JA Business Hall of Fame
Established in 1984, the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame recognizes and honors local businessmen and women who have embraced the spirit of entrepreneurship in our community.
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Join us in honoring the 2026 Laureates
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Hyatt Regency New Orleans | 601 Loyola Avenue
Reception: 5:30 pm | Dinner and Awards Presentation 6:30 pm
The 2026 Laureates:
Ben Bordelon, CEO, Bollinger Shipyards, L.L.C.
Dr. Rebekah Gee, Founder & CEO, Nest Health
Aulston G. Taylor, President & CEO, St. Augustine High School
Clark Todd, President & CEO, Blessey Marine Services, Inc.
Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree
Ronald V. Burns, Sr. Chairman & CEO, Global Parking Systems
2026 Hall of Fame Laureates
Ben Bordelon
CEO, Bollinger Shipyards, L.L.C.
Clark Todd
President & CEO, Blessey Marine Services, Inc.
Rebekah Gee
Founder & CEO, Nest Health
Aulston G. Taylor
President & CEO, St. Augustine High School
Lifetime Achievement Award
Ronald V. Burns, Sr.
Chairman & CEO, Global Parking Systems
Past Honorees
1984
James J. Coleman, Sr.*
Gertrude Gardner*
Alden J. Laborde*
Alden McDonald, Jr.
William M. Metcalf, Jr.
1988
Eric Anderson* (Broadcaster)
Darryl D. Berger
Sydney Besthoff, III
Robert H. Boh*
Ella Brennan*
E. L. “Chick” Williamson*
1992
Thomas B. Coleman
John E. Koerner, III
Norvin L. Pellerin*
Patricia K. Scheerle
Stanley S. Scott* (Posthumously)
1996
B.A. “Red” Adams, Sr.
Edgar A. G. Bright, Jr.*
Phyllis Jordan
William Marks
Douglas Talbot*
2000
Walter Boasso
Ronald Burns
Ronnie Lamarque
Gregory St. L. O’Brien
David Mervin Trail*
2004
Angus R. Cooper, II
Maurice L. “Mel” Legarde, III
Jennifer Keating Magee
C. Ray Nagin
Roger H. Ogden
2008
Arnold B. Baker
Alvin A. Baumer, Jr.
Maura W. Donahue
Dr. Charles C. Teamer, Sr.
J. Douglas Thornton
2012
Henry L. Coaxum, Jr.
John D. Georges
William H. Hines
Suzanne T. Mestayer
Stephen F. Stumpf, Sr.*
2016
John Besh
David Fennelly
Michael L. Hecht
Raymond William Manning
Virginia C. Miller
2020 / 2021
Gayle Benson
Corado Giacona, II
Gary Osorno
Kevin Dolliole
Michael J. Siegel
2025
Judy Barrasso
Tommy Cvitanovich
Dr. Takeisha Davis
Troy Henry
Samir Mowad
1985
Henry Boh*
Mignon Faget
William K. McWilliams, Jr.*
August Perez, III*
William Trotter, II
1989
James M. Cain*
Ruth U. Fertel*
R. Thomas Fetters, Jr.
Ronald W. Jones
David Smith (Broadcaster)
Patrick F. Taylor*
1993
W. James Amoss, Jr.*
John F. Bricker*
Nolan A. Marshall*
G. Frank Purvis, Jr.*
T.G. “Teddy” Solomon*
1997
Ralph O. Brennan
John Casbon
Lester E Kabacoff
Waldemar S. Nelson*
Carroll W. Suggs
2001
Richard Bachmann
Sandra Duncan
Pres Kabacoff
Sidney W. Lassen
David Oreck
Milton Retif
2005
Coleman E. Adler, II
John Dane, III
Henry Lambert & R. Carey Bond
Andre M. Rubenstein
Irma Thomas
2009
Dickie Brennan
Leon Fulton
George Rodrigue*
Arthur Roger
Roland von Kurnatowski*
2013
Tom Benson*
Roy A Glapion
Patrick J. Quinlan, MD
Michael H. Rodrigue
José S. Suquet
2017
George J. Fowler, III
Tara C. Hernandez
David A. Kerstein
Warner L. Thomas
Mathew W. Wisdom
2022
Susan G. Brennan
Patrick Comer
John Hairston
Sonia Perez
Tania Tetlow
Scott Wolfe
1986
Joseph C. Canizaro
John P. Laborde
Levere C. Montgomery, Jr.
Sam C. Pulitzer*
Frank B. Steward, Jr.
