BATON ROUGE — 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 Sept. 30 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
