Louisiana Association of Business and Industry

Last week, LABI hosted the 2024 Louisiana Business Excellence Awards in Baton Rouge. We recognized business leaders and companies of all shapes and sizes that are making a true difference across the state. Thanks to everyone who attended and celebrated the extraordinary work these honorees are doing regionally, statewide, and nationally. They are the best of Louisiana! We would also like to acknowledge b1BANK for being a fantastic presenting sponsor and champion of free enterprise in the state!

Ahead of tomorrow's Louisiana Business Excellence Awards Luncheon, LABI is pleased to celebrate one final honoree. Congratulations to Bill Fenstermaker, recipient of the 2024 Ed Steimel Achievement Award – named in honor of LABI’s first president. Bill Fenstermaker has dedicated his career to his community and state, never sacrificing his principles and values as he grew the family company from a small local operation into a respected regional and national presence. Under Fenstermaker’s resolute leadership, the company his father founded in 1950 has expanded into a multidisciplinary firm recognized as a leader in surveying, engineering, environmental consulting, and technology. With Bill's business acumen, Fenstermaker has been able to adapt through the changing decades without sacrificing the customer-focused, innovative practices that have made it a respected name. Fenstermaker has kept his local community at the forefront of his incredible service—whether advocating for increased educational opportunities or championing economic development projects. His forward-thinking approach has helped cultivate a culture of passion and proactiveness within Fenstermaker and set an example for a new generation of leaders.

Next up in LABI's Louisiana Business Excellence Awards spotlight, two innovative Free Enterprise Champions who demonstrate exemplary commitment to Louisiana's business climate and their local communities! LABI is pleased to name Matt McKay as the 2024 Businessperson of the Year. A native of Baton Rouge, McKay co-founded All Star Automotive Group in 1987 and has been integral to its statewide growth since. Today, All Star owns dealerships across the state and employs nearly 800 people. His impact, however, goes far beyond the automotive industry. From an early age, his father—a public school educator—instilled in McKay the importance of a good education. With those values in mind, he has made it his mission to improve education in his community through various workforce development initiatives, most notably the McKay Automotive Technology Center—an expansive training hub at Baton Rouge Community College. Additionally, more than 30 years ago, McKay helped establish The Ascension Fund, which promotes academic excellence through grants to teachers and schools in Ascension Parish. McKay has made, and continues to make, an indelible mark in the business industry, in his community and beyond. With a motto of doing ‘good work to attract great work,’ LABI's 2024 Young Businessperson of the Year, Kenny Nguyen, prioritizes community initiatives and advocates for education, workforce development, and technology-based skills. For more than a decade, Nguyen has led the communications and branding firm ThreeSixtyEight, a Louisiana success story. Under Nguyen’s leadership, ThreeSixtyEight has been recognized nationally for pushing the limit, refusing to settle, and thinking outside the box. Nguyen takes a creative, unorthodox approach to business. Always positive and putting community outcomes over personal profits, he is a shining example of a new generation of leadership charting his course. Nguyen believes Baton Rouge can be the creative capital of the world, and through ThreeSixtyEight’s sister non-profit, Assembly Required, it is leading a collaborative campaign to attract young professionals to Baton Rouge. Keeping our best and brightest in Louisiana and promoting the resource-rich communities across the state are causes close to Nguyen’s heart and one that LABI shares.

Today we're highlighting the 2024 Large Company of the Year and the 2024 Company of the Year! LABI’s 2024 Large Company of the Year has been a leader in the energy industry for nearly 80 years. Headquartered in Gray, Louisiana, Danos has become a trusted name globally, through a commitment to service, safety and community. Starting out as a small oil and gas service company, Danos has grown to an international brand with multiple service lines, from coastal restoration to fabrication and beyond. Today, Danos remains family-owned and operated, refusing to sacrifice the humble, small-town values that have led to its success. Danos, a proud LABI member, places priority on its workforce by hiring the best and brightest who align with its six high-performance traits. With an internal mandate to deliver results, Danos uses a values-based approach at home and across the world to make good on that goal. It’s the organization’s motto that best describes how it has achieved such a high level of success: Danos Does it Right! Since 2009, Tides Medical—a producer of skin graft products for the treatment of wounds—has made a nationwide impact from its humble roots in Lafayette. Its continued growth and expansion, resulting in significant job creation, is widely recognized and lauded. LABI is proud to honor this biotech company, led by Louisiana native Joe Spell, with our 2024 Company of the Year award. Through innovation and enthusiasm to push the envelope, Tides Medical has become a household name for wound care therapies. They are dedicated to improving patient outcomes by revolutionizing access to advanced treatments for chronic wounds. By harnessing the power of cutting-edge technology, Tides is revolutionizing its industry all while staying true to the Louisiana values that fueled its meteoric rise!

Today, LABI is thrilled to highlight two more 2024 Louisiana Business Excellence Award winners. We are pleased to celebrate ExxonMobil Baton Rouge, a charter member of LABI, as the 2024 Large Manufacturer of the Year. Through decades of investment and expansion, ExxonMobil creates jobs, supports area businesses and significantly contributes to the state and local tax base. It boasts one of the largest refineries in the country and has been a key employer in Baton Rouge for 115 years, providing good-paying careers for tens of thousands of Capital Region residents—including an additional 240 new hires in 2023 alone. Through its Louisiana operations, ExxonMobil plays a key role in manufacturing various goods and services that are used each and every day across the country and throughout the world. Congratulations to ExxonMobil, a loyal Louisiana partner! Up next, LABI is proud to honor Valentine Chemicals as the 2024 Manufacturer of the Year! Founded in Lockport in 1938, Valentine Chemicals has spent more than eight decades serving a variety of industries with chemical manufacturing needs. From Oil & Gas to agriculture–where it all began—and water treatment, Valentine provides quality materials that meet the highest standards. What first started in the sugarcane fields of south Louisiana has transformed into an industry leader, with high-capacity manufacturing capabilities. Over the years, Valentine has successfully expanded its operation in Lockport. Its present-day, 10-acre manufacturing campus provides immediate access to the Mississippi River corridor. With expertise, accuracy and efficiency Valentine Chemicals has become a trusted name in the world of manufacturing.

Ahead of next week's Louisiana Business Excellence Awards Luncheon, LABI is proud to highlight each of our winners. Today we acknowledge the Economic Development Partner of the Year and the Workforce Innovator of the Year! We are proud to recognize the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools as our Economic Development Partner of the Year! In 2024, the legislature passed the largest charter school bill package in 30 years thanks, in great part, to the work of LAPCS. This legislation was critical to bringing charter law up to date and expanding high quality education options for families. LABI was especially proud to partner with the LAPCS team on getting corporate charter legislation across the finish line. Join us in congratulating LAPCS on its incredible success! LABI’s 2024 Workforce Innovator of the Year is a true trailblazer for the state of Louisiana and beyond. The Cyber Innovation Center—part of the 3,000-acre National Cyber Research Park in Bossier City—is a catalyst for the development and expansion of a knowledge-based workforce. The center promotes research, education and technological innovation that supports the growing needs of government agencies, private industry and academic institutions across the country. And it’s the nation’s largest cybersecurity hub! With its brand new STRIKEWERX Innovation Lab (which will expand training for the Air Force Global Strike Command opening this month), and its commitment to expanding cyber career awareness, resources and development for K-12 students (through its academic initiative, CYBER.ORG), the Cyber Innovation Center is a pioneer in the workforce development field. We are honored to celebrate this pioneer in the cyber security workforce development space!

On this Veterans Day, LABI would like to thank and celebrate all who have served our country. Your commitment and sacrifice do not go unnoticed, and we applaud you for fighting for and defending the ideals and freedoms we love. LABI is honored to stand with our partners in the business community and state government to support The Boot, a start-up nonprofit dedicated to helping military members thrive as they put down roots in the Pelican State.? ? At LABI, we understand the value of former servicemen and women in the state's workforce and work with The Boot to connect veterans separating from the military with civilian career opportunities here in Louisiana. "The potential of this organization to assist our military men and women as they conclude their service and enter civilian life is exciting," said Jim Patterson, Senior VP of LABI and Chairman of The Boot's Board. "These individuals are America's best and most worthy. Having them as citizens and employees in Louisiana will benefit our state enormously." To learn more about The Boot, visit theboot.la

“Our businesses and our citizens deserve a fair, transparent, and predictable tax code.” Here is a message from LABI President & CEO Will Green ahead of the special session on tax reform, which begins later today.

LABI is proud to announce the 2024 Louisiana Business Excellence Awards honorees! These nine awards acknowledge and celebrate dedicated businesses and business owners throughout Louisiana making a difference in their communities. MORE: https://lnkd.in/gkXaR6_7 Fenstermaker All Star Automotive Group Kenny Nguyen ThreeSixtyEight Danos Tides Medical ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Valentine Chemicals Cyber Innovation Center Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools

"If we can keep creating these small barriers to reoffending, it'll go a long way toward filling need-based jobs and reducing incarceration." - LABI's Will Green. A key pillar of LABI's LA Driven strategic plan is improving the state's workforce by expanding work-ready skills, providing more training for in-demand occupations, and increasing the number of working Louisianans. One way to do that is to provide support through education and resources to ex-offenders rejoining society. By preparing those incarcerated for employment, we can ensure they successfully return to their communities and the workplace, ultimately slowing the revolving door of recidivism. LABI is proud of the work accomplished at the Capitol with partners like the Louisiana Parole Project! https://lnkd.in/gnWXcSe4