The 2016 Silicon Bayou 100 is the sixth annual list of the 100 most influential and active people in tech and entrepreneurship in Louisiana. The list is compiled by you, the community, through an anonymous nomination process.
Over the next two weeks we will be sharing the bios of each of the 100 in alphabetical order. Meet group 5 below:
James Davis
Dr. Davis is the former chief technology officer of Health Engagements, LLC, a Baton Rouge based software firm that develops mobile and web-based applications to assist children with chronic diseases manage their illness. At the beginning of 2016, he became the Director of the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute at LSU, whose mission is to promote and foster entrepreneurial practices through education, outreach, and research. On LinkedIn.
James Fowler
Jim has worked as the Chief Information Officer at both GE an GE Capital, moving around to offices across the country. According to him, whether its through the use of technology or just good old business analysis, it is the job of the CIO to share a vision of “what’s possible”. On LinkedIn.
Jen Medbery
Jen is a former Teach For America corps member and a founding teacher of New Orleans Charter Science and Math Academy. After frustrations with paper management of her classroom, Jen started Kickboard (formerly Drop The Chalk) and has been successfully providing tech apps to teachers ever since. On LinkedIn. On Twitter.
Jimmy Roussel
Jimmy is the former Entrepreneur in Residence and now CEO at the New Orleans Startup Fund in addition to working as a consultant at MakeBuzz, LLC. He specializes in starting up small tech firms and taking them through the initial few rounds of venture capital. Jimmy is experienced on both the business and finance side and the technology side. On LinkedIn.
Joe McMenemon
Along with fellow Tulane graduate Brendan Finke, Joe founded ChapterSpot to solve the problems of group management. ChapterSpot’s online application allows groups (initially fraternities and sororities) to communicate efficiently, collect membership dues, share important files, maintain a member database and design a website all on one platform. On LinkedIn. On Twitter.
Joel Dondis
Joel is a serial entrepreneur perhaps most well known in New Orleans for launching Sucre and Joel’s Catering, the largest off-premise catering and event planning company in New Orleans. He is also the founding partner of a number of restaurants including Grand Isle Restaurant and La Petite Grocery Restaurant, as well as the owner of il Mercato, a special events venue. On LinkedIn.
John Elstrott
Dr. John Elstrott is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and the Emeritus Executive Director of the Levy-Rosenblum Institute for Entrepreneurship at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business and the Chairman of the Board of Advisors for the Tulane Entrepreneurs Association. He is an active entrepreneur and well known for his conscious capitalism courses and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for Whole Foods Market. Dr. Elstrott is also the Executive Director of the management consulting firm, EMH Strategy and serves as the Investment Committee Chair for the New Orleans Startup Fund. On LinkedIn. On Twitter.
John George, Jr.
The Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP) at the BRF was spearheaded by Dr. George, who formed the team of leaders in July 2014. The program nurtures and educates entrepreneurs while introducing them to qualified investors to increase their chances of success. The EAP portfolio currently has 27 companies across industries such as medical, security, and entertainment.
John Fraboni
John is making a name for himself in the New Orleans startup scene through his company, Operation Spark, which teaches local kids how to code and gives them the skills needed to enter into the workforce and do great things. Prior to launching the company in 2013, he was a developer at companies such as Behaviour Interactive and Ludia. On LinkedIn. On Twitter.
Jon Atkinson
Jon worked as the fund executive for South Coast Angel Fund II until late 2015 where he led the development of a new member managed, committed capital angel fund. He is now coordinator and Curator in Chief at Lagniappe Angels, a member-managed, early stage, investment group, as well as the director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Community at the Loyola University College of Business in New Orleans. On LinkedIn.
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