Scott P. Sealy, Sr. is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sealy & Company, where he oversees corporate governance, strategic planning, and platform development. Born in Shreveport, Scott graduated from Byrd High School and subsequently attended Southern Methodist University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in real estate. After graduating from SMU, Mr. Sealy joined the family company in 1968 with a total of 4 employees and a $20 million portfolio in one market. Since that time, he has significantly expanded the company’s platform to 100± employees, seven offices, 20 markets, and more than $1.5 billion of assets under ownership and/or management. Under his leadership, Sealy &Company has become a nationally recognized leader in the real estate industry, particularly with respect to the acquisition, repositioning, and ground-up development of industrial facilities in the Southeast and Southwest United States. Since 2001, Sealy & Company and its affiliates, have acquired, developed, and/or sold more than $4.8 billion of industrial real estate assets. Today, Sealy & Company possesses institutional capacity in investments, banking, technology, and real estate services.

In addition to his extensive real estate investment and management activities, Mr. Sealy is a venture capitalist and advisor for a number of insurance, oil and gas, and technology businesses seeking enterprise expansion and increased profitability. Giving back to his community, industry, and service to others are Scott’s core tenets. Among Mr. Sealy’s many achievements, the most rewarding is his active role as a mentor and advocate.

His current and past management, volunteer, and advisory positions include:

• Member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, serving as Chapter President, member of the National Board of Directors, and member of its Strategic Planning Committee;
• Vice President of Economic Development and Chairman of Greater Shreveport Economic Development Foundation, through the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, for nine years;
• Independent Board Member Cole Retail Trust III & IV also serving as chair of the Corporate Governance Committee and Member of Compensation Committee of Cole Real Estate Investments, Inc. a member of the NYSE;
• Chairman of Praeses Corporation, a telecommunications management and software development company – Shreveport, LA;
• Venture capital placement advisor for Parata, one of the largest automated prescription fulfillment companies in the United States; Parata is in a joint venture with McKesson Corporation – San Francisco, CA;
• Board of Directors of Louisiana Companies, one of the region’s largest privately held brokerage and risk strategy firms
• Advisory Board Member, Baylor Health Care System Foundation and the Center for BrainHealth.

Scott and his wife Diane have been married for over 50 years and have four children Amy, Lisa, Scott Jr, and Michael who have given them the blessing of 8 remarkable grandchildren. In addition to business and spending time with his family, Scott enjoys traveling and is an avid outdoorsman.

Mark P. Sealy is President and Chief Investment Officer of Sealy & Company. He joined the company in 1981 and currently oversees enterprise-critical functions through the company’s Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer, each of whom report to Mr. Mark Sealy. These functions include: operations, leasing, asset management, investment, construction management, finance, capital procurement and management, accounting, marketing, information technology, human resources, due diligence, legal, taxation, and insurance. Mr. Mark Sealy also directs investor relations, public relations, and serves as the Company Administrator.

Mr. Sealy has extensive experience in real estate brokerage, acquisitions, ownership structuring, syndication, financing, land and building development, property management, asset management, and dispositions. His experience spans various property types including industrial, multi-family, office, and retail. During his tenure with Sealy & Company, these activities have involved the capitalization of over $1 billion into real estate syndications.

Mark’s expertise and experience in technology, with a focus on real estate-specific information systems, have provided the company with an exceptionally robust technological infrastructure. This capability is deployed across all the company’s key functions consisting of budgeting, performance tracking, asset management, investment analysis, accounting, and administration. The company has consistently been recognized by its partners and customers as having industry-leading reporting systems, exceeding even the most discriminating standards of both public and private companies.

Mr. Sealy received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Denver, where he majored in real estate and construction management. His continuing education has centered on property management, commercial real estate analysis, and information technology systems. He holds real estate brokerage licenses in Louisiana, Texas, and Georgia and is a member of the Shreveport-Bossier Board of Realtors, Atlanta Board of Realtors, the National Association of REALTORS®, and the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. Mark is an active participant in his community serving in multiple capacities including philanthropic support, serving as a member of The Committee of 100, and volunteering in board roles for organizations such as the YMCA of NW Louisiana, the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, St. Mark’s Cathedral School, and Young-Life among numerous others.

