CHAMBER CONNECTION 1march 2018

Chamber Connection

Deliver to:Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce • 2111 North Trenton St., Ruston, LA 71270 • (318) 255-2031 • www.rustonlincoln.org

A Publication of the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of CommerceCALENDAR Visit RustonLincoln.org

calendar for details.

MARCH 2018

Each Tuesday

“Chamber Update”on The Peach 99.3

12:20 p.m.

Mar 8Leadership Lincoln

Media/Diversity Day

Mar 13

Ribbon CuttingSue Paperie

2 p.m.

Mar 15

Ribbon CuttingWalpole Tire &

Service4 p.m.

Mar 15

YEA! Investor Panel (see inside for details)

Mar 17Happy St. Patrick’s

Day!

Mar 21

Ambassadors MeetingNoon

Mar 27

Business After HoursI-20 Escape5-6:30 p.m.

Save-the-Date#LaPeachFestJune 22 & 23

Student and Teacher of the Year Awards Gala

presented by

®

Thank you to the Chamber members who participate in our partnership with Lincoln Parish Schools to honor some the most exceptional people in our local educational system. Along with their honors, teachers and principals were gifted with $500 stipends and students were given $100 gift cards, courtesy of our sponsors. The Chamber can’t thank you enough for showing appreciation to these folks who make our community a better and brighter place! On behalf of our entire Chamber membership as well as other stakeholders throughout the parish, congratulations to all the winners!

Students of the Year by Division sponsored by Planet Fitness

Elementary - GiGi Daughtry, AE Phillips

Middle/Jr High - Jason Willis, Ruston Jr High

High School - Blake Rhymes, Ruston High

Teachers of the Year by Division

Early Grades - Paige Harvey, AE Phillips, sponsored by Hunt Guillot & Associates.

Elementary - Sunny Mitchell, Ruston Elementary sponsored by Whataburger.

Middle/Jr High - Roxanne Holton, Ruston Jr High sponsored by Planet Fitness.

High School - Chris Cavin, Choudrant High sponsored by Jim Taylor Ford.

Principals of the Year

Pam Pruden, Dubach Elementary sponsored by Argent Financial Group.

Rusty Farrar, Simsboro High sponsored by Rocketfast Car Wash.

Each winner also received a goody bag from Whataburger.

2 CHAMBER CONNECTION March 2018

Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Staff

Judy Copeland, PresidentIvana Flowers, Communications & Special Events

Melissa Carpenter, Offi ce Manager

Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau Staff

Travis Napper, PresidentAmanda Quimby, Marketing Director

Jennifer Mamon, Administrative AssistantDeadline for submitting newsletter information

is the 15th of the month.

Board of Directors

Executive BoardChair & Crime Stoppers Rep.Lee Denny, Bank of Ruston

Chair Elect & Membership DevelopmentBrandon Sutherland, Hampton Inn

Community DevelopmentMarisol O’Neal, Origin Bank

Organizational DevelopmentEarl Smith, Wells Fargo Advisors

Program Development

Jessica Hughes, Southern Grace Events & Blessings

Immediate Past ChairCathi Cox-Boniol, Lincoln Parish School District

Cathan Brooks, Henderson Financial ServicesWill Dearmon, Pierry Inc.

Michael Gahagan, Country Inn & SuitesEmily Gatlin, LOTS

Chad Ginn, Hi-Tech ComputersSummer Hammons, My Happy Place Vintage Market

Kristi Hardaway, Princeton PlaceRyan Madden, Napper & Madden

Eric McCulloch, Edward JonesApril McGuirt, First National Bank

Josh Perot, LA Tech Sports PropertiesMichelle Tolar, United Way of NELA

Ex-Offi cio Members

Dr. Les Guice, LA Tech Univ.Courtney Hall, LP Police Jury

Kristi Lumpkin, Ruston Econ. Devt.Marc Newman, Grambling State Univ.

Andy Durrett, Ruston Lincoln CVBDoug Postel, LA Delta Community College

Mike Stone, LP Sheriff Lindsay Tomlinson, Origin Bank

Ronny Walker, Ruston Mayor

hosted by I-20 EscapeRuston’s first live escape room!

