Laitram Zehnder - New Orleans City Business

1 

Laitram 

Zehnder 

Communications 

sponsored by

NORTH OAKS HEALTH SYSTEM 

3 YEARS 

IN A ROW 

To Our Valued Employees 

You are the reason North Oaks has grown over the past 50 years to become a health system 

with two hospitals, a heart health center, 15 physician clinics, a diagnostic center, outpatient 

rehabilitation services, a hospice agency and expansion underway. 

You are the reason that our loyal patients keep coming back to experience the way you treat 

them like your own family members with a commitment to health care excellence. 

You are the reason North Oaks is a Best Place to Work. Thank you for your teamwork, 

expertise, and devotion to creating positive patient experiences.

Chosen THREE times as one of the 

2 0 1 0 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First NBC Locations 

Main Office St. Charles Office Lakeview Office Veterans Office Terrytown Office 

210 Baronne St. 3335 St.Charles Avenue 851 Harrison Ave. 521 Veterans Memorial Blvd. 2021 Carol Sue 

New Orleans, LA 70112 New Orleans, LA 70115 New Orleans, LA 70124 Metairie, LA 70005 Terrytown, LA 70056 

504-566-8000 504-252-4330 504-671-3520 504-671-3530 504-671-3550 

DeGaulle Office Elmwood Office Kenner Office Transcontinental Office 

4100 General DeGaulle Office Suite B-7 1105 S. Clearview Parkway 3535 Chateau Blvd. 4920 Veterans Memorial Blvd. 

New Orleans, LA 70131 Jefferson, LA 70121 Kenner, LA 70065 Metairie, LA 70006 

504-252-4300 504-671-3510 504-671-3540 504-671-3425 

www.firstnbcbank.com

Our 

New Office! 

Best Places to Work 

even better 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.Eustis.com

1 

On the cover: Top: Laitram employees Baron Lumar, left, and 

Joseph Bui take a few minutes out to “test the strength” 

of machine parts that are manufactured at the machine shop. 

Bottom: From top: Zehnder employees William Gilbert, 

Kate Lundin and Shea Duet are surrounded by recent public 

relations campaigns the firm worked on. Photos by Frank Aymami 

contents 

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 

Past honorees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 

LARGE COMPANIES 

First Place: Laitram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

Second Place: King, Krebs and Jurgens . . . . . . . .12 

Third Place: Geocent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 

Adams and Reese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 

Atmos Energy Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Booz Allen Hamilton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Bourgeois Bennett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Brown’s Dairy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Dickie Brennan and Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Durr Heavy Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 

Eagan Insurance Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 

Eustis Insurance and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 

First NBC Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 

Gilsbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 

Harrah’s Casino New Orleans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 

Hilton New Orleans Riverside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 

HRI Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 

Kushner LaGraize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 

LaPorte Sehrt Romig Hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 

Loews New Orleans Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 

Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Co. . . . . . . .33 

North Oaks Health System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 

Ochsner Health System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 

Pan-American Life Insurance Group . . . . . . . . . . .36 

Peoples Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 

Quest Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 

ReadSoft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 

Rouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 

St. Tammany Parish Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 

Slidell Memorial Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 

Strategic Employee Benefit Services 

of Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 

Superior Energy Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 

Taste Buds Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 

University of Phoenix - Louisiana Campus . . . . .46 

West Jefferson Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 

SMALL COMPANIES 

First Place: Zehnder Communications . . . . . . . . .48 

Second Place: PMOLink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 

Third Place: Ericksen Krentel and LaPorte . . . . . .51 

Aureus Research Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 

Bevolo Gas and Electric Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 

Bond Public Relations and Brand Strategy . . . . .54 

FH Myers Construction Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 

Greater New Orleans Federal Credit Union . . . .56 

Hartwig Moss Insurance Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 

Huseman and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 

Keating Magee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 

M.S. Rau Antiques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 

Mudbug Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 

Schafer Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 

U.S. Risk Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 

LISTS 

Large companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 

Small companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 

Published by 

New Orleans Publishing Group 

111 Veterans Blvd, Ste. 1440 

Metairie, LA 70005 

Publisher: D. Mark Singletary 

Associate Publisher: Lisa Blossman 

Editor: Greg LaRose 

News Editor: Christian Moises 

Associate Editor: Jenny Peterson 

Art Directors: Alex Borges and Lisa Finnan 

Account Executives: Liz Baldini, Monique Brignac, Jeanne 

Farrell-Bindewald, Cassie Foreman, Coco Evans Judd 

Production Manager: Julie Bernard 

We’re the leading diagnostic testing business. 

And our business is helping to save lives. 

For years, Quest Diagnostics has been dedicated to helping people 

improve their health and wellness through unsurpassed insights, 

clinical excellence, and expertise. 

QuestDiagnostics.com 

We’re proud to be recognized as one of the 

50 Best Places to Work in New Orleans for 2010 

WORLD-CLASS HEALTHCARE. CLOSE TO HOME. 

ST. TAMMANY PARISH HOSPITAL 

Top hospital nationally for employee, patient and physician satisfaction 

St. Tammany Parish Hospital is proud to accept New Orleans CityBusiness’ designation 

among the 2010 Best Places to Work as recognition for the hard work and years-long 

strategy the hospital has undertaken to be the hospital of choice for exceptional caregivers, local patients 

and caring doctors. 

St. Tammany Parish Hospital recognizes that engaged employees go out of their way every day to provide 

exceptional care. Patients are more satisfied with their experience, outcomes are better, patients are safer and 

quality is higher when employees are engaged in the mission to deliver world-class healthcare close to home. 

We are proud to accept this recognition and thank CityBusiness for telling our prospective new team members 

what an opportunity awaits them at St. Tammany Parish Hospital. Visit www.stph.org to apply today. 

December 24, 2010 5

INTRODUCTION: 

‘Best Places’ looks beyond 

pay to reward employees 

Christian Moises 

Pay is not everything, at least according to employees 

at the 2010 Best Places to Work. 

To determine its honorees, CityBusiness in part 

used a scoring system based on benefits including 

salary, health care, paid time off and average length 

of employment. In addition, employees at the nominated 

companies were asked to complete a survey 

that allowed us to gauge the workplace culture and 

staff morale to determine the final cut. 

While a majority of the 3,019 employees who 

responded to the survey did rate their company as 

excellent, there were three questions where 

employees were surprisingly truthful. 

Only 39.9 percent believe management’s recognition 

of employee job performance is excellent, 37.7 

percent gave communication between employees 

and senior management top honors and 35.9 percent 

say their opportunities to advance are the best. 

Management at the 2010 Best Places to Work 

understand that, going above and beyond the company 

benefits guide by offering intangible perks, 

such as team-building and morale-boosting programs, 

receptive executives and fun office activities. 

They recognize that keeping their employees 

happy helps boost their bottom line. 

Great companies 

need great employees. 

Congratulations University of Phoenix Louisiana Campus, 

recipient of the 2009 and 2010 Best Places to Work award. 

Find out how a degree can help you make a difference where 

you work at phoenix.edu/louisiana or call 1-800-460-1873. 

6 2010 Best Places to Work

Measuring up 

Part of the Best Places to Work nomination process included a satisfaction survey sent to employees 

who work at all nominated companies. CityBusiness analyzed the 15 aspects most important to 

employees. Here’s how the nearly 3,000 respondents rated their companies based on those questions: 

The honorees are 35 large and 15 small businesses. Based 

on the U.S. Small Business Administration’s definition, large 

businesses have 50 or more employees. Companies that are 

part of larger corporations but have fewer than 50 New 

Orleans employees fall under the large businesses category. 

Leading this year’s large companies are: 1. Laitram 2. 

King, Krebs and Jurgen and 3. Geocent. Leading the small 

companies are: 1. Zehnder Communications (the firm’s second 

time atop the list since the first ranking in 2003) 2. 

PMOLink and 3. Ericksen Krentel and LaPorte. 

Adding new faces to the mix, 18 newcomers joined this 

year’s honorees: Atmos Energy Corp.; Bourgeois Bennett; 

Brown’s Dairy; Eustis Insurance Agency; HRI Properties; 

King, Krebs and Jurgens; Kushner LaGraize; Laitram; 

Loews New Orleans Hotel; Rouses; Aureus Research 

Consultants; Bevolo Gas and Electric Lights; Bond Public 

Relations and Brand Strategy; Ericksen Krentel and LaPorte; 

FH Myers Construction Corp.; Greater New Orleans Federal 

Credit Union; M.S. Rau Antiques; and Mudbug Media. 

Two companies, West Jefferson Medical Center and 

Zehnder Communications, continue to make the list, having 

been recognized every year since the publication’s 

inception in 2003. 

Congratulations to the 2010 Best Places to Work. Their 

commitment to employees during tough times sends a 

strong message to their employees and the New Orleans 

business community.• 

News Editor Christian Moises can be reached at 293-9249 

or at christian.moises@nopg.com. 

Above 

Below 

Excellent average Average average Poor 

Job security 43.2% 37% 15.6% 3.1% 1.2% 

Flexibility to balance 

life and work issues 45.4% 33.6% 15.8% 3.6% 1.5% 

Communication between 

employees and senior management 37.7% 32.6% 19.1% 6.1% 4.4% 

Feeling safe in the work environment 62.8% 24.5% 10.4% 1.6% 0.8% 

Management’s recognition of 

employee job performance 39.9% 32.3% 18.8% 5.7% 3.3% 

Relationship with immediate supervisor 56% 25.7% 12.7% 3.2% 2.4% 

Autonomy and independence 48% 32.9% 15.1% 2.5% 1.5% 

Opportunities to use skills/abilities 51.8% 30.4% 13.5% 2.7% 1.7% 

The work itself 44.6% 36.1% 17.5% 1% 0.7% 

Meaningfulness of job 52.5% 31.6% 12.9% 2% 1% 

Overall workplace culture 49.1% 30.7% 14.8% 3.4% 2.1% 

Career development opportunities 41.9% 30% 18.9% 5.7% 3.5% 

Opportunities for advancement 35.9% 30.1% 22% 7.6% 4.4% 

Variety of work 44.2% 32.2% 19.1% 3.1% 1.4% 

Whether you see yourself 

retiring from this company 52.8% 22.2% 15.1% 4.9% 5.1% 

Arriving daily on your computer! 

Daily Update 

Congratulations 

Schafer Group Ltd. 

as one of the 

Best Places to Work 

in New Orleans. 

— Byron R. Hughey 

Kernion T. Schafer, CPA 

CONGRATULATIONS 

TIONS 

TO OUR CPA FIRM, 

SCHAFER GROUP, LTD 

ON BEING CHOSEN 

ONE OF THE 

BEST PLACES TO 

WORK 

IN NEW ORLEANS. 

FREE 

Register today 

www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/dailyupdate.cfm 

HUGHEY & ASSOCIATES 

HUGHEY & ASSOCIATES 

PUBLIC RELATIONS/MARKETING/ADVERTISING 

1200 ST. CHARLES AVE. • SUITE 200 • NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70130 

(504) 524-8843 • FAX 524-0121 

WWW.NOLAPIPE.COM 

504-525-7426 

December 24, 2010 7

2 0 1 0 

S P O N S O R S 

PREMIUM 

GOLD 

TABLE 


Past honorees 

2009 


1. Booz Allen Hamilton 

2. North Oaks Health System 

3. ReadSoft 

Adams and Reese 

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell 

& Berkowitz 

Cox Communications 

Durr Heavy Construction 

East Jefferson General Hospital 

Eagan Insurance Agency 

First NBC Bank/Dryades Savings Bank 

Geocent 

Gilsbar 

Hilton New Orleans Riverside 

Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore 

LaPorte Sehrt Romig Hand 

Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Co. 

The New Orleans Hornets 

Pan American Life Insurance Group 

Peoples Health 

Peter A. Mayer Advertising Inc. 

Phelps Dunbar 

Postlethwaite & Netterville 

Quest Diagnostics 

Randa Accessories 

Sizeler Thompson Brown Architects 

Slidell Memorial Hospital 

Strategic Employee Benefit Services 

of Louisiana 

St. Tammany Parish Hospital 

Superior Energy Services 

Taste Buds Management 

Touro Infirmary 

Tulane University 

University of Phoenix, Louisiana Campus 

Walton Construction Co. 

West Jefferson Medical Center 


1. PMOLink 

2. Heller Draper Hayden Patrick & Horn 

3. Perez 

Deveney Communication 

Fleur de Lis Financial/MassMutual 

Gauthier, Houghtaling & Williams 

Hal Collums Construction/Central City Millworks 

Hartwig Moss Insurance Agency 

Huseman & Associates 

Loubat Equipment Co. 

PPOplus 

The Receivables Exchange 

Shell New Orleans Federal Credit Union 

United States Risk Management 

Zehnder Communications 

2008 


1. Harrah’s New Orleans Casino & Hotel 

2. North Oaks Health System 

3. West Jefferson Medical Center 


Booz Allen Hamilton 

Broadpoint 

Coventry Health Care of Louisiana 

Cox New Orleans 

Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles 

Diamond Data Systems 

Dickie Brennan & Co. 



East Jefferson General Hospital 

Gilsbar 

Gregory C. Rigamer & Associates 

Hilton New Orleans Riverside 

Jones Walker 

Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Co. 


McGlinchey Stafford 

Ochsner Health System 

Omni Royal Orleans Hotel 


Phelps Dunbar 

Planet Beach Franchising 

Pool Corp. 

The Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group 

ReadSoft 

Slidell Memorial Hospital & Medical Center 



Touro Infirmary 

Tulane University 

Walton Construction Co. 


1. PMOLink 

2. Wolfe Law Group 

3. Chopin, Wagar, Richard & Kutcher 

Creative Engineering Group 

Deveney Communication 

Gauthier, Houghtaling & Williams 


Heller Draper Hayden Patrick & Horn 

I-Assure 

Loubat Equipment Co. 

Louisiana Restaurant Association 

Morgan + Company 

Rimkus Consulting Group 

Schafer Group 

Zehnder Communications 

2007 


1. Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles 

2. ReadSoft 

3. Phelps Dunbar 

4. Diamond Data Systems 

5. Frilot LLC 

6. Superior Energy Services 


8. Adams and Reese 

9. Planet Beach Franchising Corp. 

10. St. Tammany Parish Hospital 

11. DonahueFavret Contractors 

12. Coventry Health Care of Louisiana 

13. Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Co. 

14. Broadpoint 

15. LaPorte Sehrt Romig Hand 

16. Postlethwaite & Netterville 

17. Ochsner Health System 

18. East Jefferson General Hospital 


20. Peoples Health 

21. Touro Infirmary 

22. Walton Construction Co. 

23. Tulane Medical Center 

24. Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel 

25. Durr Heavy Construction 

26. John Ehret High School 

27. Benjamin Franklin High School 

28. Strategic Employee Benefit Services 

of Louisiana 

29. Dickie Brennan and Co. 

30. Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group 

31. Harrah’s New Orleans Casino and Hotel 

32. McGlinchey Stafford 

33. Louisiana Public Health Institute 

34. Toyota of New Orleans 

35. Stewart Enterprises 


1. Ellsworth Corp. 

2. I-Assure 

3. PMOLink 

4. Louisiana Restaurant Association 

5. Trumpet 

6. Morgan + Co. 

7. Southern United States Trade Association 

8. Deveney Communication 

9. Zehnder Communications 

10. Riverwalk Marketplace 

11. Signature Destination Management 

12. Hartwig Moss Insurance Agency 

13. Johnson Johnson Barrios & Yacoubian 

14. Design the Planet 

15. Advanced Imaging Solutions 

2006 

LARGE BUSINESSES 

1. Ochsner Health System 



4. Gilsbar Inc. 

5. Omni Bank 



8. Deutsch Kerrigan & Stiles 

9. Touro Infirmary 

10. Harrah’s Casino and Hotel 


12. Phelps Dunbar 

13. PetroCom 


15. Peoples Health 

16. Dickie Brennan and Company 


18. Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann 

19. Frilot Partridge 

20. Cox Communications 

21. Hilton New Orleans Riverside 

22. Peter A. Mayer Advertising 

23. Superior Energy Services 

24. Durr Heavy Construction 

25 (tie). Vinson Guard Services 

25 (tie). First NBC Bank 

SMALL BUSINESSES 

1. PMOLink, Inc. 


3. Ellsworth Corporation 

4. Belladonna Day Spa 

5. Trumpet Advertising 

6. Chopin, Wagar, Richard and Kutcher 

7. River Marine Management 

8. Keating Magee 

9. Deveney Communication 

10. Robert Berning Productions 

11. Free Gulliver 

12. International House Hotel 

13. Loubat Equipment 

14. Industrial Products Ltd. 

15. Aesthetic Surgical Associates 

2005 

1. Ochsner Clinic Foundation 


3. Kenner Regional Medical Center 




7. Albert-Garaudy and Associates 


9. Omni Bank 

10. Deveny Communication 

11. Deutsch, Kerrigan and Stiles 

12. Hibernia National Bank 

13. FARA 

14. Apogen Technologies 


16. Keating Magee 


18. River Marine Management 

19. Landscape Images 


2004 



3. PMOLink Inc. 


5. Landscape Images 

6. Salco Management 


8. Harrah’s Casino New Orleans 

9. Banner Chevrolet 

10. PetroCom 





15. Cannon Cochran Management Services 


17. Stone Pigman Walther Whittmann 

18. Edward Jones Investments 

19. Correro Fishman Haygood Phelps Walmsley 

and Casteix 

20. Banner Ford 

2003 


2. Ochsner Clinic Foundation 


4. Newtown and Associates 




8. Harrah’s Casino New Orleans 


10. Correro Fishman Haygood Phelps Walmsley 

and Casteix 

11. The Montalbano Group 

12. Salco Management 

13. PetroCom 

14. PMOLink 



17. Franco’s Athletic Club 

18. American Nursing Services Inc. 

19. Ruth’s Chris Steak House 

20. New Orleans Metropolitan Convention 

and Visitors Bureau 

21. Vinson Guard Service 

22. Lambeth House Continuing Care Retirement 

Community 

23. Harvey Press 

24. Omni Bank 

25. Hibernia National Bank 

26. Natives Landscape Corp. 

27. Stone Pigman Walther Whittmann 

28. Banner Chevrolet 

29. Entergy Corp. 

30. Mr. B’s Bistro 

31. Eustis Engineering Co. 

32. Where Y’at Magazine 

33. Professional Construction Services 

34. The Rose Garden 

35. Our Lady of Holy Cross College 

36. Pel Hughes Printing 

37. Gage Telephone Systems of New Orleans 

December 24, 2010 9

large companies 

Photo by Frank Aymami 

Laitram CEO Jay Lapeyre, CEO, center, is surrounded by representatives of the company’s five divisions. Pictured are, from left, IMS 

employee Harold Meyer; Lapeyre Stair employees Shannon Menina, top and Linda Ventline; Machine Shop operator Baron Lumar and 

machinist Joseph Bui; Laitram Machinery analyst Garrett Fine; Laitram recruiter Michelle Donnelly; Laitram Machinery technician 

Danny Grisbaum and fabricator Steve Duvall; Intralox employees Hilda Singleton, Darlene Cohen, Thuy Phan and Patricia Tyson. 

Laitram 

hen John Landrum interviewed for a job with 

WLaitram in 1993, four different executives grilled 

him. But of all their questions, it was company president 

Jay Lapeyre’s hypothetical one he didn’t see 

coming. 

“He asked only one question: ‘John, you had an 

idea to improve the company and I refused it. 

Convince me that you’re the kind of person I could 

trust to keep pushing the idea if you thought it was 

important,’” Landrum said. 

The question alone sold him on a career with the 

Harahan-based manufacturer. Today, he is vice president 

of business development at Intralox, Laitram’s 

largest subsidiary. 

“I’m a pretty argumentative guy, and there aren’t a 

lot of environments that say, ‘Bring your passion and 

push what you believe,’” Landrum said. 

Nature of business: Manufacturing 

Where based: Harahan 

Employees: 865 locally; 1,355 companywide 

Average starting salary: $32,666 

Median salary: $29,120 

Average time of employment: 10 years 

Health care benefits: 90 percent covered; dental, vision and 

prescription plans 

Wait time for benefits: 61 days 

Other perks: paid maternity leave, 401(k), continuing education 

program, relocation assistance, telecommuting, paid mileage, flexible 

hours, employee orientation program, employee recognition program, 

employee assistance program 

Paid days off: 31-36 

Website: www.laitram.com 

Laitram offers many employee perks, but they 

don’t come in the form of fancy cappuccino machines 

or high-rise office views. Rather, employees revel in 

the opportunity to innovate, Landrum said. 

“The only way you can really advance here is by 

being willing to change the status quo. That makes 

people feel pretty invested and makes them feel like 

an owner,” he said. 

That attitude is one of the tenets of Laitram’s business 

philosophy, which is posted on the company 

website and office walls: “Our business can continuously 

be improved with better ideas. Ideas can only 

come from people.” 

Laurie Oertling, Laitram’s chief financial officer, 

credits Lapeyre with establishing those philosophies 

in 1987. 

“I think having a well communicated business philosophy 

helped us establish the business we have 

here today,” he said. “Our focus is on the people. We 

believe self-managed people are our greatest 

resource.” 

Employees also say they appreciate Laitram’s 

family atmosphere. 

Sherri Trufant has been attending the company 

picnic for as long as she can remember. Her mother 

has worked for Laitram for 28 years. In 2006, Trufant 

became an employee, working as project coordinator 

for LitGroup, the internal advertising agency for 

Laitram and its subsidiaries. 


“It’s very family oriented in that way. 

There are a lot of families that work here,” 

Trufant said. 

There are financial incentives, too. A 

“huge” percentage of the company’s profits 

are distributed among all employees based 

on evaluations of their contributions, 

Landrum said. While he wouldn’t provide 

specific figures, he said the incentives are 

far more than the standard 2 to 5 percent 

annual raises most companies give. 

“It’s a big number,” he said. 

Laitram’s employee-friendly atmosphere 

hasn’t come without hardships. In 2008, the 

company experienced its first-ever layoff of 110 

employees, including 85 in Harahan, and others 

through attrition. 

“We used to take tremendous pride in the 

fact that we’d never had a layoff, so it was a 

very painful experience,” Landrum said. 

But since the beginning of the year, the 

company has added 75 positions, Oertling 

said. 

“We’ll continue to hire more. We’re still 

being cautious looking ahead, but we have 

had a good year and have added to our staff,” 

he said. 

Through its quarterly meetings, Laitram has 

always maintained transparency about its fiscal 

health, Trufant said. 

“They’re very open with us about financials, 

how we’ve done in the last quarter and how 

they think we’ll do in the next quarter,” Trufant 

said. “I think it helps us stay motivated.”• 

— Autumn C. Giusti 




Top: Baron Lumar, left, and Joseph Bui take a few minutes out to 

“test the strength” of parts manufactured at the machine shop. 

