Forging connections in our community is what Melara Enterprises is all about. We connect leaders in the community through our events, experiences, community partnerships and content. We connect readers to the news and intelligence that informs and entertains. We connect clients to highly targeted and engaged audiences on a plethora of platforms. We connect businesses to opportunities for growth with our custom content and marketing solutions. And we connect rising leaders to a bright future through our executive and custom training.
is to be a company of excellence, innovation and impact every day.
is providing high-value news, information, training and solutions to our community, enabling them—as well as our clients and employees—to connect and to become more knowledgeable and successful.
The pursuit of excellence is the essence of everything we do.
We believe integrity underlies all that we do. We never compromise our integrity or honesty. Our credibility is key to our success.
We are constantly looking at “a better way” to serve our clients and are always open to change and market trends. We anticipate the future and move accordingly.
Our people are our greatest asset, and we are committed to helping them develop and grow.
We have enjoyed much community support as we’ve grown. We feel a commitment to give back and help others.
Creative work produced by Melara Enterprises has been recognized year after year at the national level for its excellence by The Telly Awards, The ADDY Awards, the Society for Professional Journalists, the Alliance of Area Business Publishers, the Society for Features Journalism and others.
Our company has been built on teamwork. Everyone has an important role and must be committed to one another—which is essential to winning and our success. We stand together.
The satisfaction of our customers and the success of our co-workers both depend upon clear, effective and on-going communications. Ask, listen, confirm and follow through. We don’t assume anything.
Our life’s blood is the quality of our products and service. Just enough is not enough. We don’t take shortcuts, and we do sweat the details.
Our tradition of excellence has made our company highly recognized and respected in our community. We are each ambassadors of these brands from the day we join the team, through our actions, words and appearance. Protect the brand and enhance it.
Part of our DNA is taking time to celebrate our successes with our teammates and our families.
We continually seek ways to exceed our goals, our past achievements and our customers’ expectations.
Our company embraces the inevitable change in the marketplace and adapts rapidly to meet new challenges. Our ability to adapt is critical to our ability to grow, remain relevant and continue our success.
Being a team means everyone is important and has a role to play in contributing ideas, voicing concerns, helping others and solving problems. Sitting on the sidelines is not an option.
Supportive and cooperative co-workers build trust and achieve greater results for the team. We offer help when it is needed and treat everyone with respect.
We, the employees of Business Report, 225, inRegister, 1012 Industry Report, Studio E, Leadership Academy and 21st Century Business Forum are the owners of Our Way, and we are responsible for its development, execution and success every day!
Our employees are our most important resources.
Melara Enterprises embraces inclusivity and values our diverse community. We want to build diverse teams based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
uthor, entrepreneur and longtime media executive Julio Melara launched Melara Enterprises when he acquired Louisiana Business Inc. from his longtime partner, Rolfe McCollister. The company operates four major vertical media brands—Baton Rouge Business Report, 225, inRegister and 10/12 Industry Report—each with robust websites, digital newsletters, community events and more.
Under Julio’s leadership, the multimedia company is diversifying into new products and services for clients and the community. This includes Studio E, which provides custom creative and marketing services to clients. Additionally, the Baton Rouge Business Report Executive Leadership Academy provides management- and executive-level training to rising leaders and organizations as well as custom training solutions.
In 2020, Julio founded the 21st Century Business Forum. This monthly webcast with affiliates across the country is designed to provide insight, ideas and inspiration from top business people and thought leaders in America to entrepreneurs, small business owners and executives as they face unprecedented change in the marketplace. Guests have included Forbes CEO Steve Forbes, championship coach Nick Saban, top CEO Junior Bridgeman and others.
Melara Enterprises is a regional multimedia company that produces market-leading vertical brands that reach decision-makers in business and industry, the influential and affluent and rising young professionals. Our B2B and B2C teams provide premium news and entertainment for our readers and unique marketing opportunities for our clients, connecting with about 4 million readers annually across multiple platforms and earning nearly 23 million views and impressions. We also produce celebrated experiences and events, including the Power Breakfast, Business Awards + Hall of Fame, Influential Women in Business, the Business Symposium featuring Best Places to Work and Top 100 Private Companies, Forty Under 40, 225 Hot Off the Press and more. Our content and creative studio offers custom end-to-end solutions for companies and organizations, and our executive leadership academy helps prepare our future leaders.
BusinessReport.com is the top source of news, analysis and information on business in South Louisiana for decision-makers in the private and public sectors. In addition to producing the twice-daily Daily Report, our award-winning staff publishes a monthly business magazine, Baton Rouge Business Report, that provides deeper analysis, commentary, special reports and features for our executive-level readership. Business Report also produces multiple live community events such as Best Places to Work, Top 100 Private Companies, Influential Women in Business and more, and maintains critical data about top companies in key sectors of our community, all with the aim of providing valuable information, insight and experiences for our readers and advertisers.
