His grandfatherstarted Bernhard Mechanicalin Lafayette in 1919. Former state Sen. Mike Michot of Lafayette, a long-time friend of Robideaux who served in the state legislature with the mayor-president, works at The Picard Group. Earlier this year, Bernhard Capital Partners acquired electrical contractor W.A. How much money Enwave makes off the deal will fluctuate annually based on natural gas prices and the price of the energy Enwave produces for LSU, said LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. LSU commissioned Husch Blackwell law firm to investigate past handlingof abuse and sexual assault cases at the University. It's about morality. Founded as a traditional MEP consulting engineering company, the firm quickly added energy service offerings focused on helping clients reduce costs and conserve energy. (2011), A DURABLE FIRE . Westinghouse, a subsidiary of Toshiba, selected The Shaw Group in 2008 to build nuclear reactors in Georgia andSouth Carolina. Game Changers. Today, BCP has seven portfolio companies in the energy services sector, according to The Business Report. Richmond has not faced a Republican challenger since 2012, and in his most recent election last year was not even challenged by a Democrat. Richmond, the 46-year-old congressman, has represented the residents of Reserve, and most of the people living in a densely polluted area between New Orleans and Baton Rouge referred to as Cancer Alley, for almost a decade. We are fighting for our childrens lives., 'Were just waiting to die': the black residents living on top of a toxic landfill site, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Hybrid remote in NYC, free family medical benefits, great pay and company The driving force behind Shaw Group becoming a Fortune 500 company and the guy launching another upper deck financial grand slam with Bernar The company will also provide financing for initial improvements to LSU's energy plant and distribution systems, which LSU will pay back later on. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. We serve customers across the nation, offering in-house expertise and a proven approach backed by more than 100 years of experience. Two cities Lafayette and one from another state are in the running to host NextGen's headquarters where 1,000 people, most local, would be employed. The firm, Bracewell LLP, began lobbying for Denka in March 2017. ATC Associates isan environmental consulting and engineering firm whose national business headquarters is in Lafayette, Jenkins said. Breaux, Bernhard Brothers, and MCC. When LSU Police investigated allegations in 2018 that a football player was abusing the tennis player he was dating, multiple witnesses told o. John Bel Edwards offered Jim Bernhard an appointment to the LSU Board of Supervisors. In 2008, The Shaw Group and Westinghouse, alongside Gov. And then he left, leaving Hampton and Taylor to hold a 20-minute meeting with an aide from his office. According to The Baton Rouge Business Report, the company raised $1.2 billion in less than a year. The company continued to expand in the 1990s, acquiring fabrication and pipe companies, including companies in The Netherlands, Venezuela, the U.K. and Australia, and grew into the construction and engineering areas. In exchange, the company would give the city a one-time payout of about $246 million and assume more than $200 million of outstanding LUS debt while keeping most of the revenue LUS generates, according to a preliminary proposal. Two months before LSU started negotiating with Bernhard and Enwave, Gov. James Bernhard. A former chairman of the Louisiana Democratic State Central Committee who served on Gov. RELATED: What would Lafayette get for LUS? But they only got two minutes. He was accompanied by an executive of Shintech, which was planning a $1 billion PVC plant in Louisiana, a construction contract Shaw was interested in winning. Alexandra Reyes thought she had an airtight case of sexual misconduct for LSU to investigate. Joseph told officers that Bernhard had told him on one of the calls that police had an arrest warrant out for Davis. in Construction Management from Louisiana State University. The firms grew and expanded as the needs of Louisiana grew and expanded. Peggy Elaine Bernhard, age 63, passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 26th. Shawcashed in. LSU has commissioned the Husch Blackwell to investigate past handlings of abuse and sexual assaultallegations on campus. LSU'S trouble's just beginning thanks to Jim Bernhard! During an LSU investigation in 2018 regarding football player Drake Davis' abuse of his then-girlfriend, tennis player Jade Lewis, multiple witnesses informed officers they were afraid of coming forward because of potential repercussions from Baton Rouge businessman Jim Bernhard, according to the Advocate. . Blanco's husband, Raymond, in January 2005, stirred controversy when heflew to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on The Shaw Group's private jet. Bernhard was president, CEO and chairman of the board. LSU's cogeneration power plant at the southeast corner of Tiger Stadium, Tuesday, April 30, 2019, in Baton Rouge, La. Deficiencies the Shaw executive listed ranged from the company being unable to separate improperly made parts to incorrectly storing construction materials, Reuters reported. As he was leaving, the congressman was asked: How about writing them [Denka] a letter?. Bernhard, who founded the company 25 years ago, is expected to leave Shaw when Chicago Bridge buys the company.Sep 20, 2012. of abuse and sexual assault cases at the University. The Shaw Group, Bernhard said, was an aggressive company and he wouldn't apologize for that. Peggy was the youngest of four born on Mother's Day on May 12, 1957 to James "Jimmy" and Barbara Bernhard.. Bernhard is mentioned by name in seven separate instances in police reports about Davis' alleged abuse of LSU tennis player Jade Lewis. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of battery and one count of violation of a protective order. BATON ROUGE, LAThe United States Attorney's Office announced that today JAMES M. BERNHARD, III, age 37, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Brian A. Jackson to twenty-seven (27) months of imprisonment. We are fighting for our lives. He backed legislation that experts said would undermine environment reviews for liquefied natural gas infrastructure. He serves as Chairman of the Investment Committee, serves on the Portfolio Committee and is involved in all areas of the Firm's investment activities. But the references to Bernhard in the police reports about Davis do not concern the wide receivers upbringing. They haven't attended a council meeting, where they would have to answer questions in public, and Robideaux said last week it was decided it would be best to present to the council when the final proposal is complete. "I have not seen the police reports and do not know the identity of the witnesses to whom you refer," Bernhard wrote in an email. The Shaw Group sued, alleging the Bernhard group was trying to capitalize on the Shaw name, The Advocate reported. Witnesses said they worried about losing their anonymity because of Bernhard's influence and facing consequence for reporting Davis' actions, which included seriously injuring Lewis. You have permission to edit this article. In September 2011, Shaw announced it would sell its 20 percent share in Westinghouse back to Toshiba. The witness told Segar, who then reported it to police, that she was worried about her safety because of possible threats originating from the family of Mr. Davis. Segar also told police that she believed the Bernhard family had provided a lawyer for one of the witnesses in the case potentially Lewis herself though the names are redacted from the police reports. "Notwithstanding what the police reports indicate thesewitnessesmay have said, I did not discourage Jade Lewis from reporting nor threaten retaliation against anyone. It has now surfaced. (redacted) went on to say that shortly after the incident Mr. Davis was contacted by his adopted father Jim Bernhard, who Ms.(redacted) explained gives him money and is best friends with all the police officers, police wrote in their report. Looking at his face, it didnt really seem like he was interested, Hampton recalled. Bernhard was in the running for Energy Secretary under President Barack Obama and has toyed with the idea of running for governor on several occasions. Hampton and Taylor have lost numerous relatives to the disease over decades, could almost double the amount of toxic air pollution, and vote for the Keystone XL pipeline in 2015, Cedric Richmond has received $128,000 from chemical firms, Local residents: It was like he was trying to brush us off. Tres Bernhard, who is a senior aide who directs special projects from Baton Rouge, was in 2013 sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for committing wire fraud and diverting nearly $500,000 from his former law firm to himself. With the successful combination of engineering, construction, service, and finance, Bernhard continues to create opportunities to serve our clients with the hard work, quality service, and innovative solutions they have come to expect. He can receive contributions but the bottom line is you have to be accountable to your constituents.. Witnesses have reported that Davis continued to abuse Lewis after he bonded out of jail. The Bernhards live on a sprawling setup behind gates near the Country Club of Louisiana. INDEPENDENT Born into a Baton Rouge-area family with a mechanical contracting company now run by his brother, Bernhard, who is known as Jim, graduated with a degree in construction from. Brown & Root Takes Top Honors at GBRIAs 15th Annual Craft Workforce Development Awards Banquet, Brown & Root Expands Support of Life House Through Foundation, Brown & Root Leaders Announce Strengthened Safety and Giving Goals at Annual Summit, Brown & Root Wins ABC 2019 National Excellence in Construction Eagle Award, 2019 ABC National Excellence in Safety Award. It was spun out in a 2017 IPO, and its stock has been in the fast lane. When news leaked in July about the possible sale or management of LUS, it caused a stir in the city and among City-Parish Council members, who were left out of the conversation. The LSU board did not disclose the price of the deal during the meeting, but LSU officials confirmed it afterward. Madison, Wisconsin USA. In 2019, Bernhard achieved a major milestone with the passing of its 100th year in the engineering and contracting business. Segar showed them pictures of bruises around her neck. Jim Bernhard, partner at Bernhard Capital, . There was a problem saving your notification. (aka JimBobBillyRay) Left this world October 17, 2018 after a year long battle with cancer. In a time of need, the project provided LSU a location to serve the community and operate as a triage center during Hurricane Katrina. One of his guys came to our first meeting but he never offered any help. Ballard said that the $27 million annual payments to Enwave position LSU to save $3 million annually over 30 years or a $90 million cost savings total. See Photos. Davis