Mark Hanudel

Lake Charles, Southwest Region

Hometown

Alton, Illinois

What I do

President and CEO of R & H Quality Refractory Services, an industrial contractor for manufacturers, chemical plants, refineries and power plants.

Why I moved away

"My hometown is Alton, Illinois, up the river from St. Louis. We moved to Houston my senior year of high school. College in New Orleans at Tulane. I got a couple of degrees there. I moved back to Houston … I was working for Exxon Chemical, and had a great career. I started off in finance and accounting, and then went into development of new businesses and acquisitions. Then I went into an operating management job within polymer compounds and blends. I ended up being in a joint venture with the Mitsubishi Petrochemical and Exxon Chemical. Later, Exxon Chemical bought a company up in Tennessee and I went up and ran it as president."

Why I moved back

"I had a very interesting career, lot of opportunities doing things, but my wife always wanted to live back here. I made a lot of contacts -- accountants, lawyers, bankers, etc. And one of the bankers in Lake Charles came to me and said, Look, there's a fellow who wanted to start a company as an industrial contractor. And I think he's got a good business, but he doesn't have the same background you have in terms of organization, management skills, finance knowledge, etc. But if you two join up together, then I think it'll work. So that's what I did. I was previously in manufacturing, not in contracting, but we did start the company, and we were successful."

How it's going

"I bought my partner out after about six or seven years. I've had the opportunity to develop and prosper in my 100%-owned business. I have certain values. About people and treating people with respect and trying to help them improve their lives as well. And that's been rewarding. I sit on five or six nonprofit boards and being in a smaller town like Lake Charles, you feel you can make a difference, as opposed to living in Houston or a bigger town where you're kind of a little fish in a big ocean. Here. I'm not. I have good friends I’ve known a long time. I like this town. I like everything about it."

My advice

"Sometimes the people who stay here and don't leave, they develop the sort of complacency and acceptance of things. “Oh, it's good enough,” or “That's the way things are, the way It's going to be.” And when you go out and you see what may be happening in other parts of the country, whether it's economic development or education or recreation, you come back and you say: Hey, you know, we really can do better. And it's kind of what I see even in this town. A lot of the leaders and the people who are successful or who are contributing to the community, from a nonprofit point of view, are people who have gone and left and then came back. They've got a different perspective on things."

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Dean Vicki Colvin

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Dean Vicki Colvin

“It's a very special place, and if you were lucky enough to have been born here and spent time in your formative years here, you have such a warm community to come back to. It's a great lifestyle. … You should return to your roots and give back.”

Deborah Randolph

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Deborah Randolph

"There are more meaningful job opportunities here now than ever with such a tight labor market. Companies in Louisiana, your own home state, are looking for talent, so the timing couldn't be better for you to consider to come back.. Before you decide to settle permanently elsewhere, consider your home state. You may be surprised by the opportunities right here at home."

Dr. Renee K. Horton

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Dr. Renee K. Horton

“If you found some solace and peace here as a child, and you're doing big things, and you're fighting the bigger battles, and you want that sense of peace, come home. Come home! There's a lot of things that need to be changed here, but there are so many things that they get right, and it's enough to cradle you and comfort you.”

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Jady Regard

"Coming home with a fresh set of eyes after you've been away is a wonderful thing. I know we struggle with some things, but every state struggles with some things. I just think that you can come home, you should get involved in your community, get involved in government if you feel strongly enough, and get involved in being a business mentor. The things you don't like about it, try to make a change."

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Josh Carroll

"The time is now. Louisiana is primed for growth, for economic development. It's a perfect opportunity for anyone that is thinking about coming over here to set up their business. And, you know, take it from a lot of businesses: right time, right place. And that's what this is."

Julie Gilley Milam

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Julie Gilley Milam

“I believe that North Louisiana is on the cusp of great, wonderful things. We've already seen a lot of momentum in that direction. My other piece of advice is network. You know who the people are in your network who have moved back. Talk to them. Find out what's going on."

Matthew Newchurch

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Matthew Newchurch

“If people want to go look around, that's fine, but I think they should always be able to look back home and realize, ‘I can 100% have as fulfilling and rewarding a career in Louisiana as anywhere else in this country."

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Nick Speyrer

“I'd say there's ultimately no place like home … Sometimes going away and getting a fresh perspective can be positive. But, to me, if you're from Louisiana and you care about our place, and you have already gone and gotten these other experiences, be the change agent to come help solve and fix the things that have frustrated you about our state. You can be part of the solution, as opposed to just looking at things from the outside.”

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Trey Burvant

“If you are someone that has a lot of creative ideas, come to Louisiana. We need people with strong and different ideas, people with passion and conviction. Louisiana has a lot more to offer than perhaps you think."

Dean Vicki Colvin

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Dean Vicki Colvin

“It's a very special place, and if you were lucky enough to have been born here and spent time in your formative years here, you have such a warm community to come back to. It's a great lifestyle. … You should return to your roots and give back.”

Deborah Randolph

LED News

Deborah Randolph

"There are more meaningful job opportunities here now than ever with such a tight labor market. Companies in Louisiana, your own home state, are looking for talent, so the timing couldn't be better for you to consider to come back.. Before you decide to settle permanently elsewhere, consider your home state. You may be surprised by the opportunities right here at home."

Dr. Renee K. Horton

LED News

Dr. Renee K. Horton

“If you found some solace and peace here as a child, and you're doing big things, and you're fighting the bigger battles, and you want that sense of peace, come home. Come home! There's a lot of things that need to be changed here, but there are so many things that they get right, and it's enough to cradle you and comfort you.”

Jady Regard

LED News

Jady Regard

"Coming home with a fresh set of eyes after you've been away is a wonderful thing. I know we struggle with some things, but every state struggles with some things. I just think that you can come home, you should get involved in your community, get involved in government if you feel strongly enough, and get involved in being a business mentor. The things you don't like about it, try to make a change."

Josh Carroll

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Josh Carroll

"The time is now. Louisiana is primed for growth, for economic development. It's a perfect opportunity for anyone that is thinking about coming over here to set up their business. And, you know, take it from a lot of businesses: right time, right place. And that's what this is."

Julie Gilley Milam

LED News

Julie Gilley Milam

“I believe that North Louisiana is on the cusp of great, wonderful things. We've already seen a lot of momentum in that direction. My other piece of advice is network. You know who the people are in your network who have moved back. Talk to them. Find out what's going on."

Matthew Newchurch

LED News

Matthew Newchurch

“If people want to go look around, that's fine, but I think they should always be able to look back home and realize, ‘I can 100% have as fulfilling and rewarding a career in Louisiana as anywhere else in this country."

Nick Speyrer

LED News

Nick Speyrer

“I'd say there's ultimately no place like home … Sometimes going away and getting a fresh perspective can be positive. But, to me, if you're from Louisiana and you care about our place, and you have already gone and gotten these other experiences, be the change agent to come help solve and fix the things that have frustrated you about our state. You can be part of the solution, as opposed to just looking at things from the outside.”

Trey Burvant

LED News

Trey Burvant

“If you are someone that has a lot of creative ideas, come to Louisiana. We need people with strong and different ideas, people with passion and conviction. Louisiana has a lot more to offer than perhaps you think."