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Tag: City of Shreveport

  • MHN LIFESTYLE NEWS: Former Texas Southern University basketball standout Andrea Smith Young assumes Community Marketing Partner with Allen Dave Funeral Homes and Crematorium

    MHN LIFESTYLE NEWS: Former Texas Southern University basketball standout Andrea Smith Young assumes Community Marketing Partner with Allen Dave Funeral Homes and Crematorium

    “A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things.” — Barack Obama, 44th President, United States of America

    MAKING IMMEASURABLE STRIDES

    CLIMBING THE CORPORATE LADDER — Andrea Smith Young’s immeasurable competitive drive, coupled with her resilient work ethic, has been nothing short of remarkable since she was recently named a Community Marketing Partner for Allen Dave Funeral Homes and Crematorium. 

    Andrea Smith Young was born and raised in Newellton, Louisiana, a rural Tensas Parish establishment that is comprised of roughly 886 residents, according to the latest U.S. census.

    To her credit, reaping sustained success, by her standards, is centered in large part on thinking outside the box.

    “From a very young age, growing up in a small rural town in Louisiana, I have always been fueled by having a connection with people and a deep competitive drive — not just in the sense of needing to win — but in striving constantly to improve, exceed expectations, and create meaningful impact with compassion and care,” Young told Making Headline News this week.

    Interestingly enough, Young’s immeasurable competitive drive, coupled with her resilient work ethic, has been nothing short of remarkable since she was recently named a Community Marketing Partner for Allen Dave Funeral Homes and Crematorium. 

    MORE ON ADFH: https://www.allendave.com/

    Having joined one of the Southwest Regions finest death care companies of its kind, Young’s chief responsibilities will include oversight of Allen Dave Funeral Homes’ Final Expense Life Insurance Division.

    “I ensure our funeral home’s brand is presented with integrity and empathy in a way that resonates with the communities we serve,” Young said.

    By all accounts, Young is no stranger to Allen Dave Funeral Homes and Crematorium, having worked alongside fellow colleagues Fran Fleming, Executive Director of the Life Insurance Division, and Yolanda O’Neal, Managing Partner of our Life Insurance Division, during which she helped lead the company’s Final Expense Division since June 2024, representing Senior Life’s Final Expense product. ​

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    GOD-ORDERED STEPS — “From a very young age, growing up in a small rural town in Louisiana, I have always been fueled by having a connection with people and a deep competitive drive — not just in the sense of needing to win — but in striving constantly to improve, exceed expectations, and create meaningful impact with compassion and care,” Young told Making Headline News this week.

    In her a new role, Young emphasized, among other things, her strategic mission is centered in large part on bridging the gap between “our services and the communities we serve in a way that fosters trust and establishes long-term relationships through meaningful community connections and outreach strategies that reflect the dignity and respect in which we serve families.”

    “Funeral homes operate in a sensitive space that requires empathy and integrity, so it is important to connect with families in the community, both inside and outside of the funeral home to create an environment where end-of-life planning is more approachable and accepted,” Young explained.

    To her credit, Young undoubtedly possesses the necessary credentials, which will enable her to flourish mightily in her new role.

    A graduate of Newellton High School, where she starred on the varsity basketball team, Young subsequently enrolled at Utica Junior College, where she earned an Associate Degree in Computer Information Systems after enjoying a memorable JUCO hoops stint that landed her in UJC’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

    Consequently, Young continued her collegiate athletic career when she took her talents to Texas Southern University, a Houston-area HBCU where she would ultimately acquire a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration (with a concentration in Management & Marketing), as well as an MBA (with a concentration in Finance).

    As for her new role as Allen Dave Funeral Homes and Crematorium’s Community Marketing Partner, Young doesn’t take lightly the golden opportunity Dr. Allen Dave has afforded her.

    “My family has always been a source of inspiration for me and has been my biggest cheerleaders throughout my long successful career, specifically my husband and son,” Young told MHN. “However, Dr. Allen Dave has played a key role in my decision to join the death care industry and become a member of his team. Having worked with Dr. Dave at The Houston Chronicle over 30 years ago, he continues to serve as one of my mentors as it relates to business and career decisions. I trust his guidance and vision to redefine what it means to honor life and support grieving families. While many followed the path set before them, Dr. Dave, as a first-generation funeral homeowner, has created his own way, which has resulted in him becoming a well-respected death care professional. I aspire to do the same.”

    As Young recalls, when approached by Dr. Dave for her current position, she admittedly sensed such a life-altering milestone was more than just a new role, she acknowledged.

    “I saw a meaningful mission, one that would truly fulfill me professionally,” Young said. “In a field where sensitivity, trust, and relationships are everything, I recognized how my drive to connect deeply with people could help me serve clients with integrity and empathy, develop authentic community relationships, and build a strong local presence rooted in trust.

