Ingenuity - New Orleans City Business

2004

IngenuityPOWERPaul Zimmermann, Entergy engineer and project manager, shown through a cross section of one of eight transmission cables and conduit now carryingelectricity deep beneath the Mississippi River.Mississippi River Crossing Project 2004• 230,000 volts of electricity• 48,000 feet of conduit pipes weighing nearly 400 tons• 45,000 feet of electric cable weighing nearly 500 tons• 3,500-foot bundle of 12 conduit pipes crossing belowthe Mississippi River• 523 days from start to finish• 30 days ahead of schedule• 1 goal—to provide safe and reliable electricity to our customers“Using directional drilling techniques and GPS technology, ourtransmission engineers have written a new chapter in powerindustry history as they built on the company's record ofsupplying reliable power in a unique region blessed with a richbut delicate ecosystem."— J. Wayne Leonard,Entergy's chief executive officer1-800-ENTERGY (368-3749) • ©2004 Entergy Corporationwww.entergy.com

Table of ContentsLaitram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4AMECO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6AApogen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8ABizzuka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8ABoudreaux’s Butt Paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9ADelta Queen Steamboat Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10AChef John Folse & Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11AGeneScan USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11AGT Energy LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12AHibernia National Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12ALEI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13ALouisiana Production Capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13AMD Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14ANational EMS Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15APenta Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15AP&R Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16AProcter & Gamble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16AUrban Dog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17AWhat’s in a name?AIMING HIGHEREducatorsDelgado Community College —Charity School of Nursing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19ALouisiana State University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19AEcole Bilinge da la Nouvelle-Orléans . . . . . . . . . . . . 20AInternational School of Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20ABack to the Future Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21ANonprofitsAudubon Center for Research of Endangered Species . . 22AExceptional Entrepreneurs of Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . 22AJefferson Economic Development Commission . . . . . 23ALouisiana Bucket Brigade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23ASTARC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24AResearchersYiping Chen, Kevin Kovitz, Raj Pandian, Paolo Raggi . . . 25ACompanies and individuals On the Brink . . . . . . . . . . 26AOn the CoverLaitram LLC employees: Elliot Mertz, on top of stairs, Flemming Frederiksen, left,and Paul HortonCover photo by Cheryl GerberThe entire contents of this publication are copyrighted by NOPG LLC, 2004,with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without permission,of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited.NOPG LLC, 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie LA 70005, (504) 834-9292.Innovation. Leadership. Teamwork. Diversity. Excellence.Just a few of the words that led us to our new name.Introducing Apogen Technologies. Bringing governmentcustomers the most innovative technology solutions.Brought to you by the mergerof ITS Services and SEA.www.apogentech.com2004 Innovator of the Year

LaitramCompany founded on innovationcontinues to adapt to a changing worldIT ALL STARTED with a rubber shrimp boot.Laitram LLC founder J.M. Lapeyre accidentallystepped on a shrimp while working in his father’sshrimp plant. The crustacean popped out of itsshell. With more experimentation, and the rubberrollers in his mother’s washing machine, he createdthe process that would launch a company built oninnovation.Lapeyre, who received more than 190 patents duringhis lifetime, died in 1989. But the company hestarted has continued to grow.Since the founding of Laitram Machinery Inc. in1949, Laitram LLC has grown to 1,350 employeesworldwide with 2003 revenues of $176.5 million.Based in Harahan, it now has five divisions:Laitram Machinery Inc., which introduced the automaticshrimp peeler in 1949; Intralox LLC, whichsupplies modular plastic conveyor belts around theworld; Lapeyre Stair Inc., which manufactures alternatingtread stairs and conventional stairs; LaitramMachine Shop LLC, providing machining services toall company divisions and some outside customers;and Industrial Microwave Systems LLC, a NorthCarolina company Laitram acquired in September2003 that produces microwave-based heating anddrying systems for the manufacturing process.“Innovation is our lifeblood,” said Paul Horton,plant manager for Intralox. “If we don’t changewe’re dead.”The division that began it all, Laitram Machinery,The man who started it all, J.M. Lapeyre, founder of Laitram.PHOTO BY MICHAEL SUSTENDALLapeyre Stair President Elliot Mertz, at the top of a Lapeyre Stair, and Flemming Frederiksen, left, president of Laitram Machinery,with Intralox Plant Manager Paul Horton, right, of the Intralox plant in Harahan.is still manufacturing processing systems that clean,peel, devein and grade shrimp. It also manufacturessteam cookers and immersion chillers. The firstshrimp-peeling machine was designated a historicalengineering landmark by the American Society ofMechanical Engineers.“We are continuously updating and improvingexisting designs,” said Flemming Frederiksen, presidentof Laitram Machinery. “We’re trying to followthe philosophy that if the customer doesn’t makemoney, we don’t make money.”The division leases and sells its equipment toshrimp processors around the world. Initially,Laitram grew because it had protected patents for itsshrimp peelers, but those only last for so long, so itcontinued to look for new ways to grow. It is focusingnow on cooking and has a prototype in the works fora patented process that cooks shrimp at temperatureslower than 212 degrees — the industry standard.This means clients lose less soluble proteins andwater and get a better yield and a better tasting product,Frederiksen said. Laitram is eyeing SoutheastAsia markets for the process.One processor in Thailand cooks 100,000pounds of shrimp a day, he said. “So I can give him 2percent to 3 percent extra yield. At $3.50 a poundthat’s $10,000 a day for him, so that’s real money.”Laitram Machinery eventually gave birth toIntralox in 1973 because J.M. Lapeyre needed a wayto load shrimp efficiently into his peeling machines.He invented the first all-plastic modular constructionconveyor belt to replace the rusty and dangeroussteel belts then in use.Today, about half of Intralox’s business is relatedto food and beverage although it also supplies industriessuch as pharmaceuticals and automobiles. It hasassembly plants in Australia, Brazil, Japan, theNetherlands and the United Kingdom.The division has close to 1,000 molds and 90 moldingmachines that allow it a high level of automation,4A 2004 Innovator of the Year

Intralox has adapted to the demands of clients by customizing conveyor belts through investing insmaller machines that can do specialized jobs.which tailors products for the specificneeds of each client. Such variations caninclude belts for ski resorts that needultraviolet inhibitors, others that havepoints designed to grab meat and stillothers with rounded bumps that preventsliced fruit from sticking to it. It recentlycreated a new angledProduct: Manufacturer with fivedivisions that make shrimppeeling and cookingmachines, stairs and conveyorbelts — with technologymostly invented in-house.roller conveyor belt to cutdown on luggage pileupson bomb scanning Location: HarahanName: Laitram LLCmachines in airports.“We used to think CEO: Jay Lapeyrewhat was needed was toget really good at makinga few products inhigh volume,” Hortonsaid. But then the divisionfound that everyclient wanted certainvariations. This meant buying smallermachines, which required more capitalinvestment. Luckily, Laitram CEO JayLapeyre “has a critical understandingof the role innovation plays in longtermsurvival,” Horton said. This wasapparent when Lapeyre asked him tobe plant manager. As an engineer,Horton was coming from a totally differentworld view.“Engineers thrive on innovation.Manufacturing thrives on efficiencyand lack of change,” he said. “What wehad to do was get the manufacturingworld to understand we will only survivewith change. Otherwise we canonly compete on price.”At Lapeyre Stair, change is in thewind these days as well. Founded in1981, it sprang from an idea by J.M.Lapeyre. He was fishing near an offshoreoil rig and saw a worker strugglingto get down a ladder to a crewboat.His answer was to invent an alternatingtread stair — a sort of crossbetween a conventional stair and a ladder.It’s been very successful creating aniche market but growth became limited,said Elliot Mertz, president andgeneral manager. So this year the divisionembarked on a new product line— conventional stairs.The firm foundmost conventionalmetal stairs are custom-manufacturedinlocal fabricationshops. So LapeyreStair decided to applythe technology itdeveloped in manufacturingalternatetread stairs to makecustom-designed conventionalstairs.“We can make them much fasterand more accurately than local fabricationshops, and it allows us to sellthem more efficiently,” Mertz said.A local fabrication shop wouldbegin with blueprints and cuttingmetal by hand. Lapeyre created programswith information on variousbuilding codes built in so the softwarecan design stairs that meet those codesbased on the height a client needs. Thedata goes into a computer that tellsmachines to cut the metal to thosespecifications.Mertz sees the move to this newproduct line as an extension of J.M.Lapeyre’s overall vision for Laitram.“For many years the company wasstrictly a manufacturer for the inventionsof J.M. Lapeyre,” he said. “Afterhe left us, we carried on that tradition.”— Megan Kamerick2004 Innovator of the Year 5A

MECO revisitedAll systems go on Cajun CanteenLast year’s Innovator of the Year winners,MECO, has seen its mobile water purificationsystem, the Cajun Canteen, pass allArmy testing, making the first unit readyfor field use in November.A New Orleans-based firm, MECO,signed a $40 million contract last yearwith the U.S. Army Tank andAutomotive Command to make 283Cajun Canteen units over the next fiveyears. Stephen Rome, Cajun Canteenproject manager, said funding from theDepartment of Defense has becomeavailable thus far for 40 units.“The Army takes a very deliberatetime to determine that the equipment isthe best it can be,” Rome said. “Theydon’t want to compromise on a productin any circumstance. They wanted tomake sure the product will work andthey can use it in the field.”The Cajun Canteen’s strength is itsmobility, weighing less than 2,000pounds and designed to fit in the back ofa Humvee or in an airplane. Rome saidthe Army tested the Cajun Canteen bydropping it by parachute in the field.The product also includes a generatorand can process seawater with a salinity of45,000 parts per million, making anyMECO has funding for 40 Cajun Canteens from the Department of Defense and other branches of the military have expressed interest in the compactwater purification unit. The first one will be ready for field use in November.source of water into drinking water. Romesaid a properly trained soldier could setup the Cajun Canteen in 45 minutes andproduce 125 gallons per hour using freshor brackish water and 75 gallons per hourusing high-salinity water.“We learned through the past year thatwe not only have to be concerned aboutthe quality of the product but also thequality of support for the product, likespare parts and product, repair and operatingmanuals,” Rome said. “We justneeded to have all the paperwork in place.There were really no major modificationsduring the past year of testing, just smallitems here and there.”Rome said the war in Iraq has increasedinterest in the Cajun Canteen, but contractsare hard to come by due to the strictbudget for the war. MECO has also hadsome inquiries from other branches of militaryservice and relief organizations.“I’m very pleased the Army will get usgoing and field these canteens because thisis equipment that soldiers need,” Romesaid. “Safe drinking water will always beuseful to combat troops in all areas andalso help civilians who are in contaminatedor disaster water environments.”— Tommy SantoraHEAD FOR HIBERNIAYou’ll notice we’re differentthe first time we talk with you.Starting with the fact that we actually talk with you.At Hibernia, we want to know more than your account number. We want to know your needs, your goals, your hopes.And we can help you achieve them! We provide you with greater access to your money with a vast ATM networkand online banking solutions such as Bank Online@Hibernia.com with Free Bill Pay. Hibernia offers a wide range ofproducts such as Completely Free Checking SM* , Home Equity Loans ** and Mortgage banking ** . We also haveknowledgeable people who are eager to help you. If you’re not getting all this from your bank, head for Hibernia.3 EASY WAYS TO CONTACT US.Call 1-888-855-2265.A customer service representative will be glad to help you.Log On.Go to Hibernia.com for 24-hour banking information.Or Visit.Visit any conveniently located Hibernia banking office.© 2004 Hibernia National Bank, Member FDIC. *Customer purchases checks. $50.00 minimum opening deposit. Free small business Bill Pay is not intended for use by commercial or institutional clients with annual sales exceeding $10 million.**Normal credit qualifications apply.6A 2004 Innovator of the Year

