The Advocate
Entrepreneur program focuses on veterans
The Louisiana Veteran Entrepreneurship Program is accepting applications until April 17 from Louisiana military personnel, including active duty, reservists and veterans, who intend to start a business.
The program is designed to boost business opportunities for Louisiana veterans through a three-week online learning program, followed by a one-day “boot camp” or in-person training session. Graduates are then provided long-term counseling from small-business resource partners in their communities.
Online webinars are from noon to 2 p.m. April 24, May 1 and May 8. Topics include value proposition, customer segments, competitor analysis, market research, distribution channels and an overview of small-business finance.
The in-person seminar will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 22 at Crest Industries, 4725 La. 28 E., in Pineville. Topics include veteran-specific initiatives, government procurement assistance, small-business banking, investor prep and an introduction to local assistance providers.
For information, visit opportunitylouisiana.com/small-business/special-programs-for-small-business/louisiana-veteran-entrepreneurship-program.
Medicare network part of initiative
Health Leaders Medicare ACO Network, a subsidiary of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, has been selected to participate in the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ accountable care organization initiative called the Next Generation ACO Model.
The goal is to improve health outcomes and lower costs.
Formed in 2016, Health Leaders Medicare ACO Network participated in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, also through the federal agency. The network is made up of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and Baton Rouge Clinic providers.
Medicare ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers and suppliers who come together voluntarily to provide coordinated, quality care at lower costs to their original fee-for-service Medicare patients, especially the chronically ill.
The network will manage the health of about 20,500 Medicare beneficiaries. There are more than 610 ACOs nationwide, serving more than 11 million beneficiaries. Fifty-eight ACOs are participating in the Next Generation ACO Model.
The initiative is designed to move an increasing percentage of Medicare payments into models that pay providers based on the quality rather than the quantity of care they provide patients.
LSU engineering hosting student event
Some 400 chemical engineering students from about 25 universities will participate April 6-7 in the 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Southern Regional Conference being hosted by the LSU College of Engineering.
The event features industrial plant tours, paper and poster competitions, career fair, a car competition, Jeopardy contest, crawfish boil mixer, banquet and networking activities.
For information, schedules and registration, visit aiche.org/conferences/students-southern-regional-conference/2018.
LSU hosting business case competition
LSU is hosting the 2018 SEC MBA Case Competition on April 12-14 in Baton Rouge.
The event will feature teams of MBA students solving a business problem facing Louisiana-based Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers.
The SEC MBA Case Competition began in 2013 and is a graduate student contest that provides opportunities for SEC business schools to showcase their students’ skills at solving simulated, real-world problems. Teams of four students are given a case and expected to present their solution strategy within 24 hours to a judging panel of corporate executives and academicians.
The University of Florida won the first three SEC competitions in 2013, 2014 and 2015, followed by the University of Alabama in 2016 and the University of Georgia in 2017.
BRAC plans employer intern workshops
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber is holding an employer workshop series to help area companies connect with millennials for internships.
“BRAC’s talent development program aims to attract and retain talent,” said Adam Knapp, BRAC president and CEO. “By educating employers on the proper steps to starting or expanding an internship program, we can cultivate more chances for millennial talent to get plugged into our community and connected to the job opportunities here.”
The InternBR employer workshops will be from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Workshops titled “How to Start an Internship Program” will be held April 13 and “How to Expand an Internship Program,” April 25. Registration for each workshop is $10.
Information and registration are at brac.org/events.
Starting business seminar scheduled
The Baton Rouge Area Score chapter is holding a seminar focusing on simple steps to open a business from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 3 at the Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd., in Baton Rouge.
Topics include: myths and realities of entrepreneurship; critical success factors; knowing options; components of business ownership; legal issues; funding and cash management; and business plan basics. For information and registration, visit batonrougearea.score.org.
Grow St. Bernard six-part series starts
The 2018 six-part “Grow St. Bernard” series schedule for businesses, startups and entrepreneurs has been released by the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation and St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce.
The series includes 90-minute presentations and panel discussions about licensing, tax and legal, marketing, permitting, business planning and sales and best practices for operating a business.
Sessions will be from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Torres Law Firm and The St. Bernard Port, Harbor, and Terminal District.
Dates and topics include: April 3, establishing a company’s core purpose and message; April 24, “Opening a Business 101!”; May 8, finding and growing a market and customer base; May 22, tax and legal issues; June 5, a small-business panel discussion about successes and setbacks of entrepreneurs and business owners doing business in St. Bernard Parish; June 19, a business roundtable and discussion on challenges, opportunities and realities of operating a business in St. Bernard Parish and greater New Orleans.
Class size is limited. Enrollment on a first come, first served basis is $75 for a single entry and $100 for a full staff business entry. A schedule, contact information and enrollment are at sbedf.org/growstbernard.
Ochsner clinic opens in Michoud facility
Ochsner Health System and NASA have opened Ochsner Health Center- Michoud.
The facility offers primary care onsite and specialty services, including cardiology, neurology or headache and diabetes education through telemedicine at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration facility. Visits are conducted online, where a specialist is able to consult with patients. Physical therapy and rehabilitation also are available, and laboratory services will be offered.
Ochsner Health Center-Michoud joins a variety of tenants supporting Michoud, including a barber shop, dry cleaners and a gas station. Michoud, an 832-acre campus facility owned by NASA, is home to a variety of companies from the commercial and governmental sectors, with 3,500 employees there.
Law firm name now King & Jurgens
King, Krebs & Jurgens, with offices in New Orleans and Houston, has changed its name to King & Jurgens LLC.
Patricia Krebs, a former named partner, recently left the firm to join The Celtic Group as general dounsel.
King & Jurgens is a general corporate and litigation firm of 32 attorneys. It represents clients, regionally and nationally, in practice areas that include maritime, energy, environmental law, general corporate, tax, banking, construction litigation and insurance defense.
The firm’s office addresses and phone numbers will remain the same. Its website is kingjurgens.com.