Making a transition to any job is difficult. It’s probably even more difficult to do so after working for the same company for over a decade. After leaving their previous company in October, Jim Hummel and Marcelle Fontenot are now officially back on the airwaves with News15, hosting the 5, 6, and 10 o’clock news every weeknight. The two made time out of their busy schedule to come aboard the show
The first week for the longtime duo has been made a little easier knowing that several of their former coworkers and colleagues were with the Allen Media-owned company. That said, it was a tumultuous time for both, especially for Fontenot, a native of Opelousas.
“When this all happened mid-year last year, it was startling because for the first time in a long time, I thought I’d be forced to leave the area,” Fontenot said. “I didn’t want that. My family is here, my children are invested in this community as am I. I haven’t left in 19 years and this is not the time I would have chosen to go.”
When it comes to Jim Hummel, who is celebrating his 15th year in the Hub City next month, the decision was pretty simple considering he had sold everything and packed what was left in his Volkswagen to come to the Lafayette area for work after a stint in Boston.
“I found a real sense of community here that just stuck with me,” Hummel said. “After I got over those growing pains and learned to peel my own shrimp it’s become home”.
Check out the video above for the full interview.