Better Business Bureau Serving Acadiana recognizes companies committed to exceptional ethical standards for business practices and is proud to announce the winners of its Torch Awards for Ethics Program.
The Torch Awards for Ethics bring attention to the practices these businesses employ to become deeply rooted and valuable business leaders among customers and our community.
The following awards were presented to the winner in each of the categories:
The “Outstanding New Business Award” is awarded to a business under three years old that has demonstrated success in customer service, marketing, advertising, communications, and ethical sales practices. The winner is It’s Just a Cookie in Broussard.
The “Customer Commitment Award” honors a business with an outstanding customer service program that exceeds customers' expectations. The winner is The Chubby Unicorn in Lafayette.
The “Good Neighbor Award” recognizes a business and its employees who play a significant role in support of programs and services to the community. The winner is the Down Syndrome Association of Acadiana in Lafayette.
The “Torch Award for Ethics” honors organizations whose leaders focus on the four C’s and measure the Character of the organization’s leadership; if and how an authentic Culture is being fostered; the company’s transparent relationship with its Customers; and the impact the organization is making in the local Community. The winner is Gridic, LLC in New Iberia.
The BBB recognizes individuals who benefit the Acadiana community through volunteerism, donations, advocacy, education, or other methods. The following award was presented to this year’s winner:
The “Community Hero Award” is presented to an individual who has made substantial and noble efforts, often sacrificing oneself, to benefit others and/or the Acadiana community within the last two (2) years. This year’s recipient is Pastor Ken Lazard, of Destiny of Faith Church in Lafayette.
Judging was performed by a committee comprised of members of the 2023 BBB Board of Directors.
Also announced were the winners of the Student of Integrity Scholarships to honor students working towards graduation in community college, trade school, and university levels.
The recipients of the $1,000 scholarships were:
- The Community College Scholarship recipient is Thomandre Johnson, a Licensed Practical Nurse in the healthcare industry for 12 years. She is currently studying nursing at Louisiana State University at Eunice with hopes of furthering her career as an RN.
- The Trade School Scholarship recipient is Melanie Morvant, from Sugar Land, Texas. She returned to her family’s Cajun roots here in Lafayette after high school, choosing to attend the Academy of Interactive Entertainment, where she studies Game Art and Animation. Melanie also creates and sells art through her small business that she opened earlier this year, Trinket Pheonix.
- The University Scholarship winner is Kyhllun Bell, from New Iberia, a freshman at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, majoring in nursing. Khyllun hopes to work as a traveling nurse while continuing his education towards becoming a Nurse Practitioner.
In celebrating these businesses and individuals that maintain high ethical standards, BBB Serving Acadiana honored the winners by presenting them with their awards during the Torch Awards for Ethics Program banquet at Le Pavillon at Parc Lafayette on November 2, 2023, at 7 p.m.
Special thanks to our sponsors:
BBB Torch Awards for Ethics (BBB Acadiana)