(Washington, D.C.) – In honor of National Veterans Small Business Week, U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-La.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBC), today announced veteran-owned Ruston Animal Clinic of Ruston, La. as Small Business of the Week, and will be submitting it into the Congressional Record.
“With Veterans Day approaching, we as a nation must take the time to be thankful and appreciative of the men and women who fought to protect our country, which is why I am honoring former U.S. Marine, Dr. Marion Sewell, and her Ruston Animal Clinic as Small Business of the Week,” Vitter said. “After serving our country, Marion decided to use her experiences from the Marine Corps to better serve our community and offer her help to Ruston’s furry citizens. I am thankful for her dedication to our country and for her contributions to our state’s small business workforce.”
Following a four year stint serving in the United States Marine Corps, Dr. Marion Sewell moved to Louisiana where she received an undergraduate degree from Louisiana Tech University and later obtained a doctorate degree in Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. In 2009, Dr. Sewell assumed ownership of Ruston Animal Clinic, which had been operating in the Ruston area since 1970. After Dr. Sewell’s acquisition, she has tailored her business to serve the needs of North Louisiana’s furry friends by providing a wide variety of services, including preventative medicine, dental care, orthopedic surgery, bathing, and boarding.
Recently, Dr. Sewell lent her time and talents to assist in animal evacuation and rescue efforts in South Louisiana during the historic August floods. She currently serves as the President-Elect of the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association where she is able to contribute to the statewide mission of LVMA and support the profession of veterinarians across Louisiana.
National Veterans Small Business Week honors the entrepreneurial pursuits of America’s more than 2,500,000 veteran-owned small businesses, which employ nearly 6,000,000 individuals and make up nearly 10 percent of all businesses in the United States. Last month, Vitter, along with SBC ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), led 10 other Senators in introducing a Senate resolution honoring America’s veteran-owned small businesses. Click here to read more. Vitter and Shaheen have tirelessly advocated for veteran small business owners, including passing the Veterans Small Business Ownership Act of 2015 (S.1866) and the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act (S.957) out of the committee.
As SBC Chairman, Vitter continues the tradition of honoring America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs.
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