Organizing your event with the wrong productioncompany can be like trying to put a puzzle togetherwith half the pieces missing. It doesn’t have to belike that. At Royal Productions, we offer thecomplete picture, with all the pieces, so your ideascan vividly come to life at your event, hassle-free.Call us and utilize our full array of state-of-the-artservices—including set design, staging, lighting,audio and video, as well as our full range ofcomputer rentals, featuring the latest in kiosktechnology from friendlyway. Come to RoyalProductions, so that instead of worrying about yournext event, you can spend your time enjoying it.Contact us for a competitive quote today.ph 504.831.9779fax 504.831.92992004 Innovator of the Year 7A

Apogen TechnologiesTechnology firm tackles secret cameras and cancer testsMovie pirating and invasive cancer testingcould be relics of the past with technologydeveloped by Apogen Technologies.Formerly known as Science &Engineering Associates, the NewOrleans firm is making waves with itsnew SpyFinder product, which wasrecently featured on “CSI: Miami.”SpyFinder is a small, lightweight devicethat allows users to quicklyidentify and locate hiddencameras. The technologyuses low-powerlasers (similar to thoseused in laser pointers) thatscan for hidden camerasand can detect even concealedpinhole cameras.Nearly $200,000 inSpyFinder units were sold in 2003,although officials declined to give figureson the number of units that represents.The company was approached byleaders in the motion picture industryto help combat movie pirating. This ledto the creation of PirateEye, whichdetects the presence of digital camcordersin theaters. The technology isbeing developed using Apogen’spatented concepts.Bizzuka Inc.Putting the power of Web site creation at businesses’ fingertipsFancy and sophisticated Web sites area click and launch away at a bargainprice.Bizzuka Inc. of Lafayette has developeda content management platform,On-Demand Content andComponents, or OnDeCC, with clickand launch architecturethat gives businessesaccess to more than 90Web applications commonlyfound in corporateintranets, extranetsand Web sites.“A lot of our clientssend that first e-mailback to us and say,Name: Apogen TechnologiesLocation: New OrleansCEO: Todd Stottlemyer‘Wow, this is reallycool,’” said JohnMunsell, chief executiveofficer of Bizzuka. “Ourclients are blown away on how easy it isto access things and get their Web sitesgoing. The product minimizes trainingtime and allows anybody to changecontent.”Munsell, along with Bizzuka cofounderand Chief Operating OfficerLonnie Rouse, began the million-dollarplatform project in 2001 as theyProduct: Created hiddencamera detector andnew cancer detection test.Name: Bizzuka Inc.Location: LafayetteCEO: John MunsellProduct: Created Web-basedcontent managementplatform to allow smalland middle-sizedcompanies to competewith Web sites of largerbusinesses and corporations.“The SpyFinder and PirateEye are veryclosely related,” said David Cremer, vicepresident of Apogen. “We’ve been verylucky to take one idea and evolve it into anew idea. ... We were able to take the basictechnology ad make a whole new industrythat may be even bigger than the first one.”Apogen expects to field the PirateEyetechnology in early 2005 through acooperative businessbeta tested OnDeCC with consumercompanies. The following year,Bizzuka successfully completed a sixmonthpilot program as the vendor ofintranets to all network offices ofNorthwestern Mutual Life. Bizzukathen moved from Tampa Bay, Fla. toLafayette and beganmarketing the platformin October 2003.Total revenuesadded up to $100,000in the first year, andBizzuka anticipates2004 revenues to surpass$1 million.Bizzuka also has a100 percent clientretention rate whilelicensing 70 clients and100 deployments of itssoftware.“They are amazed at the new componentsbeing launched and how fastthey are to establish the things theywant to do,” Rouse said. “Anybodywho can use Microsoft Word can usethe product.”Bizzuka’s platform can be deployedfor as little as $2,500 plus $100 perMichael Goff, Julie Pigg and Liz Newell, seated, show off Apogen’s SpyFinder, which detects hidden cameras.partnership withTrakStar LLC. Thecompany is also workingon is making SpyFinderavailable for private consumeruse. It was originallydeveloped for theU.S. government as atool used in securitysweeps of embassies, hotels, conferencecenters, and other secure locations, butnow the firm has a licensing agreementwith another company and is looking tomake it available commercially.Apogen is also developing a minimallyinvasive photodynamic therapy for diagnosingand treating cervical cancer usinglaser light. SEAtreat uses multispectraldiagnostic imaging to selectively depositlaser light on cancerous cells while preservinghealthy cells.Company officials are hopeful theirtechnology will provide an accuratediagnosis and same-day treatment whiledramatically reducing pain and sufferingto patients. It received $6 million fromthe U.S. Army to develop the technologyand is slated to receive an additional$2 million soon. Three SEAtreat unitsare in clinical testing.Company revenues for 2003 wereJohn Munsell, left, and co-founder, Lonnie Rouse, help companies create sophisticated Web sites.month with up-front fees dependingon the graphic design of the Web site.Clients have access to a library ofmore than 90 Web-based services,ranging from creating Simple Textpages to applications that automatedocument sharing, resource scheduling,meeting coordination and onlinepublishing.“We realize a company’s needs aregoing to change over time, and we havethose available components so theycan do what they have to do withoutbuilding page after page to change$107.86 million. The company mergedwith ITS Services Inc. in January, aWashington, D.C.-based IT contractor.With nearly 250 employees locallyand nearly 500 employees worldwide,Apogen’s client list includes theDepartment of Homeland Security, U.S.Navy, Internal Revenue Service and theCensus Bureau.something,” Munsell said.Bizzuka’s latest venture was a partnershipwith the University ofLouisiana at Lafayette to extend itscontent management system into anenterprise-class system to be sold toother universities, state and local governmentdivisions and agencies.According to Bizzuka, the partnershipcould open additional markets andgenerate more than $3 million in revenuewithin the next two years.— Tommy Santora— Nicole Haase8A 2004 Innovator of the Year

Boudreaux’s Butt PasteQuirky name helps diaper rash remedy get national exposureIt’s not so bad being the butt of everyone’sjokes, said George Boudreaux, available in Boudreaux’s drugstore. InBy 1978, the packaged version wasespecially if you’re laughing all the way to 1994, Boudreaux and his wife beganthe bank. With 2004 projected earnings promoting the product at trade shows.of $4 million, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste has Thanks in large part to its name,capitalized on its unique, southern Boudreaux’s Butt Paste sales grew.Louisiana product name and entered the “But the proof, as we say, is in thenational spotlight.paste,” Boudreaux said. The balm is a“We wouldn’t be talking here if it was mixture of zinc oxide, castor oil, mineraloil, boric acid and Peruvian bal-called George’s diaper rash cream,”Boudreaux said.sam, which stimulates capillary activityA native of southand promotes healing. ItLouisiana, Boudreauxwas accustomed to beingthe butt of countlessCajun jokes. It’s only fittingthat he should turnthe joke on himself andcapitalize on skyrocketingname recognitionand sales.In the 1970s,Boudreaux had alreadygained a reputation among mothersacross the North Shore for the concoctionhe prepared in his Covington pharmacythat soothed babies’ bottoms.When a local physician sent a patient tothe pharmacist for “some of his buttpaste,” the name stuck.Name: Boudreaux’s Butt PasteLocation: CovingtonCEO: George BoudreauxProduct: A soothing ointmentinvented inBoudreaux’s pharmacy fordiaper rash plus a variety ofother irritations.is clinically approved asa diaper rash remedyand skin protectant andhelps a variety of skindisorders, from acne toshingles.In the late 1990s, Wal-Mart officials agreed tocarry Boudreaux’s ButtPaste, gradually increasingthe small company’srevenues until they approached the $2million mark last year. At an averageprice of $1.84 to $3.26 per tube, that’s alot of Butt Paste.Boudreaux’s product has been mentionedon The Tonight Show andESPN. In February, Oprah Winfrey fea-Founder George Boudreaux created the formula for his Butt Paste in his Covington pharmacy.tured Butt Paste on her show, sparking manufacturing the product.unprecedented demand. “We had Boudreaux increased production for70,000 hits on our Web site in a 24-hour period,” Boudreaux said.In addition to the Wal-Mart deal,Boudreaux has secured product positioning16 hours a day for almost sevenmonths in an effort to meet thedemand. “We bought a new machinethat will do about 100 tubes ain Target stores nationwide, minute,” Boudreaux said. “ThatWalgreen’s and California-based FredMeyers grocery stores.means we will be about to do about48,000 tubes a day.”In 2002, New Orleans-based Dr. G.H. Tichenor Antiseptic Co. began— By Angelle Bergeron2004 Innovator of the Year 9A