James R. Cook, Jr. is Chief Financial Officer for Sealy & Company. In this role, Mr. Cook is responsible for the financial, human resource, information technology, and administrative/ operational aspects of the company and for developing and supporting those systems to allow Sealy to implement and achieve its targeted growth objectives. Additionally, James is involved in the strategic analysis, financing, and asset management of Sealy’s portfolio and provides oversight of Sealy’s private equity funds – Fund I, Fund II, Sealy III, Sealy IV, SSEP, and SIP. James also serves on the Executive and Investment Committees.

Mr. Cook brings to the company a wealth of valuable experience. Prior to joining Sealy, he was CFO of Praeses Corporation where he was directly responsible for all strategic aspects of finance, accounting, human resources, and administration, as well as analyzing new projects and securing/managing Praeses’ capital base. During James’ tenure as CFO, the company experienced a 54% annual growth rate. Mr. Cook has also previously served as the Practice Development Leader of KPMG overseeing the development of core processes and methodologies for an emerging practice while developing a revenue base in the southwest area. The revenue base under his direction increased over 300% during his tenure.

James received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Masters of Professional Accountancy from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. He is a Certified Public Accountant and has been trained as a Certified Fraud Examiner. He is currently an active member of the Louisiana Certified Public Accountant and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Cook is also actively involved in his community serving as a board member and officer in various civic organizations.

David P. Draft is the Chief Administrative Officer of Sealy & Company, where his primary focus is to ensure the company is operating efficiently and strategic initiatives are being implemented according to plan.  Mr. Draft works directly with Sealy ownership and across the Executive Team.  David has previously served as Chief Operations Officer for Sealy, responsible for maximizing investment returns, mitigating portfolio risk, and executing business strategies across Sealy & Company’s portfolio. David initially joined the firm in 2009 and, since that time, has provided oversight in asset management, leasing, and contributed to the development of annual business plans for both properties and the firm. He has also held personnel and internal communication responsibilities on a Company-wide basis and served in an advisory role to the Chairman.

Prior to joining Sealy & Company, Mr. Draft served with First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: FR) for over 12 years, holding a number of senior executive positions and culminating with over six years as Executive Vice President of Operations, covering both domestic and international operations. These responsibilities involved oversight of over 115 million square feet of space, 1,200 buildings, and 3,200 tenants across 35 markets. As a member of the Executive Management Committee, David was also involved in the acquisition, development, and disposition of over $4 billion of industrial real estate. Mr. Draft was also responsible for the oversight of over 200 employees and served on the Government Solutions and Corporate Services groups.

Mr. Draft brings decades of top-level leadership experience at major public and private real estate companies to Sealy. Over the course of his real estate career, David has managed over $10 billion in assets, over 5,000 transactions, 42 offices, and in excess of 500 employees. During the past four decades, he has acquired and developed a substantial number of properties for his own account, has been a managing partner in numerous real estate ventures, and was a founding principal of a commercial real estate brokerage, management, and development company, Draft & Gantos Properties. This company was sold to First Industrial in conjunction with David’s appointment as its Senior Regional Director.

Mr. Draft’s professional affiliations have included national, state, and local Realtor Associations, and he has been active in a leadership capacity for a private organization involved in charitable causes. His track record and experience in the commercial industrial real estate industry have been widely recognized. While in the public sector, David’s leadership in customer relations produced the highest tenant satisfaction scores in the sector year-after-year, as measured by an independent, leading provider of such testing. David has been a frequent speaker at investor and analyst events throughout the Country.

Eric D. Marx is the Chief Operating Officer for Sealy & Company. In this capacity, Mr. Marx is responsible for maximizing investment returns, mitigating portfolio risk, and executing business strategies across Sealy & Company’s portfolio. Mr. Marx oversees asset management, leasing, operations, construction, and regional personnel and is responsible for the development and execution of portfolio and asset strategies as well as annual property business plans. He serves on the Executive Committee and the Investment Committee.