Above: Thuy Phan, left, and Patricia Tyson weld plastic wheels into 

belt parts in the Intralox Assembly area. 

Left: Stair welder Shannon Menina welds pieces of iron to build 

part of the alternating tread stairs that Lapeyre Stair Inc. builds. 

December 24, 2010 11


King, Krebs 

and Jurgens 

hree months into her secretarial job at King, Krebs 

Tand Jurgens, Chantell Haik was called into her 

boss’ office. Her offense She had asked for too low a 

starting salary. 

So Haik’s boss gave her a $4,000 raise to make 

her pay comparable to what other secretaries were 

earning. 

“I didn’t even have to ask,” Haik said. “It made me 

even more dedicated and loyal to this place.” 

When she decided to become a paralegal, the firm 

let Haik rearrange her work schedule around classes 

and exams. When she wanted to become a notary, 

they paid for those classes. 

“They backed me up. They were very supportive,” 

Haik said. 

After she had a baby, the firm eased her return by 

putting up a privacy curtain over her office door window, 

which allowed her to pump breast milk. 

“I would have missed (doing) that,” Haik said, “but 

they’re sensitive about those kinds of things.” 

Likewise, the attorneys are sure to praise their support 

staffs. This summer, they doled out cash bonuses 

to their paralegals and secretaries. 

“It’s important that we make everyone feel connected 

and part of the product,” said Bob Burvant, 

partner and director of the firm’s associate program. 

Bringing new associates into the fold is 

Burvant’s goal. His program includes a series of 

quarterly training sessions where senior associates 

teach their less experienced counterparts with 

Nature of business: law firm 

Where based: New Orleans 

Employees: 73 

Average starting salary: $40,000 for staff; $87,00 for attorneys 

Median salary: $48,000 for staff; $100,000 

Average time of employment: 7.5 years 


prescriptions plans 

Wait time for benefits: 30 days after the first of the month 

Other perks: paid maternity leave, 401(k), telecommuting, paid 

mileage, flexible hours, employee orientation program, employee 

recognition program 


Website: www.kingkrebs.com 

King, Krebs and Jurgens employees, front row from left, Kristan Kremer, Jasmine Gorowara, Shaveka Joshua and Chantelle Haik, and back row, 

William Boyles, Sharon Hendrix and Derek Larson celebrate multiple birthdays in November with cakes requested by each birthday celebrant. 

depositions, how to excel in court settings and how 

to attract clients. 

“Younger associates can identify with it. They 

think, ‘I’m just three years away,’” said Burvant, who 

didn’t know it would “connect as well” if the presenters 

were decades-older partners instead. 

The training sessions are lively. Associates recently 

had The Joint, a Bywater barbecue restaurant, 

bring in a whole smoked pig for a presentation and 

used the pig as a visual to show the steps for taking 

the deposition of an expert witness — in addition to 

later eating it for lunch. 

That supportive environment became apparent to 

associate Monica Manzella after she left King, Krebs 

and Jurgens in February. 

“I took an exciting opportunity in the sports field,” 

said Manzella, who had wanted to work in sports all 

her life. 

But she was back at King, Krebs and Jurgens 

seven weeks later. 

“One reason I came back was that it’s such a great 

place to work,” said Manzella, noting the strong 

camaraderie at the firm. 

On Saturday, it’s not unusual to find attorneys in 

the office making copies, doing research, packing 

boxes or making a mail drop — and that includes 

attorneys who aren’t even working on a case. 

“It’s an all-hands-on-deck mentality,” said 

Manzella, who was welcomed back warmly after 

returning from her short-lived sports job. “I left a team 

to come back to a team.”• 

— Anne Berry 


Photo by Tracie Morris Schaefer 

From left: Rick Gremillion, Susan Seip, Mike Goff and Laura Fuller show off Geocent’s Whitecar Award trophy, which is awarded annually to employees of excellence. 

3Geocent 

SIX-TIME HONOREE 

or Greg Cromer, taking a management position at 

FGeocent in September 2009 after working more 

than 25 years as a quality assurance officer for NASA’s 

Michoud Assembly Facility felt like jumping off the 

top of a tall building with no safety net. But Cromer 

said he soon realized that being one of 145, rather than 

one of 140,000, came with a wonderful payoff. 

“One of my focuses as a manager is that we’re 

here to serve customers. But if we don’t have happy 

employees, we’re not going to provide that kind of 

Nature of business: information technology 

Where based: Metairie 

Employees: 138 






Wait time for benefits: immediate 

Other perks: paid maternity and paternity leave, 401(k), continuing education 

program, day-care options, relocation assistance, telecommuting, 

paid mileage, flexible hours, employee orientation program, employee 

recognition program, employee assistance program, on-site gym 

Paid days off: 30 days 

Website: www.geocent.com 

service,” Cromer said. “I don’t want to say we’re one 

big happy family because you never really are with 

this kind of size. But we are a motivated, qualified 

group, and we know we provide a qualified service. 

This is a fast growing company that takes care of its 

employees and has a good reputation for bringing 

quality folks to the mix and treating folks really well.” 

Cromer said Geocent’s salaries and benefits mirror 

much larger companies, which makes staff “very 

comfortable as Geocent employees.” He is especially 

proud that Geocent has been able to redistribute 

employees into other contracts, which has helped 

the company avoid layoffs. 

For example, when six employees in Huntsville, 

Ala., were laid off of NASA contracts earlier this 

year, Geocent kept them on payroll with full pay and 

benefits and placed them on other local and remote 

projects, which officials hope to continue until a 

long-term option can be established. 

Management’s emphasis on accessibility is what 

makes the company such a worthwhile place to 

work, said Joe Berry, a 14-year employee of the firm. 

“The main thing is our management has an opendoor 

policy that’s really rare these days,” Berry said. 

Berry recounted a story about a friend who worked 

for a local corporation and had never shaken the president’s 

hand during his tenure. 

“Here at Geocent, there is such an accessibility 

by upper management, and their concern for 

employees and willingness to talk to employees 

about anything is what makes it a great place to 

work,” Berry said. “The powerful incentive for 

employees is one of our company mottos: to be a 

company that is sought after not just by customers 

but by employees.” 

Monique Hunter, who started with Geocent on 

Nov. 1, is becoming acquainted with that motto. 

“It’s pretty good so far,” said Hunter, who works at 

Michoud as a financial analyst. “There’s a lot of 

mentoring programs, staying connected with everyone 

— they are up front about everything. There’s 

nothing to keep you wondering and so far that is 

what I really like.” 

Geocent also emphasizes training and continuing 

education, having increased its spending by an 

average of more than $1,500 per employee in 2010. 

Employees also receive up to $250 to buy a mobile 

device and a $100 monthly service stipend — they 

get to keep the phone if they leave the company.• 

— Jaime Guillet 



Adams and Reese employee Vicki Owens plays pin the football on Drew Brees during the firm’s annual Pink Day fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. 


SEVEN-TIME HONOREE 

o celebrate the 2010 Super Bowl, Adams and 

TReese law firm held a New Orleans Saintsinspired 

decorating contest. Employees built goal 

posts and arched their doorways with black and gold 

balloons. One employee stuffed a Saints uniform to 

create her own personal mascot, and an attorney 

decorated his office like a football field, even down to 

the tunnels and white chalk lines. The winner from 

each floor — the New Orleans office is spread over 

Nature of business: law firm 


Employees: 184 locally; 563 companywide 

Average starting salary: $43,000 for staff; $100,000 for attorneys 

Median salary: $47,500 for staff; $175,000 for attorneys 




Wait time for benefits: 1 month 

Other perks: paid maternity and paternity leave, 401(k), continuing 

education program, relocation assistance, telecommuting, paid mileage, 

employee orientation program, employee recognition program, 

employee assistance program, fitness program, on-site gym 

Paid days off: 34 

Website: www.adamsandreese.com 

four — was awarded a pizza party. 

“Employee morale is such a vital thing,” said Carrie 

Dunn, human resources assistant manager. 

As part of the festivities, one lawyer donated 

Saints items — T-shirts, hats and umbrellas — and 

auctioned them off in the company conference room 

to raise $2,000 for the American Red Cross. 

A few weeks later, the company held a weight loss 

challenge with prizes going to the team and individual 

who lost the most weight. Anyone who lost 10 pounds 

was automatically entered into a prize drawing, and 

there were weekly health tips e-mailed along the way. 

“It gives people the boost they need to get jumpstarted,” 

Dunn said. 

It’s that kind of planned fun that appeals to Lana 

Lawrence, a legal secretary who drives in to work 

from Thibodaux. She spends up to four hours on the 

road every day. 

“It’s so worth it,” Lawrence said. “The con of the 

commute is worth being happy.” 

A friend urged Lawrence to interview at Adams 

and Reese nearly four years ago, and she has been 

with the same bosses since. 

“It’s a good pairing,” said Lawrence, who gets time 

off when she needs to meet with her son’s teachers or 

attend one of his band concerts. “They’re very flexible, 

and that’s the only way this (commute) works.” 

Usually, a client’s first contact with the firm is 

through a paralegal or secretary. 

“We want quality people to be in those positions,” 

said Kirk Gasperecz, the firm’s partner in charge of 

the New Orleans office. “We want them to know our 

clients and feel vested in our success.” 

As for the attorneys, Gasperecz said the firm 

guides new hires by matching them with mentors 

who show them how to get around the workplace, 

answer questions about company policies and share 

professional strategies such as client development 

and, ultimately, what to do to become a partner. 

“When I started, the firm was smaller so we didn’t 

need to have a structured mentor program,” 

Gasperecz said. 

Today, Adams and Reese has more than 550 

employees spread throughout 13 offices nationwide. 

“We make sure every (attorney) has a mentor,” 

Gasperecz said. “We make sure no one slips through 

the cracks.”• 



Our employees are as good as our grits. 

We’re honored to have been chosen. 

We not only believe in great food, but great workplaces. 

Creators of Semolina and Zea restaurants 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Our most valuable asset is our staff. Our most valuable quality 

is service. Our most valuable guest is you. 

loewshotels.com 800.23.LOEWS 

Family owned 

and operated 

since 1954 

OUR RECENT HONORS 

2010 Agency of the Year 

2010 Agency of the Year 

Commercial Agency Awards for Excellence – 

Commercial National Underwriter/American Agency Awards for Agent Excellence & Broker – 

National Underwriter/American Agent & Broker 

2010 Best Practices Agency 

2010 Independent Best Insurance Practices Agents and Brokers Agency 

of America 

Independent 2010 Inc Insurance 5000 Agents Fastest and Brokers Growing of America 

2010 Inc Private 5000 Companies Fastest Growing 

Inc. Magazine 

Private Companies 

2010 Inc. Hall Magazine of Fame 

Zurich Insurance Company/Foremost Insurance Group 

2010 One Hall of of 2010 Fame 

Zurich Insurance Company/Foremost Insurance Group 

“Best 

One 

Places 

of 2010 

to Work” 

New Orleans CityBusiness 

“Best Places to Work” 

“Family to Family, Business to Business” 

New Orleans CityBusiness 

504-836-9600 or 888-882-9600 

www.eaganins.com 

“Family to Family, Business to Business” 

504-836-9600 or 888-882-9600 

www.eaganins.com 

2 0 1 0 

Complete 

coverage for 

all business 

and 

personal 

insurance 

needs 

Life & Health 

Employee 

Benefits 

Metairie 

LaPlace 

Northshore 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Atmos 

Energy 

Corp. 

renda Ledet has added “extra hug” to her list of 

Bemployee perks. 

As a natural gas meter reader for Atmos Energy, 

her job requires her to get out into the neighborhoods 

and talk to customers. 

“I remember meeting this old lady who I guess 

was lonely, so she asked me for a hug and I gave 

her one,” she said. “That one really got me.” 

Ledet said she appreciates having an employer 

that encourages that kind of interaction. 

“The company wants you to take care of people. 

And that’s what we do besides our work,” she said. 

Treating employees as the company’s biggest 

asset is critical to Atmos’s success, said Ricky 

Burke, vice president of Atmos Energy’s Eastern 

Region, Louisiana division. 

“We don’t sell the shiny new car. We don’t sell 

the latest gadget. So what sells our product is our 

people,” he said. 

Burke acknowledges that employee wages at a 

natural gas company might not be as high as those 

of similar positions in other sectors. So to make up 

for it, Atmos places a strong emphasis on having a 

thorough employee benefits package, he said. 

“A welder can probably make a little more for a 

shipyard than for a utility company. But I’d dare 

say that our benefits are our strong point, whether 

that’s health care, retirement, tuition reimbursement 

or any of those sorts of things.” 

And at a time when many companies are looking 

Nature of business: utility 



Average starting salary: $24,960 for nonexempt; $62,500 for exempt 

Median salary: $40,310 for nonexempt; $73,809 for exempt 





Other perks: 401(k), employee orientation program, employee 

recognition program, employee assistance program 


Website: www.atmosenergy.com 

Atmos employees gather around one of the company’s trailers used for cooking at company functions and external events. Pictured on the ground, 

clockwise from left, are Myanda Hill, Susan Daigle, Kenneth Ray Mixon Sr., Kennie Glass and Brenda Ledet; and in the trailer, from left, David Pitts, 

Jose Lopez, Patrick Cruanes, Mike Reed and Tony Dumas. 

at downsizing, Burke said he hasn’t witnessed a 

layoff at Atmos in his 30 years with the company. 

That’s largely because of the company’s careful hiring 

strategy, he said. 

“We try to be conservative on our head count. So 

if the economy softens, we won’t have a layoff,” he 

said. “I think that helps morale because if people 

are worried about whether they’re going to be able 

to keep their jobs as the economy goes sour, that 

manifests itself in lower morale.” 

Beyond that, the company managed to give out 

merit pay raises in the past year and also reviewed 

and adjusted pay grades where needed. 

Employee safety is another key concern for 

Atmos, where jobs can be dangerous and pose 

health risks. Recognizing that, the company this 

past year invested in a wellness program called 

Naturally Slim, which is available to all employees 

and their spouses. The program is valued at $385 

per person but free to Atmos participants. 

“Our culture is oriented toward our employees 

and their development, their career objectives and 

trying to make it a challenging environment where 

they can grow in their careers,” Burke said. 

Creative freedom is one thing Karl Weber doesn’t 

take for granted. As public affairs manager for 

Atmos’ Metro Region, which serves the greater 

New Orleans area, he likes that his managers trust 

him to make the right decisions instead of secondguessing 

his judgment. 

“I’m given the freedom to do what I think is 

important for Atmos and helping the company 

develop in the region,” he said. 

Communication between managers and staff is 

just as simple, he said, noting that regular feedback 

from superiors has helped alleviate fears 

about how the economy would affect the company. 

“It’s just a culture of the people,” Weber said. 

“It’s a winner here.”• 




Paul Bowen, left, plays around with Robert Walker, Anthony Williamson, Melissa Watermolen, Angela Franzer and Katie Somadelis during a break from a presentation at Booz Allen Hamilton. 


FIVE-TIME HONOREE 

Nature of business: consulting 









Other perks: unmarried partner benefits, paid maternity and paternity 

leave, 401(k), continuing education program, day-care option, relocation 

assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours, job sharing, employee 

recognition program, employee assistance program, fitness program 


Website: www.boozallen.com 

ooz Allen Hamilton has worked with Karen 

BShamonsky through four transfers within the six 

years she has been with the company, allowing her to 

move as her husband’s military posts change. In New 

Orleans since July, she now works part-time for the 

company from home, retaining the same manager in 

the Norfolk, Va., office where she last worked. 

“You can work from anywhere in the world and work 

with anyone in the company,” Shamonsky said. “I really 

like the fact that they let me move around. They’re 

really good to work with for military people.” 

Shamonsky, a level three associate in geospatial 

analysis, makes and analyzes maps from a company 

laptop at her home, traveling to sites as needed at the 

company’s expense. She appreciates Booz Allen 

Hamilton’s retention of its work force. 

“Once we hire you in Booz Allen, we don’t want to 

let you go,” she said. “They take a lot of time in hiring 

you and they don’t want to let you go.” 

The Virginia-headquartered company opened a 

New Orleans office eight years ago with five employees 

and has nearly 50 in the city today. They are part of 

a 23,000-member team. 

Senior Associate Ed Ferrell, who leads the New 

Orleans office, left the company four years ago to work 

on a project with an engineering firm but quickly found 

his way back. After three years away, the company 

accepted him at the same level of seniority he left. 

“You really don’t know how good you have it until 

you don’t have it,” Ferrell said. “I recognized down the 

line that the benefits I would recoup would be more 

than adequate from my standpoint. You can get 

involved and do whatever you want within Booz Allen 

and truly have an impact.” 

Associate Bruce France, who has been with the 

company for four years, is working on an integrated 

pay and personnel system for the U.S. Army. 

“They look at what the marketplace needs and they 

try to get ahead of the curve,” he said. “Booz Allen is a 

really innovative company.” 

The company holds an annual idea festival for its 

work force to identify and develop ideas for the marketplace, 

involving its workers in innovative solutions. 

The firm also provides a $5,000 continuing education 

stipend each year and additional online education 

courses. 

“They’re a company that likes to invest in its people. 

They like to see the company grow,” France said. “We 

don’t build anything. We don’t make anything. Our 

assets are our people.” 

As Ferrell puts it, job satisfaction is key. 

“We can do a lot of different things to make our staff 

happy,” he said. “But in the end, they’ve got to be satisfied 

with their job.”• 

— Diana Chandler 



Bourgeois Bennett employees show their support for the New Orleans Saints, Louisiana State University and the New Orleans Hornets during a dress-down day before Thanksgiving. 

Bourgeois Bennett 

on Courtney is surprised Bourgeois Bennett has not 

Jmade the Best Places to Work list in previous years. 

The Baton Rouge native and recent hire at the CPA 

and consulting firm said he heard for years about its 

reputation as a top-notch company for its clients and 

a respectful employer to its staff. 

“In Baton Rouge, it was common to discuss the 

New Orleans firms’ reputations, and (Bourgeois 

Bennett) had the best reputation of the firms down 

Nature of business: accounting 


Employees: 74 

Average starting salary: $38,000 for staff; $55,000 for accountants 

Median salary: $46,200 for staff; $67,500 for accountants 





Other perks: 401(k), continuing education program, paid mileage, 

flexible hours, employee orientation program, employee recognition, 

fitness program 


Website: www.bb-cpa.com 

here,” said Courtney, a senior tax accountant. “I am 

surprised it hadn’t been on this list before because it’s 

so well known among accountants.” 

A fairly recent graduate, Courtney started working 

for Bourgeois Bennett in August. For him, the most 

significant benefit of being with the firm is not the 

extensive amount of personal time off the firm gives 

each employee, but the continuing education opportunities 

the company provides. 

“For me, coming here is a chance to gain experience 

and become more knowledgeable in my field,” 

Courtney said. “Already in the three months that I’ve 

been here, I’ve been to training in Chicago. There’s a 

real emphasis here on the staff growing in their 

career, which also helps grow the firm.” 

Ralph Cox, managing member at Bourgeois 

Bennett, believes continuing education programs 

combined with other perks such as 100 percent 

health care coverage, competitive salaries, a bonus 

system, a free fitness and wellness plan, and the liberal 

personal time off program all fit into his primary 

ethos for the office, which is to show ultimate respect 

for employees. 

“We’ve always had the focus that our major asset 

is our people who work here, so it’s always about 

respect,” Cox said. 

Employees with less than 10 years have a little 

more than 13 hours per month to use however they 

would like, which includes letting the time accrue. 

Employees with more than 10 years receive more 

than 16 hours per month. 

Cox said the benefits the company provides come 

down to the bottom line of treating the employees 

with respect and trusting them to put their best foot 

forward. 

“We certainly try to stay competitive with the benefits 

we offer,” Cox said. “You know, we’ll have people 

leave us for a variety of reasons — they move or 

something. It’s the nature of life. But I’ve always said 

it would upset me for someone to leave because of 

salary or benefits.”• 




Brown’s Dairy employees, seated from left, Fred Smith, Kennon Davis and Laurent Barbé Jr., and, standing, Iola Graves and Alice French sample the company’s products. 

Brown’s Dairy 

rown’s Dairy employees say they value job securi- 

at the company that has been on Baronne 

Bty 

Street for 105 years. An affiliate of Texas-based Dean 

Foods, the Central City manufacturing plant churns 

out dairy products, along with newer offerings such 

as iced tea, for consumers from Louisiana to Florida. 

“I’ve been here 25 years and this is my home away 

from home,” said Keith Burke, who operates the 

plant’s milk-gallon filler. “Everyone helps each other 

Nature of business: dairy manufacturing 



Average starting salary: $14 per hour; $43,000 for salaried 

Median salary: $17 per hour; $56,000 for salaried 




Wait time for benefits: 30 days after the first of the month 


leave, 401(k), relocation assistance, paid mileage, employee orientation 

program, employee recognition program, employee assistance program, 

fitness program 


Website: www.brownsdairy.com 

out, and it’s a good place to come every day.” 

The dairy has many long-timers who like the 

plant’s work, its camaraderie and its array of perks. 

“We have free, cooked meals on Fridays — either 

a big breakfast or lunch, depending on your work 

shift,” Burke said. “And we’re asked if we’d like to 

use tickets for Saints and Hornets games.” 

The company also has a big picnic in the summer, 

usually at Lafreniere Park, where employees bring 

family members and children enjoy games with 

prizes. 

“At the end of the year, they give us a lot of nice 

holiday stuff, including gift cards,” Burke said. 

Since Brown’s Dairy has kitchen facilities and 

space to enjoy food, employees bring in homecooked 

dishes to share. Burke sometimes brings 

shrimp etouffee that he prepared at home for his coworkers. 

Alice French, administrative assistant and pricing 

coordinator, said she started with the company right 

before Hurricane Katrina. 

“I was a little nervous about my job when the city 

shut down, but they kept it for me, paid all of us and 

even gave us an extra paycheck,” she said. She 

appreciates the free milk, juice, yogurt and cottage 

cheese in the employee refrigerator. 

French also likes that Brown’s donates so many of 

its products to charitable and church groups, mainly 

in Mid-City. 

“Part of my job is to keep a list of the community 

requests we get for food,” she said. “There’s a lot of 

need in this area and it’s a good feeling to be able to 

help others.” 

General Manager Kennon Davis has spent his 

career at Brown’s Dairy. 

“I started here about 100 years ago, driving a 

milk truck,” Davis said. “We’re an equal opportunity 

employer, and I have open-door policy for anyone 

who wants to come into my office and discuss their 

concerns.” 

French said since nearly everyone drinks milk, she 

doesn’t expect the company to go anywhere anytime 

soon. 

