Business Report
Leaders from a wide range of local businesses, from real estate firms and auto dealerships to contractors and attorneys—and virtually everything in between—are backing three bills that BRAC is supporting to change the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. BRAC released the list of business leaders this morning, saying they all support shifting to more local control over schools, as well as granting greater principal autonomy and reducing the size of the school board. “The regional business community understands that our students are our future workforce,” says BRAC President/CEO Adam Knapp in a prepared statement. “The East Baton Rouge Parish School System has taken steps in the right direction but continues to underperform. Now is the time to put these changes in place to set the system up for success.” Among those who BRAC says are backing the bills are: David Bondy, CEO of LUBA Workers’ Comp; Beau Box, president/CEO of Beau Box Commercial Real Estate; Scott Chenevert, partner at Jones Walker; Lane Grigsby, founder and chairman of Cajun Contractors Inc.; Richard Lipsey, owner of Lipsey’s; Matt McKay, president/chairman/CEO of All Star Automotive Group; Christel Slaughter, partner at SSA Consultants; Scott Wester, president of Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center; and Julio Melara, publisher of 225 magazine, which is a sister publication of Business Report and Daily Report.