2022 Speakers
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Gregory M. Bowser Gregory is the President of the Louisiana Chemical Association (LCA), which represents the interest of 66 chemical manufacturing companies all over the state and the Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance (LCIA), a partnership of Louisiana’s chemical plants, their suppliers, contractors and vendors. Greg is a native of Baldwin, Louisiana. He is a 1983 graduate of Louisiana State University (LSU) where he participated in football and earned four varsity letters. Greg served on the boards of Baton Rouge General Health System, YMCA, Fidelity Bank, Capital Area United Way and the Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation. His hobbies are golf, tennis, fishing, sports broadcasting and hanging out with his sons. Greg served as an analyst for Cox Sports Television broadcasting LSU Football games for over ten years. Greg is married to the former Adrienne Boutte’ of New Iberia. They have two children, Gregory II and Myles. |
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Kim Boyle Kim Boyle practices in the areas of labor and employment, civil rights, constitutional law, commercial, tort and general litigation. Her employment practice includes representing employers in employment related claims, such as retaliation and discrimination claims as well as workplace harassment. She also handles EEOC charges and other administrative complaints through the administrative and judicial process. Her practice also includes the representation of public and private clients in a variety of commercial disputes, including breach of contract, business torts, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair trade practices and class actions, as well as representation of a number of governmental entities on an array of legal issues. Kim is known for her persuasive oral argument skills in both trial and appellate courts, and for her ability to take a matter from inception through verdict at trial by jury or judge. Many of the matters Kim handles have been resolved through trial, and she has completed a number of oral arguments before state and federal appellate courts. She speaks often on employment-related topics, litigation and issues of procedure, as well as ethics and professionalism issues. Prior to joining the firm, Kim served as Judge Pro Tempore, Division I, for the Civil District Court for Orleans Parish. She is also a former assistant professor of law at Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans. Kim is very active in local, state, and national bar activities, as well as community organizations and initiatives. She served as the first female African-American President of the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) for the 2009-2010 term and formerly served as Treasurer as well as a member of the LSBA Board of Governors. She also previously served as the first African-American President of the New Orleans Bar Association (NOBA). Kim served as pro bono legal counsel to Covenant House of New Orleans. She was the first African-American woman to serve as Co-Chair of the NO/AIDS Task Force Board of Trustees, and also previously served as a board member of Aids Law Louisiana. She formerly served on the board of trustees for Princeton University, and currently serves on the boards of trustees for Touro Infirmary, Tulane University and Dillard University. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law. In addition, she was a member of the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) and served as Chair of the LRA Healthcare Committee. Kim previously served on the Bring New Orleans Back Commission, which focused upon rebuilding the city post-Katrina, and served as Chair of the Health/Social Services Committee of the Commission.
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Mali Carow Mali Carow first joined Four Seasons more than 20 years ago as a server at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, and soon began moving up the ranks of food and beverage divisions in Washington and San Diego, and then internationally in the Maldives and then Amman, where she was promoted to Hotel Manager. She then transferred to the company’s first location in Europe, at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, in the same role. From there, she was chosen to build and lead the team at the first Four Seasons in New Orleans as its opening General Manager. “At Four Seasons, we are incredibly proud to be in New Orleans as an integral part of this storied city,” says Mali Carow, reflecting on the Hotel’s place in the Big Easy. As General Manager, Mali blends Four Seasons craftsmanship and character with the city’s celebrated local cuisine, culture and diversity. “The genuine warmth and connection of the New Orleans community pairs perfectly with Four Seasons, as we build upon the city’s rich history of fine hospitality and service.” Mali brings a depth of Four Seasons experience to her first turn as a GM, with skills grown over two decades working her way through hotel food and beverage departments across the globe. The words she hears the most about her management style are “energy and passion,” she says. “I try to capitalize on that every day, making sure we’re doing things the best we can and opening doors for our people to grow.” The key to that is learning from mistakes, a policy Mali calls “core to what I am. We’re in the people business and are a people-powered company. We all grow by stepping up, taking on challenges, and moving forward, together.” Mali started with the company in Chicago, and then continued at its Washington, DC address to help pay her way through college. She went on to the Maldives and then to Amman, Jordan, where she was promoted to Hotel Manager. She then took on the same position at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, where she was “humbled by the legacy” of the company’s original European address – an iconic hotel in London that celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020. There, she perfected her ability to lead and teach the employees more personal ways to curate once-in-a-lifetime experiences and ensure special recognition to each individual guest. Now, she is thrilled to lead the team in bringing the Four Seasons experience to New Orleans, for guests and locals, as well as those who call Four Seasons home as she also oversees the property’s Private Residences. “So much of what I do is about connecting with guests and residents, making sure their needs are met and their time is their own,” she says. The Hotel team includes many company veterans who were excited to transfer from other properties to be part of the New Orleans team. “We are all excited to be a part of this community, embracing its culture and learning from its acclaimed history. Against this vibrant backdrop, our team will bring the legendary Four Seasons experience to life for guests, residents and locals alike.” |
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José E. Cil José E. Cil is Chief Executive Officer of Restaurant Brands International Inc. (RBI) and has set out to build the most loved restaurant brands in the world: BURGER KING®, TIM HORTONS®, POPEYES® and FIREHOUSE SUBS®. José brings to the role a 20-year track record of results-driven leadership at Burger King, most recently serving as Global President. RBI generates more than $35 billion in annual system-wide sales, offering an exceptional guest experience in each one of its more than 29,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Through its Restaurant Brands for Good framework, RBI is improving sustainable outcomes related to food, the planet, and people and communities. In 2021, José was awarded Restaurant Leader of the Year by Restaurant Business Magazine. He was recognized for his collaborative leadership style and for his vision and ability to drive growth for RBI brands in home markets and across the globe. In addition, South Florida Business Journal named him a 2021 South Florida Ultimate CEO honoree. José was formerly on the board of directors for Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc., Burger King’s largest franchisee, and served as Co-Chairman of the Burger King McLamore Foundation, an organization that creates brighter futures through education and emergency relief. Earlier in his career, he held the position of Vice President and Regional General Manager for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in Florida. A leader in his community, José is involved in organizations that promote the economic development of Florida. He serves as a Council Member on the Florida Council of 100 and as a Board Member of Enterprise Florida. José is also an active member of the Orange Bowl Committee, which promotes South Florida through an annual football game and community events. He is a graduate of Tulane University and started his career practicing law after earning his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. |
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Louis David Louis David is Vice President of Industry Attraction & Retention for the New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA). NOLABA is a public / private organization that is the lead economic development organization for the City of New Orleans and Orleans Parish. Louis’ primary duties include leading NOLABA’s efforts to help existing companies grow and recruit new business in the technology, manufacturing and trade / transportation industries. Louis currently serves on the boards of the Tulane Association of Business Alumni and Project Lazarus and is on Young Leadership Council’s Wednesday at the Square committee. Louis’ leadership experience has been enhanced through participating in the National League of Cities Equitable Economic Development Fellowship, the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute, Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum and the Youth Empowerment Project 40 Under 40 Cohort. A Lafayette, Louisiana native, Louis holds an MBA from Tulane University and a BA in Journalism from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Previously, Louis has worked in technology services at iSeatz in New Orleans and as a reporter at the ABC affiliate in Lafayette, La. |
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Michael A. Fitts Michael A. Fitts has served as president of Tulane University since 2014. Tulane has extraordinary natural strengths with its range of disciplines, size and distinct character. When joining Tulane, President Fitts saw an opportunity to build on these strengths to create a leading model in higher education. Under Fitts’ leadership, Tulane has advanced its reputation as a world-class academic environment that fosters pioneering research, intellectual cross-pollination, transformative teaching and an unmatched student experience. Prior to coming to Tulane in 2014, Fitts served as dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School for 14 years. Fitts earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University in 1975 and a juris doctorate from Yale Law School in 1979. Following law school, he served as a clerk for federal judge and civil rights advocate Leon Higginbotham. Before joining the faculty at Penn Law, Fitts worked as an attorney in the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel. |
