News | April 2019

Watch the latest episode of Louisiana Business & Industry Show. 1A President & CEO Troy Wayman talks about the uniqueness of Acadiana, what 1A and partners are doing across the region, and our region's recent economic wins. 

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CHURCH POINT — The Richard's Cajun Foods plant in this Acadia Parish city just got bigger, and another expansion is planned for next year, a company official said during a Wednesday ceremony. 

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, company and elected officials celebrated the $2.7 million completed expansion that features an additional 6,000 square feet and renovations of 3,000 more. But parent company Tall Tree Foods said it plans to add even more in 2020. 

Vermilion Parish schools will be partnering with One Acadiana and the Vermilion Economic Development Alliance to launch their own 55 by 25 initiative this Wednesday.

1. Give us a brief history of your company.

1. Give us a brief history of your company.

Central Control was founded on February 6, 1978 by Louis and Jerrine Harrell. Their daughter, Donna McPherson, has continued on with the vision and leads our company still today.

There were plenty of lessons to be learned last week for Acadiana leaders visiting Greenville, South Carolina, but perhaps the biggest surprise was what one city taught them about working as a region.

The 70 business and community leaders from Southwest Louisiana toured the city to study economic development growth, which has been evident in Greenville's dynamic metro core.

MORGAN CITY – The Board of Directors of M C Bank has announced that long-time employee Jeremy Callais has been elected President of the Morgan City-based bank. In doing so, Kenneth Nelkin, Chairman of the Board stated: “I am extremely proud of Jeremy and the remarkable accomplishments he has achieved. The M C Bank Board of Directors looks forward to a very bright future with Jeremy leading the bank. I would also like to thank Larry Callais for many years of outstanding service and dedication to our M C Bank Family!”

On the second day of One Acadiana's leadership exchange in Greenville, South Carolina, discussions revolved around regionalism, collaboration and entrepreneurship.

A group of about 70 business, government and tourism leaders from Acadiana are visiting Greenville for three days to ask questions and glean lessons that could be applied back home. Here are some takeaways from day two.

More than 50 people from Lafayette are in Greenville, South Carolina, this week, to see if there's anything they can learn from that city's growth that might apply here.

It marks the third time One Acadiana, the regional chamber of commerce, has hosted a trip to another state for folks who have an interest in the growth and economic development of Acadiana. Previously, they have led visits to Lexington, Kentucky, and Charleston, South Carolina.

GREENVILLE, South Carolina - Acadiana leaders walked through this city's downtown on a bright and windy Sunday afternoon. They walked by shops and restaurants, crossed a pedestrian bridge over waterfalls, and snapped photos of a picturesque park.

Greenville officials call their downtown the heart of the city.

"That's what I look at, what our downtown could and should be," said Anita Begnaud, CEO of Lafayette's Downtown Development Authority.