TOP 20 UNDER 40

MARK KENT ANDERSON, JR
Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing – Mid South Extrusion

Mark Kent Anderson, Jr. is a lifelong resident of Louisiana, raised in Monroe, Neville High School Class of 2009 (Student Body President), graduated from LSU in 2014, then explored a career in commercial real estate while in Baton Rouge. In 2017, he returned to Monroe to start his career at his family’s business Mid South Extrusion. Since his start with the company, he has grown from a Corporate Sales Representative to a leadership position serving as Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “One is too small a number to achieve greatness.” – The Law of Significance.

BL: Tell us something about you most people don’t know.

Mark Kent: I was born in Durham, NC, at Duke Medical Center due to a genetic disorder called Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID), known as the bubble boy disease. I was the first baby in the world diagnosed in utero with SCID and cured at eight days old by a bone marrow transplant from my older sister, Ainsley.

BL: What do you do to ensure your growth and development as a leader?

Mark Kent: READ! I love the quote, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers,” by Harry S. Truman. I also enjoy attending leadership and communication seminars; they challenge me to think differently and highlight my deficiencies. Two leadership programs that I highly recommend are Leadership Ouachita and Leadership Louisiana.

BL: What advice would you give someone in a new leadership position?

Mark Kent: Get out of your comfort zone! Napoleon Hill said it best, “Strength and growth come through continuous effort and struggle.”

BL: What do you do to give back to your community?

Mark Kent: First and foremost, I ensure we are doing everything possible to care for our 200+ team members at Mid South Extrusion. My obligation is to our people, and I feel responsible for our team and their families. By doing this, I believe we are empowering our community as we continue to grow and create more opportunities in our area. Also, I believe in the missions of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of NELA, proudly serving on the board of directors for both organizations. 

DOREA ELMADIH-FLINTROY
Director of Operations
Monroe Regional Airport

Dorea serves as the Director of Operations at the Monroe Regional Airport. In this role, she works to maintain the Airport’s Operating Certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration through maintaining safe practices of airfield usage. Dorea earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture from Louisiana Tech University and has one year remaining for the completion of her Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from LA Tech. Dorea is currently studying and preparing to take the American Association of Airport Executive Certified Member (CM) written examination, which is the first of three steps to become an Accredited Airport Executive. This is a highly respected accreditation in the airport management industry. Dorea is married to Klarence Flintroy and mother of Almaz Flintroy who she refers to as “her entire world.” Dorea’s favorite quote is: “When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.”

BL: What do you hope to accomplish by age 50?

Dorea: By age 50, I would like to have become an Accredited Airport Executive and complete my degree in Civil Engineering. I would like to become the light at the end of the tunnel for those in need by mentoring them. If mentored, then you understand how powerful it can be to someone’s destiny. Lastly, I would like to learn a new language: French. 

BL: Tell us something about you most people don’t know.

Dorea: English is my second language; Arabic is my native language. To help those understand me better, as a freshman in high school, I learned English. I was the only girl at the school that graduated 8th grade. Due to my father’s encouragement and guidance, I persevered. 

BL: What is your motivation?

Dorea: My wonderful family. My husband has always made me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to. He is very dependable in all aspects of our life. My husband takes the initiative to ensure I can focus whenever a task is at hand. He has always been there to push and encourage me to be the best I can be. My daughter, who is always on my mind when I am making any decisions. She admires and values me heavily. Lastly, I am very motivated by all those little girls from my home village in Sudan, Africa who are also watching and look up to me as their role model. I want them to know that women can do anything they put their minds to.  

TYLER FLEMISTER
Director of Marketing
Marsala Beverage

Tyler Flemister was born and raised in Monroe and has lived his entire life involved in the community of Northeast Louisiana. Growing up and after graduating from  Neville High School, Tyler attended ULM, where he played baseball from 2004 to 2007. After obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 2008, he began his career at Marsala Beverage. Over the 15 years, he has worked his way up through the company and now serves as the Director of Marketing. In this role, he oversees the marketing, advertising and community involvement for the company. He has worked with numerous nonprofits organizations, schools and groups, helping them raise money through donations and partnerships. He was recognized in 2019 as the ULM Young Alumni of the Year. Additionally, he serves as a board member for the ULM Athletic Foundation. Tyler volunteers as a coach and serves on the board of the Monroe Youth Softball League. Tyler has been an integral part of many local events. In the past, he has served as a board member for the Twin City Art Foundation and the NELA Red Cross.  Tyler is an active member of North Monroe Baptist Church. Tyler is married to Becky Flemister, and they have two children, Madelyn – 9 and Molly – 6. 

