Business briefs

Chabill’s expands in East Baton Rouge
Chabill’s Tire and Auto Service opened its newest retail facility in Louisiana at 13485 Highway 73 in Prairieville, and is part of the greater East Baton Rouge market, a news release stated.
An official grand opening and ribbon cutting was held May 20 to commemorate the company’s 15th location.
This is the company’s second location in the area and, according to business development director, Beth Barron, it is just one of several on the drawing board. “Our plan is to open at least one new store per year in and around Baton Rouge in the future.”
Chabill’s has been in business for 45 years and has locations in Lafayette, Broussard, Youngsville, Houma, Thibodaux, Morgan City, New Iberia, Mathews, Bayou Vista and Franklin.
Chabill’s is a direct dealer of Michelin products, which consists of the brands Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, and Riken. Although these products account for a large share of the tires they sell, Chabill’s can also supply customers with Goodyear, Dunlop, Kelly, GiTi, as well as many other tire lines.
Chabill’s also offers several mechanical and vehicle maintenance services. Oil changes, brake jobs, alignments, air conditioning repair, shock and strut replacement, and manufacturer’s scheduled maintenance are just a few areas where Chabill’s ASE certified technicians can provide vehicle repairs.
Chabill’s, owned by Charles Gowland and headquartered in Morgan City, employs more than 100 people.

Acadian Ambulance honors supervisor
Kevin Brennan has been honored by Acadian Ambulance for his 30 years of service to the company. Brennan is an operational supervisor for their Bayou operations, which includes St. Mary, Thibodaux, Terrebonne, Assumption, St. James, Lafourche, and St. John the Baptist parishes. He has worked in many capacities during his three decade tenure, including as a ground paramedic, flight paramedic for Acadian Air Med, and an offshore medic. Brennan obtained his EMT-Basic and EMT-Intermediate certifications through vocational technical schools in Lafayette and Thibodaux, and obtained his paramedic certification through Acadian’s first accelerated paramedic program in Lafayette. He is also an All Safe driving instructor and Critical Care Transport certified. Additionally, Brennan recently completed Leadership Lafourche. Acadian Ambulance is one of the largest ambulance services in the nation, offering emergency and non-emergency transportation to areas in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.

ULL to offer graduate degree in accounting
LAFYAETTE — The B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration at UL Lafayette will launch a master’s program in accounting in the fall.
“The curriculum will provide graduates with in-depth knowledge of auditing, ethics, income tax, and financial accounting,” said Harlan Etheridge, associate professor of accounting. “The program will offer advanced preparation for careers in public accounting, industry, government, and consulting.”
It also will provide the additional hours required to sit for the CPA exam in Louisiana, he added.
Students who complete the university’s undergraduate accounting program earn 120 credit hours. But, 150 hours earned at an accredited university are required to take the CPA exam in Louisiana, according to information on the State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana’s website.
Individuals who enter the new graduate program will be required to complete 33 hours of coursework, including 18 hours of required accounting classes, nine hours of accounting electives and six hours of business electives.
Students who wish to enter the program must have earned a bachelor’s degree, in any discipline, from an accredited university in the United States. Students with non-accounting degrees must take several prerequisite courses, unless they have done so within the past five years.
“The program is designed to be completed in approximately one year by a full-time student, but it can be completed on a part-time basis,” Etheridge said. “Most of these courses will be offered in the evening with others online or hybrid.”
Learn more about the master’s in accounting program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette by contacting the program coordinator at mastersaccounting@louisiana.edu.

Rouses acquires Baton Rouge site
BATON ROUGE — Rouses Supermarket has acquired a 4.8-acre tract of land in the Long Farm Village traditional neighborhood development, clearing the way for the grocery store to open its first Baton Rouge location sometime in 2015.
Russell Mosely, who is developing Long Farm Village, said the Thibodaux-based grocery chain acquired the land for an undisclosed amount in a deal that closed Friday.
Mosely says Rouses will anchor the retail development at the intersection of Airline and the extension of Antioch Road. The grocery store will take up 55,000 square feet.

Louisiana insurer selects vice president
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation has hired Jeffrey Skaggs as senior vice president of policyholder services and agency relations.
Skaggs has more than 27 years of experience in commercial insurance underwriting, marketing, and management.
Most recently, he was vice president of regional operations for Texas Mutual Insurance Company in Austin.
Skaggs holds a bachelor’s degree in government and politics from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation is a private, nonprofit mutual insurance company. It has more than 17,000 policyholders in Louisiana.

Krewe of Hercules to take over Houma arena lease
HOUMA — Terrebonne Parish has handed over the lease of the old Houma Airbase arena to the Krewe of Hercules, which will now manage and oversee the building’s renovations.
The building is widely known as the livestock arena because it had been leased for the past decade to the Terrebonne Livestock Association, which will continue to use the building for its rodeos and horse shows.
S.P. Larussa, a founding member of Hercules, said the property has suffered from neglect.
“We used the facility once or twice a year,” he said. “We were approached to take over the management of the facility, and it needs some improvements.”
The krewe will oversee $60,000 in renovations, including more than $20,000 in parking lot upgrades, which began last weekend, Larussa said.
According to the agreement, the parish will reimburse the krewe for up to $65,000 in repairs to make the facility more attractive to those who would want to rent it for parties and other activities
“There should be rodeos there every weekend. But you can’t do that unless you clean it, put up some light systems and make it adequate,” Larussa said. “Between now and the next 60 days, it is going to be better there.”
Improvements also will include $25,000 in lighting for the rodeo arena, the installation of fans throughout the center, and work on the bleachers and electrical system.
“Hopefully one day we will be able to get the funds to put a cover over the area for the top,” Larussa said. “Putting a top on it, people can use it year-round. It is a shame that we are sitting in Houma, Louisiana, and this thing has been neglected for 20 years.
Terrebonne Parish Administrator Al Levron said the Terrebonne Livestock Association will benefit from the krewe’s lease.
Ultimately, Larussa said the hope is to improve the building so larger rodeos will consider Houma as a destination for events.
He added the venue should be a staple on the east side for large events, such as fishing rodeos and corporate cook-outs.