“I expect to stay here for the long term, working 

until my retirement.”• 

— Susan Buchanan 



From left: Rashad Tanner, Christy Pitard, Rickey Lee, Jamie Munoz and Lisa Gray share a dozen oysters at Palace Cafe. 

Dickie Brennan and Co. 

FOUR-TIME HONOREE 

lfred Singleton has always enjoyed working for 

ADickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, but a gesture 

Brennan himself made last summer reinforced 

Singleton’s positive feelings for the company. 

“We were invited to cook at a festival in Europe for 

three days,” said Singleton, chef de cuisine at the 

steakhouse. “But we ended up being over there 

much longer — for 16 days.” 

The reason Brennan and managing partner 

Steven Pettus decided Singleton should take in more 

Nature of business: restaurant 



Average starting salary: $26 per hour; $42,000 for corporate 

Median salary: $30 per hour; $50,000 for corporate 




Wait time for benefits: six months for hourly; three months for salaried 

Other perks: 401(k), continuing education program, flexible hours, paid 

mileage, employee orientation program, employee recognition program, 

employee assistance program, fitness program, subsidized meals 

Paid days off: 5-20 for corporate 

Website: www.frenchquarter-dining.com 

of Europe while he had the chance. 

“They told me to go around and travel and see 

other countries there,” he said. “And Dickie financed 

the whole thing.” 

That favor, Singleton said, would be nice enough 

coming from any employer. But that it came from 

Brennan only provides a tangible example of employer/employee 

relations at all three Dickie Brennan 

restaurants: the steakhouse, Bourbon House and 

Palace Café. 

“This is a real-people, family-oriented type of business,” 

Singleton said. “The people in charge love to 

take care of the people who work for them. And that 

comes through in a hundred different ways.” 

Rickey Lee, an oyster shucker at the steakhouse 

for more than eight years, has absorbed the same 

atmosphere. 

“They care about you here, and they make sure to 

tell you in person when they think you are doing a 

good job,” Lee said. “In the restaurant business, 

there is a lot of stress. But you can deal with those 

things here because you feel like you are part of a 

team, and everyone is looking out for each other.” 

Pettus said the decision to create a nurturing 

workplace environment was a conscious one. 

“This is a hospitality business, which means it is 

also a people business,” Pettus said. “In that context, 

our co-workers are our family. We talk to them every 

day about the things you talk about in your own family: 

kids, marriages, health. And if there is a problem, 

we talk about that, too.” 

With more than 300 employees among the three 

restaurants, Pettus said the company has made a 

concerted effort to keep everyone on the payroll during 

the recent economic downturn. 

With up to 20 paid vacation days per year and a 

nondeductible health plan that covers dental, vision, 

prescription and long-term disability, Dickie Brennan 

and Co. pegs its fortune on its employees. 

“We are fortunate that we are a family business 

because family businesses are notorious for creating 

a family environment,” Brennan said. “Our first 

concern is how something is going to affect our 

people, not how something is going to affect our 

bottom line.”• 

— Garry Boulard 



Durr 

Heavy 

Construction 


leven years in one place is a rare thing in the 

Econstruction industry, but not at Durr Heavy 

Construction. 

“It is a tribute to the stability of the company,” 

said Jason Manson, vice president of North Shore 

operations. “We have been in business for 50 years 

and some employees have been here for 35.” 

Manson said supervisors and executives do not 

micromanage employees, and the staff grows 

together as a team. That team-oriented atmosphere 

keeps people coming back, he said. 

“Rewards are given with no strings attached,” 

Manson said. “Sometimes it is as simple as a verbal 

affirmation of a job well done.” 

The company offers three regular recognition programs 

throughout the year. First there is the 

employee of the month, with the winner receiving 

$100 at the quarterly safety meeting. There is also 

safety employee of the month, where winners 

receive an additional $40. 

Finally, at the end of the year, the company splits 

$10,000 among its annual safety winners, which 

includes anyone who is accident free and has 

attended 90 percent of all weekly safety meetings. 

“Last year, 24 employees qualified for the annual 

safety award,” Manson said. 

The company also offers season tickets to all 

Thursday home games for the New Orleans Zephyrs. 

Manson said it serves as an employee night where 

everyone sits together along the first base line. 

Receptionist Swanika Johnson said company 

executives go out of their way to cater to the needs of 

employees. When the company moved into its new 

Nature of business: construction 



Average starting salary: $31,200 for staff; $57,500 for field workers 

Median salary: $41,600 for staff; $66,000 for field workers 


Health care benefits: 75 percent covered; dental and prescription plans 


Other perks: 401(k), continuing education program, relocation 

assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours, paid mileage, employee 

orientation program, employee recognition program, employee 

assistance program, fitness program, on-site gym, subsidized meals 


Website: www.durrhc.com 

Durr Heavy Construction employees inspect the grounds of the recently completed Harmony Oaks development. Clockwise from driver are Richard 

Mire, Steven Rosentreter, Tremone Perry, Dave Waldvogel, Johnny Yoder and Norman Ort. 

facility, a fitness center and full chapel were added. 

“The fitness center is by far the greatest asset,” 

Johnson said. “You get the opportunity to work out 

on your lunch break, and that is very unique for any 

place of business. I also value the chapel because it 

gives you an opportunity to go somewhere quiet 

and collect your thoughts.” 

Kristen Nicholson, marketing director, said the 

chapel gets quite a bit of use as a home for prayer 

services and other employee gatherings. 

“The company and its management is very 

faith-based and you rarely find that at other 

places,” Nicholson said. “I think everyone understands 

that there is someone higher up watching 

over us. It offers a great support system that you 

know will always be there.” 

Outside of the office, employees play an active 

role in the community. They have contributed to the 

Covington and Second Harvest food banks and 

raised money for Haitian earthquake relief and Gulf 

Coast oil spill recovery. 

Johnson also said employees were heavily 

involved in the Special Olympics this year, holding a 

talent show involving some of the athletes. 

“The company values the community,” Johnson 

said. “You feel blessed to come to work every day 

because you know you are doing right.”• 

— Robin Shannon 



Eagan Insurance employees Amy Roth, kneeling on left, and Karina Enger, and standing from left, Terry Lowe, Mercy Perez-Valdes and John Humphreys are among the staff members who have their photographs framed and displayed 

in the office’s main hallway as part of the company’s art program. 


THREE-TIME HONOREE 

ext spring, visitors to the French Quarter might 

Nsee people in brightly colored T-shirts dashing 

between bars, galleries and stores. It could be Eagan 

Insurance employees enjoying an “Amazing Race”- 

style, team-building event. 

“We’ll put people who don’t work together on 

the same team,” said Marc Eagan, company president. 

“We want them to have fun getting to know 

each other.” 

The teams will perform specific tasks at each stop, 

Nature of business: insurance 


Employees: 71 

Average starting salary: $43,000 for staff; $130,000 for producers 

Median salary: $45,000 for staff; $160,000 for producers 





Other perks: 401(k), continuing education program, telecommuting, 

flexible hours, paid mileage, employee orientation program, employee 

recognition program, fitness program 


Website: www.eaganins.com 

such as eating oysters or singing karaoke, and the 

first one to reach the goal line — a crawfish boil — 

wins the game and gets a prize. 

And none of the employees will have to use vacation 

hours for the Friday afternoon race through the 

French Quarter; it’s on company time. 

Eagan Insurance also gives employees every 

other Friday off with pay after 90 days of being on 

the job. And while some employees go on regular 

three-day vacations, others use that free day to 

attend industry events, such as an insurance convention 

in Baton Rouge. 

“I haven’t had to use any vacation time to go to 

doctors,” said Laura Oser, commercial lines manager. 

“I schedule my appointments for those Fridays.” 

For Amy Roth, those days off means she can be at 

her daughter’s school as a room mother and for the 

big Christmas pageant. 

“I’ve seen children whose parents didn’t show 

up and a little girl who cried (about it),” said Roth, a 

personal lines account executive. “I feel blessed 

that I can take that time. To a 4-year-old, it makes 

all the difference.” 

One way to share their time off with colleagues is 

through the company’s art program, where employee 

photographs are framed and displayed with a title 

and credit in the hallway. 

Roth has two prints on show, taken on a family trip 

to Vero Beach, Fla. 

“It’s nice for people to see what you do outside of 

the office,” Roth said. “It’s nice to be appreciated for 

something else.” 

Whether employees are on vacation or away with 

an illness, colleagues keep the office running. Last 

year, Roth was in and out of the office for three weeks 

as she dealt with a serious bout of the flu and her sister-in-law’s 

death. 

Her co-workers chipped in so there wasn’t a backlog 

of work when Roth returned. 

“I wasn’t frazzled so it was a much easier transition,” 

Roth said. 

Eagan Insurance Agency started as a family-run 

business in 1954 and has kept that sensibility even 

as it continues to grow. 

“We’re big enough to have the benefits of a corporation 

but small enough to feel like a family business,” 

Oser said.• 




From left: Eustis Insurance employees Barbara Battley, Ray Posecai Jr., Ward Stallings, Laura Kowalski and Bob Swayze watch Tommy McMahon juggle in the office lobby. 

Eustis Insurance and Benefits 

hen four of the 15 employees with the personal 

Wlines department of Eustis Insurance and Benefits 

left within a matter of weeks this year, the suddenly 

short-staffed team knew they had each others’ backs. 

“We had four extra desks of workload to put on 

them,” said Vicki Palmer, personal lines manager. 

“And I can tell you, every one of them stepped up and 

said they could come in on a Saturday, show up early, 

stay late or do whatever they needed to do to keep 

things flowing.” 

Now that the department is fully staffed again, 

Palmer still marvels at how her employees rallied to 









Wait time for benefits: first of the month after hire 

Other perks: 401(k), continuing education program, employee 



Website: www.eustis.com 

24 2010 Best Places to Work 

pick up the slack. 

“Honestly, it speaks worlds about how they feel 

about this place,” she said. 

It’s that type of attitude that prevails at Eustis, 

President and CEO Tommy McMahon said. When 

managers put out a call for employees to come up 

with a phrase that best describes the company’s culture, 

the staff replied: “Above and beyond.” 

Those three words became the centerpiece of a 

Eustis advertising campaign. 

“I think that spoke to our clients, and it spoke to us 

personally,” McMahon said. 

Hard work doesn’t come without its rewards at 

Eustis. One of the company’s most popular perks 

allows employees to work a compressed schedule 

and receive every other Monday or Friday off. 

“This tells them that we value their time with 

their family. I think that balance is important,” 

McMahon said. 

There’s also a companywide profit-sharing program, 

in which all employees receive a bonus at the 

end of the year. The bonus amount depends on the 

company’s profits for that year, which at its peak was 

equivalent to six weeks’ pay for each employee. 

Throughout the recession, Eustis managers have 

made no secret about how tough times will affect the 

company, compliance officer Jack Shugg said. 

Managers hold a full staff meeting every other month 

during which the company orders lunch for employees 

and informs them of happenings within the firm. 

“It’s pretty transparent that we’re not having the 

boomer years we’ve had in the past, but that we’re 

holding our own,” Shugg said. “So I think there’s a 

good pipeline of information that’s coming back.” 

And despite the economy, Eustis hasn’t had to lay 

off one person, McMahon said. 

“We’re constantly running ads looking for people, 

even if we don’t have an immediate opening,” he said. 

As CEO, McMahon is in a unique position that 

allows him to identify with employees on a level the 

average executive can’t. That’s because when it 

comes to office responsibilities at Eustis, he has performed 

just about all of them. 

McMahon started out at the company 23 years ago 

as a file clerk and receptionist and worked his way up 

the ranks. He was named president and CEO five 

years ago. 

“I can honestly say I’m not asking anyone to do 

anything I haven’t done myself,” he said.• 

— Autumn C. Giusti


First NBC Bank employees gather at the company’s downtown headquarters. Front row, from left: Anne Richwine, Michael Todd, Linda Nelms, Uyen Dang, Tricia Gresham and Beth Richardson. Back row: Roy LeBlance, Tina Lae, 

Jo Bernard and Brad Speziale. 

First NBC Bank 


“ 

W 

here Everybody Knows Your Name,” the theme 

song of the classic TV series “Cheers,” resonates 

as workers point to First NBC Bank as a choice 

employer. 

“Everybody knows each other. I really appreciate 

that,” said Emily Shields, a banker at the Veterans 

Boulevard branch. “First NBC is very relationship oriented, 

with fellow employees as well as customers.” 

Taking the extra step to show customer appreciation 

garnered Regional Retail Manager Brian 

Nature of business: bank 








Wait time for benefits: one month after hire 

Other perks: paid maternity leave, 401(k), continuing education program, 

day-care options, relocation assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours, paid 




Website: www.firstnbcbank.com 

Martinell one of the three First in Service Awards 

he has received since 2008. Management recognized 

Martinell when a customer wrote a letter 

commending him for coming to his home to help 

him with banking concerns. 

“I said, ‘Gosh, isn’t that what we’re supposed to 

be doing’” Martinell said. “I shouldn’t get a plaque 

for that.” 

The chance to participate in decision-making is 

one thing that attracted Martinell to First NBC 

Bank. He had worked under CEO Ashton Ryan at 

First National Bank of Commerce, which Bank One 

acquired in 1998. 

“I really believe that this bank allows its employees 

to truly be part of the company. We really have 

a voice and I believe our experience counts,” 

Martinell said. “I haven’t been disappointed since 

I’ve come back.” 

Upon returning to work for Ryan, management 

placed him in a position based on his abilities. He 

started as a branch manager and was promoted to 

his current position this fall. 

Martinell said the bank engages him based on 

his strengths and allows him to learn new skills. 

“They sat down with me and taught some skills I didn’t 

have or needed to be honed a little more,” he said. 

Tina Gorumba, assistant branch manager at the 

bank’s Algiers location, said all levels of employees 

are treated with respect. 

“Sometimes when you work (elsewhere), you 

never meet the president of the bank,” she said, 

adding that Ryan is very personable. 

Gorumba appreciates that her ideas are valued 

and adopted. When she suggested marketing credit 

card machines to independent merchants participating 

in community festivals, an area branch 

manager adopted it. If employees suggest a community 

outreach opportunity, the bank listens. 

“Here they want you to share ideas,” Gorumba 

said. “At most branches, the whole staff sits in.” 

Employees point to a new employee stock ownership 

plan as evidence that the bank considers 

them part of a team, giving them a personal stake 

in the company. 

Shields appreciates growth opportunities inherent 

at the growing bank, where she’s learning the 

lending process. 

“I’m not here just doing the day to day grind,” 

Shields said. “I’m here growing as a person.”• 



Photo by Shannon White Diecidue 

From left: Jamal Jones, Maria Loscola and Gene Knobloch shows off their awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Picture, respectively, as part of Gilsbar’s 2010 Academy Awards, which recognized videos produced by fellow employees. 

Gilsbar 


mployees at Covington-based Gilsbar Inc., which 

Emanages benefit plans, say they like the company’s 

commitment to their health and well-being, 

along with flexible hours to meet family obligations. 

“In Gilsbar’s open atmosphere, you can give opinions, 

bring up questions and suggest changes,” said 

Jennifer Beshoner, implementation manager for new 

accounts. “And our wellness benefits are above and 

beyond what most companies offer.” 

Beshoner frequents the gym to earn Wellness Bucks 


Where based: Covington 









flexible hours, paid mileage, employee orientation program, employee 

recognition program, employee assistance program, fitness program 


Website: www.gilsbar.com 

that can be cashed in for days off and health-related 

items such as bicycles, sneakers and iPods. 

What began as a challenge from company president 

Hank Miltenberger last summer turned into a 

big event for staff members when 46 employees 

participated in the Gulf Coast Half Marathon in 

Mandeville in early October. The company donated 

$2,000 to charities chosen by employees, and 

Gilsbar threw a party for its runners afterwards. 

“The company’s GROW (Get Rich on Wellness) 

program encourages us and our families to become 

healthier, more energetic and engaged by exercising 

and eating well,” said Charlotte Weil Guerin, 

events coordinator. “For instance, we have road 

runs, where we get out and enjoy the weather with 

co-workers.” 

Guerin said she has become much healthier in 

her three years at Gilsbar and beat Miltenberger’s 

daughter, Kackey Miltenberger, a marathon runner, 

in the 5K Run for Hope in Covington. 

“We’ve laughed so much about me coming in first 

and her second in that race, and it was all for a good 

cause — to raise awareness for lung cancer.” 

Guerin also works out to earn Wellness Bucks, which 

she uses to pay for Pilates classes on her lunch break. 

“We try to make everyone feel valued for their 

skill sets and what they bring to the company,” 

Miltenberger said. “Employees may be here for a 

paycheck, but they’re much more than just a 

resource. They’re people with lives and families.” 

Gilsbar allows flexibility in work schedules, especially 

for parents who need time at home. 

Employees are paid for time off to address health 

concerns, not only visits to doctors, but to have their 

vision and hearing checked and blood and diagnostic 

tests done. 

Outside of standard benefits, Gilsbar’s Fun 

Committee organizes Black and Gold days after 

Saints’ victories, when employees can wear team 

colors and management brings in a cake. Employees 

also donate to charity by paying a dollar to wear blue 

jeans twice a month, hold costume contests throughout 

the year and have “funny sock days.” 

And for every five-year anniversary an employee 

celebrates, management takes them out to lunch, 

usually to Dakota Restaurant or Annadele's 

Plantation in Covington.• 




From left: Harrah’s employees Patrice Webster, Kenya Green, Norwood Jatho, Sean Cooper and Fay Love play Bistro Bingo. 


Harrah’s Casino New Orleans 

efore he went to work for Harrah’s Casino in 

B1999, Toby Lefort said he had an uneven 

employment history. 

“I jumped from job to job and wondered if I 

would ever find anything that I really liked,” said 

Lefort, whose first position at Harrah’s was working 

as a pit supervisor. 

Nature of business: casino 


Employees: 1,843 

Average starting salary: $11.66 per hour; $50,633 for salaried 

Median salary: $14.49 per hour; $55,907 for salaried 





Other perks: unmarried partner benefits, 401(k), continuing education 

program, day-care options, relocation assistance, telecommuting, flexible 

hours, paid mileage, job sharing, employee orientation program, employee 

recognition program, employee assistance program, fitness program, 

on-site gym, subsidized meals 


Website: www.harrahsneworleans.com 

But Lefort felt different working for Harrah’s. 

“My friends were amazed by my sticking with it 

because I had not done that with any of the jobs I 

had before,” he said. “But my question was, ‘Why 

would I want to leave’ with all of the good benefits 

and everything.” 

Most important for Lefort, who is currently a 

beverage server at the casino, was the accessibility 

of Harrah’s management. 

“You are treated like an actual person here. If you 

have to talk to someone about a personal or job-related 

issue, you can. And I think that’s really important.” 

Quynh Tranlan, a table game supervisor for the 

past 10 years, likes the fun environment. 

“The people you work for are interesting and 

nice, but so are the customers,” Tranlan said. 

“They come from everywhere, all over the world. 

You never know who you might meet.” 

Tranlan likens Harrah’s employees to entertainers 

who do everything they can to make sure customers 

have a good time. 

“We do entertain them,” she said. “But they also 

entertain us.” 

That entertainment aspect is no accident. 

“When we are talking to prospective employees, 

we tell them that they are essentially on stage here,” 

said David Pipkin, vice president of service operations 

at Harrah’s. “Basically it’s ‘Live from New 

Orleans’ every day and night that they work here.” 

With an in-place policy encouraging employees 

to move into higher positions, Harrah’s also tries to 

match shifts at the 24-hour casino to the lifestyle 

needs of its more than 2,400 workers. 

The company provides a health care plan that 

includes coverage for dental, vision and prescriptions, 

as well as unmarried partner benefits, and 

perks such as day-care options, relocation assistance, 

paid mileage and an on-site gym. 

“It’s our culture,” said Pipkin, who has been with 

Harrah’s for 16 years. 

“When we take care of our employees, we know 

that they’ll be happy and will then take care of our 

customers. And when that happens, we don’t have 

to worry about how our business is going because 

we know that the customers will come back.”• 




Hilton 

New 

Orleans 

Riverside 


mployees at Hilton New Orleans Riverside say 

Ethe hotel’s management fosters an atmosphere 

of importance that transcends all employee levels. 

“When higher level hotel management comes 

into the hotel, our supervisors make an effort to 

introduce them to all employees,” hotel security officer 

Jimmie Quillens said. “They don’t just walk past 

you like you aren’t there. It shows that the management 

really cares about everyone within the hotel 

and that care is reflected in our performance.” 

Quillens, a four-year veteran of the hotel staff, 

said his job at the Hilton was his first out of college. 

He said he hopes to eventually parlay the experience 

into a job with the New Orleans Police 

Department. 

“They have really done a lot to put me on my feet 

right out of school,” Quillens said. “They have 

helped me establish some credit and have made 

me self-responsible.” 

Other employees, such as Wellington McKissick, 

director of housekeeping, said management strongly 

encourages in-house advancement to keep quality 

employees doing what they want to do. 

“I started in 1986 working in the hotel bar emptying 

trash for the bartenders,” McKissick said. “I eventually 

moved to security officer, then to assistant 

manager and now I’m director of housekeeping for a 

1,600-room property. I grew up here. This is home.” 

McKissick said some of the company’s key 

employee perks are discounts for travel, free daily 

lunches and free downtown parking. 

“When you look at the big picture, you see how 

much it is all worth,” McKissick said. “Stuff like 

Nature of business: hotel 



Average starting salary: $11 per hour; $35,000 for salaried 







program, relocation assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours, paid 


employee assistance program, on-site gym, subsidized meals 

Paid days off: up to 32 

Website: www.neworleans.hilton.com 

Clockwise from far right: Hilton New Orleans Riverside employees Jimmie Quillens, Maria Mackiewicz, Patricia Patterson, Kerri Bouton, Vanness 

Washington, Philip Burg, Oneal Matirne and Vickie Christen have some inter-department fun in the hotel lobby. 

parking and food can get very expensive in this 

area. It means a lot that the management cares 

that much.” 

Debbie Williams, a room service food server, said 

the good working atmosphere within the hotel is a 

result of a positive and cheerful staff base. 

“They (management) keep us positive and motivated 

when things get hectic,” said Williams, who 

has been on the staff for about a year. “The hotel is not 

successful unless the guests are happy. And when 

the employees aren’t happy, it makes it hard to keep 

the guests happy, but that is never a problem here.” 

Williams said management allows employees 

the freedom to express themselves. Ideas and alternatives 

do not go unnoticed and everyone’s voice 

is heard. 

“Their doors are always open to new things,” 

Williams said. “If we see an area within the hotel 

that needs work, they let us suggest changes. You 

never get turned away.” 

McKissick said the hotel also does a good job of 

recognizing a job well done, including leadership 

and pride awards from supervisors and department 

heads. 

