In a celebration of entrepreneurial excellence, Ben Gootee, President of MCA Central Gulf Coast and CEO of Gootee Construction, was honored with the 2025 Marshall Klein Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO), Louisiana Chapter annual meeting on August 23 at The Cabildo in New Orleans.
This recognition comes as a testament to his visionary leadership in guiding Gootee Construction—a fourth-generation family mechanical contracting firm founded in 1991—through a significant ownership transition. In 2024, he led the company to become 100% employee‑owned via an ESOP, preserving the family legacy while empowering the workforce.
A strong Georgia Tech connection is woven into his background: Gootee earned his B.S. in Building Construction from Georgia Tech in 2005 and was part of the university’s winning team in the MCAA 2004 Student Chapter Competition—a notable early achievement that foreshadowed his impressive career trajectory.
A New Orleans native who returned to the city post–Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild the family business, Gootee has been a committed member of EO Louisiana for eight years. He served as Chapter President in 2022 and continues to contribute at the statewide level within EO’s Board of Directors.
EO is an international association of business leaders with annual sales of $1 million and above. The organization supports peer-to-peer learning, executive development, and entrepreneurial community building across the state.
An article about the event and the award appears in Biz New Orleans.