NFIB/Louisiana and Louisiana Economic Development have announced that Jefferson Parish businessman Mike Mitternight will succeed Baton Rouge businesswoman Pat Felder as chairman of the statewide LED Small Business Advisory Council.
NFIB and LED established the council in 2010 for the purpose of advising LED and state officials about issues affecting the competitiveness of small businesses in Louisiana. The council consists of a diverse group of small business owners representing each region of the state.
Felder, who owns Felder’s Collision Parts in Baton Rouge, had guided the council since its inception. Mitternight is owner and president of Factory Service Agency Inc., a small business based in Metairie that specializes in commercial air conditioning service and construction.
“I want to thank Pat Felder for her invaluable public service in leading the SBAC through its initial years, a time in which important work has been accomplished addressing issues that affect Louisiana’s small businesses,” LED Secretary Stephen Moret said. “Among the council’s key contributions was their proposal to construct the LED Incentive Evaluator, which allows businesses to see online which incentive programs they’re eligible for and the estimated tax benefits they might receive.
“I’m delighted that Mike Mitternight will continue the great leadership we’ve seen with the LED Small Business Advisory Council, where he has been a valued member and has long been an important voice for small businesses in our state,” Moret said.
In addition to operating his company, Mitternight serves as a member of multiple business and government organizations, including NFIB, the Louisiana Workforce Investment Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Small Business Association and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. He is a past chairman of LABI and served as chairman of a state task force charged with reformulating the Louisiana Department of Labor into the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
SBAC members and LED officials continue to identify and work on issues affecting small businesses.
“NFIB asked Louisiana Economic Development to establish the council to give small business owners a greater voice in Louisiana,” said State Director Dawn Starns of NFIB in Louisiana. “This council enables small business owners to have a say in rules and regulations, workforce development, taxes and other issues that affect them. We’re grateful to Secretary Moret for recognizing the need to seek input from the people whose livelihoods often depend on the department’s actions.”