“They make you feel welcome and wanted,” 

McKissick said. “You want to do your best for them 

because it is appreciated.”• 




HRI 

Properties 

n the 19 years Nanette Alberado has worked for HRI 

IProperties, she has never won the company’s annual 

sick-day lottery. 

With prizes ranging from $1,000 to an Apple iPod, 

Alberado says she is ready to be in that number. 

“It’s probably my turn,” said Alberado, who usually 

splits her unused sick days between the lottery 

and cashing the other half in for less, albeit guaranteed 

money. 

The lottery is just one of several perks HRI incorporates 

into its employees’ work atmosphere. 

“HRI is the type of company that cares about their 

employees, and they reward them because they 

believe the growth of HRI depends on the happiness 

of their employees,” Alberado said. 

HRI accomplishes that by incorporating entertaining 

year-end programs and treating its staff 

well on a daily basis in a family-friendly workplace 

that “really recognizes employees’ futures and 

growth,” she said. 

“A lot of companies say that, but it really is like that at HRI,” Alberado said. 

Flex time, quality benefits, a Perks Pass discount 

Nature of business: real estate development 




Median salary: $25,434 for hourly; $71,892 for salaried 




Wait time for benefits: 30 or 90 days 

Other perks: paid maternity and paternity leave, 401(k), relocation 



assistance program, fitness program, subsidized meals 


Website: www.hriproperties.com 

HRI employees include, front row from left: Stanley Broussard, Chris Clement, Clarence Mitchell, Helena Barnett, Kirsten Vaselaar and Carmen Batiste 

and back row; Pres Kabacof, Robin Cancienne, Michael Albracht, Morris Miller, Tom Leonhard and Eddie Boettner. 

card to local restaurants and businesses, tuition 

assistance, subsidized meals and a fitness program 

combined with the overall emphasis on staff assets 

all make it a worthwhile place to work, said Gary 

Gutierrez, president of HRI Lodging. 

“The perks are so many, we’ve been able to attract 

such a quality of team members,” Gutierrez said. 

“HRI has such a high level of integrity, such a high 

level of giving back to the community and of having 

fun. They truly take care of their employees and 

guests. We’re in the service business.” 

New hire Yelena Yershova, who has been on staff 

just a couple of months and moved to New Orleans 

from Michigan two years ago, said HRI has been 

“absolutely wonderful” in welcoming her to the fold. 

“I’d say its southern hospitality, but I know it’s 

more than that. They take time to engage with me. 

Although I’m in an administrative position, they are 

constantly encouraging me to try new things, which 

is not a material perk but any chance to grow is a 

perk for me. That and the Friday doughnuts help. I 

keep telling them that is my favorite part, but they 

don’t believe me.” 

A belief that there can be a good balance of personal 

and professional life is a guiding premise in 

HRI’s philosophy. 

“We work but we enjoy our families and we also 

enjoy our extended families nine to five,” Gutierrez 

said.• 




From left: Stephen Blitz, Mary May, Brian Bitner and Katina Samanie display trophies they won at Kushner LaGraize sponsored sports events held throughout the year. 

Kushner LaGraize 

he busy season at Kushner LaGraize can include 

Tlong hours but not without benefits. Workers at 

the certified public accounting firm earn time-anda-half 

overtime pay. 

Workers say it’s indicative of the firm’s appreciative 

attitude and caring environment, which 

includes weekly free lunches and company celebrations 

after busy seasons and annual tax deadlines in 

April and October. 



Employees: 50 



Average time of employment: 10-plus years 



Wait time for benefits: first of the month after 30 days 

Other perks: 401(k), paid mileage, flexible hours, employee 

orientation program 

Paid days off: 24.5 

Website: www.kl-cpa.com 

Kushner LaGraize is the only employer Alan 

Labbe has had since graduating from college 10 

years ago, and he intends to stay with the company 

throughout his career. 

“I’ve seen other people that have been in my position 

several years before, people who started before 

me who have made it to partner,” said Labbe, a 

manager who is confident he can advance within 

the company. “They make you feel like a valuable 

part of the Kushner LaGraize team.” 

He appreciates the 40 hours of continuing education 

courses the firm covers annually, allowing workers 

to stay current with changing tax law. 

“It allows you to keep up,” he said. “In our industry 

there are always changes every year in the taxation 

law.” 

Al Leaber, a senior manager in the consulting 

department, left a national firm to join the company 

in its infancy 22 years ago. 

“What sets this firm apart from others is we have 

a very good staff of highly intelligent and enthusiastic 

people that make it great to work for,” Leaber 

said. “I’ve had just as many opportunities for 

advancement as a national firm (would provide).” 

He began at the company as a staff accountant 

and has advanced in what he and other workers 

describe as a family atmosphere. 

As a senior manager, Leaber takes the time to 

encourage younger workers, some of whom are 

recent college graduates. 

Kristi Robertson, an audit staff member in her 

second year at Kushner LaGraize, appreciates the 

guidance she receives from partners. Managers and 

partners are accessible and quick to address her 

concerns, especially at semiannual performance 

reviews and consultations, she said. 

“It helped me identify some of my weaker areas I 

could work on and improve as an auditor,” 

Robertson said. 

Kushner LaGraize looks beyond the numbers, she 

said, treating employees like family. 

“They appreciate the employees and reward the 

employees,” she said.• 




Lance Moran, vice president of audit services at LaPorte Sehrt Romig Hand, discusses plans for a recruiting session with Gretchen Lozes and Jack Wiles. 



awn Laborie started with LaPorte Sehrt Romig 

DHand right out of college and has been with them 

ever since. In her 11 years with the firm, she boils the 

benefits down to one point that makes the company 

one of the best places to work. 

“It’s more of a culture than a benefit, but it is a benefit 

to me that they trust me to get my work done,” 

Laborie said of the Metairie-based accounting firm. 

“They treat you like an adult. There’s also almost a 

family atmosphere. The partners are all approachable 

… and everybody works as a team.” 











flexible hours, paid mileage, job sharing, employee orientation 

program, employee recognition program, employee assistance program, 

fitness program, on-site gym, subsidized meals 


Website: www.laporte.com 

The flexibility employees enjoy is not an accident. 

“It comes down to LaPorte trusting their employees,” 

said Lance Moran, vice president of audit. “It’s 

about a good work-life balance and not a ton of hours. 

It’s ‘Here’s your project, get it done by its due date,’ 

and everything is flexible. We understand everyone’s 

maturity. I think it’s worked well.” 

The firm caters monthly staff meetings and pays 

for each department’s meals during the busy season. 

Pizza Nights and ice cream sundaes on Monday are 

the norm, as are frozen treats for special occasions. 

The company even offers dry cleaning services. 

Employees are also encourage to participate in the 

community, with management paying staff members 

for their time spent volunteering with two organizations 

of the employee’s choice. 

The value LaPorte places on constantly feeding 

their employees’ professional knowledge base also 

creates an environment where employees are not just 

a number but an individual, Laborie said. 

LaPorte covers 100 percent of all certification programs 

and 50 percent of all other work-related courses. 

Allowing employees to continue their education 

and expand into other areas is managing from a “people-related 

standpoint,” Moran said. 

“To a certain extent, it’s not a lot about how long 

you’ve been here. You’re not locked into a certain 

task,” he said. “We’re not top heavy, and we enjoy 

offering a lot of opportunities for growth.” 

Laborie considers the support invaluable. 

“Over the years, I’ve gone to many conferences, 

trained to be a board member and much more. They 

spend a lot of time and money on people. It helps you 

grow as an individual and professionally.” 

The firm also has a year-end bonus program averaging 

$2,000, quarterly practice development bonuses 

averaging $3,000, a referral recruiting bonus of up 

to $6,500, a CPA exam bonus of $1,000 and a management 

year-end bonus of up to 15 percent of compensation, 

among other discretionary rewards. 

Recent rehire Jennifer Bernard-Allen left LaPorte in 

2006 after 18 months when she and her husband had 

to relocate for his position with the U.S. Navy. But she 

always knew she wanted to come back to LaPorte. 

“LaPorte commits to personal growth,” said 

Bernard-Allen, a tax manager. “We are enrolled in a 

business growth plan that is tailored to our own goals, 

which is a great opportunity to help provide quality 

service to clients. At the end of the day, the client 

relationships are what are so valuable about what we 

do here.”• 




From left: Loews New Orleans Hotel employees Beatrice McGowan, Kelvin Jones, Nathan Washington, Nanette Braud, David Bilbe, Rodney DeJong, Gretchen Weber-Tilton, Ray Bruce, Mike Threeton and Michael Rodan raise a glass 

at the adjacent Piazza d’Italia, which the hotel recently renovated and now maintains. 

Loews New Orleans Hotel 

mployees at the Loews New Orleans Hotel on 

EPoydras Street say they enjoy being part of the 

city’s tourism industry and the benefits of working in 

one of the company’s 19 hotels. 

“In my nearly three years here, I’ve gotten to know 

almost everyone working at the hotel and enjoyed 

meeting our guests,” bellman Julio Cardona said. 

Nature of business: hotel 



Average starting salary: $9.85 per hour; $43,200 for salaried 


Average time of employment: 3 years (hotel is only 6 years old) 

Health care benefits: 75 percent covered for nonunion; 100 percent 

covered for union; dental, vision and prescription plans 

Wait time for benefits: first of the month after 90 days for hourly; first of 

the month after hire for managers 

Other perks: unmarried partner benefits, paid maternity leave, 401(k), 

relocation assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours, job sharing, employee 

recognition program, fitness program, subsidized meals 


Website: www.loewshotels.com 

As one of the hotel’s “star trainers,” Cardona shows 

new employees the ropes in his unit. At last year’s 

Christmas party, he was named Employee of the 

Month and of the quarter, which comes with a dinner 

for two at Café Adelaide, two gifts from the company’s 

catalog for each honor and $150 in cash. 

David Bilbe, the hotel’s general manager, said two 

of the national chain’s past five Team Members of the 

Year were from the New Orleans division, and each of 

them received a fully paid trip for two to any Loews 

destination, along with $750 in cash and their choice 

of a $250 gift from the Loews catalog. 

And all employees can stay at other Loews Hotels 

for $50 a night, with half off on food and beverages. 

Staff members don’t brown-bag it at lunchtime. 

Instead, they head to the employee cafeteria for a free 

hot meal, Bilbe said. In April, the hotel throws an 

annual crawfish boil for employees at the adjacent 

Piazza d’Italia. 

Bilbe said employees play a central role in the hotel 

chain’s Good Neighbor Policy to assist local communities. 

Staff members raise money for DonorsChoose.org, 

a nonprofit that purchases extra classroom materials 

for teachers. 

Employees of Loews Hotel and Cafe Adelaide participate 

in the monthly Harrison Avenue 

Marketplace, an outdoor event to bolster the recovering 

Lakeview area and staff members held fundraisers 

for victims of the Haiti earthquake and the 

Nashville flood earlier this year. 

The hotel hires graduates of Cafe Reconcile’s 

Workforce Development Program, which teaches 

culinary skills to city youth. Those new employees, in 

turn, mentor students. 

Ray Bruce, the hotel’s human resources director, 

visited hurricane shelters in Baton Rouge and elsewhere 

after Hurricane Katrina to find staff members 

and give them cash to return to work. 

“Some of our employees lived in the hotel for up to 

six months as we got back on our feet after the 

storm,” said Bruce, adding that the hotel “embraces 

diversity and gives all employees the opportunity to 

reach their professional potential.”• 




Louisiana 

Medical 

Mutual 

Insurance 

Co. 


lue jeans are allowed every day. Employees are 

Boff by 1 p.m. every Friday. Free medical benefits. 

It’s all part of the environment Louisiana 

Medical Mutual Insurance Co. executives try to 

create for their employees. 

“Beyond the pay and the benefits, it’s a family 

atmosphere that LAMMICO has been able to nourish,” 

President and CEO Dr. Thomas Grimstad said. 

“The culture is that of service to our insured physicians 

and our employees take that very seriously. They 

are hardworking and dedicated to Louisiana doctors. 

Because of this, we don’t see a lot of turnover.” 

As of Dec. 31, 2009, 62 percent of LAMMICO’s 

119 employees at the time had been with the company 

for at least 10 years, with 7 percent being 

there more than 20 years. 

LAMMICO provides 100 percent medical, dental and 

life insurance in addition to an average starting salary of 

$40,000 for staff and a profit sharing contribution of 8 

percent of regular earnings and annual bonuses. 

“It’s not just a token bonus,” said Art Adams, 

regional senior field representative in LAMMICO’s 

Shreveport office. “Every year since I’ve been with 

LAMMICO, we’ve always had a bonus.” 

Employees also can receive a $3,200 referral bonus 

for referring a successful candidate for employment. 

“The pay is good for one thing,” Adams said. “We’re 

Nature of business: health care insurance 



Average starting salary: $40,000 for staff; $70,000 for consultants 

Median salary: $50,000 for staff; $80,000 for consultants 





Other perks: paid maternity and paternity leave; 401(k), relocation 



assistance program, fitness program, on-site gym 


Website: www.lammico.com 

Clockwise from top right: LAMMICO employees Cyndie Luning, Lakisha Lee, Robbi Quigley, David Bowser and Ruth Ryan decorate the company’s 

Christmas tree at the Metairie office. 

evaluated for increases every year. Our insurance plan 

is great, and we have very good benefits. They just do 

a great job of keeping their employees happy.” 

Even for the staff scattered throughout the state 

there are no surprises. 

“They keep you informed of everything going 

on,” Adams said. “(With) some companies, you 

hear about things after the fact. In Shreveport, 

they’ll set up video conferencing to keep us clued 

in. They treat us all with respect. They’re always 

concerned with the employees, always open to 

suggestion and input.” 

Casual dress is the norm on a daily basis. 

Employees received an extra Friday off this year for 

the company’s annual employee appreciation 

awards ceremony. 

Employees also can partake in several events 

throughout the year, including the Mardi Gras 

cubicle decorating contest, the annual Seafood 

Festival at Southport Hall, on-site treats by Plum 

Street Sno-balls, a Halloween costume contest, and 

the office and off-site Christmas parties. 

It is those gatherings with his employees that 

Grimstad says makes LAMMICO a fun place to work. 

“We take on challenges as a team, but I’m most 

proud of our events. We do a lot of things as a 

group, both the employees and their families. It is 

the mutual respect and teamwork which allows 

LAMMICO to excel at what it does.”• 




North Oaks Health System CEO James Cathey visits employees Mary Whiting, left, and Susan Creel at the hospital’s November staff birthday party. 

North Oaks Health System 


anagement and administration at North Oaks 

MHealth System in Hammond have created an 

employee culture that relies on CARE. 

“It stands for Courtesy, Attitude, Respect and 

Enthusiasm,” said Sean Casteel, obstetrics and 

gynecology clinic manager. “It is an acronym learned 

on day one at orientation. Employees from top to bottom 

live it every day.” 

Casteel, a five-year veteran of the clinic, said the 

company has built a reputation that is well received 

within the community. He said management is clear 

Nature of business: health care 

Where based: Hammond 









education program, day-care options, relocation assistance, 

telecommuting, flexible hours, paid mileage, job sharing, employee 

orientation program, employee recognition program, employee assistance 

program, fitness program, on-site gym, subsidized meals 


Website: www.northoaks.org 


about the hospital’s mission regarding its patients. 

“Our patients are the center of what we do here,” 

Casteel said. “I think management does a good job 

of attracting employees that will exercise that mission 

of care.” 

North Oaks President and CEO Jimmy Cathey Jr. 

said it is the environment and culture that keeps 

employees motivated and happy. 

“We treat people fairly,” Cathey said. “We try to find 

the kind of people that can accomplish our goals.” 

Jada Danos, a physician recruiter, said the hospital’s 

administrators have an incredible ability to find 

strengths in employees. Management does a good 

job of allowing employees to grow and advance 

careers at the hospital, she said. 

“If an employee expresses interest in moving up, 

our management will always be open to it,” Danos 

said. “If you prove yourself to them, they won’t hesitate 

to push you along.” 

Cathey said a popular perk among employees is 

the hospital’s paid time off program including up to 

38 vacation days. The hospital also offers time off to 

employees who volunteer time to participate in hospital-sponsored 

community events. 

“We call it the Hospital on Top team,” Cathey said. 

“Employees have the opportunity to earn one day off 

with pay for every fifth three-hour shift volunteered. 

We do a lot of work with food drives and toy drives, 

along with free health screening days in the community, 

and that time off incentive encourages wide 

participation.” 

Danos added that management makes it a point 

to encourage employees to take advantage of as 

much paid time off as possible. 

“It allows us to come back ready to work,” she 

said. “They know how much it means to us. 

Nothing is forced. There is a genuine care for all 

employees.” 

Casteel said there are also lots of opportunities for 

employee recognition by management. He said the 

hospital holds monthly birthday parties, performance 

awards, holiday parties and other regular events 

throughout the year. 

“Management makes time for all employees,” 

Casteel said. “They give us the feeling that we are 

one family.” 

Cathey said in the hospital’s 24 years of existence, 

the staff has grown from about 500 to more than 

2,000. As the hospital grew, the philosophy among 

management has not changed. 

“The things we have talked about today are some 

of the same things we used to say back then,” 

Cathey said.• 

— Robin Shannon


Ochsner Health System’s mascot, Ollie the Ochsner Life Mark, leads employees from several of its area hospital campuses on a second line along the Riverfront. 



ighteen years ago, Kelly Pratt was fresh out of col- 

and working as a nurse preceptor at Ochsner 

Elege 

Health System. She recalls how then veteran staff 

members would champion their two- to three-decade 

long careers at Ochsner, but never imagined she 

would have a similar experience. 

Just this year, Ochsner recognized 73 employees who 

have been with the company for more than 30 years and 

more than 200 who have 25 or more years of service. 

Pratt is now clinical coordinator for a post operation 

surgical unit at Ochsner’s main campus, a jump 

she credits to a supportive environment, growth 

opportunities and loyalty for her tenure with Ochsner. 


Where based: Jefferson 


Average starting salary: $39,219 for staff; $86,825 for management 

Median salary: $34,320 for staff; $79,019 for management 






mileage, job sharing, employee orientation program, employee recognition 

program, employee assistance program, fitness program, on-site gym, 

subsidized meals 


Website: www.ochsner.org 

“It’s the kind of environment where you want to 

spend your career,” Pratt said. 

Ochsner provides a maximum of $1,000 in tuition 

assistance each year for part-time employees, while 

full-time employees are eligible for $1,500, and management 

can receive up to $3,000. 

Less than 4 miles away at Ochsner Baptist Medical 

Center, Catrice Mumford is two years into her administrative 

assistant position. It’s a “personable” environment 

she said has encouraged her to re-enroll in 

nursing school. 

Mumford first realized that sentiment 12 years ago 

when her father underwent surgery at Ochsner. She 

said physicians remained cordial and honest 

throughout that encounter, which left an impression 

on her and shed light on a service standard that she 

witnesses daily as an Ochsner employee. 

“The patient is the purpose,” Mumford says in 

recitation of an Ochsner motto and personal belief. 

CEO Dr. Patrick Quinlan said service, support, 

improvement and performance make up the system’s 

culture to “lead by example.” 

“Our goal is to make sure that people have meaningful 

work, are treated fairly and are paid fairly,” 

Quinlan said. 

Ochsner has also worked to improve its retention 

rate in the past year by implementing The Red Carpet 

Experience: New Employee Onboarding program 

that introduces new employees to the organization’s 

mission and culture. 

Since 2009, the Red Carpet Experience in conjunction 

with other programs has helped Ochsner keep 90 

percent of its new employees. 

The hospital also has a Spirit on the Spot employee 

recognition program designed to provide prompt 

recognition of an employee or physician for customer 

service. More than 7,000 cards have been distributed 

in the past year, which results in the manager sharing 

the story at department levels and acknowledging the 

employee in addition to being put in a drawing for 

prizes such as MP3 players. Depending on the department, 

Spirit on the Spot recipients can also receive 

movie tickets, cafeteria passes and coffee vouchers. 

The Spirit of Caring program takes recognition to 

the next level by recognizing employees who go 

above and beyond the call of duty with a $50 cash 

prize, a lapel pin, a certificate and an invitation to the 

Spirit of Caring ceremony. 

“It’s a big, complex place. Our mission and our 

people really matter,” Quinlan said. “I think we appeal 

to people’s hearts. We draw the best, and we attract 

the best.” 

As another employee perk, management is eligible 

for an 8 to 12 percent annual bonus based on department, 

facility and organizational goals.• 

— Nayita Wilson 



Pan-American Life Insurance Group employees celebrate the insurer’s 100th anniversary. Pictured are, front from left, Bryan Scofield, Chuck Caminita, Patricia Robinson, Maria Reyes and Keith Bridges; and standing, Vincent 

Danna, Rosana Gonzalez, Stephanie Hosch, James Bull, Abigail Zanone, David Hnatyshyn, Monique Bourgeois and Matthew Abbrecht. 

TWO-TIME HONOREE 

Pan-American Life Insurance Group 

ext year, Pan-American Life Insurance Group 

Nwill treat employees, clients and agents to a big 

party — in the same Roosevelt New Orleans hotel 

dining room where Pan-American founders toasted 

the company’s formation in 1911. 

Keeping an insurance and financial services 

company profitable over all those years hasn’t been 

easy, but Pan-American employees appreciate it. 










relocation assistance, flexible hours, paid mileage, employee orientation 

program, employee recognition program, employee assistance program 


Website: www.panamericanlife.com 

“The stability is extremely important, especially 

in the financial industry,” said Lori Zeringue, an 

assistant actuary. “We’ve gotten through (the 

recession) really well, and it’s a proud moment to 

say you’ve contributed to that.” 

And when Pan-American does well, so do its 

employees. For the past four years, employees have 

received a first-quarter bonus check based on company 

and individual employee performance. 

“It’s not guaranteed,” said Carlos Mickan, executive 

vice president and chief financial officer, “but we hit 

our goals and targets in spite of the difficult economy.” 

Another big reward, based solely on hitting individual 

target goals, is an invitation to the President’s 

Club Convention. Sales executives and agents who 

meet the requirements earn an all-expenses paid 

trip to the five-day convention. The highest producers 

get to bring their families along for free. 

“We feed that fire (to excel),” said Marta Reeves, 

vice president of corporate marketing. 

Past destinations for the convention have 

included Bali, London and Vancouver, and next 

year’s convention will be held in New Orleans in 

honor of the company’s 100th anniversary. 

The 2011 festivities will include the opening of a 

time capsule buried when the company built its 

original Canal Street office in 1952. Its contents are 

still a secret, but employees are volunteering ideas 

for what to include in the next time capsule, to be 

opened in 2111: Former chairman G. Frank Purvis 

Jr.’s bowtie currencies from the different countries 

in which Pan-American operates, an iPod and 

biographies of all employees who have been with 

the company more than 40 years. 

