Let’s Boast a Roast!
The Sheraton New Orleans was abuzz on a recent Friday evening when the Delgado Community College Foundation held its annual Roast of the Town. The 2026 cynosure was Mayor Helena Moreno.
Thanks tapped many, especially as Title Patrons, All Star Electric, Inc., Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation, The Helis Foundation, Walter and Cathy Isaacson, Liberty Bank, Ochsner Health, and RMS.
Prior to dinner, and the toasts/roasts, guests milled about, networking and enjoying libations on the hotel’s fifth floor. Then, it was into the Grand Ballroom and the palate pleasures of Sheraton spring citrus salad, Gulf fish, and New York cheesecake. The food was donated by the Delgado Culinary and Pastry Arts, which is directed by Erin Laurent, and the wine and spirits, Goldring Family Foundation/Sazerac, Republic National Distributors Company, and Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits.
Master of ceremonies Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., opened the official program, followed by Delgado Foundation Board Chairman Leon L. Giorgio Jr.’s welcome. The hotel’s resident manager, Tremaine Javius, made remarks; Delgado Community College Chancellor Dr. Larissa Littleton-Steib extended greetings; and Tyler Scheuermann blessed the food. He’s Delgado’s athletic communications/advancement coordinator. Dinner was then served and the celebrity roasters spotlighted. Designated to roast and toast (by far, the latter) were CAO and First Deputy Mayor of the City of New Orleans Joseph Giarrusso III; Aimee Quirk of Ochsner Ventures Greater New Orleans; former Congressman 2nd District Cedric Richmond; and City of New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams.
After praise, and good-natured risibility, Mayor Moreno delivered her rebuttal, and the above Lee Giorgio, president and CEO of Select Properties, LTD., and Michael Hecht closed the program. Joining Lee was Melanie Cannatella.
The chairbacks in the ballroom were embellished with gold cloth flecked with sequin discs for a scintillating effect. Lighter gold drapery backed the head table, and huge screens displayed the liveliness at the lectern. Earlier, auction action drew the crowds to the tables where sports attractions, and even some from the movies (John Wayne), garnered the bucks.
Invited as VIPs, almost all sighted, were the above Isaacsons – he’s a professor at Tulane and world-famous for his biographies; Park Investments President and CEO Joe Georgusis; businessman John Georges and spouse Dathel, who co-own Georges Media; Helis Foundation President David Kerstein, and the most recent recipient of The Times-Picayune Loving Cup; Jim Cook, general manager of the Convention Center; Alden McDonald Jr., chairman and CEO of Liberty Financial Holding (and former president and CEO of Liberty Bank, a post now held by son Todd McDonald), and senior vice president Ann Duplessis with Virgil; Ochsner Health President and CEO Pete November; and former UNO Chancellor Dr. Peter Fos and Mrs. Fos. And the Walt Legers III – he’s the president and CEO of New Orleans & Company, and his father, Walter Jr.; All-Star Electric President and CEO Todd Trosclair and Mrs. Trosclair; and the I. William “Billy” Sizelers. He’s the retired CEO of Sizeler Thompson Brown Architects, and Michael Hecht’s uncle. Also, Barry Kern, Melvin Rodrigue, Shelby LaSalle Jr., and Peppi Bruneau.
Several of them, the above Ann Duplessis, Fos, Hecht, Leger Jr., Rodrigue, Billy Sizeler, LaSalle, and Trosclair are foundation board members, as are Ron Bordelon, Mavis Early, Wayne Fontana, Kyle Martin France, J.W. Bill Giardina Jr., Dr. Dov Glazer, Gary LaGrange, Roland “Ronnie” Lançon, William Lemoine, Mike Maenza, Samir Mowad, Dino Paternostro, Wayne Skinner, and Chris Meeks, Mayor Moreno’s husband. Nita Hutter Meins is the executive director and Cynthia B. Jones, foundation assistant.
Entertainment at Roast of the Town came in various forms. Rating special raves were the Zulu Tramps and from Baton Rouge, the Jalisco Mariachi Band.
Harmony
The “magical,” as it was described, courtyard of the Hermann-Grima Historic House was the setting for the second, and now planned to be annual, Harmony at Hermann-Grima Gala. It was chaired by Kim Roddy and Katherine Sauska, and featured Celeste Eustis as board president and Susan Maclay as executive director of Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses. Billed as an evening to celebrate music, culture and both the promotion and the preservation of the historic house, it duly delivered.
A patron party launched the levity that included a specialty cocktail, passed hors d’oeuvres from the Open-Hearth Kitchen by Educated Palate, jazz, and limited tours of the French Quarter house. During the later main party, Goldring/SAZERAC provided the drinks, while purveyance came from Ralph Brennan Catering, Antoine’s, Broussard’s, Muriel’s, Bayona, Southern Hospitality Catering and more. A high-end silent auction did robust bid business.
All the while, there was music making thanks to the NWB Band, a popular dynamic group, which was followed by The River Benders (aka The Riverbenders). Attendees were invited to dance and a select few did.
Quarter Master
Each spring, The Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival garners an eager following that rallies to the multifaceted programming. Now in its 40th year, the festival showed gratitude by establishing the Tennessee Williams Distinguished Arts Awards to recognize and honor those who have impacted the literary arts. Take a bow, Mona Lisa Saloy, Brian Sands, Jack Sulivan, Alan Williams, Poppy Tooker, and John Patrick Shanley.
One of the high points of the TWFEST, hailed as “a New Orleans affair for readers, writers, & theatre lovers,” is the VIP Party hosted by the Historic New Orleans Collection for festival donors, VIPs, and speakers. It unfolded in the Collection’s Seignouret-Brulator Building and courtyard, under the stars. Urban Earth provided lovely florals and Chez Nous, the fine catering.
New Orleans writers Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Annell Lopez, Jess Armstrong, Stacey Balkun, Christopher Romaguera, and Adam Karlin mingled with special guests Francine Segal, Margaret Dziedzic, Gary Matus, and Dan Sheehan, as well as festival board members C. Morgan Babst, Amelia Kock, Margit Longbrake, Sara Woodard, and others. An important foursome counted festival founding board members Errol and Peggy Scott Laborde, executive director Paul Willis, and HNOC President & CEO Daniel Hammer.
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