercial real 

estate appraiser in New Orleans but soon her drive and 

determination propelled her to New York where she 

worked for AIG Global Real Estate Investments. 

“It was great,” Montz said of her time in New York. 

But another opportunity was brewing; AIG had 

opened an office in Hong Kong and needed a new executive 

to get things going. 

“I went in to work one morning and my boss asked 

me if I would consider moving to Hong Kong,” Montz 

said. She thought it over and within a few weeks she 

moved to Asia. 

“They didn’t quite know what to do with me,” Montz 

said. This was a new experience for the company in Asia 

as well as for Montz. She was the youngest executive and 

only woman in senior management in the company in all 

of Asia. “There were little things. Even the dress code had 

to be rewritten for me,” Montz said. 

After three successful years in Asia, Montz returned 

to New York in 1999 and handled all retail equity 

investments for AIG in the United States. She lived 

within a few blocks of the World Trade Center, where 

her office was located. On Sept. 11, 2001, Montz was 

not in Manhattan; she was in New Orleans. “Somebody 

was on my side,” Montz said, having already made the 

decision to leave her job in New York before the terrorist 

attacks. 

“I was traveling all the time and had no personal life,” 

Montz said. Picking up and walking away from her lucrative 

career in New York was one of the biggest challenges 

she’s faced, but she’s happy with her choice. “Now I have 

more balance.” 

As owner of Crescent Commercial Mortgage, a commercial 

mortgage brokerage company in New Orleans, 

she has time for community involvement such as Lindy’s 

Place, which helps at-risk, low-income women find housing 

and employment. 

Another project important to Montz is Dress for 

Success. This year she will serve as president of the organization 

that collects suits for low-income women to wear 

on job interviews, along with providing access to motivational 

speakers and a mentoring program. 

“This is our fifth year in New Orleans and so far we’ve 

helped over 1,000 women. It’s a tangible way to make a 

difference,” Montz said. “I could sit around and complain 

or try to do something. Louisiana has so much potential 

and I’d like to see it reach it.” 

— Angela Johnson

New Orleans CityBusiness is looking for 

the area’s hottest new products or services 

to honor in this special salute to innovation 

in Louisiana. 

This competition is open to any company 

that has introduced an innovative product 

or service since January 1, 2004. 

The submission deadline is 

May 1, 2005 - so don’t delay! 

louisiana 

innovator 

of the year 

2005 

presented by New Orleans CityBusiness 

NO PG 

COMPANY ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

ADDRESS 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

CITY/STATE/ZIP ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

PHONE/FAX ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

EMAIL ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Attach this form to your nomination letter, please be sure to include the following information: 

❏ Product or Service Description 

❏ Market Description For Product/Service 

❏ List Of People Involved In Development 

❏ Revenues From Product/Service in 2004 

❏ Projected Revenues from Product/Service in 2005 

❏ Source of Financing 

❏ What Makes the Product/Service Unique? 

❏ What Is The Competition for The Product/Service? 

❏ When Was The Product/Service First Introduced? 

Fax the completed entry form to (504) 832-3550, or mail to: 

Attention: Dawn Joseph 

Innovator Of The Year/New Orleans CityBusiness 

111 Veterans Memorial Blvd 

Suite 1440 

Metairie, LA 70005 

NOMINATING PARTY __________________________________________ 

PHONE + EMAIL ____________________________________________ 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

NO PG 

RULES OF NOMINATION 

In order to be fully considered, please include photos or marketing kit if available (for publication purposes 

only) with your completed nomination form. 

All materials submitted become the property of New Orleans CityBusiness and will not be returned. A panel 

of distinguished leaders will review completed nominations and make the final determination on awards. 

Winners will be profiled in a special supplement to CityBusiness, Innovator Of The Year, published July 2005.


Women 

of theYear 


Position: partner, Sessions, Fishman & Nathan LLP 

Family: husband, Richard; son Alex, 22; daughter Hilary, 17 

Education: bachelor’s degree in elementary education, State University of New York at Buffalo (magna cum laude); 

juris doctorate, Tulane University 

As a lawyer and board certified specialist in estate planning 

and estate administration, Carole Neff says the most gratifying 

thing about her job is the satisfaction of helping others. 

“I find it rewarding to be able to help families and individuals 

to plan for a smooth and easy transition of their 

assets and valuables when they pass away,” Neff said. 

She said the most important part of her job is the extensive 

research and knowledge in her specialization puts her 

at the field’s forefront and allows her to write and speak on 

the subject, which she feels is vital to the industry. 

“I have co-authored a treatise for Louisiana lawyers in 

my field and it is updated annually,” she said. 

This treatise, “Louisiana Estate Planning, Will Drafting 

and Estate Administration,” has become a handbook and 

manual for other lawyers in her field. 

In addition to being an author and lecturer, Neff has 

served on the Louisiana State Bar Association Commission 

on Specialization in Estate Planning and Administration 

and is a member of the American College Trust and Estate 

Counsel. She also serves on the Louisiana State Law 

Institute Charitable Trust Law Subcommittee and on the 

Lawyers in Philanthropy Committee of the Louisiana State 

Bar Association. She is also a past board member of the 

Association for Women Attorneys and the past president of 

the New Orleans Estate Planning Counsel and the 

Professional Financial Planners of Greater New Orleans. 

Neff is also vice president of the Jewish Endowment 

Foundation; vice president of the Shir Chadash 

Synagogue Sisterhood; a member of the Business and 

Professional Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation 

of Greater New Orleans; a founding member, past president 

and membership committee co-chairwoman of the 

Women’s Professional Council; a member of the honor 

roll of the Advisors of the Greater New Orleans 

Foundation; a member of the advisory committee council 

to the Tulane Law School Continuing Legal Education 

Department; and a member of the advisory committee of 

the Parkinson’s Association of New Orleans. 

Neff has also been honored as “Woman of the Year” by 

the New Orleans Business and Professional Women’s 

Club as well as by the Jewish Endowment Foundation. 

She has been listed in “Best Lawyers in America,” published 

by Woodward/White Inc., since 1997. 

For Neff, the awards and limelight aren’t why she is 

committed to her career. 

“I like knowing that what I do gives people a piece of 

mind,” she said. 

