Billy Nungesser
Billy Nungesser started his company, General Marine Leasing Company, in 1991 with a $7,500 loan and grew it into a $20 million dollar company.
In 2005, Nungesser and his wife Cher rode out Hurricane Katrina at their ranch in southern Plaquemines Parish. In response to his own frustration over the slow response from government following Hurricane Katrina, Billy decided to run for Plaquemines Parish President in 2006. He was re-elected in 2010 with over 70% of the vote.
On April 20, 2010, Plaquemines Parish became Ground Zero for the nation’s biggest environmental disaster. In the wake of BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf, Billy became the voice of Louisiana’s frustration.
On November 21, 2015, Nungesser was elected Louisiana’s Lt. Governor. He is now second in command in the executive branch and Louisiana’s ambassador as Commissioner of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.