Disaster-Related Press Coverage

Biographical Information

Jeanne Hurlbert, PhD and John Beggs, PhD; Optinet Resources, LLC

Jeanne Hurlbert, PhD - Optinet Resources, LLC

In addition to serving as CEO of Optinet Resources, LLC, Jeanne Hurlbert is Professor of Sociology at Louisiana State University, where she has held faculty rank for more than 20 years. Her partner, John Beggs, is Associate Professor of Sociology at LSU. With their colleagues, they have studied how individuals' social networks affect access to social support in the preparation, response, and recovery phases of hurricanes. Their research on Hurricanes Andrew, Georges, and Katrina has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the Louisiana Health Excellence Fund. That research, which shows what kinds of social networks help combat the negative effects of disasters, has established them as the leading experts in the country on the effects of social networks in the disaster context. Currently, they are studying the effects of Hurricane Katrina, focusing on such issues as how individuals' networks changed after Katrina, what mental health effects exist and how long they persist, and individuals' attitudes toward/satisfaction with their local communities.

They're now putting the knowledge they've gleaned in their research to work helping businesses prepare for and recover from disasters. Hurlbert and Beggs have been featured or quoted in such media outlets as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Nature, Forbes.com, Monster.com, Juneau.com, US News and World Report, Health, Smart Money, The Christian Science Monitor, CNN, National Public Radio, The History Channel, ABC News Now, and Business Talk This Morning.

Jeanne Hurlbert, PhD Biographical Information in Word format.

About Our Partner

Charles D'Agostino, Developmental Consulting, Inc.

Charles D'Agostino, MBA - Developmental Consulting

Charles F. D'Agostino earned a Masters Business Administration (MBA) and Bachelors of Arts & Sciences in Chemistry from Louisiana State University. He received the Phi Delta Kappa – Excellence in Research Award in 1989 and Faculty Fellow designation from the Foundation of the Mid South 1993-94. He has served on the boards of the National Business Incubation Association (1991-1998), the Association of University Research Parks (1999-2005), the Greater Baton Rouge Port Commission (4 terms), and currently serves on the Louisiana Legislature's Small Business Entrepreneurship Commission. He has been active in economic development as a practitioner and consultant for over 30 years.

Founder of the Louisiana Business & Technology Center (LBTC) of Louisiana State University, D'Agostino has been its executive director since 1988. The LBTC serves as LSU's business incubator, small business development center, technology transfer office, and disaster recovery business counseling center. In 2005, the LBTC was selected from over 1,000 international members as the National Business Incubation Association's business incubator of the year. That same year, the LBTC was designated as one of Louisiana's six disaster business counseling centers; since then, it has worked extensively with businesses impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Under D'Agostino's direction, the LBTC added a 30-seat mobile classroom to conduct rural entrepreneurship training and disaster business counseling in 37 rural communities and hurricane-impacted areas annually. This program has won awards from the Southern Growth Policies Board, NBIA, and the Excalibur Award from the Association of University Research Parks for its disaster recovery programs.

Through the LBTC, D'Agostino has worked with over 1,000 impacted businesses in developing business plans and marketing plans to help impacted businesses recover. The LBTC has conducted seminars and workshops on disaster loans, grants, and recovery programs for more than 1,000 participants. D'Agostino has been featured or quoted in such media outlets as the BBC, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and other national media for his role in the recovery process.

Charles D'Agostino biographical information in Word format.

Samples of Press Coverage, Optinet Resources:

Disaster-Related, Selected Clippings and Items of Interest:

Note:  each of the following articles open in Word format unless otherwise noted.

Network-Related, Selected Clippings and Items of Interest

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Other Items of Interest:

  • Smart Money magazine (March, 2007) included Jeanne Hurlbert's comments on how social networks can affect individuals’ incomes.
  • Jeanne Hurlbert provided advice to single parents on using their social networks effectively in a recent issue of Chattanooga Parent.
  • Allure magazine will report Jeanne Hurlbert's comments regarding how stress and the need to “appear unruffled” is affected by our social networks.
  • Your Style magazine will carry Jeanne Hurlbert’s insights on how social networks can help military families cope with the stress of dual deployment.
  • Jeanne Hurlbert will be featured in an article on workaholics that will appear in Health magazine this spring.
  • Look for an upcoming article in Redbook featuring Jeanne Hurlbert's advice on how women should handle life's little catastrophes.

Samples of Press Coverage: Charles D'Agostino:

  • The BBC, November 2005, Television Broadcast from Norco, Louisiana.
  • Chicago Sun-Times, 9/18/2005, "Business Resilience Key to City's Rebirth."
  • Globe and Mail, 9/19/2005, "Harvey Schachter's Guide on how to handle everything from overflowing email to meeting overload."
  • Incubator News (National Business Incubation Association), 9/8/2005, "Incubators Reach Out to Hurricane Victims."
  • The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), 9/14/2005, "LSU Seminar to help displaced businesses."
  • Capital Gains, 10/11/2005, "Doomed to Fail."
  • Private Clubs Magazine, Nov 2005, "Helping Hands after the Storm"
  • Park Update (Association of University Research Parks), 11/06/2005, "LSU's Role in Hurricane Recovery."
  • The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), "Business Incubators Aid in Rebuilding the Economy."

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