November 01, 2009 – SHREVEPORT, LA: The North Louisiana Institute for Building Technology and Safety (LAIBTS) has been selected as one of five honorees for the 2009 J. Pat Beaird Small Business of the Year by the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce.
As reported in Shreveport’s Forum Newsweekly:
For the small businesses, the selection committee judges the winners by a number of criteria including integrity, solid work ethic and the vision necessary to impact a difference in the community. The companies are judged on their entrepreneurial spirit, how they handle and respond to adversity, innovation, service to the community, financial stewardship and growth.
Open since 2006, the North Louisiana office of [the] Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) is a nonprofit organization existing to provide impartial building code department services, community development office assistance, energy assessment, flood plain management, grant writing and grant administration assistance to reduce the burden on federal, state and local government offices.
IBTS currently serves local governments in the following parishes: Bossier, Webster, DeSoto, Red River, Bienville, Claiborne, Union, Lincoln, Jackson, Caldwell, Tensas and Madison. IBTS also serves numerous [municipalities] within those parishes and is responsible for more than 4,000 permits a year. Greg Blount is the Louisiana branch manager.
“Just after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit Louisiana, IBTS hired me to set up the Louisiana office,” Blount said. “My 20-year background in design and drafting, ISO 9000 quality processes, product safety, construction inspections and code certifications was critical to our success assisting over 20 Louisiana jurisdictions in developing and implementing successful and sustainable building code offices.”
[Governor] Bobby Jindal recognized IBTS with a proclamation in August 2008 for its crucial work in the state’s recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.“As a nonprofit organization,” said Blount, “it is a great honor for us to receive this nomination. Being so honored lets us know that we are improving local communities and relieving the local government of some of their burdens. The IBTS team continually drives ourselves…to make this a stronger, safer and smarter Louisiana. We are excited to be a part of the greater Shreveport/Bossier area, and look forward to assisting the community for many years to come.”
More information on the award is available on the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce website at: http://www.shreveportchamber.org/news.php?id=35.
Press Contact:
Karen Johnson
Market Engagement Program Director
kjohnson@ibts.org