Delta Queen Steamboat Co.Revitalized company returns to New OrleansNew Orleans has seen bigger companiespull up stakes, but when Delta QueenSteamboat Co. moved its headquartersto South Florida a few years ago, it was asymbolic as well as economic blow. Afterall, what better place for the company’sfleet of three stately paddlewheel cruisers,and the office personnel who keepthem rolling, than on the mighty riverwhere steamboat traffic once thrived?So it came as welcome news whenDelaware North Cos Inc., the hospitalityand food service giantthat acquired the bankruptriver cruise line twoName: Delta QueenSteamboat Co.years ago, announcedthat Delta Queen’s headquarterswould berestored to New Orleans,along with a number ofjobs that had been shedduring the company’sfinancially troubled years.In 2004, Delta Queen further solidifiedties with its home port when itannounced that New Orleans would bethe permanent home of the company’snewest and largest vessel, the AmericanQueen, and introduced three- and fournightcruises from the Robin St. WharfLocation: New OrleansPresident: Rick AbramService: River cruises onsteamboats combined withland packages.to historic sites along the MississippiRiver between the Crescent City and St.Francisville.The twice-weekly cruise, dubbedthe “New Orleans & RiverboatAdventure Week,” includes hotelstays and meals at some of the city’smost famous restaurants. Companyfigures estimate the new product willdraw some 40,000 passengers thisyear for gross revenues of $30 millionand pump an additional $20 millionto $25 million into theThe American Queen steamboat takes visitors to places such as Natchez, Miss., and is part of anew land-river cruise package offered by Delta.local economy.President RickAbramson said the newcruise makes sense, giventhe city’s status as a premieretourist destination.Internal research amongtravelers showed that,when asked to list theirfavorite U.S. destinations,New Orleans tied New York for secondplace, just behind San Francisco, he said.“So we decided to base the boats herebecause the assets are here in NewOrleans.” These include cultural attractions,museums and restaurants.The company has dedicated $6.5 millionof its total $15 million advertisingbudget to the New Orleans & RiverboatAdventure with the Baby Boom demographicin mind. The three-night cruise,which leaves on Friday afternoons, is alsobeing touted as a weekend getaway forlocal residents.Abramson said a talented local staffand a trend toward family-style, identifiablyAmerican vacations have helpedrevive the company’s fortunes.“There’s never been a cruise companythat went bankrupt and came back,”he said. “We’re gonna be the first one.”— Russell McCulleyWomen of the YearRecognizing exceptional achievement amonglocal professional womenHelp us identify the city’s most successful working womenIn a special supplement coming up in CityBusiness, we’ll name Women of the Year fromthe local area. We will identify, profile and honor these professional women, whose successesin business and contributions to the community have set the pace for the future ofour region. We are looking for innovative leaders who are making waves with their energy,ideas, achievements and commitment to excellence. Nominations are welcomed from allbusiness sectors.Deadline: August 16, 2004Two ways to submit a nomination form:1) Fax it to Women of the Year at 504-832-35502) Mail it to Women of the Year, CityBusiness, 111 VeteransMemorial Blvd., Suite 1440, Metairie, LA 70005Feel free to attach additional sheets if necessary.panel of judges will use nomination forms and independent research to make final selections.Self-nominations are accepted. The Women of the Year will be profiled in CityBusiness andhonored at a special event.Nominee:Title:Company/organization:Business address:City, state, zip:Company phone number:Nominee’s E-mail address:Birthdate:Education (dates/type of diplomas, degrees, technical training):Business accomplishments (job responsibilities, special projects, business-related affiliations)Community involvement (nonprofits, civic, state and national organizations):Achievements and awards:Nominated by:Name/title:Business address:Phone number:E-mail:10A 2004 Innovator of the Year

Chef John FolseReviving culinary innovations from Louisiana’s pastFive years ago, Chef John Folse beganresearch on an encyclopedia of Creoleand Cajun cuisine.He went back into the history ofLouisiana and uncovered some surprisingfacts.In the 1600s, Louisiana was a thrivingproducer of olives and inthe 1700s, cheese makersflourished throughoutNew Orleans.Location: Gonzales“There were cheeseCEO: John Folsestands and cheese marketsrun by the French,Spanish and Germanseverywhere,” Folse said.“It made sense that thesecultures that were greatcheese makers in the Old World naturallywould want to bring some of that to theNew World.”Folse began experimenting with the OldWorld cheeses prevalent in the early days ofLouisiana and became confident thatcheese making could thrive in the state.In 2000, Folse built a cheese plant inGonzales, named it BittersweetPlantation, and less than two years laterproduced his first Creole cream cheese.Bittersweet Plantation, one of theGeneScan USACompany capitalizes on demand for accurate food labelingThe rest of the world’s queasiness aboutgenetically modified food is Louisiana’sgain. The country’s leading testing facilityfor genetically modified organisms inprocessed food, GeneScan USA, has itsheadquarters in Jefferson Parish.GeneScan USA began when theRussell Marine Group bought CentralAnalytical Laboratories in an effort towork on food chemistry and food analysis.After this, the RussellMarine Group formed apartnership with aGerman entity calledGeneScan in 1999. Thetrio of companies generatesbetween $15 millionand $20 million in annualrevenues.GeneScan usesapplied molecular biology to authenticateingredients in processed foods. Forexample, if a buyer purchases sausagemeat and wants to make sure there isnothing like horse meat in the sausage,GeneScan can perform tests to authenticatethe ingredients.One of the main services GeneScanprovides for its clients is to test forgenetic modifications in food. TheName: Chef John Folse & Co.Product: Resurrectingtraditional and artisanalcheeses oncecommon in Louisiana.Name: GeneScanLocation: MetairiePresident: Mike RussellService: Test food forgenetically modifiedorganisms.only specialty artisan dairies inLouisiana and the only chef-owneddairy in the United States, createsCreole cream cheese and two varietiesof fromage triple cream cheese.Folse is expanding the product linewith goat cheeses, cottage cheese, fetacheese, butter and yogurt.Bittersweet Plantationproducts are marketed inthe food industry, retailshops, supermarkets andhigh-end grocery stores,and distributed nationally.In 2003, BittersweetPlantation earned$500,000 in product revenuesand expects to doublethat in 2004.Folse says the real obstacle to makingcheese here was the lack of knowledge.“In the 1800s, the Louisiana cheeseindustry disappeared. People whocraved the real Old World flavors wereable to import cheese from Europe, sothe small farmers who converted theirexcess milk into cheese saw no need tocontinue producing. This made localexpertise difficult to find.”Folse networked with cheese makersEuropean Union has strict regulationsstating that all genetically modified substances(DNA or proteins) must beaccurately labeled. GeneScan performstests for American clients that sell foodin the European Union as well asEuropean food processors who useAmerican ingredients. As geneticallymodified food becomes more commonplace,GeneScan’s services becomeincreasingly valuable tofood processors.GeneScan is located inMetairie and employs 75highly skilled workers in arecently renovated 22,000-square-foot laboratory.“Since we startedbusiness here, we arethe largest genetic modificationlab in North America,” saidMike Russell, company president.Not only is GeneScan located inMetairie, but 80 percent of itsemployees have been educated atLouisiana institutions. GeneScanalso conducts testing and suppliesanalytical data for Louisiana StateUniversity food science professors.Russell said two factors setChef John Folse is on a mission to revive Louisiana’s heritage as a center for artisanal cheeses.around the country and took a course instate but across the country,” Folse said.in cheese making at Washington State “This state is known for great food andUniversity.innovation, and if we can market ourFolse hopes Bittersweet Plantation product and get the message out, tie it towill help the struggling local dairy farmersby introducing a new line of products country will once again look to Louisianaour culture and history, the rest of theto the marketplace.as a great producer of cheese.”“We should see a new excitement inLouisiana cheese products not only—-Richard A. WebsterGeneScan’s laboratories in Metairie use molecular biology to test for genetically modified organismsin processed foods.GeneScan apart from competitors.One is the company’s technical superiority,thanks to a large, state-of-theartresearch and development facilityin Berlin. Second, Russell said thetop-notch customer service offeredby GeneScan anticipates and meetsindividual needs for each specificcompany it serves. Russell’s motto oncustomer service is simple: “Keep’em happy.”In the future, GeneScan hopes to keepits place at the top of the American bioengineeringfield while developing andapplying new technical advances in thefield of molecular biology.•—-Fritz Esker2004 Innovator of the Year 11A

GT Energy LLCCompany sees profits in promoting green powerGT Energy LLC wants to make it profitablefor companies to be good environmentalcitizens.The New Orleans firm opened inJanuary 2003 with the mission of promotingthe development of clean energy technologies.Chief Executive Officer AndrewFielding, Chief Operating Officer ChrisDufour and AssociateDirector Marcus Krembswork with utility companies,power marketers andutility firms to arrange andstructure renewable energytransactions.Name: GT Energy LLCLocation: New OrleansCEO: Andrew Fielding“Most companiesdon’t have anyone devotedto this full time,”Krembs said. “We’re really the only shopthat looks at these full time.”During the past 12 months, GTearned commission for $90 million indeals. The firm has structured more than45 renewable energy transactions in thepast eight months, including “major utilitycompanies down to Billy Joe Bobwho owns an energy operation in upstateNew York,” Krembs said. They workwith private investors and major industrialcorporations that have exposure toService: Promotes the developmentof sustainableenergy markets.international carbon mitigation programs,Krembs said.“The Kyoto Protocol is a big dealeverywhere but the U.S. We’re extremelyactive in that mechanism in Canada andEurope,” he said.If a company is required to have acertain percentage of renewable energygeneration withinits electricity supplyportfolio, GT assiststhe firm in acquiringthe most cost-effectivesupply of renewableenergy. This oftencomes in the form ofrenewable energy certificates,which aregenerated when companies use renewableresources such as solar and windinstead of fossil fuels to create electricityand can be sold separately fromtheir associated electricity.GT officials anticipate continuedgrowth in these markets. Fourteen stateshave clean energy goals or a renewableportfolio standard that requires that acertain generation capacity or a percentageof retail electricity must come fromrenewable energy sources. Also, in theGT Energy staff from left: Andrew Fielding, Marcus Krembs, Chris Dufour and Shelly Cayette, seated.past two years many large U.S. corporationshave begun purchasing renewable Renewables Council of Louisiana and ismarket, however GT is active in theenergy certificates, including Kinko’s interested in developing renewable energysources here such as agriculturalInc., Johnson & Johnson, DuPont andAlcoa Inc.refuse like sugar cane hulls.GT also advises companies on makingthe most of their environmental these products,” Krembs said.“We’re trying to create a market forassets such as wind and solar facilities.The firm does not do much work in— Megan KamerickLouisiana since it is a regulated energyHibernia National BankOnline checking creates flood of businessIn early 2003, Hibernia NationalBank introduced its customers to ofonline banking.The centerpiece of the new initiativeis Completely Free Checking, a servicethat offers no minimum balance, no percheck charge and unlimited checkwriting.In addition toCompletely FreeChecking, Hibernianow offers preapprovedloan applicationsand a checkingproduct selector thathelps the customerselect the account thatbest fits his or her needs.Customers can bank online, paytheir bills and receive free gifts for“Tell-A-Friend” referrals.As a result of the changes, Hiberniaclosed more than $55 million in consumerloans online in 2003, a 161percent increase over the previoustwo years and opened 3,400 newchecking accounts, a 50 percentincrease over 2002.“It’s about driving the businessonline,” said Jeff Heinzelman,12A 2004 Innovator of the YearName: Hibernia National BankLocation: New OrleansCEO: J. Herbert (Herb) BoydstunService: Online CompletelyFree Checking.Hibernia’s Internet channel m3anager.“We’re providing another option forcustomers to open accounts and providingthe tools to find the right type ofaccount.”The purpose of the new features isto make everything as easy as possiblefor the customer, Heinzelman said.“We spent a lot oftime creating an onlineprocess that was intuitiveand gets the customerin and out thedoor as quickly as possible.”Everything a customerdoes online isfree, something Hibernia’s large competitors,but few of its local marketcompetitors, have done. Heinzelmansaid it has eroded the fears and concernsmost people have about conductingbusiness on the Internet.“In terms of new business coming inan online presence is very significant.When we make improvements we seethe benefits almost immediately,” hesaid.— Richard A. Webster Hibernia’s Web site has driven a large number of new customers to the bank.