— Nicole Haase


Women 

of theYear 


Position: dermatologist 

Family: four dogs 

Education: bachelor’s degree in biology, Newcomb College; 

master’s degree in dermatology, Tulane University Medical School 

When Dr. J. Coller Ochsner was a little girl she had two 

dreams — to become a great doctor and to own a lot of 

dogs. Looking at her life, Ochsner does not hesitate 

when she says, “I’m living my dreams.” 

Ochsner has been in private practice as a dermatologist for 

more than 14 years. With her father being Dr. Alton Ochsner 

Jr., she said she was predestined to work in medicine. 

After graduating from New Orleans’ Academy of the 

Sacred Heart in 1972 she went on to Newcomb 

College, where she graduated with honors and received 

a bachelor’s degree in biology. In 1980, she graduated 

from Tulane University Medical School and 10 years 

later she established a private practice. 

“I adore what I do and I’m very lucky for that,” she 

said. “I’ve had patients I’ve seen for 20 years and it’s 

amazing to see them grow up. The only sad part is 

when the patients you’ve seen for such long time don’t 

come in anymore because they’re elderly.” 

Ochsner exhibited such compassion at an early age 

when she received a letter from the Society for the 

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 

“It tore my heart apart. It told story after story of animal 

abuse and abandonment,” she said. “At that point I 

knew I would do everything I could to help abused and 

homeless animals.” 

Ochsner began her mission while a student in medical 

school by helping clean out animal cages at the 

Louisiana SPCA shelter. Now she is one of the leading 

supporters and donators for the organization. 

“I do more financial support than anything else 

because it breaks my heart to actually see the animals. 

It’s why I didn’t become a vet and why I can’t foster 

abandoned animals,” she said. “Not only would I be 

heartbroken all the time, but my house would be full of 

animals because I would never be able to give them up.” 

Ochsner has lived in New Orleans her entire life. She 

said she never had the desire to live anywhere else. 

“For as many things that people can say are bad about 

New Orleans, there are 20 million things that are great.” 

— Richard Webster


Women 

of theYear 


Position: owner, Stephanie M. Prunty CPA, A Professional Corp. 

Family: cocker spaniel, Mimi 

Education: bachelor’s degree in accounting and marketing, Loyola University; 

juris doctorate, Loyola University Law School 

Stephanie Prunty uses her professional talents to further 

her favorite causes. She specializes in tax and commercial 

law, working primarily with small business owners. 

“I help keep them healthy and their employees 

employed,” Prunty said. “I love my job.” 

She is on the board for New Orleans Video Access 

Center, a media organization that focuses on developing 

children’s use of video as a potential career. Prunty also 

does some work for Café Reconcile, a New Orleans 

restaurant providing job training for at-risk youths. 

However, Prunty’s primary passion is her work with 

the Louisiana Society for Prevention of Cruelty to 

Animals. She has been affiliated with the SPCA since 

1998 as treasurer and is now president of its board. 

“It’s about quality of life for animals and making sure they 

are protected and taken care of,but that also impacts citizens,” 

Prunty said. “If you can educate people how to take care of 

their animals,hopefully they will take better care of themselves 

and learn how to treat their fellow humans as well.” 

Widespread animal abuse signifies many other social 

ills, Prunty said, making the SPCA’s job crucial to the 

community’s well being. Prunty lauds the staff of the 

SPCA as a “group of warm, dedicated, generous people 

who do a lot of things above and beyond for a little 

money.” She also praises Laura Maloney, executive director, 

for increasing the organization’s focus on education, 

adoption and legislation. 

“All of that improves the quality of life in the New 

Orleans area,” Prunty said. 

In the past year, the Louisiana SPCA has increased its 

adoptions by 29 percent, taught 3,107 children through 

its Show & Tail education program and spayed or 

neutered nearly 4,000 dogs and cats, said Amber Bethel, 

development director. 

“Stephanie is absolutely outstanding as a leader and a 

humanitarian,” Bethel said. “She has been a wonderful 

mentor to me and to the rest of the staff and board members 

as well.” 

Prunty’s experience, diplomacy and business savvy 

make for the right combination of traits in what are often 

highly charged, emotional issues, Bethel said. “In our line 

of work, a lot of people tend to be ruled by emotions and 

concentrate on the animals and not the people,” she said. 

Under the tutelage of Prunty, the board and Maloney, 

the SPCA is operating in the black for the first time in 

years and earning a reputation for professionalism and 

community relations. 

— Angelle Bergeron


Women 

of theYear 


Position: epidemiologist, clinical assistant professor, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine 

Family: daughters, Ara, 9, and Emily, 7 

Education: bachelor’s degree in business administration, University of Mississippi; 

master’s degree in public health, Tulane University; Ph.D. in epidemiology, Tulane University 

Dr. Felicia Rabito is fighting for children’s safety. 

Not only should parents know of possible dangers 

their children face outside their homes, but also the 

unseen dangers inside a house that affect one in four children, 

said Rabito. 

After receiving $854,909 from the U.S. Department of 

Housing and Urban Development, Rabito and her team of 

researchers will spend the next three years increasing 

awareness of in-home sources of lead exposure and asthma 

triggers that pose a threat to children 4 to 11 years old 

in inner-city New Orleans. 

After much research, Rabito discovered one in four 

children in the New Orleans area had elevated levels of 

lead in their blood, an effect of interior lead paint, 

according to Rabito. Her findings reached the New 

Orleans City Council where an ordinance was passed 

soon after to regulate the dry sanding of lead paint on 

homes, schools and other buildings. 

Dry sanding produces lead dust that settles inside and 

outside homes, said Rabito. “Lead poisoning can lead to 

developmental delays, learning problems and succeeding 

in school,” said Rabito. 

A combination of New Orleans weather and bad paint 

harvests the problem, she said. “Our hot and humid 

weather and a poorly painted home cause for a dangerous 

environment to live in.” 

While Rabito and her team have a firm grasp on lead 

poisoning, she said they still have much to learn about 

asthma and, according to Rabito, have their work cut 

out for them. 

“Even though we’re understanding more about asthma 

and have the means of treating it, the death rate from asthma 

has actually increased,” she said. “Simple steps can 

help prevent attacks.” 

Rabito’s work has spawned a few partnerships, including 

the Lead Busters program, a subdivision under the 

City Health Department. Also, a partnership was formed 

between the Tulane Center for Applied Environmental 

Public Health and the Daughters of Charity Health 

Center who worked together on the community-based 

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Study. 

