The Lion's Roundtable (Guests: Michael Graziano and Vicki Wilson)
Download MP3Good day. This is Amber Narro on ninety point nine, the lion here at KSLU. Welcome to the lion's roundtable. I'm here today with Michael Graziano and Vicki Wilson, and we're gonna be talking about Leadership Tangipahoa. Michael is with the class of 2025, 2026 for Leadership Tangipahoa Pahoa and represents?
Michael Graziano:North Oaks.
Amber Narro:North Oaks.
Vicki Wilson:North Oaks, yes. Fantastic.
Michael Graziano:I am our supply manager for North Oaks Health System.
Amber Narro:That's a big job right now.
Michael Graziano:It's got its highlights for sure.
Amber Narro:Fantastic, fantastic. And Vicki Wilson is with the nine eleven center here.
Vicki Wilson:That's correct. And Communications District is what it's called, but yes.
Amber Narro:Absolutely, absolutely. Okay, so you were telling me before the show started because I started picking your brain before we even got on. Next semester here at KS, not at KSLU, but maybe I guess at KSLU too. At Southeastern, we're teaching an Honors 4,027 class. It's a senior level class and we're gonna be responding to business crisis and things like that.
Amber Narro:Something both of you are very familiar with, right? So with having to deal with hurricanes, Michael, as well as COVID things like that. And Vicki, obviously you take all the calls, right? So when we're talking about the hurricane or preparedness before and after a storm, obviously, anything can happen, right? And one of the things that we said we wanted to do with this class is bring them to visit the emergency preparedness center in Amy and you work in that building every day.
Amber Narro:Yes?
Vicki Wilson:It is a different building but I do go there for any kind of incident. So, if there's storms, hurricanes, freezing, weather, whatever. I represent and I don't wanna go over there because it's a fantastic facility that they have every like, every like agency in there. I mean from energy to Red Cross, everybody. So there's about fifty, sixty people and they all are working hand in hand there.
Vicki Wilson:So it is a fantastic experience to go there and do that and he runs a tight ship there and everybody works as a group. So it's awesome to be a part of that.
Amber Narro:Wonderful, wonderful. Well, Michael, and obviously at North Oaks, you guys deal with this kind of stuff as well, right? And I'm glad you said freezing because today I feel a little freezing outside. We're getting that little cold snap going here. It scares me a little bit, Michael.
Michael Graziano:Yeah, well, so being in South Louisiana, cold weather is not our friend typically. We're used to high temperatures and that kind of thing. But you know, we adapt.
Amber Narro:Absolutely. Now North Oaks obviously works with the emergency preparedness center pretty closely as well when when things happen, right? And I mean, we're talking about cold weather and one of the things that I've gotten to hear from our I I guess from just from the community is how well North Oaks and Tangipaho Parish work together during that snowstorm that we had in July in July, in January. Yeah. So that we could we could make sure that everybody was safe and and protected from making sure that you guys had stuff to put on the ground as well as having, all the supplies that you needed to, right, Michael?
Michael Graziano:Yeah. So we, we work hand in hand with a lot of the different agencies in the area, to make sure that we are prepared for really any event. So, after unfortunately COVID, so the definition of disaster preparedness for us really changed. Because traditionally being in Louisiana, our biggest concern was always hurricane season and inclement weather, and we had to redefine our definition of disaster, whether it's inclement weather events such as a hurricane or the freezing conditions that we saw in January, or a pandemic level event like COVID So like we we've had to extend some of those a little bit beyond what we had previously had. And then to your point, we work very closely with a lot of the emergency services in the area to make sure that we are ready to handle any event that may come up.
Amber Narro:Right. And Tangebo Parish obviously is the the call center for when big emergencies happen when things go wrong and you guys are all plugged into each other and work really well together. And I think that that's the the common communication that we've heard from all of you is that you depend on each other so much but you also work really well together, right?
Michael Graziano:Yeah, I think we we do a really great job of of communication to your point and and getting the boots on the ground and getting the right people in the right areas to to best serve the community that we can, you know, in in the best way that we can.
Amber Narro:Indeed. Indeed. So, you guys are on Leadership Tangeba Ho. Tell me, let's let's get to know you a little bit before I start asking my questions. Local?
Amber Narro:I
Vicki Wilson:live in Punchitula.
Amber Narro:Wonderful. How long you been here? Forever?
Vicki Wilson:Oh, yeah. Thirty three years.
