Thomas H Scott Awards of Excellence

Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence Reception was held Thursday, May 23rd at the University of Louisiana’s Bayou Pointe Center. There were 47 nominations for the prestigious awards which honor companies making significant contributions to the Ouachita Parish economy through capital improvements, expansion, job creation, and community involvement during 2023/2024.  This year’s nominees collectively created or retained 4,320 jobs in Ouachita Parish and made capital investments of over $112 million.

The twenty-three nominees in the small business category were: Guardian Air, The Trove, Yarbrough Capital Advisors, Greenqube, Macaroni Kid, The Salad Station, ASGE Media, HiTech Computers, Lisa Govan Realty, DSLD Homes, Ashton Smith/Shelter Insurance, Louisiana Accident and Injury Care, Jobsquad, Big Shot Bob Buys, Northeast Imaging, J Ranch Properties, Magnolia James Interiors, AA & H Games, Spa Nouvelle, Assurance Financial, Fade Factory Barber & Beauty, Coney Island Connection and Global Training Center.   

The seven nominees in the medium category were: SnapMe Creative, Building Futures Pediatric Therapy, Pinnacle Family Health, Kinetix, PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans, b1Bank, and Southern States Utility. 

The three nominees in the large business category were: Marion State Bank, Citizen’s Progressive Bank, and Commercial Capital Bank.

The seven nominees for the corporate category were: Entergy Louisiana, Practice Management, Centric FCU, Origin Bank, St. Francis Health, Texas Roadhouse, and James Machine Works.

The seven nominees in the nonprofit category were: The Children’s Coalition, Ouachita Green, ARCO, NOVA, The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, Life Choices Pregnancy Resource, and the ULM Wesley Foundation.

The Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence Reception is hosted by the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. Presenting sponsors for the event are Origin Bank, Forth Insurance, BayouLife Magazine and Scott Powerline & Equipment Company.  Additional sponsors for the reception are Ochsner LSU Health-Monroe, MidSouth Extrusion, Progressive Bank, First Horizon Bank and Heard, McElroy & Vestal.

CONEY ISLAND CONNECTION
Small Business Winner

The Small Business winner was Coney Island Connection.  In 2022, Coney Island Connection was a newly renovated restaurant located on North 7th Street in West Monroe. Owner Chris Lewis took over after the previous owner retired and has kept the tradition of good old-fashioned food alive since 2019. In 2023, he doubled the size of his store to serve more customers and added new employees. Chris is very philanthropic in the community and gives away food, school scholarships and spends time daily investing in others.  

PINNACLE HEALTH
Medium Business Winner

The Medium Business winner was Pinnacle Health.  CEO Mark Windham and Pinnacle Family Health stand as a beacon of comprehensive care and community support in Northeast Louisiana. They strive to offer an inclusive environment and welcome individuals from all walks of life. Serving patients at the starting age of 3, they ensure every person has an opportunity to have access to affordable healthcare, regardless of their family’s income. In the recent surge of growth, Pinnacle Family Health has taken a leap from a 6,000 square foot facility to a 24,000 square foot state-of-the-art health center. This $6 million investment significantly enhanced their medical and behavioral health services. With this bigger space, they were able to add an on-site pharmacy, on-site dental care, and onsite x-rays, making Pinnacle Family Health a one-stop shop for healthcare needs. 

COMMERCIAL CAPITAL BANK
Large Business Winner

The Large Business winner was Commercial Capital Bank. Commercial Capital Bank emerges as a true community bank. They have offered a personalized service since their first establishment in Delhi in 1999. They have expanded their original roots into Bastrop, Oak Grove, Crossett, Hamburg, and now the newly renovated location on North 18th Street in Monroe.  Their expansion into Monroe was not only a business move, but a commitment for revitalization. They completely transformed the forgotten about corner into a beautiful hub for economic activity. This contribution shows they are dedicated to the city’s growth and the peoples’ livelihoods. 