LEI Inc.Recycling lamps proves profitable for Hammond companyWhen lamps become obsolete, LEI Inc.(formerly known as Lamp Recyclers ofLouisiana Inc.) steps in to make sure theydon’t become environmental hazards.The Hammond-based companyrecently received environmental awardsfrom Gov. Kathleen Blanco for pollutionprevention and for its environmentalmanagement system. LEI helped reducethe amount of pollutionLouisiana Production Capital LLCEntrepreneur helps film companies use tax creditsIn 2002, the Louisiana Legislaturepassed the Motion Picture Incentive Actgiving income tax credits to out-of-statefilm producers who film in-state.It sounded like a good idea but aCalifornia-based film production companythat earns no Louisiana incomehas little use for Louisiana income taxcredits.Into this gaping hole of logic steppedWilliam French.“I figured if these filmcompanies were going tocome to our state, filmtheir production anddump cash into oureconomy I’d find themtaxpayers willing to buytheir tax credits,”French said.In January 2003,Location: HammondCEO: Arthur SchillingService: Recycling toxicmaterials from lamps.Name: Louisiana ProductionCapitalLocation: New OrleansPresident: Will FrenchService: Purchases statefilm tax credits from filmproducers to encouragemore film production inthe state.discharged into the environmentfrom 981,000Name: LEI Inc.pounds of toxic metals.In 1994, LEI openedits business in an effort topreserve public healthand reduce pollution oflocal lands and waterwaysby creating a more effective process ofrecycling spent mercury lamps.“We saw a need. There wasn’t anyindustry like this in Louisiana,” saidLarry Fannaly, sales manager.Business has been steadily increasingfor LEI ever since. LEI has branched outfrom servicing local industries to providingwaste management for national companiessuch as Home Depot and Lowe’s.The company feeds lamps into animplosion chamber where they are implodedin a negative air pressure environment.The mercury vapor released from the lampis filtered through carbon scrubbers thatremove the mercury vapor. The ferrousand non-ferrous metals are recycled asscrap metal, and the glass is processed andreused as reflective material roadway stripingpaint or in some cases as filler aggregatein asphalt manufacture. The mercury iscleaned and distilled thenreused in the manufactureof new mercury containingdevices.LEI has the state contractfor recycling lampsand ballasts. Lamp ballastsmanufactured before 1979contain the carcinogenPCB. LEI’s services help prevent this carcinogenfrom being released into the environment.Also, current fluorescent lampsand light bulbs typically contain mercury,cadmium and other toxic metals. LEI aidsin the transportation, management andrecycling of these hazardous materials.In the future, LEI hopes to gain morenational accounts and offer broaderservices and expanded coverage to itsexisting customers. Its main area ofexpansion will be in its transportationFrench establishedLouisiana ProductionCapital, LLC.LPC purchases in bulk the tax creditsa film production company earns andsells them at a discount to Louisiana taxpayers.The film production gets what itwants — immediate cash for its tax credits— while taxpayers can buy $1,000worth of tax credits for $850.“I buy them at a substantial discountoff of the face value, mark them up a littleto provide for expenses and profit andresell for still well below face value,”French said. “Without a company likemine I’m not sure the incentive wouldhave worked.”Last year, the state estimated out-ofstatefilm productioncompanies contributed$173 million to the localeconomy.In 2003, LPC borrowed$1 million in creditfrom Whitney Bank,bought $3.76 millionworth of tax credits fromfilm producers and resoldfor a net profit of$500,000.LPC expects to tradebetween $15 million and $20 millionin 2004 and increase its net profits to$1 million to $2 million.“‘Runaway Jury’ held its credits forover a year as it paid lawyers to try tofind taxpayers who wanted them,”French said. “They probably soldLEI CEO Art Shilling, left, and Larry Fanaly, sales manager.services. This division of LEI, founded mostly limited to vans hauling drummedin late 2002, is rapidly growing. In wastes. Soon, LEI hopes to equip trucks2003, it accounted for 11 percent of that can transport roll-off boxes andLEI’s gross revenue. Now, the transportationdivision accounts for almost ices in effect by October 2004.tankers. LEI hopes to have these new serv-one quarter of the company’s revenue.Currently, the contract transportation is— Fritz EskerWilliam French, founder of Louisiana Production Capital LLC.their credits to taxpayers directly for afew cents more but they paid far morein legal fees. It’s best to sell quickly andall at once to a person like me who providesa fast and efficient way of turningtax credits into cash.”— Richard A. Webster2004 Innovator of the Year 13A

MD TechnologiesTechnology lets doctors manage complex practicesIn one respect, MD TechnologiesInc., the Baton Rouge-based developerof Medtopia HealthcareInformation Systems, is a classicexample of entrepreneurism from theWhy-didn’t-somebody-think-of-thisbeforeschool.In another, it’s something of a rarity: ahigh-tech success story based inLouisiana.“I don’t think it really matters whereyou’re located,” saidChairman Jose Canseco.“I don’t think doctorscare if it’s a SiliconValley product or not. Ifit works, it works.”In just a few years,MD Technologies haslined up an impressivelist of clients, includingEmory University andsome 113 physicians and clinicsnationwide. It’s chief product,Medtopia, is an Internet-based applicationthat allows physicians and staff tostreamline and better manage the tangleof information that comes with operatinga medical practice today — patientName: MD Technologies Inc.Location: Baton RougeCEO: William DavisProduct: Medtopia, an Internetbasedapplication that allowsphysicians and staff to managetheir practices.records, accounts, claims, inventoryand human resources — and concentrateon their primary mission of deliveringquality health care.The Medtopia concept developedover many years, Canseco says. In theearly 1990’s, Canseco, who is an attorney,and business partner Rick Marcosowned a company that administered astate-sponsored children’s health program,keeping track of billing, collectionsand medical procedures.Electricalengineer WilliamDavis, now MDTechnologies presidentand CEO, developedsoftware that allowedthe partners to computerizeand automatecompliance information.At the time, it wasa novel idea, one that soon evolved intosmall medical practice managementsoftware and, in 1998, the Internetbasedmanagement applicationMedtopia.The company’s 2003 revenues were$323,897 and its projected revenues inFounder Jose Canseco and CEO William Davis of MD Technologies.2004 are $600,000.Technologies has managed to so farCanseco and Davis — cofounder raise $3 million of its $4 million goal.Marcos has since left the company Even though Medtopia’s usersand state — have had little time to rest don’t care whether the technology’son their accomplishments. Fierce origins lie in Silicon Valley or down oncompetition keeps the company, the bayou, a home base in Louisiana,which has two dozen employees, on rather than Austin or Atlanta, hasits toes; Canseco says it will deploy made it tougher to line up financing.three new “extremely cutting-edge” But the struggle has been worth it,products in the third quarter of 2004. Canseco says.And MD Technologies launched an “I would do it all again,”he says.“I trulyinitial public offering last year — an believe that we’re doing something great.”inauspicious time to take a technologycompany public, perhaps, but MD— Russell McCulleyLOUISIANAPRODUCTIONC A P I T A LPioneers in the field of film tax credit brokering14A 2004 Innovator of the Year

