Names in the News: People Are Shaping the Future of Business in Lake Area – American Press

Fuqua elected staff president

SULFUR – Kelly Fuqua, MD, General Practitioner, was recently elected President of the Medical Staff at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital.

As President, Fuqua will work with medical staff and team members to ensure the quality and efficiency of clinical services and performance within the hospital.

During her tenure, Fuqua will serve as Chair of the Medical Executive Committee and organized general medical staff, and will attend meetings of the WCCH Board of Commissioners.

Fuqua practices by her husband’s side, Jason Fuqua, MD, General Practitioner at Calcasieu Family Physicians, 901 First Avenue in Sulfur.

She is a graduate of the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans and completed her residency in family medicine at the East Jefferson General Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in Metairie.

Fuqua is certified in family medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a member of the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, and the Louisiana State Medical Society.

Appointed to the Council of State in summer

BATON-ROUGE – William A. “Bill” Sommers Sr. of Lake Charles was appointed to the board of directors for the implementation of the governor’s judicial investments.

The council examines the state’s criminal justice system to recommend strategic changes to improve Louisiana’s public safety by reducing the prison population. It provides lawmakers with a report on cost-effective, evidence-based reforms to conviction and law enforcement that promote perpetrator accountability and protect public safety.

Sommers is the deputy secretary of the juvenile justice office. He will serve by and large.

Rush appointed to rehab council

BATON-ROUGE – Marvin R. Rush von DeRidder was reappointed to the Louisiana Rehabilitation Council.

The Louisiana Rehabilitation Council listens to the concerns of people with disabilities, reviews, analyzes, and evaluates the government’s rehabilitation program, and works with other government agencies, organizations, and consumer groups.

Rush is a retired educator. He will serve as a former recipient of vocational rehabilitation benefits.

Brossett serves on the state board

BATON-ROUGE – David K. Brossett of Lake Charles was appointed to the State Board of Architectural Examiners.

The board of directors is responsible for licensing and regulating architectural practice in the state of Louisiana.

Brossett is the lead architect for Brossett Architects LLC. He will represent District 4.

Higginbotham joins JD Bank

JENNINGS – JD Bank is pleased to welcome. to announce André Higginbotham to his business loan team. Higginbotham will act as VP Commercial Lender in the Lafayette Market.

A native of Lake Charles, Higginbotham began his banking career in 2003 as a retail banking officer while studying at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. During his 19 year career, he served as a small business banker, commercial banker and commercial lender. He works with owners of large and small businesses to help them better understand cash flow, credit opportunities, and new and existing banking services that will help streamline their businesses and enable them to increase growth and profitability.

Active in the community, Higginbotham is a member and past board member of the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette and previously served on the boards of Downtown Lafayette Unlimited, the Lafayette Education Foundation, and the Youngsville Economic Development Committee.

Hospital receives certification

The Christus Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital has received the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commissions and the Heart-Check Mark from the American Stroke Association through certification as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center.

Certified PSCs collect monthly data which are submitted quarterly to the Joint Commission. The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval is awarded to organizations that successfully undergo an on-site survey by a Joint Commission survey team at least every three years.

The gold seal is a quality symbol that reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to safe, high-quality patient care. The American Stroke Association’s Heart Check demonstrates an organization’s commitment to the unique and special needs of stroke patients.

The Christ Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital recently underwent a rigorous, unannounced on-site review by the Joint Commission. During the visit, a team of reviewers from the Joint Commission assessed compliance with current Primary Stroke Center program processes and procedures, including program management, supporting self-management, providing and facilitating clinical care, and improving patient outcomes. Common commission standards are developed in consultation with health professionals and providers, measurement experts and patients. The experts also carried out on-site observations and interviews.

Sugathan ioins Imperial Health

Imperial Health has the inclusion of Prasanna Sugathan, MD, FACC, Cardiologist, to the group’s medical staff.

After receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of South Alabama, Sugathan earned her doctorate in medicine from the University of Tennessee. She completed an internal medicine residency and cardiovascular scholarship at the University of Tennessee-Memphis, followed by an intensive care scholarship at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago.

Sugathan brings over 30 years of experience in the field to Imperial Health. Her background includes serving as the medical director of the Heart Failure Management Program at St. Luke’s Health Network in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Director of Echocardiography, Director of the Progressive Care Unit, and Co-Director of the Heart Failure Management Program at Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey; and Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Rush Medical College in Chicago.

For the past 10 years she has worked in general cardiology, noninvasive cardiology, and cardiac imaging with groups and hospitals in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Tennessee.

Sugathan is certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, critical care, echocardiography, and nuclear cardiology and is currently maintaining certification in cardiology.

Sugathan is a member of the American College of Cardiology and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology.

As an active researcher, Sugathan has a particular interest in heart disease in women; Diabetes and heart disease; Primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease / cardiomyopathy; Treatment of acute and chronic heart failure; and whole foods for disease prevention.

Her practice is on the third floor of Imperial Health’s main campus at Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive 501.

Bank announces promotions

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

Renee Lassiter was promoted to Senior Vice President. She graduated from Sowela with an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting Technology and has 18 years of banking industry experience. Since joining Lakeside Bank in 2012, Lassiter has worked in both banking and accounting, most recently as Vice President-Controller.

Michael Hardy was promoted to Senior Vice President. He earned a BS in Agriculture and Business Administration from McNeese State University and an MS in Agricultural Economics from Louisiana State University. He is an inactive CPA and has completed the Local Area Network and Web Commerce certificate programs from DePaul University. Hardy joined Lakeside in 2016 and has 35 years of banking, finance, accounting, information systems and property management experience.

Cheryl Bertrand was promoted to Vice President. She has more than 35 years of experience in the banking industry. Bertrand attended the Louisiana Banking School of Supervisory Training and completed various training courses at the American Institute of Banking. She is also a graduate of the SWLA Chamber Leadership Program. Bertrand joined Lakeside in 2017.

Lisa Pinder was promoted to Vice President Compliance. She has been Lakeside’s Compliance and OFAC Officer since June 2020. Pinder has over 40 years of banking experience with a strong background in consumer, commercial and agricultural credit, and credit insurance and compliance.

Director of Finance retires

After more than four decades serving the City of Lake Charles, longtime finance director Karen Harrell has retired.

Harrell served on eight mayor’s offices and was named director of finance in 2007. During her long tenure, she steered the city’s finance ship through economic downturns, economic booms, and a range of natural disasters, including hurricanes, ice storms, and historic rain events.

“A finance director can be an unsung hero at times,” said Mayor Nic Hunter. “The position can be ungrateful. I am very confident that the City of Lake Charles is better off today thanks to the service and dedication of Karen Harrell, and we owe her thanks. “

City Administrator John Cardone added, “Ms. We will very much miss Harrell’s commitment to the City of Lake Charles. During her decades of tenure, Karen has worked to ensure that the City of Lake Charles operates through sound and ethical financial practices. Your dedication to being an excellent public money manager has helped ensure city services remain at the levels our citizens deserve, even under unforeseen circumstances such as a global pandemic and multiple natural disasters. It was a pleasure to work with such a dedicated and professional person. We were very fortunate to have Ms. Harrell on our team and we wish her all the best for her retirement. “

Lake Charles City Council president Rodney Geyen said, “Ms. Harrell has served the city of Lake Charles with honor. The city council is responsible for approving the annual operating and capital budget of the City of Lake Charles, as well as approving a number of expenses at each of our regular public meetings. Ms. Harrell’s expertise, transparency and professionalism have given us the confidence to cast votes that best serve our constituents. Your work is highly praised by the city council. We will miss her very much, but we wish her good health and happiness in her retirement. “

The Lake Charles City Council unanimously passed a resolution on the appointment on December 15, 2021 Emily McDaniel to the post of finance director after Harrell’s retirement.