ARCO
The Nonprofit Winner

The Nonprofit winner was ARCO. Founded by Ike and Shirley Hamilton, ARCO has been empowering people with developmental disabilities to live quality, meaningful lives and to reach their full potential for independence since 1954.  ARCO is dedicated to creating communities where children and families thrive. They invested in and recently relocated their administrative offices to Mercedes Drive in Monroe, LA providing the non-profit agency a home of solidarity and functionality to last for many decades. Executive Director Roma Kidd has led ARCO to new heights during her tenure, enhancing the value of this 70-year-old volunteer led organization.

ST. FRANCIS HEALTH
Corporate Business Winner

The Corporate Business winner was St. Francis Health. St. Francis is the heart and soul of healthcare in Northeast Louisiana and Southern Arkansas. St. Francis offers Northeast Louisiana’s only Level 3 NICU, Level 3 OB, and Level 2 PICU services. This organization has not only exemplified excellence in healthcare but also made significant contributions to the well-being of our community. They have added 260 jobs, made over $55 million in capital investments, and saw an increase in volume across all areas.  St. Francis has been the cornerstone of healthcare in Ouachita Parish since its establishment in 1913.

THE TROVE
BayouLife Magazine Innovator Award

The BayouLife Magazine Innovator Award was presented to The Trove. The Trove is a shop with a curated collection of artistic treasures from diverse vendors. The Trove was dreamed up to be a space for art & retail and to reinvest in growth and development of our communities.  It is locally owned and operated on Tower Drive in Monroe, LA. by Emily Ackerman and Lisa Holyfield.

b1BANK
The Spirit of Business First Award

The Spirit of Business First Award was presented to b1BANK. Anytime a new business invests in an all-new location, much planning, preparation and investment along with blood, sweat, and tears goes into the process. This business did all that and is serving our community at a high level from their new Tower Drive location.  In case you didn’t know, the “b1” in b1BANK stands for Business First, and they are this year’s recipient of the Spirit of Business First Award. 

SNAPME CREATIVE
The Spirit of Creativity Award

The Spirit of Creativity Award went to SnapMe Creative. SnapMe Creative is a full-service marketing and advertising agency owned and operated locally. They purchased and renovated 311 Natchitoches Street in West Monroe into a photography and graphic design studio. In 2023, they added 3 more full-time in-house employees, 3 part-time in-house employees, 12 talented remote employees and employ high school students throughout the year. Their outstanding creativity is shown in their videos, logo work and through the awards their agency has won. SnapMe Creative is owned by Charles and Rebecca Frye, Josh Carroll and Daniel Taylor.

NORTHEAST IMAGING
The Spirit of Community Care Award

The Spirit of Community Care Award was presented to Northeast Imaging. A wise business sees a need in the community and works to meet that need. Our area had a need for a conveniently located, freestanding imaging business and there is a fast-growing one located on Lamy Lane in Monroe.  Jana Elkins and Northeast Imaging have increased Northeast Imaging’s MRI service by 54% in 2023 and now employ 6 full time employees. Our spirit of Community Care award goes to Northeast Imaging.

BUILDING FUTURES PEDIATRIC THERAPY
The Spirit of Support Award

The Spirit of Support Award was awarded to Building Futures Pediatric Therapy.  Building Futures started as a dream in Ouachita Parish offering a holistic approach to pediatric therapy in an environment that is as personal and home-like. It was formed in 2005 by Jennifer Reeves and Wendy Petrus. They had exponential growth over the past years adding speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, administrative staff and therapy staff.  They also added “Tiny Town” an incredible small town featuring 9 small buildings that help children understand how they would live in their community. The growth of the Monroe clinic led to the addition of a new Ruston clinic location. Their work with children is invaluable.  

