By Lisa Soileaux

Assistant Editor

A new slate of officers were installed and a number of awards were presented during the 2011 Annual Membership Banquet of the Rayne Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.

The banquet was held Thursday, January 27, at Chef Roy’s Frog City Café in Rayne.

Cocktails were served at 6 p.m. with a cash bar, followed by the banquet at 7 p.m.

Awards were presented to the Outstanding Business Person of the Year, Outstading Employee of the Year, and Business of the Quarter.

Of the nominees for Business Person of the Year were Jena Bordes, CJ Prevost Insurance; Jimmy Fontenot, Fontenot Insurance; Nathan Mouton, Mouton Pharmacy; Dale L. Trahan, Piggly Wiggly of Rayne; and Scotty Menard/Kevin LeBlanc, co-owners of Trahan’s Foods.

Joined by his family and staff, Fontenot was named Business Person of the Year during the banquet. He was presented the award by Chamber Director Miles Boudreaux.

Employee of the Year nominees were Anna Colligan, Farmer’s State Bank; and Emily Prejean, Sweet P’s BBQ.

Colligan was named Employee of the Year and presented his award by Chamber Director Miles Boudreaux.

In addition to the annual honors, the Chamber’s Business of the Quarter was awarded to Doug Ashy Building Materials of Rayne. Accepting the award from Boudreaux were Darlene Richard and Pam Prejean.

Mistress of ceremonies was Rayne Cultural Director Cheryl Richard, who also serves as Frog Festival Chairman.

Joining Richard as head table dignitaries were Mayor and Mrs. Jim Petitjean, Deacon and Mrs. Daniel Besse, Chamber president-elect Byron Foote and wife Monica, Chamber Director Miles Boudreaux, and Judge Jim Cunningham.

The welcome from the city was given by Mayor Jim Petitjean. He discussed the partnership between the City and Chamber for the advancement of the Rayne business community. He also spoke of the evening’s honorees, most of them second generaion business owners who take pride in the Rayne community and provide the services our citizens need by re-investing in Rayne.

“They are all winners,” noted Petitjean of the evening’s honorees. “But, the biggest winners are the people of Rayne.”

The new 2011 slate of Chamber officers were installed by Rayne City Judge Jim Cunningham as follows: president Byron Foote, vice president Todd Hanks, secretary-treasurer Troy Kibodeaux, member-at-large Larry Habetz, and Board members Robert Credeur, Nikki Link, Jimmy Prevost and Donnie Venable.

“Thank you for allowing me to serve as your president,” commented Foote following his installation as president. “We have a number of events planned by the Chamber for the community and think you will enjoy what we have in store for the coming year.”

Foote concluded, “Thank you for the opportunity to be your president and I’m looking forward to serving with the Board as we learn more of what our great business community needs and deserves.”

Outgoing Board members honored with special plaques were Angie Broussard, Lisa Soileaux and Kevin Prejean.

Following a delicious meal, a power point highlights presentation was shown of the past year of Chamber events.

Also in attendance and helping with the successful evening were a number of local queens.

The Rayne Chamber of Commerce meets the first Wednesday of every month at noon at the Chamber office located at 107 Oak Street, Rayne.