It’s possible that a young employee such as 

Zeringue will fall into that category. She began her 

career with Pan-American as a math graduate 

before becoming a fully credentialed actuary over a 

multi-year sequence of what she calls “grueling” 

exams. Pan-American not only paid for her exam 

fees but allowed her time to study. 

Now, Zeringue oversees several actuarial students 

who report to her.• 




Employees from different departments at Peoples Health form the company’s initials in the lobby of Lakeway II building in Metairie. 



ife is good for Peoples Health employees, but it’s 

Leven better for those who are Saints fans. 

“We’re one of the big sponsors for the Saints, so 

because of that we have a lottery for Saints tickets, 

which is a huge perk,” said Liz Harwood, Peoples Health 

project coordinator for sales and marketing. “Pretty 

much everyone gets to go to at least one game a year.” 

Last season, that included a lottery for Super Bowl 

tickets. And for those who didn’t make it to Miami, 

Peoples Health held a pizza party and gave out Saints 











leave, 401(k), continuing education program, day-care options, 

relocation assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours, paid mileage, 

employee orientation program, employee recognition program, 

employee assistance program, fitness program, on-site gym 


Website: www.peopleshealth.com 

T-shirts to all employees. 

Peoples Health also sponsors the Hornets, Zephyrs 

and the Jazz and Heritage Festival, which means 

free tickets to even more events. Outside of the major 

events in town, the company also holds an employee 

appreciation picnic and parties for Halloween, 

Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

It’s that mix of fun and hard work that keeps 

employees loyal to Peoples Health. 

“You know how they say the grass is greener on 

the other side I think this is where the green grass 

is,” said Julie Grantz, assistant director of independent 

physician associations operations. 

The company’s benefits extend beyond sporting 

events and festival tickets, and Peoples Health has 

maintained its level of benefits despite the recession. 

The company has not increased its employee medical 

plan premium in 10 years and offers 100 percent 

coverage for hospitalization, health and wellness programs, 

plus free fitness center memberships. 

Employees also received merit-based pay increases 

this year, and Peoples Health continues to match 

its 401(k) plan at 5 percent. 

“We’ve been really fortunate that we haven’t felt (the 

recession) from a work standpoint,” Harwood said. 

In yet another sign of endurance, Peoples Health 

continues to hire new employees, said Barbara 

Guerard, vice president for health services. 

“I think that in and of itself is a morale booster for 

employees,” she said. “They’re seeing on a regular 

basis either employees moving into new positions, 

getting promoted within the company, and there’s 

very little turnover in the company.” 

Communicating within an organization of nearly 

600 employees can be tricky, so the company holds 

quarterly meetings at the Pontchartrain Center, 

bringing in staff from the New Orleans, Baton Rouge 

and North Shore offices. The company’s internal 

website, dubbed the “Water Cooler,” keeps employees 

informed between meetings. 

Peoples Health’s philosophies and organizational 

abilities aren’t lost on newer employees. Guerard, 

who joined the company a year ago, said she was 

drawn by its commitment to keep the patient at the 

center of the decision-making process. 

“Being a clinician by training myself, that’s very 

much in sync with how I think we can best deliver 

health care,” she said. “And I think this organization 

does this very well.”• 




Senior human resources generalist Kara Hoerner has a little fun with Quest Diagnostics employee photos using the lab’s text tubes. 



Nature of business: clinical laboratory 



Average starting salary: $32,552 for nonexempt; $49,795 for exempt 

Median salary: $36,712 for nonexempt; $63,668 for exempt 





Other perks: unmarried partner benefits, paid maternity leave, 401(k), 

continuing education program, relocation assistance, flexible hours, paid 


employee assistance program, fitness program 


Website: www.questdiagnostics.com 


at Smith, a 65-year-old who spends much of his 

Ptime driving for Quest Diagnostics as a route service 

representative, said he had no difficulty getting 

hired just three years ago and believes being a senior 

citizen has only enhanced his experience. 

“I’m not treated as a senior. I feel young with my fellow 

employees,” he said. “Some of these people in my 

department I work with … are people who could not 

only be my children, some could possibly be my grandchildren. 

But I feel like I’m appreciated and I fit in.” 

Smith said he appreciates Quest’s commitment to 

diversity and its ability to keep employees satisfied. 

“I was glad to see that when I was hired by Quest, 

people in my department … had been there for several 

decades,” he said. “I also see it as a real diverse 

company age-wise and ethnically. I enjoy that.” 

Patient Services Area Manager Maria Jacobs has 

been at Quest for 27 years and has kept her job even 

as company ownership changed hands three times. 

“During each of those purchases, because of my 

skills and the training I’ve gotten, I was able to stay 

in my position or find a new position within the company,” 

Jacobs said. 

Quest is the only place Jacobs has worked since 

graduating from college nearly three decades ago. 

She said she has benefited from the many professional 

development courses the company makes 

available to all levels of employees to grow from her 

original position of account receivables clerk. 

“A lot of our employees don’t have a college education. 

The company has an excellent tuition reimbursement 

program,” Jacobs said. “We really push 

for them to go back to school.” 

Quest even offers resume-writing courses, not 

concerned that workers may apply elsewhere. 

“I think they’ll come back once they’ve tasted 

somewhere else,” Jacobs said. 

Account sales representative Lee Montecino has 

been at Quest for nearly six years and has no wanderlust. 

Instead, she hopes to take advantage of professional 

development courses to advance within the 

company. 

She said she appreciates company benefits 

including affordable insurance and wellness screenings 

offering any lab test Quest performs. 

Montecino, a mother of two, enjoys such programs 

as the Bring Your Kids to Work Day and a liberal 

vacation and comp time policy that allows her to 

participate in her children’s activities. 

“It’s very rewarding as a working mom,” she said. 

“I still manage to be a real mom and work for Quest.” 

Jacobs, who plans to work at Quest until retirement, 

finds it difficult to use the four weeks of vacation 

time allotted employees. 

“It’s nice to be at work,” she said. “But it’s nice to 

have your time off, too.”• 

— Diana Chandler


Moby Butt, back, serves to Cory Vogel during a game of Ping-Pong in ReadSoft’s breakroom. 

ReadSoft 


nnie Schrenk is immensely happy she joined 

AReadSoft this year. 

She joined a company that provides 100 percent 

free health care for her and her spouse, a free gym in 

the office, an average starting salary of $70,000, 35 

paid days off a year, tuition assistance, a free cell 

phone and a spirited game of ping pong or foosball in 

the company’s 1,095-square-foot kitchen and game 

room. She’ll also attend the all-expenses-paid weeklong 

companywide excursion to Greece in January. 

“It was a huge wow factor for me,” said Schrenk, 

Nature of business: technology 





Average time of employment: more than 5 years 




relocation assistance, telecommuting, paid mileage, employee orientation 

program, employee recognition program, fitness program, on-site gym 


Website: www.readsoft.com 

a sales associate at ReadSoft. 

That’s the icing on the cake for Schrenk, who 

believes ReadSoft, a software and technology development 

firm, already has proven to be the amazing 

place to work she always heard it was. When her 

friends and family hear about some of the benefits 

her company provides, especially the free health 

care, they are shocked. 

“Always. It is unheard of,” Schrenk said. “It is huge 

for me especially since I’m recently married and looking 

to start a family. I’ve never seen that anywhere.” 

ReadSoft embraces a culture that doesn’t pigeonhole 

employees in just one position, said Schrenk, 

who plans on taking advantage of the continuing 

education program the company provides after a 

year of employment by working on her master’s 

degree in business and marketing. 

President Bob Fresneda said the company’s benefits 

are just the right way to treat the talent he hires 

to work with his customers. Perks such as flexible 

schedules and company get-togethers at Saints 

games or the Athens trip — which will cost the company 

about $250,000 — are part of providing a happy 

work environment for the qualified people who work 

hard for clients, he said. 

“If someone else offers an employee $1,000 or 

$5,000 more, I think our employees might think, ‘I 

know what I have here,’” Fresneda said. 

Stephen Ragan has been a consultant with the 

company for more than five years. 

“The culture here is fantastic,” Ragan said. 

“Everyone here works hard and as a team. It’s a challenging 

environment, but it’s not your typical corporate 

work environment. Things are very loose and relaxed.” 

Picking just one thing that makes ReadSoft such a 

great place to work is difficult, Ragan said. The solidarity 

of the team, the flexibility and daily foosball 

and pingpong games are on his list. 

“I can work from home … if I need to, but I don’t 

often because I actually like to come in,” Ragan said. 

“The best thing though is the opportunity to grow.” 

Ragan started writing code with ReadSoft before 

becoming involved in implementation and sales calls. 

“You just have to express an interest, say, ‘Hey I’d 

like to do that,’ and ReadSoft encourages that.”• 




Rouses Employees Christina Ford, left, Clint Adams, Bianca Jones, Keith Evans and Bob James fill a shopping cart at the Tchoupitoulas Street location. 

Rouses 

Nature of business: grocery store 

Where based: Thibodaux 


Average starting salary: $8-$15 per hour 

Median salary: $9.25-$10.50 per hour 

Average time of employment: 15 months 





assistance, flexible hours, paid mileage, job sharing, employee 

orientation program, employee recognition program, subsidized meals 

Paid days off: varies 

Website: www.rouses.com 


mployees at Thibodaux-based Rouses say they 

Evalue the job security and family leadership of the 

supermarket chain that has swelled to 37 stores and 

outlasted many of its competitors. 

“I started out in baking, became a floor cashier and, 

maybe because I smile a lot, was transferred to customer 

service,” said Darlene Stevens, office cashier in 

Thibodaux. “We do fun things in the store, like have 

dress-up days for Saints and Hornets games and holidays, 

when we wear something different from our uniform 

of black shirts and khaki pants. 

“Our health benefits are good, which is a relief 

because I paid for my own insurance before I 

worked here.” 

Malcom Landry, director of administration, started 

at Rouses 30 years ago when the company owned a 

couple of stores. He now oversees pricing and monitors 

freight costs. 

Landry said while other companies are downsizing, 

expansion at Rouses gives employees the chance to 

grow into new positions and transfer to other locations. 

The company is hiring at all levels after more than doubling 

in size in 2007 when it acquired A&P’s Southern 

Division of 17 Sav-A-Center stores. 

Even with the chain’s rapid growth, however, 

Landry said management makes it a pleasant environment 

that feels like a family, not a corporation. 

Steve Galtier, director of human resources, has been 

with Rouses for 23 years. 

“Employees are given flexibility and freedom on the 

job to suggest new ways of doing things in their areas,” 

he said. “Every team member has a voice, and we 

encourage them to be creative through display competitions 

or thinking up theme days for stores, such as 

Hawaiian Days, and by providing feedback.” 

The company’s butchers and seafood managers are 

called the “Bayou Boys,” making andouille and boudin 

and boiling seafood with Rouse family recipes and 

techniques. 

“Our seafood staff care about the jobs of others on 

the coast, in addition to their own jobs, and are enthusiastic 

about assuring customers that the products we 

sell since the Gulf oil spill are safe,” Galtier said. 

This summer, Rouses workers got involved in the 

Friends of the Fishermen program, run by the Louisiana 

Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, and raised 

more than $10,000 in donations at checkout counters. 

“Employees participated in a breast cancer awareness 

day in October, when everyone who wanted to 

wore pink to work,” Galtier said. Rouses donated 

money on behalf of its staff to the Susan G. Komen 

Breast Cancer Foundation. 

This fall, employees received flu shots at no charge 

through a company program. And at Thanksgiving, all 

employees were given free turkeys. 

“With 5,000 full- and part-time employees, that’s a 

lot of birds,” Galtier said.• 

— Susan Buchanan


St. Tammany Parish Hospital Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sharon Toups, far left, holds the Employer of Choice Award, which the hospital has won from 2006-10. 



t. Tammany Parish Hospital employees donate 

Swhat they can to the annual employee fund, but 

they all get an equal say in how that money is spent. 

In past years, they have used it to buy cafeteria 

equipment that lets them pay for food with debit or credit 

cards. Recently, employees voted to spend the funds 

on a jogging track, which is now being paved outside. 

“Our administration hears what employees 

want, and they act on it,” said Glyn Smith, business 

applications manager. 


Where based: Covington 













Website: www.stph.org 

Once a year, Smith can also count on having a 

private birthday lunch with a hospital executive. 

At these lunches, Smith said, “They ask, ‘How can 

we make your day better or your job easier’” 

Besides being heard by management and greeted 

by name throughout the hospital, employees 

feel supported by their colleagues, which can be 

critical if one of their own becomes a patient. 

Kerry Milton, a senior vice president and chief nursing 

officer, was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer 

in January 2009. Before rounds of chemotherapy, 

she had to undergo a bilateral mastectomy. 

“The staff put their arms around me and helped me 

on the journey,” Milton said. “I felt safe and that my 

privacy and dignity were protected.” 

Colleagues picked up the extra workload while 

Milton recovered from surgery. She credits an early 

diagnosis for her good health today. Using cuttingedge 

technology and protocols are also reasons 

employees like working at St. Tammany Parish 

Hospital, she said. 

“If you see a patient leave the hospital fully functional, 

it makes you want to do that every day,” 

Milton said. 

Charge nurse Kim Stoltz also knows the hospital 

from a patient’s perspective — and might not have 

caught her illness so early had it not been for the 

hospital’s onsite employee health fair and a caring 

colleague. 

The annual health fair includes vision, hearing 

and bone density tests, colon health test kits and 

carotid ultrasound. 

It had crossed Stoltz’s mind to get the ultrasound 

because her parents were both stroke victims, but 

things were really busy on her floor that day and 

she couldn’t get away. 

That’s when the administrative nurse stepped out 

of her office — not unusual, since the manager often 

helped nurses on her floor clean patients and food 

trays and change linens. But on this day, her generosity 

actually saved Stoltz’s life. 

“She said, ‘This is something you need to do,’ and 

she took my place on the floor for an hour,” said 

Stoltz, whose ultrasound showed a cancerous tumor 

on her thyroid. After surgery and radiation treatment, 

Stoltz has recovered. 

“Due to that health fair, I’m here today,” Stoltz said.• 




Slidell 

Memorial 

Hospital 


ucy Walker sensed she was encountering some- 

extraordinary when she walked into Slidell 

Lthing 

Memorial Hospital about seven years ago. 

“Within the first five minutes of being here, I knew 

it was different,” said Walker, SMH’s clinical education 

coordinator. “I saw that the people who worked here 

were happy.” 

Even more, once she agreed to work for the hospital, 

Walker was struck by how staff members lived up 

to its mission daily. 

“I knew it had a community mission; that was 

something that was talked about during my initial 

interview,” Walker said. “Many hospitals say things like 

that, but I saw early on that they really do live out their 

mission statement. The people who work here care 

about serving the community. They know their 

patients personally, and they do everything they can to 

provide quality care.” 

That level of professional dedication also inspired 

Keith Lemonier, a registered nurse with SMH’s medical 

surgery oncology unit. 

“The people I work with are exceptional nurses,” 

said Lemonier, who joined SMH in 2005. “Their clinical 

skills are very good and they care about both their 

patients and co-workers, all of which helps to create a 

nice team culture.” 

Lemonier also values a hospital policy that promotes 

open communication between staff members and 

management. 

“Usually the bigger the company, the harder it is for 

the ground troops to talk to the top people,” he said. 

“But that’s not true here at all.” 

One of the main forces guiding SMH’s open communications 

policy is CEO Bob Hawley. 

“We work hard to maintain our credibility with our 

employees,” Hawley said. “We try to be truthful and tell 


Where based: Slidell 



Median salary: $55,993; $143 per hour for doctors 










Website: www.slidellmemorial.org 

Slidell Memorial Hospital nurse Jamie Fazzio checks on Jolie Stockstill and her 1-day-old daughter, Sophia. 

them the good, bad and the ugly.” 

Such candor is most frequently visible in an e-mail 

newsletter Hawley writes and sends every week to the 

nearly 800 staff members. 

“If there is something that needs to be discussed, I’ll 

discuss it,” said Hawley, noting that a recent newsletter 

talked about the possible downside effects of the 

new federal health care legislation on the hospital. 

“Medicaid cuts compress our bottom line. So we 

have tried to show the facts and implications of these 

cuts,” Hawley said. “We want our employees to understand 

these things.” 

Offering a health care plan that includes dental, 

vision and prescription coverage for its employees, 

SMH’s average starting salary is more than $29,000, 

with a median salary of nearly $56,000. SMH employees 

also receive a quarterly bonus based upon patient 

satisfaction scores. 

Employees are additionally recognized for their 

work by what are known as “Wow!” comment cards. 

An average of 175 cards are earned each month. 

“If someone sees an employee doing something 

good, we want that to be recognized,” Hawley said. 

The hospital has also introduced its Onboarding 

Program to improve the process for new hires by providing 

lunch with human resources managers during 

orientation followed by breakfast roundtables with 

management on one-, three- and six-month anniversaries. 

Management credits the program to a 7.1 percent 

improvement in first-year turnover rates between 

2008 and 2009.• 




From left: Strategic Employee Benefit Services of Louisiana employees Scott D’Annoy, Rachel Hamann, Jim Casadaban, Mike Ford, Leslie Arcana and Kevin Gardner gather on the roof of Heritage Plaza in Metairie, where the 

company is located. 


Strategic Employee Benefits Services of Louisiana 

o recognize employee efforts, Strategic Employee 

TBenefits Services of Louisiana recently added 

team Appreciation Week to highlight staff members 

from each department. 

The week starts with breakfast at Russell’s Marina 

Grill with senior management, followed by lunch on 

Tuesday at a local fine dining restaurant and breakfast 

at the Peppermill on Wednesday with the president 

and vice president. On Thursday, staff members 

being recognized are treated to ice cream sundaes 

during a 30-minute afternoon break. 

The week ends with honorees being taken to a surprise 

destination for an activity with management. 

Past excursions have included a day spa, a trip to 

Nature of business: insurance consulting 


Employees: 61 






Wait time for benefits: about 1 month 





Website: www.sebsla.com 

Ship Island and a day of tubing on the North Shore. 

SEBS management leads the way in promoting 

teamwork and opportunities for professional growth, 

said staff members Leslie Arcana and Barbara Lambert. 

Kevin Gardner is founder and president of the 11- 

year-old company, and Mike Ford is vice president. 

Gardner said he leads 63 employees by keeping the 

company’s tenets at the forefront of business and in 

practice “every day.” Those beliefs include showing 

respect and exhibiting proper expectations with 

clients and one another, he said. 

Also built into the company structure is a teamwork 

model where staff members work to support a 

consultant who is the primary liaison with clients. 

Arcana is director of consulting services and said 

that type of model builds an internal, exploratory 

career ladder for employees and allows management 

to place employees in positions based upon 

personalities. 

Having worked in the benefits industry for more 

than 20 years, Arcana said SEBS’ unique operational 

structure defies the traditional corporate environment, 

which she believes is beneficial to employees. 

“It’s much more supportive of a team environment. 

… It’s not corporate and you have direct access to the 

people who make decisions,” Arcana said. “Here, I 

think we’re very entrepreneurial. Decisions are made 

quickly, and it makes it a more enjoyable place to work.” 

After leaving the financial industry, Lambert 

started her career with SEBS nine years ago as a 

consultant for new business and later became 

manager of benefit services. Today, she is an internal 

service coordinator, managing key accounts 

and services and negotiating with providers on 

behalf of clients. 

Lambert said management supported her in 

obtaining necessary industry licenses and added that 

continuing education and mentoring offered through 

the company provides employees the opportunity to 

“flourish” and achieve goals. 

“They don’t hold you back, which is really great,” 

Lambert said. 

SEBS pays for employees transitioning into new 

roles internally to obtain a Louisiana health and life 

license. The company also offers employees continuing 

education reimbursements of up to $250 every 

two years. 

“I think we do a really great job of growing people 

from within,” Arcana said. “That helps foster that 

appreciation of what each person brings to the table.” 

Lambert said cultivating employees “starts at 

the top.” 

“I think it’s critical that we always strive to be a 

best place to work because if you have great people 

you’ll have great success,” Gardner said.• 




Superior Energy Services pump operator Nick Avart, left, and supervisor Darren Naquin prepare to work on a well pump at the company’s Harvey facility. 



t least once a week, Lydia LeBlanc fields a phone 

Acall from a friend who’s eager to work at Superior 

Energy Services. No wonder — LeBlanc said the company 

offers “awesome” benefits, which is why she first 

interviewed there 13 years ago for an accounts 

payable assistant job. 

Her husband is a commercial fisherman whose 

work has been affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, 

so “Superior has been our security,” LeBlanc said. 

But having health and life insurance isn’t the only 

reason she has stayed with the company. Early on, 

Nature of business: oilfield services 



Average starting salary: $39,000 for hourly; $51,000 for salaried 

Median salary: $51,000 for hourly; $83,000 for salaried 








assistance program, fitness program, on-site gym, subsidized meals 


Website: www.superiorenergy.com 

LeBlanc watched as her first supervisor was diagnosed 

with cancer, underwent chemotherapy and 

went to work when she could. The company supported 

her throughout the ordeal and beyond. 

“She was grateful for that,” LeBlanc said. “The 

loyalty and kindness (they showed her) left an 

impression on me.” 

LeBlanc also appreciated the company’s care after 

the levees failed following Hurricane Katrina, when 

Superior Energy moved employees to Lafayette, found 

them apartments and even paid the first month’s rent. 

Today, LeBlanc is an executive assistant in the 

financial accounting department. 

“My job has evolved, and I’ve grown with it,” she 

said. 

To help reach her goal, LeBlanc relied on a senior 

executive assistant for mentoring and department 

staff members for guidance. 

“Employees aren’t just a number. Superior Energy 

treats people as individuals,” said Tom Rosegrant, vice 

president of the well services division. His offshore 

employees, who often work on oil rigs to plug abandoned 

wells in the Gulf, have unique workplace needs 

the company strives to meet. 

Offshore workers receive thorough safety training 

on everything from CPR to water survival and well 

control and attend daily safety briefings. While on the 

rig, workers enjoy satellite television, air conditioning, 

hot meals and phone calls. 

“We try to make it as comfortable as possible,” 

Rosegrant said. 

While their loved ones are away, families are encouraged 

to contact Superior Energy’s human resources 

staff with any benefits questions. And for every two 

weeks they spend on a rig, employees get a week off 

with their families. 

Enhancing this supportive environment is the peernominated 

Superior Champions program, which honors 

six top employees each year. Winners receive 

$1,000 in cash, a vacation for two (past options included 

a cruise and a New York trip), special parking privileges 

and business cards with their new designation. 

“You’re a Champion for a year; you’re a Champion forever,” 

said Pat Bernard, senior executive vice president. 

Another benefit of being a Champion is dinner with 

the company’s top executives. It’s part of an open culture 

where employees can call the CEO and even 

schedule a meeting. 

