Foundation will recognize St. Mary role models

The St. Mary Parish Foundation has announced the 2019 St. Mary Parish Role Model honorees. They are Robert Allain, Javon Charles, Robert Dufrene, Monica Mancuso, Kellye Patterson and Travis Richard.
The honorees will be recognized during an awards dinner at 7 p.m. April 6 at the Petroleum Club of Morgan City. Tickets are $75 each. They can be purchased online at www.cfacadiana.org/rolemodels.
St. Mary Parish Role Models are outstanding business professionals who have made significant contributions of their time and resources to help nonprofit organizations, churches, and schools in St. Mary Parish.
Robert Allain III is a farmer in Franklin. He’s a graduate of LSU with a degree in agricultural businesses. He’s been a partner of the family farming operation since 2012.
In 2015, Allain graduated from the Leadership of St. Mary program through the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce. In 2016, he was elected to the Republican State Central Committee, serving Senate District 21-A.
In 2018, he graduated from LSU’s Agriculture Leadership program through the LSU Ag Center. He is a founding member and first president of Bridge St. Mary, and the president of the Atchafalaya Chapter in Morgan City.
Annually, Allain and his family provide Christmas gifts and clothing to families in need. He is a member of Church of Assumption in Franklin where he supports many fundraisers for the church and Hanson Catholic High School. He can be seen working with community members to raise funds and collect items for different charities throughout St. Mary Parish.
Javon Charles is a resident of Bayou Vista. He’s had successful careers in the restaurant management business and law enforcement. At the age of 19, Charles became a restaurant manager and was promoted quickly to general manager and unit manager. He’s a certified food safety instructor and operates under J Charles Enterprise.
Since 2014, Charles has served as a member of law enforcement with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Patterson Police Department. In 2018, he was appointed by the St. Mary Parish Council to the Board of Commissioners for Drainage.
Currently, he is campaigning for the Oct. 12 election, in which he’s running for the District 50 state House seat.
Charles serves as a community leader through an active membership of the local NAACP Chapter. In his spare time, Charles visits nursing homes to encourage the residents and lift their spirits. He’s an avid supporter of the free haircut program organized by T.J. Malveaux.
Robert “Bobby” Dufrene is a banking officer at First National Bank of Jeanerette. He’s a graduate of Nicholls State University and Central Catholic High School.
As the current president of the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, Dufrene dedicates his time and effort to organizing and overseeing the festival that celebrates hometown industries. He is a member of Morgan City Main Street, where his passion for downtown preservation and revitalization allows him to plan and organize local events and city improvement projects.
Dufrene is a founding member of the Basin Brew Fest which supports the renovation of Lawrence Park, also known as “Block 27." Through his participation in the Kiwanis Club of East St. Mary, he assisted in the planning of the Lawrence Park Porch Fest alongside Ryan Yager and Charlie Solar. Every year, Dufrene enjoys the holidays by decorating the gazebo in Lawrence Park for Christmas. Additionally, Bobby supports other local organizations including the Junior Auxiliary of East St. Mary and the St. Mary of Chamber of Commerce Bayou BBQ Bash. Since 2011, he’s received numerous civic and community leadership awards including the Houma-Thibodaux Diocesan Leadership Award, the Dr. Mario Lopez Service Award, and the Who’s Who Among Universities and Colleges Award. In 2016, he was named the Louisiana Association Fairs and Festivals Volunteer of the Year. In 2018, Dufrene became a founding member of the Atchafalaya Colonel Caravan. This organization raises funds and promotes Nicholls State University through alumni events.
Dr. Monica Mancuso is a native of Hobbs, New Mexico and raised in Morgan City. She’s a graduate of LSU and Nicholls State University. She is a retired educator, community advocate, and small business owner.
During her tenure with the St. Mary Parish School Board, Mancuso was instrumental in helping schools advance to an above average grade status. Annually, she provides school supplies and materials to teachers throughout St. Mary Parish.
Since 2015, she served as a board member and president of St. Mary Excel, a community advocacy group for economic development and educational advancement. In 2018, Mancuso and the St. Mary Excel committee raised more than $130,000 in donations from public and private supporters.
Last September, Mancuso led a group of panelists from the Urban Land Institute who performed an economic development study of Morgan City and the town of Berwick. The goal of the study is to bring diversified jobs to St. Mary Parish in hopes of encouraging the next generation to stay and build a successful career in the area.
Currently, Mancuso is working with the St. Mary Excel committee to draft business proposals to benefit St. Mary Parish residents through new economic development opportunities.
Kellye Patterson is a Berwick resident who has been a working mom for the past two decades. She’s the owner and operator of a promotional products business in the Tri City area.
Patterson has supported numerous organizations as a leader of Girl Scouts; a member of the Morgan City IMAGE commission; AYSO soccer coach; and a team leader for Morgan City Relay for Life. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Krewe of Nike in charge of set and scenery.
For the past 10 years, Patterson has served on the Board of Directors for Morgan City Children’s Theater where she is in her seventh year as president and corporate chairperson.
She is currently serving her sixth year as the director of the Drama Club at Central Catholic High School. Pattersone has a passion for helping youth embrace a love for the arts.
She is a member of the bereavement group at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and a CCD teacher at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Patterson is always actively involved in helping organize fundraising activities for Central Catholic Elementary and High Schools.
Travis Richard is a Berwick resident and the senior vice president of M C Bank where he serves as the bank’s security officer, CRA Officer, and the chief operating officer. After graduating from the Graduate School of Banking at LSU, Richard was selected by his colleagues for the Banking on Leaders of Tomorrow program with the Federal Reserve Bank. His extensive experience in banking has led him to assist many programs in banking and financial literacy.
Richard a member of the Kiwanis Club of East St. Mary where he was awarded the Distinguished President Award. Also, he manages the Terrific Kids and BUGS award programs for the Kiwanis Club. He attends Holy Cross Catholic Church where he has been a member of the pastoral council for the past three years.
In addition to honoring these individuals, Joy and Frank Guarisco will be presented the 2019 Leaders In Philanthropy Award for St. Mary Parish. Leaders in Philanthropy Awards are presented annually to outstanding individuals or couples who have made a philanthropic impact in their communities through substantial charitable contributions to or by attracting substantial contributions for nonprofits, churches or schools.
Tickets to the event are $75 per person and can be purchased online at www.cfacadiana.org/rolemodels. A check can be mailed to St. Mary Parish Foundation, memo: Role Models, P.O. Box 2000, Morgan City, LA 70381. For more information call, Community Foundation of Acadiana at 337-769-4843.