Tuesday, March 27, 5-6:30 p.m.

“I-20 Escape is changing the game at Business After Hours! Your ability to work as a team, use sound logic, and beat the clock will be put to the test in our 15 minute Escape

Room Pop-Up Tent!”(Pop-up tent/15 minute games at Business After Hours only.)

Business After Hours is a well-attended, “end-of-the-workday” networking event designed to help participants make new business contacts, develop potential new customers, and build exposure for

their businesses. Business After Hours will be from 5-6:30 p.m. The event is complimentary for members.

Owners: Angela & Jerry Yarborough and Tara & Eddie Howington

http://i20escape.com

If you do not receive our weekly e-newsletter “Chamber Update” which lists and links upcoming weeks of local happenings, sign up at RustonLincoln.org. There is a “Sign up to stay in touch” link at the top of the website. We also send a Monday Morning Memo to remind you of all the things happening in that particular week.

Chamber members can include Events, News, Hot Deals, Member to Member Deals, and Jobs to these emails by logging in and adding them to our website. All community members may add Events by going on our web calendar and then “Submit New Event.”

Letter From The ChairBy Lee Denny, 2018 Chamber Chair

Looking Forward to Peach FestIt is hard to believe that March is

already here. The Chamber has already begun discussion for the activities that we want to pursue in 2018. Through the leadership of Judy Copeland, we have an active board of directors that try to make a positive difference in Lincoln Parish.

The Chamber board has four committee chairs. Brandon Sutherland oversees our membership development, Earl Smith oversees organizational development, Marisol O’Neal is the chair of community development, and Jessica Hughes heads up our program development committee.

All three of these committees have many purposes. Our board members and our chamber ambassadors participate with the function of duties. Even though

we have strong representation from our board and ambassadors, we welcome

other business members in our area who want to be more active with our chamber. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our committee chairs if you are interested in becoming more involved.

On a separate note, the Louisiana Peach Festival will be held on June 22-23, 2018. Even though we have not begun to solicit volunteers, I encourage all residents of Lincoln Parish to

consider helping us with this event. Our volunteer shifts are normally in three hour increments. Even though this might be a temporary inconvenience to your weekend, your time and effort is greatly appreciated. Please consider helping the Chamber staff with this great event.

Lee Denny

Letter from the PresidentBy Judy Copeland, President

Social Media MarketingI’m going to deviate from my “Get

to know your Chamber” sessions this month. The Chamber staff and I were finalizing our membership directory and I was surprised to see several members who did not have a website listed. It prompted me to pull some numbers to see what percent of our members were not utilizing the web. Out of 500 members, 13% do not have a website or a Facebook page. While I consider that number to be low, it is still somewhat alarming that there are businesses not taking advantage of the internet. I’m sure there are some who will say their business just doesn’t need to market on the web. If you are thinking that way, then let’s look at it from a different perspective. If you don’t think your customers are looking on the web for you (you’re probably mistaken). What about potential employees? You need to consider all aspects that your business can benefit from the internet. Even if it’s just community awareness, you really should have some presence online.

Your Chamber membership gets you a member page on our website directory, but it only gives as much information as you put in. If you haven’t logging in to our database and updated your “about” information, anyone who looks you up

is not learning what you are all about. They can click on your website link or social media link provided by you, but I encourage you to complete that

information as it helps to identify what your business does.

Here are just a few of the social media platforms available for you to better market your business with:

• Facebook • Instagram• Pinterest • SnapChat• YouTube • Flickr• LinkedIn • NingSome interesting statistics that

might make you think twice about not being listed online:

Facebook has over 1.19 billion active users monthly.

1 in 5 young adults (18-24) use Twitter daily.

Twitter is adding 300,000 users per day.74% of smartphone owners use their

phone for real-time- location-specific information.

89% of 18-29 year olds are on a social network.

92% of consumers trust peer recommendations.

92% of companies use social media for recruitment.

Smartphone ownership among American adults has risen to 60%.

