Habitat Welcomes Five New Board Members!

Rapides Habitat for Humanity is pleased to announce its newest Board Trustees: Susane L.
Boykins, Cathy Butts, Jennifer Hassion, Abby Miller, and Michael Stevenson. These trustees
were officially confirmed on Saturday, January 23, 2010, during Habitat’s Annual Board of Trustees retreat, which was graciously hosted by Gilchrist Construction Company this year. Each new trustee brings diversified knowledge and ex-periences to the table, which will prove beneficial to Habitat. Susane Boykins, a Realtor with Keller-Williams Realty will serve on the Family Selection and Marketing and PR Committees, Cathy Butts, a Senior Financial Accountant with Cleco Support Group LLC, will serve on the Finance Committee, Jennifer Hassion, a Staff Accountant, will serve on the ReStore and Finance Committees, Abby Miller, a Paralegal/Notary with the Mike Tudor Law Firm, will serve on the Resource Development and Strategic Planning
Committees, and Michael Stevenson, an engineer and MPO Practitioner with Proctor and Gamble will serve on the Family Selection and Construction Committees. We welcome all of our new Trustees aboard and look forward to working with them to advance the mission and goals of Habitat.

Board Member Spotlight: Buffy Wilson, Newly Elected President

Ms. Wilson has worked in the field of accounting for nearly fifteen years. Her credentials include: a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from NSU (Natchitoches, LA), Certified Public Accountant Certificate and License, Construction Industry Development Financial Professional Certification, completion of the LSUA Leadership Central Louisiana Program and The Rapides Foundation Community Development Works Board Builders Program. Prior to relocating to Cenla, Ms. Wilson worked as an intern with the ConAgra Poultry Company (Natchitoches, LA) and staff accountant at a small CPA firm in Shreveport, LA. Upon moving to Alexandria, Ms. Wilson served as Associate Partner and Director of Small Business Accounts for Daenen Henderson and Company until she signed on with the Gilchrist Construction Company. Her career with the latter spans six years during which time she was promoted from the position of Controller. Ms. Wilson’s interest in Habitat stems from a childhood memory of living in unsafe conditions, the desire to assist other people with favorable housing, and, of course, a career in construction.” She hopes to, “provide children with a safe home environment and parents a proud investment.”