He also is a husband and father of three children, a successful business owner, and supports causes that enhance the quality of life in New Orleans. He is especially committed to the enhancement of the quality of life for citizens of the New Orleans region. Green’s decades of achievements show clearly his ability to balance and affect worthy accomplishments in family, business, and community devel
opment. Eugene enjoyed an outstanding high school experience at the renowned St. Augustine High School. He displayed both excellent academic and stellar leadership abilities at St. Augustine, graduating in 1976 as the Salutatorian, as the elected Student Body President, and as the baritone horn section leader in the famed Marching One Hundred Band. Green also earned the school’s Purple Knight Award as the best ‘all around’ student. Green also served during his high school years as the President of both the Youth Fellowship and Youth Choir at Bethany United Methodist Church, and he earned a Brown Belt in Shotokan karate. Clearly, Eugene showed from an early age a knack for balancing many responsibilities. Eugene continued his stellar academic and extracurricular performance at Harvard University (Class of 1980). He worked during his Freshman year as a bartender for and then later worked as the Manager of the Catering Division of Harvard Student Agencies (www.hsa.net/), still the nation’s largest student run corporation. Green also served for one year as the President of the Harvard Black Students Association and was awarded the Frederick Douglas Award for leadership while at Harvard. Green also worked during his four years as an undergraduate with historic Union United Methodist Church in Boston’s South End. He led the Youth Services Division for a period, participating in outreach activities in an area of the city that in the 1970’s included significant blight. After earning his Harvard Degree in Economics, Eugene worked for three years for both The First National Bank of Boston and then with The Xerox Corporation in Massachusetts. He completed the Loan Officer Development Program at First National, and served as an Account Executive with Xerox. He later returned to his home, New Orleans, with his new wife, Jennifer Green, to raise a family and to make a living. He was also anxious to do his part to help the City become a better place to live for both his family and other citizens. Back in New Orleans, after a stint with The General Homes Corporation, Eugene formed Eastern New Orleans Real Estate, a partnership. After working as a Realtor with River City Realty, Eugene in 1989 created Nationwide Real Estate Corporation (www.nationwiderealestatecorp.com). Newly elected Mayor Marc Morial approached Green about joining his Administration. Morial said that he was interested in adding to his team business owners and private sector staff to promote the City’s economic development agenda. Morial noted Green’s entrepreneurial success in naming him to head the Mayor’s Office of Small and Emerging Business Development. As the leader of that office, Green oversaw the Mayor’s Open Access Program which successfully enhanced the number of small, minority and women owned businesses in especially public, but also private sector construction and contracting opportunities. During his term as Director of that office, many seminars and educational activities were put into place to assist small business owners and entrepreneurs in becoming more familiar with City and some private sector contracting processes. Mayor Morial, impressed with Green’s two years of work as the leader of the small business support effort, later named him to lead, as Chief Executive Officer, the Mayor’s Division of Economic Development, then the economic development arm of city government. At the time, the Division included many offices, which had within their purview a host of resources, including grant and loan programs and other incentives, to assist economic development efforts in the City. Under Green’s leadership, the Division of Economic Development played an important role in facilitating the development of major projects in our City, inclusive of the re-development of the American Can Building into a first class apartment complex, the construction of Harrah’s Casino, and the revitalization of the Venus Gardens Building on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard into the Ashe Cultural Center and apartments. In addition, the Division played an important role in both the re-development of the American Can building into very attractive apartments, and the opening of the Six Flags Theme Park. The bringing online of the aforementioned projects led to the creation of scores of good paying jobs, and their overall development has a significant permanent economic impact on our city and region. After leaving city government, Eugene became President of the New Orleans Business and Industrial District (NOBID), now named the New Orleans Regional Business Park (NORBP) after Green’s lobbying of the State legislature. He took over an agency that was troubled. During Green’s tenure, hundreds of millions of dollars were invested by Park businesses in both new construction and expansions. Green played in major role in securing city and state funding to build a NORBP owned electrical substation, which facilitated the creation by Folger Coffee Company of scores of new jobs and tens of millions in new and continuing construction dollar investment. Other new businesses moved into the Park during Green’s tenure including Crescent Crown Distributing, Copart, Dufour Petroleum, Home Automation, Inc., and many more. During his tenure, the Times Picayune noted with favor the significant increase in the number of NORBP businesses and in business expansions. Green was recognized by New Orleans Citibusiness during his tenure as NORBP President, earning front page coverage as Le Grand Executive (January 3, 2005). The scandal involving Congressman William Jefferson could not have happened at a worse time for the citizens of his District. The devastation of the City and region caused by especially Katrina related flooding created an environment in which citizens needed government assistance at a higher level than in the past. Green was approached by Congressman Jefferson, during Eugene’s tenure as NORBP President, in