Blog

The Acadia Parish Chamber is excited to announce the resumption of the 2020 Leadership EXCEL Program. Due to COVID-19, the class adjourned their year in March of 2020. The class resumed their programming on January 24th with an Arts, Culture & Tourism Focus. The day began at the beautiful Grand Opera House of the SouthRead more

One of the best ways to communicate doesn’t involve talking; in fact, it is quite the opposite. We are talking about the importance of listening. Think about the last time you really felt heard. Chances are, the person you were speaking to wasn’t scrolling through their phone or busy doing other things, but instead gaveRead more

Managers and leaders have been forced to adapt to the rapid changes unraveling at the workplace. As the world races to stop the spread of COVID, many companies have been left to rely on remote workers and flexible positions that combine in-person days with work from home schedules. For managers, the challenge is to findRead more

The 26th class of the Leadership EXCEL program kicked off a new year with a two-day retreat held at the First Baptist Church of Crowley on Thursday, January 16th & Friday, January 17th. Twenty-three participants from the parishes of Acadia and Jeff Davis were previously chosen to participate in the year-long program. Chairwoman, Nichole MarksRead more

Leadership EXCEL, a joint program between the Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce and the Jeff Davis Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to announce the members of the 2020 Class. The selected participants represent a cross section of the community’s business, civic, and non-profit sectors. Joann T. Blair – Registrar of Voters, Jennings Jena Bordes –Read more

The Leadership EXCEL Advisory Board is pleased to announce the conclusion of their 2019 year.  The 25th Graduating Leadership EXCEL Class met at Crowley City Hall on Wednesday, November 6 for a reception and graduation ceremony.     The evening began with an informal reception prior to the graduation where graduates, sponsors, and families of the graduatesRead more

Leadership EXCEL took a trip to Lafayette for their September Session for the 2019 year! The class found themselves Downtown Lafayette on the morning of Wednesday, September 18th where they heard from CEO of the Downtown Development Authority and Acadia Parish native, Anita Begnaud. Begnaud spoke about all things downtown with the group; participants hadRead more

Applications for this 11-month program are available beginning September 1, with completed applications to be submitted by Friday, November 1. Residents and individuals who work in the Acadia & Jeff Davis parish areas are eligible to apply for Leadership Excel.

The Leadership EXCEL June session focusing on Civil & Criminal Justice consisted of a visit to Angola State Penitentiary on Wednesday, June 19.  The objective of the session was to acquaint participants with the state criminal justice system.  The class started their tour at the Angola Museum where they were able to view old relicsRead more

The Leadership EXCEL program hosted this year’s fourth session on Wednesday, April 17th, focusing on Education & Workforce Development.  The morning portion began in Jennings where the class received an update from the Jeff Davis Parish Superintendent, John Hall on the Jeff Davis Parish School System and the new half cent sales tax to buildRead more