Kyle A. Moore of the law firm of Weems, Schimpf, Haines, Landry, Shemwell & Moore, APLC has been selected as the newest member of the Special Needs Alliance. The Special Needs Alliance is a national, nonprofit collective of many of America’s leading disability and public benefits attorneys. Currently in 48 states, the SNA’s mission is to help enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities by coordinating private resources with public benefit programs through special needs planning and trusts. Membership to the SNA is extended by invitation only, and Moore is one of only three members in Louisiana.
Brian Homza, attorney at Cook Yancey, was invited by the Insurance Committee For Arson Control to be a featured speaker at their 27th annual seminar. The ICAC Fire & Arson Investigation Seminar was held Feb. 29, in Savannah, Ga. Homza’s presentation covered Effective Daubert Challenges and Defense of Daubert Motions for Fire Origin and Cause Experts. This seminar provides guidance and resources for SIU and Claims Personnel along with fire investigators. Homza’s practice principally involves insurance coverage, including First Party coverage issues, insurance fraud, arson, fraudulent claims and the defense of extra contractual claims. Homza’s practice also includes professional errors and omissions claims, defending insurance agents and brokers. He was named The Best Lawyers in America from 2011-16 for Insurance Law. He is listed by SuperLawyers as having attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement in the area of Insurance Coverage.
Citizens Bank & Trust Co. of Vivian announced the election of Kent E.Wilkes as president. Dan M. Caldwell, former president, will continue to serve the bank as CEO. A seasoned financial executive, Wilkes’ career includes over 20 years’ experience in both the operations and the lending areas of financial institutions. He served 17 years in various management positions with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Resolution Trust Corporation.
Shreveport startup CyberReef Solutions has secured $1.3 million in investments to grow and expand its business nationally. CyberReef provides technology that makes transactions across the Internet more secure. Its customer is Verizon Wireless. Raising the $1.3 million was a collaborative effort between several local investors and the New Orleans Angel Network. The lead local investor group is New Louisiana Angel Fund 1, a group of 53 north Louisiana accredited investors who have come together to make investments in startups such as CyberReef Solutions. The Biomedical Research Foundation helps get companies such as CyberReef Solutions investment ready through its Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program. In the past year, NLAF1 has made seven other investments similar to CyberReef that have impacted the community by creating over 39 good high paying jobs, expanding the local tax base, and diversifying the local economy. Hilton Nicholson, CyberReef Solutions CEO, opened an office in downtown Shreveport in November of last year. With his seed investment money and high-profile customer, Verizon Wireless, he now plans to hire seven salespeople with Verizon experience and will bring on two interns from Bossier Parish Community College.
The P.R.I.D.E. Awards, an annual presentation of the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau, will be held 6 to 8 p.m. May 5 at Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino. The evening will feature an awards program honoring the most outstanding employees in Shreveport-Bossier’s hospitality and tourism industry. A full list of award categories, as well as a nomination form and instructions on how to submit, can be found online at Shreveport-Bossier.org/pride. Award nominations are currently being accepted and are open through April 12. Cost to attend ceremony is $40 for an individual ticket or $320 for a table of eight. Tickets must be purchased in advance and advance ticket sales will end April 29. To purchase tickets or learn more about the 2016 P.R.I.D.E. Awards, go to Shreveport-Bossier.org/pride.