We have some news we're proud to share. Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting has announced its 2027 Louisiana Legends honorees, and our founder and President, Monty Chicola, is on the list.
Monty is an Alexandria entrepreneur who started Real Vision Software more than 30 years ago. For most of that time he has been building document management for IBM i, and in recent years he has turned that experience toward putting AI to work in the same documents and workflows. Seeing that work recognized means a great deal to everyone here.
About the Louisiana Legends
The Louisiana Legends program is run by Friends of LPB and has been recognizing people and organizations for 37 years. Honorees are chosen by the Friends of LPB Louisiana Legends Board Committee.
The honorees will be celebrated at the 2027 Louisiana Legends Gala and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, April 29, at Louisiana's Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge. The evening includes dinner, an auction of items donated by the honorees, and music, and the awards ceremony will be broadcast live on LPB.
Monty joins an impressive group this year:
- Ambassador Cindy Courville, the first U.S. Ambassador to the African Union
- Dr. Cleve Francis, a cardiologist and country music artist
- Houston Energy L.P. and its founders, Billy Harrison and Ron Neal, the first company honored in the program's history
- Jack Marucci, founder of Marucci Sports
You can read the official announcement on the Louisiana Public Broadcasting website.
What the Honor Recognizes
In its announcement, LPB credits Monty with advancing emerging technologies, inspiring future innovators, and shaping the growing role of AI in business and industry. It's a well-earned recognition for more than 30 years of building this company and keeping it at the front of IBM i document management and, now, AI.
If you'd like to see where that work has been heading, our posts on Monty's visit to IBM Rochester and how IBM is betting on AI tell part of the story, and our AI features page shows what's already running in production.
Sharing It Close to Home
Monty has also been sharing his AI experience close to home. As a Northwestern State University alumnus, he was the featured speaker at the NSU Means Business: Beyond the Brick Way Lunch & Learn at the NSU Cenla Campus, where he gave a talk called "How Small Businesses Can Use AI."
NSU President Jimmy Genovese highlighted the event in his October 18 message to alumni and thanked Monty for sharing ideas attendees can apply in their professional and personal lives. Monty's main point was simple: AI is only as useful as the judgment and expertise of the people using it, and small businesses should try these tools and think about how they could help them stay competitive.
That's the same approach we take with our customers. AI should make your people better at their jobs, not replace the judgment they've built over years of running your business.
Congratulations, Monty
Thank you, Monty, for more than three decades of building Real Vision Software, and for leading it into the AI era. The whole team is proud of you, and we're looking forward to April.
See What AI Can Do for Your Documents
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