Higgins to serve on committee

U.S. Congressman Clay Higgins, R-La., has been selected to serve on the House Armed Services Committee, which oversees defense policy, ongoing military operations, and reforms to the Department of Defense.

The House Armed Services Committee also has jurisdiction over the national defense budget, which covers millions of military and civilian personnel, thousands of facilities, and hundreds of agencies, departments, and commands worldwide. This includes major bases in Louisiana such as Barksdale Air Force Base, U.S. Army Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, and Naval Air Station Reserve Base New Orleans. It also covers Louisiana National Guard installations and South Louisiana’s robust maritime and defense contracting industry.

Higgins will continue to serve as a senior member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee, where he serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.

Lakeside announces promotions

Lakeside Bank has announced the following promotions within their management team:

Melissa Miller has been promoted to vice president/loan review. She is originally from Ville Platte and attended LSU-Eunice. Miller began her banking career in 1984 and has over 40 years of experience. Her previous positions include assistant branch manager, loan processor, document review officer, legal secretary/real estate processor, underwriter and loan estimate processor. She joined the Loan Operations team at Lakeside Bank in 2018 and is responsible for loan review.

Sam Jimney has been promoted to assistant vice president/information technology officer.  Originally from Lake Charles, Jimney is a graduate of Northwestern State University/Natchitoches with a degree in Computer Information Systems. He has over nine years of experience in his field, including the areas of desktop support, e-learning course development, and network engineering. Jimney joined Lakeside in 2021 and is responsible for network operations and technology support.

Dona Foster has been promoted to banking officer/operations specialist. Originally from Moss Bluff, she has over 18 years of experience in the financial field. She joined Lakeside Bank as a teller in Oak Park in 2014 and now works in deposit operations as an operations specialist.

LSBDC receives Excellence Award

The Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) at McNeese State University was honored with the 2024 Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Center Award.

Susan Thibodeaux, director of LSBDC at McNeese, and Dean Day, business consultant, were recognized for their outstanding performance and the unwavering support offered by the center through all the adversity the Southwestern region has faced in the past four years. In the previous fiscal year, the LSBDC at McNeese supported 430 clients, 26 new business start-ups, $13,679,000 in capital infusion, held 27 training events and assisted in the creation of 46 new jobs.

Thibodeaux and Day are experienced in turning ideas into profitable business ventures through one-on-one consulting services. They are professional consultants who analyze the market, assist with identifying strategies to build brands, and can help small business owners find new customers.

Chapman named branch manager

CSE Federal Credit Union proudly announces the appointment of Michele Chapman as the manager of its soon-to-open DeRidder branch. Bringing 18 years of financial industry experience to her new role, Chapman holds certifications in Building Cohesive Teams, Influence and Persuasion, and Skills for Success. She effectively combines leadership, communication, and analytical skills to optimize branch operations.

Chapman will lead the branch located at 426 North Pine St., which is expected to open at the end of August.

Crochet named assistant VP

JENNINGS — JD Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Alice Crochet to assistant vice president. Crochet is the branch manager of the Lake Arthur branch, overseeing day-to-day operations.

Additionally, she serves as a consumer lender for the local community.

Crochet joined the JD Bank team in November 1996 as a teller and was quickly promoted to loan associate at our Welsh Branch. In 2012, she was named a consumer lender. She was promoted to branch manager for Lake Arthur in 2022. Crochet is a native of Welsh and member of the Jennings Lion Club.

Johnson named to Hall of Fame

BATON ROUGE — The Department of Public Safety & Corrections and the Louisiana Prison Museum and Cultural Center are proud to announce that the Honorable Ron Johnson, sheriff of Cameron Parish, has been inducted into the prestigious Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame.

The Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame, located inside the Louisiana Prison Museum and Cultural Center, honors individuals who have improved the state’s justice system, including those in law enforcement, corrections, judiciary, victim advocacy, and related fields.

This year marks the 19th ceremony honoring those who have made significant contributions to the pursuit of justice in Louisiana.