Amber Narro:Yep. Absolutely. That's forever enough. So, yeah. And living here in Ponchatula, obviously, you feel like you've got a lot of knowledge about the area, right?
Amber Narro:And you I get
Vicki Wilson:thought I did. Yeah. I thought I had it all. I was like, but this class is teaching me. I do not know as much as I thought and they are bringing a lot of new things to my attention.
Amber Narro:You ever been on a radio?
Vicki Wilson:I have not.
Amber Narro:Oh, fantastic. See, new thing today too.
Vicki Wilson:I have not.
Amber Narro:Excellent. So they're bringing lots of new things to your attention and we're gonna talk about in just a second as well because you've gone through city government this week, right? We're going to have those conversations in just a second. Michael, how long you been here?
Michael Graziano:Born and raised.
Amber Narro:Born and raised.
Michael Graziano:Born and raised. Been here my entire life. Like to think I knew I knew the area pretty well but you know, to to Vicky's point, leadership change been over has really opened up a lot of a lot opened my eyes a lot to the things that we don't see that that happen in the background to keep our area running as smoothly as it can.
Amber Narro:Graziano, where y'all at?
Michael Graziano:We live in Hammond. My family has been in the area forever and ever. My family owns Murphy's Seafood in Hammond. It's been here for quite a while. A lot of people know the name in the area and I I do my best to live up to that reputation.
Michael Graziano:But yeah, born and raised. My wife is.
Amber Narro:It's good reputation for
Michael Graziano:Thank you. I appreciate it. My wife's from the South Shore. They came up here right after Hurricane Katrina. But yeah, it's it's the community that I grew up in and it's it's one that I do my best to take care of.
Amber Narro:I was able to speak with your beautiful mother-in-law just a few weeks ago. I'm sure you know already and she was talking about how excited y'all are about the new baby. Yep. And we are so lucky to have all of you here in this area, South Louisiana, everywhere because y'all are just beautiful people and we just really and appreciate your in laws and your family, the Grazianos as well for being such wonderful impact on our community and having so much volunteerism and you just give up yourself and we appreciate all of you so much.
Michael Graziano:Thank you. We appreciate that.
Amber Narro:Indeed. Indeed. Alright. So let's talk a little bit about city government. Who wants to give me a start?
Amber Narro:Where'd y'all start?
Michael Graziano:I'll I'll go from there. So we, we started our tour at, the Tangemoto Chamber of Commerce with Melissa Bordelon. She gave us a really deep insight into what the chamber does and and how it operates in the area. Really trying to pull local businesses in so that they have a network, to promote and to be the best that they can be in our area. Because really, especially in the heart of downtown, those local businesses are what support that area and we want to make sure that the people of our community and even outlying communities around that area know how wonderful our downtown really is and how wonderful our our commerce in the area really is and I have a little bit of an inside look at that.
Michael Graziano:You know, my wife does work for the Chamber of Commerce, so I get to see that probably more often than most. But they do an absolutely wonderful job of really encouraging local businesses to be a part of the chamber and to and to really help them thrive in the area.
Amber Narro:Very good. Speaking of that generational kind of impact that you, that the Grazianos and the Marseilles have on this community. When I'm also thinking about that, I think about the Bordelons, right? I think about the Bordelons with that. Melissa and her daughter, Carly and you know, obviously, husband Nick and hopefully their children and everybody's children, children, and the whole thing but I had the the wonderful opportunity.
Amber Narro:I will say it was such a blessing at this point. We were very scared in this time but Melissa's grandson, Nathan, was born premature in the spring and my son's baby was born premature about a month later. And we were neighbors in women's hospital and got to see that family really kind of come together and be and just surround each other with lots of love and we're we're all on the other side of it now and. Yeah. Babies are getting big and and doing well but it was it to see to have that bonding experience with them outside of business where I already respected them and and thought that they were such wonderful people to bring that impact to our community.
Amber Narro:We've got some great people.
Vicki Wilson:Oh, absolutely.
Amber Narro:And leadership in this area. Yeah. We really do.
Michael Graziano:She just truly passionate about what she does. And she does a great job at it.
Amber Narro:Indeed.
Michael Graziano:I would challenge that there's probably a few people in the area that are as passionate as she is. So she truly brings a real call. She has a calling for what she does.
Amber Narro:Indeed. Indeed. Alright. So, you leave the the kind of the downtown area and you start looking at some city government. Vicky, what what were the eye opening things that you saw that city government did that you just didn't realize that they touched until you went?