Rabito has been all over the world and been engaged in 

different activities and research. After receiving her undergraduate 

degree from Tulane, Rabito worked for the Peace 

Corps in Africa. She later came back to Tulane to earn her 

masters. She then traveled to Norway to do research. 

But it wasn’t until she returned to New Orleans 10 

years ago, when she was pregnant with her daughter, Ara, 

that Rabito realized her passion for helping children. 

— Chris Anderson


Women 

of theYear 

Ann Rogers 

Position: president and owner, Sponsor One 


Education: bachelor’s degree in marketing, University of New Orleans; certificate in Event Marketing and Management, UNO; 

advanced diploma in sponsorship marketing, European Sponsorship Consultants Association 

Life is all about finding a niche, a concept that Ann 

Rogers is quite familiar with. Her company, Sponsor 

One, has carved out a specialized section of the marketing 

and communications business areas, incorporating 

public relations and event production into a distinctive 

blend. 

“Under the umbrella of Sponsor One, I work with 

companies on evaluating sponsorship proposals,” said 

Rogers. “There is nobody else in New Orleans that 

specializes in sponsorships the way we do. What I do 

for my clients is look at the features of a sponsorship 

that are going to make both parties win; we see sponsorships 

as a marketing tool, not a philanthropic one.” 

Sponsor One’s client list includes the Audubon Nature 

Institute, Entergy and the National D-Day Museum. The 

small business is also working with Red Bull to produce 

the Flat Land Voodoo Jam, a BMX bike competition. 

Rogers is qualified to make evaluations about sponsorship 

benefits because of her previous work as a media 

buyer for a New Orleans advertising agency and her willingness 

to engage in an elite certification program. 

“I was the first person in the U.S. to receive an advanced 

diploma in sponsorship marketing from the European 

Sponsorships Consultants Association,” she said. 

One of the biggest feathers in Rogers’ hat is her work 

with Southern Comfort to produce the annual Southern 

Comfort Cocktail Tour. The tour was Rogers’ idea and 

she says she enjoys ownership of the event. 

“The cocktail tour is an annual event in August that celebrates 

dining and drinking in New Orleans,” Rogers said. 

Her goals for Sponsor One in the future include 

growing the business through creating more events and 

holding more annual events. 

“I think you have to create a niche for yourself,” 

Rogers said. “There are a lot of really good people in 

this business in New Orleans, so you have to ask yourself: 

‘What makes my business different?’ ” 

Away from the work, Rogers likes to spend quality 

time with her golden retriever. She also considers it 

relaxing to participate in triathlons and marathons. 

“I think it is important both in business and recreation 

to push yourself out of your comfort zone a little 

bit and see what happens,” she said. 

— Billy Thinnes


Women 

of theYear 

Gail Roussel 

Position: president, Danzac Construction 

Family: husband, Danny; son Daniel, 21, and daughter Christy, 32 

Education: plans to earn a college degree one day 

Gail Roussel knows what it’s like to be told flat out that she 

can’t build homes because she’s a woman. 

But that does not deter Roussel, president of 

Destrehan-based Danzac Construction. 

Danzac Construction, a custom and speculative homebuilding 

company founded in March 1993, has enjoyed a 

continuing increase in business, Roussel said. The company 

averages 10 to 15 homes a year, and last year’s sales 

volume was $1.8 million. 

She said it’s been a challenge working in the male-dominated 

construction business for 28 years. 

“I still fight the gender battles in my business today. We 

seldom build homes for the 40- to 60-year-old age group. 

Men will tell us directly, ‘I can’t hire women to build my 

house.’ We have taken that in stride. We decided to market 

to the age groups that accept us, the younger and older 

generations,” she said. 

Her company builds homes exclusively in St. Charles, 

St. John and Jefferson parishes. 

Roussel, a licensed builder and a Realtor, turned to the 

homebuilding business after years of working in other fields. 

Before starting up a homebuilding business with friend 

Patricia Tyson, Roussel and her husband, Danny, operated 

various companies that were sold in 1991 and 1992. 

Roussel also worked as an accountant for an electrical 

contractor in Kenner, where she had a life-changing 

experience. 

“The electrical contractor was a long-time union contractor 

with older male management. Leadership training 

was taking place companywide at the corporate headquarters, 

and only the up-and-coming management staff 

were allowed to attend. 

“I received an invitation. Eventually, it was decided 

that another woman would be invited so I would not be 

by myself with all the men and that they would ‘clean up 

their jokes.’ I felt like I had forced a shift in the company 

management’s thinking and had finally broken the 

glass ceiling.” 

Roussel’s civic involvement includes working with 

the Center for Family and Youth Services. She also has 

served as a board member and officer of the 

Association for Retarded Citizens of St. Charles. 

Those causes are dear to her heart since her daughter 

is developmentally challenged and her son has attention 

deficit hyperactivity disorder. 

Her community involvement earned her the honor of 

carrying the torch for the 1996 Olympics, she said. 

Roussel said her husband, children and grandfather 

have been her inspiration and factors in her success. 

— Deon Roberts


Women 

of theYear 

Peggy Scott 

Position: executive vice president of operations and finance, chief financial officer, Pan-American Life 

Family: husband, Loren; daughters, Stacy and Kelly 

Education: bachelor’s degree in accounting, Louisiana State University (magna cum laude); 

master’s degree in business administration, Tulane University 

When Peggy Scott entered the world of public accounting, 

the upper tier of the industry was still largely a gentlemen’s 

club. She broke through the glass ceiling swiftly. 

After just a few years in accounting and consulting at 

Deloitte & Touche, Scott, at age 31, became the first female 

managing partner in the 100-year history of the company. 

As a full partner and a managing partner, Scott had overall 

responsibility for the strategic direction, marketing and 

operations of the office. 

Scott then took her accounting skills and operational 

vision and stepped into the healthcare business, spending 

10 years as chief financial officer at Novant Health and at 

General Health. 

By the time she came to her present job five years ago at 

Pan-American Life, a New Orleans insurance company with 

international reach, Scott had learned all aspects of a company’s 

functions, including operations, product development, 

finance, IT, sales, treasury, human resources, benefit administration, 

managed care, actuarial and underwriting. 

This summer, Scott was promoted at Pan-American to 

executive vice president of operations and finance and 

chief financial officer. 

