Grady Hurley, of Jones Walker, has been elected president of the Maritime Law Association of the United States.

Hurley is a partner and co-leader of the maritime litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution team.

He is the fourth MLA president to come from New Orleans in the 125-year history of the organization.

Hurley earned a law degree and a master of laws in maritime law from Tulane Law School. He has served as president of the Tulane Alumni Association and the New Orleans Bar Association.

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Jennifer Caldwell, an assistant professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, was named as one of four early-stage investigators to receive pilot funding of $50,000 from the Forge AHEAD Center.

Forge AHEAD is a regional comprehensive research center located at the University of Alabama Birmingham.

Caldwell was selected for her upcoming project Linking Genetics and Improving Nutrition in Scotlandville.

Linking GAINS is focused on educating Black people on their genetic makeup and what it means for their health outcomes. It will provide nutrition and cooking classes tailored to the limited resources of a food desert, such as those in Scotlandville and north Baton Rouge. Participants will get genetic testing for chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease and receive information aligned to their genetic background.

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The East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority was presented with an award of excellence from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials at the organization’s recent legislative conference.

The housing agency was recognized for the $25 million Cypress Pinchback senior community, a 99-unit development near the corner of Highland Road and Gardere Lane. The development won praise for its design, innovations and sensitivity to the needs of people aging in place.

This is the second award of excellence for the housing agency in two years. Last year, the organization was recognized for the Tech Tools for Children in Housing Communities, which provided Chromebooks, laptops, computer accessories and wi-fi access to 680 children.

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Louisiana Economic Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration recently honored business owners and supporters at the 2024 Louisiana Small Business Awards ceremony.

The honorees are:

2024 SBA Champion Award Recipients

Entrepreneurial Success Award: Cristy Cali, Cristy’s Collection, St. Rose

Minority Small Business Champion: Mayra E. Pineda, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, Metairie

Lender of the Year: Alton K. McRee and Donald Peltier, American Bank, Covington

Young Entrepreneurs of the Year: Xavier Barreda and LaDonte Lotts, JiggAerobics, Baton Rouge

Veteran Small Business Champion: Jack L. Gunter, GUNCO, Sulphur

Women in Business Champion: Trudy R. Poret, Tarpan Construction, Cottonport

Small Business Development Center Excellence & Innovation Award: Susan Thibodeaux, LSBDC at McNeese State University, Lake Charles

Phoenix Small Business Recovery Award: Dirk Guidry, Terrebonne Parish Council-District 8, Chauvin

2024 LED Entrepreneur Awards

LED Small and Emerging Business of the Year: LaDarby Williams, Germ Slayers Cleaning & Maintenance Solutions, New Orleans

Outstanding Small and Emerging Business Development Up-and-Coming Business Awards: Anastacia Francis, Little Starr’s Center, LaPlace

LEDC Equity Fund of the Year: Mickal P. Adler and John K. Roberts III, Boot64 Magnolia Fund I LP, Metairie

LEDC Micro Lender of the Year: Jonathan Reynolds, Carter Credit Union, Shreveport

LEDC Most Valuable Bank of the Year: Cody Gil and Courtney Tramiel, First Guaranty Bank, Hammond

Louisiana APEX Accelerator Government Contractor of the Year: Christina C-Do, Quality First Marine, Covington

Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana Small Manufacturer’s Award: Cherrie Guidry, Guidry’s Catfish, Breaux Bridge

National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Champion Award: Wayne Rabalais, Rabalais Business Consulting, Lafayette

USDA Rural Development Lender of the Year: Stephen C. Van Sickle II, BOM Bank, Natchitoches

USDA Rural Development Borrower of the Year: Walker Alford, All Hours Fitness, Many