James B. Pepper Rutland | MMR Provides Free Oral and Skin Cancer Screenings for Employees through the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Prevention on the Go—Workplace Program

BATON ROUGE, LA – MMR proudly partnered with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center to provide free, on-site cancer screenings to employees at its Louisiana district offices in Baton Rouge, Belle Chasse and Broussard through the Prevention on the Go—Workplace Program. During the month of May, area doctors screened a record-breaking 96 employees, completing 94 skin cancer screenings and 63 oral cancer screenings.

“At MMR, we firmly believe in prioritizing the health and wellness of our employees by providing easy access to crucial preventative care,” said MMR Senior Vice President Jonathan Bruser, who serves as a board member of the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Foundation. “Through our partnership with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, we can make a significant impact in early detection and treatment, safeguarding a bright future for our employees and their families.”

Of the employees screened, 86% had never been screened for oral cancer, and 60% had never been screened for skin cancer. Employees with abnormal findings were referred to a specialty clinic and assisted by a Cancer Center nurse navigator to receive special support and guidance. Participating employees at all locations were entered to win door prizes, including cash, lunch for the department with the highest participation percentage, and a “swag bag” with a beach towel, speaker cup and beach spiker.

In 2022, MMR employee Charles Johnson was spotlighted by Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center for his skin cancer diagnosis and treatment after receiving abnormal findings during two separate on-site screenings over several years. The Cancer Center assisted Johnson in navigating his diagnosis and treatment options, and Johnson underwent surgeries to remove multiple cancerous spots in his skin.

“If this opportunity hadn’t been available, I probably would never have gone to see a doctor,” said Johnson. “If I had known how bad it was getting, I wouldn’t have waited so long.”

MMR has participated in Mary Bird Perkins Prevention on the Go – Workplace Program since 2018, which brings early detection, education and screenings to worksites. After one year of involvement in the Prevention on the Go—Workplace Program, MMR joined Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center as a Corporate Partner in 2019 and was named a Partner of Compassion in 2022.

Through its commitment to employee health and wellness, MMR would like to honor beloved friend and coworker Holly Hollis Stars, who passed in 2022 after a long, hard-fought battle with stage four triple-negative breast cancer. Holly was a light to all and remained fierce and determined in her battle against cancer, sharing openly about her experiences and leaving a lasting impression on everyone she met.

ABOUT MMR GROUP

MMR is a highly regarded electrical and instrumentation firm based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Pepper Rutland is extremely proud of the diverse range of skills possessed by the MMR Group staff.

James B. Pepper Rutland founded MMR Group in 1991 and the company has been building on a tradition of success through its dedication to excellence in electrical and instrumentation construction, maintenance and technical services since day one. In fact, Engineering News-Record (ENR) consistently places MMR Group at the top of its list of speciality contractors in the nation. Additionally, ENR of Texas and Louisiana gave MMR Group the title of Specialty Contractor of the Year. This honor was given largely due to MMR’s impressive 132% increase in revenue from 2011 and 2012.

ABOUT JAMES B. PEPPER RUTLAND

Pepper Rutland’s journey began at Louisiana State University where he earned a Bachelors of Science in Construction Technology & Engineering in 1972. He also played football for the LSU Tigers and was a member of the All Southeastern Conference (SEC) Academic Team in 1972. Pepper was also a member and Vice President of the National Construction Scholastic Society, Sigma Lambda Chi. He takes pride in being a member of the first graduating class from LSU’s Construction Technology program, which is now called the Construction Management program.