Madeline Henderson was training to be a physical therapist assistant but a few years ago, she dropped that ambition and poured her energy into making Henderson Concrete Specialists a key participant in Shreveport-Bossier Citys expanding construction activity.
Her decision paid off. The company was named the Small Business Administration's 2001 Woman-Owned Firm of the Year
and Madeline Henderson was District Minority Small Business Person of the Year for the SBA's New Orleans District.
Madelines husband, Shelton, started the company in 1994 as a sole proprietorship. He has since become a licensed general contractor, and the company has changed its
name to Henderson Construction Services, Inc. to reflect the company's various capabilities.
While Shelton Henderson is in charge of construction field operations, Madeline Henderson is now the president and majority owner. She's in charge of financial management and marketing. Her priority has been to find government contracts and programs to help minority, woman-owned firms compete.
"That was the turning point when we decided that we were going to fill out every possible application to broaden our chances of winning contracts," Madeline Henderson said.
One of those programs the Hendersons applied for was the SBA's 8(a) program that provides business assistance to socially and economically disadvantaged companies.
The growth process also led the Hendersons to the LSU-Shreveport Small Business Development Center, which assisted them in managerial and technical assistance through participation in a state program for small and emerging businesses. Madeline Henderson also is a graduate of FastTrac, an entrepreneurial training program offered at the center.
In four years, Henderson Construction Services' sales have more than tripled and the number of employees has grown from two to 10. Job sites have been at Willis-Knighton Pierremont Health Center, Horseshoe Casino & Hotel and Barksdale Air Force Base.
Henderson's growth and commitment to the community also resulted in the firm's being named one of the Top 10 Small Businesses for 2002 by the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce.
As a woman and a minority, Madeline Henderson is still overcoming adversity in the construction field but believes barriers are being broken.
"Its taken time but as Henderson Construction Services' reputation grows, so has our acceptance in the construction business." Madeline Henderson said.
