NEW ORLEANS – Here’s a roundup of recent awards and honors for area executives and entrepreneurs:
Fidelity Bank named Jolie Dugas Bernard its POWER Woman of the Year at its inaugural awards ceremony. Dugas Bernard was selected from more than 50 nominations for 26 women leaders from throughout New Orleans.
Paul Danos, president and CEO of Danos, has been named to the National Safety Council’s annual “CEOs Who ‘Get It’” list for 2023. This is the 20th year that the NSC has recognized CEOs who go above and beyond to protect employees both on and off the job.
Dr. Corey Hebert, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, has been named the first King of Maternal and Child Health for Mardi Gras 2023. The recognition was announced in a certificate of recognition, presented along with a key to the city, from New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
Les Dames d’Escoffier International New Orleans has just announced the three grant recipients for the inaugural Leading from the Heart Awards. Restaurateur Amanda Toups of Toups Meatery and Cristina Quackenbush, chef of pop-up Milkfish and founder/president of Good Trouble Network will each be awarded individual $2,500 grants. An additional $2,500 grant to WeHelp Nola, a woman-led nonprofit, will be awarded to founder Olivia McCoy.
The City of New Orleans philanthropist Blakk Tatted with an official proclamation honoring his contributions to the community. The hookah entrepreneur donated and hosted a $100,000 holiday gift giveaway for thousands of kids and their parents. He partnered with Walmart for the project.
Gretna native Tuan Ngo received NASA’s prestigious Space Flight Awareness Silver Snoopy award Jan. 11 during an on-site ceremony held at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Ngo is an electrical engineer with Syncom Space Services. He served as senior electrical engineer during NASA’s Space Launch System core stage testing project and fills the same role for Exploration Upper Stage testing at NASA Stennis. Ngo was honored for his work with the design and construction of all electrical modifications to the B-2 Test Stand.
Taslin Alfonzo, NOLA Public Schools’ director of media relations, was awarded the Silver Anvil Award by the Public Relations Society of America’s New Orleans Chapter. It’s the industry’s highest honor recognizing the best crisis communications campaigns that showcase unique skills, creativity and resources in undertaking and solving problems or meeting unmet needs.
Alisha Reed, FLY pharmacist and self care strategist, has been nominated as a local American Heart Association Woman of Impact nominee. Her role is to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease in women as part of the 2023 Go Red for Women campaign.
Postlethwaite & Netterville announced that Candy Wright was again selected as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting by Accounting Today. This list recognizes leaders, change-makers, regulators, and other visionaries shaping the profession and charting the future of accounting. According to the publication, Wright “is the voice of private businesses in the setting of accounting standards, putting their concerns and issues before FASB so they can be reflected in future GAAP, while also being active in the ongoing revolution in auditing being led by the AICPA.”