    “I plan to bring the same drive and initiative I have used in past roles to help families know they have a compassionate and reliable partner when they need one most.”

    DEFINING MOMENTS 

    DREA’S GOT GAME — A graduate of Newellton High School, where she starred on the varsity basketball team, Young subsequently enrolled at Utica Junior College, where she earned an Associate Degree in Computer Information Systems after enjoying a memorable JUCO hoops stint that landed her in UJC’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

    Continued Young, an avid New Orleans Saints fan whom, with her husband, shares one son, a daughter-in-law, and a four-year old grandson:

    “Each day, I strive to be a positive light to others. Whether I am working with community partners, families or colleagues, I want to be a source of encouragement and reassurance. It is imperative that I create a positive environment where people feel seen and appreciated, and where I can build confidence, hope and motivation, not just in others, but in me as well.

    “If I can be an inspiration for even one person each day, then I am making a difference, especially in moments of loss and remembrance. I take pride in uplifting others and showing genuine respect to people from all walks of life.”

    All the while steadfastly thinking outside of the box in process.

    A RELATED STORY

    HEART OF GOLD: Esteemed Texas businesswoman Yolanda Dave O’Neal of The Allen Dave Insurance Group: ‘The bonus is working with my brother’

    For more information about Houston, Texas Businesswoman Andrea Smith Young of Allen Dave Funeral Directors And Cremation Tribute Centers, call (713) 480-2966 or 713-634-2707, or log on to: http://www.allendave.com. Also, join the mailing list by writing to:  Allen Dave Funeral Directors And Cremation Tribute Centers at 2103 Cypress Landing Drive, Houston, Texas 77090, or by sending email to: allendaveusa@yahoo.com.

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    WHAT’S YOUR STORY? If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.

    Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to makingheadlinenews@gmail.com or to memphisgraduate@yahoo.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist or Instagram at @makingheadlinenews. 

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  • HE’S BACK: Longtime death care professional Brandon Leroy Patterson, Sr. returns home as the face of Shreveport Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center

    HE’S BACK: Longtime death care professional Brandon Leroy Patterson, Sr. returns home as the face of Shreveport Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center

    EDITOR’S NOTE: In honor of Brandon Leroy Patterson, Sr.’s continuous success in his chosen profession, Making Headline News deemed it essential to label this feature story our annual New Year Special Report.

    A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men. (Proverbs 18:16 NKJV)

    CEREMONIOUS HOMECOMING 

    ALL-STAR TANDEM — For Brandon L. Patterson, Sr. his immeasurable body of work under the tutelage of his father in this ever-so-competitive death care industry has benefited him mightily throughout the years. So much, in fact, the Shreveport, Louisiana native has returned to his old stomping ground as the face of Shreveport Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center, where he and longtime death care businessman Allen Dave are stakeholders.

    SHREVEPORT, Louisiana — Brandon Leroy Patterson, Sr. has returned back home for all the right reasons.

    “I grew up around funeral homes,” Patterson, Sr., during a recent interview with Making Headline News, said, describing his ceremonious return to his native home state of Louisiana from Texas. “My father owned a chain of funeral homes throughout Northeast Louisiana (Patterson Funeral Homes), and that is where I received my induction and early training in this business. Starting out digging graves and worked my way up to an apprentice.”
    For Patterson, Sr. his immeasurable body of work under the tutelage of his father in this ever-so-competitive death care industry has benefited him mightily throughout the years.
    So much, in fact, the Shreveport, Louisiana native has returned to his old stomping ground as the face of Shreveport Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center, where he and longtime death care businessman Allen Dave are stakeholders.
    Shreveport Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center officially went into operations on January 1, days after Louisiana State Inspector Jude Daigle approved the opening (December 27).

    MORE ON SFH: www.ShreveportFH.com

    A venue that falls under the Houston-based Allen Dave Funeral Directors And Cremation Tribute Center’s umbrella, this is the company’s fourth funeral home location to date, with other locations in Houston, Brenham (Texas), Carthage (Texas).

    Allen Dave Funeral Directors And Cremation Tribute Centers also own a cemetery, as well as a human and pet crematories.

    To his credit, Patterson, Sr. brings a wealth of experience to Shreveport Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center. The fact that he has been afforded the golden opportunity to add to his already remarkably brilliant resume from his native establishment is something by which he doesn’t take lightly.

    “It’s always been a dream of mine to serve my hometown in this industry,” Patterson, Sr., a graduate of Shreveport’s Green Oaks High School, said. “This is a real homecoming for me. I’m so grateful that God has afforded this opportunity to minister to families in my city and offer prestige service in their time of grief.”