P&R AccessoriesMotorcycle rider’s quest for comfort yields successful inventionIf you’re not a motorcycle enthusiast, Bakup was developed foryou may not understand the necessity ofPhillip Strother’s invention, Bakup. Buthe has an image he uses to help peopleunderstand.“Imagine you’re driving for milesin your car with no back on your seat.You have nothing to hold you up,you’re relying on the steering wheel tokeep you upright,” he said. “That’sHarley-Davidson police motorcyclesand is being used in lawenforcement.Sales of the Bakup neared$250,000 in 2003 and Strotherestimates that they will exceed$400,000 in 2004.The device is breaking groundin a market formerly dominated bywhat it’s like to drive amotorcycle with noback rest.”The Bakup is revolutionaryin that it ismade in America, fromstainless steel parts andit requires no modificationsto the bike inorder to mount it. It canName: P&R AccessoriesLocation: LulingOwners: Phillip & RhondaStrotherbe installed quickly and withoutchanges, alterations or adjustments tothe motorcycles’ frame or body, makingit more “user-friendly.” Currently itis available for BMW, Harley-Davidson, Honda and Yamaha motorcycles.New models are under development.In addition, a model of theProduct: Invented the Bakup,a backrest for motorcycles.overseas creationsthat Strother saidare made for thecheapest priceand not to satisfythe customer.“This is an All-American madeproduct,” he said.Strother saidthough locals might not understandthe need for such a device, there isa large market elsewhere, especiallyoverseas. He said that before he createdthe Bakup “there wasn’t anything on themarket I thought suitable to put on aBMW bike.”What started as an innovation meantThe Bakup back rest can fit on several makes of motorcycles and requires no modification to the bike.for Strother’s personal use has expandedto distribution in 78 BMW Dealers advantage of his invention comes fromeasy to install, Strother said the biggestnationwide. He is looking to export the the comfort it gives riders.Bakup overseas, where he said there is a “A comfortable rider is a more awaremuch larger market for motorcycle rider. A more aware rider is a safeaccessories among the larger amount of rider,” he said.bike enthusiasts.While the Bakup is user-friendly and— Nicole HaaseProcter & GambleCompany thinks outside the can for its coffee packaging inNew OrleansFolgers coffee drinkers might associatethe product with a red steel can. Now thecompany has launched new packagingfor its coffee line: the AromaSeal canister,an all-plastic container with a foil seal.Folgers, a Procter & Gamble company,claims two Louisiana connections for itsdesign. The plastic canister is manufacturedat Liquid Container LP/Plaxicon Co.of Hammond. The coffee supply comesName: Procter & GambleLocation: CincinnatiCEO: Alan G. LafleyProduct: Folger’sAromaSeal canisterlaunched at its facilityin eastern New Orleans.from the Folgers’ easternNew Orleans plant.Procter & Gamblesays Folgers is the firstroast and ground coffeesold in a plastic container.The AromaSeal canister,which replaces the traditionalsteel can that hadbeen in use since the mid-19th century, keeps coffeeas fresh as the original package.But the newdesign is easier to handle. It’s light and easyto hold and features a wide, indented handle.The design has won Folgers accoladesfrom both the packaging industry —Packaging Digest, which speculated lastSeptember that the new plastic containercould “spell the death of the steel coffeecan” — and praise from consumers, whosay the design is more convenient for elderlyconsumers or those people with arthritis.Additionally, the metal lid of the can isnow replaced by a “snap-tight” plastic lidand a peel-off foil seal, which eliminatesthe need for can openers and also meansfewer cuts or scrapes from jagged metaledges. The canister is dent-resistant andunlikely to break. Procter & Gambledeveloped the idea for the canister withassistance from several companies, whichcontributed to the completeAromaSeal package.Procter & Gamblereported a 4 percentincrease in coffee sales afterthe August 2003 launch ofthe AromaSeal canister.The first AromaSealcanisters will be sold in a39-ounce size — the sameamount as in the steel can,but measuring 6 by 6 inches, shorter andwider than the can — with Folgers’ bestsellingClassic Roast.Eventually,all Folgersmetal containers will be replaced withAromaSeal canisters.The blow-molded canister, which ismade from high-density polyethylene,is recyclable.— Faith DawsonFolgers began using the new canister for the coffee processed at its eastern New Orleans plant.16A 2004 Innovator of the Year

Urban Dog MagazineMagazine finds its niche by going to the dogsAs a dog lover — in particular as a lover ofmutts and mongrels — Lisa Robinson wasfrustrated that most dog publications,such as Dog Fancy and Dog World,seemed geared toward breeders and a certainrarefied type of dog enthusiast.However, she saw opportunity in her frustration;Robinson published the first issueof her magazine, Urban Dog, in 2001.“I was inspired to create it because Iwas looking for something like it,”Robinson said. “I wanted a magazine thatcelebrated dog culture.” Urban Dog, withthe tagline “Get in touchwith your inner dog,” is Name: Urban Dogmore than articles aboutfleas and how to take care Location: New Orleansof a pet, according to Publisher: Lisa RobinsonRobinson. It’s about“thoughts and reflectionsof our lives with dogs.”Reading any issue ofthe quarterly will uneartharticles offering just that.Sometimes the content has been writtenexclusively for Urban Dog; sometimesRobinson has reprinted from othersources essays and anecdotes that fit inwith her overall theme.Often the magazinewill profile photographers and paintersProduct: Publishes quarterlymagazine aimed at dog loverswho don’t necessarily havepurebreds in their kennels.who use canines as their subject material.Although the magazine has a smallsubscriber base for readers who wantnew issues mailed to them, Urban Dogmainly is distributed for free at a varietyof outlets, ranging from pet stores to coffeeshops, and depends almost entirelyon ad sales for revenue.The magazine started with a printrun of 8,000; its soon-to-be-published10th issue will have a run of about25,000. Net income rose 70 percent to$20,923 from $18,160 between May2003 and May 2004.Started in New Orleanswith local advertisers,the magazine is nowavailable in 23 states andis finding new forms ofdistribution.For example, HotelMonaco, a national chainof luxury hotels thatallows guests to bringtheir pets, is including a copy of UrbanDog as part of a dog package deal.Books-a-Million, the third-largest U.S.bookstore chain, is experimenting withdistributing the magazine in about 70 ofits stores.Lisa Robinson started Urban Dog Magazine as an alternative to publications geared to owners of purebreds.As the magazine grows, it has beenattracting more national advertisers and e-commerce pet sites. Robinson is toyingwith the idea of putting out Urban Dog sixtimes a year,depending on her advertisers.In any case,she knows there’s an audiencefor more dogginess.“I’m a dog nut,” explained Robinson,who signs her e-mails with a ‘Woof.’“There’s a million of us out there.”— Henry K. AlpertIn the unpredictable world of businesstravel, it’s good to have ESP.Take your meeting straight to thetop at the Omni Royal Orleans.Business travel isn’t always the easiest thing to plan. That’s why Omni Hotelscreated our Executive Service Plan (ESP), designed to ease travel planning.Whether you choose the Omni Royal Orleans, winner of the Pinnacle Award forten consecutive years, or the Omni Royal Crescent Hotel, ESP is a great way toexperience luxury that’s surprisingly sensible. To learn more about how yourcompany can benefit from ESP, call our specialist, Julie Yates, at (504) 527-0006.Nobody works harder to arrange the perfect business event thanthe staff at the Omni Royal Orleans. All right in the heart ofyour favorite French Quarter. So you’re free to focus on business!It’s no wonder we’ve earned the prestigious Pinnacle Award for tenstraight years. To learn more about how to plan the perfect businessevent, call (504) 529-7010 or visit omniroyalorleans.com.2004 Innovator of the Year 17A

Napoleon Ave Container TerminalBusiness keepsgettingbetter inNewOrleans...Nominate Your Company as a New Orleans Best Place To WorkFor the second year, this publication will rank companies doing business in thearea according to how well they treat their most important asset; their employees.Eligible companies must have a human resource office located in the metropolitanarea and must have operated here at least one calendar year.Final rankings will be based on results from the enclosed questionnaire as wellas a separate brief survey of a sampling of your employees conducted by ourresearch department. To help facilitate that survey, please provide us with acomplete list of your employees and a method of contacting them. This surveywill be anonymous and take less than five minutes of their time.If you have any questions about this project, please call Dawn Joseph at 293-9204; fax at 832-3550 or e-mail to dawn.joseph@nopg.com.BEST PLACES TO WORK SURVEYCompany name:____________________________________________________________INNOVATIVESOLUTIONSAddress:__________________________________________________________________Telephone: _______________________________ Fax: ___________________________Average starting salary:_______________ Median salary:__________________________Average length of employment to be eligible for benefits:______________________________Number of employees:________________________________________________________Benefits (please check all that apply):Daycare options________Health care benefits (% covered)__________Unmarried partner benefits__________Paid Leave/Sick time (length)_______Paid Maternity/Paternity leave (length) _______Continuing education (tuition assistance)________Relocation assistance________Stock options __________401(k) (% match) ______ Prescription__________ Telecommuting ________Dental _________ Vision___________ Flexible hours__________ Job sharing ___________Employee recognition program______ Fitness program______ Subsidized meals_______Other:___________________________________________________________________________P&O Ports Louisiana601 Louisiana AvenueNew Orleans, LA 70115Telephone: +504-894-6300P&O Ports North America operatesin ports on the U.S. Atlantic & Gulf Coasts.www.poportsna.com________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Information Supplied By: _____________________________________________________Title: _______________________________________ Date: _________________________Dawn Joseph/CityBusiness/(504) 293-9204/fax (504) 832-355018A 2004 Innovator of the Year

educatorsDelgado Community College —Charity School of NursingHigh-tech mannequin gives students a feel for live patientsThe newest addition to the DelgadoCommunity College Charity School ofNursing has increased the caliber of educationat the school and raised the bar onhealth care standards throughout the community.Despite all thishe’s not asking for a raise.But he’s no dummy.Actually,he’s a HumanPatient Simulator, a hightechmannequin configuredto respond just as ahuman body would. Hewas christened Kelly, as atribute to former chancellorDr. J. Terence Kelly,who was instrumental insecuring $153,000 for thehigh-tech learning tool.However, Kelly can beany age or gender.“We can program him to be any ageand he responds physiologically, whichis a real perk because a 78-year-oldman’s body is different, for example thana 25-year-old football player,” saidPatricia Egers, provost for the CharitySchool of Nursing. “We can make himhave diseases, neurological problems orheart problems.”The simulator has vital signs, heartand lung sounds, eyes that blink withpupils that respond to light,and pulses inthe neck, arms and legs. Thesimulator has the ability tobreathe spontaneously, consumeoxygen and producecarbon dioxide. Throughthe use of a wireless microphone,the simulator canalso respond to verbal questionsand state any difficultiesit may be experiencing.Manufactured byMedical EducationTechnologies Inc. inSarasota, Fla., Kelly is oneof only 300 of the tools usedworldwide.“Some of the leading community collegesin the country have it and our chancellorreally pushed for it,” Egers said.The simulator affords an unparalleledlearning experience for Delgadostudents, which the school can’t provideusing a static dummy or realCenter integrates computing into diverse array of fieldsThe Center for Computation andTechnology at Louisiana StateUniversity in Baton Rouge creates technologicalapplications that affect areas asdiverse as medical research, coastal erosionmanagement, astrophysics, andeducational and video games.“We try and make use of cutting-edgetechnology in theresearch groups here toget them really used bydifferent applicationsthroughout the LSUcampus, statewide andbeyond,” said GabrielleAllen, an associate professorof computer scienceand CCT’s assistantdirector for com-Name: DelgadoCommunity College –Charity School ofNursingLocation: New OrleansSchool of NursingProvost: Patricia EgersService: Human patientsimulator trains studentsby reacting justlike a human patient.puting applications.“We also have a mission to encourageeconomic development in the statethrough technology.”That’s a vast job description, especiallyfor a center that has only been in operationsince 2001. However, CCT is led by ateam of technological experts, who envisionthe center as a worldwide resource.Many of the CCT staff arrived last Augustas part of director Edward Seidel’sresearch group, which relocated to thestate from the Max Planck Institute forGravitational Physics (also known as theAlbert Einstein Institute) in Germany.There, most of the staff worked in astrophysics,including Seidel,who is renowned for hisresearch on black holes.Since then, the CCThas been recharged withnew ideas and activity,especially with anupcoming move to anew space. The newbuilding will featureenough room for otherfaculty and students,“so that we have a building where everyonecan be together and leverage eachother’s expertise,” Allen said.Allen also added all the technologies arefundamentally needed for computation.“Computation is an important partnow of many sciences, and just aboutNursing faculty member Mary Trosclair works with students using the Human Patient Simulatornamed Kelly.patients. “The difference is that theycan simulate real life experiences, andwe can guarantee that every studentwill experience certain clinical situations,”Egers said.Kelly has been comfortably situatedin a laboratory designed to resemble ahospital facility, complete with patientroom, nursing station, medical records,supplies and equipment.Delgado has been so pleased withthe enhanced learning experienceprovided by Kelly that in May theLouisiana State University Center forComputation and TechnologyName: Louisiana StateUniversity Center forComputation and TechnologyLocation: Baton RougeDirector: Edward SeidelService: Encouragingeconomic developmentthrough technology.every field on the campus is going to usethe information technology in someway,” Allen said.The CCT is funded by the LouisianaLegislature’s IT initiative, but Allenlooks forward to other sources of funding,because their work is driven byapplications needed in the market. Ifgrants are available to fund specific typesof research, the staff is capable of developingthe applications. One of CCT’sSchool of Nursing acquired anotheradult simulator and a smaller, childversion.The school recently became a continuingeducation provider, which meansthe new tools may be contracted to otherhospitals and health care agencies. Thiswill potentially provide a new source ofrevenue for the school, but, more importantly,it could improve the whole nursingfield, Egers said.— Angelle BergeronThe Securities Markets Analysis Research and Trading Lab at Louisiana State University givesfinance students hands-on experience in trading and investment research.main goals is to help scientists performbetter research.Besidespursuingcomputation/technology projectsworldwide, Allen said the CCT staffplans to offer scholarships, seminarseries and faculty development programsto establish collaborations withother universities and organizations.— Faith Dawson2004 Innovator of the Year 19A

Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle Orleansand International School of LouisianaUsing language immersion to help children achieve successA school program providing most orall of its instruction in French mightseem like a giant step backward in ahistorically French city.For the independent EcoleBilingue, however, doing this alongwith a schedule and curriculum heavilyinfluenced by the French ecole systemafforded an opportunity toadvance students in every area.In 2000, two years after the EcoleBilingue’s founding, two of theschool’s organizers, Maria Treffingerand Julie Fabian, helped establishanother learning center — theInternational School of Louisiana, astatewide public charter school.The International School offers theoption of partialimmersion in eitherSpanish or French tochildren of every backgroundand economiclevel. It also has adaunting goal — tomake the students inits kindergartenthrough 12th gradeprogram not onlybilingual but multilingual, helpingthem to achieve four languages by thetime they finish high school.Both schools are proving the basicconcept that mastery of a second languageopens the door to all types ofacademic and intellectual accomplishmentin developing minds — even atthe preschool level.“Learning another language from ayoung age stimulates all sorts of brainactivity that wouldn’t otherwise betapped,” said Julie Fabian, who servesas president of the board for EcoleBilingue. The school has 70 studentsin five classes from pre-K through firstgrade but will add a class each year toserve as a K-8 academy by the year2011. “They’ll havegreater skills in all sortsof areas like problemsolving.”Tom Crosby, headof school atInternational School,Stephane Moussiere (directeur pedagogique) with "Toute Petite,'' class of two and three-year-oldsat Ecole Bilingue20A 2004 Innovator of the YearName: Ecole Bilingue de laNouvelle OrleansLocation: New OrleansPrincipal: Julie FabianService: French immersioneducation based on theFrench system of education.PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBERAt the International School the goal is to make students multilingual.echoes Fabian’sclaims. “Researchindicates that kids wholearn a second languagein an immersionprogram developgreater cognitive abilities,”said Crosby, whopoints out that his thirdgraders scored at the60th percentile on thisyear’s Iowa Test ofBasic Skills — far higherthan average forpublic school studentsin both Orleans andJefferson parishes.The International School will addfourth grade next year and will continueto grow at a rate of one grade peryear through 12th grade. By its statecharter, 55 percent of students qualifyfor free or reduced lunched. About 60percent of the school’s 295 studentscome from Orleans Parish, and 30percent come from Jefferson. It hasthree applicants for every availablespot, even with its expanded schedule(8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), and few studentsleave.Fabian and Treffinger wanted toprovide more options for education.But Fabian said they also saw a needfor better public schools.Establishing the public InternationalSchool was a way to move towardthat goal. Because public schoolsmust assess their students each yearusing standardized tests written inEnglish, full immersion is impossible.However, 70 percent of instructionat the International School isName: International School ofLouisianaLocation: New OrleansHead of School: Tom CrosbyService: Partial languageimmersion in a public charterschool that strives tocreate multilingual students.given in the target language,Spanish orFrench, with Englishclass and some electivesin English.At a recent conferenceof immersionprograms in Spain,Crosby learned thathis is probably theonly public school inthe United States orCanada to make multilingualism,rather than bilingualism, its goal. ForCrosby, that goal makes sense. Oncechildren develop the skills of languageacquisition, learning a second or thirdlanguage is much easier.Ecole Bilingue’s focus on Frenchlanguage and its adherence to theFrench system of instruction has alsocreated a diverse student body, withnative French speakers from Africaand Europe mingling with NewOrleanians. It also affords childrenvirtually total immersion.But both Fabian and Crosby say thestudents at their schools take pride intheir special programs. “They have asense they’re doing something special,”Fabian said. “We hope these kids willhave a bigger world, a view to a futurethat isn’t going to be just about NewOrleans. We want them to have the confidenceto move around in the world. Itcomes down to basic job opportunities.”— Lili LeGardeur

Back to the FutureRegional Transit AuthorityFinding innovation by returning to the pastAfter an absence of nearly four decades,this spring the Regional TransitAuthority brought the trolleys back toCanal Street and restored an importantpart of New Orleans’ heritage.The new fleet of 24 candy-apple-redstreetcars showcases the RTA’s successin blending historic authenticity withmodern convenience. Built from thewheels up by a team of RTA blacksmiths,carpenters, electricians and mechanics,the Canal streetcars were modeled afterthe Perley Thomas cars on the St.Charles line. But unlike the St. CharlesAvenue streetcars, thenew ones have air conditioning,a high-tech, lownoisebraking system andADA-compliant accessibilitylifts.Among the nearly125,000 passengers whorode the Canal streetcarsduring the line’s firstName: Regional TransitAuthorityLocation: New OrleansChairman: James Reissweek of operation in April were 245wheelchair users, a level of participationService: Enabled the return ofthe Canal Street Streetcars.RTA spokeswoman Beth Branley foundremarkable.“We usually only do 143 (wheelchairs)a week system-wide, throughoutall 55 routes,” Branley said.The RTA’s mission to return the streetcarsto Canal took 12 years and $161milliondollars to complete. An 80/20 partnershipbetween the federal governmentand local sponsors including the RTA,private donors and the city of NewOrleans provided funding for the project.The RTA is projecting revenue in theneighborhood of $500,000 from theCanal line for 2004.Local real estate agentssay property valuesalong the route haveincreased since thestreetcar line’s return,and merchants are excitedabout the increasedtraffic of shoppers anddiners into the area.Averaging 17,000 riders a day, theCanal line runs from the MississippiThe Regional Transit Authority used a mix of funds to bring back the Canal Street streetcar line.River to City Park Avenue, with a spur the experience.along North Carrollton Avenue that connectsto City Park. Along with the many necessarily going anywhere - they’re just“People are getting on, and they’re nottourists and working commuters climbingaboard, there seems to be a fair num-riding around,” Branley said.ber of aimless wanderers just soaking up— Sonya StinsonThe Official Newsletter of the New Orleans Saints!We are excited to announce that CityBusiness has partnered with the New Orleans' Saints in producing their officialmonthly newsletter. 2,500 copies will be distributed once a month through CityBusiness and an independent mailing list.Each newsletter will have one sole advertising opportunity for a sponsor.Get in the game and be a part of this exciting publication.Please contact Mignon Roberts 504-293-9243GET IN THE GAME!!!2004 Innovator of the Year 21A

nonprofitsAudubon Center for Research of Endangered SpeciesCenter strives to stop extinction with technologyAudubon Center for Research ofEndangered Species wants to makeextinction extinct.The undertaking is ambitious andless than 10 years ago would haveseemed impossible. But DirectorBetsy L. Dresser and the rest of theteam at ACRES are well on their wayto making it happen.Begun in 1996, on the West Bank onthe 1,200-acre grounds of the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species SurvivalCenter, the Center’s scientists,whose expertiseranges from endocrinologyand genetics toembryo transfer andreproductive physiology,work to create a “frozenzoo.” The zoo isdesigned to prevent theextinction and endangermentof species throughin vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmicsperm injection,inter-species and nuclear transferName: Audubon Center forResearch of EndangeredSpeciesLocation: New OrleansDirector: Betsy DresserService: Preserve endangeredspecies through reproductivetechniques such as cloning.and the study of reproductive behavior.Since its inception, the center’sresearch has led to the birth of an Africanwildcat named Jazz by a domestic housecat.The birth was made possible byimplanting in the housecat a previouslyfrozen embryo through in vitro fertilization.This birth represented the first interspeciestransfer of an embryo in a wild carnivore.Four years after Jazz’s birth, he wascloned, creating Ditteaux and Miles, thefirst clones of an endangered carnivore.This past April,two female wildcat cloneswere born in the Center.As genetic copies ofa female wildcat, once they have matured,they will be bred with Ditteaux and Miles tocreate the first offspring ofBetsy Dresser, director of the Audubon Center, with Ditteaux, the cloned wildcat.cloned endangered carnivores.Dresser and her colleagueshave been recognizedlocally, nationallyand internationally withsuch awards as theChevron ConservationAward and theTechnology Museum ofInnovation — IntelEnvironmental Award.“The work being done at AudubonCenter for Research of EndangeredSpecies has far-reaching positive implicationsfor the future of endangered animals,”said L. Ronald Foreman, presidentand chief executive officer of theAudubon Nature Institute. “Scientistsare applying advanced reproductivetechnology to vanishing wildlife, offeringa ray of hope in the battle againstextinction.”— Nicole HaaseExceptional Entrepreneurs of LouisianaHelping disabled become independent business ownersA disability should never exclude anindividual from the workforce andthanks to Exceptional Entrepreneurs ofLouisiana, it no longer does.In 1999, the Louisiana RehabilitationServices, a state administered agencyunder the Louisiana Department ofSocial Services, created ExcEL in partnershipwith the University of NewOrleans’ Training Resource andAssistive Technology Center. The goalis to assist individuals with disabilities tobecome financially independentthrough self-employment.Since its inception, ExcEL hashelped 274 Louisiana residents fulfilltheir dreams and open their businesses.Name: Exceptional EntrepreneursLocation: New OrleansDirector of the Training, Resource andAssistive-Technology Center: GayleGaglianoService: A partnership between theUniversity of New Orleans andLouisiana Rehabilitation Service, theprogram helps people with disabilitiesstart businesses.In New Orleans, a blind man became atransportation broker. In Monroe, aquadriplegic customized “living quarters”horse trailers. And in Baton Rouge,a woman with post-polio syndromeopened a herb/culinary products store.Program specialist CharlotteJackson said the program helps theclient attain independence and asense of self-worth while contributingto the community.“Sometimes our clients don’t exist inthe community at large,” she said. “Theystay at home and don’t have contact withanyone. But by creating their own businessthey begin to move out into the communitywhile contributing both sociallyand financially.”Through an intensive two-weekworkshop, ExcEL participants aretrained in every manner of the businessworld, taught how to construct abusiness plan and, ultimately, how toimplement that business plan.Once the workshop is complete,ExcEL counselors assist the participantsin their search for funding and the initialstart-up of the business.“When it comes to people with disabilities,self-employment is always seenExcEL staff Charlotte Jackson, program specialist, Gayle Gagliano, seated, director Kenneth Lacho,left, professor of Management, and William Galle, professor of management.as a last resort,” Jackson said. “It’s ourmission to change that view and look atself-employment as the main option. It’simportant because when clients withdisabilities go to work they have to bringsupports or adapt the business environmentto their disabilities. What this doesis eliminate that barrier.”— Richard A. Webster22A 2004 Innovator of the Year

