Honors for Entrepreneurs
The A. B. Freeman School of Business honored the Wilson family, owners of Barriere Construction Co., as Tulane Distinguished Entrepreneurs of the Year and Kathryn Hall-Trujillo, founding director of the Birthing Project USA, as Tulane Social Entrepreneur of the Year at an awards ceremony on Friday (April 16).
Representing his family, George H. Wilson Jr., left, receives the Tulane Distinguished Entrepreneurs of the Year award from John Elstrott, right, of the A. B. Freeman School of Business. (Photos by Cheryl Gerber)
John Elstrott, clinical professor of entrepreneurship and executive director of the Freeman School's Levy-Rosenblum Institute for Entrepreneurship, presented the awards.
The award to the Wilson family honors individuals who exemplify entrepreneurial spirit and philanthropic generosity, while the award to Hall-Trujillo recognizes individuals dedicated to improving the community through entrepreneurial initiatives.
Barriere Construction is a third-generation, family-owned highway and heavy construction asphalt company. The company was founded in 1949 by Gaines Wilson and today is led by his grandsons, George H. Wilson Jr., who is a 1975 alumnus of Tulane; Bertrand A. Wilson; and Peter A. Wilson.
The Wilson family is actively involved with charitable organizations including the United Way and Habitat for Humanity and offers a scholarship program for students interested in civil engineering.
Kathryn Hall-Trujillo, founding director of the Birthing Project USA, accepts the award as Tulane Social Entrepreneur of the Year.
Hall-Trujillo leads Birthing Project USA, an international organization and resource center for improving birth outcomes for women of color. The Birthing Project model has been replicated in nearly 100 communities in the United States, Canada, Central America and Africa.
She has more than 30 years of experience as a public health administrator, community health educator and advocate in the public and private sectors. Hall-Trujillo has been honored as Woman of the Year by the California State Legislature, as a Hero in Healthcare by the Coalition for Excellence in Healthcare, and as California's Child Abuse Prevention Professional of the Year.
The Levy-Rosenblum Institute for Entrepreneurship trains and inspires prospective entrepreneurs through coursework, community service projects and internships. In 2009, the institute's entrepreneurship program was ranked fourth in the nation by Entrepreneur magazine in partnership with the Princeton Review.
