Wednesday, December 14
Hilton Capitol Center Baton Rouge
Diverse Perspectives: A Conversation About the Future of Louisiana
One is a chef, one is a broadcaster, and one is an expert in chemical manufacturing.
What do they have in common? More than you think.
All are Louisiana natives. All have seen great success in their fields. And all have a passion about Louisiana and its future. Their backgrounds in food, sports, and the petrochemical industry represent the fabric of Louisiana. Through their travels around the country and around the world they have gained unique perspectives about Louisiana – its assets, its challenges, and its opportunities to become a better place to live, work, and prosper.
John Folse is a Louisiana institution. Born in St. James Parish, he has excelled as a chef, cookbook author, TV personality, and
entrepreneur extraordinaire. Known as Louisiana’s culinary ambassador to the world, he has opened restaurants featuring Louisiana cuisine in locations across the globe. He is the winner of countless culinary and professional awards, and his Chef John Folse & Company is one of the few chef-owned food manufacturers in the country. The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University was the first public institution in the country to offer a four-year B.S. degree in culinary arts.
Tim Brando is most often heard rather than seen, but that is not a problem for one of the most recognizable voices in college sports. He was born, and still lives, in Shreveport when he is not traveling the country for Fox Sports as a play-by-play announcer for college football and basketball games. Before that he spent 18 years at CBS Sports anchoring in-studio programs such as “College Football Today.” He is also the winner of numerous prestigious sports broadcasting awards and the first recipient of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s Ambassador Award.
In 1988, before even finishing college, Lake Charles native Rhoman Hardy went to work for Shell. Three years later he earned a degree in electrical engineering from LSU and began a trip up the corporate ladder. It took him to places around the world, including five years spearheading improvements at facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia. In 2022 he retired from Shell as Senior Vice President over Gulf Coast manufacturing operations. In addition to other work, he serves the state as a member of the board of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.
Program
9:30 AM – Registration
9:30 AM-10:30 AM – Membership Meeting
10:00—11:30 AM – Panel Discussion
12:00 PM—Main Panel Address
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