1990
James U. Blanchard, III*
Leah L. Chase*
John J. Graham
Robert J. Gremillion
E. J. Ourso*
Roger I. Perlis*
1994
David F. Dixon*
Lawrence C. Gibbs
Joseph J. Krebs, Jr.
Robert W. Merrick*
James J. Reiss
Robert L. Suggs* (Posthumously)
1998
L. Ronald Forman
Norman C. Francis
Blaine S. Kern, Sr.*
Emeril Lagasse
Francis E. “Hank” Lauricella*
J. Cornelius “Cocie” Rathborne, III*
2002
Myron Moorehead
Virgil Robinson
William Henry Shane
Susan Spicer
David R. Voelker*
2006
Kerry J. Chauvin
Scott S. Cowen
Margo J. DuBos
James E. Fitzmorris, Jr.
William Goldring
H. Merritt Lane, III
2010
Nicolas G. Bazan, MD
Michael B. Bruno
Ti Adelaide Martin
Gorgon H. “Nick” Mueller
Robert J. “Sandy” Whann, IV
2014
Klara B. Cvitanovich
Preston J. Edwards, Sr.
Dr. John B. Elstrott, Jr.
Paul H. Flower
Carol A. Solomon*
2018
Adolph Bynum
Ray Brandt
Michelle Gobert
Chris Papamichael
Matthew Schwartz
2023
Karen DeBlieux
David Gallo
Steve Gleason
Jack Jensen
Dan Shapiro
Michael Smith
1987
Otto Candles, Sr.*
Erik F. Johnson*
Martin C. Miller
James R. Moffett
Dr. Everett J. Williams*
1991
Donald G. Bollinger*
Madelyn Mix Bonnot
Victor F. Kirschmann*
Edwin Lupberger
Michael C. Sport
Frank H. Walk*
1995
Donald T. “Boysie” Bollinger
Lawrence Garvey*
Leslie Rosenthal Jacobs
Larry Lundy
Basil J. Ruscvich, Jr.*
1999
Walter E. Blessey, Jr.
Patricia C. Denechaud
Jake Giarina
David Guidry
Terrence E. Hall
2003
John P. Havens
Daniel F. Packer
Julie R. Rodriguez
Ashton J. Ryan, Jr.
Gary N. Solomon
2007
Vicky D. Bayley
Donna D. Fraiche
Joseph A. Jaeger, Jr.
James E. Maurin
Marian H. Wallis
2011
Gregory Rusovich
Dr. Robert A Savoie
Phyllis M. Taylor
Roderick K. West
2015
Vanessa Brown Claiborne
Manuel Perez de la Mesa
Martin A. Mayer
Glen D. Smith
Tim Williamson
2019
Lynne A. Burkart
Barry F. Kern
Dennis Lauscha
Curtis A. Pellerin
James W. Pellerin
David M. Rubenstein
Allen Square
2024
Kim Boyle
Ryan Burks
Michelle Douglas
Greg Feirn
Lee Giorgio
Bill Hammack
*denotes a deceased member of the Hall of Fame
Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees
The creation of the Lifetime Achievement Award allows the members of the Business Hall of Fame to recognize one of their own for his or her entrepreneurial achievements and community activism over a lifetime.
2001
Alden “Doc” Laborde
2003
John. P. Laborde
2005
Donald T. “Boysie” Bollinger
2007
Sydney J. Besthoff, III
2009
Robert H. Boh
2011
James E. Fitzmorris, Jr.
2013
Dr. Norman C. Francis
2015
Robert W. Merrick
2017
No Honoree
2019
Walter E. Blessey, Jr.
2022
Alden McDonald, Jr.
2024
Roger Ogden
2002
James J. Coleman, Sr.
2004
T. G. “Teddy” Solomon
2006
Frank B. Stewart
2008
Ella Brennan
2010
G. Frank Purvis, Jr.
2012
Thomas B. Coleman
2014
Dr. Scott S. Cowen
2016
Leah Chase
2018
Phyllis Taylor
2021
Darryl D. Berger
2023
Joseph Canizaro
2025
· William Henry Shane, Jr.
Business of the Year Award
To honor Oscar J. Tolmas, JA created the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust Business of the Year award to recognize an outstanding company and business leader in the Greater New Orleans community.
2019
David Fennelly, Associated Terminals & Turn Services
2022
Jay Lapeyre, Laitram
2024
Liberty Bank & Trust
2021
Ballard Brands, LLC
2023
Latter & Blum
2025
· Canal Barge Co., Inc.