Judy Copeland

Please Join Us for Business After Hours

CHAMBER CONNECTION 3march 2018

Thanks to Railway Coffee for hosting Business After Hours in January Railway Coffee is a third-wave coffee shop featuring house-roasted specialty coffee, traditional espresso-based beverages, loose-leaf teas, pastries, and more.

202 West Mississippi Ave., Ruston Michael Davis Founder & Head Coffee Roaster Matt Cassity Café Manager & Barista www.railwaycoffee.com Business After Hours is a well-attended, “end-of-the-workday” networking event designed to help participants make new business contacts, develop potential new customers, and build exposure for their businesses.

Business After Hours(Photo album on Facebook.com/RustonChamber)

S.A.I.L.ing with Future Leaders S.A.I.L. is a program designed

to immerse its students into all aspects of community through monthly tours of area businesses, visits from area leaders and active involvement. The program is composed of ten Ruston High School juniors who were nominated by sponsors from their organizations based on their leadership involvement within the school. This is the pilot year of the program and the dream is to expand the opportunity to participate to all Lincoln Parish high schools next year. Each student is required to earn a certain number of points in order to graduate from the program and to also be eligible to be one of the two senior representatives for the Leadership Lincoln class for the next year.

The brain child of Judy Copeland and a few Leadership Lincoln Class of 2017 members, the S.A.I.L. program here in Lincoln Parish is promoting community and leadership right here at home. It all stemmed from a conversation between Judy, myself, Sherri Lamb and Stacey Reeves on the way back from our Leadership Lincoln class trip to Northern Exposure in Baton Rouge. Judy said that it had been her desire to involve the youth in Lincoln Parish in a program that would both promote community and leadership, something to get

them out of the comfort of their monthly classroom meetings and into the world that they will be experiencing first hand in just a few short years. And so the talks began. Throw in some teachers, parents and Chamber members and here we are…the pilot class of Students Actively Involved in Leadership.

Themes for each class are anywhere from government to tourism. Speakers have included Representative Rob Shadoin, Mayor Walker, blogger and author, Melissa Chapman Keaster as well as former Leadership Lincoln class members, Alderman Bruce Siegmund, Assistant to Mayor/City Communications Director/Special Projects at City of Ruston-Kourtney Keim and George Lee of Life Choices. Students have traveled to meet with Josh Perot of LA Tech Sports Properties for insight into multi media and its effect on our community, as well as to meet with William Dearmon of Pierry, Inc. to discuss why larger companies find places like Ruston ideal for their businesses to be located.

Members of the program also must perform some sort of community service and be involved in a class project as a requirement to graduate. The class project must benefit an organization within Lincoln Parish and must have some form

of a fundraising aspect. Plans are for an official kick off of the project in January. Students have opted to have a book drive to help replace books lost in the fire at the Lincoln Head Start Center, and to provide books for the Louisiana Tech Early Childhood Education Center and the Boys and Girls Club of North Central Louisiana. Some of the students have been a part of these organizations and have a connection to the programs that are offered. Each of them understands the impact that is made on a daily basis right here in Ruston.

Class members include David Griffin, Davis Ellis, Emma Montgomery, Jalia Payne, James Strebeck, Joanna Ham, Lauren Washington, Nazir Kebe, Ryan Williams, and Sadie Colvin.

By Melisa Rudd, S.A.I.L. Coordinator

4 CHAMBER CONNECTION March 2018

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1200 Celebrity DriveRuston, LA

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Find Where You Fit!

FINANCIAL SPONSORSHIP

Schools of Academic Excellence Initiatives

Student and Teacher of the Year

Adopt-A-School

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIESLeadership And Achievement Initiatives

Student Internships

Job Shadowing

Contact Cathi Cox-Boniol, Lincoln ACHIEVE Coordinatorccox@lincolnschools.org, 318-255-1430

Lincoln ACHIEVE . . . building partnerships to benefit education, enhance the business environment, and contribute to

a quality life in Lincoln Parish.