YARBROUGH CAPITAL ADVISORS
The Spirit of Stewardship Award

The Spirit of Stewardship Award was presented to Yarbrough Capital Advisors. This financial advising firm helps families and individuals develop their future retirements through investments, insurance, and financial planning.  Andrew Yarbrough has eighteen years of financial experience and international business experience. This company has two locations, the headquarters office is located in Ouachita Parish at 2485 Tower Drive in Monroe. This company has donated to the Chennault Museum, Delta Veterans, Our HOME, The Art Crawl, Habitat for Humanity – North Louisiana and teaches financial literacy to underprivileged children.

THE SALAD STATION
The Spirit of Vitality Award

The Spirit of Vitality Award was presented to The Salad Station. This new to our area restaurant is a fast-casual gourmet restaurant that specializes in offering an overwhelming bounty of fresh, local products for guests to build their own gourmet meal. They recently opened their newest location on Avenue of America in Monroe and is locally owned by Brad & Ashley Surles. They have 28 full and part-time employees, and they are proud to offer a healthy dining choice to the Monroe area. 

LISA GOVAN REALTY
The Spirit of Inspiration Award

The Spirit of Inspiration Award was presented to Lisa Govan Realty. Lisa Govan Realty is a well-established real estate agency that aims to provide excellent service to both its buyers and sellers. The owner began her business 8 years ago as a boutique firm to become a leading player in the real estate market. This realtor is truly making a difference through leadership, innovation and dedication and is proud to be based at her new location on Hudson Lane in Monroe. 

JAMES MACHINE WORKS
The Spirit of Endurance Award

The Spirit of Endurance Award was presented to James Machine Works. This local manufacturer has been serving the petroleum, chemical, pulp and paper, and energy industries since it was founded in 1927 by World War 1 veteran Hardy James. Their 2023 growth saw capital improvements include new cranes, plate rolls and welding machines at the cost of $1 million dollars. This company president is proud of the fact that their business has always been family owned and wins many OSHA and Excellence awards. They employ 158 full-time employees and experience very little employee turnover. This female run company is owned by Susan Weaver.

ORIGIN BANK
The Spirit of Community Service Award

The Spirit of Community Service Award was presented to Origin Bank.  Origin Bank offers a broad range of financial services and currently operates 60 banking centers located throughout Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Formed in 1912, they expanded into Ouachita Parish in 1998. Through their enrichment program, employees are allowed up to 20 hours of paid time each year during work hours to volunteer for charitable organizations. During 2023, 93.8% of the Ouachita Parish employees volunteered 575 hours. Market Leader Billy Haddad and Origin Bank contributed over $75,000 to the United Way in 2023. Origin’s employees are truly everywhere volunteering in our community, and we applaud Origin Bank for allowing that kind of service from their employees.

KINETIX
The Chairman’s Business Award for Excellence

The Chairman’s Business Award for Excellence goes to Kinetix. Kinetix has volunteered for many hours helping the City of Monroe and the Monroe Chamber of Commerce staff and others in the community with projects. They exemplify growth, helping others thrive, and stepping up. They designed our beautiful new TH Scott logo, the programs, the video, and so much more to help make the awards ceremony possible. We want to honor COO Liz Pyle and her staff with this award.

RICKEY ROBERTSON
The Chairman’s Individual Award for Excellence

The Chairman’s Individual Award for Excellence goes to Macaroni Kid’s Rickey Robertson. As a longtime friend to the Monroe Chamber, Rickey is caring and compassionate about all things chamber and community related.  His volunteering and work ethic are unmatched. No matter if the task is working on membership, Ambassadors, teaching school, coaching, or even picking up trash on the side of the road, he is faithful.  

CENTRIC FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
The Thomas H. Scott Award of Excellence

The winner of The Thomas H. Scott Award of Excellence is Centric Federal Credit Union.  With a remarkable growth of 8% in membership last year and a 13% increase in total assets, Centric has truly embodied the spirit of the Thomas H. Scott Award of Excellence. Centric’s commitment to community is evident. With their $5 million development of the Mid City Retail Center in Monroe, this not only boosts our local economy, but also serves as an example of progress and opportunity.