Southwest Louisiana – Former Senator Ronnie Johns was awarded this year’s LegisGator of the Year for his outstanding support of Southwest Louisiana during his legislative career in the Louisiana House of Representatives and Senate.

Nearly nine hundred Chamber SWLA members, colleagues, elected officials and visitors were in attendance to the state legislators honored for their commitment to the Chamber’s pro-business legislative agenda during the 2021 Legislative Session.

“The purpose of our LegisGator Luncheon is to thank the members of the state legislature and our congressional delegation for supporting the pro-business agenda of the Chamber Southwest Louisiana and our allies. We appreciate their willingness to serve,” said George Swift, President/CEO of the Chamber SWLA.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and Lt. Governor Billy Nunngesser gave remarks at the event which also included Federal level updates from Senator Bill Cassidy, MD, and Senator John Kennedy.

Other major award winners:

• Rising Star Award: Representative Beau Beaullieu of New Iberia
• Infrastructure: Senator Rick Ward of Port Allen & Representative Tanner Magee of Houma
• Mandatory Kindergarten: Senator Cleo Fields of Baton Rouge and Representative Jason Hughes
• Tax Reform: Senator Bret Allain of Franklin and Representative Stuart Bishop of Lafayette
• Governmental Affairs Award: Senator Mark Abraham and Representative Troy Romero of Jennings
• Chamber SWLA Chair’s Award: Speaker Clay Schexnayder of Gonzales (Centralized Sales Tax & Business Recovery) and President Page Cortez of Lafayette (Sports Betting, M.J. Foster Award Program)

Winners of the Business Champion Awards this year:

• Representative Larry Bagley, District 7
• Representative Beau Beaullieu, District 48
• Representative Stuart J. Bishop, District 43
• Representative Ryan Bourriaque, District 47
• Representative Marcus Bryant, District 96
• Representative Dewith Carrier, District 32
• Representative Paula Davis, District 69
• Representative Mary DuBuisson, District 90
• Representative Michael Echols, District 14
• Representative Rick Edmonds, District 66
• Representative Les Farnum, District 33
• Representative Bryan Fontenot, District 55
• Representative Barbara Freiberg, District 70
• Representative LarryFrieman, District 74
• Representative Brett Geymann, District 35
• Representative Johnathan Goudeau, District 31
• Representative Jason Hughes, District 100
• Representative John Illg, District 78
• Representative Michael Johnson, District 27
• Representative Rodney Lyons, District 87
• Representative Tanner Magee, District 53
• Representative Gregory A. Miller, District 56
• Representative Buddy Mincey, District 71
• Representative Richard Nelson, District 89
• Representative Charles Owen, District 30
• Representative Vincent J. Pierre, District 44
• Representative Neil Riser, District 20
• Representative Troy Romero, District 37
• Representative Clay Schexnayder, District 81
• Representative John Stefanski, District 42
• Representative Phillip Tarver, District 36
• Representative Polly Thomas, District 80
• Representative Christopher Turner, District 12
• Senator Gerald Boudreaux, District 24
• Senator Gary Carter, District 7
• Senator Stewart Cathey Jr., District 33
• Senator Michael Fesi, District 20
• Senator Cleo Fields, District 14
• Senator Franklin Foil, District 16
• Senator Bob Hensgens, District 26
• Senator Sharon Hewitt, District 1
• Senator Barry Milligan, District 38
• Senator Ed Price, District 2
• Senator Mike Reese, District 30
• Senator Rick Ward, District 17
• Senator Bodi White, District 6
• Senator Glen Womack, District 32

This year’s event was sponsored by Title Sponsor L'Auberge Casino Resort, Presenting Sponsor CITGO.

Golden Gator Sponsors were Sasol, Acadian Ambulance Service, Adams & Reese, Advantous Consulting, Cameron LNG, Capitol Partners, Cheniere, CSE Federal Credit Union, Ellevate Louisiana, Hunt, Guillot & Associates, First Horizon/IberiaBank, Indorama, John H. Carter, LCTA Internet & Television Association, Port of Lake Charles, Stream Wetland Services, Suddenlink Business Services, Tellurian / Driftwood LNG, and The Picard Group.

Bayou Backers were Acadian Ambulance; AT&T Louisiana; Chennault International Airport; CSRS; Entergy; Energy Transfer; First Federal Bank; FNBD; J Walker & Company; JDBank; Lake Charles Coca Cola; Lake Charles Memorial Health System; Lake Charles Regional Airport; Lotte Chemicals; Merchants & Farmers Bank; Patriot Construction; Phillips 66; Protac, LLC; Rail Logix; Stine; Stockwell Sievert Law Firm; and West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital.