Tim Metcalf – Lafayette Restaurateur and Entrepreneur

Today we welcome Warren Abadie, Director of Traffic, Roads and Bridges for Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG). A Lafayette native, Warren has spent his entire career with LCG, steadily rising through the ranks after graduating from UL Lafayette in 2003 with a degree in electrical engineering (computer option). He started as an engineer aide, moved on to traffic maintenance supervisor, traffic signal/system engineer, and city-parish transportation engineer before being appointed director in 2020. “I affectionately refer to myself as the director of misery and unhappiness,” Warren joked, but his love for his job is clear. He explained that a professor once told him, “Your first job will determine your whole career,” and in his case, that proved true. His engineering background in coding and electrical systems naturally aligned with his first promotion into traffic signals. Managing 190 Traffic Signals Across the City Warren oversees a vast system of about 190 traffic signals, many of which LCG maintains through agreements with the state. He explained how the signal network functions: “If you’re on a minor street at a major street, it’s going to feel like the signal is taking forever. A minute in your car feels more like five minutes. But we run the system as a network. All the signals on Pinhook have to have the same cycle length… so there’s some inefficiencies there. But the main street always takes precedence.” With a central server syncing up internal clocks, Warren and his team can monitor complaints in real time, using traffic cameras and logs to identify problems, often adjusting signals remotely: “We’re always tinkering. We’re always changing. We’re always trying to make 10 pounds of fluff fit in a 5-pound bag.” Balancing Capacity, Convenience, and Safety Warren described the essence of traffic engineering as a balancing act: “Traffic engineering is a balance of three things. Capacity. Convenience. And safety. If safety was first, your car wouldn’t go more than five miles an hour… If it was all about convenience, there’d be no pavement markings on the road. And if it was all about capacity, I wouldn’t allow left turns on signals.” This balance is one reason he strongly supports roundabouts, which check all three boxes by being safer, more efficient, and accommodating U-turns. He acknowledged, however, that roundabouts are more difficult to design and build, and some—like the Ridge Road and Rue de Belier roundabout—are already over capacity, with plans in place for upgrades. Traffic Growth and New Projects “Traffic is a sign of economic activity and growth,” Warren noted, pointing out Lafayette is one of the few parishes in Louisiana still growing. He listed several new roundabout projects in the works, including: Broussard and Robley West Broussard and Duhon (near Acadian Village) Ridge and Domingue Road Rue de Belier and Ridge (expansion to multi-lane) Vincent Road in Broussard LA 92 and East Broussard (toward Milton) Safety, Motorcycles, and Crash Data As a father, Warren is deeply concerned about motorcycles: “Don’t let anybody you love drive a motorcycle because your target value is just too small and the margin for error is just way too small. It’s exciting, but the reality is there’s just not any room for error.” His department continually analyzes crash data and works to balance safety with traffic flow, noting that signals reduce deadly right-angle crashes but often lead to an increase in rear-end crashes—generally less severe. Road Repairs and Infrastructure Challenges Road work is another part of Warren’s responsibility, and he was candid about the frustrations drivers feel: “Everything we do day to day requires the use of that system. Generally, the roads are already congested. Now I got to fix it and make them more congested. It’s not something we take lightly.”