Vicki Wilson:Actually, I was surprised because they all worked together, they communicate really well, they had great representation from each area to let you know what they're responsible for and they seemed to get along well and it's like positivity. Were compassionate about what they were talking about.
Amber Narro:Very good. So where do you think that they plug in the best? Like we talked a little bit about crisis, but day to day, how are they working together day to day to just get things done?
Vicki Wilson:I think if, I think they ask each other things to bounce questions off of each other to get answers or find the answers to help however they can. They use our resources or whatever they need to do. I just found it shocking actually with so many people, you know, in an entity like that and I was like, I think they bring a lot because if somebody has the question, it looks like they're gonna go the extra to find find a solution or help them. Right. Like a lot of concern or whatever, you know.
Amber Narro:Indeed and obviously we know the city works with the parish, right? They would depend on each other but city to city as well. Right. So, what'd y'all what'd y'all learn about those city to city relationships?
Vicki Wilson:Well, it's funny because I kind of thought they were all the same and they did the same rules and they had the same thing but their their own little world but still on the outside, they still depend on each other like the city of Hammond depends on the city of Ponchatula. So, they, you know, they work together. So, I thought, you know, however their structure is was the same but they all make it work for them.
Amber Narro:Indeed. You visited Ponchatula, you visited Hammond, definitely different different ways of doing things, kind of a different vibe, right? In each area. What's the difference between the vibe? Know, they definitely All good.
Michael Graziano:All good. Absolutely. They definitely had a different vibe in the way that they run their respective municipalities. But the one commonality that I think is really great to see is that regardless of the differences in the two areas and their different vibes, their main goal and priority is the betterment of their areas, which is what you want to see from your leadership. And to Vickie's point, similar to how Hammond runs, Punch Tool is very much the same way in that they have strong supporting relationships with the communities around them, strong supporting relationships between the two of Hammond and Ponchatula and they work really, really well as a cohesive team for the betterment of all local areas.
Amber Narro:Right, and it's all about that. It's all about bringing people into that community and making sure that everybody has a good quality of life as well as opportunity and business structure. So, those things are very similar, but at the same time, maybe a little different feel when you go A
Michael Graziano:different feel, yeah.
Amber Narro:You know?
Michael Graziano:A little different feel. Hammond is, bigger than Punch
Amber Narro:I'm Jollof flay.
Michael Graziano:Yeah. They've got some different initiatives on their plate that they try to implement. Ponchatula being a little bit smaller of a community is dealing with a few different things that Hammond was maybe not necessarily dealing with.
Amber Narro:Zoning and all kinds of, I mean like there's just all sorts of other things. You know, you can do this here but you can't do this here, right? And it's all to protect the culture of that area, So and that's what city governments I think are supposed to do is to really kind of protect what makes you special. That's right. You know, I had the opportunity this week and I'm so grateful to Ponchatola to the Strawberry Festival because, we were able to get into the festival as a nonprofit for the honors program.
Amber Narro:And last year, we sold snowballs. We're going to do it again because it was so successful but we were able to because they protect that Punch Tool Strawberry Festival so tightly so with making sure that the vendors who are on on the grounds are nonprofits. We were able to make a bunch of money last year to send all of our honor students to the Southern Southern Regional Honors Conference and by the way, I've got a student going to the National Honors Conference, two of them by the way, and one of them was nationally scholarship as well. So it cost us less money to take him. So that money's even going further than just our southern regional is going to national as well.
Amber Narro:But for these scholarships, some of our students wouldn't have been able to go last year to Washington DC. So we are really appreciative of the Ponchalala Strawberry Festival for letting us in, making sure that the honors program is on the grounds with everybody else who's a nonprofit and really being able to get some funding for these students who really couldn't afford to go otherwise. That's awesome. Yeah. So, and last night to, you know, to your point about about just doing things differently.
Amber Narro:Last year, when they had the incident of the Strawberry Festival, they have responded to that and the hours of the Strawberry Festival have changed but interesting last night when I was at the meeting, they shared that one of the things that they're going to do is move the morning times ahead a little bit. So we're going to be able to start at like 09:00 in the morning.
Michael Graziano:And
Amber Narro:that they are, they're really kind of putting some focus on some morning types of things to bring people in and make sure that everybody's good. So, you know, I really appreciate that they've done this for our vendors, the nonprofits and really focused on making sure that that festival sticks to its mission, right?
Michael Graziano:Oh yeah, absolutely.