“Employees know they can be heard and won’t be 

filtered,” Bernard said. “In a lot of ways, that’s better 

than anything we could give them.”• 




From left: Taste Buds employees David Randolf, Stephen Poirrier, Margaret French and Justin Crowley grab a drink after their shifts. 



aste Buds Management, which operates Zea and 

TSemolina restaurants, tackled an unprecedented 

challenge last spring in dealing with the Gulf of 

Mexico oil spill. 

“There was a lot of fear and worry about whether 

we’d be able to get (Louisiana seafood) and how long 

the impact of the spill would be,” said Kevin Guidroz, 

director of culinary operations. 

Maintaining an open line of communication 

helped employees get through the ripple effects of 

the oil spill and the ongoing recession, Guidroz said. 

Nature of business: restaurant management 



Average starting salary: $9.62 for hourly; $45,000 for management 

Median salary: $20,280 for hourly; $52,724 for management 

Average time of employment: 13 months for hourly; 3 years for 

management 



Wait time for benefits: 90 days for hourly; 30 days for management 

Other perks: 401(k), relocation assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours, 

paid mileage, employee orientation program, employee recognition 

program, employee assistance program, subsidized meals 


Website: www.zearestaurants.com 

“It all comes back to our culture of openness and 

the way we let our employees know about where the 

business stands,” he said. “I think that openness, 

instead of trying to hide what’s going on, has 

engaged our employees.” 

Throughout the recession, the company hasn’t 

experienced any layoffs and has drastically reduced 

its turnover rate. About four years ago, it hit 100 percent. 

This year, turnover reached an “industry best,” 

Guidroz said, dropping to about 50 percent for 

restaurant employees and 10 percent for managers. 

Flexible scheduling is a big part of what’s kept 

Christina Tabary with Taste Buds for the past six 

years. As a single mom, she’s unable to work nights 

and weekends in her job as a key-holding employee 

at Zea at Clearview Mall. After having put in some 

time with the company, Tabary was able to negotiate 

a schedule that accommodated those needs. 

“It’s nice to be recognized for putting so much in. 

They definitely make me feel like I’m an asset to the 

company,” she said. 

That flexibility also made a difference to Jose 

Amador, a certified trainer at Zea in Kenner. Three 

years ago, Amador badly cut the top of his hand 

while working in the kitchen and had to miss a lot of 

work as a result. Although Amador’s hand was in a 

cast for three months, Zea found a way for him to 

start working shifts again. 

“They always found a place for me in the schedule, 

even if I was just working at the host stand. They 

were very helpful to me in that situation,” he said. 

Promoting from within is a big morale booster at 

Taste Buds, employees say. Of the company’s 68 

managers, more than half were hourly employees at 

some point, Guidroz said. 

“And in the last two years, except for our restaurants 

in Alabama, all of our management positions 

have been filled by employees from within our company,” 

Guidroz said. 

Along with typical benefits such as paid vacation 

and health insurance, Taste Buds this year began 

offering group pet insurance as an added perk. 

The company also holds an annual awards dinner 

in which select recipients receive $500 to $5,000 for 

outstanding service, and there are other employee 

appreciation events throughout the year. 

“And every day when we’re in the restaurant, 

we’re constantly telling people how well they’re 

doing and thanking them for their hard work,” 

Guidroz said. “I think that goes a longer way than the 

organized activities.”• 




University of 

Phoenix- 

Louisiana 

campus 


ric Williams, an enrollment manager at the 

EUniversity of Phoenix-Louisiana campus, cut his 

college education costs considerably by applying 

to work for the school while already enrolled in its 

master’s in business administration program. 

Williams said he was so impressed by the counseling 

the university provided before he enrolled, 

he wanted to be a part of its team. 

“The service they provided to me as a student 

really impressed me. They actually took the time to 

find out if it was going to be the right fit for me,” 

Williams said. “That was something I didn’t find in 

my undergraduate experience.” 

He began as an enrollment counselor in 2006 

and earned his master’s degree in 2007 before 

being promoted to enrollment manager. He only 

paid for one class before landing the position. 

Williams said he’s confident he will continue to 

advance within the university given the continuing 

education opportunities and its national campus 

network. 

Getting a degree at no cost and advancing within 

the company is Erika Santos’ goal. She’s an 

adviser enrolled in the master of business administration 

program. 

“After I finish my MBA, my goals are to look for 

Nature of business: education 





Average time of employment: nearly 5 years 








Paid days off: 31.5 to 35.5 

Website: www.phoenix.edu/louisiana 

University of Phoenix-Louisiana Campus employees show their support for the New Orleans Saints at the school’s Metairie campus. Pictured are: front 

row from left, Erika Santos and Laura Lanclos; and, back row, Brent Lyons, Linda Osorio, Lauren Thompson, Jeanetta Hillaire and Erik Toups. 

opportunities to advance within the organization,” 

Santos said. “I wanted to pursue my education. I 

wanted to be part of something that was meaningful. 

The University of Phoenix is committed to its 

employees’ development.” 

Lauren Thompson began in 2004 as an enrollment 

counselor, earned a master’s degree in 

human resource management two years later and 

is now an associate director of enrollment in 

Eastern Louisiana, serving campuses in Metairie 

and Baton Rouge. 

“I appreciate the leadership opportunities that 

the organization allows me to branch out in,” she 

said. “They helped me develop as a leader.” 

Thompson also finds the university attractive 

because of the advancement opportunities inherent 

in its many branches throughout the country. 

She said she worked hard and applied for 

advanced positions as they became available. 

The company gives employees two days off 

each year for community service and participates 

in outreaches for various concerns. 

Having grown up in a single-parent household 

that benefited from others’ help, Santos appreciates 

the university’s support of the community. 

Santos has supported many outreach efforts 

through the university, including fundraisers for 

breast cancer and heart disease treatment and prevention, 

and toy drives for area Head Start students. 

“They’re committed to the community through 

service and giving back is a huge part of what we 

do,” she said of the university. “Giving back is always 

something that’s very important.”• 




From left: West Jefferson Medical Center nurses Nicole Chiasson and Jennifer Lindberg, Dr. Ralph Katz, nurse Gloria Henderson and Dr. Robert Kearny “practice their skills” on nurse Bernadette Isbell. 

EIGHT-TIME HONOREE 

West Jefferson Medical Center 


Where based: Marrero 




Average time of employment: nearly 8 years 

Health care benefits: 75 percent covered; dental, vision and prescription 

plans 


Other perks: 401(k), continuing education program, relocation assistance, 


orientation program, employee recognition program, employee assistance 

program, fitness program, on-site gym, subsidized meals 


Website: www.wjmc.org 

ran Landry has never worked anywhere else. The 

F42-year-old began her job at West Jefferson Medical 

Center after earning her high school diploma at 17. 

“I literally graduated high school on a Friday and 

started at West Jeff on a Monday,” Landry said. “It’s 

been a learning experience for over 25 years.” 

Landry has found fulfillment from her employer 

ever since, she said, because of management’s longtime 

encouragement for growth within the company. 

Landry started as a part-time discharge cashier 

for outgoing patients and now serves as charge 

master coordinator in the hospital’s accounting 

department. She ensures the hospital is following all 

Medicare and Medicaid guidelines and receiving all 

proper revenues due. 

“There was always an opportunity for advancement,” 

Landry said. “Even for a lot of people just 

starting out, there is so much to get involved in. … 

The administration encourages and supports that so 

employees know the executives are backing them 

and allowing them that opportunity to grow.” 

Outside of the nearly free fitness program, 29 

paid days off a year and subsidized meals, Landry 

most appreciate a communication program implemented 

more than a year ago that allows the more 

than 1,500 employees to speak one-on-one with 

CEO Nancy Cassagne on a monthly basis about 

whatever they want. 

“It’s gone over well because a lot of times frontline 

employees don’t have an opportunity to speak and 

hear directly from the CEO,” Landry said. “She doesn’t 

come with an agenda, and the staff discusses 

anything from budgeting to hiring and construction. 

It’s an open forum and she responds accordingly.” 

Cassagne, who became CEO in 2008, said her primary 

goal has been to manage the staff in a way that 

is open, honest and transparent. The one-on-one meetings 

are only one way to accomplish that, she said. 

“This is the problem hospitals face,” Cassagne 

said. “They are open 24-7. You know there’s a night 

shift and day shift, and it becomes really hard to 

communicate with the staff. E-mails and intranet are 

such cold ways to communicate, and I want to sit in 

an informal setting and look the staff in the eye.” 

It is only the beginning, the CEO said, adding 

that she plans to increase interactive communication 

such as blogging and instant messaging. 

“I don’t think you can ever communicate 

enough,” Cassagne said. “The instantaneous contact 

hopefully will inspire our employees to be even 

more engaged with our organization.”• 



small companies 


Zehnder 


EIGHT-TIME HONOREE 

fter a week’s worth of punching out advertis- 

and public relations campaigns, cutting 

Aing 

loose with colleagues for Beer Friday is a timehonored 

tradition at the 15-year-old Zehnder 

Communications. 

“Free Beer Friday is all within our ‘Work Hard, 

Play Hard’ mentality,” said founder Jeff Zehnder. 

“The staff comes in, knows we have a job to do. 

But after that’s done, we also relieve some of the 

pressure from the week. We want people to know 

we value what they bring to the table.” 

But Beer Friday is only one facet of Zehnder’s 

appreciation for staff members’ hard work. A 

perennial employer on the Best Places to Work list 

for its creative, easygoing work environment, the 

firm also welcomes employee pets at the office, 

furnishes arcade games and promotes frequent 

interoffice Dorf Ball contests, inspired by the 1988 

Tim Conway golf comedy “Dorf’s Golf Bible.” 

Zehnder went even further in 2010 by adding 

unlimited general purpose time. The greater flexibility 

with personal time resulted from feedback 

from employees through consistent staff surveys. 

The increased flexibility of personal time has gone 

off without a hitch, Zehnder said. 

“It’s been the most significant change this 

year,” Zehnder said. “It has worked phenomenally 

and I’m almost surprised how well it works. It 

hasn’t been abused at all. And the latest staff surveys 

show employees are happy we trust them 

enough to make good decisions.” 

Mike Rainey, creative director for Zehnder and 

an employee for more than 15 years, said the internal 

surveys may seem like a small thing but it has 

been a chief tool for creating a work environment 

conducive to hard work and staff happiness. 

“The staff feels trust in the leadership that they 

Nature of business: public relations and advertising 


Employees: 33 



Average time of employment: more than 5 years 





education program, relocation assistance, telecommuting, flexible 

hours, paid mileage, employee orientation program, employee 


Paid days off: no set limits 

Website: www.zehnder.com 

Zehnder employees show off their Silver Microphone Awards for client radio commercials in the company’s sound recording booth. Clockwise from bottom 

right: William Gilbert, Joann Habisreitinger, Henry Chassaignac, Jeff Zehnder, Sarah Keiffer and Craig Shultz. 


can be heard and they’re honestly not going to be fired 

for anything they say, which is a freedom. People really 

appreciate it — and they say it. When you hear that, 

it really gives you pause. It is really rewarding to help 

create an environment like that.” 

Employees also receive a $500 cash bonus on their 

five-year anniversary and a $1,000 bonus upon reaching 

10 years. The firm also has a “Shout Out” award 

that recognizes employees who go above and beyond 

the call of duty with a $100 American Express gift card. 

Megan Chauvin started working at Zehnder this 

summer as a media coordinator and said she loves the 

creative, interactive family-like atmosphere of the 

office. Chauvin said she had always heard about 

Zehnder as a place people want to work 

“I truly enjoy coming to work every day,” Chauvin 

said. “There’s always something going on and it’s so 

creative. There are so many ways I can grow with this 

company, and I like feeling secure about that. We are 

really appreciated for the work we do.” 

One thing that did cause stress for Chauvin in her 

early days was a duty that accompanies rookie status: 

selecting and acquiring the beer for Beer Friday. 

“I’ve heard new employees have been hanged if 

they picked bad beer,” Zehnder said. 

Chauvin, however, passed on the rookie status to 

two new hires soon after joining Zehnder, so she only 

had to buy beer once. 

“I felt insecure about my selections,” Chauvin said. 

“I was glad I only did it once and put that duty to rest.”• 


Photo courtesy PMOLink 

Above: From top: Zehnder employees 

William Gilbert, Kate Lundin and 

Shea Duet are surrounded by 

recent public relations campaigns 

the firm worked on. 

Photo courtesy PMOLink 

Right: Zehnder employees jump for 

joy on the roof of their headquarters 

at 650 Poydras St. 

Bottom: From left: Shea Duet, Jeff 

Zehnder and Laurel Burgos share 

Abita Ambers during the company’s 

weekly Free Beer Friday routine. 



PMOLink President Geoff Hingle, left, returns a 

serve to Dean Wilson, vice president of human 

resources, during an afternoon break at the 

company’s office on the Mandeville lakefront. 

PMOLink 

SEVEN-TIME HONOREE 

nyone needing proof that PMOLink is a great 

Aplace to work should look no further than the 

front porch of the company’s home office on 

Lakeshore Drive in Mandeville. 

“We operate out of the historic Justine 

Plantation, a 200-year-old home overlooking Lake 

Pontchartrain,” President and CEO Geoff Hingle 

said. “The porch is a great place to sit back in a 

rocking chair and unwind for a few moments. The 

employees can’t get enough.” 

Within the walls of the old building, Hingle said 

employees remain team and goal oriented no matter 

what the circumstances. He said the employees 

Nature of business: consulting 

Where based: Mandeville 

Employees: 25 








assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours, paid mileage, job sharing, 

employee orientation program, employee recognition program, employee 



Website: www.pmolink.com 

have a vested interest in the company, and management 

goes to great lengths to allow them to 

share in the wealth the company builds. 

“Our profits go back to the salaries of the employees,” 

Hingle said. “For the last 10 years, we have 

paid 100 percent of the health care costs for all our 

employees. It’s like giving them a 10 to 20 percent 

raise on their paycheck every month.” 

Hingle said the company also pays annual dues 

and fees for trade show participation and monthly 

meetings necessary for additional employee training. 

PMOLink is a consulting services company that 

helps its clients run processes more efficiently. 

Most of the employees work offsite, which means 

lots of remote conferencing. 

“There is a constant sense of encouragement 

that stretches across all levels of employment,” 

Hingle said. “Employees know that the company 

stands behind them 100 percent. We trust that they 

will make good decisions for our clients.” 

Don Roy, vice president for resource management, 

said company executives often go out of their 

way to applaud the efforts of employees no matter 

what the accomplishment. 

“There are a lot of pats on the back and regular 

affirmations of a job well done,” Roy said. “The management 

gives the employees the guidance and the 

resources to do their jobs efficiently.” 

Roy said the company has made a tremendous 

effort to hire a broad spectrum of talented employees 

who know how to work well in a team atmosphere. 

“I’ve always worked at good places, but the talent 

level here is higher than at any place I ever 

worked before,” Roy said. 

Angela Nelson, a senior project manager, said 

PMOLink also encourages growth within the company. 

She said the management team makes sure 

that if someone wants to move up, they do what it 

takes for it to happen. 

“I started here as an office manager and I’ve had 

the chance to move up to where I am today,” 

Nelson said. “The company never turns you down. 

They are always there to help you do what is best 

for you.” 

Hingle said there is also an assortment of other 

perks that create a family atmosphere among 

employees. The company regularly holds a movie 

night, an annual Rock ‘N’ Bowl employee party, as 

well as pizza and beer staff meetings. 

“We pay our employees well, we support them 

and we put our trust in them,” Hingle said. “That is 

how our company has been able to grow.”• 




3Ericksen 

Krentel and 

LaPorte 

ax Snacks have become a tradition at Ericksen 

TKrentel and LaPorte every February through 

April. The office pantries and refrigerators are 

stocked with candy, cookies, chips, food and drinks, 

as accountants work on average 12-hour days 

through the busiest time of the year — tax season 

— and firm executives makes sure workers have the 

resources they need to get through the time crunch. 

“It gets hectic around here, and everybody is 

putting in a lot of hours, so we do our best to keep 

their energy up,” said Kevin Neyrey, managing 

partner of the New Orleans-based accounting and 

consulting firm. “The other traditional part of tax 

season is we end it with a staff crawfish boil on 

April 15 as a thank you for all their hard work.” 

The crawfish boil is one of several annual employee 

events that include a company fantasy football 

league, a staff volleyball team at Coconut Beach, a 

Zephyrs Night Out for staff and families, a family picnic 

at Lafreniere Park, an employee appreciation 

night at Rock ‘N’ Bowl, holiday gatherings, and 

Saints, Hornets and Zephyrs ticket drawings. 

“We provide a lot of benefits for employees and 

have a lot of fun around here with many staff events. 

And while that all creates an energetic workplace, I 

think the greater value we provide as a business is 

that we help employees achieve their professional 

goals,” said Neyrey, who began with the company 

26 years ago as a senior tax accountant. 



Employees: 33 









assistance program, subsidized meals 


Website: www.ericksenkrentel.com 

Ericksen Krentel and LaPorte partners, on balcony from left, James LaPorte, Dennis Tizzard, Kevin Neyrey, Claude Silverman and Rich Mueller shower 

employees with play money at the firm’s office on Canal Street. 

In addition to normal benefits, Ericksen Krentel 

and LaPorte offers employees a client relations and 

incentive system where marketing bonuses are 

awarded based on new business, community and 

civic involvement with area nonprofits, writing an 

article in the firm newsletter or an outside publication, 

attending a seminar, participating in a sporting 

activity or sending out firm brochures and personal 

notes to people or businesses of interest. 

The firm’s flexibility is also a plus, said Stacey 

Gibbons, a supervisor for eight years. Accountants 

are allowed to arrive at work anywhere between 

6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and then leave anywhere 

between 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., as long as they log 

eight hours for the day. 

Gibbons, a mother of two children, was allowed 

to work from home for a year after her first child 

was born and then used unpaid maternity leave for 

three months after her second child was born. She 

also switched from 40 hours to 30 hours per week 

to spend more time with her children. 

Employees also consider the opportunity for 

advancement a big perk at Ericksen Krentel and 

LaPorte. 

Danielle Sule began with the company in 1998 

as a receptionist from a temp agency and worked 

her way up to a secretary for one of the managing 

partners before becoming an audit administrative 

assistant in 2002. 

“They have always been good with giving 

employees the opportunities to move into certain 

positions,” Sule said. “They provide the resources 

you need to reach your goals.”• 

— Tommy Santora 



Clockwise from bottom left: Aureus Research employees — and dog lovers — Alicia Pouncey, Lisa Eisenmenger, Bruce McDonald, Terry Mitchell, Alicia Connelly, Stephen Lazzari, Cindy Dunn, Andrew DeAbate, Elaine Boos, 

Myra Smith and Ricky Brock gather at NOLA City Bark for an afternoon with their pets. 

Aureus Research Consultants 

n 1997, 31-year-old Alicia Pouncey was working as 

Ithe regional site monitor for drug manufacturer 

Johnson & Johnson, reviewing drug trial data for 

physicians, doctors and nurses. 

“I had a nice job, real good benefits, but I felt like I 

wanted something more,” Pouncey said. “So I took a 

chance, started a company, surrounded myself with 

wonderful employees, and if it didn’t work, I figured I 

could always try groveling back to Johnson & Johnson.” 

That wasn’t necessary. 

She created Aureus Research Consultants, a clinical 

research services organization that contracts with 

Nature of business: medical consulting 


Employees: 10 




Health care benefits: 80 percent covered; vision and prescription plans 


Other perks: 401(k), continuing education program, relocation assistance, 


recognition program, employee assistance program, subsidized meals 


Website: www.aureusresearch.com 


pharmaceutical and medical device companies to 

oversee trials. The company also provides education 

and clinical research training in the work force. 

“Alicia has created a small company with the benefits 

of a large company and selected people along the 

way who work hard and have a good grasp on the 

industry, translating into a solid, reputable company,” 

said Stephen Lazzari, assistant director at Aureus 

and an employee since 1999, when he started as a 

clinical research assistant. 

“The business is run like a family. We’re all close 

friends, we all help each other out in the time of need, 

and it’s rewarding to work on products and drugs that 

you know will impact people’s lives and quality of life.” 

Most Aureus employees work remotely and from 

home, with staff in North Dakota, New York, 

Tennessee, Baton Rouge, New Orleans and other 

areas throughout the Southeast. To compensate, the 

company pays for home office equipment, including 

computers, printers, scanners and Internet service in 

addition to a monthly stipend for cell phone use. 

Employees are also allowed to accrue frequent flyer 

miles for personal use. 

To compensate for the long-distance working 

relationships, employees stay in constant contact 

via e-mail, phone, conference calls and quarterly 

in-person staff meetings. 

“We all share each other’s calendars and schedules, 

and we keep communication constantly open,” 

said Alicia Connelly, who started with Aureus in 

January as a regulatory document specialist. “I was 

set up in my home office with all of the equipment I 

needed in the comfort of my home.” 

Ricky Brock, a senior clinical research associate 

with Aureus for three years, said Pouncey is always 

challenging staff members to earn certification in different 

areas and develop new skills to better serve 

clients. The CEO makes sure to include employees 

every step of the way to make everybody feels like 

part of the company, he said. 

In the community, Lazarri said one of his favorite 

staff gatherings is when Aureus employees get 

together, cook about 100 meals and package them for 

a nearby homeless shelter. Other community efforts 

benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, Senior Santa in 

Jefferson Parish, March of Dimes, City Park Botanical 

Gardens, Pink Ribbon Regatta, Association of Clinical 

Research Professionals and the Center for Information 

and Study on Clinical Research.• 

— Tommy Santora


From left: Bevolo employees John Greco, Jennifer Leslie, Christy Caballero, Chris Bevolo and Sissy Johnson show of the company’s signature gas lamps at the manufacturer’s French Quarter retail site. 

Bevolo Gas and Electric Lights 

taff members at Bevolo Gas and Electric Lights, 

Swith a retail office in the French Quarter and 

production sites in Harvey and Covington, enjoy 

the firm’s family atmosphere and its devotion to 

preserving New Orleans’ heritage. 

“Events bringing employees together from all 

three locations encourage camaraderie and are, of 

course, good for morale,” said Christy Caballero, 

administrative assistant and sales representative 

for the manufacturer of old world, European-style 

Nature of business: lighting manufacturer 


Employees: 40 







Other perks: 401(k), flexible hours, job sharing, employee orientation 

program, employee recognition program, employee assistance program 


Website: www.bevolo.com 

gas lamps. 

Events include a spring crawfish boil on the 

North Shore, a fall barbeque on the West Bank and 

a Christmas party in the city. 

For a December gathering, French Quarter staff 

members bring in homemade dishes for a holiday 

luncheon, when “we just close the office for an hour, 

sit down and have a good meal,” Caballero said. 