Russ Hosmer, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, certified life coach, former national-champion bodybuilder, and founder of Constant Progression, an online life coaching and personal development platform serving clients worldwide, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his mission to help others reach their full potential. Russ grew up in New Jersey, just outside of New York City. At 17, his parents retired and moved to Alabama. He studied at Jacksonville State University and worked in health club turnarounds: “We found the gyms and the health clubs that were in the red, and we brought them into the black. We got the management together, the business side of it, and got them better and rolling.” Russ was a bodybuilder alongside business: “I was a state champion when I was a teenager… top five in the national championship. I was a national champion twice. Two times. Two years in a row as the first one to ever do that.” That era cemented discipline: “I was blessed. I was doing what I love… when you do that, you don’t ever work a day in your life.” Choosing the Marines, Special Operations, and What Service Really Looked Like “My family is Marine Corps. My grandfather was a WWII veteran and my brother was a Marine… it was almost like, well, I have to do that.” He enlisted on a whim, calling it “probably the greatest decision of my life.” Boot camp at Parris Island: “They start drilling leadership principles into you the day you get there… It’s a transformation process. It’s the title,, being a Marine. So you have to earn it.” After graduating top of his class in the School of Infantry, he went to amphibious reconnaissance / special operations: “We’re like 1% of the Marine Corps.” Operational reality: “Less than 1% of the Marine Corps see combat. We do more hospitable missions than we do combat missions. It’s urban warfare, small unit tactics. We don’t actually fight other countries like uniform military. it’s a different world we live in.” He traveled extensively: “I was in 37 countries in three years. I was deployed a lot. But I volunteered because that’s what I wanted to do.” PTSD, Loss, and a Five-Year Turning Point Russ is candid: “I do have severe PTSD… I didn’t know I had it for years. Then all of a sudden, it was really bad.” Compounding events:“I lost my corporate job during COVID. I had been a senior executive of a Fortune 500 company for twenty years. Then my dad died, and my mom died, then my older brother died." It left him “in a very dark place, kind of lost." "I decided, you know what? I need to help people overcome the PTSD, get the resilience and the mindset, and learn how the mind works and how the body works. And why is this happening?" On the rate of veterans committing suicide, Russ says, “They say it’s 22 a day. There’s a lot more than that. They don’t have help, they think it’s a sign of weakness. But you admitting it and talking about it, that’s a sure sign of strength.” From a five-year journey, he created Constant Progression: “We’re always looking to be our best self. We’re all on that journey of constant progression.” Training the Marines & A Vanderbilt Recovery Study That “Changed Everything” After instructing at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, Russ became a Physical Training Advisor for the Eastern Recruiting Region—“anything east of the Mississippi River… the whole East Coast.” His remedial programs “went before Congress and they actually enacted those into standard operating procedures… now a part of the Marine Corps training standards.” Russ helped run a muscle recovery study with Vanderbilt University to reduce injuries and attrition: “We had a lot of lower body extremities' injuries, especially with the female recruits… hip fractures and femur fractures, tibia fractures… kids nowadays… they don’t eat well.” Findings touched hydration, chow hall practices, food quantity by body weight, and training tweaks (including pull-up progression): “The best way t...

Today we welcome Tim Metcalf, a Lafayette entrepreneur whose name is tied to some of Acadiana’s most beloved establishments. Owner of Deano’s Pizza, Prejean’s Restaurant, and Marcello Wine Market, along with ventures in real estate, storage, and assisted living, Tim has built his life around preserving local traditions while bringing fresh ideas to our community. A Family Legacy in Restaurants Tim’s entrepreneurial roots trace back to his father, who left behind a thriving restaurant career in California where his pizzeria drew in celebrities and locals alike. Fess Parker and Steve McQueen were regulars as they could hang out in the days before paparazzi. “He left very successful restaurants in California just because he didn’t like the political, sociological climate. He was a country boy, an Idaho potato farmer, and the fast lifestyle of California didn’t sit well with him.” A Korean War veteran, his father moved the family to Lafayette in 1970, opening Deano’s in 1971. "Lafayette was booming. Oilfield, oil and gas. You know, he just didn't come to Lafayette on a whim. He read entrepreneurial magazines saying how it was one of the fastest growing cities in the country at the time," says Tim Metcalf. The original Deano’s on Bertrand Drive was a