2000 Farmerville Hwy. Ruston, LA 71270 www.genesisenergy.com

genesisenergy

Hunt, Guillot & AssociatesRuston, Louisiana

What’s the weirdest job I’ve ever had? My first job in college was overnight resident hall security. I manned the front desk at a different dorm every night to make sure no one snuck in any guests or significant others. It certainly prepared me for some of the interesting things I’d eventually see while running hotels. I once had a girl try to sneak her boyfriend into her dorm room in a massive laundry bag. She had it on a trash can dolly and it sneezed!

What does true leadership mean to me? A true leader never expects their Team to do something they wouldn’t do themselves. They show genuine interest in the professional development and personal wellbeing of each Team member and they lead by example. The most important part is to remember that flowers grow better in the sun. You can’t cast a dark cloud over your Team and expect them to bloom. I see so many managers talk down to their Team, treat them poorly, and then complain when they can’t keep people.

What would I do (for a career) if I weren’t doing this?

I have tossed around the idea of having my own hospitality consulting company with a focus in opening new hotels and helping existing hotels improve their overall product, cleanliness, and service.

How do I define success? To me, as long as you are always trying to better yourself, you will be successful. Just be better than you were yesterday, don’t wall yourself off with limits defined by others, and success will come.

Something that might surprise you about me? I was a finalist in Best Western’s Got Talent and got to sing in front of 2,500 people on the same stage as Martina McBride at our national convention last November.

Why did I choose Ruston-Lincoln? I didn’t, actually, fate chose it for me and I am thankful for how everything turned out. The owners had asked me several years ago if I would be interested in coming to this area and I turned them

down. Fast forward to 2 years ago; my fiancé and I had just been talking about leaving the Baton Rouge area because of the increased violence and extreme weather. The very next day I received a text asking if I was completely sure I still wasn’t interested. We took it as a sign and packed up! It’s so much quieter and safer here, the people are super nice, and I’m now only an hour away from most of my family.

If I could change one thing about the profession I’m in, what would it be? I would change the mindset that the customer is always right. Unfortunately, many times Team members are mistreated by customers that are just out to get something for free. If a customer has a valid complaint, of course we should do whatever is within reason to fix the problem. Some people abuse the system and it causes more red tape for the customers with a valid issue and makes the job of the Team member that much more difficult.

Carlyn is also an agent for Liberty National Life Insurance, the Best Western District 5 Governor, and serves on the Best Western Louisiana Co-Op Committee.

Meet Our AmbassadorCarlyn Harbour

General Manager, Best Western PLUS RustonBWPLUSRuston@gmail.com | Hotel Office (318) 224-7499 ext. 160 | Home Office (318) 224-5406

Meet Our Board MemberSummer HammonsOwner, My Happy Place Vintage Market

myhappyplaceruston@gmail.com | 2372 Hwy 33, Ruston| (318) 224-7058

What is my personal philosophy?To self-reflect each and every day and

know I’m only a small part of a much bigger picture.

What does true leadership mean to me? True leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.

What would I do (for a career) if I weren’t doing this?I’d be happy in any type of hospitality career, especially food/events service. I’ve always felt that being hospitable and serving others was a natural thing for me.

If I could do another job for just one day, what would it be?I’d have to be an expert to do this, but it would be pretty cool to be an airline pilot!

What would I most like to tell myself at age 13?Save as much money as you can!

How do I define success? We’re all successful. It’s all about our perception.

Something that might surprise you about me?I was a Licensed Massage Therapist & I play clarinet.

Why did I choose Ruston-Lincoln?I fell in love with this area about 10 years ago. There is a certain small-town feel I don’t think you would find in many cities this size.

If I could change one thing about the profession I’m in, what would it be?I had hoped more people truly believed in collaboration over competition. It’s distracting for me because my philosophy in business is to only try to be better than I was the day before.

How does the Chamber benefit me? The Chamber is a beautiful avenue to learn more about the business community. As a business, you are supported, encouraged and reassured that you belong in this community. It’s great & I couldn’t imagine not being a Chamber member! Summer is in her 12th year of marriage to Justin Hammons. Their girls, Elle (8yrs) & Laynie (3yrs) attend A.E. Phillips & Montessori.

