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2021 Louisiana Growth Leaders

A diverse panel of judges, comprised of economic development professionals, evaluated applications based upon a select criteria determined by LED to choose the 2021 Louisiana Growth Leaders. These leaders were recognized at the 2021 Spotlight Louisiana virtual event on April 29, 2021. These companies have gone above and beyond as both business and community leaders.

Ballard Brands

Covington, Louisiana

“We are honored to be acknowledged by the LED Growth Network for a second year in a row. We take pride in supporting the communities we serve as well as building strong relationships with other business leaders throughout the state. The continued growth of our brands is directly tied to our family of franchisees, our incredibly talented and dedicated team leaders and the support of our patrons within the great State of Louisiana and beyond.”
– Peter Boylan, President

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BBQGUYS

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

“BBQGuys is honored to be among the outstanding local businesses recognized as 2021 Louisiana Growth Leaders. We’re equally grateful for LED’s support as we continue to lean on this state’s tremendous workforce. Of course, BBQGuys recognizes that growth comes from the ground up, and we wouldn’t be here without the efforts of each and every employee. The people of Louisiana are hard-working and resilient by nature, a fundamental fact borne out yet again during the most challenging economic year in recent memory. As BBQGuys builds on the one million nationwide customers we’ve already served, we hope our success will continue lifting the local economy that we’re so proud to call home.”
Russ Wheeler, CEO

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CyberReef

Shreveport, Louisiana

“We moved our business from Alabama to Louisiana in 2015. One of the first groups that we connected with was LED. LED has been by our side through three rounds of strategic research, providing angel tax credits to our investors, leadership development through the CEO Roundtable and American Academy of Entrepreneurs. CyberReef has been blessed to have the support of LED as well as angel investors throughout the great State of Louisiana. We would not have reached this level of business success without them!”
Hilton Nicholson, CEO

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E-Claim

Harvey, Louisiana

“E-Claim is happy to be founded and headquartered in the great State of Louisiana. As a product of the state and various institutions such as Louisiana State University, I am equally as appreciative of the opportunities, support, and guidance that LED provides. LED has been instrumental throughout E-Claim’s formative years and continues to support our growth as a second stage company. CEO Roundtables, favorable tax incentives, strategic research, plus multiple learning programs through the incredible Edward Lowe Foundation have truly advanced my leadership skills and instilled the confidence needed to scale our company into a dominant, national software solutions provider. E-Claim is so honored to be recognized as a Louisiana Growth Leader and we are fortunate to be Louisiana-owned, Louisiana-proud!”
Thomas Brown, Founder & CEO

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Genesis 360, LLC

Facility Maintenance & Construction

“As an Air Force veteran, I’ve traveled the world and seen many great places; however, none compares to the culture and expansive opportunities of the state coupled with the unlimited resources of Louisiana Economic Development (LED). Additionally, because of the tremendous support from our governor, mayors, and other elected officials, Genesis 360, LLC and every small business has the opportunity to scale to unimaginable heights. Genesis 360 is humbly honored to have be recognized as a Louisiana Growth Leader. I am forever grateful for the support from LED and the passion they display towards helping small businesses grow. Salute!”
– Craig Stevens, President

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ITinspired

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

“The ITinspired work family is honored and grateful to be named a Louisiana Growth Leader for the third year in a row! We applaud the amazing small businesses of the LED Growth Network for making our state’s future more attainable and brighter each day. The leadership, programming, and people at the LED are among the finest in the nation – thank you for your investment in our small business and our success.”
– 
Rob Wise, CEO & Co-Owner

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LogoJET

Lafayette, Louisiana

“It is an immense honor to once again be selected as an Honored Growth Leader. LED remains a powerful resource for us. Our team has learned and grown so much over the course of the past year, and I am proud of their hard work. Our customers and core values are the heart and soul of what we do, and we believe they motivate us to continue to deliver the best. Having our company headquarters in Acadiana gives us access to such a wonderful and supportive business community, as well as a unique culture where our team members can thrive.”
– Susan Cox, CEO, President & Founder

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MasteryPrep

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

“This year, as our school partners struggled to educate students through the pandemic, MasteryPrep was challenged like never before. It was the resilience of our Louisiana team combined with the success of our new learning platform (made possible in large part by LED and the Angel Investment and Digital Media Tax Credit programs) that allowed us to pivot and meet our partners’ virtual learning needs. In the end, we served 395,000 students in 2020, more than double our 2019 reach. It’s a testament not only to our employees’ commitment to our mission to help level the educational playing field, but also to Louisiana’s unique ability to nurture and support growing technology startups.”
– Craig Gehring, Founder & CEO

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Techneaux Technology Services

Lafayette, Louisiana

“We are so pumped to receive this award for the second time in three years!  Even with the global challenges of the past year which are too numerous to list, Louisiana has continued to provide our company with excellent business programs, a talent pool second to none, and a culture of great people doing great things.”
– Ben Johnson, Owner & CEO

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ThreeSixtyEight

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

“Our team was blessed to be stressed last year. While these awards don’t tell the whole story of what it takes to grow, it certainly is a by-product of working hard at our growth. We’re thankful to have partners and resources in Louisiana that allow us to build something like ThreeSixtyEight in our home state. Our hope is that, by capitalizing on these resources, we can continue making our vision of positioning Louisiana as the creative capital of the south come to life.”
– Kenny Nguyen, CEO & Co-Founder

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