The Robert Half and Associates recruiting firm, along 

with the National Institute of Management Accountants, 

recently chose Scott as the Financial Executive of the Year 

in its nationwide competition. She will be featured in a 

full-page story in the Wall Street Journal. 

Scott was poised for success at an early age. In a nationwide 

competition with more than 106,000 nominees, Scott 

was named one of the 10 Outstanding Young Women in 

America. Scott has been named three times a Woman of 

Achievement by the American Society of Women 

Accountants, the YWCA and by Parker Pen USA Ltd. 

Selected on a nationwide basis for professional and business 

accomplishments, SAVVY Magazine selected her for 

its National Business Achievement Award and featured her 

in an article, “Profiles in Power: Six ‘Big Deal’ Women.” 

Scott serves on the board of directors of the New 

Orleans Blood Center and is an editorial adviser for the 

Journal of Accountancy, where she reviews and critiques 

manuscripts for publication. 

She recently completed two years of service as an 

adjunct professor at Tulane University Health Sciences 

Center where she instructed physician executives in the 

masters of medical management program. 

Scott believes the keys to her success have been her persistence, 

her focus and her ability to spot opportunity. 

“I believe that opportunities are everywhere for people 

just starting their careers. As long as they are willing 

to complete their education and stay focused, they will 

surely be successful.” 

— Matt Jones


Women 

of theYear 

Tara Shaw 

Position: owner/president, Tara Shaw to the Trade 

Family: Jack Shaw, a whippet 

Education: attended Louisiana State University 

Business owners often open their ledgers to gauge their 

growth over the years. The record of credits and debits, in 

most cases, tells the story. 

For Tara Shaw, owner and president of a wholesale 

antique entity bearing her name, there is more to the story 

than strong finances. Her business history literally has 

more concrete evidence of its growth. 

After first working out of a self-storage unit, Shaw’s 

increased inventory required her to move into an old cotton 

warehouse near the riverfront. 

“Those cotton warehouses were basically not open to anyone 

to rent,and a friend of a friend told me to go see someone 

at the Port of New Orleans about the buildings,” she said. 

Shaw’s relocation was one of the first moves in what 

would become a trend of revitalizing the Warehouse 

District. But continued prosperity required her to seek 

larger accommodations. With much of her merchandise 

arriving in 40-foot cargo containers shipped from around 

the globe, she needed space to store her goods before they 

were ready for market. 

A warehouse at the corner of Camp and Thalia streets 

had potential in Shaw’s mind; she had seen the building 

numerous times when making shopping trips to the 

Central Business District. 

“It was near where the old overpass ramp had been for 

years, so they had knocked all the windows out,” she said. 

“It needed a lot of TLC.” 

Before acquiring the 10,000-square-foot site, Shaw 

sought input from residents of the largely residential 

neighborhood about locating a business in their midst. 

She said she was overjoyed when the Coliseum Square 

Neighborhood Association embraced her concept. 

Shaw’s building overhaul included pouring two new 

slabs and investing $54,000 in a new roof. Repairs to the 

building’s façade included replacing 26 large windowpanes 

and the addition of a signature fleur-de-lis awning. 

“I feel like we were an anchor building to getting things 

turned around here,” said Shaw. 

Shaw’s involvement in the Coliseum Square community 

did not stop once the business doors were opened. She 

is a supporter of Bridge House and the Victory Fellowship. 

Her professional interests include membership in the 

American Society of Interior Designers Industry Partners 

and the Magazine Street Merchants Association. 

Shaw has a faithful companion in her whippet, Jack, 

who descends from champion bloodlines. Bred in the St. 

Tammany Parish community of Bush, Jack has two predecessors 

that have won blue ribbons from the prestigious 

Westminster Kennel Club. 

— Greg LaRose


Women 

of theYear 

Jaye Bérard Smith 

Position: attorney, restaurant/hotel owner, artist, real estate developer 

Family: sons, Christian and Brett; daughters, Robyn and Tara 

Education: bachelor’s degree in history and business, Loyola University; juris doctorate, Loyola University Law School 

The last 12 months have been cruel and kind to Jaye 

Bérard Smith. Her husband, Mark, passed away. She 

and her son, Brett, opened a new restaurant, the La 

Louisiane Bar and Bistro. She ramped up her production 

of artwork. And with Mark’s passing, she took over 

the daily oversight of the other businesses they owned 

— the St. Louis, St. Ann and Marie Antoinette hotels 

and the Louis XVI restaurant. 

Smith is an attorney who previously handled all the 

legal work for her various properties, so the recent 

expansion of responsibility was jarring. 

“The thing is that I never knew that I would ever have 

to go forward to complete the work of my husband,” 

Smith said. “My husband was the creative person that 

ran all these projects and I have had to step into his shoes 

and try to do what he would have done. Thankfully, I 

have wonderful help with all of the businesses and four 

children who are very involved in the operations.” 

Her other son, Christian, and daughters, Robyn and 

Tara, are assisting Smith with the development of 

Woodstone subdivision in Mandeville. 

A typical day for Smith now involves a split personality: 

her mornings are focused on business, her afternoons 

on art. 

“I am segueing into a new career in art,” Smith said. 

“All 35 of the paintings that hang in the La Louisiane 

are my artwork.” 

Smith said she will show some of her work in the 

near future at a gallery on Royal Street as well as at a 

gallery in Hollywood. 

“I have studied for the last 40 years with Leopold 

Girardy and June Lampe of the Lampe Gallery of Fine 

Art,” Smith says. “My work is inspired by (Gustav) 

Klimt and John Singer Sargent.” 

Smith’s community activities have been curtailed of 

late with her busy schedule and the mourning of her 

husband’s death. However, she still provides financial 

support to organizations she believes in, including the 

Covenant House, Bridge House and Orleans Mission. 

“I’ve had a year of widowhood. One of my greatest 

accomplishments to date is surviving that,” Smith said. 

— Billy Thinnes


Women 

of theYear 

Kathryn Smith 

Position: president, Advanced Imaging Solutions Inc. 

Family: husband, Lynne; stepsons, Kevin, 27, and Brian, 30; son Eric, 23; and daughter, Summer, 21. 

Education: attended Louisiana State University; certified document image Architec 

Kathryn Smith is constantly reading. She just finished 

reading “Spin Sisters,” a book about the liberal media 

trying to convince American women that the country’s 

social structure is holding them down, she said. 