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Randy Giveans Randy Giveans is the Executive Vice President of Navigator Gas US and Head of Investor Relations and Business Development in North America. Prior to joining Navigator, Randy Giveans was the Senior Analyst and Group Head of the Energy Maritime Shipping Equity Research Group and a Senior Vice President at Jefferies. He covered 32 energy maritime shipping companies that transport crude oil, refined petroleum products, LNG, LPG, dry bulk commodities, and containers. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, he was named to Institutional Investor's (I.I.) All-America Research Team, and in 2018, he was named an Institutional Investor All-America Research "Rising Star." In 2021, Mr. Giveans was a Top 5 stock picker across all sector analysts according to TipRanks, and in 2018, he was ranked as the #1 Stock Picker for Shipping in the Thomson Reuters Analyst Awards. Randy has appeared on CNBC, Bloomberg TV, BBC, and Yahoo Finance, and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fox Business, CNN, Business Insider, and Bloomberg. Prior to joining Jefferies in 2011, Randy worked as a Senior Financial Analyst in the Corporate Finance department at Continental/United Airlines. Mr. Giveans received a Bachelor of Science in Finance/Economics from Spring Hill College and an MBA in Finance with an Energy Specialization from the Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. |
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Paulo Goes Paulo Goes became the 14th dean of the Freeman School on August 23, 2021. A native of Brazil, Goes earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and a master’s in production engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He began a career in civil engineering before immigrating to the U.S. and earning a master’s in operations research and a PhD in business administration from the University of Rochester. Goes’ work regularly appears in leading academic journals, and he often presents and delivers keynote addresses at national conferences in the field of information systems. From 2013 to 2015, he was editor-in-chief of Management Information Systems Quarterly, one of the most prestigious journals in that field. Prior to joining the Freeman School, Goes served for five years as the Dean and Halle Chair in Leadership at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management. Previously, he served nearly eight years as head of the nationally ranked Department of Management Information Systems (MIS) and the Salter Distinguished Professor of Management and Technology at the University of Arizona. |
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Kimberly Gramm Kimberly Gramm has recently joined Tulane to lead the new Innovation Institute as the inaugural Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer. Kimberly’s primary focus will be to build Tulane University’s innovation and entrepreneurial pipeline and increase regional capacity for new venture creation. This will improve lives throughout the world as well as create transformative economic growth and sustainability for New Orleans and the region. Kimberly has over 14 years of early-stage technology venture development experience. More than 279 startups have been created in university environments under her management, which helped raise more than $470 million in investment capital. She has been awarded more than $12 million in federal and economic development grants for research and commercialization funding in support of innovators and entrepreneurs. Kimberly has founded two university accelerators, FAU Tech Runway and Texas Tech University Accelerator as well as the Texas Tech Research Park, Inc. She also founded a $10 million seed fund to support agriculture technology startups. In her most recent role as associate vice president of innovation and entrepreneurship at Texas Tech University, Kimberly was responsible for leading economic and industry engagement, increasing startup development, increasing commercialization programs to support faculty and students, as well as developing the university’s innovation district. Her extensive experience in commercializing research from university intellectual property, expanding talent and workforce and securing resources to develop the infrastructure needed to cultivate innovation undoubtedly will benefit Tulane University, the city of New Orleans and the region for years to come. Kimberly earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida, an MBA from the University of Tampa and is currently pursuing a PhD from Texas Tech University. She is a community builder and a dynamic leader with a proven track record in the development of best-in-class entrepreneurship education and technology hubs. Through her leadership, the Institute will help student, faculty and community innovators further develop ideas, launch startups and attract the industry, investment and talent to fuel and ignite innovation in the Gulf South region and strengthen the area’s economy. |
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Stan Harris Stan Harris was chosen by the Louisiana Restaurant Association as president and CEO in August 2010. Harris spent over 30 years in leadership roles in the restaurant industry with TJM Restaurant Management, the largest franchisee of Ruth’s Chris Steak House serving for 17 years as President and CEO. TJMRM developed successful brands including Ninfa’s Mexican Restaurant, TJ Ribs and Ruffino’s Italian Restaurant. In addition to leading advocacy efforts for the LRA, he serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the LRA Self Insurer’s Fund which provides a competitive market focused solution for workers compensation needs. The firm manages approximately $35 million dollars in reserves and provides coverage for over $975,000,000 in annual hospitality payrolls. He also serves as President and CEO of the Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation. For the LRA he leads all association activities including legislative affairs, media relations, association policies, as well as program development and implementation. He is also key contact with the National Restaurant Association. Harris serves as a Trustee of National Restaurant Association Education Foundation and was its chair in 2020, a director of the National Restaurant Association, serves as Past President of the Council of State Restaurant Associations and is a director and current chair of New Orleans & Company. He serves as on the advisory board for the University of New Orleans School of Hotel Management, Restaurants and Tourism. Harris is a frequent guest lecturer in both the MBA and Executive MBA programs at Louisiana State University and for the University of New Orleans, School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism focusing on entrepreneurship and family businesses. |