Mr. Marx brings over 30 years of comprehensive commercial real estate experience to the organization. Prior to joining Sealy, Mr. Marx was Senior Vice President, Head of Asset Management for Equity Commonwealth [NYSE: EQC], a publicly-traded REIT. In this role, he was responsible for the development and execution of ownership strategies for the company’s 43 million square foot commercial portfolio and oversaw asset management, leasing, and operations. Previously, he managed all aspects of an 11 million square foot commercial portfolio for a NY-based public non-traded REIT and private equity investor. Earlier in his career, Mr. Marx spent 17 years with Equity Office Properties [NYSE: EOP], the largest publicly traded office REIT at the time, and its predecessor, Equity Assets Management, where, among other responsibilities, he led the portfolio management and portfolio analysis departments. His experience covers a broad array of functional areas, most commercial product types, and extends nationally.

Mr. Marx received his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics with a concentration in real estate finance from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.

Frank B. Bazzel is Executive Vice President – Special Projects for Sealy & Company serving as an advisor to the Chairman and the Investment Services Team. Frank provides strategic direction and insight to acquisitions strategies and investment structures in regard to risk, business strategy, corporate opportunity, and exposure. Mr. Bazzel is also actively involved in the firm’s investment fund structuring and planning, as well as, a participant in Executive Team meetings.

Mr. Bazzel is a Retired Partner of the Real Estate Development and Finance and Funds & Alternative Investments practices of Morris, Manning, and Martin, LLP. Frank’s practice predominately involved the representation of real estate developers, owners, and investors in the financings of their real estate transactions. He has over 40 years of experience in all kinds of commercial real estate transactions, including acquiring, selling, developing, leasing, and financing transactions for office buildings, multi-family projects, industrial buildings, shopping centers, and hotels throughout the U.S.

Frank received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Washington and Lee University then went on to receive his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Emory University. Mr. Bazzel’s success has been widely recognized during his career, including earning the honors of being Named The Best Lawyers in America® in Real Estate Law (2007 – 2016), Selected, Georgia’s Best Lawyers (2009), Recommended, The Legal 500 as a Leader in Real Estate & Construction (2009 and 2013), Selected, Georgia Super Lawyer (2011 – 2013), and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Calvin H. Sears is Senior Controller for Sealy & Company. He joined the firm in August of 1989 as controller of the finance department and has directed Sealy & Company’s financial reporting process and the financial ventures of the company’s principals for over 30 years.

During his tenure with the company, Mr. Sears has led his department through several major computer software conversions. He has expanded the firm’s benefits program from a simple health plan to a fully integrated benefits program, including a 401(k)-retirement plan, disability insurance, dental coverage, and life insurance. Mr. Sears’ strengths lie in his ability to maximize the productivity of the financial team through the integration of technology and teamwork.

Mr. Sears has worked in finance and accounting since graduating with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degree from Louisiana State University. Mr. Sears s a Certified Public Accountant.

In addition to his contributions to Sealy, Mr. Sears is involved with the community in various capacities. He has served as vice president of the LSU Alumni Association and on the local board of directors of the Girl Scouts of America. Mr. Sears has also served as chairman of the downtown YMCA management committee and as a member of the executive committee of the board of directors of the Shreveport-Bossier YMCA. Mr. Sears works with special-needs swimmers each summer to prepare them for the Texas State Special Olympics swim competition. Mr. Sears leads several wellness classes for adults at the Town North YMCA in Dallas, TX. Inspired by Sealy’s founder, J. Pollard Sealy, passion for the children of Honduras, Mr. Sears works with and sponsors children at the New Life Children’s orphanage in Jalaca, Honduras.

Jason Gandy currently serves as the Managing Director of Investment Services for Sealy & Company. In this role, he leverages his experience in commercial real estate to lead and direct the acquisition activities nationwide for Sealy, as well as provide oversight of all disposition activities. Mr. Gandy has been involved in over $4.7 billion of commercial real estate transactions in his tenure with Sealy & Company.

