Nicholls Receives $1M to Dedicate JB Falgoust Department of Accounting & Finance

Nicholls State University received a $1M donation from First American Bank and Trust for the naming rights of the JB Falgoust Department of Accounting and Finance. The gift will be seed money for the construction of a future facility to house the College of Business Administration.

“Mr. J.B. Falgoust understood the importance of Nicholls State University and the resources Nicholls provides to the business economy of Southern Louisiana. Graduates of Nicholls have played a vital role in the growth of First American Bank and Trust. The Bank is proud to honor Mr. J.B. Falgoust and support Nicholls State University,” said President and CEO of First American Bank and Trust Ronnie Falgoust.

Back left to right: Terry Braud Jr, Nicholls Vice President for Finance and Administration; Dr. John Lajaunie, Professor of Finance; Dean T. Falgoust, Chair of the Board, First American Bank; Dr. Kevin Breaux, Department Head & Professor of Accounting & Finance; Dr. Marilyn Macik-Frey, Dean of College of Business Administration & Professor of Management; Marcel T Graugnard Jr., First American Bank Board of Director; Jeremy Becker, Executive Director of Nicholls Foundation; Allison Clune, Nicholls First Lady; and Malcolm J. Peytavin, First American Bank Executive Vice President.
Front left to right: Ronald J. Falgoust, President and CEO of First American Bank and Trust; and Jay Clune, PhD, Nicholls President.

“We are thrilled to be a part of honoring Mr. Falgoust this way. His legacy as a leader in the banking industry is formalized in the naming of the Accounting and Finance Department,” said  Nicholls Dean of the College of Business Administration Dr. Marilyn Macik-Frey. “Over the years, with so many First American Bank employees being Nicholls College of Business Alumni, this partnership is generations in the making.”

J.B. Falgoust began his career as a clerk for the Bank of Vacherie and would eventually go on to serve as vice president, president, CEO, chairman of the board and, until his retirement in April 2015, chairman emeritus of the now First American Bank and Trust. Under his leadership and vision, the Bank’s assets grew from $2 million to $830 million, locations expanded from a single office in Vacherie to 24 offices in Southeast Louisiana and employees increased from 3 to over 200. Today, First American Bank and Trust has 25 branches and assets over $1 billion.

A strong, independent community bank, First American Bank and Trust is closely tied to the businesses, organizations and citizens in each community it serves. Its board of directors comprises people from local communities who are visionary leaders committed to strengthening their region while retaining its unique traditions. To learn more, visit www.fabt.com/.

The AACSB-accredited Accounting program at Nicholls positively impacts the social and economic vitality of the program’s service area and beyond by positioning students to successfully meet workforce development needs as well-educated, responsible, and engaged Accounting professionals.

The Nicholls finance and the financial services marketing degrees have each met the stringent educational requirements set forth by AACSB for a bachelor’s degree in finance. Each curriculum includes senior-level courses in accounting and finance, among other general business course requirements and is designed to develop student communication, technological, critical thinking and ethical decision-making skills.

To learn more, visit https://www.nicholls.edu/business/.