CHAMBER CONNECTION 5march 2018

The forecast on Saturday may have called for heavy rain and thunderstorms, but at the Waffle House onFarmerville Highway it was all sunshine as Ms. Yvonne Woods radiated her sunny personality throughout therestaurant.

Yvonne is an employee of Waffle House Restaurant, and she is the January 2018 winner of the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce’s Everyday Excellence Award.  Ms. Woods was nominated by DeShae HughesPardon, who visited the restaurant back in December 2017.  On this day, Deshae and her family werecelebrating her father-in- law’s birthday at the restau-

rant, and they were hoping for a calm, relaxed diningexperience.  Things started off amazingly as the Pardon family were greeted with a Christmas carol and the “Happy Birthday” song, both sung by the amazing Ms. Yvonne.  Unfortunately, things ultimately took a turn for the worst when Deshae’s son, Houston, got sick during their meal.  Deshae, who was at her breaking point with the stress of having a sick child, found herself in tears at the restaurant.  As she was crying, Ms. Yvonne came to her rescue.  She cleaned up the mess that was made, and she hugged Deshae and comforted her with words of encouragement and positivity.  Her words were so soothing and kind that Deshae was finally able to regroup and enjoy her day.

At her award presentation, Deshae and her family joined the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce in giving the award.  Deshae recalled the event, saying

that Ms. Yvonne was her angel of the day, and she thanked her for her kindness and sincerity during that stressful time.  Pardon said, “The world needs more people like Ms. Yvonne.”

Marisol O’Neal (Chamber Community Development Vice Chair) added, “In this industry, it is more common to hear complaints than praise, and when our com-mittee read Deshae’s story, we knew that we had to recognize Yvonne as our Everyday Excellence winner for January 2018.”

After the award was presented during Yvonne’s shift, other restaurant-goers added to Deshae’s testimony. Becky Napper said, “Our family loves Yvonne, and she is one of the reasons we enjoy eating at the Waffle House so much.  I am thrilled to see her given this recognition.”

Yvonne was awarded a 3-month membership to Rock-etfast Car Wash, an overnight stay at the Best WesternPlus Ruston Hotel, and a $25 gift card to Ruston Florist and Belle de Fleur Boutique.  According to Yvonne, thegreatest prize was just the recognition itself, and it was a true surprise to her.

Congratulations, Yvonne Woods, for being the winner of our January 2018 #EverydayExcellence award!

To nominate an individual for the Everyday Excellence Award, send a message to our Facebook account orcontact the Chamber at iflowers@rustonlincoln.org.

New Members

Branded Graphics, LLCOwner: Breanna RigginsBrand development, logo creation, advertisement designs, print/magazine layouts, web-design, social media management, etc. (225) 252-5971http://br-graphics.com

The Exchange: A program of The Ross Lynn Charitable FoundationA Place of Collaboration and Resource for Non-Profits, Innovative Initiatives and Special Projects primarily serving North Louisiana.http://exchangenla.org

Southern Grace Events & Blessings, LLCOwner: Jessica HughesEvent planning for birthdays, fundraising, weddings, award ceremonies, networking events, etc.(318) 791-4384Find Me on Facebook

Award Presented to Yvonne Woods

Thank you to the local business leaders who visited with this year’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy students in February at LA Tech College of Business. The YEA! program is a collaborative effort among the Chamber, Lincoln ACHIEVE, and the College of Business at LA Tech, to educate our children and grow our workforce. Also, thanks to our 2017-18 instructor, Jessica Hicks and program manager, Becca Kleinpeter.

(Pictured left to right: Jim Shepherd/ The Cleaners of Ruston, Don Robertson/ Jim Taylor Ford & Rocketfast Car Wash, Richard Raue/ Hi-Tech Computers, and students Courtney Wilson, Devika Dua, McGuire Toncrey, Makhia Mamon (not pictured, Christopher Copeland)

A few bits of advice shared throughout the evening:* Everyone in business will need a good attorney, accountant, banker, and friend.* The best thing about being a CEO is having the ability to help those who work for you have a more prosperous life.

