Founders

Dr. Bertrand Fote is a board-certified emergency physician and a regional medical officer for North Carolina, South Carolina, and New York with one of the largest emergency medicine management groups in the nation, overseeing the operations of over 200 emergency departments nationwide. He obtained his medical degree at Howard University in Washington, DC, after earning a bachelor’s degree Magna Cum Laude in electrical engineering from the University of the District of Columbia. He also holds an MBA from Auburn University in Alabama.

Together with his wife, Laura, Dr. Fote founded The Gatsby Showcase Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization which aims to empower historically marginalized groups to achieve economic independence through education, business development tools, and a supportive network. Their shared commitment to fostering inclusivity and social equity drives the foundation’s initiatives, including scholarships, mentorship, and community engagement.

In addition to his medical career, Dr. Fote is an entrepreneur. Alongside Laura, he co-founded L&B Concepts, a company that provides rental services to corporate and private clients, as well as providing merchandising and wholesale solutions to clients through promotional items, corporate gifting, and import/export services. Their business is dedicated to delivering high-quality products and exceptional service, aiming to help ordinary people achieve extraordinary dreams.

Dr. Fote is also a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and is a certified college advisor with multiple certifications in the financial planning arena. He has over a decade of leadership experience in various hospital systems and has provided medical leadership for emergency medical services (EMS). As a transformational leader, he has championed numerous initiatives to enhance growth, improve performance, and optimize clinical care in emergency departments, earning several leadership awards throughout his career.

In recognition of his extensive volunteer work and community service, Dr. Fote is a proud recipient of President Joseph R. Biden’s Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. This honor reflects his commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others through various philanthropic efforts, including organizing free health clinics to serve local communities in need.

Dr. Fote has a deep passion for giving back to the community, stemming from a life-changing experience when he received a scholarship for academic excellence, which allowed him to complete his high school education despite financial challenges. This experience inspired him to become a physician and has fueled his commitment to mentorship and scholarship initiatives, including creating a scholarship endowment fund for his high school alumni association that has helped to offer hundreds of scholarships.

A community leader and entrepreneur, Dr. Fote is active in various community organizing and volunteer activities. As president of his high school alumni association, he has championed initiatives for community service across chapters in the United States and Canada.

Dr. Fote is also an accomplished writer, having published several poetry books and contributed to anthologies. In addition to writing, he enjoys playing the keyboard, scrabble, theater, soccer, and golf, and is a lifelong Manchester United Football Club fan. He cherishes traveling and exploring new cultures.

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Laura Fote is a trailblazing global entrepreneur and the visionary CEO of L&B Concepts, a dynamic company specializing in rentals for corporate and private clients, wholesale and retail operations, and import/export services. L&B Concepts boasts an impressive client roster, including Aramark, IBM, Georgetown University, Bowie State University, Geico, Aladdin, The Institute for Defense Analyses, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Under Laura’s strategic leadership, the company has also expanded its gifting division to meet the evolving needs of the entertainment and lifestyle industries.

A passionate advocate for women’s entrepreneurship, Laura is a proud member of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the American Business Women Association (ABWA). She further demonstrates her commitment to community and education through her role as a board member of Sitar Arts Center in Washington, DC, where she helps provide enriching educational and arts opportunities to underserved families.

Under Laura’s guidance, L&B Concepts has earned numerous certifications, including:

– Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
– Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) by the Small Business Association
– Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
– Small Business Enterprise (SBE)
– Historically Underutilized Business (HUB)

These certifications, along with licenses to operate in the District of Columbia and several states, highlight Laura’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in business.

Central to her business philosophy is making high-quality products accessible at affordable prices. Laura has built a vast network of manufacturers across Asia and Europe, securing partnerships with suppliers of high-end U.S. brands. She has dedicated teams in key manufacturing hubs, including China, India, Thailand, Turkey, the Czech Republic, and Poland.

Laura’s leadership shone especially bright during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she leveraged her global network to import large quantities of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), turning a global crisis into an opportunity to support critical health efforts.

Her resilience and determination are deeply rooted in her upbringing in an affluent, nurturing family. Raised alongside four siblings and over twenty foster siblings, Laura’s parents instilled in her the values of hard work, compassion, and social responsibility. Her mother, a successful business owner, and her father, a high-ranking government official, were instrumental in shaping her commitment to giving back.

In a groundbreaking achievement, Laura became one of the few Black women to collaborate with and represent the prestigious Czech crystal glass company, Moser, in the U.S. Overcoming significant bureaucratic challenges, she proved her legitimacy as a global business leader.

Her contributions have earned her prestigious honors, including President Joseph R. Biden’s Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and the Economic Development Award. In 2021, Laura launched the Gatsby Showcase through L&B Concepts, which includes a nonprofit arm, the Gatsby Showcase Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to empowering historically marginalized groups through education, business development tools, and a supportive network, furthering Laura’s mission to promote inclusivity and global equity.