BL: What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

Tyler: It has been most exciting to grow and develop with the same company for the past 15 years. I seriously have the best job in the world. It was extra special to see Marsala Beverage transition into a new state of the art facility this past year.   I’m truly blessed to have the opportunity to work with the best co-workers and brewery suppliers in the beverage industry.  

BL: What can Northeast Louisiana do to retain young talent?

Tyler: Local industry is important. But it’s important to flex the muscles that we have while always looking for opportunities to do the small things to continue to grow and promote a strong sense of community.  

BL: What advice would you give someone in a new leadership position?

Tyler: The best advice I can give someone would be to listen to others. If you are the smartest person in the room, you are probably in the wrong room. Be open to having a teachable spirit. Embrace change and innovation in whatever field you may be in.  

DR. BRICE JONES
Executive Director of Marketing and Communications
University of Louisiana Monroe

Brice Jones, a Mississippi native, serves as the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at ULM. Trained as a historian of Early Christianity, he received his Ph.D. from Concordia University and his M.A. from Yale University. He is married to Meghan Jones, Director of Marketing and Communications at United Way NELA, and is father to Hadley (10), Leighton (8), and Carter (6). He enjoys bass fishing, deer hunting, woodworking, and spending time with his family. 

BL: What do you do to ensure your growth and development as a leader?

Brice: I am constantly seeking to learn new skills and knowledge to be more efficient as a manager of people and projects. Sometimes, this is learned through raw experience, but I am also blessed to have quite a few mentors in my life who have helped me along the way. 

BL: What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

Brice: As a very “green” scholar, fresh out of the academy, I was asked to serve on the editorial board of my discipline’s flagship academic journal. I served in that capacity for three years. 

BL: How do you balance being a successful young professional and having a family?

Brice: Janet Durden of United Way NELA once told me, ‘When you get home, take off your work coat, and leave it at the door.’ This is easier said than done, especially in a leadership role, and involves some give and take. But, I do my very best to reserve my time outside of work for my family.

BL:  What is your advice to recent graduates?

Brice: As my friend Charles Stevenson at Louisiana Delta Community College likes to say, ‘Skills pay the bills.’ Be hungry to advance your skills and competencies even if they are outside your comfort zone or current area of work. Interdisciplinary skills are especially helpful for projects that cut across various sectors.

MICHELLI MARTIN
Media Relations Director
for the City of Monroe

Michelli Martin serves as Media Relations Director for the City of Monroe, before this job, she was Evening Anchor and Political Reporter for KTVE NBC 10 News in West Monroe. Michelli earned her Bachelors in Political Science from Louisiana Tech University and her Masters in Mass Communications from ULM. She is married and has a little girl named Elliott Monroe, named for the city where her parents met. One of her favorite quotes is something B.B. King said, “the beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.” 

BL: What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

Michelli: One of the professional accomplishments I am most proud of is interviewing a sitting president. It’s on the bucket lists of many journalists and I am so proud I got to check it off my list before leaving television news. I love politics, especially Louisiana politics, and I have been blessed to interview several elected officials. It’s really crazy to now work on the other side of the camera.

BL: What can Northeast Louisiana do to retain young talent?

Michelli: NELA can retain young talent by ensuring they have a seat at the table where decisions are made. I am so fortunate to have a job wear my voice is not only heard, but given legitimate consideration. Another way to retain young talent is to create an environment they can see themselves planting roots and growing their family. An emphasis on improving and supporting quality of life endeavors must be supported. 

BL: What is your advice to recent graduates?

Michelli: If I could go back in time to talk to my college self, I would tell her to try more things. Go out and have more experiences and don’t be scared to fail. Apply for every internship, club that interests you, and opportunity! You will not get this time back.

BL: What is your motivation?

Michelli: My motivations are many. I am a 3 on the Enneagram Chart-I am driven by achievement. Long story short, I like to win, but I also want others to win, too. Most importantly, I want to be someone my little girl can be proud of.