simple pizzeria: counter service only, draft beer, pizza, a little green salad, and fountain drinks. “You wouldn’t recognize it at all today… when Dad first started, there was no waitress. It was counter service. That didn’t work in Lafayette. He soon changed it.” Deano's menu from the 1970s. Posted by Mona Bernhard on Lafayette Memories's Facebook Page. Tim, then ten years old, adapted quickly to Louisiana life after growing up in Santa Barbara. “They said, well, you can trade your surfboard for maybe a horse or a mini bike. I’m like, I’m okay. That sounds good to me.” He helped his dad around their rural property on Ridge Road and learned the value of hard work. "“We had pigs, sheep, rabbits, chickens… and a pretty big garden. Dad had a rototiller — an old Sears knuckle buster — and it was a lot of work, and it all fell on me.” As the youngest of four, Tim shouldered much of the responsibility for cutting grass, working the compost pit, and tending to the garden. “The older ones were in high school and had jobs. So from cutting the grass to road tilling, to manure, to compost, it all fell on me.” Looking back, he credits that hard work with shaping his character. “It taught me some really solid work ethic. I was never afraid of work, and still I’m not.” By the 1980s, Tim had taken over the reins of Deano's. Recognizing the need to adapt, Tim expanded both the hours and the menu. “When I got aboard, we started lunches and then we started other food and expanding the menu. 1983–84 — we had to do something else.” His biggest shift was weaving Acadiana’s food culture into the pizza kitchen. “That was an awakening — to start taking the Cajun food, the great food that we have in this area, and incorporating it into our pizzas and our menu. Sausages, boudin, shrimp.” Photo by Paul Kieu for the Advertiser Expansion and Adaptation Tim later partnered with his son to open a South Lafayette Deano’s, which quickly became a success. “My son and I have this great working relationship.” When COVID hit, they pivoted to selling pizzas and ranch dressing in grocery stores, personally delivering orders across Acadiana. “We kept our whole staff busy. We didn’t have to lay anybody off.” That resilience fueled further growth. When the Guilbeau family approached him about Prejean’s, Tim stepped in. “I wanted to keep it as pure and original as possible… I wanted to make it the spot in Carencro for the locals to hang out.” Prejean’s: Preserving a Cajun Landmark The opportunity to purchase Prejean’s came unexpectedly. “I had a good customer that goes, hey, you know Bob Guilbeau? He wants to talk to you about Prejean’s. Next thing I know,

Discover Lafayette welcomes Paul Eason, founder of Eason Advertising, a marketing and public relations firm based in Lafayette, to share his family history as a member of the Billeaud family. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Billeaud Companies. A native of Lafayette, Paul graduated from Cathedral-Carmel High School and USL. He has built a successful career in advertising and PR since launching his firm in 1999, representing clients across industries ranging from banks to automotive dealerships. Paul’s story, however, is deeply intertwined with the legacy of the Billeaud family. As a descendant of this influential family, Paul has served on the board of Billeaud Companies since 2013 and has chaired the board since 2021. He is the first chairman in the company’s history who does not carry the Billeaud name, a point of pride and responsibility. The Billeaud Family Legacy The company's origins began when Pierre Jean Billeaud (1806-1877) and his wife, Rosalie Felicite Grizeau, immigrated to Louisiana with their son, Martial Francois, from Bourgneuf, France in 1840. Pierre made his living as a wheelwright (blacksmith). When Martial was 16 in 1852, he followed in his father's footsteps and established a blacksmith shop near the Vermilion River, on the site presently occupied by the DoubleTree Hotel. In 1872, Martial brought new stalks of sugar cane to the area, purchased a mule driven-cane crushing machine, built a mill and began buying land to start a sugar cane business. The endeavor evolved into Billeaud buying more land and building up the sugar company. Martial Billeaud was the first in his family to begin the history of the Billeaud family's commitment to responsible use of land resources and active involvement in the community. Billeaud Companies can be traced back to 1914, when Martial F. Billeaud, Sr. sold the business to his children. who originally incorporated it into the Billeaud Sugar Factory, Inc. Built upon earlier cane-crushing operations started in the late 19th century, the enterprise grew into a powerhouse of sugar production. Over time, multiple plantations—including Comeaux and Broussard—were consolidated under the umbrella of the company, reflecting its family-driven nature. Martial F. Billeaud, Sr. (1836 - 1916) was the driving force behind the current family-owned Billeaud Companies. The family is proud to have facilitated the building of Martial F. Billeaud Elementary School at 500 E Fairfield Dr, Broussard, LA, on property formerly owned by the company. Paul recalls childhood visits to the factory in Broussard, where the machinery left