BIG winners named at banquet

Jake Giardina and Coastal Commerce Bank were honored as BIG Achievers during the Bayou Industrial Group’s annual membership banquet last week.

“It’s been very enjoyable, all the projects I’ve been involved in,” he said. “There’s lots of water under the bridge.”

Over the years, Giardina has been a part of education, health care, coastal restoration, real estate development and economic development in the region. A graduate of Louisiana State University in engineering and inductee of the LSU College of Engineering Hall of Distinction and the Business Hall of Fame, Giardina has been the winner of numerous awards, including Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux for outstanding service to the church and the Thibodaux Citizen of the Year. He has served on several community councils and committees and was one of a group of associates who, in 1965, started Cane Machinery and Engineering Company before the company was sold to John Deere in 1998.

“To stand back and look at it all, a little bit of effort turned into a lot of things getting accomplished,” Giardina said. “All the industrial development along (Louisiana Highway) 311 and the governor being at the recent K&B event.”

Giardina and his wife Maxine have also contributed to education through the Giardina Family Foundation, which funds workshops for teachers so that they may be able to recognize and educate students with dyslexia, and by establishing the Maxine Giardina Charter School, which also helps students with dyslexia and other learning disorders.

“The dyslexia school was quite an achievement,” Giardina said. “When you sum it all up, it’s quite a bit (I’ve accomplished).”

Coastal Commerce Bank, a local business started in 1999 and BIG member since 2006, was also awarded for its contributions to the community, which include supporting many local charitable and advocacy groups.

“We want to take care of our community and be a good corporate citizen,” Marke False with Coastal Commerce Bank said.

Many of the company’s workers serve on the boards of local groups that promote education, coastal protection, infrastructure, and economic and community development in the area. The bank also supports United Way for South Louisiana, Terrebonne Parish Council on Aging, Houma Finance Authority, South Louisiana Economic Council, South Central Planning and Development Commission, Houma’s Downtown Development Corporation, Morganza Action Coalition, Fletcher Technical Community College Foundation and the Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence.

The evening also saw the installation of the 2012 BIG Board of Directors.

Members are: President: Francis Richard of John Deere; Executive Vice President: Craig Roussel of Bollinger Shipyards; Vice President: Jimmy Ledet of T. Baker Smith; Treasurer: Terry Albert of Coastal Commerce Bank; Immediate Past President: Chett Chiasson of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission; Board Members:Dwayne Bourgeois, North Lafourche Levee District; Hugh Caffery, Valentine Chemicals; Howell Chiasson, First American Bank; Steve Gaubert, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center; Shane Guin, Duplantis Design Group; Simone Maloz, Restore or Retreat; and Dr. Ricky Melancon, Houma Spine and Rehabilitation Clinic.

“This is an exciting time for BIG, and I am honored to help BIG become a stronger voice of business and industry in the area,” Francis Richard said. “The mission has not changed since this organization was created in 1973, and, and I will do all that I can to help stick to the mission and to help BIG grow.”

Richard recognized the importance of the holding to the group’s credo.

“There is lots of work to be done if we live up to mission,” he said. “I hope to establish standing committees on education and workforce, environment, membership and finance and conduct surveys in to find out what issues that that are effecting our member businesses.”

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center CEO Greg Stock presents President and CEO of Coastal Commerce Bank Mark Folse with the award for the 2012 BIG Achiever Company. 

COURTESY PHOTO