LED, SBA Honor 2020 Louisiana Small Business Award Winners

BATON ROUGE, La. — Today, Louisiana Economic Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration announced the 2020 Louisiana Small Business Award winners. Small businesses that exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit of Louisiana were acknowledged as award-winners during a virtual event hosted by LED Secretary Don Pierson.

“Louisiana is fortunate to have enterprising and innovative business leaders such as these Small Business Award winners,” Pierson said. “Small businesses account for 99 percent of all employers in Louisiana, and they employ more than half of our private-sector workforce. Our small business community plays a vital role in expanding and enhancing our economy, and we appreciate the significant contributions these leaders are making.”

LED and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center Network served 10,758 small businesses and individuals last year, directly resulting in 1,373 new jobs, 2,581 retained jobs and the launch of 179 new businesses representing more than $86 million in capital formation. The Small Business Award program recognizes top performers in a broad range of categories.

James J. Moore of Expert Maintenance & Construction Services in Prairieville was named Louisiana Small Business Person of the Year. The company was founded in 2005 as a janitorial and maintenance service with two employees and has expanded to include general construction, with 85 employees now on its payroll.

The 2020 Louisiana Small Business Award winners are:

SBA Champion Awards

Entrepreneurial Success Award
Melissa Hill
Niche Creative Studio
Lake Charles

Minority Business Champion
Corey Jack
Jack & Associates
Lafayette 

Women in Business Champion
Renae Trahan
All-Star Signs & Specialties
Lafayette

Regional Awards

Region VI Prime Contractor of the Year Award
Keith Porta
APC Construction
Harvey

District SBDC Excellence and Innovation Center Award
Ada Womack-Bell
LSBDC Southern University
Baton Rouge

Region VI and District Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award
Klassi Duncan
Urban League of Louisiana
Women’s Business Resource Center
New Orleans

LED Entrepreneur Awards

LED Small and Emerging Business of the Year
Herman Marigny
Wing 7 Advanced Trucking, Leasing and Logistics
Lake Charles

LED Resiliency Award
Chad Perez
Pinnacle Security & Investigation
New Orleans

Andrea Jeanfreau
MedPharmics
Metairie

LEDC Bank of the Year
Bank of St. Francisville
St. Francisville

Hudson and Veteran Initiative Champions
Office of State Procurement Agencies Recognition

Department of Transportation and Development
Office of Lieutenant Governor
Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness

Louisiana PTAC Government Contractor of the Year

Sean Warren
Native Engineers
Mandeville

MEP of Louisiana Small Business Award

Ron Mason
Mid South Extrusion
Monroe

NFIB Small Business Champion

Monique Chauvin
Mitch’s Flowers
New Orleans

USDA Rural Development Lender of the Year

Ken Hale
BOM Bank
Natchitoches

USDA Rural Development Borrower of the Year

CLHG-Leesville
and
Leesville Real Estate Holdings
Leesville

Small Business Person of the Year

James J. Moore
Expert Maintenance & Construction Services
Prairieville

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