Tod A. Smith has been named chair of the board of trustees for Children’s Hospital New Orleans.
Smith is president and general manager of WWL-TV. He has served on the board since 2020.
The board added four new members:
Will Hales has more than 15 years of experience as an investor and adviser. He is the son of Dr. Stephen Hales, a local pediatrician.
Deuce McCallister is a retired star running back with the New Orleans Saints. He now is a business owner and sports commentator.
Wil Jacobs is a relationship manager with First Bank and Trust. Previously, he was housing policy director for the Louisiana Office of Community Development — Disaster Recovery Unit.
Deanna Rodriguez is president and CEO of Entergy New Orleans.
—
Andrew J. Maas was presented with the Outstanding Contributions to Advancing Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education Award at the Deshpande Symposium on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education 2024.
Maas is associate vice president for research, Office of Innovation and Ecosystem Development at LSU.
The award goes to an individual who has demonstrated extraordinary achievements in entrepreneurship and innovation in higher education.
—
Mark Romig has been appointed by the Kingdom of Thailand as honorary consul in Louisiana.
Romig is the senior vice president and chief marketing officer for New Orleans & Co. He has more than four decades of experience in public relations and marketing, working for the Louisiana World Exposition, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole, Peter Mayer Advertising and the New Orleans Tourism and Marketing Corporation. He currently is co-chair of the media, PR and branding subcommittee for the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee.
Romig will promote cultural exchange and cooperation between Thailand and Louisiana and serve as a point of contact for Thai citizens.