Posted 4:11 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Marketing alumnus gives back in multiple ways.
Marketing alumnus gives back in multiple ways
Joe Laux knows a thing or two about hard work. Before becoming the CEO of River States Truck & Trailer, he started in the workforce with long hours at a meat-packing plant, entry-level work at Dole Foods Company and odd jobs for the New Orleans Saints. “I had glamorous jobs like taking cut players to the airport and telling overweight players they couldn’t eat,” remembers Laux,’89. Now the successful businessman shares his message and experiences with students every chance he gets — especially those at UWL. During fall semester, he spoke at the Silver Eagles Take an Eagle to Dinner event. He shared his journey and passion for business and mentoring the future. [caption id="attachment_51922" align="alignright" width="242"]
Anna Ostrowski, a senior marketing major, calls Joe Laux’s message relatable.[/caption]
Anna Ostrowski, a senior majoring in marketing, says Laux’s message of ‘I was you’ stuck with her. “He made himself one of the students and put himself in a place to be very relatable,” she says. “And it was not just his success stories, but also failures and struggles he encountered.”
Along with sharing his time with UWL students, Laux, who majored in marketing and management, is also sharing his wealth. He is providing a pair of scholarships to fund full, in-state tuition for students. One is for a marketing student. The other will support the top performing junior in the CBA.
The scholarships are the two largest at UWL. Laux is hopeful others will be inspired to follow suit. “UWL gave me a great basis for my future,” he says. “It gave me a great background to understand who I was, and I want to be able to provide opportunities for others to explore and find their path to success.”
That’s a message students like Ostrowski are taking to heart. “He made me believe in myself, my education and my future,” she says.