Global Commerce & Services gradutes from JEDCO business incubator program

(Fairfield, La) — The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) is pleased to announce the graduation of Global Commerce & Services from the Business Innovation Center, the organization’s business incubator program. Pioneered by founder Joaneane Smith, this award-winning information technology company has experienced growth in revenue and employment for four years in a row.

Global Commerce & Services is a local company with a national reach. It has proven itself as a leader in information technology services, serving a variety of national clients, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Navy, Department of Army, the Business Transformation Agency and the Defense Information Systems Agency.

Smith, the president and CEO of the company, has been recognized on numerous occasions for her work in the IT industry. She was awarded the 2010 and 2011 USDA Office of Procurement and Property Management Hubzone Contractor of the Year. Smith was also named the 2011 SBA District Minority Small Business Person of the Year – Louisiana District. Smith was featured on “Inside Business,” a live broadcast that focuses on emerging small business concerns and in 2013, she participated in a Washington D.C. Senate hearing to discuss how the government furlough affected her company. Smith is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program at Delgado Community College.

Global Commerce & Services will stay in Jefferson Parish, locating to a new office space off of Manhattan Boulevard on the West Bank. In the new location, the company will continue to grow and service a vast array of clients, both locally and on a national level.

“JEDCO is proud of the accomplishments Joaneane and her team have achieved while taking advantage of our small business resources,” says JEDCO Executive Director Jerry Bologna. “Global Commerce & Services is an exceptional company with an exciting future. We look forward to watching Joaneane and her team continue to grow the business in Jefferson Parish.”

“JEDCO has definitely been fundamental to the early stages of my company,” Smith says. “They’ve always been there to offer assistance and the feedback was always constructive. JEDCO understands that small businesses are the lifeblood of a successful economy. That is why supporting my company and helping us to grow, create jobs and crack new markets has been such a major part of JEDCO’s mission over the last three years. At Global Commerce and Services, LLC, we appreciate all of the assistance we’ve received from JEDCO.”

The Business Innovation Center is located at the Churchill Technology and Business Park in Avondale. Designed to connect entrepreneurs with the resources they need to help transform ideas into viable business ventures, the Business Innovation Center offers below-market rate office space and a wide range of tools to help companies get started. Offices come equipped with office furniture, telephone service, wireless internet, copy and fax machine, conference rooms, video conference capabilities, Smartboard technology and 24/7 secure access.

For more information about the business incubator program, visit JEDCO’s website at www.jedco.org or call (504) 875-3908.