KELSEA MCCRARY
Chief Economic &
Cultural Development Officer,
City of Monroe

Kelsea McCrary is the Chief Economic & Cultural Development Officer for the City of Monroe. Her style of telling Louisiana’s stories elevates the artistic and cultural threads woven throughout each community and ties them deeply into the economic prospects of Louisiana’s cultural richness. Kelsea’s background includes leading the Cultural Districts and Civic Design program for the Louisiana Division of the Arts, creating the Public Policy communications brand at LUMEN Technologies and building out their Employer Brand function and serving as Director of Marketing for the University of Louisiana Monroe. Kelsea has grown arts organizations, programmed historic buildings, executed cultural events and quality of life initiatives, and led creative place-keeping projects throughout the state of Louisiana for over a decade. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Louisiana Monroe and a Masters in Public Administration from Louisiana State University. With a dog named Murphy, a cat named Cat, and a husband named Steven, she lives in Monroe and loves to run the levees of the Ouachita.

BL: Tell us something about you most people don’t know.

Kelsea: To be as extroverted as I am, I am a pretty private person…so it tends to come as a shock that I am, at my core, relatively goofy. Whether it’s consistently carrying too many things in my hands and leaving a trail of coffee through City Hall, or losing my keys every single day, I tend to overlook the smaller details of life. My mom is going to read this and not be surprised at all, because when I was growing up she dubbed me “Amelia Bedelia,” after the lovable yet clumsy and mischievous book character.

BL: What can Northeast Louisiana do to retain young talent?

Kelsea: Our collective cultural story is powerful, and it’s woven together in ways that we are still uncovering. We have so much to be proud of, and the more we can vocalize the good things, the more young talent will recognize the deep roots and the unlimited future that our region can offer. It might seem too easy, but branding and communication can solve many of the problems that we experience – good information is worth its weight in gold, and the trust it fosters is nearly unbreakable. We have had decades of headlines and external influence, so to speak, that have veiled our eyes to the beauty, downright coolness, and heritage of our home – it’s up to us to own that narrative and tell our story, as many times as it takes…even to ourselves.

JAMES MILES
Business Development Representative
Pelican State Credit Union

James Miles was born and raised in Monroe, LA. He is the son to Ronshnea Baker. James is a graduate of Ouachita Parish High School. He is a graduate of Colorado Technical University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration Management and Master of Business Administration-Global Leadership. James currently works at Pelican State Credit Union as the Business Development Representative for North Louisiana. He is so grateful to be in role that allows him to empower individuals through financial knowledge. During the past year he has been focused on expanding the knowledge of financial literacy to surrounding rural communities. 

BL: What do you do to give back to your community?

James: My love for our community runs deep within me. I have the mindset that if one is suffering, we all suffer. That’s the reason why I am so passionate about bringing awareness of financial literacy to anyone I encounter. At Pelican, we believe that bad things happen to good people. Everyone deserves a second chance or a little help to get through this thing called life. I volunteer regularly at the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana. What they do to support our region is amazing, and I will forever support them. I also serve on the NELA Reentry Coalition to help create resources to ensure previously imprisoned individuals have what is needed to aid in a successful reentry back into society. I also assist with the new construction of the Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum where I serve on the Board of Directors and Advisory Board member. 

BL: What is your advice to recent graduates?

James: Approach all aspects of your life with the mindset of being a student. Life has a way of forcing us to always evolve and if you are not teachable…then you may become useless.

BL: What do you do to ensure your growth and development as a leader?

James: I place myself in unfamiliar places that forces me to think outside my norm. Never become complacent with the things I have accomplished. Seek counsel from individuals who dwell in places I imagine to be and taking notes on what I need to do to get there.

BL: What advice would you give someone in a new leadership position?

James: Say less and listen more! Be open to learn and grow with your team. You all share the same journey so why not travel it together?

DR. LATEEF ODEYEMI
Owner/Operator
Parkway Pharmacy &
Parkway Pharmacy South

Dr. Lateef Odeyemi was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He graduated from The International School of Ibadun. After high school, Lateef attended the University of Lagos in Nigeria where he received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology. After graduation, Lateef came to the United States where he obtained my second degree with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences. He then began pursuing his PharmD whichhe obtained in 2017 from the University of Louisiana Monroe. Lateef worked as a retail pharmacist for two years and knew he wanted to do more. He always had the mindset of being an entrepreneur in the medical field and that goal was achieved in August of 2019 when Lateef acquired Parkway Pharmacy and again in January of 2022 when he opened Parkway Pharmacy South.

BL:  What do you hope to accomplish by age 50?

Lateef: By the age of 50, I hope to grow Parkway Pharmacy into a chain in multiple states all offering the same outstanding services such as free delivery and vaccines. I also would like to continue advocating for the expansion of our field as pharmacists. We have the knowledge and tools to be successful and I feel we need to continue fighting for our provider status.