told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune in 2015 that he moved into the Bernhard home in sixth grade and that Jim Bernhard and his wife, Dana, became his permanent guardians. Davis was arrested in August 2018 due to his abuse of Lewis. Hiswife and his wife's parents are from Lafayette and his father previously lived here. This is exactly the way its supposed to work, said Robert Dampf, the LSU board chairman during the meeting. Bernhard Capital Partners is a service and infrastructure-focused private equity management firm established in 2013 by Jim Bernhard, Jeff Jenkins and a team of experienced private-equity . Still, the financial weight of major polluters in Louisiana politics is substantial. Baton Rouge, LA 70802, 5511 Virginia Way, Unit 310 He also donated $100,000 to Broomes MoveEBR campaign for new roads, and $100,000 last year to the Louisiana Democratic Party. In the early years, the company focused on plumbing and custom sheet metal fabrication. People named Jim Bernhard. or. One football player, whose name is redacted in the police report, said Lewis told him Bernhard had warned her directly against coming forward. Hampton and Taylor say they were told that Richmond would sit down with them and hear about the years-long fight for clean air in their hometown. The founder of the Shaw Group, Jim Bernhard, owed about $45,846 for his Highland Road estate. Some feared they would face consequences for reporting that Davis was abusing his girlfriend in ways that included choking her, punching her hard enough to fracture a rib and more. He serves as Chairman of the Investment Committee, serves on the Portfolio Committee and is involved in all areas of the Firms investment activities. After building The Shaw Group into a $3 billion company, Bernhard brokered its sale to Chicago Bridge & Iron, a Dutch company. Structural Info Known for movies The Saber 2007 as The Voice The Trust 1993 as Mr. Swenson Source IMDB Ms (redacted) expressed to Ms. Segar fear over retaliation because Mr. Davis has told her that his legal guardian, Jim Bernhard, would have her deported from the country and kicked out of LSU if she revealed their violent relationship, police recorded from their interview with Segar. Rolfes said Richmond could lobby for stricter regulation and enforcement and push federal agencies to conduct more environmental reviews on new polluting projects, but instead hes missing in action.. A Shaw executive wrote in response, "The level and effectiveness of management oversight of daily activities was determined to be inadequate based on the quality of work.". Bernhard did not explain his reasons for turning down the seat, though LSU has been in discussions with Bernhard Capital about privatizing the school's energy systems. The next day, the witness who was worried about her safety told police that Davis had continued to abuse Lewis after he bonded out of jail. LSU board awards massive energy deal after secretive negotiations without public bid. Reserve, a majority African American working-class neighbourhood, is the centre of a year-long Guardian series, Cancer Town, examining local residents fight for environmental justice in an area where the risk of cancer is 50 times the national average, according to the EPA. James. Chief Executive Jim Bernhard will walk away with more than $36 million in severance payments if the company's proposed $3 billion sale Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. goes through early next year as planned. During their short interaction, according to Hampton, Taylor and one other present for the meeting, Richmond acknowledged community concerns over emissions from the plant, operated by the Japanese chemicals company Denka, and described them as a worry. James M. "Tres" Bernhard III pleaded guilty Wednesday in Baton Rouge federal court to one count of wire fraud and admitted that he schemed to divert $453,123 of his former law firm's money to. After posing for a quick photograph, where he smiled and placed his hand on Mary Hamptons left shoulder, Richmond began to exit. Continuing its expansion, MCC opened mechanical construction offices in Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina. Lee said the high levels of donations from fossil fuel and chemicals companies are simply a reflection of the industrys importance to the states economy. Tom Ford Jim Bernhard net worth is $200,000 Jim Bernhard Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Jim Bernhard is an actor, known for The Saber (2007) and The Trust (1993). Bernhard is mentioned by name in seven separate instances in police reports about former LSU wide receiver Drake Davis abuse of LSU tennis player Jade Lewis, who has recently spoken out publicly for the first time. Click "Submit" to let the Reveille's student journalists know. Both Mary Hampton and Robert Taylor described their recent interaction with Richmond as another moment they have felt let down by their elected officials. An affiliate of the company, Bernhard Capital Partners, is a client of lobbyist TyronPicard who owns The Picard Group in Lafayette. In 2000, Shaw ventured into the utility industry, partnering with Entergy to createEntergyShaw to build power plants. Motley Fool Blogger Benjamin Ra, in March 2015, called Shaw "a hodgepodge mix of substandard companies clobbered together by an ambitious management." "We're not in the utility business," Bernhard said. When Jim Bernhard retired from The Shaw Group in the wake of his company's 2013 acquisition by CB&I, some speculated he would run for office. Around 1986 or 1987, he and two friends spent $50,000 