Discover Lafayette

Noah Brandon, CEO of Unitech Training Academy, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his mission to make education accessible to all.

Noah graduated from the College of Business at UL-Lafayette and then went on to earn his MBA from Brown University and the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid Spain.

Unitech Training Academy is a growing education institution that was originally founded by Noah’s mother, Deanna Head, in 1997, initially offering a Certified Nursing Assistant program. Today, the institution has six campuses across the state, online classes, and two early learning centers in Lafayette and Alexandria.

Noah is an advocate for all post-secondary educational offerings and is active with One Acadiana’s Workforce Development Strategy to ensure that local employers can find skilled workers that fit market needs.

Unitech staff partner with their students at Unitech to ensure that the soft skills needed to stay employed are learned while training for their new career. “There is a universal truth among all hiring managers: they want to hire people who make their lives easier, not harder. So when you’re interviewing for a job, your goal is not to tell them how great you are. Your job is to convince them that you are the answer to their problems and you’ll make their job easier.”

The majority of students at Unitech are studying allied health field courses. Classes offered include Dental Assisting, EKG/Phlebotomy technician, Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, medical billing and coding, as well as Massage Therapy, IT Technician, IT Support Specialist, and Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate. At any given time there are approximately 1100 students enrolled in what Noah calls a “rolling program of enrollment” that allows students to start classes each Monday. Noah’s mom, Deanna, created this model to allow students to start a new career and obtain an education as soon as possible.

Noah is active in the community and serves as President of the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana. He was honored in 2022 as an Acadiana Top 20 under 40 Award Recipient.

Noah Brandon spoke of his understanding of the importance of intentionality when dealing with others. Most of us carry around fears and insecurities, and it can show in our actions if people don’t know us. Especially as you move up the career ladder. Our insecurities can shape how people size us up. We may be shy but it can come off as aloofness. People may think, “You’re the guy in charge….you’re not supposed to be insecure!’ He believes that if you look at people with love instead of fear, it really changes the whole dynamic. “If I look at others and give them the benefit of the doubt…..it becomes so much easier to interact with people.”

For more information on Unitech Training Academy, please visit https://unitechta.edu/ or https://www.facebook.com/UnitechTrainingAcademy/

“My Number 1 priority was not leasing my building. I didn’t want my power in business to be held in someone else’s hands. This was also the recommendation of the Louisiana Small Business Administration to me as I looked at securing my future: ‘You need to own the building!’ So I tell others: Own the building. When you do that, you stay to work a little bit longer. You pick up the slack where needed. For me….this investment is my whole retirement on the line.”

Our guest is Denise Champagne-McClure, owner of The Coffeeweed Cottage in Lafayette, which opened on May 18, 2023. While Denise never earned a college degree, her business acumen can be put up against any individual who has earned an MBA. She works hard, she’s humble, she’s an incredible business entrepreneur, and has an eye for creating a successful business model.

Coffeeweed Cottage’s name is derived from the term for chicory, the name of a coffee substitute from the roasted root of the chicory plant. Denise loves the taste of chicory coffee and wanted something unique and different associated with her shop. And trust us….the coffee is delicious!

Denise’s store is at 410 Poydras Street, at the corner of W. Simcoe and Poydras Street in North Lafayette, not far from University Avenue near the Four Corners. She purchased the 3000 square foot property in 2022, the site of the oldest mechanic shop in Lafayette owned by a multi-general family business whose roots trace back to Cecilia where Denise grew up. Before finalizing her site selection, she drove around all areas of Lafayette Parish and knew that this oldest neighborhood in Lafayette, in the original  Vordenbauman Addition, in the area close to the Fightingville and LaPlace neighborhoods, was the exact right spot.

With the help of the Louisiana Small Business Development Center and Lafayette Economic Development Authority, Denise was given guidance on how to open the business of her dreams. She brought a rich and varied business background that made her a good candidate for opening up this unique endeavor: she was trained in horticulture and had worked for Coburn’s for 15 years in bath/kitchen fixture sales, having moved up the ranks from the bottom up. Note: Denise shared her gratitude to Coburn’s for the experience they afforded her, as well as to the people at LEDA, especially Mark Mouton and Lauren Titus who helped her navigate the process of developing a three-year business plan and qualifying for a loan.