    SOLID SUPPORTING CAST — “Of course, my biggest inspiration always comes from my parents,” Patterson, Sr. said. “It was them who instilled the knowledge of this business in me, but it was Mr. and Mrs. Allen Dave who saw something in me that I didn’t even see it myself. Mr. Dave has mentored me down through the years and has helped sharpen the iron that my parents instilled in me. Finally, my greatest support system comes from home, my wife, Shacquline, my children, Brandon, Jr. and Peyton, and my aunt, Marie Hines.

    For what it’s worth, Patterson, Sr. has certainly acquired the essential knowledge and credentials, all of which have greatly enabled him to function in his divine element for such a notable time as now.

    Upon graduating high school, Patterson, Sr. enrolled at Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston, where he earned a degree in Applied Science and Funeral Service in December 2005. Months later, he became nationally certified by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Board.

    Such an achievement ultimately led to Patterson, Sr. assuming an entry level position in September 2007 as a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the state of Louisiana. Much to his delight, he achieved a similar milestone in the Lone Star State in September 2021.

    AND IT CAME TO PASS — Shreveport Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center officially went into operations on January 1, days after Louisiana State Inspector Jude Daigle approved the opening (December 27).

    After putting his immeasurable gifts on display in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, it’s now back to familiar territory in Louisiana, where one of the area’s finest death care industry stakeholders figures to have an even greater impact.

    “Of course, my biggest inspiration always comes from my parents,” Patterson, Sr. said. “It was them who instilled the knowledge of this business in me, but it was Mr. and Mrs. Allen Dave who saw something in me that I didn’t even see it myself. Mr. Dave has mentored me down through the years and has helped sharpen the iron that my parents instilled in me. Finally, my greatest support system comes from home, my wife, Shacquline, my children, Brandon, Jr. and Peyton, and my aunt, Marie Hines.”

    As Patterson, Sr. recalls, the defining moment surrounding his career transpired some 16-plus years ago — November 26, 2005, to put it more precisely.

    “I’ve always had the desire and the drive to be the best at whatever I do, but what just made me go all gas and no brakes was when my father passed,” said Patterson, Sr., referring to his father’s passing two days after Thanksgiving in 2005. “In this business, you’re always helping and caring for others, but when it’s your turn in the hot seat, it hits totally different.

    “My dad, Leroy Patterson, was my hero and a pioneer in this business. When I lost him — and then, only 2 ½ years later, my mother, Patricia Patterson, passed — I was only 21 years old then. I had to grow up…like for real…grow up, realizing that I no longer have either of my parents, and the only way to survive and provide for my family was to become overly consumed in my business.”

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    IMMEASURABLE GROWTH — Allen Dave Funeral Directors And Cremation Tribute Centers also own a cemetery, as well as a human and pet crematories.

    All things considered, Patterson, Sr. doesn’t shy away from the notion that he’s steadfastly exceeded his own lofty expectations, something of which he senses have made his parents proud.

    “I’ve always said if I could succeed in my business, then everything else would fall in line,” Patterson, Sr. said. “As like anything else, life will throw you some curveballs, but it’s up to you in how you deal with them. I chose to take some time and get closer to God and work on myself.”

    As it turned out, it is due in large part because of Patterson, Sr.’s faith, coupled with his fervent desire to excel his chosen profession, that he has been afforded the golden opportunity to add to his already remarkably brilliant resume from his native establishment, something by which he doesn’t merely take lightly.

    MORE ON SFH: www.ShreveportFH.com

    AND ANOTHER ONE — A venue that falls under the Houston-based Allen Dave Funeral Directors And Cremation Tribute Center’s umbrella, this is the company’s fourth funeral home location to date, with other locations in Houston, Brenham (Texas), Carthage (Texas).

    “I’ve always knew what my career choice would be because it’s my passion,” Patterson, Sr. said. “But sometimes, the notoriety can be a bit much for the younger generations. I feel as if God threw me a curveball in 2012 as a sign that if I kept going on that path, I would self-destruct. But now I heard voice of Jesus say, ‘My son it’s time to come back home.”

    And, the rest, as they say, was history.

    For more information about Brandon Leroy Patterson, Sr. of Shreveport Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center, call 318.317.6768, or log on to: www.ShreveportFH.com. Also, send email to: blpattersonsr@gmail.com.
    For more information about Houston-based entrepreneur Allen Dave of Allen Dave Funeral Directors And Cremation, call (713) 480-2966 or 713-634-2707, or log on to: http://www.allendave.com. Also, join the mailing list by writing to:  Allen Dave Funeral Directors And Cremation Tribute Centers at 2103 Cypress Landing Drive, Houston, Texas 77090, or by sending email to: allendaveusa@yahoo.com.

    CONNECT WITH THIS AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST FOR MEDIA EXPOSURE

    EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.

    Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to makingheadlinenews@gmail.com or to memphisgraduate@yahoo.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist or Instagram at @makingheadlinenews.

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