South Louisiana businesses and nonprofit groups recently announced the following promotions, new hires and resignations.
New Orleans
Stacey Cerrone
Stacey Cerrone has been named leader of the ERISA Complex Litigation group at Jackson Lewis. Cerrone, who joined the firm in 2020, was previously the office litigation manager at the employment law firm’s New Orleans office.
Wanda Weinberger
Wanda Weinberger has been hired as the banking center manager of First Horizon Bank’s Pan American Life location. Weinberger has more than 35 years of experience in financial services, including leadership positions with Frost Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Texans Credit Union and ASI Federal Credit Union.
Josh Gettys
Josh Gettys has been hired as the Gulf Coast Preconstruction Leader at in the Pensacola office of Woodward, a New Orleans design-build firm. A veteran of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Gettys has more than 25 years of experience in estimating, preconstruction, development and project leadership.
Benton Hilbun
Merri Underwood
Benton Hilbun and Merri Underwood, both of whom worked for Renasant Bank, have been hired by Republic Business Credit. Hilbun, who was senior vice president at Renasant, becomes a senior vice president and business development officer. Underwood, who was assistant vice president for operations and portfolio administrator for Renasant, becomes assistant vice president and account executive.
Baton Rouge
Trent Oubre
Trent Oubre has been elected to the board of directors of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. Oubre, a partner at the Baton Rouge office of the law firm Breazeale Sachse, is chair of the LABI Employment Relations Committee and has frequently spoke at LABI’s annual conferences on workers’ compensation.
Jeanne Bourgeois Avant
Jeanne Bourgeois Avant has been promoted to manager of property operations and compliance for SRSA Gulf South Management. Avant, who is also president of the Louisiana chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management, will continue working as property manager for the Baton Rouge office in addition to the newly created position.
Chelsea Gstohl
Chelsea Gstohl has been promoted to senior vice president of member experience at Pelican Credit Union. Gstohl, who began working at the credit union while attending LSU, has led its contact center since 2022.
Henry Hays has been named a partner at the technology consulting firm Sparkhound to lead a dedicated AI strategy practice. Hays, the founder of Henry Hays Consulting, built an artificial intelligence curriculum at LSU and has delivered more than 150 keynote presentations to executive audiences.
Bayou Parishes
Amy Vaccarella
Amy Vaccarella has been hired as the superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, effective July 1. Vaccarella, who was previously chief technology officer for St. Mary Parish School Board, is currently the principal of Patterson High School.
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