Cleco

For small business owners, minimizing overhead costs and enhancing the customer experience are always top of mind. In 2023, Jason Huguet, chef and owner of the Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant, partnered with Power Wise to upgrade the lighting in the restaurant to energy-efficient LEDs. As a result of this upgrade, Jason saves 17,000 kWh annually and utilizes the saved funds for other business needs. https://brnw.ch/21wNGqB

Do your part in being energy smart by swapping out old light fixtures with new, energy-efficient LED fixtures. Sign up for a no-obligation facility assessment by visiting www.cleco.com/ledupgrades, and a Cleco-approved contractor will contact you directly to schedule. Businesses with an average peak demand of less than 100kW can receive a maximum incentive of $25,000 or have 100% of the project costs covered (whichever is less).

The Power Wise team attended the 2024 Game On with Council On Aging St Tammany Resource Festival yesterday in Mandeville alongside other organizations, such as Humana and Peoples Health. The Power Wise team shared resource information and signed up seniors for the residential weatherization assessment.

Cleco representatives from our Executive Management, Generation, Corporate Communications and HR teams are in New Orleans this week for the two-day Louisiana Public Service Commission’s HBCU Utility Workforce Summit at Dillard University. During the summit, Bill Fontenot, Mark Kleehammer, Sybil Montegut, Chris Burke, Fran Phoenix and Traci O'Brien will network with industry leaders and HBCU students, as well as participate in a utility workforce leadership roundtable. The goal of the summit is to build partnerships between HBCUs, empower students from Dillard University, Xavier University, Grambling University, Southern University Baton Rouge, Southern University New Orleans and Southern University Shreveport to become leaders in the utility industry, and recruit, develop and retain top talent. Representatives from the University of Louisiana System, Higher Education Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, LPSC and Cleco’s board of directors are also in attendance.

Cleco is committed to attracting, developing and retaining a talented workforce to provide energy and related solutions to support the quality of life for Louisiana residents. As part of this commitment, Cleco team members continuously attend career fairs and other recruiting events each year. This past week, Kay and Stephanie participated in the Southeastern Louisiana University Career Fair; Mohammed, Colton and Dustin attended the Louisiana Tech University Career Fair.

Cleco's economic development team joined companies from around the country in Detroit for the Site Selectors Guild Fall Forum. The Site Selectors Guild is a professional organization of the world’s leading site selection consultants who specialize in advising companies on the best spots to grow their business through new facilities like corporate headquarters, manufacturing plants and distribution centers. The guild also hosts conferences, workshops and events where members share knowledge, best practices, and industry trends with economic developers, corporate leaders and public officials. At this year’s fall forum, Cleco was joined by Louisiana Economic Development, England Airpark, One Acadiana and St. Tammany Corporation. Cleco also hosted a dinner to promote business investment.

Kimberly Ackman, a 10-year Cleco employee, began her education at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2006 but paused her studies to enter the workforce. Unsure about returning to school, she found guidance through the Compete Louisiana Program, which streamlined her path to a general studies degree with a concentration in business. In just two and a half years, she completed her degree with help from her personal coach, consistent support and financial assistance. When reflecting on how Cleco’s commitment to continuous learning aligns with employee growth, Kimberly emphasized how important it is for people, like herself, who never thought they'd have the opportunity to go back to school. She notes that Cleco’s supportive culture and education reimbursement programs speaks volumes about the company’s values.

On Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, Cleco’s service area was impacted by Hurricane Francine, which left 37,000 customers without power. Storm response included clearing trees from power lines and replacing broken poles and downed wires. Over 1,700 contractors were brought in to assist our Cleco team, and power was restored to all customers by Saturday, Sept. 14. While hurricanes are a part of our lives as Louisianans, each hurricane presents new challenges. We are proud to face these challenges with resilience and compassion, and we thank our customers and communities for their support during this time.

Having an emergency preparedness plan for your home is crucial during hurricane season, but you should also have a plan in place for your business. Take some time this National Preparedness Month to put together an action plan for your organization.

Cleco President and CEO William “Bill” Fontenot has been appointed by Governor Jeff Landry to the Louisiana Economic Development Partnership (LEDP). This newly-established board will be tasked with developing a strategic plan and advising on policies, programs and initiatives that promote economic growth in the state. The board has 11 members, one from each of the state’s eight economic regions, one at-large and one appointment each by the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives. To learn more about the establishment of the board and the other appointees, visit: https://brnw.ch/21wMv8Z