Sales & Marketing Executives of Greater Baton Rouge (SME)

04/23/2026

Please don't forget to bring your business cards to our networking event with Marketing students at 5PM today at LSU's E. J. Ourso College of Business.

04/14/2026

✨ Network. Mentor. Make an Impact. ✨
Join us at the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business – Department of Marketing for an evening of professional connections and career discovery! This is your opportunity to meet LSU business undergraduate students eager to network with experienced executives and managers from the Baton Rouge business community.

By attending, you’ll invest in the future of our local workforce and share your industry passion and insights with the next generation of marketing and sales talent. Be sure to bring business cards!

📅 Thursday, April 23, 2026
⏰ 5–7 PM
📍 LSU Business Education Complex (BEC), Rotunda Commons
501 South Quad Drive | Baton Rouge, LA 70803
🍴 Hors d’oeuvres and beverages provided
🚗 Free parking in the adjacent lot
💼 SME Members: Free
👥 Guests: $35

🎁 Register for door prizes at the event, including:
• 2 tickets to the LSU vs. Tulane Baseball Game (Section 219) –
Tuesday, May 5 at 6:30 PM (donated by Hancock Whitney)
• Overnight suite stay at Bally’s Baton Rouge (donated by Bally’s)
• $50 gift certificate to The Chimes
• $50 gift certificate to Walk‑On’s

Don’t miss this chance to connect, inspire and build relationships that shape the future of Baton Rouge’s business community!
🗓 RSVP Deadline: Friday, April 17
👉 Register today: https://tinyurl.com/2cr7sw9y

03/19/2026

Steve Mellor with GrowthReady held an interactive workshop during our SME luncheon today, March 19. We covered how to achieve sustainable excellence. He explained that it is less about rising to the occasion and more about ensuring we don’t fall below a consistent and intentional standard. Because, when it’s time to perform, people don’t rise to their ceiling; they fall to their floor. Attendees gave high praises to Steve for his expertise, his interactive style, and his the great take-aways. Thanks to Steve for sharing his time and talents with us!

03/19/2026

03/03/2026

RAISE YOUR FLOOR! Why your goals are distracting you from the standards that help you achieve them.

In today’s high‑stakes environment, we’re conditioned to chase peak performance - big moments, big pushes and non-stop sprints. But focusing only on the “ceiling” leads to burnout and leaves teams unprepared for what’s next.

At our March SME Luncheon, sponsored by , Executive Coach Steve Mellor will share how sustainable excellence comes from raising your floor; the consistent, intentional standards you hold yourself to every day. Because when the moment comes, people don’t rise to their ceiling…they fall to their floor.

📅 Thursday, March 19, 2026
📍 Juban’s Restaurant, 3739 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808

⏰ Schedule
• 11–11:30 AM: Registration & Networking
• 11:30 AM–1 PM: Lunch & Presentation

🎟️ Registration: SME Members: Free & Guests: $55
🗓️ RSVP Deadline: Friday, March 13

🔗 Register now:

02/23/2026

2025 Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards | Feb 19, 2026

The energy at the Renaissance Hotel was electric as the Sales and Marketing Executives (SME) of Greater Baton Rouge gathered for the 2025 Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards. It was a powerful reminder of the talent, grit, and heart that drive our local business community.

From seasoned legends to the next generation of leaders, the room was filled with professionals who don't just "sell"—they build relationships and create value.

A Legacy of Leadership

A major highlight of the luncheon was honoring three incredible individuals with the Nell Mitchell Doughty Lifetime Achievement Award:

• Bonny Botts (Campus Federal Credit Union), who reminded us that "success comes from serving people well".
• Kim Ginn (L'Auberge Casino Hotel), a powerhouse who has been instrumental in shaping our local hospitality landscape.
• Gary Littlefield (Gulf Coast Bank & Trust), a past SME President known for his dedication and "larger than life" presence.

Recognizing the 2025 Honorees

We also celebrated six Excellence Award winners who are setting the standard in their fields:

• Dana Devillier Dake (WBRZ-TV)
• Glen Godbery (iHeart Media)
• Henry Hays (Henry Hays Consulting)
• Robert Schneckenburger (Hancock Whitney)
• Marie Stagg (Visit Baton Rouge)
• Josh Teekel (Gerry Lane Enterprises)

As our emcee Elizabeth Vowell noted, these professionals have left an "indelible mark" on Baton Rouge. Whether it's navigating the frontier of AI, representing the "Red Stick" globally, or leading with authenticity, these honorees prove that in Baton Rouge, people do business with people they like and trust.

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Hancock Whitney, and the SME Board led by Lisa O'Deay for a flawless event.

Congratulations to all the winners!