lasting impressions. The sugar factory had been part of the daily life of his family for generations. "Popie Billeaud jokes that I'm the first chairman of Billeaud Companies that doesn't carry the Billeaud name. As a child, I went to the sugar factory a bunch. In those days, my uncle was running the sugar factory, and as I remember we'd go there to see the them crushing the cane and bringing the cane in and the smokestacks. It was a big operation, located about where Mike's Marine is in Broussard. I knew that I was always going to be involved with Billeaud Companies. We have a swing set in my backyard that was made at the sugar factory and syrup bowl in the front yard. It was always a part of my life." As time went on, and Lafayette and Broussard expanded, economic realities, environmental issues, and federal policy shifts made sugar production less sustainable. In 1979, the sugar factory closed. The company pivoted to land development, real estate, and commercial property investment. This strategic shift—guided in part by longtime CEO James L. “Tex” Plumley—allowed the company to prosper through oil discoveries, building acquisitions, and commercial development. Growth Into Real Estate Development Today, the Billeaud Companies own and manage more than 800,000 square feet of developed property,

Discover Lafayette welcomes Marcelle Bienvenu, cookbook author and food writer who has been preparing Cajun and Creole dishes since the 1960s. A St. Martinville native, she still lives there with her husband, Rock Lasserre. Marcelle has written about Creole and Cajun cooking for The Times-Picayune, Time-Life Books, and has been featured in Garden & Gun, Food & Wine, Saveur, Southern Living, Redbook, The New York Times, Louisiana Life, and Acadiana Profile. She authored Who’s Your Mama? Are You Catholic and Can You Make a Roux?, as well as Who’s Your Mama? The Sequel, and Cajun Cooking for Beginners. She co-edited Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, which was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2009. Marcelle worked with Emeril Lagasse for 15 years and coauthored several cookbooks with him, including Louisiana Real & Rustic, Emeril’s Creole Christmas, Emeril’s TV Dinners, and Every Day’s a Party. She also owned and operated the beloved restaurant Chez Marcelle in Broussard, at the former Billeaud Family Plantation site. She has worked at legendary restaurants including Commander’s Palace and K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans, and taught for 11 years at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University. Growing Up in St. Martinville “When I was a youngster, it was idyllic. You could ride your bike anywhere. Nobody cared where you were going. We could go around the block and ask all the ladies, ‘What do you have for supper tonight?’ If I liked hers better than mine, I could stay with her. Everybody on our block was related.” Her father’s family owned The Teche News, and she grew up folding papers and helping with printing: “Besides the newspaper, Daddy did wedding invitations, football programs. I used to hate it because my hands were always full of ink… Mama would fix the sandwiches at the newspaper office because we never went home on paper day until late. The ink was all over your bread.” She credits her early love of cooking to meals at family camps on Vermilion Bay: "My father was a Boy Scout leader, and we had a camp at Granddad's on Vermilion Bay, at Sycamore Point, and we had one in the Basin. A lot of our meals were cooked on an open fire wood bar. And I thought that was absolutely fabulous. So I would sit at my daddy's elbow with his beer. I was beer holder. I would say, shouldn't you go medium low? You don't have a dial, you'd have to move it. I became infatuated with that. I thought that was just marvelous. “We were laughing the other day about when we were little, nobody said, oh, we're going to have Cajun food. Are we going to New Orleans? Can we have Creole food? We never would. Nobody ever said that." An interesting side note: Marcelle is the aunt of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry. His mother and Marcelle's sister, Edna Bienvenu Landry, died in 2019. Our governor also unfortunately recently lost his father, architect and business owner, Al James Landry, on July 30, 2025. The Start of a Culinary Career In 1971, while working at The Times-Picayune, Marcelle met the Time-Life Books crew. “They were thinking of doing a book on Acadian Creole cooking… We were supposed to be only a chapter in the Southern book, but we ended up with a whole book.” Working with the Brennans and legendary chef Paul Prudhomme shaped her approach: “He really brought Cajun cooking up to another level… It was absolutely wonderful to see them marrying those two cuisines to see what they came up with." Before Prudhomme joined Commander's Palace, no one in New Orleans was serving chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. Chez Marcelle Marcelle’s uncle offered to finance a restaurant in Broussard, and they transformed the old Billeaud Plantation home: “We did fabulously for almost four years and then the whole business… the oil industry crashed. It happened so fast my CPA called to ask if we had closed.