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Ray Jeandron Ray Jeandron is a Partner at LongueVue Capital, where he is responsible for sourcing and evaluating investment opportunities across a wide range of industries, leading diligence and deal execution efforts, advising and supporting the firm’s portfolio companies with strategic and financial guidance, and managing a variety of other fund activities. Ray is a member of the LVC Investment Committee and Executive Committee and currently serves on the boards of LVC portfolio companies PRT Offshore, Pod Pack, Wagner Logistics, and Associated Metalcast. Prior to joining LVC in 2009, Ray worked in the investment banking departments of Jefferies & Company and GH Securities in Houston. At GH Securities, Ray advised growing and mid-sized companies on a broad range of transactions, including restructurings, recapitalizations, and equity financings. At Jefferies, Ray worked on over $2 billion of debt and equity-linked transactions, including leveraged buyouts, acquisitions, and recapitalizations for middle market companies. He also has public accounting experience with KPMG's audit group. Ray graduated summa cum laude from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science in Management with concentrations in Accounting and Finance. |
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Emily Madero Emily Madero has served as President and & CEO of French Quarter Festivals, Inc. since 2017. Under her leadership, the organization has placed increased focus on its non-profit mission to showcase New Orleans’ culture and heritage and contribute to the economic well-being and pride of the community. She has championed initiatives such as festival environmental sustainability, inclusivity, and community partnerships while supporting expanded programming that provides opportunity to more young musicians. Prior to taking the helm at FQFI, Emily devoted over a decade of her career to building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Orleans with The Idea Village. While there, she served as a critical part of economic recovery in the immediate aftermath of hurricane Katrina. Formerly serving as COO and acting CEO, Emily was a key player in starting and building New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, a conference celebrating entrepreneurship and innovation in the city. A longtime New Orleans resident, Emily earned her MBA, Masters of Spanish, and Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Psychology from Tulane University. Outside of her professional career, Emily is actively engaged in many community endeavors. She is a founding member of Campaign for Equity: New Orleans, a grass roots movement committed to dismantling structural racism in New Orleans. Emily is fanatical about live music, visual arts, and delicious food! She savors spending time with her husband and two daughters and their menagerie of pets, and her favorite room is the kitchen, where she loves to cook and enjoy long, lively evenings with friends and family. |
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Kristy Nichols Kristy Nichols serves as the System Vice President of Partnerships and Integration for Ochsner Health. In this role, Kristy leads the development and formation of new partnerships for Ochsner throughout the Gulf South. The Partnerships and Integration Division (SP&I) works closely with Ochsner and partner organization leaders to develop, integrate, and optimize current and future system partnerships. Since 2015, SP&I has supported more than 25 partnerships in Louisiana and Mississippi ranging from hospital and clinic partners, urgent care acquisitions, new health care joint ventures, and practice affiliations and acquisitions. Ochsner’s vision is to Inspire Healthier Lives and Stronger Communities. In partnership with Ochsner’s Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Leonardo Seoane, Kristy also leads Healthy State by 2030. This initiative is Ochsner’s commitment to improving the overall health of Louisiana. Healthy State by 2030 is driven by a comprehensive strategy to enhance healthcare access, improve health equity and health outcomes. Kristy previously served as Ochsner’s Vice President of Government Relations and Corporate Affairs. Prior to joining the organization, Kristy held several leadership roles in government, including serving as Louisiana’s Commissioner of Administration, Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Jindal, and Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. Kristy is a graduate with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Martin and received her Master of Science in Communication from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Kristy is a loving wife to her husband Richard Miller, and together they have two children, Isabelle and Bryce. |
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Laura Wilt Laura Wilt is the System Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Ochsner Health. In this role, she has led the Information Services and Analytics divisions since 2016. During her tenure, all Ochsner’s hospitals and clinics have achieved HIMSS Level 7 designation, the IS division has won the “Most Wired” distinction, and Ochsner received the HIMSS Davies Award. Laura earned both her undergraduate and Masters of Business Administration from Tulane University. She is a member of CHIME, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, and is a Certified Healthcare CIO. Laura and her husband, Jonathan, reside in New Orleans, LA with their three children.
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*As of 10/10/2022.
Speakers are listed in alphabetical order. Program is subject to change