Louisiana Economic Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration recently honored business owners and supporters at the 2023 Louisiana Small Business Awards ceremony.
The 2023 honorees are:
8(a) Graduate of the Year: Joaneane Smith, Global Commerce & Services, Harvey
Entrepreneurial Success Award: Oscar G. Chimal, Los Jefes Grill, Metairie
Minority Small Business Champion: Troy and Alfonza Bolden, Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning Co., Lafayette
Leader of the Year: Alton K. McRee, Ying Neel and Christian Sather, American Bank, Covington
Family-Owned Small Business of the Year: Kolette Ditta and Lindsey Marcell, Tony Mandina’s Restaurant, Gretna
Veteran Small Business Champion: Craig A. Stevens, Genesis 360, Baton Rouge
Women’s Business Champion: Luz Lobos, Synergy Design Group, New Orleans
SBDC Excellence & Innovation Center Award: Ada Womack-Bell, LSBDC at Southern University, Baton Rouge
Phoenix Small Business Recovery Award: Tyson Grenzebach and Cathy Brady, Landlocked Aviation Services, Lake Charles
LED Small and Emerging Business of the Year: Sherilyn Hayward, Leroy’s Lipsmack’n Lemonade, Baton Rouge
LED Outstanding Small and Emerging Business Development Graduate Award: Lakeisha Robichaux, Chief of Minds, Baton Rouge
LED Resiliency Award: Pamela Allen, Elite Affairs, LaPlace
LEDC Bank of the Year: Cindy Bourne, Citizens Savings Bank, Covington
Hudson and Veteran Champions: Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Secretary of State and the Office of Juvenile Justice
Louisiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center Contractor of the Year: Darrin Elliott Sr. and Ian Kennard, Elliott Security Solutions, New Orleans
Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana Small Manufacturer’s Award: Lisa Gainey Roache and Sandy Marshall, Gainey’s Concrete Products, Holden
National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Champion Award: Courtney Davis, Bart’s Office, New Orleans
USDA Rural Development Lender of the Year: Scott Schilling, First Guaranty Bank, Hammond
USDA Rural Development Borrower of the Year: Joey Lombardo, Southland Steel Fabricators, Greensburg
Louisiana Small Business Person of the Year: Karen Williams, NOLA Steele Fabrication and Erection, Harvey.
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Diane Wszalek, controller of Republic Business Credit, was selected as one of Secured Finance Network’s 40 Under 40 honorees.
Wszalek joined Republic nearly 11 years ago and oversees all of the company’s finance functions as well as IT management, project management and human resources.
She earned a bachelor’s in finance and a bachelor’s in kinesiology from James Madison University and a bachelor’s in accounting from the University of New Orleans. She was a two-year captain of the James Madison women’s soccer team.
The honor recognizes young professionals who are successful in the secured finance industry and have made significant contributions to their communities.
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Matthew Butler, president and CEO of Waggoner Engineering, has received the McNeese State University Black Alumni Chapter’s Trailblazer Award.
The honor recognizes community leaders who have significantly impacted the university and the Black community.
Butler, who has more than 30 years experience, was named CEO of Baton Rouge-based Waggoner in January.
He earned a bachelor’s in environmental science from McNeese State and a master’s in environmental chemistry from Southern University.
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Dr. Patrice “Patrick” Delafontaine has been appointed to the Louisiana Cancer Research Center board of directors.
Delafontaine is an expert in interventional cardiology and vascular biology at Tulane University School of Medicine where he is also executive dean, and professor of medicine, pharmacology, and physiology. Prior to coming to Tulane, he held positions at Emory University, the University of Geneva, and the University of Kansas Medical School.
He earned a doctorate in medicine from the University of Geneva. Delafontaine completed a residency in internal medicine at the Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital and a research and a clinical fellowship program in cardiology at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
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