For Davian Ploger, a chance meeting with an old friend seven years ago has paid off. While working as the marketing manager for a nonprofit organization in Houma, La., Ploger ran into ES&H Owner and President Trey Boucvalt, who was an old childhood friend from Norco, La., and began catching up on old times. One month later, Boucvalt offered Ploger a position as the sales/marketing manager for ES&H. Since then, Ploger has served as the vice president of marketing and is currently serving as the executive vice president/COO.

In his position, Ploger is responsible for the overall daily management of the entire organization, which includes five different business units. According to Ploger, to accomplish this task, he must be able to manage daily company affairs while conducting emergency operations for other organizations.

While growing up in Southeast Louisiana, Ploger’s mother, whom he considers a mentor and hero, often stressed the importance of education. In 1997, Ploger received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southeastern Louisiana University and then went on to receive his MBA. Recently, he completed the first of three modules in the Owner/President Management Program at Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Program. The third module of the nine-week course will be completed in March 2009.

While obtaining an education has helped Ploger in his path to success, he also attributes his competitive attitude and being in the right place at the right time to helping him out. In addition, he credits his childhood friend, Boucvalt.

“He took a chance on a 27-year-old that had a lot of dreams and aspirations and allowed me the opportunity to help take ES&H to the next level,” Ploger said. “He believed in my abilities.”

It has been an exciting time for Ploger since he started working at ES&H. Although he has had to learn difficult lessons along the way — such as learning how not to react to everything you hear the first time and the importance of being honest and consistent with employees — he has had some memorable events. For Ploger, his most memorable event came just recently at a sales retreat. It was at this time that Boucvalt announced to all of the leaders of the business units that Ploger would be the next president of ES&H.

Ploger also had a lot to learn in 2005 when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast, which is where a lot of ES&H’s customers are located. Although a trying time both personally and professionally, Ploger was able to see one good thing out of the situation; he saw what he had accomplished and what ES&H had accomplished as a whole.

“I realized then that the relationships we had built prior to the storms were the driving forces behind our success,” he said.

With those valuable lessons learned behind him, Ploger is keeping an eye on the future of ES&H.

“I want to achieve the creation of a brand name that is recognized throughout the industry as a reliable and solid company,” he said. “I have hopes to continue expanding our organization to become a regional leader in our services and eventually a complete domestic provider of our services.”

Ploger’s journey to the top has also allowed him to gain unique insights about the business world, and he is more than willing to share those insights with those who are on the cusp of their careers.

“Every business executive should stay true to who they are, and don’t let the ugly side of business dissuade them from taking the higher road,” Ploger said. “At the end of the day, each person has his integrity to fall back on, and a person should never do anything that will put them in a position to feel like they compromised their own integrity or principles.”

To stay on top of the news in his industry, Ploger is an avid reader of all industry periodicals. He also enjoys scanning the Web for news on the latest advances in the industry.

In his spare time, Ploger enjoys attending sporting events, reading, working in his yard and spending time with his family, which consists of his wife, Aleesha, and their son, Davian “Porter.” Ploger and his wife are expecting their second child in March 2008.

For more information, please call (985) 851-5350 or e-mail davian@esandh.com.