{"id":231461,"date":"2026-01-13T20:45:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T20:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/231461\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T20:45:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T20:45:11","slug":"tickets-are-now-on-sale-for-business-reports-business-awards-hall-of-fame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/231461\/","title":{"rendered":"Tickets are now on sale for Business Report\u2019s Business Awards & Hall of Fame"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the Capital Region\u2019s most anticipated business celebrations returns this spring\u2014and tickets are now available.<\/p>\n

Business Report and Junior Achievement will honor six standout leaders and companies at the Business Awards & Hall of Fame Gala on Tuesday, March 17, at the Crowne Plaza. Selected by a panel of independent community judges, this year\u2019s honorees represent excellence in leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation and long-term impact across the Capital Region.<\/p>\n

The evening brings together the region\u2019s top executives, entrepreneurs and civic leaders to celebrate excellence in business\u2014and to recognize those shaping the Capital Region\u2019s future. Get tickets here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Meet the honorees<\/p>\n

HALL OF FAME
\"\"<\/a>Ben Alford, Benny\u2019s Car Wash
The Alford family has built one of the Capital Region\u2019s most recognizable homegrown brands, known for innovation, customer focus and steady expansion.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Bob Greer (posthumous)
A towering figure in Louisiana\u2019s insurance and banking sectors, Greer served as chairman of b1BANK and as president and CEO of Union National Life Insurance and LEMIC Insurance, leaving a lasting legacy of leadership and mentorship.<\/p>\n

Executive of the Year
\"\"<\/a>Renita Williams Thomas, owner, In Loving Arms Pediatric Day Health Center
Williams is being honored for her mission-driven leadership and commitment to providing high-quality care for medically fragile children and their families.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Young Businessperson of the Year
Scott Gaudin, president and CEO, Currency Bank
Gaudin is recognized for leading a fast-growing financial institution and helping shape the next generation of community banking in the Capital Region.<\/p>\n

Companies of the Year<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>SOLA Pharmaceuticals
Honored for rapid growth, operational excellence and its role in strengthening Louisiana\u2019s life sciences and pharmaceutical manufacturing presence.
Pictured: Group Chairman Keith LaNasa<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Loadstar
A Baton Rouge-based provider of product handling and site logistics services to the refining, chemical and marine industries, Loadstar is recognized for its safety performance, employee focus and long-term growth commitments as a Certified Evergreen company.
Pictured: Founder and CEO Brian Haymon<\/p>\n

Get tickets to the Business Awards & Hall of Fame Gala here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"One of the Capital Region\u2019s most anticipated business celebrations returns this spring\u2014and tickets are now available. Business Report…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":231462,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[138,336,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-231461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entrepreneurship","tag-business","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231461"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231461\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/231462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=231461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}