Community leaders get to know new LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor at purple and gold party
When LSU President William F. Tate traveled to Shreveport to introduce new LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor Dr. David S. Guzick to community luminaries at the Shreveport Club, he hailed a bus!
Not just any bus, This was a purple and gold one specially outfitted for the trip left from the LSU campus.
This vehicle was on a 1,000 three-day inaugural Scholarship First Bus Tour which took the president and special guests on a winding route around Louisiana.
In Shreveport, Tate met up with Guzick and wife Dr. Donna Giles, and a by-invitation-only crowd made of local stars in the worlds of medicine, politics, business and education at the "Meet and Greet" welcome reception.
Upon arrival on the club's third floor, partygoers were offered purple-and-gold cocktails created of a French champagne base mixed with the chef's "sticky stuff," said one staffer. Then on to hors d'oeuvres served on the floral-bedecked buffet table. Kyle Loyd of Colony House's LSU-themed florals centered tables and brought a springgarden to mind on a chilly evening.
In introducing Guzick, LSU Prez Tate said the new chancellor was selected after a national search. "it was (difficult) to find someone with his qualities. We wanted someone with clinical experience and the best of researchers," said Tate, adding that the school got the whole package with Guzick. Outlining LSU's needs, Tate turned to the crowd of legislators hovering about the room, and said he knew they would give the school "every dime" it asked for!
"It is wonderful to be a part of learning here," responded Guzick, as he outlined upcoming projects.
One prominent surgeon quipped, as he looked around the packed room, "This is one party I don't want my name left off of."
Those names included: state Reps. Sam Jenkins, Tom Pressly and BarrowPeacock; state Sens. Barrow Peacock and Barry Milligan; LSUS Chancellor Larry Clark, Tommy and Debby Williams, Carranza and Dr. Evelyn Pryor, LSU Health Shreveport Vice Chancellor Dr. David Lewis and wife Michele; Stafford and Marianne Comegys; Centenary College Prez Chris Holoman and wife Connie, Bubba Rasberry, FrancesZadeck and Julie Zadeck, Dr. Donald and Connie Posner, Bobby and Maura Pugh.
More guests included Berte Muslow, David and Peggy Murphy, Dr. Steve and Mona Conrad, Don and Sue Crow, Merritt and Virginia Chastain, Markey Pierre, Dr. Dean and Carolyn Griffen, Mark Harris, Richard Hiller and Dr. Rose Brouillette.
"Purpose of the 1,000-mile bus tour is to take LSU to the people of Louisiana ... It is one of my favorite things to do," said Tate, in "Dispatches from the Road."
"LSU is important to so many Louisianians, but not everyone can make it to our eight campuses or 64 extension offices," Tate explained.
The bus crowd visited some of the state's key industries, listened to key stakeholders and public officials, but also partied, ate and politicked on the 1,000-mile tour through north, south, east and west Louisiana.
The March 13- 16 tours kicked off with a sendoff from Coach Kim Mulkey at LSU's Memorial Tower. Just a glimpse at the schedule: a tour of Roy O Martin's plywood factory; Pineville, LSU's original campus; Natchitoches, Lasyonne's Meat Pie Restaurant; Alexandria, breakfast at Lea's Lunchroom; Crowley, crawfishing with Lt. Gov. Billy Nungasser; New Orleans, lunch at Drago's and an evening social with family and friends.
"We've got a very aggressive itinerary and can't wait to meet our friends out on the road," said Tate.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Community leaders get to know new LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor
