[StBernard] Governor Blanco Appoints New Members to LRA Board of Directors

[Westley Annis]

Governor Blanco Appoints New Members to LRA Board of Directors

BATON ROUGE, La. (April 20, 2007) - Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco today announced the appointment of Alex Johnson, Dennis Stine and John Brewster to the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) Board of Directors. The newly-appointed members complete the 33-member board, which serves as the planning and coordinating body of Louisiana's rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

"These respected members of our community have been leaders in their fields for decades," said Governor Blanco. "Their experience and expertise will be incredibly valuable as the LRA continues its historic work. I am so pleased they agreed to join us and take on this monumental task on behalf of the people of Louisiana."

Dr. Alex Johnson, Chancellor of Delgado Community College, has worked with the LRA before as a "champion" for the Louisiana Speaks Campaign. Prior to his post with Delgado, Dr. Johnson was President of the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio. Among Dr. Johnson's local board memberships are Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans, PBS affiliate WYES, Kingsley House, and the Workforce Committee of Greater New Orleans, Incorporated (GNO, Inc.).

Nationally, Dr. Johnson serves on the board of the American Council on Education (ACE), and has been a member of its Commissions on Women and Effective Leadership. With the American Association of Community Colleges, he served on the Research and Minority Affairs commissions. Following Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Johnson was a member of Mayor C. Ray Nagin's "Bring New Orleans Back Commission" steering committees on education, strategic healthcare issues, and economic development, chairing its workforce subcommittee. He was also appointed to the Hurricane Recovery Advisory Committee by the New Orleans City Council. 

Dennis Stine is Chief Executive Officer and partial owner of Stine Lumber Company, Inc, a Sulphur-based building material company founded by his father, J.W. Stine in 1954. 

Mr. Stine served as Louisiana State Commissioner of Administration in 1988-1992 during the Roemer Administration and two terms in the House of Representatives. Currently, he serves on the Louisiana State Trooper Association, Christus Health Board of Directors, Region V Health Care Commission, Southwest Louisiana Chamber of Commerce, Blueprint Louisiana, Council for a Better Louisiana, Community Foundation of Acadiana, Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, and Allied Building Stores.

A native of Sulphur, Louisiana, Mr. Stine attended Sulphur High School. He received a Bachelors degree in Accounting and Masters in Business from McNeese State University.

John Brewster is Executive Vice President of Development Eng., Procurement, and Construction for NRG Energy, Inc. He has also served as Vice President, Worldwide Operations of NRG, Vice President, North American Operations and Vice President of Production for NRG Louisiana Generating, Inc. Prior to joining NRG, Mr. Brewster spent 22 years with Cajun Electric Power Cooperative, where he was Vice President of Production.

Mr. Brewster has been involved in the energy business for the last 30 years both domestically and internationally and continues to represent NRG on several international boards. He has served on the Executive Committee of Western Systems Power Pool, the board of directors of the SERC Reliability Corporation and the Operations Committee of the Southwest Power Pool.

Mr. Brewster is a past member of the False River Rotary Club, past president of the Pointe Coupee Chamber of Commerce, past board member of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and has worked with the Louisiana Workforce investment board and continues to support the American Cancer Society.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, claiming 1,464 lives, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to lead one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana.

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