LED Mentor-Protégé Recognition Program Participants
Gov. John Bel Edwards recognized companies participating in Louisiana’s Mentor-Protégé Recognition Program on the morning of November 3, 2022, at the Louisiana State Capital.
Edwards delivers the message that the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) program, which pairs established, high-performing employers with emerging small businesses in the state, benefits the smaller and larger firms. He explained how the partnerships allow for the growth of relationships and economic development for the state.
President of Sustainable Design Solutions, Kodi Guillory, P.E., accepted the award for her firm’s Mentor-Protégé partnership with Jacobs Engineering Group.
Mentors, like Jacobs Engineering, are selected from referrals made by regional economic development groups and other stakeholders, and protégés are chosen from candidates certified in LED’s Small and Emerging Business Development Program. Jacobs selected Sustainable for their protege in 2020 and since has presented opportunities to the firm that have allowed for continued growth.
Guillory says she is grateful for this opportunity, especially to Jacob’s Engineering Vice President and Client Account Manager for Louisiana and Arkansas, Carlos Giron, P.G., and Project Manager and Louisiana Manager of Projects, Heather Layrisson, P.E., who has been instrumental in the partnership’s success.
“We meet quarterly and review strategies to maintain clients, tools, and templates, to see what has been a success and what has been a go or no-go project. They share different resources and insights that work for my firm based on how Jacobs operates,” explained Guillory.
The two firms also have an excellent working relationship pursuing contracts together and are working on a new project for the City of Baton Rouge.
“We are supporting the City with an integrated team. My employees, especially our recent Engineering Interns, are getting valuable mentorship and technical experience support from a large team of professionals through this partnership,” said Guillory.