01/25/2026

If you're running a lean marketing team (or you ARE the team), you know the struggle is real - juggling strategy, creative, analytics, and everything in between with limited time and resources.

At our January luncheon, we brought together some of Baton Rouge's sharpest lean marketing minds to share what actually works when you're doing more with less:

The Panel:
🎯 Rob Abruzzino (Lipsey's & Haspel) - Managing marketing for two completely different brands with a team of five
🎯 Darby Mann (Fondren Blaize Law Firm) - Solo marketer wearing all the hats
🎯 Lisa O'Day (Campus Federal Credit Union & SME-GBR President) - Leading a five-person team driving measurable ROI
🎯 Moderated by Chase Chabaud (Pactech & SME Board Member)

Key Takeaways:

✅ Time Management That Actually Works - Lisa's secret? Block time on your calendar for strategic thinking, or it won't happen. Darby's approach? Differentiate between true deadlines and perceived urgency.

✅ The Tools Making a Difference - From Monday.com for project tracking to HubSpot for automation, Canva for quick design work, and ChatGPT as a creative collaborator when you don't have a team to bounce ideas off.

✅ When to Delegate (and When to Outsource) - Can't hire a full team? Lean on your vendors. Our panelists emphasized that strategic partnerships with media buyers, agencies, and freelancers aren't just helpful—they're essential for staying creative and productive.

✅ Proving Marketing ROI - Stop saying "we ran a campaign." Start saying "this campaign generated X new customers and $X in revenue." That's how you defend your budget year after year.

✅ Building Your Team - If you could only hire one role tomorrow, what would it be? The consensus: someone strong in design and digital who can execute quickly while maintaining brand standards. Because speed to market matters.

✅ Advice for Young Marketers - Be curious. Learn the business inside and out. Don't just know marketing—know what makes your company different, what your sales team needs, and how your work moves the needle. And never stop learning.

The reality of lean marketing? You can't do it all yourself, and you shouldn't have to. Collaboration, smart automation, and continuous learning are what keep small teams competitive.

Whether you were there or catching up now, these are the insights that help our Baton Rouge marketing community stay sharp and connected. This is what SME-GBR is all about—real conversations that move your career and your business forward.

📸 Scroll through the photos and comment if you were there or plan to join us for the next one!

01/23/2026

🌟 Announcing the 2025 Excellence in Sales & Marketing Honorees! 🌟

Sales & Marketing Executives of Greater Baton Rouge (SME‑GBR) is proud to celebrate this year’s outstanding leaders who are raising the bar in creativity, strategy, growth and community impact.

✨ 2025 Honorees:
• Dana Devillier Dake, WBRZ‑TV
• Glen Godbery, iHeart Media
• Henry Hays, Henry Hays Consulting
• Robert Schneckenburger, Hancock Whitney
• Marie Stagg, Visit Baton Rouge
• Josh Teekel, Gerry Lane Enterprises

🏆 Nell Mitchell Doughty Lifetime Achievement Honorees:
• Bonny Botts, Campus Federal Credit Union
• Kim Ginn, L’Auberge Casino Hotel Baton Rouge
• Gary Littlefield, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust

Join us as we celebrate these exceptional professionals at the Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards Luncheon presented by Hancock Whitney.

📅 Thursday, February 19, 2026
🕥 Reception: 10:30 AM (sponsored by Renaissance Hotel)
🍽️ Luncheon & Awards: 11:30 AM
📍 Renaissance Hotel, 7000 Bluebonnet Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70810
🎟️ SME member admission included | Individual tickets: $75 | Table of 10: $750

Let’s honor the talent and innovation moving our industry forward!

01/08/2026

Join us for the first SME Luncheon of 2026: Lean Marketing Teams, Mighty Results. Resource constraints don’t have to limit your impact! Join us for an insightful panel discussion with three marketing experts who will share strategies for building lean teams that deliver big outcomes.

💡 What You’ll Learn:
• How to prioritize for maximum ROI with limited resources
• Creative ways to stretch your marketing budget
• Tools and tactics to keep your team agile and effective

📍 Location: Juban’s Restaurant, Baton Rouge

🗓️ Date: Thursday, January 15

🕚 Schedule:
• 11-11:30 AM: Networking
• 11:30 AM-1 PM: Lunch & Panel discussion led by SME Board Member Chase Chabaud featuring experts Kristen Hogan, Darby Mann and Lisa O’Deay

👥 SME Members: Free
💵 Guests: $55

🔗 Register now: https://tinyurl.com/mtbzzmbb

12/23/2025

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from SME! Thanks to everyone who donated a toy for the YMCA Angel Tree! You helped make someone's Christmas a little brighter!