Lafayette Fire Chief Robert Benoit, a man who has devoted 46 years to protecting our community, recently announced his retirement. A Lafayette native, Chief Benoit joined the department in May 1979 and made history in August 1993 when he became the first Black fire chief in Lafayette’s history. Under his leadership, the department expanded from seven to fourteen fire stations, modernized equipment and training, and earned improved fire ratings, saving money and lives. Chief Benoit has been inducted into the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Hall of Fame and served as President of the Southwestern Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. As he prepares to retire on August 15, 2025, Chief Benoit reflected on the calling he discovered as a child, the trials and triumphs of leading during economic downturns and political shifts, and the deeper sense of purpose that led him to seminary and prison ministry. “I think it was a gift that God placed in me, probably from birth… getting to how I got there was looking at a firefighter in a book at school at seven years old… and I said, ‘I want to be a firefighter.’” From Stockboy to Chief Chief Benoit’s journey began with humble jobs—first at Lafayette Drug Company, then Martin Mills in St. Martinville—while waiting to meet the age requirement to become a firefighter. When the age was lowered to 18, he took the civil service exam, passed, and began training at the fire academy. His first assignment was the Central Fire Station, where he spent 99% of his career. "The first thing you get is an interview with the fire chief. The fire chief at that time was Wayne Prejean. He told me he was going to give me a shot. I remember walking out the fire station realizing that I was going to get a job. Even though I had to go through the physical process. And then from there, once I cleared the physical, I went to the academy which lasted three months. It was exciting. I did everything I needed to do." My first station was at Central Downtown, which is where I work today. At that time, we had a pumper truck and a ladder truck and a rescue truck in the station. That's where I started to learn the business of firefighting. Learning that business, reading on my own time, a lot of time in the fire station. We were very short on firefighters." “They called it ‘The Rock’... because everything comes through the Central Fire Station. That was administration, firefighters, and the communications center.” A Rapid Rise Through the Ranks Benoit was known for his drive and initiative. He became a truck driver within three years (something that on average takes about eight years), communications officer, arson investigator, and captain—a rank he reached in just six years. “I wanted to learn every section of the fire department... Didn’t realize I was going to be chief. I just wanted to understand how this organization worked.” In the 1980, the local economy tanked. "I used to hear people make the comment. Last one out. Turn the lights out. They had a lot of vacant buildings and having a lot of fires that was arson.Kids were setting buildings on fire. And of course, unfortunately, some businesses were setting their businesses on fire. The fire chief at that time was Jack Massey who needed some help in the fire prevention bureau in the arson section. He asked me to go work in there just for a couple of months, just to help him out. I wound up going in there and found a home in fire prevention. So this is seven years later. I'm in fire prevention. I started learning the business of investigations. I started getting trained by ATF agents, FBI agents, insurance agents and going to school. That's where my educational level really skyrocketed. I started getting degrees and learning this business of investigating fires. The fire chief put me in charge of internal affairs for the fire department. So I pretty much did everything,

Jonathan Booth, Chartered Financial Analyst and CPA accredited in business valuation, joins Discover Lafayette to share his remarkable journey from being a young boy of 11 years of age falling in love with stock investments to CEO and Managing Partner of Booth Laird Capital Management, a boutique investment firm based in Lafayette. “My uncle would buy me stock in McDonald's…that was my birthday and Christmas present every year from all the family members instead of toys.” Jonathan’s early exposure to investing—paired with a deep appreciation for Warren Buffett’s philosophy of buying undervalued companies with strong fundamentals—set the tone for a career defined by rigorous analysis and long-term strategy. He emphasizes patience and discipline, especially in volatile markets: "I loved it. My uncle and I would go over the earnings releases. By the time I was in high school, I was managing my own portfolio of stocks. When I was 19, he took me to the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, Warren Buffett's company. They call that the Woodstock for capitalists. It's a chance to listen to Warren Buffett talk for six hours. I didn't know what to expect, but you just sit there and listen to the Oracle of Omaha, as they call him, spew wisdom." A passionate and disciplined financial strategist, Jonathan also serves on the board of FlyGuys, the Lafayette-based drone data company in which Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank fame recently invested $3 million in a $13 million Series A-1 funding round and led the round; O’Leary’s Wonder Fund investment will accelerate software innovation, expand global reach, and strengthen the commercial drone workforce. Quote from Kevin O'Leary on LinkedIn: "Big news. I recently led a $13 million Series A-1 round through the Wonder Fund North Dakota. The investment went into a company that’s redefining how the physical world feeds the AI economy.Meet FlyGuys — a national network of over 16,000 FAA-certified drone