And Smith said she couldn’t agree more. “Everything 

the book discussed really hit home,” said Smith. 

When Smith isn’t reading, she’s at work as president 

of Advanced Imaging Solutions Inc., an information 

management services company with offices in New 

Orleans, Baton Rouge and Houston. 

Smith said she is proof anyone has the chance to 

achieve their goals. After working in the imaging profession 

a number of years, Smith said she realized imaging 

could be taken a step further and knew she could do it. 

So did office equipment manufacturer Canon USA. 

“Canon recognized my performance. They gave me 

an opportunity to have my own dealership,” said Smith. 

“There were products out there to sell that retailers and 

distributors weren’t selling.” 

In 1997, Smith founded her company with her husband, 

Lynne. Now, her company is nationally recognized, 

and Canon USA named Smith a “Partner in 

Excellence” in 2003. 

“In my opinion, what sets us apart is our product 

knowledge and knowing the needs of clients, which 

helps us apply our products appropriately,” she said. 

Smith also meets the needs of inner-city children. She 

volunteers several hours each weekend to teaching Bible 

study and bringing food and games into their homes. 

She is also active in a prison ministry called Glory 

House. When Smith throws her Christmas, birthday and 

anniversary parties, she asks guests to bring gifts to be 

donated to prisoners in place of gifts for her. 

Smith said she couldn’t quit volunteering if she tried. 

“Once you see their faces when their needs are met and how 

happy they look, it’s impossible to walk away from that.” 

Smith has been working out three times a week since 

she was 19 years old. “It’s just something I’ve always 

made sure to stick with,” she said. 

One hobby she didn’t maintain was making stained 

glass. “I used to have a passion for art,” but her life is too 

busy now for such a complicated activity, she said. 

But reading will always be there, she said. “I like to be 

up on things. I can’t get enough. My employees and 

friends are always asking me what I’m reading.” 

— Chris Anderson


Women 

of theYear 

Carol Solomon 

Position: Peoples Health Network, chief executive officer 

Family: daughter, Michelle 

Education: bachelor’s degree in political science, University of South Florida; master’s degree, University of Florida 

Carol Solomon has never been content to use her talents 

and expertise to further just her own career. 

She is busy in her roles as chief executive of Peoples 

Health Network, a Kenner-based health maintenance organization, 

and as vice president and general manager of its 

affiliated Tenet Choices. But she finds the time to serve on 

the board or Louisiana Association of Health Plans, is board 

chair of Planned Parenthood and serves as an advisory board 

member of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. 

Originally from Miami, Solomon started her career in 

Florida in the savings and loan business. After seven years, 

Solomon’s career turned toward health care when she 

became a controller then administrator for a 300-bed hospital 

in Daytona, Fla. 

Solomon moved to New Orleans in 1993 to serve as 

chief operating officer of Medical Heritage, Inc. Her 

broad range of duties at Medical Heritage and, later at 

MedFirst, helped her establish her own private consulting 

company, Solomon Group, which helped open the 

door for her present position, administering health plans 

providing healthcare coverage to more than 35,000 members 

in the New Orleans metro area. 

While the many hats Solomon wears keep her busy, she 

finds the time to use her expertise to make personal commitments 

to the New Orleans community. 

Solomon has served on the Louisiana Association of 

Health Plans, chairing its Regulatory Affairs Committee, 

serving as a delegate to the Louisiana Health Care Summit 

of the Louisiana Governor’s Office and the Louisiana 

Healthcare Delivery Forum. She was board chair and an 

executive member of Planned Parenthood, a founding 

member of the Women’s Leadership Initiative for United 

Way of New Orleans and she has served on the advisory 

board and as Gala Committee Co-chair of the New 

Orleans Heritage and Jazz Foundation. 

Despite all of her professional achievements, Solomon 

says she is most proud of “having a great relationship with 

my daughter in spite of the time I devote to my career.” 

This commitment helped her be honored as a New 

Orleans Mother: Putting Family First at the Mayor’s Annual 

Conference on Women in August 2001. 

— Matt Jones


Women 

of theYear 

Kim Sport 

Position: chairman of the board of trustees, United Way; chairman of the board of New Orleans Cancer Institute at Memorial Medical Center 

Family: husband, Mike; stepchildren, Debi, Sheri and Ross; six grandchildren 

Education: bachelor’s degree in health sciences, Our Lady of Holy Cross College; juris doctorate, Tulane Law School 

Kim Sport will not let breast cancer slow her down. A 

cancer survivor of three years, she has made more than 

200 presentations for nonprofit organizations, served 

on many nonprofit board committees and received various 

volunteer awards. 

Sport said she is inspired by her husband, Mike, 

who is also a cancer survivor of one year. 

“He has always been active in the community, and 

together, we have always tried to make a difference in some 

way, shape or form,” she said. “I’m very lucky to be here, 

and I want to make a difference for people around me.” 

Sport serves as United Way chairman of the board of 

trustees and chairman of the board of the New Orleans 

Cancer Institute at Memorial Medical Center. 

“Fund-raising is just like running a business; our customers 

are the entire community and we have to make the 

best investments with the money we receive,” she said. 

“The reason I joined the Cancer Institute was because I 

received all of my cancer care in Greater New Orleans 

area, and I wanted to make people realize they can stay in 

New Orleans and receive their cancer treatments.” 

Through United Way, Sport served as the first female 

chair of the United Way’s Regional Fundraising campaign 

and raised a record $20.1 million in 2002. In 

2001, she founded and chaired the United Way’s 

Women’s Leadership Initiative. 

The Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations 

selected Sport as its 2004 recipient of the Louisiana 

Heroine award for encouraging women to become leaders 

in the community. Sport has also won a National Society 

of Fundraising Executives Volunteer of the Year award 

and the Joe Simon Award for volunteerism, given by the 

New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

“The numerous awards have just amazed me but I 

would not be doing what I’m doing if so many people 

had not preceded me and been there for me,” Sport 

said. “I get cooperation and support from other volunteers 

every day and they make the difference.” 

Sport’s United Way term expires at the end of 2005, and 

she said she wants to get involved in organizations that target 

child abuse and neglect and foster care and adoption. 

“My goal is to maintain my passion for everything I 

do; life is too short to not enjoy the little things.” 

