METAIRIE – The Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted their inaugural IGNITE Young Professionals Leadership Summit presented by Nora Vaden Holmes Insurance Agency and Barcley J. Steib Insurance Agency on Thursday, Nov. 6 at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center. The summit aimed to inspire young professionals to become leaders in their field through panel discussions, a keynote speaker, economic development updates and a presentation from an executive coach. The first-of-its-kind event hosted 120 professionals in their 20s and 30s, and the ticket price included a complimentary professional headshot by Charles Duval Photography.
“The IGNITE Summit reflects our continued commitment to empowering the next generation of Jefferson Parish leaders,” said Ruth Lawson, President of the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. “By providing young professionals with access to mentorship, leadership development and meaningful connections, we’re helping to strengthen the future of our local business community.”
The summit’s first presentation came from Jerry Bologna, President & CEO of Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) who spoke about some of the new businesses that have recently opened or will be opening in Jefferson Parish. The main message of his address was to demonstrate Jefferson Parish’s ability to be a place where people can live, work and play without leaving parish lines.
Following that, the “Ask the Executives” Panel featured Meghan Donelon from Red River Bank, Kelly Haynie from Ochsner – West Bank Campus, Sunni LeBeouf from COX Communications and Brian Moldaner from T. Baker Smith. The panel shared stories about risks that both paid off and did not pay off, leadership qualities they look for in young talent, how they were able to get to their own executive seats and the importance of engaging with the community.
Following a break, Julie Couret, an Executive Coach with Exit Momentum, spoke to the audience about setting clear goals and objectives and becoming the type of employee that bosses want to promote. Her speech included notes about time management and learning to say no to small tasks in order to accomplish large ones.
Finally, the summit wrapped up with a keynote speech from Lauren Haydel, Founder and CEO of Fleurty Girl. Lauren shared her story including challenges she faced when starting her own business as well as wins she was proud of as she looked back through her career. Following her story, Lauren opened up the floor to questions to further guide the young professionals.
“It was incredibly meaningful to speak at the IGNITE Summit because Jefferson Parish is home for me, it’s where I was raised and it’s where Fleurty Girl is headquartered,” said Lauren Haydel. “This community believed in me long before the business had grown, and I hope my story encourages others to take that leap on their own dreams. I loved being in a room full of future leaders who are ready to shape what’s next for this parish we all love.”
Other sponsors of the summit included Red River Bank, COX Communications, Atmos Energy, Richard Certified Public Accountants, The Bookkeeper, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, Xplore Federal Credit Union and 1st Lake Properties, Inc.
For more information about the Jefferson Chamber, visit jeffersonchamber.org.
About Jefferson Chamber of Commerce: The Jefferson Chamber is the premier business organization in the greater New Orleans area. We work on behalf of our members to help their businesses grow, implement relevant and informative programming and provide opportunities to build relationships with other businesses in the community. For more information, visit www.jeffersonchamber.org