Some of the biggest names in the energy industry will be honored this fall as 10/12 Industry Report hosts the inaugural Louisiana Energy Awards, recognizing the leaders, companies, and projects driving the state’s energy future.
Honorees will be announced at a high-profile celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2025, at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel in Baton Rouge, bringing together top executives, innovators, engineers, policymakers, and service providers from across the sector—from oil and gas to carbon capture and hydrogen.
“Louisiana has long powered the nation—and today, it’s also helping define what comes next,” says Julio Melara, CEO of Melara Enterprises, the parent company of 10/12 Industry Report. “This awards program was created to spotlight the bold thinkers and doers at every level of the energy economy.”
Turner Industries Chairman Emeritus Roland Toups will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his extraordinary leadership in Louisiana’s energy and industrial sectors. Beginning his career in 1968, when he was hired by Turner Industries Founder Bert Turner as an engineer, Toups helped transform a small construction company into a multibillion-dollar industrial contractor with more than 20,000 employees serving clients nationwide. The decorated Air Force veteran has also had a profound commitment to public service, having chaired the Louisiana State Board of Regents, the Greater Baton Rouge Area Chamber and numerous civic organizations.
The Danos Foundation will be honored for its community philanthropy supporting nonprofits, advancing education, mobilizing disaster relief and encouraging employee engagement through giving and volunteerism. Based in Gray, Louisiana, Its signature programs Danos GIVES and Danos WORKS strategically channel impact across Louisiana and locations where employees live and work. It has distributed more than $1.4 million to hundreds of nonprofit partners since its founding.
The Louisiana Energy Awards will also recognize finalists in five additional categories, including Energy Deal of the Year, Small and Large Energy Company of the Year, Emerging Energy Leader, and Energy Executive of the Year. Honorees in each category will be announced live at the event.
Named as finalists for the Energy Deal of the Year:
- Meta’s $10 billion artificial intelligence data center being built in north Louisiana
- Heirloom’s direct air capture deal with United Airlines Ventures’ Sustainable Flight Fund for the Port of Caddo-Bossier creating opportunities for new industries
- Woodside Energy’s all-cash acquisition of Tellurian Inc., transferring the fully permitted Driftwood LNG development in Calcasieu Parish into Woodside’s global portfolio in a deal valued at $18.7 billion
Named as finalists for Company of the year (Small/Mid-Sized):
- Placid Refining Company, which operates a modern petroleum refinery located on the Mississippi River in Port Allen
- Orion Engineers & Constructors of Baton Rouge, which delivers integrated engineering as well as project and construction management services across the energy and industrial sectors
- Loadstar Product Handling Services of Baton Rouge, which handles billions of gallons of crude oil, refined products, chemicals and liquefied gases to and from pipelines, railcars, barges and other modes of transportation
Named as finalists for Company of the Year (Large):
- ExxonMobil, which is positioning Louisiana to become a leader in carbon capture and storage, in part with the 2023 acquisition of Denbury’s CO2 pipeline network―885 miles of which are in Louisiana
- Cheniere Energy, which is the largest producer of LNG in the United States and second largest LNG operator in the world, Since 2016, it has shipped more than 4,000 cargos to 40 markets on five continents, more than half of which have been produced and exported from the Sabine Pass facility in Cameron Parish
- Entergy Louisiana, which has made significant advancements in the past year to grid resilience and storm preparedness, clean energy and sustainability, economic development and strategic partnerships, and financial performance and investor confidence.
Named as finalists for Emerging Energy Leader:
- Camile Ivy-O’Donnell, senior state government affairs representative – U.S. East, Chevron USA Inc., who lead efforts to secure a $100 million bond allocation for the company’s Geismar facility
- Anna Johnson, executive director, West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, an advocate the energy transition promoting and testifying at the Capitol for initiatives that will propel Louisiana into becoming a global leader for decarbonization, LNG, oil and gas and nuclear energy
- Kellen Francis, CEO and founder of CodeGig, a custom software development company that has developed software that tracks carbon emissions, energy usage, predictive maintenance and more
Named as finalists for Energy Executive of the Year:
- Entergy President and CEO Phillip May
- Greater Lafourche Port Commission/Port Fourchon Executive Director Chett Chaisson
- Danos CEO Paul Danos
Winners in the finalist categories will be revealed live during the Nov. 5 celebration, following a formal dinner and multimedia presentation. All finalists and honorees will also be featured in the fall edition of 10/12 Industry Report, published by parent company Melara Enterprises.
The awards and celebration are sponsored by the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation, Kean Miller, PALA, Delta Machine & Ironworks, Turner Industries and USA Industries. Host sponsor is L’Auberge Casino Hotel Baton Rouge.