— Tommy Santora


Women 

of theYear 

Liz Tahir 

Position: owner, Liz Tahir & Associates 


Education: attended the University of Mississippi 

Liz Tahir is an international marketing consultant, professional 

speaker and writer, but she began her career going 

in a different direction — retail. 

After working for years as a retail executive, Tahir was 

laid off from D.H. Holmes Company Ltd. A desire to stay 

in New Orleans fueled her decision to open Liz Tahir & 

Associates, a marketing and management consulting firm 

in 1990. 

“I had to reinvent myself,” Tahir said. 

Over the years, her marketing business has stretched 

into other venues as well. When a colleague invited her to 

a meeting of the National Speakers Association, Tahir was 

immediately drawn to the field. 

“I thought,‘People are being paid to speak.This is great.’ ” 

As a result of the public speaking at the seminars she 

developed, Tahir is often asked to write articles for trade 

publications. She is also a contributing author of the book, 

“Sizzling Customer Service.” 

“These are other avenues that I didn’t know existed, 

but one thing led into another,” Tahir said. “You have to 

open up your horizons.” 

Although she is a successful businesswoman now, 

Tahir said her biggest challenge when she first started her 

business was recognizing she knew more than she thought 

she did. Tahir realized with one of her first clients that she 

did not have to have expertise in an industry to know how 

to market those products. 

“One thing that I always say is that I am a brand of 

one,” Tahir said. “Whether you work for a corporation 

or are an entrepreneur, you are the product that 

you’re selling.” 

Tahir is active in the community through her work with 

the YWCA’s Junior Role Model program of which she is 

the founding chairman. The project identifies a select 

group of high school juniors and allows them to participate 

in training events that will prepare them for future 

leadership roles. 

“I’m particularly proud that we do it for girls in public 

schools who may not otherwise have these opportunities.” 

Tahir has worked with clients in Japan, Australia, New 

Zealand, Mexico, Brazil and across the U.S. She is on the 

board of directors of the World Trade Center of New 

Orleans and Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents, 

and Associates Inc. She has also been president of the 

American Marketing Association and is involved with the 

Women’s Professional Council and the Contemporary 

Arts Center. 

— Angela Johnson


Women 

of theYear 

Donna Taylor 

Position: vice president of asset management and new business development, Stirling Properties 

Family: daughter Haley, 13; son Connor, 11 

Education: bachelor’s degree in accounting, Southeastern Louisiana University; 

master’s degree in business administration, Southeastern Louisiana University 

Potential clients of Donna Taylor of Stirling Properties 

should get used to seeing and hearing from her on a regular 

basis, and perhaps more so once a transaction takes place. 

The philosophy of staying in touch with her clients has 

allowed her to reach a high level of success in the North 

Shore commercial real estate field. 

“You always need to stay in tune with your clients, to 

learn about their desires for the property,” she said. 

Taylor, a certified public accountant, went to work for 

Stirling in its accounting department in 1985. By 1991, 

she had risen to the position of vice president of the company’s 

legal department. 

In her current role as vice president of asset management 

and new business development,Taylor oversees a portfolio of 

more than 10 million square feet of properties. Her responsibilities 

include property and construction management, leasing, 

financial reporting, budgeting, financing and refinancing, 

contractual compliance and general client relations. 

Working on the North Shore means Taylor faces stiff 

competition from other professionals hoping to develop 

select tracts of commercial property. Rather than focus on 

matching what rivals offer to a customer, she concentrates 

on selling the strengths of her company. 

“You have to put yourself above your competition,” 

said Taylor. “You have to show why you’re different. If you 

walk in the door and say, ‘Oh, we can do what they do,’ 

that’s not necessarily going to convince anyone to give you 

their business.” 

Taylor recently closed a deal with AmSouth Bank to 

increase Stirling’s commercial property portfolio by more 

than 1 million square feet. She has earned the company’s 

Star Achiever Award in 1996, 1997 and 1998 and won the 

Hall of Fame honor in 1999. Co-workers tabbed Taylor the 

Team Player of the Year in 1995, 1997 and 2000. 

A native of Hammond, living and working close to home 

is important to Taylor, who has kept family her top priority 

while excelling in her profession. Her long-standing ties to 

the North Shore allowed her to stay involved in several civic 

endeavors, including the Hammond Special Olympics, the 

Tangipahoa Association of Retarded Citizens, The Richard 

Murphy Hospice Foundation and the Southeastern 

Louisiana University Alumni Association. 

Taylor’s professional memberships include the North 

Shore Area Board of Realtors, the Southeastern 

Louisiana University Accounting Advisory Board and 

the Business and Industry Committee of the Louisiana 

Realtors Association. 

— Greg LaRose


Women 

of theYear 

Fran Villere 

Position: chairwoman, Greater New Orleans Foundation 

Family: husband, George; sons Chris, 35, and Lamar, 29; daughter, Mathilde, 33 

Education: bachelor’s degree in art history, Finch University 

Fran Villere was last employed many years ago when 

she was working part-time in a dress shop and newly 

wed to her husband, George. 

But she still has a job to do. In fact, she has many. 

Villere is presently a member of six New Orleans 

service organizations, including the Greater New 

Orleans Foundation, of which she is the chairperson. 

She is also involved with Children’s Hospital, the New 

Orleans Botanical Garden Foundation, the Ogden 

Museum of Southern Art and the New Orleans 

Museum of Art. In total, Villere has been involved in 27 

local charities. 

“I don’t work for pay anymore,” Villere said jokingly. 

She just works, and unselfishly, too. Villere was 

awarded the Times Picayune Loving Cup in 2003 for 

her efforts in volunteerism and community service. 

As chair of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, 

Villere is a busy woman. 

The Greater New Orleans Foundation operates 

somewhat like a bank for New Orleans nonprofit organizations, 

according to Villere. Money donated to and collected 

by the foundation is distributed to local nonprofits, 

aiding them in accomplishing their goals, she said. 

“The Greater New Orleans Foundation is a community 

foundation,” said Villere. “Individuals and groups have 

control over their money and where they would like to 

see it used,” which Villere said is her goal and the foundation’s 

goal. “It helps guarantee a better future for our 

community.” 

Something Villere said is particularly close to her 

heart is the work she did during the 1990s for Project 

Lazarus, a residence for AIDS patients. 

