VIPs: Very Important Parishioners

From staff and wire reports

July 21, 2011 at 9:45 am  | Mobile Reader | Print 

Local banker earns diploma
Brandt Dufrene Jr., Director of the First National Bank USA in Boutte, is among 157 bankers who received graduation diplomas in June from the Graduate School of Banking at Lousiana State University.
The three-year program provides courses covering all aspects of banking, economics and related subjects. Students traveled from 20 states and Mexico to participate in this session.
During his three years at the school, Dufrene received 180 hours of classroom instruction, 30 hours of reviews, planned evening study and written final examinations at the end of each session.
Dufrene was the president of this year’s graduating class and also participated on the student/faculty advisory council. As president, he gave the keynote address at graduation.

Government honored for media use
St. Charles Parish government’s innovative use of social media, including Facebook and Twitter, netted it a ‘superior’ rating in the 2011 National Association of County Information Officers’ Awards of Excellence competition.
The parish’s entry in the new ‘social media use’ category was one of eight awards received overall by the St. Charles Parish Office of Public Information in the annual contest, which is open counties, parishes and government agencies from across the country.
The Public Information Office also picked up awards for flagship projects worked on by multiple staff members. The 2009 Special Report, a magazine-style mailer that presented government accomplishments over a one-year period, received a superior rating in the ‘annual reports’ category. In addition, the parish’s new monthly talk show, “St. Charles Parish Today,” was honored with an excellent rating in the ‘video or radio series’ category. Public Information Officer Renee A. Simpson produces the show, and Public Information Videographer Melanie T. Worrall serves as editor. Public Information Assistant Dwan Pitre, of Ama, contributes as a segment reporter, while the student crew of the Satellite Center in Luling films in-studio segments. The show can be seen at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily on Government Access Channel Cox 6 or online at scptoday.com.