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225 is a lifestyle brand for young professionals that covers the people, places, food, events and arts and culture that make Baton Rouge such a unique, special place to live. It is a free news source, continually publishing content on 225batonrouge.com, the 225 app and its social media presence on instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The 225 Daily newsletter is published five times a week, and new editions of 225 Magazine are released 12 times per year on newsstands around the region, along with the annual publication Tiger Pride, published in the August edition. Since its 2005 launch, the brand's mission has been to help Baton Rouge and explore, discover and connect on a deeper level with their community. Explore any of 225's channels and you’ll find content as varied as a review on that new restaurant you’ve been dying to try, coverage of local trends, profiles digging inside the minds of a local community leaders making waves or athletes catching attention on the field, interviews with local bands and artists, visually driven photo essays and style shoots, and in-depth coverage of people making our city a better place.
inRegister is an upscale lifestyle brand that brings a distinctive voice to coverage of the people, places and organizations that enrich the lives of the residents of the Capital Region. From philanthropy to culture to features on fabulous homes, inRegister brings readers an insiders’ view of the very best of Baton Rouge. The monthly inRegister magazine, inRegister.com and the inRegister@Home newsletter cover the can’t-miss events while also spotlighting the people who make our area a better place. inRegister is more than an expression of the community it serves. We are committed to strengthening the fabric of Baton Rouge through signature events, media partnerships, strategic print and online advertising opportunities and community sponsorships.
10/12 Industry Report provides news, data, analysis and insight into the petrochemical and oil and gas industries in South Louisiana, as well as industrial expansion along the 10/12 corridor from Lake Charles to New Orleans. 1012industryreport.com and 10/12 Weekly keep decision-makers and other readers apprised of critical news as it happens, while the biannual print edition features profiles and interviews with important industry executives and comprehensive features on current industrial trends, projects and companies. Readers of 1012industryreport.com, 10/12 Industry Report and 10/12 Industry Weekly newsletter comprise top-decision makers in industry including executives, business owners, contractors—and community leaders who impact this sector.
From analysis and viewpoints on key issues impacting industry to local and regional news from across the corridor, the award-winning 10/12 Industry Report brand is a key component in the toolkit of anyone involved in making decisions about future projects in this geographic arena or marketing to this very important target base.
Studio E is a content and creative studio, connecting brands + audiences. It’s a one-stop shop, comprised of seasoned writers, photographers, videographers, graphic designers and more with a deep understanding of what resonates with audiences. It has an innovative approach to optimizing content in creative ways on multiple platforms. The studio is guided by both art and science, crafting strategies derived from data and instinct. It is adept at building―and sustaining―loyal audiences around a brand. Capabilities include strategy, creative, multimedia, digital and events, though Studio E is constantly evolving to explore and collaborate with our clients to achieve their goals. Studio E’s toolbox is unique to every project and its approach is entrepreneurial.
The Business Report Executive Leadership Academy has become a sought-after, energizing and career-enhancing program. Offered twice yearly, in the spring and fall, the program is presented in five sessions on Fridays. Class size is limited to ensure a personalized experience.
This exclusive program for advancing professionals and entrepreneurs offers the best of personal development, professional growth, leadership exposure and insight from guest CEO speakers. High performers are nominated by their CEO to participate in the academy to elevate their leadership skills. Entrepreneurs and small business owners can also apply.
This unique learning experience will enable participants to grow via personal and professional development, leveraging innate leadership strengths; guest speakers who provide leadership exposure and fresh perspectives; and a professional network of like-minded peers from a cross section of industries and organizations.
The 21st Century Business Forum is a national monthly webcast series featuring a lineup of successful top executives, experts, and global thought leaders who share ideas and insights as business executives, entrepreneurs, owners and managers navigate the new year ahead. It airs on the second Wednesday of each month, interviewing guests in a Q&A format via a high-end virtual studio. Past featured speakers include Forbes CEO Steve Forbes, leadership expert John Maxwell, championship coach Nick Saban, Dollar Shave Club founder Michael Dubin, top CEO Junior Bridgeman, Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot and Super Bowl champion quarterback Drew Brees.
Julio Melara launched Melara Enterprises when he acquired Louisiana Business Inc. He is also the founder of Business Report's Executive Leadership Academy and The 21st Century Business Forum. An accomplished national speaker, he is the author of Do You Have The Time For Success?, It Only Takes Everything You've Got!, Keys To Performance, and Mental Snacks – Nourishment For Your Mind and Fuel For Your Life! He was honored with the E.A. “Pete” Goldsby Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Liz provides marketing insights and strategies to grow the sales teams for all Melara Enterprises brands. She and her own team connect advertisers with the affluent and influential readers of inRegister, a monthly lifestyle brand about people, homes, cuisine and social events that make our community an extraordinary place to live. In her decade-plus years in media sales, she excels at creating integrated marketing campaigns for clients and has been recognized with the distinguished Excellence in Sales and Marketing Award.