Denise was inspired to reach her full potential when attending an Unleashed event by Dirk Beveridge. She realized that she could do anything she put her mind to when she heard his message about creating transformation through creating a culture of innovation and growth.  For more information on Dirk please visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkbeveridge/

As with any entrepreneur, Denise has had to put all of her savings on the line, as well as mortgage her house to make this endeavor a reality. When you think about shopping options in Lafayette, as well as any other town, this is why it is important to think about shopping locally. Local vendors not only offer unique products, they give back to their community through donations to charities and in-kind contributions, and also sacrifice personally to ensure that employees who live in Lafayette are paid.

Coffeeweed Cottage offers a unique array of services. One of the most unique services is their Grow Bar, where you can schedule a ‘plant bar’ for events as diverse as a bachelorette party, a team building event for work, a family get together, or birthday celebration. A $50 deposit for your event will go toward the cost of the event, where you and your friends can pick a favorite plant, a cute pot, and learn how to care for it. If your plant doesn’t make it, you have a 30-day guarantee to swap it out for another plant or have Denise and her team nurse it back it health!

You can also shop till you drop at Coffeeweed Cottage! A beautiful selection of mugs, vases, books, candles, pots, and plants are available for purchase. In addition, businesses hold meetings at Coffeeweed, vendors share their treasured creations, and friends meet for coffee and pastries all the time!

Words of Wisdom from Denise that she would share with her children as well as entrepreneurs: “Failure in something you believe in doesn’t mean you are a failure. It just means that that one venture didn’t go well. If you want something bad enough, you can do whatever you believe in……I want them to know that.”

If you are looking for a unique place to be inspired, visit Coffeeweed Cottage. But be ready to have some time to enjoy a beverage, shop, find a plant to take home, and be inspired to make your home a more beautiful place.

For more information about Coffeeweed Cottage, please visit https://www.coffeeweedcottage.com/. Or call (337)607-1410.

R. Hamilton Davis, known to everyone as “Hammy,” came from a large family with deep roots in Lafayette. In this special replay of our interview in 2018, Hammy shared his love of his family and community.  With a heart for working effectively in programs that directly improve the lives of those less fortunate than himself, Hammy spoke highly in this interview about Catholic Charities of Acadiana and United Way of Acadiana and their positive impact on our community. For the original show notes, please visit our website here.

Our guest is Caroline Trahan, founder and owner/operator of VibraFit.

Caroline is a Corrective Exercise Specialist specializing in senior and women’s fitness. She brings a melded version of fitness, movement, and vibration platforms to our community.

Caroline has been a personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine and is a certified yoga instructor. Her dedication to vibrational fitness is a testament to its benefits for improving lymphatic drainage, reducing inflammation, improving muscle tone and bone density, and strength training.

VibraFit is located at 301 W. University Avenue in Lafayette. Caroline’s team of professionals offer diverse and unique services which include the Energy Enhancement System, EB-Pro Ion Footbath/Detox, Oxy-Hydrogen Therapy, Molecular Enhancer/Tesla Cellular Energy, Infrared Body Wrap/Detox, and Endermology Facial/Firming Session.

You’ll have to check it out for yourself to experience the Zen environment and peaceful setting it offers its clientele. Caroline brings a lifelong commitment to fitness and in helping others reach their fullest potential in health and wellness.

To find out more about VibraFit, visit https://www.vibrafitlafayette.com/.

Our guest is Aileen Bennett, author of the newly published book, “A Little Book About Fire.” A native of Essex, England, Aileen has lived in Lafayette for twenty years and recently became a U.S. citizen.

Aileen is an illustrator, author, designer, painter, and writer, She has written the BE YOU column highlighting local outstanding citizens for over 10 years, where she features people and the things that make them special.

Most importantly, Aileen is a creative force in Acadiana and beyond. Her heart, her humor, and her love of her fellow human beings are inspirational. “A Little Book About Fire” is a must-read book and a wonderful choice as a gift for loved ones. Thank you, Aileen, for all you do to entertain and enlighten our community!

Visit https://www.aileenbennett.com/ for more information.