Mr. Gandy joined the team at Sealy & Company in 2002 after beginning his commercial real estate career at Trammell Crow Company in Houston where he worked as part of a consulting team for a client, ExxonMobil. At Exxon/Mobil his primary responsibility was conducting feasibility studies for new retail locations for Exxon/Mobil motor fuel facilities. Jason then moved into acquisitions for income-producing properties at Holt Lunsford Commercial in Dallas where he was the main contact for acquisitions in Texas for institutional clients. While at Holt Lunsford Commercial he was responsible for sourcing, underwriting, negotiations, and due diligence for acquisitions in Texas.

Jason is a graduate of the University of Louisiana Lafayette, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics. Mr. Gandy is a member of NAIOP and sits on a National Forum for Investment Management. Jason is also a board member of the Folsom Institute for Real Estate – Southern Methodist University and he holds a Real Estate Sales License in the state of Texas.

John A. Nida joined the firm in 2021. His primary responsibilities are sourcing, underwriting, and closing acquisition and development opportunities consistent with the firm’s investment parameters throughout the Southeast region of the United States. Mr. Nida brings over 20 years of senior operations and business development with a seasoned track record of opportunity identification, business development, networking experience, and leadership success to Sealy & Company.  Driven by the same entrepreneurial spirit found deeply embedded in the culture at Sealy, Mr. Nida’s experience and approach to real estate portfolio management and business operations are an ideal complement to Sealy’s goals for expansion in the Southeast.

John received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Shorter University in Rome, Georgia, where he also completed additional courses in Accounting Studies at Kennesaw State Unversity.  Mr. Nida has served as Chairman of fundraising for Mercy Senior Care (non-profit providing leadership, advocacy, and care for aging adults, Co-Chair for Group for the East End (non-profit focused on protecting and restoring the environment of Eastern Long Island), and Advisory Board of Directors for the Center for Therapeutic Riding of the East End, New York.

Davis Gibbs serves as Director – Investment Services for Sealy & Company. Davis began his internship with the Investment Services team for Sealy & Company in 2014, then joined Sealy taking on his role as Operations Analyst in 2015.  Mr. Gibbs continues to advance in his role and responsibilities within the firm. Davis’s responsibilities include sourcing, underwriting, due diligence, and transaction management for prospective acquisitions, as well as transaction management for all dispositions. He participates in weekly presentations of the investment pipeline to Sealy & Company’s Investment Committee, is responsible for forecasting and reporting the equity capital fundraising activity for Sealy Strategic Equity Partners, and is engaged in business development throughout the state of Florida and the Gulf Coast region of the United States. During his tenure with Sealy & Company, Davis has assisted in over $1.8 billion in real estate acquisitions and managed over $1 billion in asset dispositions.

Mr. Gibbs obtained his J.D. from the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University and his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas, majoring in English and Economics.

Brooks Burgin serves as Associate – Investment Services for Sealy & Company. Brooks joined the Sealy team in 2021 as an Analyst – Investment Services.  Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Burgin served as a Debt & Equity Analyst for Jones Lange LaSalle (formerly Holiday Fenoglio Fowler) in Dallas, TX, where he closed more than $725 Million in placement volume via various capital sources.  Mr. Burgin graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Michael F. Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a minor in Accounting.  Brooks also held multiple internships during his secondary education in Investment Banking, Investment Management, and Private Equity.

Jack Toohey serves as Analyst – Investment Services for Sealy & Company. Jack joined the Sealy team in December of 2022. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Toohey served as an Acquisition Associate for Vaquero Ventures in Fort Worth, TX, where he helped close numerous small land parcel purchases to execute build-to-suit developments for Starbucks and other quick service retail establishments. Mr. Toohey graduated from the Michael F. Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance.  Jack also held internships during his secondary education in the construction of luxury custom homes in the Dallas area.

