BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Economic Development honored the state’s 2019 Lantern Award winners during a private reception Tuesday at the Governor’s Mansion.
Lantern Award winners demonstrate excellence in manufacturing and outstanding service to their communities through the involvement of their businesses and employees. Lantern Award honorees are selected by Louisiana’s eight Regional Planning and Development Districts, based on the contributions of the manufacturers to their communities, including investments in employment growth and facility expansion. Each business also must demonstrate sustainability by remaining in operation at least three years prior to the nomination.
Metro Aviation, of Shreveport, was the 2019 Lantern Award winner for the Northwest Region.
Metro Aviation was incorporated in 1982 as a helicopter charter, flight training and maintenance operation. They entered into the air medical service business in November 1983 with two used Hughes 500-D model helicopters, when Metro Aviation entered into a long-term agreement to provide helicopter ambulance service for Schumpert Medical Center in Shreveport.
Metro Aviation now has air medical transport operations throughout the United States. They credit their growth and success to a commitment to safety, quality and customer service; caps on price escalation; a strong equity position; and commitment to minimizing aircraft downtime.
“Manufacturers are important economic drivers in Louisiana, providing good jobs and generating the real foundation of economic activity that ripples across our communities in many ways,” LED Secretary Don Pierson said. “Our manufacturing industry is a key to our state’s economic future, because modern manufacturing relies on advanced technologies, state-of-the-art facilities and an efficient, skilled and productive workforce. Our state will certainly prosper when we are committed to helping our Louisiana manufacturers succeed. At this event we are happy to acknowledge and congratulate these Lantern Award winners for their leadership and impressive achievements.”
Since LED launched the Lantern Awards in 1979, the program has recognized more than 300 Louisiana manufacturing businesses. LED’s program partners include the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association and the Louisiana Quality Foundation.
