Tri-parish Newsmakers

Lapeyre earns RHU designation

Houma’s Christian D. Lapeyre has achieved the professional designation of registered health underwriter (RHU).

Lapeyre is employed at Alford, Staples, Lapeyre and Robichaux, an insurance-employee benefit services firm.

To earn the RHU designation, he successfully completed course work and a series of exams through the American College. To retain the designation, Lapeyre must continue to meet the continuing education requirements and uphold the code of ethics and professional responsibilities developed by the American College.

Lapeyre specializes in group insurance and employee benefit services and administration. He has 13 years’ experience in the industry. Lapeyre is also a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters and Louisiana Association of Health Underwriters.

3 TGMC nurses named to ‘Great 100’ list

Three Terrebonne General Medical Center nurses have been named to the “Great 100 Nurses” list.

Linda Songy, assistant vice president of Nursing, Cindy Blanchard, program coordinator for the hospital’s Diabetes Management Center, and Nancy Yzaguirre, nurse director of the Emergency Department, were honored Oct. 28 at the 23rd annual Great 100 Nurses celebration at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner.

The gala draws over 1,000 people annually who gather to honor the region’s top 100 nurses. The candidates are nominated by their peers, patients, family, friends and colleagues. The Great 100 Nurses exemplify concern for humanity and are known for contributing to the community and nursing profession.

“This event has such a deep meaning and touches so many wonderful people in the health-care community,” said P.K. Scheerle, Great 100 chairman and founder. “We are extremely delighted to have the opportunity to properly honor and thank some of the amazing nurses that endure so much and have such an invaluable role in our community.”

Ponder, Cuadra attend cutting-edge spine course

Drs. Jimmy Ponder Jr., director of the Headache & Pain Center AMC in Gray, and Adolfo Cuadra recently attended the International Spine Intervention Society Clinical Anatomy and Imaging of the Spine course in New Orleans.

The program was designed to provide information and skill-building techniques developed on an evidence-based approach to spine pain and intervention pain medicine. It was aimed at helping physicians develop an in-depth understanding in guided imagery, correlative anatomy structures and patient care.