Peyton Brandt currently holds the position of Analyst – Investment Services at Sealy and Company. He initially joined the Sealy team in 2021 as an Intern while pursuing his studies at Southern Methodist University. During his internship, Peyton actively contributed to the Investment Services team, engaging in various aspects of underwriting, financial analysis, and due diligence management. Mr. Brandt was retained full-time and began working as an analyst in June of 2023. Since starting at Sealy, Peyton has played a significant role in the successful closure of deals totaling over $1.1 billion. Mr. Brandt graduated from the Edwin L. Cox School of Business with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance.

Kevin Broussard is Chief Accounting Officer for Sealy & Company.  Mr. Broussard joined Sealy & Company as an Accounting Manager in April of 2014 and has led the accounting department through Sealy’s significant growth in recent years, including the launch of multiple real estate investment structures.  As Chief Accounting Officer, Mr. Broussard directs the company’s accounting functions and oversees the financial reporting of the company’s real investments.  In addition, Mr. Broussard manages the relationship between Sealy and its external auditors and tax preparation partners.

Prior to joining Sealy & Company, Mr. Broussard worked as an auditor in public accounting, focusing on multifamily real estate partnerships.  Mr. Broussard also proudly served in the Louisiana Army National Guard for six years, including a one-year deployment as a medic for an infantry platoon in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom III, where he was awarded a combat medical badge.  Mr. Broussard received his BBA in Accounting from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of Texas.  Mr. Broussard is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is an active member of his community, serving as a board member for a local non-profit.

William B. Shagets is responsible for the oversight of leasing and property management, management of marketing efforts for all internal and external brokerage groups, and financial reporting for all existing portfolios within the Dallas regions’ industrial portfolio which includes assets in Dallas, El Paso, Nashville, Columbus, and Lexington, KY. In addition, Will’s responsibilities include sourcing and underwriting acquisition and development opportunities and management of the company’s Dallas office.

During his tenure, Mr. Shagets has managed the execution of over 30 million square feet of lease transactions in over eight major markets. Prior to joining Sealy & Company, Will was an Analyst with J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc. in the Not-For-Profit Healthcare Group within the Investment Bank. In this role, Will provided transactional analysis and support to municipal bond offerings in excess of $400 million.

Will graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southern Methodist University in 2002 with a degree in Financial Consulting from the Cox School of Business. He is a member of the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors and is pursuing his CCIM designation.

Mr. Derrick Jones joined Sealy and Company in May 2014 as a Regional Director for the Houston region. Derrick brings 15 years of successful experience representing owners and tenants in transactions throughout Houston, Austin, San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley, and Oklahoma. Mr. Jones’ clients rely on his focused approach, market knowledge, and entrepreneurial spirit in delivering them with value and measurable results.

Prior to joining Sealy & Company, Derrick previously worked with Holt Lunsford Commercial, Verde Realty, and Colliers International. Clients benefiting from his experience have included Principal Financial Group, TIAA-CREF, Cobalt Capital, and TA Realty. Mr. Jones’s outgoing personality, commitment to relationships, and ability to impartially evaluate assets and deals has proven invaluable to those he serves. During his tenure, Derrick has negotiated leases in excess of 6 million square feet for a total lease consideration of $123 million. Additionally, Derrick has provided clients with development, site selection, build-to-suit, marketing, and property management services.

Mr. Jones received his BBA/Marketing and MBA from Lamar University.

Stephen Morehart, Vice President Portfolio Management, joined Sealy & Company in August of 2012. He has consistently grown with the company during his tenure, excelling in all positions beginning with Asset Manager, advancing to Director of Asset Management, and most recently, Vice President – Asset Management. In his capacity as Vice President Portfolio Management, Mr. Morehart oversees the company’s Financial Planning and Analysis which concentrates on financial projections such as cash flow, lender covenants, and equity performance, and Asset Management which focuses on more traditional aspects of real estate ownership including asset valuations, high-level asset strategies, and asset-level performance.

His leadership in this department has contributed significantly to the success of the company’s portfolio. Through the implementation of creative financial analysis, modeling, and forecasting solutions, Mr. Morehart and his team execute the value-add approach Sealy employs.