Amber Narro:So lots of things with organizations and them sticking to their mission. I think that's probably gonna be something that you're gonna see as you're going toward leadership, through Leadership Tangible Hoa this year is that the reason that these entities, these government entities, the nonprofits and they all survive is because they're really sticking close to that mission. So super important. Alright. So what else did we do that day?
Amber Narro:Where'd you eat? Where'd you eat, Vicky?
Vicki Wilson:They hosted it at the Ponchatula City Hall and they, you know, they provide the food for us and it was very good. So it was nice. They set it up for us. It was a nice environment and we ate and then they told us all about the city government and introduced themselves.
Amber Narro:Was a It was a working lunch for y'all.
Michael Graziano:It was. Working lunch.
Amber Narro:Nice. Nice. Now I know y'all all travel together when you leave. You gotta go on a bus and y'all gotta be there together the whole thing. You can't take breaks.
Amber Narro:You gotta be you gotta be in each other's spaces the entire time. How is this group getting along?
Vicki Wilson:I think it's getting along really good. I think people are starting to bond and learn each other and I think it's interesting because you do have a bus ride so you're kind of close already.
Michael Graziano:The chemistry of the group is great. Everybody gets along very well. It's a very diverse group of people in different industries and, we all share stories and there's certainly a networking component to it. Everyone's kind of coordinating with who does what. It's, it's really a great group.
Michael Graziano:You know, I'm very fortunate. I think we're very fortunate to say that, that it is a, it is a really strong group of people.
Amber Narro:Anybody getting on your nerves yet? No. Absolutely. We had, I've gone through group too, and that you can't help but love the people that you're around in these, in, in, in these situations. I've went through the management and leadership Institute here at Southeastern and not only did I get to talk to other people from other universities all across Louisiana, but I also got to really bond with the former classes too.
Amber Narro:So, know, we're all kind of in this together now, you know, and when they reach out from the system level, the University of Louisiana systems level, they reach down to the, Management and Leadership Institute a lot to kind of get the pulse of the campus, right? That we represent. And you cannot help but form bonds with people and do the remember when and did y'all do this yet and have, what was your outcomes and things like that. So it's really, it's a great opportunity for you to really get to know some folks. Oh yeah.
Amber Narro:And you can't help but respect everybody in the program after you've ridden the bus with them for several hours And over a year, had these like experiences where you just kind of feel like you got the know of it a little bit deeper than somebody who is just kind of walking around on the street, right? So not that you couldn't get the same information if you are a, general member of the public, right? All the information that y'all are getting through Leadership Change Pahoa is public and available to everybody just like it was when I went through, my Leadership Institute. But what happens on the other side of it is that you have a concentrated effort, right? That you are really honing in and digging into the information that day.
Amber Narro:And it's, it's set up in a way that y'all can appreciate it together and talk about it together and, and really have those deep conversations after it's over with.
Michael Graziano:Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, the, just inherent to the group, I think everyone that's part of it is a leader in their own area and just the fact that we can bring that group of people together and to your point, like expose them to that information that although it is available to everybody and everybody may not have the opportunity to see that kind of stuff. It really helps, I think, just to drive the community and get connections with certain people and and make things the best that it can be.
Amber Narro:Very good. So, how did y'all get how did y'all get roped into this? Tell me, Vicky.
Vicki Wilson:Well, actually, I did. I my director now was in the class before this one and he got a job with us. He was recently hired like say May. And I went to his graduation or whatever and he's really brought a lot of positivity to nine eleven. And who's that?
Vicki Wilson:His name is Kevin Spansel. Shout out. He's come in, yeah, definitely. He's come in running. I mean we have really improved and so at his graduation I went to support him and he called me out and said, You're next.
Vicki Wilson:Want her to go. I'm going to
Michael Graziano:miss
Vicki Wilson:this is a great experience and I thank him for that.
Amber Narro:Very good. And what about you Michael?
Michael Graziano:Well, so like all good things in my life it started with my wife.
Amber Narro:Aw. She We love you, Olivia.
Michael Graziano:Yeah, shout out, Liv. So she came home one day and told me about the program and that she, you know, intended to try and be a part of it. And once she kinda got through explaining everything to me, took it upon myself to reach out to the leadership at North Oaks and ask if I could represent North Oaks in the program. And I'm very fortunate to say that North Oaks believed in me enough to let me do that and that's how I got here.
