JEFFERSON PARISH — We are proud to announce the Jefferson Chamber’s new President! Ruth W. Lawson has been selected by the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors as its fourth president in the organization’s nearly 25-year history.
A resident of Gretna, La., Ruth holds a Juris Doctorate from Louisiana State University as well as an undergraduate degree in Marketing which she also earned at LSU. Alongside her family, she is a small business owner operating several Smoothie King franchises, a nutritional beverage company founded in Kenner. Lawson currently serves as the Executive Director of the Jefferson Parish Finance Authority and also served as a Senior Parish Attorney and as a Chief Administrative Officer in Jefferson Parish. She was a corporate attorney and compliance officer for Barriere Construction Company, LLC following her years in Jefferson Parish government.
“We received over 100 applications and believe we have the right leader for the future of our business advocacy organization,” said Chamber Board Chairman John LeBlanc of Hibernia Bank. “Ruth brings a strong acumen to the director’s seat and will serve us well in the halls of local government and the legislature. While Hurricane Ida slowed the process, the organization was committed to a transparent and diligent search under the direction of organizational and management consulting firm, SSA Consultants located in Baton Rouge.”
Ruth succeeds Todd Murphy, who in August announced his move back into financial services with an equity partnership in a local office of Raymond James. While Todd has begun his new chapter, he is committed to a smooth transition and will support Ruth through this important conversion.
“I am both pleased and proud to rise to the challenge of leading one of the nation’s most recognized Chambers of Commerce,” Lawson said. “I will continue the organization’s tradition of boldly advocating for a more business-friendly environment in our state and holding leaders accountable for their actions. This is an honor, but mostly it is an opportunity for me to make a difference towards advancing our parish in many areas including workforce development, small business retention and growth, and diversifying our economy. I am eager to begin my new assignment.”
We are excited about our new leader and look forward to even more success as the 5-Star Chamber you have come to expect. Thank you for your patience and confidence!
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