nonprofitsJefferson Parish Economic Development CommissionAttracting and retaining businesses is group’s mantraStarted in 1987 by the local businesscommunity and parish government inresponse to the oil bust, the JeffersonParish Economic DevelopmentCommission strives to attract and retainquality jobs in Jefferson Parish.In the past year, JEDCO has hadimpressive successes on both fronts.JEDCO convinced M & A Supply, amanufacturer of marine installations, torelocate from Connecticut to JeffersonParish. JEDCO also persuaded BarristerGlobal, a company specializingin computerhardware maintenance,to relocate its headquartersfrom Buffalo, N.Y.,to Jefferson Parish.In addition to coaxingcompanies to relocateto the New Orleansarea, JEDCO aidedlocal businesses as well.It awarded a $75,000grant from the parish’sName: Jefferson EconomicDevelopment CommissionLocation: MetairieExecutive director: Scott D.AdamsService: Recruit new business tothe area and help retain existingbusinesses.economic development incentive fundto UNO’s Nims Center Studios. Thismoney will be used to construct one ofthe first studios in the country that willfocus entirely on digital video production.Digital video is considered bymany to be the wave of the future in thefilm industry.Perhaps JEDCO’s finest hour camewhen it obtained a $50 million incentivepackage to retain Northrop GrummanShip Systems’ Avondale Operations.Northrop Grumman is one of the largestemployers in Louisiana and was seriouslyconsidering relocating to Mississippi(and taking about 6,000 jobs with it)before JEDCO intervened.However, JEDCOdoes not plan on restingon its laurels in 2004.The organization hopesto lay the foundation fora new business andtechnology park on theWest Bank. It hopes topursue additional fundsfor the JeffersonEconomic FutureFund.The fund devotes$500,000 a year inincentive money to help lure new companiesto the state and keep existing companiesfrom leaving. June Johns,JEDCO’s marketing and public relationsmanager, refers to this money as “theScott Adams, standing, executive director, Gaye Frederic, deputy director, and Dottie Stephenson,deputy director of JEDCO.cherry on top of the sundae.”When it comes to JEDCO’s long-termgoals, Johns says that it hopes to “not onlyget businesses to relocate (to the NewOrleans area), but also to encourage businessesto stay and grow here.”— By Fritz EskerLouisiana Bucket BrigadeOrganization gives citizens power to test the air they breatheIn the past, when Louisiana citizenswho lived near an oil refinery sniffedsomething noxious in the air, they hadto take the plant’s or the government’sword as to whether they were beingabout what communities are breathing.”Rolfes started working with thebuckets in 1999, and when communitiesresponded favorably, she incorporatedexposed to a toxic substance.the Louisiana BucketNow, with the help of new technologies,the nonprofit LouisianaBrigade in 2000. The nonprofit isdependent upon grants from foundationsBucket Brigade isand donationsworking to put theability to monitor theair in the hands ofcommunity members.The “bucket” of theorganization’s name isa simple device thatallows regular peopleto take a three-minuteair sample into a plasticbag. That bag isName: Louisiana BucketBrigadeLocation: New OrleansDirector: Anne Rolfessent off to a lab for analysis. If it indicatescertain substances are above thelegal limit, citizens have evidence toback up any complaints.“The government and industriescommunicate well together but peopleare often left out of the equation,” saidAnne Rolfes, executive director.“There is a vacuum of informationService: Help communities dotheir own environmentaltesting via buckets thatcollect samples.from individuals forfunding. In the lastyear, it raised about$200,000.Based in NewOrleans, the LouisianaBucket Brigade helpsgather air samples frommany communitiesaround the state, buttends to focus its energiesin one place at a time. Currently,the Louisiana Bucket Brigade has beenworking in Chalmette. Its strategy is togo into “fenceline” neighborhoodsseveral times a week and partner withexisting community environmentalorganizations.— Henry K. AlpertFrank Dery, left, and Kenneth Ford use buckets from the Louisiana Bucket Brigade to monitor airquality in their Chalmette neighborhood.2004 Innovator of the Year 23A

STARC Commercial Linen ServiceOrganization raises funds through promoting independenceThe St. Tammany Association forRetarded Citizens has discovered away to directly fulfill its mission ofhelping people with mental retardationbecome contributing membersof society while at the same time raisingadditional funding for its otherprograms. For the last five years, itscommercial linen service has been asolid success.The service hires mentally handicappedpeople to do laundry for companiesand institutions.“The benefit of the program is thatit allows our disabled employees tobecome independent,” said RhondaClark, a facilitator at the organization.“They can pay bills and take their parentson vacations. They can afford toName: STARC Commercial Linen ServiceLocation: SlidellDirector: Dianne BahamService: Employ mentally handicapped peopleto run a commercial linen service that fosterstheir independence and brings in revenuefor the organization.go out and eat in restaurants. Withoutthis, they’d probably just be sittingaround.”She said two of STARC’s commerciallinen service employees haveearned enough money to purchasetheir own homes.The program started out slowly,originally open for four hours a daywith five disabled employees.Coordinators from similar programsin Shreveport and in Lake Charleshelped get it started. Now, it is opentwice as long each day with 12 disabledemployees. Four non-disabled,full-time employees help with training,supervision and the delivery oflinens.Revenues for 2003 were $350,000and are projected to be $400,000 in2004. Revenue goes back intoSTARC to fund programs that do notmake money or need a boost.The service’s biggest accounts arethe Navy Air Station in Belle Chasseand the Naval Support Activity inAlgiers, but Clark says the service alsodoes a lot of business with restaurants,banquet halls and medicalMentally handicapped adults earn money and gain independence by working in the STARCCommercial Linen Service.offices. Word-of-mouth has helped it doubling in size.grow as much as marketing efforts.Clark foresees the service eventually— Henry K. AlpertEducation Guide2004Coming in AugustFeature your open house and testingdates in this annual featuredistributed throughNew Orleans CityBusiness.Make your reservations now!(504) 293-929624A 2004 Innovator of the Year

