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Teresa Lawrence

Delta Administrative Services

Owner and CEO

Teresa Lawrence is a Cuban-born entrepreneur who arrived in the United States as a refugee on President Nixon’s “Freedom Flight” in 1973. Joined by her mother, brother, and grandmother, it was this pursuit of liberty mingled with sheer uncertainty that instilled in her a strong work ethic that follows her to this day.

From bagging groceries to managing advertising accounts in the Greater New Orleans area, Teresa’s career journey has had its twists and turns. In 1988, she married David Lawrence, whose family owned and operated a staffing agency called Delta Temporaries. That same year, the business was struggling and her father-in-law was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, so David and Teresa quit their jobs to take over the heavily-leveraged company. Once the debt cleared, they collectively decided to change the firm’s name to the present-day Delta Personnel.

In 2000, Teresa became the sole owner of one of Louisiana’s oldest temporary and permanent placement service companies. Specializing in niche markets, Delta Personnel works to solve labor pains by providing a full range of services, including: temporary staffing, temp-to-hire, direct hire, executive hire, and on-site management. In addition, Delta Personnel offers a comprehensive screening process, HR consulting, best practices for risk/safety, certified payroll, and personnel evaluations across various industries. Under Teresa’s leadership, Delta Personnel has gained national recognition in the staffing industry, propelled by strategic networking and training opportunities. Teresa is an esteemed graduate of both the Tuck School of Business-WBENC Executive Program and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program.

In 2020, Teresa became majority owner and CEO of Delta Administrative Services, a professional employer organization (PEO) founded by her husband. As these Delta companies celebrate being in business for over 50 years, she has plans to expand nationwide and into new industries, partnering with more minority businesses and advocating for diversity and acceptance. Teresa is committed to the development of her community, actively serving on several board of directors and working with local nonprofit organizations.

David and Teresa are extremely proud of their three children – Francesca, Alexandra, and David Lawrence II. They have passed down foundations of hard work and discipline so that these three can achieve to the best of their abilities in their chosen fields.