pilots powering the capture and delivery of reality data at scale. From thermal roof scans to solar inspections, agriculture, and infrastructure, they handle it all. FlyGuys is the connective tissue between AI platforms and the physical world.I backed this team because their software is built to scale, their operations are rooted in service and precision, and their impact is real. AI platforms depend on clean, reliable inputs, and FlyGuys delivers exactly that. They’re not just serving today’s use cases, they’re building global infrastructure for tomorrow’s AI economy, while creating new income opportunities for drone pilots around the world. Data is the new oil. AI can’t function without it. FlyGuys is building the pipeline." A native of Baton Rouge, and graduate of Catholic High and LSU, Jonathan originally pursued accounting. "I got a scholarship from the College of Business, and I chose accounting because I already did it. After my first semester, my professor hired me to work at his private accounting practice because I did pretty well in the class. And so I just kept getting pulled along into accounting and got my bachelor's and master's in accounting. Jonathan's performance earned him a rare honor: “I passed the CPA exam in 2006 with one of the ten highest scores in the world, known as the Elijah Watt Sells Award.” He also passed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam (a minimum of three years of exams) on his first attempt. While working at Ernst & Young, Jonathan maintained his passion for investing, ultimately founding Booth Laird Capital Management. Alongside his partner Kevin Laird, Jonathan focuses on concentrated investment strategies, targeting exceptional businesses and waiting for undervaluation. “We call them compounding machines,” he explained. "The term 'hedge fund' scares a lot of people, but it's truly just the way the fund is structured. It allows us the ability and freedom to invest more as we see fit.

Annie Wingate Spell, Louisiana State Representative for District 45, joins Discover Lafayette to share the journey that led her to public service. Annie’s story is one of unwavering determination, professional excellence, and personal resilience. A licensed clinical child psychologist, Annie holds degrees from UL Lafayette and LSU. In 2024, she was honored with the Angel Award by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for her long-standing advocacy on behalf of Hearts of Hope, which supports survivors of sexual assault victims in Acadiana. A lifelong learner and self-starter, Annie recounted the early days of her path to becoming a psychologist. While studying at USL, she pivoted from business to psychology after realizing her passion for understanding human behavior. She reached out to 16 local psychologists listed in the Yellow Pages, offering to pay for their time to learn more about the profession. “They didn’t charge me.” One of those who answered her call, Dr. Kenneth Bouillion, became an influential mentor, helping her determine that child psychology was her calling: “I always thought it was easier to build up a child than build up an adult. There's so much flexibility in a child's development and fluidity that if we can affect change on their environment, we could have better outcomes for them. ” A Lafayette native, Annie credits her parents, Joan Babineaux Wingate and Keith Wingate, with instilling a deep sense of faith, gratitude, and service. “God will provide. But don’t act as if He will. Don’t take anything for granted.” Her mother, she said, is “the epitome of a servant leader. My father was one of those dads that was ever involved. Having three girls, he learned that shopping malls could be fun. He learned that cheer camps are the best thing ever." Annie’s grandfather, Judge Allen Babineaux, was also a defining influence in her life. A former Louisiana State Representative for District 45, he served as a judge in the 15th JDC. He championed CODOFIL, advocated for the recognition of Acadiana as a geographic and cultural region, and played a key role in bringing about the Acadiana flag. “He wasn’t just a politician… He was a neighbor, a friend, and a leader.” The flag of Acadiana was first displayed on Feb. 22, 1965, the centennial of the Acadian arrival in this area. Shown are Thomas Arceneaux, president of the Bicentennial Celebration of France-Amerique and the designer of the flag; Roy Theriot, president of the Acadian Committee; and Judge Allen Babineaux, who sponsored the flag's creation. Photo credit: Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Louis Perret She also spoke of her experience helping children and families after Hurricane Katrina, both in New Orleans and later during her residency in Houston, where she worked with evacuees from Louisiana. “The strength of a community and the ability for people to mobilize together is really critical. "The need for a strong community was ever evident to me in those moments when crisis hits, in those moments when what you thought was certain, which you had taken for granted, was no longer there. The strength of a community and the ability for people to mobilize together is really critical. I saw children who are by far very resilient most times when it comes to tragedy. So a lot of what I did was supporting the parents in those moments because they were the ones that were obviously dealing with the very serious consequences of their home, their work, all of that.” Annie married Joe Spell, founder and CEO of Tides Medical, in 2006. She described him as “a generous person, generous in spirit and time” who waited for her while she pursued her goals. The strength of their relationship was evident when Annie was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma shortly after the birth of their first son. "The day I was diagnosed was the day that my husband Joe, was hiring his first executive besides himself.

