r. Donna Johnson has a love for learning and a passion for sharing that love with others. Her dedication to higher education helped earn her the recognition of 2019 Young Professional of the Year from the Young Professional Initiative of the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce.

In her role at Origin Bank, Allen oversees social media strategy and internal and external communications for the bank, which has offices in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi. She is a member of the bank’s Brand Team, which created and launched the Origin Bank brand in 2015, when the bank transitioned from Community Trust.

The new year will be here before you know it. How well did you manage your money in 2019, and how can you do even better in 2020? If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to review your financial goals. In fact, having a plan in place before being completely swept up in the holiday shopping frenzy can help ensure that 2020 starts strong.

Tony Simpson, chief operations officer, said that phase one of the project is nearing completion. Phase one includes demolition, new walls, floors and floor joists, and a new roof. He said Wieland Construction, the contractor on the project, expects phase one to be complete in mid-November, barring any unforeseen delays.

The Better Business Bureau recently announced its 2019 Torch Award winners. The awards honor companies that meet the highest standards of ethics and demonstrate trust among their employees, customers and the community. The company leaders also must demonstrate a high level of personal character.

“We all love what we do,” David Bridges said. “When you’re around people who don’t like what they do, work becomes difficult. Then it actually becomes work. When you love what you do, it’s not really work. It’s just like you’re hanging out having a party every day.

The Knight Street building opened in 2017. Since then, the YMCA’s programming has grown to serve more than 30,000 people a year, Goodman said. It offers more than 160 group exercise classes every week, reaching all ages from children to seniors across all walks of life.

Current plans for the building include a kitchen for Sweetport, the ice cream and confection business Spikes and his wife, Nicole, operate. The space also will house the Sweetport food truck when it is not in service. Spikes also plans to put a workshop in the space as well.