* If you aren’t passionate about your business, the tough times are likely to get you down.* A passion about what you do is often fueled by dissatis-faction - it pushes you to be the best you can be at what you do.* Personnel is the toughest part of a CEO’s job - the hiring and firing.* Best advice from a mentor - when there’s an issue, sit back and decide what you, as the customer would want, then make it happen for your customer.* Something is going to go wrong sometime - A customer will often remember how you resolved something more than what they were not happy with in the first place. Keep a good reputation!

YEA! Investor Panel Event Thursday, March 15, 6-8 p.m.

LA Tech College of Business Room 126Think Shark Tank meets The Apprentice meets American Idol! Students will have six minutes to pitch their business plans to prominent local members of the business com-munity. Based on the appeal and merit of the students’ plans and presentations, representatives from local com-panies or individuals determine the amount of funds to al-locate to the businesses or social movements. One student will also be chosen to represent YEA! Lincoln in Rochester, NY at the Saunders Scholars Competition.Investor Panelists TBA

Save-the-DateYEA! Trade Show

Saturday, May 12, 8 a.m.-NoonRuston Farmers Market

The presentation is a culmination of nine months of hard work, resulting in the graduates owning and operating their own businesses. YEA! students will be selling their products and services. The Trade Show is free and open to the public, and is a great way to decide if applying to YEA! is right for your child.

YEA! CEO Roundtable

6 CHAMBER CONNECTION March 2018

Dicky NealyBroker

2406 Kavanaugh RoadRuston, LA 71270dicky.lri@gmail.com

Office: (318) 255-7480Mobile: (318) 243-6253

Fax: (318) 254-8077

NorthernLouisianaMedicalCenter.com401 E. Vaughn Avenue, Ruston, LA

Ribbon Cuttings Event photos can be viewed on Facebook.com/RustonChamber.

Ruston Eye & VisionDr. Brad Anders, OD

2313 Commons Ct., Ste 4(318) 232-6552

https://rustoneye.com

Xtreme Tint & AudioOwners: Trey & Melani Craig

1621 Industrial Dr., Ruston(318) 513-2217

Find them on Facebook

I-20 Escape (live escape room)Owners: Angela & Jerry Yarborough and

Tara & Eddie Howington1800 Trade Dr.(318) 224-7188

http://i20escape.com

Member Spotlight

By Abyssinia Flores, Chamber Intern GSU Public Relations

In a world where new technology has taken over, radio manager of The Peach 99.3, Z-107.5, and SportsTalk 97.7, Gary McKenney gives the Chamber an inside scoop on how he manages to tackle the new wave versus the retro wave! A native of Russellville, Arkansas, Mr. McKenney came to the piney hills of Ruston over thirty years ago and became an active part of this community. His hard work and dedication to the Ruston-Lincoln community can be seen not only through his radio stations, but his acts of service as well, such as The Peach’s most recent cause, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

With a little over fifty years under his belt, Mr. McKenney’s passion for radio broadcasting comes from three generations of radio lovers. In fact, he remembers there was a time his father did not want him to pursue a career in radio. But his growing thirst for radio

finally was quenched in his teenage years. “When I was 15, I heard my voice on the radio for the first time. Before I began to speak on the radio, my job was to run records, or if they needed me to press automatic buttons. It was my excitement,” stated McKenney. “When I finally got on the radio, people would call and ask to play a track and that is where it became fun!”

But McKenney wasn’t always so sure about pursing the field of radio broadcasting. Something his listeners may or may not know about the community’s beloved radio personality’s background is that he actually obtained a degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Arkansas Tech University. “I’ve always had an aptitude in science and math, but while I was in college working at a local radio station, I realized I could just do this,” and he hasn’t looked back since! “Radio is fun, of course there is the entertainment side as well as the business side. But nonetheless radio

is always changing,” says McKenney. “The challenging aspect of radio is all the new technologies out there. Whether it’s Facebook or Snapchat, something is always changing. Our goal is to stay ahead of the curve and keep our audience engaged.”

