JEDCO, Jefferson Chamber to host panel discussion on leadership

What makes a good leader? It’s a timeless question asked by leaders across the ages. From a business perspective, leaders are often described as innovative, visionary, passionate, confident. The list goes on. They unleash the potential in their employees, inspire results within the workplace, and motivate their teams to do their best work.

What happens when a good leader encounters a challenging problem? In the past two years, our community has grappled with a global pandemic and severe weather challenges that have disrupted our normal way of life. Good leaders had to take what they knew about running a business and change course to maintain employment and drive growth in the midst of tremendous hardship.

JEDCO and the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce invited several local leaders across a diverse range of industries and perspectives to share their experiences, their advice, and what they learned as they navigated multiple crises over multiple years. Join us for an informative panel discussion, where our business leaders will share:

• Leadership and business strategies to plan for a crisis
  Pivoting during the pandemic
  Driving employee engagement and growth during challenging seasons
  Lessons learned
  Valuable advice for business owners

Join JEDCO and the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce IN PERSON on Wednesday, October 27th, from 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. at the JEDCO Conference Center (701A Churchill Parkway, Avondale, LA 70094). Please register for Prosper Jefferson online in advance.

REGISTER HERE

Meet Our Experts

Arthur Boisfontaine, Crystal Clear Imaging (CCI)
Arthur Boisfontaine is the CEO and Co-Owner of Crystal Clear Imaging (CCI), a signage and graphic solutions specialist with projects ranging from banners, billboards and building wraps to retail signage, stadium branding and transportation graphics. For over twenty years, CCI has been transforming spaces with their innovative and versatile product applications. From conceptualization and graphic design, to print production and professional installation, their team of experts can handle it all. CCI is the official signage solutions partner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans.

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Arthur spearheaded a pivot toward social distancing signage and the creation of plexiglass barriers in order to ensure his employees continued to earn a paycheck. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its offerings and reach during several local and global crises.

JoLena Broussard, MBA, Cornerstone
In her role as Senior Corporate Affairs and Communications Advisor, JoLena manages all communication for two sites: Cornerstone in Waggaman, Louisiana and Belle in Belle, West Virginia. This includes corporate affairs, governmental affairs, community relations, public relations, media relations and digital/social media communications. JoLena’s favorite part about her job is getting to be the face of the company in the community focusing on giving back where it matters most. JoLena is a graduate of the Leadership Jefferson Class of 2021, and she is currently a member of the Leadership River Region Class of 2022. She is an active member of the Jefferson Business Council, Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, United Way of St. Charles and Waggaman Community. JoLena graduated summa cum laude with College Honors from LSU with her Bachelor of Arts in mass communication. She also graduated with her Master of Business Administration from the LSU Flores MBA Program.

Teresa Lawrence, Delta Personnel
Teresa Lawrence is a Cuban-born entrepreneur who arrived in the United States as a refugee on President Nixon’s “Freedom Flight” in 1973. Joined by her mother, brother, and grandmother, it was this pursuit of liberty mingled with sheer uncertainty that instilled in her a strong work ethic that follows her to this day. From bagging groceries to managing advertising accounts in the Greater New Orleans area, Teresa’s career journey has had its twists and turns. In 1988, she married David Lawrence, whose family owned and operated a staffing agency.

In 2000, Teresa became the sole owner of Delta Personnel, one of Louisiana’s oldest temporary and permanent placement service companies. Specializing in niche markets, Delta Personnel works to solve labor pains by providing a full range of services, including: temporary staffing, temp-to-hire, direct hire, executive hire, and on-site management. In addition, Delta Personnel offers a comprehensive screening process, HR consulting, best practices for risk/safety, certified payroll, and personnel evaluations across various industries. Under Teresa’s leadership, Delta Personnel has gained national recognition in the staffing industry, propelled by strategic networking and training opportunities. Teresa is an esteemed graduate of both the Tuck School of Business-WBENC Executive Program and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program.

In 2020, Teresa became majority owner and CEO of Delta Administrative Services, a professional employer organization (PEO) founded by her husband. As these Delta companies celebrate being in business for over 50 years, she has plans to expand nationwide and into new industries, partnering with more minority businesses and advocating for diversity and acceptance. Teresa is committed to the development of her community, actively serving on several board of directors and working with local nonprofit organizations.

MODERATOR: Bill Ganon, The Ganon Group
Bill Ganon is passionate about effective organizational communication and sales performance. He works with all areas of the organization: C-Suite, Sales, Customer Experience, Product Development and Tech/Engineering, to raise their communication ability. Whether it’s critical 1:1 proposals across the desk, or a conference presentation to hundreds, Bill coaches organizational executives to deliver presentations with confidence, conviction and connection. Recent clients include NOLA.com, Tulane University, Renaissance Publishing, and Columbia University.

Bill is a frequent performer at The Moth (“True Stories Told Live”) in both New Orleans and New York City and has won both GrandSlam and StorySlam competitions.