Speculative Development

Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Written by Penny Font

Lafayette businessman Mike Moreno wants to transform 30 acres of prime Baton Rouge real estate linking LSU and downtown. But right now, the project is tall on intrigue and short on detail.

The oak-lined boulevard along Nicholson Drive that leads to the gates of LSU is now considered one of the most critical developments to the future of Baton Rouge and its university...

Opportunity Knocks

Written by Penny Font
Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Locally headquartered banks’ buying spree has Lafayette emerging as the banking hub of the South.

Decades ago, Charlotte, N.C., emerged as one of the nation’s prominent banking headquarters — second only to New York City in assets. Much of that is attributed to vigorously competitive financier Hugh McColl, who transformed North Carolina National Bank into a formidable national player through a series of aggressive acquisitions, ultimately creating Bank of America.

Wired for the Future

The promise of world-class, high-speed broadband is here, and businesses are finding innovative ways to take advantage

When Kleinpeter Dairy makes one of its routine delivery stops at Wal-Mart, the process is much the same as it’s always been. The driver-salesperson goes in the store to check inventory and see what size order is needed, before hauling the milk out the back of the truck.

The Party Boys

Whether it’s a business pow-wow or a spectacular blow-out event, this group of men really knows how to pull it together.

Move over, Martha Stewart — the boys are taking charge. In Lafayette, the guys are the ones planning the big bashes, the kind that people buzz about for months, or even years. When locals really want to impress clients and colleagues, they call the “Party Boys” — among whom are Frank Gerami II, Ted Viator, Richard Young and Jim Clark. Whether it’s a business pow-wow or a spectacular blow-out event, they really know how to put it together down to the finest detail. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how they make it happen.

The Year in Rear View

Acadiana Business takes its annual look back at the top 10 stories of 2009.

Some of the biggest stories in Acadiana got their due in 2009: the Stanford scandal, IberiaBank’s rise to the No. 2 banking group in the state. Others, you barely heard about: the Shea family of New Iberia’s multi-million-dollar sale of The Bayou Companies, for instance, early in the year. Each year we reflect on the big business happenings of the year, selecting a range of stories we think best sum up the year in rear view. In no particular order, below are our Top 10 “big deals” of 2009.