to take over the assets of a bankrupt pipe fabricatorwhen Louisiana's oilfield was struggling to recover from a major downturn. Jim Bernhard. The company manages several billion dollars, making it the largest private equity firm in Louisiana, Bernhard said. Bernhard stepped down as CEO of The Shaw Group in the wake of that companys 2013 acquisition by CB&I. Jim Bernhard is best known for founding The Shaw Group, which he sold in 2012 after 25 years in operation. Former LSU wide receiver Drake Davis, who had been accused previously of beating his girlfriend, faces additional charges after police found t. The plant is still operating today, but its construction resulted in a major lawsuit between LSU and Bernhard Mechanical, along with a state Ethics Board scandal. Bernhard stepped down as CEO of The Shaw Group in the wake of that companys 2013 acquisition by CB&I. Leveraging this newly combined expertise, the firm quickly began to implement its Energy-as-a-Service vision with projects at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans; AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas; the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock; and beyond. Louisiana Energy Partners will design and build LSU's energy plant and distribution systems. In LSU's Drake Davis case, witnesses said they feared wealthy businessman's retaliation. At the time, Blanco denied any political favors were involved. There was a problem saving your notification. The three are working together under the name Louisiana Energy Partners. Richmond declined to comment on why he missed those votes. In This Article. Les Miles reached a secret settlement with an LSU student, sources say. Staff Writer Sam Karlin contributed to this report. Jim Bernhard Jr. may not be a household name in Lafayette, but lots of people in Baton Rouge and around the globe know his former company, The Shaw Group, which he founded and grew into a Fortune 500 company. He tells The DailyAdvertiser his grandmother grew up in Lafayette. But he has also kept the states Democratic establishment firmly onside. He said board members used their expertise to help negotiate with the two companies and to bring the deal over the finish line. When police interviewed her on Aug. 17, 2018, Lewis told them about several times that Davis had attacked her. Bernhard was appointed to the Board of Supervisors over the summer by Gov. Breaux, and TME came together to work on what would be the firms first Energy-as-a-Service project: the Louisiana State University Cogeneration Plant. The sale was finalized in February 2013. (redacted) was very adamant that his name stayed out of this report because he feared team ramifications and repercussions from Jim Bernhard.. As a new report shines light on LSU's failures to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct and Title IX violations, The Advocate | Times-P, I have not seen the police reports and do not know the identity of the witnesses to whom you refer, Bernhard wrote in an email. Former LSU tennis player Jade Lewis is accusing LSU women's tennis coach Julia Sell of looking the other way while multiple people reported in. Former LSU football player Drake Davis, who recently pleaded guilty to a series of domestic violence charges, was arrested early Sunday after . At a time when there were limited opportunities in Louisiana, the brothers took a leap of faith to open a mechanical and plumbing business. Today, Bernhards mission is to deliver innovative engineering, construction, and energy solutions that empower our clients and promote a sustainable future. Receive the latest news and updates from Bernhard, directly to your inbox. Were always looking for talented individuals with a passion for creating new ideas and delivering quality service. Robert Taylor, Mary Hampton and Cedric Richmond in Washington DC. Drake Davis, already jailed for domestic abuse and thrown off LSU football team, arrested again, Jim Bernhard one of four new appointees to LSU's board of supervisors by John Bel Edwards, Baton Rouge businessman donates $60,000 to pay for home internet for 1,000 families in town, Videos of nude children found on Drake Davis' cell phone; ex-LSU WR faces more charges, LSU mishandled sexual misconduct complaints against athletes, students, USA Today reports, Who's funding the Baton Rouge mayor-president race? Bernhard LLC includes Bernhard Mechanical, the company Jim Bernhard Jr.'s grandfather created nearly 100 years ago,and E.P. A football player said something similar in another police interview, telling them he is scared of Jim Bernhards 'power but he has not been threatened by Mr. Bernhard., When police interviewed LSU wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph, they wrote that his phone history showed he had three calls with Bernhard one morning in August. John Bel Edwards bestowed upon him in July. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. The university budgets $30 million annually for utilities, operations and maintenance. The Memorial Tower sits on Dalrymple Drive on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. RELATED: Bernhard says LUS management proposal two weeks away. Jim is regarded as an expert in the energy services industry and has testified before the U.S. Senates Energy Subcommittee to discuss pending energy issues in the United States and across the globe. At the time, The Shaw Group employed as a lobbyist Joe Albaugh, a former FEMA director and former national campaign manager for the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign, according toThe Washington Post and Newsweek.