Wednesday, February 08 2012
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Why Jack Donahue is Running? I can bring to the State Senate a clearly focused vision along with the leadership and planning skills to create the path to get there.
Leadership

Leadership is a process of demonstration of the principles of success put forth in such a way that other people want to either emulate it or follow it. It is not done from the rear but out front for everyone to see.
--Jack Donahue

Vision

Just as I created a vision for my company, I can help create a vision for the Northshore and our state to realize the prosperity and life quality we are capable of achieving. Success in business and employee management has taught me: if there's no vision, no plan, the goal is not going to happen. Without planning, even a great vision for the future is a ship without a rudder.

In his own words:

You can't make things better unless you get involved. As I travel around the state and talk with its people, I know that I share their beliefs:
  • Like you, I believe we need effective leadership in state government to help guide Louisiana's rebirthing.
  • Like you, I believe that to rebuild Louisiana, everything revolves around storm protection and housing.
  • Like you, I believe our recovery is not up to Washington; it is up to us. Their help will simply ease our burden.
Other important issues:
  • We, as a state, are second in educating our children then shipping them out to work elsewhere. I will fight to keep our children home, and to do so we must have good jobs. To attract the companies providing quality jobs, we must provide a good education for our children. Southeastern Louisiana University is key to our education needs and must be properly funded for long-term growth.
  • To attract and keep good companies, we must have competitive income and property tax structures and a much-improved roadway, water and sewerage infrastructure. We must improve our airports--Hammond, Greater St. Tammany and Slidell--to accommodate our corporate partners.
  • Healthcare in Louisiana is broken and must be fixed. One third of our population is on Medicare, 1/3 is indigent and 1/3 has insurance. We must bring industry into the state that offers insurance coverage to our citizens.
  • Louisiana must solve its problem of an $11 billion liability in unfunded retirement benefits. This threatens our financial stability and is a major roadblock to attracting business to help fuel our growth.
  • We have an unparalleled business corridor through St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes that we must harness and cultivate.

Attributes

My success in business can bring success to the Northshore:

DonahueFavret was built from the ground up starting with two employees, a $500 acoustical ceiling job, and myself. After 28 hard yet successful years, DFC employs 60 employees, is one of the largest commercial contractors in the state and the Northshore's largest construction company with annual sales of $65 million.

DFC's peers have recognized it with twelve prestigious awards for Excellence in Construction through National Associated Builders & Contractors' premier competition that acknowledges outstanding construction projects.

DFC has received awards from the Vieux Carre Commission for restoration of some of New Orleans' most historically significant structures.

DFC has consistently earned the Platinum Step Award, awarded by contractors for contractors recognizing one of the industry's highest ratings for safety.

DFC has been designated an Accredited Quality Contractor by Associated Builders & Contractors.

DFC has earned the opportunity and honor to build for some of the nation's largest corporations.

With a profound commitment to community, DFC has vigorously supported the community through numerous organizations, such as the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity and Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, to name a few.

After the most devastating storm in American history, DFC opened its doors to the Red Cross, allowing them to open St. Tammany's first Red Cross Hurricane Katrina financial aid center, distributing more than two million dollars of aid to over two thousand people.

The DFC team created "Suited for Success" to distribute business clothes free of charge to people who had lost their business clothes at the hands of Hurricane Katrina.

After the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, DFC teamed up with ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to resurrect First Emanuel Baptist Church, New Orleans, in just one week.

Public Affairs

Realizing that the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission is about concrete, steel, and safe passage, I am proud to have been appointed to the commission and served as chairman of the longest and safest bridge in the world.

No stranger to politics, I have worked tirelessly to help create a desirable environment for conducting business in Louisiana as a board member of the St. Tammany Economic Development and Industrial Development District; as chairman of its Foundation; and through the Business Congress of Louisiana, which I founded along with three other business leaders.

As chairman of Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), I have worked with our legislators to support tort reform and create a more tax competitive environment.

I have stood for government reform in Louisiana as a member and past board member of the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR). PAR is an independent organization that uses accurate, objective research to provide solutions to critical public issues in Louisiana.

As a member of LABI's Southpac, I have helped recruit and support legislative candidates for many years.

As a private businessman working with the legislature, I was involved in helping enact "right to work" for the State of Louisiana.