Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards began his second-round of statewide tour meetings with business leaders and elected officials from the Baton Rouge area. The governor continues to seek new and innovative ways for business leaders and elected officials to come together with the common goal of stabilizing and reforming the state budget to avoid the imminent $1 billion fiscal cliff.

Today’s meeting was the seventh overall that Gov. Edwards has hosted around Louisiana in an effort to foster change through honest and crucial conversations.

“As I have led these meetings across Louisiana, I remain pleased with the discussions we’ve been able to have,” Gov. Edwards said. “Local business leaders are the backbone of communities, and they understand the day-to-day challenges and opportunities that impact the fiscal environment in our state. In every single meeting, I have heard many tactics and strategies raised, but everyone has had the common purpose of positioning our state to excel. Together, we will right the ship and stabilize our state budget and tax structure long-term.”

The governor has led similar meetings in Shreveport/Bossier, New Orleans, Alexandria, Houma, Baton Rouge and the Northshore area.

Today’s participants were:

Steven Warner
LUBA Workers Comp

Lee Jenkins    
Performance Contractors

Ann Trappey  
Forte and Tablada

Robert Bond
The Powell Group 

Janet Olson    
JP Morgan Chase

Tim Barfield   
CSRS 

Monique Scott Spaulding      
JaniKing 

Kim Sanders  
L.A. Champagne CPAs

Doug Barber
Barber Brothers

Robert Schneckenburger        
Whitney Bank

Jim Urdiales   
Mestizos Restaurant

Mo Vij
General Informatics

Don Sanders  
Orion Instruments

Adam Knapp 
Baton Rouge Area Chamber

Scott Hensgens           
Brezeale Sachse Wilson

Preston Castille          
Taylor Porter

Keith Tillage  
Tillage Construction

Scott Wester  
Our Lady of the Lake

Collis B. Temple, III  
Primerica

Bill Slaughter 
SSA Consultants

J. H. “Jay” Campbell, Jr.        
Retired Business Exec.

Annette Vaccaro        
Community Coffee

Jay Little
Besselman & Little Agency

Lane Grigsby
Cajun Industries

Kurt Ainsworth
Marucci Sports

Dick Mason
Shintech

Randy Cangelosi
Kean Miller 

Ben Marmande
Iberia Bank

Tommy Hudson
G-2

Tyson Hackenberg
APTIM

Jeff Martin
Regions Bank 

Marlowe Foster
BASF

Dennis Blunt
Phelps Dunbar