The Baton Rouge Area Chamber has announced the second cohort of the Drive Minority Business Accelerator.
The program is held in partnership with Interise’s StreetWise “MBA” curriculum. Twelve minority-owned businesses comprise the second class, collectively representing approximately $26.4 million in annual revenue and employing 155 full-time equivalent employees. The program begins in September and runs through July 2024.
Members of the cohort are:
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•Paola Alvarado, CORE Boiler & Mechanical Services
•Ross Armstrong, 4th FLR Creative Agency
•LaMiesa Bonton, Bonton Associates
•Wendy Green Daniels, Beechwood Residential
•Kellen Francis, CodeGig
•Kodi Guillory, Sustainable Design Solutions
•Sherilyn Hayward, Leroy’s LipSmack’n Lemonade
•Quinlan Motley, 1-800 Radiator & AC
•Lamont Roach, LTR Holdings/Wolf Disposals
•Derrick Smith, Luxury Lawn & Landscape
•Renita W. Thomas, In Loving Arms Pediatric Day HealthCare
•Achilles Williams, Caerus Advisors
Launched last year, Drive is part of BRAC’s five-year strategic plan, BRING IT!, which identifies “creating a more inclusive economy,” as one of BRAC’s key goals. The annual program is designed for minority small business owners who want to take their business to the next level within the Capital Region.
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Ronnie Slone, president and CEO of The Slone Group, will facilitate the Drive accelerator on behalf of BRAC.
Program sponsors include ExxonMobil, Capital One and Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Community partners include Phelps Dunbar LLP, LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business, b1 Foundation, MetroMorphosis, Baton Rouge Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce and the Southern University Law Center.
This story originally appeared in a Sept. 6 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.