Amber Narro:Wonderful. Yeah. That's excellent. Well, know, we've got kind of a similar thing happening with the honors program that the Leadership Tancho Bahua has this time. You and Olivia are going through together.
Amber Narro:So, you're the first one I've talked. So, ladies first out the window this time. So, Olivia's coming but I think you replaced her today, didn't you? She was supposed to come.
Michael Graziano:Yeah, unfortunately. In all hearing listeners, y'all were supposed to get the better half of my marriage today but due to some scheduling conflicts, she asked me if we could swap places.
Amber Narro:Well, thing Vicki was here. So it's Yeah.
Vicki Wilson:There's some saving this podcast.
Amber Narro:Yes, absolutely. But so y'all are y'all are doing this together as the first married company, a couple that's come through Leadership Tangipao, right?
Michael Graziano:To my knowledge, yeah. Nick Gagliano, the organizer of the program, made a point to tell us that we were the first married couple to go through it together and that he was going to be, putting us on different teams to
Amber Narro:drive that
Michael Graziano:competitive, that competitive instinct.
Amber Narro:He's testing the marriage and she's going to have a baby and everything right now. Y'all are really putting this thing to the test. Y'all make it through this year. Y'all can make it through anything.
Michael Graziano:We can make it, that's right. We can make it through anything. And, unfortunately for the members of my team, my wife is going to beat me most of the time.
Vicki Wilson:Yeah, whoever my team guys,
Michael Graziano:I'm sorry y'all got the short end of that Graziano stick.
Amber Narro:That's alright. That's alright. I'm sure they appreciate appreciate it.
Vicki Wilson:For the SEMSOC, and I have to tell you, he was the strongest point that we had. That's all right. Don't know much about her. I don't know about her group, but I was like, man.
Amber Narro:He's a smart guy, smart guy. So, but this year in the honors program, we have two people who are graduating with their honors diplomas and, they're married. So we're very excited about them. So that's the first time that has happened for us as well. We only graduate about five people a semester or so with the honors diploma.
Amber Narro:So very cool. Very cool. So tell me about this program. Would you recommend it to people, Vicki?
Vicki Wilson:I absolutely would recommend it to people. I mean, it's going to help you network with other people and have connections that you didn't think that you needed. But if you do, you know that you can email or call somebody that you met in your group and get answers. I mean I'm thinking we're all making new friendships. Michael?
Michael Graziano:Yeah, wholeheartedly agree. I mean I think the program is invaluable to anybody that really wants to get more involved in the community and to Vicki's point, grow those relationships and really just see a different side of things that we wouldn't normally be exposed to and really learn how all the different agencies in our area all work towards that that betterment of our area.
Amber Narro:Wonderful. I always ask that question when y'all are here is just make sure that people understand that this is just as valuable for people who have lived here forever. Oh, yeah. Like Michael has as well as those who have just come to the area. So, we appreciate the information that you're sharing with our community every month on how great this experience is and and maybe how we need to take a lot of pride in our city governments because they work together up, down, sideways to make sure that we have great quality of life and opportunity in Tangepo Parish.
Amber Narro:So we appreciate y'all going through this program and sharing with us all of your experiences. It's very helpful for everyone. Thank you. Leadershiptangible.org, I think is the website or leadershiptangy.org. Google it.
Amber Narro:You'll find it. You can apply there. You definitely, your companies that are starting to deal with their budgets for next year, you want to talk to them about that because there is a investment of about a thousand bucks from your organization. Then you also are responsible for about a $100 personally. Yep.
Amber Narro:So that you, they make sure you show up. That's that's the whole deal and, go ahead and start thinking about it. You got to write a letter, you got to get a couple of letters of recommendation. You know, there is a small investment to get this done. Definitely worth $1,100 to everybody who's been through the program.
Amber Narro:It's a massive education for this area and it'll definitely improve your network, improve your opportunities and really just kind of make you feel good about the place you live, right?
Michael Graziano:That's right.
Amber Narro:All right, very good. Thank you all for coming today. I've been talking with Vicki Wilson as well as Michael Graziano and they are representing Tangipahoa nine eleven and North Oaks respectively. And we appreciate them coming here to the roundtable at Southeastern to talk to KSLU and our listeners about Leadership Tangipahoa. Thank you all
Michael Graziano:for joining us. Thank you for having us.
Amber Narro:Excellent. Join us again on Thursdays and Fridays at 09:00 for your roundtable here at KSLU's ninety point nine FM, The Lion. Y'all have a great day. I'm Amber Narro.