BL:  What can Northeast Louisiana do to retain young talent?

Lateef: I feel Northeast Louisiana can host more community networking events for entrepreneurs of small businesses and more internships in a wide variety of fields to retain young talent.

BL:  What is your advice to recent graduates?

Lateef: My advice to recent graduates would be to never forget that networking is vital. We should support each other and keep in mind that there is enough room for everyone on top regardless of race, age, gender or religion. I would also share that it is important to pursue your dreams and goals. I have learned firsthand that if your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s not big enough.

BL:  What is your motivation?

Lateef: My biggest motivation is my family. I was raised to respect the value of hard work and to never settle for anything less than my dreams. 

TAVARIS SANDERS
Co-owner, Amazing Transport

Tavaris Sanders was born and raised in Bonita, LA. He is the oldest of three siblings and a graduate of Delta High School in Mer Rouge. Tavaris later attended and graduated from The Hope Bible Institute in Baton Rouge, where he obtained a Doctorate in Theology & Religious Studies and is a licensed professional Christian therapist. Tavaris has been married to Miesha Sanders for thirteen years. The couple have four boys: Jaylen Wade (21) who is a senior at ULM, Javari Sanders (18) attends Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Ja’Bez Glosson (16) attends Bastrop High School, and Tahj Sanders (11) attends Ouachita Jr. High School. Tavaris is a memeber of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Monroe. He and his wife are the owners of Amazing Transport, LLC. 

BL:  How do you balance being a successful young professional and having a family?

Tavaris: I put God first, serving Him gives me the opportunity to put family and business under one umbrella.

BL:  If you could go back in time, what would you tell your college self?

Tavaris: Life has its up and downs, but stay the course and finish what you started.

BL:  What advice would you give someone in a new leadership position?

Tavaris: I would tell someone in a new leadership position that you have to work and know the business. There will be trials and tribulations, but don’t give up or don’t give in. It will be greater later.

BL:  What was your first job?

Tavaris: My first job was working for my dad in the summers fixing tires. He taught me the significance of what work really was.

BL:  What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

Tavaris: I’m proud to have opened my own business and to be able to provide people in this community jobs with a competitive salary.

BL:  Tell us something about you most people don’t know.

Tavaris: Most people take me as a serious guy, but I am fun to be around once you know me.

BL:  What is your motivation?

Tavaris: God’s word, my wife and kids…and family overall.

DR. LINDSEY VINCENT
Associate Dean of Research, Outreach and Innovation in the College of Education and the Director of the Science and Technology Education Center at Louisiana Tech University

Lindsey Vincent grew up in Swartz, LA, and attended Ouachita Parish High School. She is a first-generation college completer and holds a B.S. in English Education, an M.S. in Adult Education, certification in Biology education, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership as well as certificates in Positive Psychology and Contact Tracing through Coursera. Lindsey currently serves her alma mater as the Associate Dean of Research, Outreach and Innovation in the College of Education and the Director of the Science and Technology Education Center (SciTEC) at Louisiana Tech University. She is a founding member of the LSU Health Sciences and Louisiana Tech University Digital Literacy and Well-Being Collaborative and has been PI or CoPI for multiple local, regional, and federal grants focused on education, workforce development, and outreach. She loves learning new things and traveling with her husband Matthew and their children. She thanks God every day for her many blessings and tries to give back to a community that has given so much to her.

BL:  What was your first job? 

Lindsey: My first paid gig by an outside employer was a perfume sprayer for Unilever in Pecanland Mall. In fact, at $12 an hour decades ago, it was quite a highly paid job for a high school student. I simply stood by the counter and offered to spray a new fragrance for others to try. I learned quickly when to push for a sale or when to step back and revisit my strategy. My first unpaid job was an interesting and formative one, too, as it included writing prices on neon cardboard star stickers for my dad to use on coolers when he sold wine and spirits. I think he had me help with this activity to keep me busy as to not distract him so he could get his work done.

BL:  What do you do to give back to your community? 

Lindsey:  I have had the privilege of serving on a number of leadership teams and councils. Most recently I was appointed by Governor Jon Bel Edwards to the Louisiana STEM Advisory Council, am serving on the advisory council for the Louisiana Center for Afterschool Learning, and am serving as a member of the Parent Faculty Council at my children’s school. We are also charter members of Ruston’s Krewe of Pomona, and I have also recently joined the United Way’s Young Leaders.