Discover Lafayette: Senator Brach Myers on Public Service, Family, and Revitalizing the Oil Center of Lafayette Louisiana State Senator Brach Myers, who began serving Senate District 23 in March 2025 after representing House District 45, joined Discover Lafayette to reflect on his deep-rooted commitment to public service, his childhood journey, and his ongoing mission to uplift Lafayette and the state of Louisiana. A Lafayette transplant by way of Palmetto and New Iberia, Brach shared, “Lafayette was always the big city to us. I joked and said that many days in the back of a hatchback car ride in the back to Lafayette.” He shared his love of Lafayette: “Lafayette has unmatched culture. You can see the most beautiful parts of the U.S., but there’s nothing like coming home.” His upbringing was a blend of blue-collar life and entrepreneurial ambition, split between a trailer park in New Iberia and the early days of LHC Group, the home health care giant his father and stepmother, Ginger and Keith Myers, started in Palmetto, Louisiana. “My mom worked at the General Mill. She was a seamstress. My stepfather was a railroad engineer. She still is a hard worker. She owns a small embroidery business here in Lafayette.” Brach moved to Lafayette in 1999 to attend UL, where he met his wife Carly. They were married just six months into dating. “She’s my absolute soul mate… We’re residents of Bendel Gardens right here by the Oil Center.” Brach’s day job is as Senior VP of Corporate Development at LHC Group, which provides care in over 40 states and employs more than 30,000 people. A humble public servant, he brings his business acumen, heart for his fellow man, and a drive to make things better in his position as State Senator. His son, Emile, shares the family’s spirit of service. After seeing the mob of traffic each year at their neighbor's “Christmas Light House" (owned by Dr. Andy Blalock), Emile started selling hot chocolate to people stuck in line, to benefit local nonprofits. “He raised over $2,000 in one night the first year. Last year, he raised over $30,000.” It’s now a full-scale community event with music, food trucks, and hundreds of visitors to Bendel Gardens. “He chooses a different charity every year. It’s all on him.” Emile Myer's hot cocoa fundraiser has grown into quite a success over the years! Sen. Myers indicated that Emile will probably pass the baton soon to a younger entrepreneur who can carry on the fun event which benefits local charities. Brach brings a deeply thoughtful and humble approach to public service. “I never thought I’d be in the legislature… but I felt called to do it.” Inspired by conversations with his wife during long walks, he felt compelled to act: “I can sit on the sideline and complain about it, or I can roll up my sleeves and jump into the pit.” His campaign mantra has been to lead with transparency and openness. “I said, I’m going to contact everybody back. I’m going to give everybody a fair ear, even if we vehemently disagree.” His legislative office “looks more like a counseling office… People can come and sit down.” As a Senator, Brach now represents three times the constituents he did as a State Senator and works with six mayors instead of one. “It’s a lot busier...but I don’t take it lightly.” One of his legislative focuses has been health care, drawing from best practices across the nation. His H.E.R.O. (Healthcare Employment Reinvestment Opportunity) Healthcare Workforce bill, modeled after Kentucky and Florida legislation, aimed to reverse Louisiana’s healthcare staffing crisis by broadening the program’s scope and provide educational grants to reach as many people and institutions as possible. “We picked the things that worked and got rid of the things that didn’t.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geae0oiLHMw He’s also worked to streamline access to services through a “one door” policy for DCFS and Department of Health programs.