“It was a time when people didn’t understand 

AIDS,” she said. People weren’t sure of the disease and 

how it was spread, she said. “People only thought it 

was a homosexual disease.” 

Villere said she did not realize the disease’s growing 

presence and impact until it was affecting people close 

to her. “I found out more about AIDS through friends. 

I realized that people were dying from it. I didn’t know 

much about it, but I wanted to know more and felt 

other people should, too.” 

After three weeks of training, Villere was sent out to 

help ignite a dialogue about AIDS, especially amongst 

younger people. 

“I gave talks at various functions and meetings, usually 

speaking to private school students,” she said. 

— Chris Anderson


Women 

of theYear 

Ann Wallace 

Position: chief marketing officer, Adams and Reese LLP 

Family: husband, Bert; two stepsons, Bryan and Michael; and Tag the Wonder Dog, a yellow Labrador retriever 

Education: bachelor’s degree in journalism, Louisiana State University 

Adams and Reese has more than 260 attorneys practicing 

in seven offices across the southeastern United States, and 

the New Orleans office is responsible for all of the firm’s 

marketing efforts. 

A marketing endeavor that substantial would tend to 

lean toward more outsourcing than in-house work, but 

chief marketing officer Ann Wallace said she is most 

proud of helping the firm almost completely internalize 

all marketing operations in her three years there. 

“We are pretty self-sufficient which allows us a great deal 

more flexibility than relying on outside agencies and consultants, 

and it enables us to operate more efficiently,” she 

said. “That type of marketing attitude fostered by management 

here is one of the reasons for the firm’s success.” 

Adams and Reese recently became the first Louisiana 

law firm named to AmLaw’s list of the nation’s top 200 

grossing firms. 

Wallace, who has more than 20 years of marketing 

experience, said it is ironic she ended up working for a law 

firm because she planned on attending law school after 

earning her journalism degree from LSU. 

“But one year off led to another, and I was enjoying the 

beginnings of an exciting and interesting marketing career 

and not at all interested in going back to school.” 

Wallace joined the Mississippi Division of Tourism and 

assisted in planning and preparation for the state’s participation 

in the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition. She said she 

logged at minimum 12-hour workdays, seven days a week, 

and called the job her best marketing career preparation. 

Wallace’s next career move was as a marketing 

department consultant for Boyd Gaming after working 

as the director of marketing for the Queen of New 

Orleans Riverboat Casino and director of marketing at 

Treasure Chest Casino. 

She joined Adams and Reese in 2001 and though marketing 

efforts were different from the gaming to the legal 

industry, she said the principles stayed the same. 

“It doesn’t matter whether you are selling entertainment, 

a product or a professional service, it’s all in the 

way you apply and balance all of the components of the 

marketing mix to achieve the business goals of the organization,” 

she said. 

Wallace’s community involvement ranges from 

walkathons to serving meals, helping build homes, student 

mentoring and fund-raising drives. She also helps her husband, 

Bert, president emeritus of the LSU Health Sciences 

Center and director of the LSU Biomedical Research Fund. 

Wallace also received a Delta Gamma “Cable Award”for her 

continuing outstanding service with her former sorority. 

— Tommy Santora


Women 

of theYear 


Position: general manager, Laitram Machine Shop LLC 

Family: husband, David Waller; son Ned, 17; and daughter Helen, 15 

Education: bachelor’s degree in economics, Newcomb College; master’s degree in business administration 

in Operation Research Management Science, Tulane University 

Next time you’re at the gas pump, realize that 99.9 percent 

of the time the equipment used to find that fuel 

came from Input Output Inc. of Stafford, Texas. The 

highly specialized parts Input Output uses in its task 

are manufactured by its sister company, Laitram 

Machine Shop in Harahan. 

Input Output’s job has been a little easier recently 

thanks to Barbara Waller, general manager of Laitram 

Machine Shop, said Douglas A. Meyer, Input Output procurement 

manager. 

Waller has held several different positions with Laitram 

in 13 years with the company and has consistently demonstrated 

her exceptional organizational and leadership 

skills, Meyer said. 

“She has this great can-do attitude and will always try to 

come up with a solution,” he said. “Lots of people can do a 

job to 70, 80 or even 95 percent, but she is one of those rare 

people who can take it all the way to 100 percent, and she is 

always trying to challenge and see what can be done better.” 

Jay Lapayre, president and chief executive of Laitram 

and chairman of the board of Input Output, described 

Waller in glowing terms. 

“The greatest strength Barbara has is her ability to deal 

with difficult situations and problems,” Lapayre said. “She 

is very analytical, results-oriented and tough-minded, so 

she is able to both integrate complicated technical issues 

with complex people issues because she is so clear and 

straight and principled in how she approaches things.” 

Laitram has been fertile ground for Waller’s success. 

“Laitram has a rigorous philosophy that hinges on treating 

others the way you want to be treated,so it hinges on personal 

value,” Waller said. “I had reached a point in my life 

where I was determined that was important to me.You don’t 

realize how much you value that unless you don’t have it.” 

Throughout her career, Waller has worked in non-traditional 

positions but never for a small company with such 

an inspiring philosophy, she said. Waller’s education 

taught her to study processes and analysis. She has mastered 

the manufacturing aspects of the machine shop and 

realized some other objectives as well. 

“My goals were to build a team that could realize the 

potential of each individual and meet the goals we have for 

profitability and customer service,” Waller said. “I have a 

wonderful team. We have some really smart people here 

and my job is to remove obstacles, challenge them appropriately 

and help them with the resources they need. It’s 

hard work but it’s fun.” 

— Angelle Bergeron


Women 

of theYear 


Position: director of business development, Doctors Hospital of Jefferson 

Family: husband, Mike; sons, Michael, 32, Garett, 21 

Education: bachelor’s degree in business management and administration, University of Phoenix 

Bonnie Wibel retired in February 2003 after almost 20 

years working at Lakeside Hospital. She wanted to 

spend time with her new grandchild and “get a different 

perspective” on things. 

Seven months later, she received a phone call from 

John Walker, chief executive of Doctors Hospital of 

Jefferson. He needed her to be his director of business 

development and just like that, her all-too-brief retirement 

came to an end. 

