NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority (Authority) and the Urban League of Louisiana announced the 5th Annual Morial Award winners at a private ceremony inside the Convention Center’s Great Hall on June 26. The Morial Awards recognize a small business and a corporation that have demonstrated innovative growth and economic impact, as well as exceptional contributions to creating opportunities for local communities and small businesses across Louisiana.
This year’s event was presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, with additional support from AECOM HUNT|Broadmoor, Liberty Bank, VPG Construction, ILSI Engineering, Xavier University of Louisiana, the Port of New Orleans, DOXA, DePaul Community Health Centers and the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund.
The Morial Awards were established in 2019 to honor the legacy of Ernest N. “Dutch” Morial, New Orleans’ first Black mayor and a lifelong civil rights champion. He envisioned a Convention Center that would be a transformative asset for New Orleans, and a hub of opportunity for local and diverse small businesses. The annual awards continue that mission by recognizing companies that promote inclusive economic growth and opportunity across Louisiana.
“As we celebrate the fifth year of the Morial Awards, we are reminded of the powerful legacy left by Mayor Ernest N. Morial,” said Alita Caparotta, interim president and CEO of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. “These awards celebrate the spirit of inclusion and economic opportunity he championed. We are proud to honor local small businesses and corporations for their leadership and positive impact on our communities.”
Selected by a panel of judges, the 2025 Morial Award for Corporation of the Year went to Audubon Nature Institute, and Tre’s Street Kitchen® was named Small Business of the Year. This year’s finalists included Creativity Justified and Urban Systems, Inc. for Small Business of the Year, with Hancock Whitney and New Orleans & Company for Corporation of the Year.
The judges named Audubon Nature Institute as Corporation of the Year. Audubon Nature Institute is a private, not-for-profit organization that operates a collection of world-class attractions, conservation programs, wilderness lands, sustainability initiatives, public parks and event venues, all united by the mission of celebrating, protecting and connecting people to the wonders of nature. The institute employs more than 400 full-time employees and hundreds of seasonal workers, contributing significantly to the local tourism economy with an estimated $686 million annual economic impact on the seven-parish New Orleans metropolitan area.
“This recognition reflects the values that guide our work every day – integrity, inclusion and shared progress,” said Michael “Mike” Sawaya, President and CEO of Audubon Nature Institute. “Partnering with local and diverse small businesses is not only essential to the future of our economy, but also central to our identity. We remain committed to building strong, lasting relationships that drive opportunity across Louisiana.”
The 5th annual event featured a special tribute honoring the life and legacy of Sybil Haydel Morial, a revered educator, author, activist and civic leader who died in 2024. The wife of Ernest N. Morial, she was a staunch advocate for education, civil rights and women’s empowerment. Mrs. Morial was a vital partner to her husband and a leader in her own right, and she had a profound impact in the New Orleans region and beyond.
Also acknowledged was Tiffany Brown, owner of Wicks NOLA Candle Company. Brown was the winner of the 2025 ‘WIN 2.0: Pitch Smart, Win Big’ competition hosted by the Convention Center’s SEB Program in May. The “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition brought together local businesses to compete for product placement in Dutch’s Corner, the Convention Center’s in-house convenience store. Brown stood out for her business acumen, innovation and community-themed product line that is now available for purchase at Dutch’s Corner which averages 800,000 visitors each year.
The 5th Annual Morial Awards featured a keynote address by Laverne Saulny, with live music from The Dorian Roberts Trio, Dr. Brice Miller’s Taste of New Orleans Jazz Band, vocalist Naydja CoJoe and the Kinfolk Brass Band. WWL-TV anchor Brandon Walker served as master of ceremonies.
To explore opportunities within the Authority’s Small & Emerging Business Program and to learn more, visit exhallnola.com.
About the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC)
New Orleans is Built to Host! With 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space on one level, all under one roof, NOENMCC is tied for the sixth-largest convention center in the United States. NOENMCC is a 2025 Exhibitor Magazine Centers of Excellence recipient and is consistently named a regional top workplace by The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate.
A recent LEED Gold certification makes NOENMCC the largest LEED-certified project in Louisiana and the largest convention center project in the U.S. certified under LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance, as well as the first convention center in the world to be awarded initial certification under LEED Gold v4.1 O+M. A leading contributor to the city’s robust tourism economy, NOENMCC event activity has produced $90.1 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening.
The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority recently announced the appointment of Jim Cook as the CEO and President of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
About the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority
The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority’s (Authority) exclusive mission is to finance, construct and operate facilities in order to attract and conduct conventions, trade shows and other events that support and expand the economy of both the State of Louisiana and New Orleans Region. The Authority is composed of a 13-member board of commissioners, ten appointed by the Governor of Louisiana, and three appointed by the Mayor of New Orleans. Since 1985, event activity at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has produced $90.1 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening, including $5.7 billion in new tax revenue for state and local governments.
About the Urban League of Louisiana
The mission of the Urban League of Louisiana is to assist African Americans and other communities seeking equity to secure economic self-reliance, parity and civil rights. We implement our mission through programs in the areas of education and youth development, workforce and economic development, public policy and advocacy initiatives.