Prior to joining Sealy & Company, Mr. Morehart served as a Financial Analyst in the oil and energy industry in southern Louisiana. Mr. Morehart received his Finance degree from Louisiana State University and his MBA in Accounting and Finance from Louisiana State University Shreveport.

Tom Foos serves as Vice President – Construction & Development for Sealy & Company.  Joining the firm in 2021, Mr. Foos leads and manages Sealy’s Construction Management department as they continue to deliver quality construction projects on time and in budget. In addition, Mr. Foos will support the Investment Services team in the evaluation of new Joint Venture development opportunities, manage construction aspects of joint venture projects, and serve as Sealy & Company’s development representative.

Mr. Foos brings over 20 years of experience managing land-entitlement, design, and construction activities on a wide variety of real estate development and repositioning projects.  Mr. Foos’s expertise resides in capital improvement planning, execution of value-add repositioning, and partnering with ownership teams to create value in their investments.

Debi Valentine is the Vice President of Human Resources for Sealy & Company. Ms. Valentine joined the firm in 1991 and has 30+ years of human resource management experience and is an active member of the national chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). As the Vice President of HR, she is responsible for leading the human resources department, with a focus on developing and executing recruiting, talent acquisition, and employee relations strategies that represent the organization’s culture and values. Her areas of responsibility include employment, compensation, employee relations, health and welfare, safety, training and development, and compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Prior to joining Sealy & Company, Ms. Valentine worked for Ryder Integrated Services as the Assistant Controller and Human Resources Manager.

Kayte Hollowell is the Vice President of Marketing for Sealy & Company. Ms. Hollowell began her tenure at Sealy in 2011 and is based in the Shreveport office. Over the last decade, Ms. Hollowell has led the company’s brand management and communication efforts to position the company for rapid growth in both the investment and commercial real estate markets. The marketing team’s efforts, lead by Ms. Hollowell, have produced a clear brand image and consistent brand message across all regional offices and business segments owned and affiliated with Sealy & Company. Ms. Hollowell has served as the architect of the company’s brand revitalization strategy, including an updated visual representation of the firm, enhanced internal communications, a programmatic public relations plan, development and design of the corporate website and affiliate websites, launch of digital marketing campaigns, and development of strategic marketing initiatives.

Prior to joining Sealy & Company, Ms. Hollowell demonstrated her entrepreneurial roots by starting a digital advertising and social media management company. The company, built from the ground up, was highly sought after and acquired after three years of successful operations. Ms. Hollowell holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Texas at Tyler.

Jennifer Sanford is Vice President of Operations of Sealy & Company and is responsible for maximizing property operations, mitigating risk, and executing process improvement across Sealy & Company’s portfolio. Ms. Sanford joined the firm in 2017 and oversees property operations, risk management, and tax administration.

Prior to joining Sealy & Company, Ms. Sanford spent seven years as Area Director at The RMR Group LLC, an asset management company providing management services to five publicly owned REITs. Preceding her work at The RMR Group LLC, Ms. Sanford worked five years at CB Richard Ellis, where she was a Senior Property Manager for clients such as Invesco, MassMutual and Argus Realty Investors. Ms. Sanford began her real estate career at iStar Real Estate Services and later joined Wells Real Estate Funds.

Ned Rolfs is Director – Information Technology for Sealy & Company. Mr. Rolfs joined Sealy in July of 2012 and directed the firm’s evolutionary shift from an on-premise technology platform to a cloud-based one. As Director of IT, Mr. Rolfs leads the company’s IT functions and resources to ensure that the Sealy technology infrastructure provides integrated solutions that align with the company’s primary strategic business objectives. In addition, Mr. Rolfs oversees all areas of data governance and manages compliance with industry best practices. Under his direction company’s information resources have advanced their position and become more flexible, scalable, reliable, mobile, and operate on a secure architecture.

Before joining Sealy & Company, Mr. Rolfs worked as a senior software engineer for a company developing the leading software products for the health and human services industry. His past experience focused on front- and back-end web development, MSSQL query, and data structure design, web services, and large system migration/integration projects. Mr. Rolfs received his BS in Computer Science at Louisiana State University.