Jacoby Landry, the new owner of Lafayette’s oldest indoor shopping center, Northgate Mall, shares his vision to bring hope, commerce, and fresh energy to North Lafayette. Jacoby's energy and can-do attitude is a beacon of light for a community waiting to see how he will transform the mall into "The Hub." Jacoby, owner of JL Construction and Pont Breaux Plaza in Breaux Bridge, is the first local owner of Northgate Mall in years. Originally developed by Isan Fontenot, Dr. Daniel Voorheis and Joseph Angelle who opened it in August 1969, Jacoby paid $2.8 million for the property. His journey started under the wing of his grandfather, a framer, and his father, who ran dirt construction, trucking businesses, and in the oil field industry. “My entrepreneurial skills came from my dad. He’s always been a business owner.” After studying engineering at UL Lafayette, Jacoby discovered his love for business and numbers, opening a tax office in his early twenties. Real estate soon became his passion, with his first major commercial property purchased from cousin Dominick Williams (formerly Dominick Davis of LSU and the Houston Texans). “There’s nothing that I didn’t try,” Jacoby shared, reflecting on his entrepreneurial spirit. In 2016, Jacoby earned his residential contractor’s license, followed by obtaining his commercial license a year later. “I went from building custom homes to developing my own lots and building spec homes and selling them.” His interest in North Lafayette grew when he purchased seven acres on Louisiana Avenue at Butcher Switch Road in 2020 with plans for a med spa and gym. Facing zoning challenges, Jacoby joined LEDA’s Elevate North Lafayette program, where he connected with Monte Anderson, a Dallas-based developer. Monte’s advice led Jacoby to consider revitalizing existing properties, prompting Jacoby to set his sights on Northgate Mall. "I was always infatuated with the I-10 and I-49 crossing. I just always had it in my mind that it (development) was going to come to the North one day." “Before I started the program, I had goals of doing something bigger, but they really pushed me to actually go do it. They gave me the courage and knowledge to do it.” Once Jacoby walked the property, he couldn’t sleep at night thinking about its potential. “Ever since the day I walked on the property, I couldn’t sleep at night, thinking about it. I think I want to do it.” Despite initial nerves, Jacoby embraced the risk, saying, “I’m a risk taker. I could do this.” Jacoby Landry at the Northgate Mall in June 2025. Photo by Brad Kemp, Acadiana Advocate. Jacoby is rebranding Northgate Mall as “The Hub,” inspired by Lafayette’s nickname, Hub City, and the I-10/I-49 cloverleaf, which will be reflected in its new logo. The redevelopment will focus on mixed-use commerce, green spaces, and lighting to ensure safety and create a welcoming atmosphere. “I want to change the whole theme of the mall. I want to have trees, green space, make it nice, have a lot of lighting and make it feel safe.” Contrary to negative perceptions, Jacoby says, “Statistically, there’s no crime at the mall. There’s more crime in other places. The mall’s been dead for so long, there’s nothing to steal.” Jacoby’s vision includes a grocery store, children’s entertainment options, and a health club and spa in the former Planet Fitness space in partnership with his sister, Rachel McCorvey of BeLuxxe Health and Wellness Center. “Our whole motto is to add ten years to your life.” The facility will feature a nutritionist, weight management services, Botox, IV drips, sauna, hot tub, salt room, cold plunge, a health bar, and two indoor pickleball courts. Pilates and boxing fitness will also be offered, bringing Red’s Health Club-like amenities to North Lafayette on a smaller, community-focused scale. Jacoby emphasized his commitment to supporting current tenants, saying, “They’ve been a blessing… I came to introduce myself to ...