Editor's note: This is the first in a series on the six chosen as part of the annual Women Who Mean Business awards by the United Way of Acadiana. For tickets, visit bit.ly/womenwhomeanbusiness2024.
Diane Meaux Broussard never set out to be Vermilion Parish's clerk of court or even its first female elected official. But ever since winning an election in 2004, she has helped the parish weather hurricanes and continues to strive to create a more accessible court system.
After 20 years of service and surviving cancer twice, she has no plans of stopping any time soon. In her eyes, she was born for this position with service to her community being of the utmost importance and one of her greatest joys.
Broussard is among the six women to be honored at the Women Who Mean Business awards presented by Home Bank and hosted by the United Way of Acadiana. A banquet will be at 5:30 p.m. May 9 at The Jefferson, 500 Jefferson St.
"My motto is service with a smile," she said. "I've worked very hard to achieve that."
Before running for clerk of court, Meaux Broussard was introduced to the intricacies of the court system through her role in land deals in the oil and gas industry. Spending much of her days in local courts, she became fascinated with the moving parts of the court system.
In 2004, she would became the parish's first female elected official and first female clerk of court.
Just over a year after taking office, Hurricane Rita tore through southwest Louisiana. In Vermilion Parish during hurricanes, elected officials were given roles to assist their community during emergencies. Meaux Broussard, in her capacity as clerk of court, coordinated a distribution center out of a local church that collected supplies from all across the United States to give to Vermilion Parish residents.
"The clerk of court to this day is still in charge of water, ice and nonperishables," she said. "I was thinking a few gallons of water, a few bags of ice and cans of corn. It lasted three months."
Digitizing nearly all court records in Vermilion Parish and throughout the entire state is one of Meaux Broussard's greatest achievements, she said. She is also proud of creating an easily navigable system handled through a friendly and helpful staff.
When Meaux Broussard is not at work she continues to be embedded in her community with the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association, including a tenure as president in 2015. She is also responsible for bringing Relay for Life to Vermilion Parish.
She hopes to be a role model for women and young girls everywhere.
"Women are making a big impact in the world," she said. "Whatever you think you can do, you can do it. My grandmother was of the generation that couldn't even vote. We've come a long way."