Penny has a passion for journalism that makes a difference, epic photography, engaging graphic design and platforms that provide new opportunities for storytelling. She is a national award-winning writer and editor with more than three decades of experience in metro markets, including Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas and Baton Rouge. She manages the product lines for Melara Enterprises, including 225, inRegister, Greater Baton Rouge Business Report and Studio E. Her expertise is multimedia publishing, media relations, branding, and strategy.
Erin and her team are reinventing the way clients connect with Melara Enterprises audiences. They are focused on serving local businesses, growing their revenue, and addressing their pain points by delivering premium hyperlocal content with marketing strategies that work. She also oversees sales for [225] Magazine and Studio E. She was honored with the Louisiana Press Association's President’s Award in 2006 and 2018 and the 2011 Louey Award by the Louisiana Travel Association and former Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne.
Guy oversees the day-to-day management of Melara Enterprises. His extensive corporate experience includes president of a manufacturing and global marketing firm and senior communications manager for The Dow Chemical Company. Past leadership positions include board chairperson of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s District Export Council, St. Joseph’s Academy, Manufacturing Partnership of Louisiana, the Iberville Chamber of Commerce; he currently is a board member and strategic planning chair for St. Vincent DePaul Baton Rouge.
JR is the associate publisher and executive editor of the Baton Rouge Business Report, overseeing all print and digital operations. He has more than three decades of journalism experience, including 19 at Business Report as a writer, columnist, editor and executive. He also spent four years as managing editor at The Times-Picayune/nola.com, overseeing statewide digital news operations. The first 10 years of his professional career were spent covering LSU athletics.
As publisher and editor of inRegister, Kelli is passionate about discovering the best of our city and sharing it with the magazine's readers. She is an editor and writer whose career has taken her from newspapers and public relations to catalogs and magazines. Her work has garnered awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society for Features Journalism. She was editor of Mississippi Magazine and House & Home before joining inRegister in 2014.
Tiffany leads the business office at Melara Enterprises. She manages financial reporting and analysis for the company, as well as human resources and other business functions. She has an MBA and graduated with honors from Nicholls State University. She brings more than six years of experience in accounting and finance to Melara Enterprises. In her spare time, Tiffany enjoys traveling, cooking, and taste-testing all the great restaurants Baton Rouge has to offer.
Taylor Gast brings an array of communications, media and marketing expertise to her role as Studio E Director. With a background in the private and public sectors, she adds a wealth of experience in brand development and management, public relations, community engagement and product innovation to create business solutions that drive growth. Taylor enjoys translating clients’ visions and business objectives into innovative marketing solutions.
Jo and her team infuse content and advertising in all its forms with the power of graphic design. Under her leadership, her team specializes in visual communications for Melara Enterprises' print and digital media as well as internal marketing initiatives and custom work for clients of Studio E. With more than 25 years in production, she calls Baton Rouge home after working in New York for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and in advertising in Houston. She holds two masters degrees—one in library and information sciences from the University of North Texas; the other in design management from the Pratt Institute.
James is the ‘people person’ at Melara Enterprises. He and his team manage audience needs for all our brands, ensuring readers get our content on newsstands and in their mailboxes and inboxes. They also deep dive into analytics so our writers and advertisers better understand our audiences and the kind of content that resonates. As a ‘side gig,’ James—a self-taught web developer with a degree in economics from LSU—is the resident expert on all things digital for the company: websites, advertising platforms and more. His specialties: front-end web development, digital marketing, advertising technology, analytics and digital strategy.
Kelly and her team are on a singular mission to help area businesses and South Louisiana thrive. She’s the one to see to get your brand in front of Business Report’s highly targeted audience of C-Suite executives and organizational leaders, whether it be via a multifaceted digital campaign, on screen and in the script of a major community event like the Business Awards & Hall of Fame, or front and center in the legendary Top 100 Private Companies issue or other editions. A graduate of LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communications, she’s a seasoned integrated marketing professional who is passionate about B2B messaging.
Jennifer is an award-winning magazine editor with more than a decade of experience leading lifestyle and design magazines. She has been the editor of 225 Magazine since 2014, and has led the brand into new frontiers with a digital-first philosophy, a daily newsletter, engaging events and exclusive original content for social media platforms. Through its many print and digital channels, 225 has become the must-read publication for discovering Baton Rouge arts, food, events and people. Jennifer is also an active board member of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and a founding member of the Arts Ambassadors.