New Orleans woman named 2024 National Small Business Person of the Year

Iam Tucker, a former Baton Rouge police officer who took over a civil engineering firm started by her father and increased the number of employees from 9 to 50, has been named National Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Tucker received the honor Monday during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., at the start of National Small Business Week. 

She is president and CEO of ILSI Engineering, a New Orleans civil engineering company that specializes in sewer, water, street and drainage design projects. Tucker’s father, Robert H. Tucker, started the company 30 years ago. 

In the 15 years that she has run the business, Tucker has landed more than 100 contracts with various state, local and federal agencies and significantly increased the number of workers. The company has annual revenue of over $7.5 million.

Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, said Tucker exemplifies the “grit, ingenuity and determination” that defines entrepreneurs.

“Iam has overseen tremendous business growth over the last 15 years in the engineering field while demonstrating the value of hard work and resourcefulness in ensuring continued resilience,” Guzman said.