Bailey Bobbitt, Vice-President and founding member of American Petrolog joins Discover Lafayette to share his story of entrepreneurship.

American Petrolog’s focus of providing safe transportation and world-class customer service has made the company an industry-recognized leading provider of logistics services to the chemical industry.

The interesting thing about Bailey Bobbitt was that he was also a professional boxer known as ‘Bang Bang’ from 2009 to 2013 with 9 wins, 2 losses, and 5 knockouts, who trained under the tutelage of Chad Broussard. Bailey might still be boxing but for a serious retina injury that threatened to render him blind. His focus, drive, and competitiveness in sports and business make his story a compelling one that exemplifies the spirit of Lafayette that we all love.

Bailey is a Lafayette native who attended Cathedral Carmel and St. Leo Seton Schools before his family moved to Houston during the oil bust of the late 80’s. He played football at UL Lafayette and Sam Houston State as a punter and kicker.

He and his wife, Holly, are active members of of Our Lady of Fatima Church. Bailey serves on Our Lady of Fatima School’s Finance and Master Plan Committees. Holly is a special education teacher at the school. They are the proud parents of two young boys, Major and Maverick.

Wilson Savoy, Grammy-winning accordionist, keyboard player, fiddler and singer joins Discover Lafayette to share his life’s musical journey. Wilson hails from the renowned musical family, the Savoy Family Cajun Band. 

He plays with The Pine Leaf Boys and performs solo as Sweet Willy Allen.  Wilson co-owns the Hideaway on Lee in downtown Lafayette and Hideaway Hall, the former Schilling Shack.

Wilson Savoy is laid-back and humble. A resident of North Lafayette, he spends time utilizing his carpentry skills when he is not performing his beloved Cajun music. As we spoke, he reflected on how serendipity led to his successful career as a Cajun musician, harkening back to a fateful day in 2004 when UL-Lafayette police told him he could not perform his music on the sidewalk on campus. Within days, he was being offered opportunities to play at Artmosphere and the Blue Moon Saloon, which led to great career success and critical acclaim.

In Roots of Fire, a soon-to-be-released film, Wilson, his brother Joel, Kelli Jones, Kristi Guillory and Jourdan Thibodeaux honor the rich history and cultural legacy of Cajun music. The Cajun contemporary scene in Louisiana has found mainstream success with Grammy nominations and wins, but shuttering venues and an aging fan base leave some questioning the music’s future. The film is a celebration of the unique sounds created when the forces of fresh talent and deep history come together to fight for cultural survival. Featuring performances from the Pine Leaf Boys, Feufollet, Jourdan Thibodeaux et Les Rôdailleurs, Bonsoir Catin, T’Monde, Anna Laura Edmiston and Roddie Romero, Roots of Fire shows how playing ‘kick-ass’ music and preserving Cajun tradition for future generations can be a shared goal.

Dr. Nichole Stanford, English professor at UL – Lafayette and Director of the Writing Center on campus, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her work on teaching kids to learn how to dissent productively. By learning respectful negotiation, children can learn how to participate in society in a way that is a win-win for all. What a great way to grow our next crop of leaders!

Dr. Nichole Stanford earned a Ph.D. in composition from the City University of New York, with a focus on pedagogy and power theory and published a book in 2015 called Good God but You Smart: Language Prejudice and Upwardly Mobile Cajuns.

She is currently writing a book called Teaching Kids Productive Dissent geared toward parents and educators. When Jan Swift met Nichole, she was fascinated with her theory of teaching children skills on respectful negotiation so that they can learn to participate in society productively. It is a pleasure to share her beautiful voice as she speaks of the skills needed to create a better and kinder future for us all.

Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court, Louis J. Perret, has served our community for 23 years, having been elected to serve on November 20, 1999.

The clerk of court oversees the central repository of official records ranging from real estate sales and mortgage deeds, civil lawsuits, successions, adoptions, felony criminal charges, and much more.  They help you get certified copies of birth and death certificates. The clerk’s office has over 16 million records going back to 1823.

The clerk’s office has over 8,000 vintage photos of Lafayette Parish’s history, with approximately 3000 on display. We are all encouraged to share our photos with him so that he can continue to build a library of the story of Lafayette.

The Elections Department oversees every facet of all elections that take place in Lafayette Parish. With the elections coming up on October 14, 2023, it seems very timely to hear from Louis Perret on all that’s involved in the process.

One quick fact: just in Lafayette Parish on October 14, 2023, taxpayers will spend $182,000 to cover the costs of election day. Expenses cover 906 commissioners who will be working, the clerk of court and registrar employees, along with janitors, the people who deliver the voting machines, close the building, etc. Louis admonishes all of us: There is no valid excuse for not voting!!

Prior to his election as Clerk of Court, Perret served as District Director of the 7th Congressional District for Congressmen Jimmy Hayes and Chris John. (1986-1999)

Perret served as co-chair of the Lafayette Bush/Cheney campaign in 2000. He served as an alternate delegate for George W. Bush at the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.

Louis Perret was selected in 1997 by the American Council of Young Political Leaders as a delegate to the People’s Republic of China. He is a Lifetime Member of the ACYPL Alumni Council. Perret serves on the Board of Directors of Louisiana Capital (Small Business Lender) and has served since 2011 as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Regional Health System of Acadiana, which includes Women’s & Children’s Hospital and the Regional Medical Center Hospital. He formerly served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Women’s & Children’s Hospital from 2003 to 2008. He has been a board member since 1994. He is a partner in Golfballs.com and he is a founding member of NOBL (Network of Business Leaders). In 2002, Perret was elected to serve a three-year term on the Our Lady of Fatima Church Pastoral Council. He served on the Finance Council, as Vice President and President during his tenure on the Pastoral Council. Perret has served since 2003 as a Cub Leader, Adult Leader, Assistant Scoutmaster, and Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 446. In 2012, Perret was appointed to the Executive Board of the Evangeline Area Boy Scouts of America. Louis Perret is a NRA Certified Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun Shooting Instructor, as well as a Range Safety Officer. A partial list of organizations he has raised money on behalf of include The United Way, Games of Acadiana, Children’s Shelter, American Cancer Society, Duck’s Unlimited and The Acadiana Outreach Center.

Perret graduated from Our Lady of Fatima High School and The University of Southwestern Louisiana, (B.S.). He became a Certified Clerk of Court in 2000 by the Louisiana Clerks of Court Institute. In 2002, Louis Perret was the first Clerk of Court in the State of Louisiana to receive the Chancellor’s Certificate in Public Administration from the University of Missouri offered through IACREOT. He was awarded the Advanced Chancellor’s Certificate in 2008.

He is married to the former Cheryl Broussard and is the father of two children, Ann E. and Max.

For more information on the clerk’s office, visit https://www.lpclerk.com/

Brett Bayard of the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the Rewards for Reading Program.

Since 2021, the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette has partnered with the Lafayette Parish Public School System and 24 of our parish Elementary Schools to offer the Reading for Rewards Program. This year, the program has expanded to include 36 schools, including middle schools. The goal is to inspire and excite our youngest students to read so that they can learn to love reading, thus do better in school and build a lifelong habit of reading.

Since Rewards for Reading’s inception, the level of participation and excitement for reading has skyrocketed.

Students earn points by participating in the school system’s Accelerated Reader (AR) program to become eligible for prizes. They earn one raffle ticket every nine weeks as they meet their AR goal, which goal is individualized and based upon each student’s reading level. Students can earn further raffle tickets by exceeding their goals.

Studies show that children who cannot read on grade level by 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school. Third grade is a crucial time in a child’s education as students transition from learning to read, to reading to learn.

The Rewards for Reading program’s success is phenomenal. In its first year, 2021, The accelerated reader participation increased 58% in the second half, which school officials attributed to the program. That year, about $13k in prizes were distributed to children across the system.

This 2023-24 school year, the array of prizes to entice the students to read is amazing! Each school will be raffling off five bikes, scooters, Kindles and earbuds. Other fun prizes are also to be awarded.

Sponsors are needed to help ensure the program’s success. Visit https://www.lafayettekiwanis.org/donations/ to donate or email [email protected] for more information on sponsoring a school.

Thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette for your dedication to our community and helping our youngest citizens get off to a great start in life!