Davis was often at the front of sit-ins and protests and would transfer years came on the advice of his parents, who deemed it best their son leave “for my own safety.” All the while, the good Father was present and steering Davis to-
ward adulthood. “I asked him what should I do as an adult, and what should I go to
- more economic empowerment so black people could own their own technical assistance to black business- es throughout the south.” Davis heeded the advice and
earned a degree in accounting from Louisiana-Lafayette (then the Uni- versity of Southwestern Louisiana). - keeper and learned many facets of accounting. After a three-year military stint following college, Davis returned
able to do well with the sheltering operation is a lot of the skill sets that we have in our business, an arena or a convention center, are easily transferable into a sheltering operation. We’re in the business of pro- we are interacting with all segments of our community. “When we started having the evacuees come into our building, it
“We’re in the business of providing services to people from all walks of life.”
director. When an opportunity arose for a business director position at to a new industry.
Making A Difference At Home couple of minutes to list their various jobs and positions. For Davis, the answer for his career path goes like this: “I was promoted to assistant ever since.” What sounds and reads like a tidy, clean career path took a turn for
interview at the time his venue was used as a shelter, “I’m not just an arena manager anymore.”
-
provide the same quality guest service to his new tenants as he would his premier suite holders. them that because my understanding of a refugee was someone that was leaving their country and going to another country for help. I didn’t think they were refugees. I thought they were evacuees. Once they arrived and we processed them into our shelter, we called them residents. We treated them as though the Cajundome was their home. For all of the employees of the Cajundome, when we went to work and walked in to the Cajundome, we considered ourselves walking in to the It would be their home for some two months. Davis got to know
the residents, and the residents got to know Davis. Portable showers - residents had found other living accommodations, Davis had a time
- ering that service is something we are in the business of doing on a daily basis in the operation of the arena and convention center that we have. I was then asked to help write a mega-shelter operation manual for Davis had been very active in his
professional association membership prior to Katrina and served on nu-
and the buses headed toward Lafayette.
grew up and wants to have an impact especially in public education. “If we could deliver quality education for every child in the region
and state, that over time would have an impact on the poverty rate in the state,” he said. “We would have more children and more adults getting good jobs and working their way out of poverty. I have devoted myself to the recovery of our state with a focus on public education.”
Remembering The Stories - worked the shift, went home, took a shower, got two or three hours of sleep, and headed back to work. Alcoholics Anonymous, who noted that there was likely some people in the shelter that needed to have their weekly meeting. “I said, OK, even though we had a hundred things to do,” Davis said. “I walked out to the shelter, found (medical director) Dr. Paul Azar, and told him why the lady was here. Dr. Azar went to the lady
two children in tow.
the front door here. I brought them in to the workroom. I asked the they told was just phenomenal. All they wanted was someone to talk It is a recount from a man who lives now with compassion not only
for himself but for everyone else. Compassion? Fear? For Greg Davis, compassion wins every time. FM
R.V. Baugus is senior editor of magazine. IAVM 19
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