NEW ORLEANS, LA — W.J. Palmisano (WJP) has expanded its executive team with the hiring of Nicole Patel as Chief People Officer. In this newly created role, she will work directly with Founder and CEO Wesley J. Palmisano and other leaders.

As Chief People Officer, Patel will oversee a broad range of specialty areas, including human resources, employee experience, marketing, and communications.

“Nicole brings a wealth of expertise and insights to the enterprise as we continue our growth journey,” Palmisano said. “Her passion for developing people — combined with her entrepreneurial mindset — will be pivotal in shaping our teams, culture, and social impact.”

Patel joins WJP with more than two decades of human resources leadership experience across a diverse range of industries. Most recently, she served as Chief People Officer at Lucid Holdings Inc., a global software and services company acquired by Cint Group in 2021. During her eight-year tenure, Patel was responsible for the talent strategy that helped grow Lucid’s employee population by 500 percent and established the company’s Global People & Places Team. Her previous experience also includes HR leadership posts at Kingsley House (now Clover New Orleans), Neuberger Berman, and Lehman Brothers.

Patel currently serves as a Board member of YouthForce NOLA, a nonprofit education, business, and civic collaborative that builds bridges between school and work.

“I’m thrilled to be part of an organization with an entrepreneurial culture, a tireless work ethic, and a fearless commitment to challenging the status quo,” Patel said. “I’m eager to collaborate with Wes and the rest of the executive team to navigate our next stage of growth and expansion, while retaining the unique culture that has been so vital to our success.”

Patel joins WJP during a period of growth. Recent highlights include a 250 percent revenue increase during the past 24-month period; the opening of new offices in Nashville, Tennessee, and Huntsville, Alabama; construction of a 35,000-square-foot manufacturing and fabrication facility in New Orleans; and numerous awards recognizing the organization’s projects, people, and culture.