Biz Talks

A premium whiskey or rum takes a few years to reach peak quality, and the same may be true for a distillery itself. On today’s episode, Old Alker Distillery owner Kevin Alker talks about the six years he spent bringing his new venture to the marketplace. Old Alker celebrates its grand opening on Aug. 2 and 3 at 8304 Oak St. Ryan Guillory, Old Alker’s head bartender and mixologist, joins the conver...

A member of the Biz New Orleans New & Notables class of 2024, Dr. Christopher Lege became the official CEO of Touro in April. A 20-year primary care physician at Touro prior to this appointment, Lege talks about his move into the realm of hospital administration at a time when Touro is recovering from the pandemic and focusing in on new programs for the fastest-growing demographic in the regio...

In April, a wind turbine and its components arrived in Louisiana after a transatlantic journey from Ireland. Gulf Wind Technology is preparing the onshore turbine for installation at the Port Fourchon Coastal Wetlands Park. Initial deployment and testing of the equipment is slated to begin late this year. GWT founder James Martin leads Biz New Orleans on an audio tour of the new gear at his compan...

Electric grids in Louisiana and nationwide are aging. Meanwhile, extreme weather events are increasing. That means utilities need to invest in new technologies to prevent dangerous and expensive power outages during and after storms. On this week’s episode, Tulane professor Fariba Mamaghani shares her research on the subject.

For the second year in a row, a lucky high school senior received a free car thanks to an organization called NOLA Black Wall Street. The organization's main mission, however, is lowering the enormous racial wealth gap in the region. How are they doing this? Founder Goldie Gasper shares all the details, including big news for next year's giveaway. 

In this week’s episode, Pastor Shawn Anglim, a clergy leader with Together New Orleans, talks about the origin and status of the Community Lighthouse project. An initiative of Together New Orleans, the project aims to provide commercial-scale solar power and back-up battery capacity to 86 congregations and community institutions throughout the city. These will provide cooling and heating stations,...

Based on the 2009 hit animated film "The Princess and the Frog," Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens June 28 at Walt Disney World Florida. "Biz Talks" team members Kelly Massicot and Kim Singletary attended the media preview, along with many well-known New Orleanians. In this week's episode, they share their take on the three-day event that drew media from around the world.  

This week, attorney Michelle Craig of Transcendent Law Group talks about how the active 2024 legislative session will alter Louisiana’s legal landscape — from a ban on transgendered bathrooms in schools to new rules for emotional support animals. A slate of new laws will bring big changes for the state’s schools, businesses and citizens.

The Olympics of food service, the Bocuse D’Or and the Pastry World Cup have never been held in America since their founding in 1987. From June 11-13, these prestigious events will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. New Orleans & Company Executive Vice President Alice Glenn shares all the details.

Louisiana has a higher incidence of cancer and a lower rate of survival than most states, so it’s more important than ever for the state’s healthcare providers to coordinate efforts to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The director of the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center and director and CEO of the Louisiana Cancer Research Center breaks down the statistics, discusses revolutionary new the...

If passed, Louisiana Senate Bill 237 would eliminate virtually all hemp products from the market, killing what has fast become a $33 million industry spurred by the booming popularity of THC-infused beverages. On this week’s podcast, hemp industry advocate Monica Olano shares who is behind the bill and why she thinks it would be a bad move for Louisiana.

Kevin Ferguson, a VP at New Orleans & Company, provides an update on the Home For Good New Orleans Homeless Initiative, a community-wide effort to achieve low to no unsheltered homelessness in New Orleans by the end of 2025.

NOLA native Elizabeth Tilton is shaking things up in hospitality by offering up an industry first — easy, affordable health insurance and other wellness benefits to hospitality workers around the nation through her company OS BENEFiTS. How does it work and how affordable are we talking? She shares all the details in this week’s BizTalks.

Courtney Durham Shane from Pew Charitable Trusts and Cam Poole from Greater New Orleans Inc discuss a report that contains recommendations to help boost jobs and economic development related to offshore wind in Louisiana.

New York City native and real estate mogul Charles D. Urstadt fell for New Orleans’ rich culture when he moved here eight years ago. Last year, Urstadt joined with fellow New Orleanian and veteran Tony Award-winning producer Dale Mott to form a new live theater company called Edgewood Entertainment focused on producing works by authors from marginalized communities. In this week’s podcast, Urstadt...

On April 14, the New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter officially cut the ribbon on a new home in Mid-City. The converted hotel will allow the shelter to grow its services for homeless families in the metro area and double its sheltering capacity. On this week’s podcast, NOWCS CEO Dawn Bradley-Fletcher talks about why this move will help the city break the cycle of homelessness.

A Louisiana native and mortgage industry professional for more than 30 years, Ross Miller is on the board of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB). In this episode, he shares some shocking facts about how insurance works in Louisiana and the efforts his organization is fighting for on the local and national levels.

Coulter McMahen, president of the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association, was in New Orleans recently to talk to dealers here about the state of the industry. On this week’s episode, he provides an overview of the industry — from the Tesla lawsuit to EV infrastructure and 2024 legislative priorities.

Wednesdays at the Square brings top local artists and vendors into Downtown’s Lafayette Square for 10 weeks every spring – this year through May 8. What does it take to put on this type of “mini festival” every week and what impact does it have? Young Leadership Council’s new Executive Director, Allison Hotard, and Board Member and Event Co-Chair (with Emad Jabbar), Erica Sensenbrenner, share all...

A new report from Gary Wagner, an economist at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, shows that the state has experienced its biggest job growth in nearly 20 years. He explains what’s happening and what the state can do to spur additional growth while combating “brain drain.”

Walt Leger III, president and CEO of New Orleans & Company, the official destination sales and marketing organization for New Orleans, drops by to talk about the highlights and challenges of 2023 and what lies ahead for one of the city’s top industries, including the work that’s being done to prepare for the Super Bowl.

This year’s New Orleans Entrepreneur Week will feature more than 100 sessions and special events featuring business leaders and experts in entrepreneurship, innovation and tech. And … it’s free! Liz Maxwell, director of communications and strategic initiatives at the Idea Village (the event’s producer), gives an overview and shares insider tips to get the most out of the event.

The Super Bowl is a year away, but in many ways it’s like the fourth quarter for the host committee, which has been preparing for this event for years. Entergy executive Marcus Brown, who is the chair of the New Orleans Super Bowl LIX Host Committee, shares the team's to-do list and priorities as the city prepares to put its best foot forward on the global stage.

Famed chef, author and entrepreneur Alon Shaya chats with us this week to share the impetus behind creating his own company, Pomegranate Hospitality, and how he is working to create a more positive, supportive working culture. He also shares the details on his latest ventures, including an upcoming expansion into Las Vegas.

This week, Joseph Toomy talks about efforts to increase cooperation between south Louisiana's five ports, the Port of New Orleans’ plans to build a new container terminal in St. Bernard Parish, the rebound of the city’s cruise ship industry and more. Toomy is chairman of the board of commissioners of the Port of New Orleans. He’s also a veteran lawmaker who represented Dist. 85 in the Louisian...