BCNO Leadership

The Business Council of New Orleans & the River Region is a collaborative effort of engaged business leaders who believe New Orleans is a rewarding place in which to live and work. The Business Council focuses on public policy issues that affect New Orleans’ quality of life and prospects for the future.

The Council maintains task forces on a variety of issues. These task forces are chaired by Business Council leaders and other members, who are frequently assisted by managers from within our member companies and/or consultants acting in supporting roles.

The Council’s efforts are listed on this website.
The leadership team is listed below.

Chairman

Suzanne T. Mestayer is CEO and managing member of ThirtyNorth Investments, LLC, a registered investment advisory firm with offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. She is also a board member of McMoRan Exploration Co., a publicly held oil and gas exploration and development company.

In addition to her leadership of the Business Council, she is a member of the Ochsner Health System board of directors, Committee of 100, and an advisory member of Idea Village. She is Chair Emeritus of Greater New Orleans, Inc., and the immediate past Chair of the Board of Trustees of Loyola University New Orleans. Suzanne chaired the 2005-2006 Campaign for United Way of Greater New Orleans and served as Board Chair of United Way in 2007-2008. Her past community board service also includes the Contemporary Arts Center ( Chair) , Metairie Park Country Day School, New Orleans Museum of Art, City Park Improvement Association, Arts Council of New Orleans, Kemper and Leila Williams Foundation, Blueprint Louisiana and Co-chair of the Capital Campaign for American Cancer’s Hope Lodge.

She was recognized with the Louisiana Society of CPA’s Distinguished Public Service Award in 2004 and the 2007 Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry Award. She was twice named to CityBusiness’ Women of the Year, was recognized as a CityBusiness Money Maker in 2011, and named in 2003 as one of Family Service’s Ten Outstanding Persons.

Ms. Mestayer is a graduate of Louisiana State University, is registered as an Investment Advisor Representative, and is a CPA-Inactive. Suzanne and Mike Mestayer have a daughter, Melise, and a son, Michael Jr.

Immediate Past Chairman

Gregory R. Rusovich,
CEO, Transocean Trading and Development Co., LLC

Vice Chairmen

Leslie R. Jacobs
President & CEO, Strategic Comp

Mark A. Mayer
President, Peter A. Mayer Advertising

Gary N. Solomon
Chairman of the Board, Crescent Bank & Trust

Secretary

Charles L. Rice, Jr.
President & CEO, Entergy – New Orleans

Treasurer

Lee Anne Scambria
Office Managing Partner, KPMG, LLP

Executive Committee

James M. Lapeyre
President & CEO, The Laitram Corporation

James Farwell
President, The Farwell Group

L. Ronald Forman
President & CEO, Audubon Nature Institute

Paul H. Flower
President & CEO, Carl E. Woodward, LLC

David Kerstein
President, Helis Oil & Gas Company, LLC

H. Merritt Lane
President & CEO, Canal Barge Company

John H. Peper
Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Energy Partners, Ltd.