It was an easy decision, Wibel says. She has spent a 

large portion of her life working in health care. She discovered 

her joy for the field at the age of 30. She was 

giving birth to her second son, Garett, 12 years 

removed from her first, Michael. It was not easy, she 

said, but the men and women at Lakeside Hospital 

were so good to her she decided they were the type of 

people with whom she had always wanted to work. 

She began working at Lakeside Hospital in 1985 as a 

secretary of administration and worked her way all the 

way up to director of public relations and marketing. 

In August, East Jefferson General Hospital purchased 

Doctors Hospital. No one from Doctors is guaranteed 

a job at the new facility, which means a cloudy 

future for Wibel. But she refuses to look at the negative 

and pushes forward with hope in her heart. 

“I’m focused on closing the facility with dignity 

and respect,” she says. “I remain positive to let our 

employees know when one door closes, another 

always opens.” 

Wibel has always been an optimist. Whether it is running 

a political campaign office, working as the executive 

director of the Greater New Orleans OB/GYN Society 

or going back to school at the age of 47 to earn her college 

degree, she does it all with her eyes firmly affixed on 

the silver lining. 

Wibel was born and raised in New Orleans. She 

believes there are no greater people in the world than 

those in New Orleans, which is why she devotes so much 

time giving back to the community through charitable 

efforts. From Special Olympics to the Juvenile Diabetes 

Foundation, the United Way and Friends of Autism, 

Wibel said she does all she can to improve the lives of 

those who may not have experienced all of life’s fortunes. 

— Richard Webster

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Women 

of theYear 

Carol B. Wise 

Position: owner, Wise Marketing 

Family: daughters Julie Wise Oreck and Ginny Wise; son Richard Wise 

Education: bachelor’s degree in education, National College for Education 

Small businesses are the backbone of the American 

economy, and Carol Wise is the kind of businesswoman 

who ensures the country will remain strong and 

maintain good posture. 

“To be successful as a small business you have to forget 

the past and move forward,” Wise said. “It is important 

to work hard, spend long hours and make things 

happen. You have to have a real joy in making things 

happen; I think you must have constant enthusiasm and 

optimism and that will help you make a difference.” 

Wise Marketing has been creating marketing plans 

for small businesses and individuals since 1989. Before 

opening her own shop, Wise worked as the sales and 

marketing director of One River Place. 

“Say that you work for a printing company,” Wise 

said in explaining her business approach. “I would 

look at the company and talk to you about where you 

have been successful and where you could be more 

successful. We would look at who are your best customers 

and find out how we can grow your business.” 

Wise Marketing’s client base is diversified and 

includes real estate agents, a small Uptown gift shop, 

stockbrokers, oil companies and banks. Wise acknowledges 

the risks of running a small business and 

addresses the challenges women face in the business 

world, but she refuses to make excuses. 

“The women I have seen who are successful are 

women who overlook disadvantages and still play by 

the same rules,” she said. “In the small business environment, 

your limits are yourself. In order to get the 

money you need to grow, it depends upon a person’s 

networking ability.” 

Wise said her favorite hobby is to raise money for 

nonprofits. She is the chairwoman of the Women’s 

Leadership Initiative and is active in the United Way. 

“Right now, I am actively involved in the Success by Six 

program for the United Way,” she said. “This is a collaborative 

format to see that kids up to 6 years old have a 

chance to be successful when they enter school. There are 

285 child care centers in Orleans Parish and only 18 are 

accredited. Success by Six looks at how more of these centers 

can become accredited as there is direct relationship 

between accreditation and a child’s ability to succeed.” 

— Billy Thinnes


Women 

of theYear 

Ellen Yellin 

Position: tax/employee benefits director, Bourgeois Bennett LLC CPA 

Family: husband, Marc; sons, Jeffrey, 23, and Brian, 21 

Education: bachelor’s degree in political science; Newcomb College; master’s degree 

in business administration in accounting; Tulane University Graduate School of Business 

When Ellen Yellin began her career 28 years ago, she could 

see what one of her biggest challenges was going to be. 

“Professionally, there was a major distinction 

between men and women. There were no women in 

management,” Yellin said. 

She recalled that there were four women out of 

about 300 graduates in her MBA class at Tulane 

University in 1976. 

“When one of us was absent, it was noticed,” Yellin said. 

“My own father insisted I take typing so I could get 

work if something happened to him,” Yellin said. 

Yellin is the tax/employee benefits director at Bourgeois 

Bennett, a Metairie accounting firm. She said she became 

involved with accounting because she saw it as a way to 

help people save money and plan for the future. 

“Hence, the tax area,” she said. 

Yellin also noticed a need for businesswomen to 

have networking opportunities. In 1983, she decided 

to form the Women’s Professional Council. The 

response was positive and the organization, which promotes 

and supports women professionals in the New 

Orleans area, has been growing ever since. 

“I’m very proud of the success of the WPC,” Yellin 

said. “I’m proud that it’s flourishing.” She was the WPC’s 

first president and is now on the membership committee. 

Another project Yellin devotes time to is the Jewish 

Endowment Foundation. She fondly recalls that an 

audit of the foundation was the first one she did without 

a supervisor. She has been on the board of directors 

since 1983 and this year she will serve as president of 

the organization. The organization is the “community 

chest of the Jewish community,” providing grants and 

other philanthropy for the Jewish population in the 

New Orleans area. 

Yellin is also an active member of the American 

Institute of CPAs and the Society of Louisiana CPAs, and 

she serves on the board of directors of the Association of 

Employee Benefit Planners of New Orleans. 

“I want to continue to work in the New Orleans 

community,” Yellin said. 

She views the community as a garden that must be cultivated 

if it is to continue to grow. “It’s critical if we want 

New Orleans to be a place our children will want to live.” 

— Angela Johnson

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From the courtroom to the conference room, 

we’re leaders in today’s complex legal arena. 

Congratulations to Our 

Women of the Year 

Mary L. Meyer 

Partner 

Ann M. Wallace 

Chief Marketing Officer 

Out in front. 

www.adamsandreese.com 

One Shell Square ■ 701 Poydras Street ■ Suite 4500 ■ New Orleans, LA 70139 ■ 504.581.3234 

Baton Rouge ■ Birmingham ■ Houston ■ Jackson ■ Mobile ■ New Orleans ■ Washington D.C. 

No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of the legal services performed by other lawyers. 

Not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization except as noted. Author: Charles P. Adams, Jr. 

FREE BACKGROUND INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

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