The Baton Rouge Regional Chamber of Commerce recently presented Capital Area United Way and Dow with its annual Diversity Star Award.
United Way was recognized in the Small Business category for its commitment to diversity and inclusion in leading and directing hiring practices, agency and program fundraising, volunteer recruitment and service delivery. Specific programs include a commitment to equitable hiring practices with a leadership team that is 70% women.
Dow was recognized in the Large Companies category. Dow was selected for its outstanding diversity, equity and inclusion practices within the company and in the community. Specific practices include its executive inclusion, diversity and equity goals, which aim to increase the representation of people of color at the vice president level by 5% and women at the director level by 2%, as well as its supplier diversity team.
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Robert Karam has been appointed chair of the LSU School of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors for the 2024-26 academic year.
Karam is managing partner at Kean Miller in Lafayette. He has served on the firm’s board of directors since 2010 and is an inductee into the LSU Law Center Hall of Fame.
Other board members are Reps. Kristen Aymond of New Orleans, Mark Bodron of Monroe, Brooksey Boutte of Houston, Danny Cabell of Thibodaux, Larry Sentra III of New Orleans, U.S. District Judge John DeGravelles of Baton Rouge, David Fleshman of Baton Rouge, Hannah Grantham of Washington, D.C., Jennifer Hattaway of Baton Rouge, Allison Jones of Shreveport, J. Marshall Jones of Shreveport and Washin. The recipients are: Charlie Karns of D.C., Steven LaFleur of Alexandria, Mark Menezes of Washington, D.C., Joy Liu Monahan of Chicago, Lisa Murray of Baton Rouge, Frank Neuner Jr. of Lafayette, Mike LeMondette Jr. of Lafayette, Ragan Richard of Baton Rouge, Mark Schroeder of Houston, Jason St. Julien of Denver, Scott Sternberg of New Orleans and Ed Walters of Baton Rouge.
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The Louisiana Society of Certified Public Accountants recently elected its board of directors for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Bridget Kaigler of Baton Rouge has been named the organization’s president for 2024-25. Kaigler, who will serve as a board member since 2021, is the first woman of color to serve as president in the nonprofit’s 113-year history. She is senior director of tax and regulatory reporting at Amedisys.
Anthony Rutledge of LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors in Covington is president-elect. Kenneth Champagne of Confie in Baton Rouge is treasurer. J. Bryan Ehricht of James, Lambert, Riggs and Associates Inc. in Hammond is past president.
The new board members are Laura Wiley of Baton Rouge, Jessica Cormier of Baton Rouge, Nene Glenn Giampara of New Orleans, James Schneider of New Orleans, Brett Somerville of New Orleans and Nicolette Releford of Bastrop.
Continuing to serve on the board are Diane Allison of Baton Rouge and Samantha Falgut of Houma.