Bevolo employees aren’t chained to a desk from 

nine to five. 

“Our owners are very flexible about our needing 

personal time, and they allow us to schedule our 

work,” said Accounting Assistant Sissy Johnson, 

who also said she appreciates the chance to attend 

seminars during work hours to learn accounting 

services such as Quick Books. 

During the year, contests are held to motivate 

employees on various projects and winners receive 

a ‘little something something,” such as lunch or a 

cash reward, Caballero said. 

Sales Manager Chris Bevolo, whose greatgrandfather 

started the company in 1945, has been 

there nine years and enjoys his relationships with 

colleagues and watching their families grow. 

“I look forward to our Christmas party all year,” 

Bevolo said. “Our artisans make special ornaments 

for it and we vote on our favorites.” 

The firm decided a while ago to start selling 

signed ornaments during the holidays. 

Johnson said she’s proud of the company’s 

many product donations to schools and charitable 

organizations. Bevolo, for instance, donated a valuable 

French Quarter post light to the Sugarplum 

Ball silent auction, held in March, to raise money 

for Children’s Hospital. 

Bevolo lamps appeal to film directors and have 

been used in dozens of movies and television 

series. 

“We’re always getting orders to deliver our products 

to local film sets,” Johnson said. 

One favorite work perk is that employees receive 

discounts on the company’s lamps, brackets, mirrors 

and other items. And within the past year, 

Bevolo switched to a four-day workweek to give 

employees Fridays off.• 




From left: Bond Public Relations employees Abhi Bhansali, Jordan Friedman, Jennifer Bond, Matthew Bowes, Rachel Haney and Skipper Bond play on their firm’s name by imitating James Bond characters. 

Bond Public Relations and Brand Strategy 

Nature of business: public relations and marketing 


Employees: 6 






Other perks: unmarried partner benefits, flexible hours, paid mileage, 

employee orientation program, fitness program 


Website: www.bondpublicrelations.com 

hen Matthew Bowes worked as an intern for 

WBond Public Relations and Brand Strategy in 

2007, he remembers being inspired by the firm’s 

teamwork culture. 

“I could see that the people who work here share 

ideas with each other,” said Bowes, who is 23 years 

old and was hired the following year as an account 

executive. 

Since he has come onboard, Bowes’ initial impressions 

have only been confirmed. 

“It is not like what I would imagine a large corporation 

might be where you may not want to be friends 

with your co-workers or don’t know them,” Bowes said. 

“Here, if anyone has a problem or an issue, it’s easy to 

go to a co-worker and get their perspective, maybe how 

they would handle a situation or what they might see 

as a problem. It is very open and inviting that way.” 

Abhi Bhansali, a senior account executive with 

Bond since 2008, said he has heard horror stories of 

how brutal the public relations industry can be. But 

the culture at Bond, he said, is light and fun.” 

“There are pressures, obviously, to deliver,” said 

Bhansali, 25. “But because there is an emphasis on 

getting along and working with each other on different 

projects, you like coming to work and it makes 

doing a better job easier.” 

Bond PR is the brain child of Skipper Bond, who 

partnered with Jordan Friedman to start the firm in 

2004, later talking his sister, Jennifer Bond — who 

was working for the marketing department of Turner 

Broadcasting in Atlanta — into joining the company 

as vice president. 

Skipper Bond, a New Orleanian who worked in 

public relations in New York, moved back to the Big 

Easy with the goal of starting a cutting edge and 

employee-friendly firm. 

“We work across so many sectors: economic development, 

entertainment, hospitality, professional services,” 

said Bond, 38. “We are all about professional 

development, and making sure that the people who 

work here have the tools they need to succeed.” 

With an average starting salary of $30,000 and a 

median salary of about $40,000, Bond PR also offers a 

competitive health care plan, full benefits after 90 

days of employment and up to 22 paid days off per 

employee. 

But it is the atmosphere that most attracts people 

to work for Bond. 

“In other places, you might rely upon upper management 

for creative strategies,” Bowes said. “But 

here we bounce ideas off of one another, and that 

makes us more creative for our clients.”• 




FH Myers 

Construction 

Corp. 

unning into unforeseen problems comes with the 

Rterritory in the construction field. 

So when the economy started taking its toll on the 

industry, FH Myers Construction Corp. stepped up to 

the challenge last year by turning hardship into 

opportunity. The company implemented a per-project 

bonus program, which allows all employees — from 

field laborers to administrative staff — to monitor the 

profits on a job and receive a percentage of the earnings 

at the job’s completion. 

The process forces employees to look at each project 

and do everything they can to complete the job on 

time, on budget and with quality results, said Project 

Manager Brian McLawchlin. 

“The way we’re able to be successful is to make 

each employee aware of the tight market that’s out 

there, that expenses have to be cut,” McLawchlin 

said. “It makes everyone conscientious of the next 

dollar that you plan to spend.” 

That type of problem solving represents one of the 

company’s strengths, said Frances Roemer, chief operating 

officer and director of business development. 

“We like to come up with solutions to keep ourselves 

moving forward,” Roemer said. 

Wentworth Thomas, a carpenter who has been 

with FH Myers for all 23 years of the company’s existence, 

said he appreciates the firm’s efforts in trying 

to ease the sting of the recession. 

Nature of business: construction 


Employees: 48 

Average starting salary: $30,000 for staff; $52,000 for field workers 

Median salary: $35,000 for staff; $65,000 for field workers 


Health care benefits: 100 percent covered; vision and prescription plans 






Website: www.fhmyers.com 

From left: FH Myers employees Brandi Bernard, Chris Lutz, Carmen Pike, Erin Shaw, Martin Steib and Wentworth Thomas gather on the roof of the 

new gym at the Academy of the Sacred Heart main campus. 

“(President) Fred (Myers) manages to keep us very 

busy, even though it’s a lean period,” Thomas said. 

“So morale is very good right now.” 

Thomas said he especially values the company’s 

family-oriented culture and events such as crawfish 

boils, fish frys and holiday parties. On his 20th 

anniversary with the company, Thomas received a 

gold watch. 

But what has pleased Thomas most has been his 

relationship with his boss. 

“Fred is a very honest person,” he said. “I think he’s 

very generous, and that’s one of the main reasons I’ve 

been here for 23 years.” 

Also popular with employees is the company’s 

health care plan, which pays 100 percent for all 

employees, and the flex Fridays program. Every 

third week of the month, employees work 7 a.m. to 

5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and get to leave 

at noon that Friday. 

“Everyone works extremely hard during the week, 

and when you have that day to look forward to in the 

coming month, I think that’s one thing that helps 

morale,” McLawchlin said. 

At the end of the year, the company holds an 

awards program to recognize employees with outstanding 

performance. And Myers often recognizes 

when the office is working hard by taking the staff to 

lunch, Roemer said. 

“There’s no hidden agenda here. You feel like you 

belong,” she said. “You’re made to feel important, and 

your contributions are recognized.” 

And it’s not just about the money, Roemer said. 

“You can go anywhere and make a bit more 

money,” she said. “But you won’t always find the kind 

of environment that allows you to express your ideas 

freely, be creative and grow.”• 




Clockwise from top: Janet Sanders, Cissy Thomas, Selina Guerrero, Gerry Kish, Theresa Wolff and Heartsie Stucke celebrate Greater New Orleans Federal Credit Union’s 75th anniversary. 

Greater New Orleans Federal Credit Union 

helley Sanders is scheduled for her second mater- 

leave within her two years at Greater New 

Snity 

Orleans Federal Credit Union, but her pregnancies 

haven’t hampered her security with the company 

that promoted her to second in command just three 

months before her first child was born. 

Sanders, hired in January 2009, was promoted to 

director of operations in August 2009 when she was 

six months pregnant. She’s expecting another child 

in January. 

Nature of business: banking 


Employees: 37 

Average starting salary: $20,280 for union; $33,000 for nonunion 

Median salary: $31,625 for union; $49,388 for nonunion 




Wait time for benefits: 30 days for union; 90 days for nonunion 

Other perks: paid maternity leave, 401(k), telecommuting, paid mileage, 

employee orientation program 


Website: www.gnofcu.com 

She recalls going to CEO Janet Sanders — no relation 

— to tell her she would need another maternity 

leave, wary of how the boss would respond. 

“I’m (thinking) I’ve only been here for two years,” 

Shelley Sanders said. “But I’m going to need another 

eight weeks off for maternity leave. She said, ‘Don’t 

worry about it, things happen. Take the time to enjoy 

your pregnancy and we’re going to make it through it.’” 

An understanding, caring, family environment is 

one reason workers say the credit union is one of the 

best local places to work. 

Brenda Guernsey, a teller for two years, said it’s 

the small things that go a long way at the company. 

She recalls when Janet Sanders encouraged her during 

rough moments when the credit union converted 

to a new computer system. 

“It’s odd for a CEO to come down and say that you’re 

doing an excellent job,” she said. “(Those are) the little 

things I’m talking about. I come from another company 

that didn’t do that at all, and I was there 11 years.” 

Employees also cite free professional development 

courses and a propensity to promote from within as 

company perks. 

“They try to advance within the company before 

they go outside,” said Guernsey, who hopes to take 

advantage of company-provided training and advance 

to management. 

Cissy Carriere-Thomas began seven years ago as 

a part-time call center employee representative and 

is now the full-time call center/indirect lending manager. 

She appreciates the many career development 

courses the credit union offers employees, including 

on-the-job training. 

“I find it helpful because you also speak with 

someone who does the same work at another institution,” 

Carriere-Thomas said. 

She also said the credit union fosters a caring 

atmosphere. 

“Your co-workers are very caring for when you’re 

going through a personal time,” she said, pointing 

out that co-workers and superiors supported her during 

her divorce last year. 

“They would always swing by my office to make 

sure I was OK, even all the way to the top,” she said. 

“I even had a co-worker help me find a place to live.”• 



www.djcgulfcoast.com 

The Daily Journal of Commerce is the “opportunity 

newspaper and Web source” of the Gulf Coast states from Louisiana to 

Alabama designed for and read by industry professionals – architects, 

engineers, generals, subcontractors and suppliers. For nearly a century, the 

leaders of companies big and small, throughout the region, have come to 

rely on the Daily Journal of Commerce five days a week to: 

Find new bidding and subbidding opportunities on projects out for bid by 

following our daily Project Calendar; 

Learn who’s bidding the lowest, who’s getting the jobs and who’s going to need 

your product or service; 

Get a “sneak peek” at upcoming projects with our DJC Sneak Preview 

e-mail service; 

Get the first leads on New Projects out for bid; and 

Get industry updates and more business building opportunities! 

But don’t take our word for it, check it out for yourself – on us – and see how 

your company can profit from it as well! 


GOOD NEWS 

IS WORTH REPEATING! 

Digital Reprint 

CityBuisiness will reformat the artice or list with As 

seen in CityBusinesson the top of the page and send it 

to you in PDF format. Cost includes copyright. 

Total Cost: $500 $350 SALE! 

Framed Reprint 

Articles are reformatted to fit on either one or two 

pages with As seen in CityBusiness on the top of the 

page. Article size is 8 1/2 x 11. 

Framed articles take approximately 

1 month to complete 

Congratulatory Plaque 

Remember your big award with a beautiful cherry wood 

plaque perfect for hanging in the office or home. 

Total Cost: $150 

Photo 

JPG of photos taken at Events or seen in CityBusiness can be 

purchased separately or in addition to your reprint. 

Total Cost Per Photo: $125 ($50 with purchase of Reprint) 

NO REFUND • PREPAY 

Please process my order for: 

❑ Digital Reprint. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$500 $350 

❑ Framed Reprint 14” x 16 1/2” cherry . . . . . . .$220 

❑ Framed Reprint 23” x 16 1/2” cherry . . . . . . .$330 

❑ Congratulatory Plaque 9” x 12” cherry. . . . . .$150 

❑ Photo from Event or Article . . . . . . . . . . . . .$125 

with the purchase of Reprint . . . .$50/photo 

Issue Date or Event ________________________________ Page # _____ 

Your Name ________________________________________________ 

Frame size = 23” x 16 1/2” — $330 

Company _________________________________________________ 

Street Address _____________________________________________ 

City/State/Zip ______________________________________________ 

Phone _____________________ Fax ___________________________ 

Email address ______________________________________________ 

Pre-pay by: ❑ Check ❑ Master Card ❑ Visa ❑ American Express 

Credit Card # ______________________________________________ 

Amount Authorized To Charge ________________________________ 

Frame size = 14” x 16 1/2” — $220 

Exp. Date ________ Signature _________________________________ 

Fax or mail to: New Orleans CityBusiness 

Attn: Dani Mattek, 111 Veterans Blvd. • Ste 1440 • Metairie, LA 70005 

Fax (504) 293-9720 email: dani.mattek@nopg.com 



From left: Hartwig Moss employees Robby Moss, Doris Cozzens, Shawn Rultand, Barbara Winsberry and Melissa Bennett rebuild a house during the St. Bernard Project’s 50-hour build. 



he executives at Hartwig Moss Insurance Agency 

Tare big fans of the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” 

so much so that they want their employees to feel the 

thrill of playing hooky at least one day a year. 

“People can choose whatever day off they want 

and then they can do whatever they want,” said 

Holly Biggs, an employee for seven years and a commercial 

insurance service representative. “It’s an 

extra holiday every year, and who doesn’t love an 

extra day off from work” 



Employees: 42 

Average starting salary: $45,777 for staff; $164,692 for producers 

Median salary: $45,520 for staff; $165,276 for producers 






telecommuting, flexible hours, paid mileage, employee orientation program, 

employee recognition program, employee assistance program 


Website: www.hmia.com 

The company, which has 42 employees, pays the 

full cost of employees' health, dental, prescription, 

vision and short- and long-term disability insurance. 

“Health care being paid 100 percent by a company 

is a monumental benefit given today’s business 

climate,” said vice president Kirt Hartman, who 

started with Hartwig Moss 28 years ago in marketing 

and rating of commercial policies. 

“Our success is hinged upon the company taking 

care of its employees, clients and partner companies 

as well as possible, and if that is done, that helps us 

guarantee the company will be successful.” 

Renee Walker, a customer service representative 

and employee for three years, appreciates the company’s 

maternity leave benefit, which allowed her six 

weeks off — two weeks paid and four weeks unpaid 

— after her first pregnancy, a benefit she will take 

advantage of again as she’s pregnant with her second 

child. Walker also took advantage of the company 

paying for all licensing and training after she 

began her career with the firm. 

“It shows you they care about their employees and 

they are understandable that you also have a family 

life that you have to balance with work,” Walker said. 

Biggs said the family ownership and atmosphere 

driven by the Moss family — President Robby Moss 

is a fifth-generation family member and Hartwig 

Moss III serves as CEO — has played a significant 

role as to why she has been with the company for 

more than seven years. 

When her father passed away, Biggs faced problems 

with insurance, and producers at Hartwig Moss 

helped her through those issues. When her mother 

passed away, the company was flexible with her 

time off, telling her “to take all the time she needed.” 

“You’re a name, not just a co-worker,” Biggs said. 

“They care about you as part of their family.” 

Hartwig Moss has several employee gatherings 

throughout the year, including an annual state of the 

union address on how the business is doing, an 

Endymion parade party, a Christmas party at K- 

Paul’s with limo bus transportation, dress-down day 

every Friday, pumpkin carving contests at 

Halloween, quarterly staff luncheons and birthday 

cakes for employees. 

“It seems like we have cake over here once a week 

at least,” Walker said.• 




From left: Sal Alhelo, Teresa Pinsky, Renea Joseph, Charlie Boyle, Mustafa Pasha and Richard Molina show of their hats at Huseman and Associate’s annual wacky hat party. 

Huseman and Associates 


harlie Boyle said Huseman and Associates 

Cfounder Jeff Huseman recruited him shortly 

after the mechanical and electrical engineering 

and design company opened five years ago. 

Boyle, a senior mechanical engineer, said it’s the 

best firm he has worked for in his 30-plus years in 

the industry, and it is almost solely because of the 

camaraderie among the 14-person staff. 

Nature of business: engineering consulting 


Employees: 13 








assistance, paid mileage 


Website: www.husemanllc.com 

“There’s a level of independence — they don’t 

hold your hand. In the same breath, they have a real 

good work force,” Boyle said. “There are not a lot of 

egos here. We all have weaknesses and strengths, 

but Huseman has a real good arena of people over 

here. It’s not often that there’s that much cohesion.” 

Second on Boyle’s list is the emphasis management 

places on advancing employee education. Huseman 

pays for all employee annual dues for professional associations 

and covers fees and study materials for continuing 

education and training courses. 

From recent hires such as Sal Alhelo, an engineer 

who started with the firm about a year ago, to 

office manager Renea Joseph, who has been with 

the company since its inception, employees say 

the amity is what makes going to work enjoyable. 

“The single best aspect of working here is the 

people,” said Joseph, who described the staff as a 

1950s TV family, just without the weekly drama. 

“Through the stressful times, through the easy 

times, this is just a great group of people.” 

The fit of the entire staff is not by accident. 

Management takes great care and strategy when 

hiring to ensure the office’s overall congeniality, 

Joseph said. 

She believes the benefits Huseman offers inspire 

that affable spirit. Substantial annual bonuses, continuing 

education opportunities — many held in 

Huseman’s office so employees can “continue to 

get those letters behind their name”— and multiple 

“stress breaker” events such as overnight stays 

in the French Quarter, all contribute to what makes 

Huseman a fantastic environment to make a living, 

Joseph said. 

“It’s not just one thing that makes it just a great 

place,” Joseph said. “You don’t get up and dread 

coming to work because you know you’re going to 

enjoy the camaraderie — the people coming by your 

desk or working on a project together, or us all grabbing 

lunch. We all have a voice. We talk about things 

together. You’re not just a body told what to do.”• 




Keating Magee employees include, keeling, Ronald Evangelista, left, and Lena Liller; middle row, Lauren Shug Wilson, D.A. Magee, Jennifer Magee and Maggie Gardner; and back row, Ann Wills, Sarah Spain, Tricia Otis, Rob 

Anderson, Nick Sagona. 

Keating Magee 


eating Magee employees say there are many good 

Kthings about working for the advertising and public 

relations firm, but perhaps the best is a tradition of 

teamwork. 

“It is not about the individual here,” communications 

strategist Lauren Schug Wilson said. “It is about 

the final product. This is a place where everyone is valued 

as a team member. If anyone needs help, you pitch 

Nature of business: advertising and public relations 


Employees: 11 




Health care benefits: 81 percent covered; dental and vision plans 


Other perks: unmarried partner benefits; 401(k), continuing education 

program, day-care options, telecommuting, flexible hours, paid mileage, 

job sharing, employee orientation program, employee recognition program 


Website: www.keatingmagee.com 

in and help them. And the same applies when you are 

working on something that needs support and ideas.” 

With a company that incorporates full-scale integrated 

marketing campaigns that include print, television, 

radio and social media advertising, Tricia Otis 

said that team approach inspires creativity. 

“The effort is natural,” said Otis, management 

supervisor. “We all get along well with each other and 

respect each other’s opinions and areas of expertise. 

We like to get together to toss each other’s ideas 

around and take an idea and make it bigger.” 

Such collaboration, said Rob Anderson, a senior 

communications strategist, means the firm is a creatively 

challenging and fun place to work. 

“The environment here allows for employees to 

explore their creativity and think in creative ways,” 

Anderson said. “If there is something that you feel 

you could benefit from by having everyone do a brainstorm, 

or if you just want to gather a few people up 

and have a discussion about a particular aspect of a 

project — either way, you gain because you are benefiting 

from having another person’s perspectives.” 

With a starting salary of $30,000 and a media salary 

of $60,000, Keating Magee offers a full range of health 

care options, including dental, vision and unmarried 

partner benefits. The firm additionally offers a continuing 

education program, day-care options and paid 

mileage, while also promoting a child and pet-friendly 

environment. 

But perhaps the most popular Keating Magee perk 

is the firm’s flexible time policy designed to fit the 

lifestyles of its employees. 

“That’s a huge benefit,” Otis said. “For me, it means 

being able to work four days a week so that I can have 

more time to be with my 17-month-old daughter.” 

The company also allows employees to occasionally 

work at home and bring their children and fourlegged 

friends to the office. With offices on the top 

floor of Jax Brewery, employees can also enjoy a 

rooftop view of fireworks on the Fourth of July and 

New Year’s Eve.• 




M.S. Rau 

Antiques 

hen most employees get up from their desks 

Wand take a break, they take a walk outside their 

building. Rachel Fousch takes a couple of steps 

from her desk, stays indoors and visits her company’s 

“own art museum.” 

“I try to do it at least once a day,” Fousch said. 

“It’s phenomenal to see so many historic collections 

of art all in our gallery and showroom floor. It’s a history 

lesson every day here.” 

Fousch is marketing manager for M.S. Rau 

Antiques, an antique gallery that has been a French 

Quarter landmark since opening in 1912. The 

30,000-square-foot showroom floor exhibits 

antiques and collections from Renoir and Monet 

paintings to Paul Revere sterling bowls and Tiffany 

and Faberge pieces to Renaissance period furniture 

dating back to the 16th century. 

“I can sit here and sell a Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir 

or things owned by kings and queens at one time or 

another and not have to travel the world to put my 

hands on it,” said Phillip Youngberg, vice president 

of sales, who started at M.S. Rau as a salesman 10 

years ago. “It’s a sales position unlike one I have 

ever had.” 

The company has a full-time art historian who is 

dedicated to monthly employee training and a 

Nature of business: antique retailer 


Employees: 35 







Other perks: unmarried partner benefits, 401(k), paid mileage, employee 

recognition program, on-site gym 


Website: www.rauantiques.com 

From left: M.S. Rau employees Edmore Franklin, Rachel Fousch, Christine Pellman, Angela Richardson and Ludovic Rousset surround owner Bill Rau 

with items from the French Quarter antique dealer. 

weekly meeting that keeps staff informed and 

aware of new inventory. 

“We have continuous education on arts, history, 

antiques and jewelry around here. So all of our 

employees know what we are selling, and they are 

fascinated by the stories and originalities of everything 

that comes through here,” said Bill Rau, the 

third generation owner who joined the company 

full-time in 1981. 

The average starting salary for staff is $30,000 

and the median salary is $45,000. Benefits include 

95 percent of health care costs paid by the employer, 

dental, vision and prescription plans, long- and 

short-term disability and life insurance. 

The company has quarterly employee meetings, 

which include awards and recognition for Royal 

Rau, the best employee of the quarter as voted on 

by colleagues. A formal ideas forum was created to 

allow employees to submit candid suggestions to 

management through e-mail. 

M.S. Rau Antiques also has an in-house, 1,000- 

square-foot gym of cardio and weightlifting equipment 

that is used in its Biggest Loser program for 

employees to see who can lose the most body fat 

over a three-month period. 