When asked which on-air personality brings out the most Louisiana flavor to their segments, McKenney replied, “We have many interesting hosts from Sports talk to Music, but for Local Louisiana Flavor, it would be Rick Godley. His show is so interesting. We call it the ‘Radio-Roux’ because he mixes a lot of different tracks in his segment. His takeover show allows his guests to fully engage in the show by conversing about whatever is on their minds, while choosing the music to be played.”

Tune in to Mr. McKenney’s stations - The Peach 99.3, Big County Z107.5, and SportsTalk 97.7 or visit and listen online at www.thepeach99.3.com. You can also connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

McKenney and staff serving lunch to RHS faculty as part of the Chamber’s Adopt-A-School program

CHAMBER CONNECTION 7march 2018

A Pause at the PodiumBy Cathi Cox-Boniol, Coordinator, Lincoln ACHIEVE

Everybody Can Use a Coach They Will Never ForgetAs spring creeps in, my thoughts

can’t help but return to glorious days in the athletic arena. Sure, I’m a rabid football fan and really enjoy good basketball as well. But there was something just completely freeing about finally getting to that season where you can bask in the sun while engrossed in exciting baseball or softball and track and field. Maybe that’s a southern thing. And while my days as an athlete are long behind me, I still cherish the experiences I had through basketball, softball, and track and field while in high school and even through some intramural and city league activity after that. The life lessons learned are incredible in addition to the skills developed along the way.

I actually began my journey into athletics at home, playing with Daddy and my brother. I learned to be as tough as nails going up against them and consider Daddy

my first coach. I smile even now thinking about our sessions around

the basketball goal or in the front yard. After that I had different coaches through the years and I can honestly say that I remember them all and certainly learned different things from them for different reasons. I was reminded of that when I came upon an article in a recent issue of The Magazine

by AARP. Entitled “The Coach I’ll Never Forget,” the article shared reflections from top athletes about how coaches shaped them and changed the course of their lives. Here is the advice shared by six athletic superstars:

Hall of Fame basketball player, Charles Barkley, stated that Wallace Honeycutt’s best advice was “have a plan B;” Olympic gold medalist, Dorothy Hamill, added that Gustave Lussi taught her to “never compromise your standards;” Jack

Nicklaus, Hall of Fame golfer, learned from Bob Kepler to “take advantage of every opportunity;” Hall of Fame tennis player, Martina Navratilova, noted that Sandra Haynie’s lesson was to “let go of mistakes and stay focused on the next shot;” two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Jim Plunkett, reported that Al Cementina said you had to “go the extra mile, on and off the field;” and Olympic gold-medalist in the heptathlon and long jump, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, included that Nino Fennoy impressed upon her the essential need to “make a commitment and stick with it.”

Each of those athletes benefitted from a coach they will never forget. It made a difference in their trajectory and ultimate success. But here’s what is interesting about the advice shared—it all applies to life and living, not simply the athletic arena. And it’s something that our young people must internalize and apply if they are to reach their fullest potential and

ultimately succeed. Their success then impacts our success as they become members of our workforce, productive members of society, benefactors for our culture, and true assets to our quest for excellence in all we do as a citizenry.

However, we must realize that not all of them are going to have a coach in their corner or even a parent who can fill that important niche. That’s where as community we need to seize the opportunity to become that essential source of encouragement and influence through our mentorship and advocacy. Our responsibility must not be overlooked. Every day that passes provides countless opportunities to make a profound difference in the life of a young person—to be that coach they will never forget. And what better time to plant seeds of commitment than spring, when new life appears all around us and a sense of renewal permeates our consciousness. Glorious indeed!

Cathi Cox-Boniol

Leadership Lincoln Industry DayLeadership Lincoln’s focus in February was Industry. The

class of XXXI visited several of

Lincoln Parish’s manufacturers.