esearchersTulane University Researchers — Yiping Chen,Kevin Kovitz, Paolo Raggi and Raj PandianFrom stem cells to seesawsInnovation is flourishing at TulaneUniversity, and the work of four facultymembers — an engineer, a biologist andtwo doctors — provide notable examples.Biologist Yiping Chen works in thearea of science, where genetics, biologyand modern medicine converge. Anassociate professor in Tulane’sDepartment of Cell and MolecularBiology, his research is attracting attention— and considerable funding.Chen, who specializes in vertebrateorganogenesis, is in the early stages of afour-year, $1.27 million NationalInstitutes of Health grant to study toothregeneration and a five-year, $1.48 millionNIH grant to battle cleft palatethrough genetic research.Organogenesis is the study of the wayorgans develop, both normally andabnormally — and, by extension, howgreater knowledge of genetics can helpscientists and physicians treat disease.“We work on different organs but thebasic mechanisms are pretty similar,”said Chen. All organs develop in whatChen calls a “chain reaction” of genesand proteins; understanding how thechain works and the role individualgenes play in it is already having animpact on medicine.Some of Chen’s most significantwork involves the early stages of toothdevelopment. Last year’s NIH awardwas in recognition of Chen’s successin using adult stem cells to enable ratsto generate tooth buds, from whichteeth develop.Although a clinical application ismany years away, Chen said, the discovery“could, in human beings, reactivatethe process of tooth development in thesite of the lost tooth.” In time, he said, itmay be possible to use a patient’s ownstem cells to regenerate teeth.“You can see the potential market inthe future,” he said.Paolo RaggiHis other research includes the study ofthe way internal organs are arranged in thebody and how the development of theheart provides an early indication of potentialproblems in their naturally asymmetricalarrangement.His work could help doctorsidentify and correct irregularitiesbefore they become problems.Dr. Kevin Kovitz, a professor of medicineand pediatrics and director ofinterventional pulmonology at theTulane University School of Medicine,performs a special technique that helpslung cancer patients breathe better.Because the tumors block their airways,most lung cancer patients suffershortness of breath. Kovitz uses a laseror cauterization to clear the blockageand, in some cases, inserts stents madeof wire mesh and/or silicone to keep theairways propped open. Patients whoundergo the procedure, which does notinterfere with radiation or chemotherapyand can be repeated if needed, oftenexperience immediate relief.While Kovitz did not develop the procedurehimself, he was apioneer in introducingthis and other diagnosticand treatment tools atTulane when he arrived11 years ago and establishedthe region’s onlyinterventional pulmonologyprogram.“When I explainwhat I do to mypatients, I just describemyself as a plumber ofthe airways,” saidKovitz, who notes thateven some patients whohad been on ventilators“pop off the table andgo home” after undergoingthe treatment.Raj PandianRaj Pandian, an assistant professorin the Electrical Engineering andComputer Sciences Department atTulane, has applied a simple butimaginative idea to create a renewableenergy source.About five years ago, Pandian wasworking in Japan, designing rehabilitationdevices for the disabled that usedthe patients’ walking motions to generatepower. That project sparked the ideato tap into the boundless energy of childrenat play.Pandian invented a device, called aplayful energy converter, that uses compressedair systems to collect energy. Heplaced pneumatic cylinders under theseats of a seesaw and connected them toYiping Chen supervises graduate student Yiqiang Song, seated.a small tank. The up-and-down motionof the seesaw pumps air through thecylinders and into the tank, and anotherdevice, called an inflator, converts theenergy of the compressed air into electricalpower for storage in batteries.The New York Times Magazineselected Pandian’s invention, which heintroduced last year atthe University ofMichigan in Flint, asone of the“Outstanding Ideas of2003.” At an estimatedcost of just over $200each, Pandian’s seesawgenerators offerthe potential of anaffordable and easilyaccessible energysource for small-scaleapplications.“The amount ofenergy produced fromthese devices is small,”said Pandian, whoarrived at Tulane inSeptember 2003. “I seeit primarily as a low-cost system of energyconversion that could be used as abackup for solar energy or electricity.”This alternative energy source couldbe particularly useful in alleviating thelong power outages that frequentlyoccur in developing countries located inhot climates, Pandian said.Dr. Paolo Raggi, a cardiologist andprofessor of medicine at Tulane,employs medical imaging technology topredict and prevent the risk of deathfrom heart disease. Raggi has ledresearch showing that heart scanning —using computed tomography to take apicture of the organ and measure the levelsof calcium in the vessels — can helppredict the risk of heart attack.Raggi and his colleagues conducteda study between 1996 and 2000 ofmore than 10,300 patients who rangedin age from 30 to 85. All of them were athigh risk for coronary disease due tohigh cholesterol, high blood pressure,smoking or a family history of heartproblems. The research team foundthat patients with the highest levels ofcalcium in their blood were 12 timesmore likely to die of heart disease thanthose with the lowest levels.Raggi said the results of a heart scancan help doctors come up with an individualizedtreatment approach that ismuch more effective than one basedmerely on risk factors assigned to wholesegments of the population.“Doctors will use this informationto fine-tune their treatment ofpatients,” he said.Kevin Kovitz— Russell McCulleyand Sonya Stinson2004 Innovator of the Year 25A

nThe BrinkBesides our 2004 honorees, these individuals and companies were also nominated for their innovations.Bounce for LifeSusan Sarver, Dr. Tyler Curiel, Andy MartinNew OrleansBounce for Life was started to raise funds for cancerresearch by Dr. Tyler Curiel and Andy Martin,a Tulane student who is trying to cure his own cancer.The organization has raised more than$70,000 and been mentioned in “The Wall StreetJournal,” the “Today” show, National Public Radioand “60 Minutes II.” Curiel, chief of the section ofhematology and medical oncology at TulaneMedical School, began the fund-raising campaignin a distinct way by breaking a Guinness worldrecord in dribbling a basketball for more than 108miles over 24 hours.E-Z Time LLCRay A. FraisePresident and CEO of E-Z Time LLCNew OrleansE-Z Time is negotiating with Coca-ColaCorporation and Budweiser to place orders for the“Crawtable,” a product designed to accommodateseafood and other tailgating foods that require thedisposal of shells, carcass, cans, corncobs, etc. RayA. Fraise, President and CEO of E-Z Time LLC, isthe patent holder of the invention and constructedthe table with a waste receptacle built directly in thecenter to alleviate trash at social events. NFL, NBAand Major League Baseball teams have alsoexpressed interest in the “Crawtable” for promotionalconsiderations. According to E-Z Time LLC,the projected revenue for the “Crawtable” in 2004 is$6,898,500 and $13,347,000 in its second year.H&A Innovative Creations, Inc.Laura HernandezPresidentNew OrleansH&A Innovative Creations, Inc. creates threedimensionalresumes, which speak for the personwhose resume is opened. The resumes use video,graphics and music to present the client in a uniqueway. The product was first introduced in April.Jazz Rio LLCThomas J. Andre, FounderNew OrleansJazz Rio LLC promotes the culture of New Orleansand has produced the Jambalaya Jazz Festival inBrazil the past two years. The company plans toexpand to additional countries in 2005, after seeingan attendance of 30,000 at the 2003 Brazil festival,ten times the 2002 attendance. Jazz Rio LLC hadtotal revenues of $80,000 in 2003 and projectedearnings of $150,000 for 2004. The company wasstarted in 2002 by Thomas Andre, a 27-year-oldnative New Orleanian and a graduate of BenFranklin High School and Princeton University.Andre has received financial backing from the Stateof Louisiana Office of Tourism, Delta and AmericanAirlines, the City of Rio de Janeiro, TulaneUniversity, University of New Orleans and the OGlobo, the largest newspaper in Brazil.Johnson, Shields, Jackson,Brown and Associates LLCZandrea JohnsonBeverly C. ShieldsDonna JacksonMonique T. BrownNew OrleansJohnson, Shields, Jackson, Brown and Associates,a medical-legal consulting firm, was founded inSeptember 2003 by four local registered nurseswith more than 30 years of combined nursingexperience. All four partners are Certified LegalNurse Consultants and render services to attorneys,health care facilities, insurance companies,government agencies and private corporations.JSJB did not generate any revenue in 2003, but thecompany anticipates a net profit of $50,000 to$75,000 in 2004.Louisiana Casting LLCTimothee Hammond and Elizabeth Coulon, partnersNew OrleansLouisiana Casting LLC is an independent castingdepartment available for hire by film and commercialproductions that come to Louisiana. Thebusiness began in 2003 as a response to changesin legislation that gave tax incentives to film productionscoming to Louisiana. Credits include“Unchain My Heart: The Ray Charles Story,” “ALove Song for Bobby Long” and “The HauntedMansion.” Louisiana Casting projects earnings of$91,000 this year and plans to venture into anInternet-based database for its catalog of actorsand background extras.P&O Ports LouisianaDave Morgan, Port Vice PresidentNew OrleansP&O Ports and its developers created a GateEntry Management system to aid truckers deliveringand receiving cargo at the $101 millionNapoleon Avenue Container Terminal, whichopened operations in March. GEM enables trucklines to enter in dispatch instructions on containerscoming to the terminal, eliminating paperworkand faxes and relaying feedback to the dispatcherif there is a problem. According to P&OPorts, GEM was needed because of the move tothe 26-acre terminal, enabling P&O Ports to handleexisting container volume in a smaller area.P&O Ports financed GEM privately.Parking Solutions LLCKeith Pittman, Tyrone Rodgers and Mark Boucree,partnersNew OrleansParking Solutions received a contract from the city tobegin installing new multi-space meters, which willbe completed by the end of July. Parking Solutionswas founded in 2002 and its clients include retail andmedical centers, hotels and businesses, sports complexesand municipalities. Multi-space meters acceptcoins or credit cards and are connected to a centralcomputer system, allowing operators to know howmuch money is in each meter. Parking Solutions,which is partnered with Standard Parking, projectsrevenues of $3.3 million in 2004.RazorLine LLCGene Dry, Jim Dry and Richard Jaubert, Cofoundersand managersMetairieRazorLine LLC is the first Louisiana based andhosted PBX telephony service, bringing businessesin the state telecommunication needs all from onevendor, such as local, long distance, Internet, PBXfeatures, E-mail and web hosting services.RazorLine started business and introduced its hostedplatform in March 2004 and projects total revenuesof $1.7 million in its first year.ThinPrint, Inc.Brian Nelson, CEONew OrleansThrough its Content Beamer and Public Printingproducts, ThinPrint has accomplished the goals ofenabling users to pull up attachments on their cellphone and print them to any printer or fax machineand also to deliver any document in the world byproviding the recipient with an access code. Theseoptions can be used with any type of connection andvia any device which can browse the Internet. TheContent Beamer was first made available in the secondquarter of 2003, and Public Printing wasreleased in May. A privately owned self-financedcompany, ThinPrint has been open in New Orleanssince 2002.We Care Designs LLCRene’ de la Tour Jr., inventorMandevilleRené de la Tour Jr., a paraplegic as a result of anautomobile accident in 1966, has invented a ParaLadder, the first patented transfer aid designed toassist elderly people, wheelchair users and limitedmobility individuals to move to or from the floorsafely. De la Tour was a member of the USA ParaTrack Team and a wheelchair winner of theCrescent City Classic. Launched in April, the ParaLadder, with possible Medicare approval at theend of 2004, has projected revenues of $10,000 inits first year. There are two models of the ParaLadder, including a lightweight aluminum brand,which folds for storage and travel and a heaviermodel for larger users.26A 2004 Innovator of the Year

THE LITTLE STEAMBOATThat Could.WHEN DELTA QUEEN STEAMBOAT COMPANY LOOKED AT HOW TO MARKET OUR PRODUCTS, we asked ourselves: “Couldwe be even more successful in filling our steamboats if we introduced our passengers to all that our hospitality partners have to offer in NewOrleans? Could we increase the economic impact all around?”Today, we’re proud to be recognized for our newest innovation, The New Orleans & Riverboat Adventure Week, and more important, we areproud to deliver more than 40,000 new visitors to the Crescent City.For the first time in history, a New Orleans cruise line has combined a 3- or 4-night cruise with a 3- or 4-night hotel stay in New Orleans – offeringthe only riverboat cruise that comes with a free New Orleans vacation. This new product enables Delta Queen passengers to customize their visitsby selecting their choice of restaurants and attractions from among more than 50 partners in the Big Easy. What we found out is that we couldcombine our unique steamboat vacations with the greatness of New Orleans and still be successful. That’s the true spiritof innovation – a cruise ship that takes people, and their vacation spending, to New Orleans instead of taking them away.The Delta Queen Steamboat Company is a part of New Orleans, and we think it’s appropriate to share this culturallyrich destination with our passengers, and to share our customers with the city of New Orleans.We applaud all of Louisiana’s innovators. With all of us working together, the New Orleans economy, like Old Man River,will keep on rolling along.By the way, we just happen to sail the largest steamboat in the world.