“We have a fun and dynamic workplace here,” 

Rau said. “We believe in working our employees 

hard, but we also believe in paying them well and 

treating them well for their hard work.”• 




From left: Mudbug Media employees Theresa Fischbach, Diego Morales, Ashley Segari, Antonio Felguerez, Linda Phan and Christian Chuindja show off their design abilities. 

Mudbug Media 

hen Justin Bantuelle’s wife was accepted to grad- 

school in Texas, he thought there could be 

Wuate 

only one outcome regarding his application developer 

job at Mudbug Media, headquartered at Canal Place. 

“It hadn’t occurred to me to stay on. I thought I’d 

have to quit,” Bantuelle said. “When my boss said, 

‘Why not work remotely’ it was a huge relief.” 

These days, Bantuelle telecommutes from his 

home in Houston, and his company picks up the 

price of his Internet connection. 

“I love it,” Bantuelle said. “It’s great work, and the 

people make it (that way) for me.” 

Nature of business: interactive marketing 


Employees: 45 






Other perks: paid maternity and paternity leave, telecommuting, flexible 

hours, job sharing, employee orientation program 


Website: www.mudbugmedia.com 

He stays in the loop through weekly meetings, but 

he’s not the only one dialing in. Mudbug Media has 

employees scattered throughout the country. 

“We’re a web development company,” President 

Scott Zeitzer said. “If we can’t figure out how to work 

remotely, no one can.” 

The full-service digital agency invests in education 

and training for its employees and does what it takes 

to retain them. 

Laura Hill, for example, joined Mudbug with a 

background in print communication, including package 

and brochure design. The company approached 

her about doing web design and soon she was studying 

it — Mudbug Media pays for work-related books 

— and teaming with experienced web designers on 

small projects. 

“It was like going to school because I was learning 

new stuff every day,” said Hill, who is now a 

senior designer. 

The graphic design department presents monthly 

classes on what’s new in the industry and maintains 

an internal blog, where colleagues post the latest findings 

and links with each other. 

“We’re more like a community of designers,” Hill said. 

“We stay up to date with whatever programs are out.” 

That’s key in the media business, where technology 

and marketing standards change frequently. 

“The education system hasn’t caught up to what 

we’re doing,” Zeitzer said. “We continue to train and 

teach (our employees) in order to stay on top.” 

Mudbug Media’s New Orleans headquarters is 

relaxed, with staff members wearing jeans and T- 

shirts most days. They tend to work in groups instead 

of more formal one-person offices. 

There’s even a crib in the office with an invitation 

to bring in babies. 

“I want an employee to feel comfortable working … 

and not focused on who’s watching (his or her) kid,” 

Zeitzer said. “It’s not hard putting a crib in the office. 

To me this is simple.” 

Outside the office, staff members have entered a 

kickball tournament to benefit the New Orleans 

Jewish Community Center, painted childrens’ faces 

for an Audubon Zoo fundraiser and cleaned a local 

graveyard with Save Our Cemeteries. 

Those are just a few of the firm’s “Good Deeds,” 

which the staff selects. 

“We pick them out as a group because everyone 

has their own passions,” Zeitzer said.• 




Schafer Group staff accountant Caryl Theriot reviews a client portfolio with tax manager Paul Huner. 

Schafer Group 


s any accountant knows, things can get pretty 

Ahairy when tax season rolls around. But employees 

of the Schafer Group say the Metairie public 

accounting firm typically takes the stress in stride. 

“In busy times, it can get very stressful and hectic, 

but generally it’s very friendly. Everyone gets along 

really well,” said staff accountant Caryl Theriot. 

That relaxed atmosphere, during and outside of 

busy season, is what has kept administrator Douglas 



Employees: 15 






Other perks: 401(k), continuing education program, day-care options, 

telecommuting, paid mileage, job sharing, employee recognition program, 

subsidized meals 


Website: www.schafergroup.net 


Roper with the company for a decade. 

“Everyone here is on a first-name basis. Everyone is 

interested and supportive of what everyone is doing 

outside of work. When there are free moments, we’re 

always asking about one another’s families,” he said. 

Social events such as quarterly birthday lunches 

and parties for holidays and the end of tax season 

give employees a chance to unwind. To further ease 

job stress, Managing Member Kernion Schafer pays 

for a masseuse to come to the office once a week to 

offer chair massages to all staff members. 

Employees say they don’t have to worry about 

watching the clock when it comes to scheduling 

meetings with clients because they have the freedom 

to manage their work appointments as they see fit. 

When Theriot went job hunting in 2007, she knew 

she didn’t want the daily monotony that sometimes 

comes with accounting work. It was a request she 

made abundantly clear during her interview. 

“I told him I enjoyed variety in the projects, but I just 

don’t like to do the same things day in and day out. He 

assured me my duties here would be varied,” she said. 

In the three years since, Schafer has kept his word, 

Theriot said. 

“You’re not doing the same kind of work here every 

day. It can change from day to day, hour to hour, 

minute to minute,” she said. 

Employees say Schafer has managed to keep 

employees shielded from the recession by maintaining 

a healthy client roster. 

“Mr. Schafer … works very hard to court new 

clients and to keep the ones we have,” Roper said. 

“And we’re in a good position to weather financial 

storms because we provide a service people need 

whether or not they’re doing well financially.” 

Beyond enjoying the nature of their work, employees 

say the company is good about boosting morale. 

Regular staff meetings keep employees in the loop, and 

there’s a bonus program to reward top performers. 

And despite the economy, the Schafer Group has 

not experienced any layoffs, Theriot said. 

“We’re very fortunate to be in the position we’re 

in,” she said.• 

— Autumn C. Giusti


From left: Mike Dodd, George Coto and Liz Lotz “prepare lunch” at the environmental consulting firm’s headquarters on Canal Street. 

U.S. Risk Management 


he internal dynamics at U.S. Risk Management have 

Tfostered a corporate family of support. Employees 

traveling through Loxley, Ala., know to stop at Burris 

Farmer’s Market to pick up cobbler for the team. 

Then there’s the brother’s keeper commitment to 

employees during personal difficulties. 

“We are family, and when one person is affected, 

it’s gut wrenching to all of us,” said Tracey Dodd, 

principal of the seven-year-old company, which 

helps private and public entities reduce environmental 

health risks. 

Nature of business: environmental consulting 


Employees: 46 








assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours, employee orientation program 


Website: www.us-risk.com 

Like traditional families, employees interact with 

each other on informal levels and don’t receive business 

cards or business titles, as they are viewed as 

“seers” and “doers” to foster productivity. 

“We don’t want to pigeonhole people,” Dodd said. 

Instead, she encourages her team of 46 direct 

employees to “work hard and play hard,” as they take 

on major projects such as the assessment of the Gaylord 

Opryland Resort and Convention Center following the 

flooding of Tennessee’s Cumberland River in May and 

safety work related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. 

Such projects demand frequent travel and may 

require 18- to 20-hour workdays seven days a week. 

Yet, employees find balance between employeeclient 

functions, social outings and seasonal gatherings 

at employees’ homes. 

“I think we have a very good support system and 

as co-workers, we look out for each other,” said environmental 

scientist Theresa Kreuger-Chimento, who 

has worked for U.S. Risk Management since 2007 

and landed lead roles in the Tennessee flooding project 

and remediation work on Benson Tower. The 

employee perks she personally enjoys are traveling, 

flexibility and consistent work. 

“I think we’re fortunate to be busy and have that job 

security,” Krueger-Chimento said. “Fortunately, we’re 

in a field where everything is going OK right now.” 

As an industrial hygienist, George Coto is managing 

safety for a St. Bernard commercial fishing fleet 

as it relates to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. His appreciation 

for the work and company management rests 

in project autonomy — his ability to identify, plan, 

work and evaluate a project. Coto’s responsibilities 

have resulted in personal and professional growth 

with pipeline effects. 

“It has forced me to look inside of myself to see if 

I can become a more well-developed professional,” 

Coto said. 

As a result, Coto said he’s better able to offer effective 

counsel and feedback to the 10 contract technicians 

who report to him to ensure that clients’ expectations 

are being met. 

The company has witnessed nearly no turnover 

since it opened seven years ago and has retained all 

of its technical staff, Dodd said, adding that local residents 

account for 90 percent of the company’s 

employee base.• 



Best Places to Work: Large companies 

(listed alphabetically) 

Name 

Address 

Telephone 

Fax 

Nature of 

business 

Average starting salary 

Median salary 

Employment length for 

benefit eligibility 

Employees 

Health care benefits 

Dental 

Vision 

Prescription 

Employee recognition 

program 

Paid maternity 

Daycare options 

Telecommuting 

Flexible hours 

401(k) 

Relocation 

assistance 

Job sharing 

Continuing education 

Fitness program 

Subsidized meals 

1. Laitram 

200 Laitram Lane 

Harahan 70123 

733-6000 

733-2143 

manufacturing $32,666 

$29,120 

61 days 

865 locally; 1,355 

companywide 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

2. King, Krebs and Jurgens 

201 St. Charles Ave., 45th 

floor 

New Orleans 70170 

582-3800 

582-1233 

law firm 

$40,000 for staff; $87,000 for 

attorneys 

$48,000 for staff; $100,000 for 

attorneys 

30 days after the first of 

the month 

73 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

N 

3. Geocent 

111 Veterans Blvd., Suite 1600 

Metairie 70005 

831-1900 

831-1901 

information 

technology 

$75,405 

$81,494 

immediate 

138 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 


701 Poydras St., Suite 4500 


581-3234 

566-0210 

law firm 

$43,000 for staff; $100,000 for 

attorneys 

$47,500 for staff; $175,000 for 

attorneys 

1 month 

184 locally; 563 

companywide 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Atmos Energy Corp. 

3616 S. I-10 Service Road, 

Suite 200 


849-4366 

849-4375 

utility 

$24,960 for nonexempt immediate 

employees; $62,500 for exempt 280 locally; 4,925 

$40,310 for nonexempt companywide 

employees; $73,809 for exempt 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

N 




830-2000 

837-8437 

consulting $77,000 

$88,000 

immediate 

47 locally; 23,000 

companywide 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Bourgeois Bennett 



831-4949 

833-9093 

accounting 

$38,000 for staff; $55,000 for 

accountants 

$46,200 for staff; $67,500 for 

accountants 

immediate 

74 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Brown’s Dairy 

1300 Baronne St. 


529-2221 

592-3619 

dairy $14 per hour; $43,000 for 

manufacturing salaried 

$17 per hour; $56,000 for 

salaried 

30 days after the first of 

the month 

265 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

Dickie Brennan and Co. 

605 Canal St. 


521-8313 

523-1633 

restaurant 

$26 per hour; $42,000 for 

corporate 

$30 per hour; $50,000 for 

corporate 

six months for hourly; 

three month for salaried 

350 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 


817 Hickory Ave. 

Harahan 70123 

737-3205 

737-3905 

construction 

$31,200 for staff; $57,500 for 

field workers 

$41,600 for staff; $66,000 for 

field workers 

30 days 

143 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 


2629 N. Causeway Blvd. 


836-9600 

836-9621 

insurance 

$43,000 for staff; $130,000 for 

producers 

$45,000 for staff; $160,000 for 

producers 

30 days 

71 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Eustis Insurance and 

Benefits 



586-0440 

565-5219 

insurance $45,375 

$50,500 

first of the month after 

hire 

107 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

First NBC Bank 

210 Baronne St. 


566-8000 

671-3484 

banking $45,200 

$49,000 

one month after hire 

203 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Gilsbar 

2100 Covington Centre 

Covington 70433 

(985) 892-3520 

(985) 898-1611 


$40,164 

31 days 

311 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Harrah’s Casino New 

Orleans 

8 Canal St. 


533-6000 

533-6714 

casino 

$11.66 per hour; $50,633 for 

salaried 

$14.49 per hour; $55,907 for 

salaried 

immediate 

1,843 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Hilton New Orleans 

Riverside 

2 Poydras St. 


561-0500 

584-3861 

hotel 

$11 per hour; $35,000 for 

salaried 

$13.50 per hour; $45,000 for 

salaried 

immediate 

750 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

HRI Properties 



566-0204 

525-3932 

real estate 

development 

$38,200 

$25,434 for hourly; $71,892 for 

salaried 

30 or 90 days 

234 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 




Name 

Address 

Telephone 

Fax 

Nature of 

business 


Median salary 



Employees 


Dental 

Vision 

Prescription 


program 



Telecommuting 


401(k) 

Relocation 

assistance 

Job sharing 




Kushner LaGraize 

3330 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 

100 


838-9991 

833-7971 

accounting 

$31,500 for staff; $45,000 for 

accountants 

$42,300 for staff; $63,700 for 

accountants 

first of the month after 30 

days 

50 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

N 

LAMMICO 

1 Galleria Blvd., Suite 700 


831-3756 

841-5300 

health care 

insurance 

$40,000 for staff; $70,000 for 

consultants 

$50,000 for staff; $80,000 for 

consultants 


days 

113 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

N 




835-5522 

835-5535 

accounting 

$31,821 for staff; $52,586 for 

accountants 

$39,226 for staff; $64,220 for 

accountants 

immediate 

135 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Loews New Orleans Hotel 

300 Poydras St. 


595-3300 

595-3310 

hotel 

$9.85 per hour; $43,200 for 

salaried 

$10.40 per hour; $49,950 for 

salaried 


days for hourly; first of 

the month after hire for 

managers 

200 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

North Oaks Health System 

15790 Paul Vega MD Drive 

Hammond 70403 

(985) 345-2700 

(985) 230-1038 

health care $51,792 

$50,980 

immediate 

2,059 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 


1514 Jefferson Highway 

Jefferson 70121 

842-3000 

842-2297 

health care 

$39,219 for staff; $86,825 for 

management 

$34,320 for staff; $79,019 for 

management 


days 

8,971 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Pan-American Life Insurance 

Group 

601 Poydras St. 


566-1300 

566-3381 


$55,800 


days 


companywide 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

If you are doing business 

in New Orleans, 

You should be reading 

We bring you the stories that detail the issues 

that matter most to New Orleans Business. 

Subscribe Today! 

go to https://subscribe.neworleanscitybusiness.com 

Call 800-451-9998 




Name 

Address 

Telephone 

Fax 

Nature of 

business 


Median salary 



Employees 


Dental 

Vision 

Prescription 


program 



Telecommuting 


401(k) 

Relocation 

assistance 

Job sharing 





3838 N. Causeway Blvd., Suite 

2200 


849-4500 

849-6963 


$55,000 

30 days 

572 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 


4648 South I-10 Service Road 


883-4800 

883-4912 

clinical 

laboratory 

$32,552 for nonexempt; 

$49,795 for exempt 

$36,712 for nonexempt; 

$63,668 for exempt 


days 

171 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

ReadSoft 

3838 N. Causeway Blvd., Suite 

2400 


841-0100 

841-0144 

technology $70,000 

$85,000 

30 days 


companywide 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Rouses 

P.O. Box 5358 

Thibodaux 70302 

(985) 447-5998 

(985) 447-5563 

grocery store 

$8-$15 per hour 

$9.25-$10.50 per hour 

90 days 

2,500 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Slidell Memorial Hospital 

1001 Gause Blvd. 

Slidell 70458 

(985) 643-2200 

(985) 649-8778 


$55,993; $143 per hour for 

doctors 


hire 

777 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 


1202 S. Tyler St. 

Covington 70433 

(985) 898-4000 

(985) 898-4394 


$57,865 

immediate 

1,296 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Thank You to Our SUPERIOR Employees. 

With 4,800 employees and more than 156 locations in 18 

countries, Superior Energy is meeting the needs of the 

world’s energy producers, wherever they go. 

www.superiorenergy.com 

 




Name 

Address 

Strategic Employee Benefit 

Services of Louisiana 

111 Veterans Blvd., 9th floor 






8301 Oak St. 


University of Phoenix — 

Louisiana Campus 

1 Galleria Blvd., Suite 725 


West Jefferson Medical 

Center 

1101 Medical Center Blvd. 

Marrero 70072 

Telephone 

Fax 

620-4797 

828-3649 

587-7374 

362-1818 

486-4570 

520-8426 

303-3201 

(602) 366-2961 

347-5511 

349-2057 

Nature of 

business 

insurance 

consulting 

oilfield 

services 

restaurant 

management 

education $38,400 

$42,747 


$48,852 


Median salary 

$32,000 for staff; $55,000 for 

consultants 

$39,500 for staff; $72,000 for 

consultants 

$39,000 for staff; $51,000 for 

salaried 

$51,000 for hourly; $83,000 for 

salaried 

$9.62 for hourly; $45,000 for 

management 

$20,280 for hourly; $52,724 for 

management 



Employees 

about 1 month 

61 

immediate 

933 

13 months for hourly; 3 

years for management 

781 

60 days 

115 locally; 20,143 

companywide 


days 

1,526 


Dental 

Vision 

Prescription 


program 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 



Telecommuting 


401(k) 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Relocation 

assistance 

Job sharing 




N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

The Best Placeto 

Shop 

is also one of the 

Best Places to Work. 

“We 

don’ ’t know which honor we 

are more proud of: being voted 

Best Supermarket or one of the 

Best Places To 

Work. I alway 

ys say, 

it’s 

not just what’s 

in our stores, 

it’s 

who is in our stores, 

and our 

customers and team members are 

truly the best ”. – Donald Rouse 

Voted Best Supermarket et by 

readers of 

Gambit Weekly 

and 

New Orleans Magazine. 

www.rouses.com 


Best Places to Work: Small companies 


Name 

Address 

Telephone 

Fax 

Nature of 

business 


Median salary 



Employees 


Dental 

Vision 

Prescription 

Employee 

recognition program 


Daycare 

options 

Telecommuting 


401(k) 

Relocation 

assistance 

Job sharing 

Continuing 

education 



1. Zehnder 




558-7778 

558-7779 

public 

relations and 

advertising 

$31,550 

$44,000 

90 days 

33 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

2. PMOLink 

2001 Lakeshore Drive 

Mandeville 70448 

(985) 674-5995 

(985) 674-5995 

consulting $103,500 

$116,000 

immediate 

25 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

3. Ericksen Krentel and 

LaPorte 

4227 Canal St. 


486-7275 

482-2516 

accounting $22,000 for staff; $40,000 

for accountants 

$30,000 for staff; $55,000 

for accountants 

immediate 

33 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

Y 

Aureus Research 

Consultants 

2237 N. Hullen St., Suite 

301 


833-1528 

833-1567 

medical 

consulting 

$40,000 for staff; $70,000 

for consultants 

$50,000 for staff; $80,000 

for consultants 

immediate 

10 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Bevolo Gas and Electric 

Lights 

521 Conti St. 


522-9485 

522-5563 

lighting 

manufacturer 

$25,000 

$35,000 

90 days 

40 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Bond Public Relations 

and Brand Strategy 

1104 Sixth St. 


897-0462 

897-0748 

public 

relations and 

marketing 

$30,000 

$40,000 

90 days 

6 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

FH Myers Construction 

Corp. 

520 Commerce Point 

Harahan 70123 

734-1099 

734-1073 

construction $30,000 for staff; $52,000 

for field workers 

$35,000 for staff; $65,000 

for field workers 

90 days 

48 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

Greater New Orleans 

Federal Credit Union 

3105 Lime St. 


454-8224 

459-8132 

banking $20,280 for union; $33,000 

for nonunion 

$31,625 for union; $49,388 

for nonunion 

30 days for union; 90 

days for nonunion 

37 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

N 

Hartwig Moss Insurance 

Agency 

2626 Canal St. 


569-9909 

569-9900 

insurance $45,777 for staff; $164,692 

for agents 

$45,520 for staff; $165,276 

for agents 


hire 

42 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

Huseman and Associates 

3925 N. I-10 Service Road 

W., Sutie 201-B 


456-3119 

456-3122 

engineering 

consulting 

59,000 

75,000 


90 days 

13 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

Keating Magee 

600 Decatur St., 5th floor 


299-8000 

525-6647 

advertising 

and public 

relations 

$30,000 

$60,000 

immediate 

11 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

M.S. Rau Antiques 

630 Royal St. 


523-5660 

566-0057 

antique 

retailer 

$30,000 

$40,000 

90 days 

35 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

Mudbug Media 

365 Canal St., Suite 2325 


581-4636 

581-4356 

interactive 

marketing 

$30,000 

$45,000 

30 days 

45 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Schafer Group 

701 Aurora Ave., Suite A 


837-6573 

NA 

accounting 55,000 

65,000 

30 days 

15 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

U.S. Risk Management 

365 Canal St., Suite 2760 


561-6563 

NA 

environmental 

consulting 

$50,000 

$60,000 

immediate 

46 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

N 

N 

Y 

Y 

Y 

Y 

N 

Y 

N 

N 


DURR is a “take charge” 

type of company. 

(Hard) Hats off to 

every member of our 

team that makes 


one of the 

“Best Places to Work.” 

SITE PREPARATION 

DEMOLITION 

UTILITIES 

PAVING 

DISASTER RECOVERY 

We like that! 

LET DURR TAKE CHARGE! 

817 Hickory Ave. Harahan, LA 70123 

504.737.3205 

72030 Live Oak St. Covington, LA 70433 

985.875.2164 

www.durrhc.com 

Here’s a bible of business strategy! It’s 

an invaluable playbook of strategic 

moves for managers, marketers and 

entrepreneurs, covering all 14 known 

attacking and defending strategies, and 

backed up by more than 300 international 

examples. It will show you what move to 

Strategy Moves 

use, how to use it, and when – like a book 

of chess moves for business. 

Plus you’ll get a unique case study of how 

Japanese auto firms conquered the U.S. 

market using the various moves covered in 

the book. 

We, at Brown's, thank 

our dedicated and loyal 

employees, who are 

truly our best asset. 

We salute them for their 

efforts in helping make 

Brown’s Dairy the 

“Best Place to Work” 

in New Orleans. 

DOLAN BUSINESS BOOKS 

Go to www.DolanBusinessBooks.com 

or call 1-800-451-9998 today! 

H5Z307 238

My Medicare Health Team 

To 

learn more about Peoples Health Medicare health plans, 

call toll-free, 24 hours a day, 

7 days a week: 

1-877-212-5677 

TTY/TDD TY/TDD users call 1-866-475-6868 Monday through Friday, 

8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Si prefiere discutir sus opciones de Medicare en español, favor de llamar al 1-800-226-4290 

Call today fo 

or your 

infor 

mation kit. 

FREE 

www. 

.peopleshealth.com 

Pe 

eoples Health is a Medicare Advantage org 

ganization with a Medicare contract 

H1961_MMHTKITPA1_CMSApproved1 

A1_CMSApproved11072010

Laitram Zehnder - New Orleans City Business

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?