The Cleaners of Ruston (privately owned Ruston company for 27 years, equipped with state of the art, environmentally friendly machinery)

Frosty Factory (supplies daiquiri machines to every continent except Antarctica and has annual sales of $6 million)

Industrial Insulation Group (with more than 30 plants located in the U.S., IIG is the leading manufacturer of thermal insulation solutions for high temperature industrial applications)

Franke (headquartered in Switzerland, Franke Ruston is equipped to produce 1M sinks annually and is the training facility used by Franke world-wide)

Tommy’s Tees (privately owned Ruston company for 34 years, prints over 1M shirts annually and offers screen printing, ad specialty, banners, embroidery & more)

Lunch was sponsored by NetTech.

Leadership Lincoln helps identify and motivate emerging community leaders and challenges those leaders to increase their participation in the community. The next class will begin in September. You may apply at any time. Applications are available at the Chamber or RustonLincoln.org.

8 CHAMBER CONNECTION March 2018

Congratulations to the #LaPeachFest 2018 “Peachy Paradise”

Contests Winners!

T-Shirt Design by Courtney Self

Poster Design by Pamela Powers (the original wooden poster will be for sale by auction in June).

Thanks to all the artists who participated and thanks to all who voted!

www.ensureagency.com

McCarter Financial Group, LLC

S. Greg McCarter, LUTCF

Most people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.Psalm 1:3

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Happy Anniversary

If you enjoyed Rock the Railroad this past fall as a part of Loyal Blue Weekend celebrations, we’ve got great news – Rock the Railroad concert series is returning this spring to downtown Ruston!

Kicking off the first concert of the series is St. Paddy’s Day in the Park on March 16. Bring the whole crew out to spend the evening in Railroad Park with live music, food, and drinks. The first band to take the stage will be Frenchie’s Blues Destroyers followed by the Robert “Slim” Finley Band. Ponchatoulas will be on site with food available for purchase. Devine Wine & Spirits and the Keg Package will be serving up beer, wine,

and a special green St. Paddy’s Day drink.

“We’re excited to bring back Rock the Railroad for the spring,” says CVB President/CEO Travis Napper. “Not only does it provide another option for weekend activities, but the first event, St. Paddy’s Day in the Park, will offer an impressive music lineup.”

The Texas blues band Frenchie’s Blue Destroyers consists of Kevin “Frenchie” Scious, a child guitar prodigy in south France who went on to become bandmates with Shooter

Jennings, and iconic Texas drummer “Brother

Pete” Coatney who’s been the drummer in Jack Ingram’s Beat Up Ford Band.

Robert Finley of the Robert “Slim” Finley Band also has quite an impressive career as

he’s returning to North Louisiana from the first leg of his national tour with Dan Auerbach’s (the Black Keys) Easy Eye Revue. His most recent album “Going Platinum” was released in December 2017. Auerbach who produced the album and wrote the songs called Finley “the greatest

living soul singer” out performing.

To experience these talents for yourself and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day weekend, be in Railroad Park on Friday, March 16 at 6 p.m. St. Paddy’s in the Park is sponsored by Devine Wines & Spirits Plus, The Keg Package and Cork Room, Ponchatoulas Restaurant, and Log Cabin Mesquite Grill.

The next concert of the series will be Friday, May 20. These events are free to attend and family friendly. Blankets and lawn chairs are welcome and encouraged! For more information about Rock the Railroad concert series, visit experienceruston.com.

Rock the Railroad is back this Spring

Amanda Quimby

Touring Lincoln ParishBy Amanda Quimby, Director of Marketing, Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau

75+ YearsFirst National Bank

25+ YearsMason Forest Products, Inc.

20+ YearsMcDonald’s

15+ YearsHood CompaniesPapa John’s Pizza

Ruston Nursing & Rehab Center

5+ YearsAramark at GSU

RE/MAX Results RealtyRuston Community Theater

1+ YearsBrister’s BBQ SmokehouseCissy’s Flooring And More

Cotton Top Print Shop & Fine ArtsDevine Wine and Spirits PlusGeorgia Poultry Equipment

Ginn’s AutobodyJ&T Limousines

Monster Moto, LLCRay of Light Counseling

Sue PaperieVillage Green Storage

Wiggin’ Out