MONROE, LA — The Monroe Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of the 2026 Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence during its annual awards ceremony held Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Monroe Civic Center.
The Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding businesses, organizations, and leaders whose growth, investment, innovation, and community involvement have made a meaningful impact on Ouachita Parish. Named in honor of Thomas H. Scott, Sr., a visionary businessman and community leader, the awards continue to celebrate the people and organizations helping move the region forward.
This year, 46 businesses and organizations were recognized as nominees across multiple categories. Collectively, these nominees represent significant job creation and retention, major capital investment, business expansion, and continued service to the community.
The evening’s top honor, the 2026 Thomas H. Scott Award of Excellence, was presented to AT&T for its investment in local infrastructure, expanded technology and connectivity, public safety communications, and continued commitment to Ouachita Parish.
Business Category Winners:
Small Business Category: NELA Title Company, LLC Medium Business Category: Harrison Lilly Realty Large Business Category: Southern Hospitality Services, LLC
Corporate Business Category: Guidance for Behavioral Health Nonprofit Category: The Center for Children & Families
Major Honors:
Thomas H. Scott Award of Excellence: AT&T Monroe Chamber Chairman’s Award, Individual Leadership: Tommy Elmore Monroe Chamber Chairman’s Award, Business: DPR Construction BayouLife Innovator Award: The Hotel Monroe Chase Business Award: Ronald McDonald House Charities Arkansas & North Louisiana Businesswoman of the Year: Lisa Holyfield Ouachita Parish Woman of Excellence: Dr. Gwenn V. Jackson
Spirit Awards:
Spirit of Service Award: Pilots for Patients Spirit of Reliability Award: The Digital Weather Desk Spirit of Hospitality Award: Monroe’s Spirit of Hope Award: Northeast Louisiana Cancer Institute Spirit of Resilience Award: Brown’s Roofing Spirit of Commitment Award: Lucky Services Spirit of Renewal Award: Avenue Studio + Spa
Nominees by Category:
Small Business Nominees: Backwoods Nuisance Management, Bayou Jamb, LLC, Bestz Donuts, In-Sync Accounting & Consulting, JobSquad Staffing Solutions, Leading Home Care Monroe, NELA Title Company, LLC, Parish Ice LLC, Prosper Therapy and Feeding Solutions, Seventh Square Coffee, Tech Savvy, LLC, The Digital Weather Desk, Twin City Tattoo, and Warrior Media.
Medium Business Nominees: Avenue Studio + Spa, Harrison Lilly Real Estate, Monroe’s, Northeast Louisiana Cancer Institute, Southern Classic Chicken, Monroe, TBA Studio Architecture, LLC, Tharwat Ghattas, MD, and Unitech Training Academy, West Monroe Campus.
Large Business Nominees: Brown’s Roofing, Key Pieces Therapy, Southern Hospitality Services, LLC, and The Hotel Monroe.
Corporate Business Nominees: AT&T, DPR Construction, Fire Tech Systems, Guidance for Behavioral Health, and Lucky Services.
Nonprofit Nominees: Elmore Family Foundation, Freed Men, Inc., Innovative Network of Knowledge, Louisiana Associated General Contractors, Louisiana Cancer Foundation, Media Ministries, Pilots for Patients, Ronald McDonald House Charities Arkansas & North Louisiana, The Center for Children & Families, and Twin Cities Krewe of Janus, Inc.
The 2026 Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence were made possible through the generous support of event sponsors, including Scott Powerline & Utility Equipment, Origin Bank, Ochsner LSU Health Monroe, DPR Construction, Chase Bank, AT&T, Avenue Studio + Spa, Key Pieces Therapy, Brown’s Roofing, Pinnacle Family Health, CommuniHealth Services, Mid South Extrusion, b1 Bank, First Horizon Bank, Alli Management, The Center for Children and Families, the University of Louisiana Monroe, Building Futures, The Radio People, KNOE TV, KTVE, Warrior Media, and BayouLife Magazine.
“The Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence give us the opportunity to recognize the businesses, organizations, and leaders who are investing in Ouachita Parish and helping shape the future of our region,” said Mike Downhour, President of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. “This year’s nominees and winners represent the strength, resilience, innovation, and generosity that continue to move our community forward.”
The Monroe Chamber of Commerce congratulates all 2026 nominees and award recipients and thanks each business and organization for its continued investment in Ouachita Parish