VP Chamber of Commerce elects Brown as president

By: RAYMOND PARTSCH III
Managing Editor

Renee Brown is once again following in the footsteps of her mother.
The 46-year-old has already been bestowed with the honor of Business Person of the Year by the Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce, a honor her mother Brenda Saucier had also received.
Now the Sacred Heart alum will hold another title that her mother had, President of the Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce. Brown’s mother served multiple terms in the same role, prior to Dr. Kirk Soileau.
“Mama is one of my idols,” Brown said. “She is a very positive strong figure in my life. She has made a lot of beautiful strides in the community. I feel like I am following in my mom’s footsteps.”
The other new officers announced at Wednesday’s board meeting were Linda Lebsack as 1st Vice President and Angela Rozas as 2nd Vice President.
Brown brings a wealth of community experience to the position. Brown currently serves on the board for the Cotton Festival, is president of the Smoked Meat Festival and of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ville Platte Country Club.
“I am so lucky that I get to participate in so many things in the area,” Brown said.
Brown also feels her business background gives will aid her in her new role as president. Brown currently works as a legal secretary for a law firm in Ville Platte, has owned her own restaurant, served as a banker for 15 years and worked another 15 years in the hotel-casino industry, including working for both the Hilton and Holiday Inn Corporations.
“Having that background in hospitality has helped me continue to grow as a professional,” Brown said. “It has allowed me to bring those things that I have learned back to the community.”
Chamber of Commerce Director Camille Fontenot has known Brown for years, ever since she trained Brown as a Cotton Picker (young singers that used to perform at the Cotton Festival).
“I think it is fantastic,” Fontenot said. “She stands in my mind as one of my vivacious girls that we had back then. In the years since then I have worked with her on many things. I know she what she can do with the chamber and I am excited about it.”
Brown shares in that excitement about what she and the rest of the board can accomplish in the future.
“I am very excited about it,” Brown said. “I have already put a lot of energy and time into the chamber because I have been on the board for awhile. I am excited with the board members we have in place and with my ideas we can come together as a group and reach the next level with the Chamber of the Commerce.”