Tri-parish Newsmakers

Kolker, Sinclair join LUMCON staff

Two assistant professors, Alexander Kolker and Geoffrey Sinclair, have joined the staff at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.

Kolker hails from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Tulane University’s School of Science and Engineering. LUMCON spokeswoman Trudy Hebert said Kolker brings expertise in coastal sediment dynamics and wetland processes to the staff.

Kolker received his doctorate in marine and atmospheric sciences at the State University of New York, Stony Brook University.

As a scientist-in-residence there, he investigated the marsh loss of Jamaica Bay, N.Y., and advised the National Park Service on the salt marsh loss. Kolker has also studied the sedimentary geology of the Bohai Sea, China.

He worked under Dr. Mead A. Allison at Tulane University as a postdoctoral associate, then was promoted to the research faculty where he examined the Mississippi River Delta geology, focusing on subsidence, compaction and sediment deposition.

Sinclair, who hails from the department of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences at North Carolina State University, is a specialist in the ecology of phytoplankton and toxic dinoflagellates.

Sinclair conducted his master’s degree research on environmental and behavioral influences on the uptake of nitrates by the harmful and toxic dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, that occurs in inshore waters.

He has already sailed twice on LUMCON’s R/V Pelican to study the unique benthic (bottom) habitat as a refuge for life stages of the red-tide forming Karenia.

Sinclair’s extensive research has led to publications in the Journal of Phytoplankton Research, The African Journal of Marine Science, Harmful Algae and the Journal of Phycology. His travel scholarships have assisted attendance at Harmful Algal Bloom meetings at Woods Hole, MA and Cape Town, South Africa.

Prior to starting his academic career, Sinclair served in the U.S. Peace Corps in the Republic of Benin.

Savoie given Ochsner St. Anne’s first DAISY Award

Ann Savoie, R.N., a nurse in Ochsner St. Anne General’s infusion center, was recently awarded the hospital’s first annual DAISY Award.

Savoie joined the hospital’s staff in December 1999. She and husband Sidney reside in Mathews.

A co-worker and patient nominated Savoie for her attentive care and compassion, said Marsha Arabie, vice president of Nursing and Support Services at Ochsner St. Anne.

Arabie said Savoie is a patient favorite. “Some patients insist on her to draw their blood for labs,” she said. “One patient even went so far as to change his scheduled date because Ann was on vacation.”

She’s also been known to send birthday cards and holiday greetings to patients and, in the event of a death, attends patients’ funerals.

The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation was formed in January 2000 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 of complications from idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Because of the compassionate care he received from nurses, his family re-created the award to recognize the work nurses do.

CIS cardiologist earns seven certifications

Dr. Vinod Nair, a staff cardiologist at Houma’s Cardiovascular Institute of the South, has earned seven board certifications.

The India native holds certifications in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology, nuclear cardiology, vascular medicine, endovascular medicine and cardiovascular computed tomography.

Nair joined CIS in 2005. He is a member of the American Medical Association and the American Heart Association, and sits on the board of trustees for the AHA’s San Angelo Chapter. He is also a fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

While completing his residency, Nair received achievement awards for Academic Excellence, Best Teaching Resident, Humanitarianism, Leadership and Overall Excellence.

Nair received his undergraduate degree from Malabar Christian College and his medical education from M.S. Ramaiah Medical Teaching Hospital, an internal medicine residency at Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center in Bronx, N.Y., and a cardiology fellowship at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y. He completed his interventional cardiology fellowship at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn.

Prejean joins TGMC staff

Radiologist Ashley Joseph Prejean, M.D., has been appointed to the active medical staff at Terrebonne General Medical Center.

A Houma native, Prejean received a bachelor’s degree in science from Nicholls State University. He earned his doctorate degree from Louisiana State University Medical Center in Shreveport.

Prejean completed his internship and residency at Scott and White Memorial Hospital Texas A&M College of Medicine.

He practices with Houma Radiology.

Barbera named partner at Waguespack & Gallagher

Tia Barbera, a resident of Napoleonville, has been named a partner at CPA firm Waguespack & Gallagher in Napoleonville and Thibodaux.

The Nicholls State University graduate has been an associate with the firm for the past seven years, concentrating her practice in the areas of tax, audit and consulting services.

“Tia brings a depth of experience to our firm,” the firm’s managing partner and co-founder Tim Gallagher said. “As a CPA, she is a tremendous asset to our clients. We are glad to call her our partner.”

Waguespack & Gallagher Certified Public Accountants has been serving clients across southeast Louisiana since 2001. The firm offers an array of services including tax return preparation, financial statement compilations, reviews and audits, accounting computer software installation, design and training, litigation support and consulting services.

Founders Gallagher and Mike Waguespack and their staff of six CPAs have a combined 60 years of tax and accounting experience.

TOFCO completes fourth BbTT platform

Trinidad Offshore Fabricators Unlimited (TOFCO) delivered its fourth consecutive BbTT platform – a structure that has roots in Houma.

TOFCO is a joint venture company formed in 2003 with Chet Morrison Contractors and Trinidad manufacturer Weldfab Limited. Since its inception, TOFCO has constructed and delivered seven facilities.

The latest platform, the BpTT Savonette deck module was delivered in early February. Its accompanying jacket, also built by TOFCO, arrived in August 2008.

The deck was fabricated as one module, weighing in at 1,060 tons and providing roughly 11,000 square feet of top deck space. It was composed of four levels – sump, main, mezzanine and upper, and came complete with a helideck.

The Savonette jacket tipped the scale at 2,043 tons, according to TOFCO.

Lafourche finance office earns national recognition

The Lafourche Parish Government’s Department of Finance recently received an Award for Financial Reporting Achievement by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the U.S. and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report.

According to the GFOA, the Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

Lafourche Parish’s financial report had to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.

The GFOA is a non-profit professional association serving approximately 16,000 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C.