the midst of the legal challenges, and asked to take on the position as Chief of Staff of his Congressional office following the resignation of Jefferson’s longtime Chief. After consultation with his family, Green accepted the offer of the position, resigning the President’s position at NORBP, a position which at the time paid a higher salary. Eugene accepted the Chief of Staff position knowing that it was unlikely to be a long term position. He did so because the Congressional office, which represented over 300,000 citizens and a large swath of the devastated New Orleans region, needed to continue to function and to deliver needed constituent services in spite of the negative attention to which it was subject. During Green’s two years as Chief of Staff of Congressman Jefferson’s Second Congressional District office, the office did not miss a beat. The phones were answered through the end of the Congressman’s term. In fact, the Congressman even delivered needed earmarks to his District. The Times Picayune reported in 2009 that the Congressional spending bill for 2010 included earmarks put into the bill by Congressman Jefferson’s office. (http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/former_rep_william_jefferson_h.html) Congressman Jefferson’s Office successfully delivered millions of dollars in earmarks, despite the challenges of doing business during the investigation into Jefferson’s business and Congressional activities. Jefferson was able to deliver these resources to the Second Congressional District because his office continued to do business and continued to be represented at important meetings and hearings, as well as in negotiations, submitting and resubmitting information as required, and answering all calls, through the last day of his term. Eugene worked as the Campaign Manager for both Judge Nadine Ramsey and Councilman James Gray. Although Judge Ramsey’s bid for Mayor was unsuccessful, Green was committed to making a strong statement. He worked diligently for Judge Ramsey, even when it was clear that the entry of our present Mayor Mitch Landrieu into the race would likely result in her inability to be elected Mayor. Though Green's friend Judge Nadine Ramsey was not elected Mayor, she was, with Eugene’s help, able to foster dialog on important issues facing our city. Of course, Councilman Gray was successful in his pursuit of elected office and now serves the citizens of his District in an exemplary manner. It is good for the residents of District E that Eugene’s energy and enthusiasm were available to Gray as he struggled to overcome myriad challenges on his way to victory. Green’s positive spirit and true concern for the welfare of our citizens led me to work in his campaign for Congressman of Louisiana’s Second Congressional District. Though Green was not successful in earning a place in the runoff election, he earned ten percent of the votes cast despite both the spending of modest resources and the controversy associated with Congressman Jefferson’s pending trial. Green did immediately endorse and lend support to the eventual winner, then Democratic State Representative and now Congressman Cedric Richmond. During his campaign, I had an opportunity to attend campaign related meetings and activities. During Green’s campaign he spoke to audiences of the importance of the federal government in the rebuilding of the region. He reminded citizens that members of Congress, the Senate, and the President respond to citizen pressure, whether it be in the form of letters or attendance at forums or through other means of outreach. He also reminded citizens to whom he spoke that the total rebuilding of New Orleans after a disaster such as the flooding caused by Katrina would take decades, and that citizens should not hesitate to request additional resources from the resources rich federal government to facilitate the ongoing recovery. Eugene is a member of the Board of Directors of the Good Work Network. Green was elected the Chairman of that Board in 2012, after two years of service. Green’s business success and experience will play an important role in growing that agency into an even better provider of valuable services to especially minority and women owned businesses. Green was also elected the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Liberty House. This agency is troubled due to both lack of present financial resources and due to bad past operational decision making. That Green is even willing to work with an agency whose troubles precede him is a testament to his commitment to our city and its citizens. Liberty House provides transitional housing to women with children. There is little glamour, and there are at present fewer resources to support this type of operation. Liberty House may not be in operation in 2014 due to financial challenges that are not easy to overcome. However, Green has given his time to making sure that the agency can provide services until its doors close, if such is to be the case. The work of Liberty House is important. The women and children who need its services deserve to have Liberty House to stay in business for as long as is possible. It may well be the case that Green, because of his commitment to this community, will be able to bring resources and structure to this agency so that it will continue to provide services over an extended period of time. Time will tell. Eugene has had a long and productive relationship with the Boy Scouts of America. His oldest son, Eugene B.M. Green, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, Scouting’s highest honor. Green has been awarded the Fleur de Lis District Award of Merit of the Southeast Louisiana Chapter, Boy Scouts of America. Green served as the Chairman of the District following the flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina, playing a significant role in the rebuilding of the Scouting program in an area that was severely impacted by population loss. Green has served for a number of years as the Executive Board of the Southeast Louisiana Council of the Boy Scouts of American. He also serves as the Advancement Committee Chairman of Troop 150. Eugene is a regular participant in camping activities, and serves as a Merit Badge counselor. Eugene spends significant time working with the youth of New Orleans. He has worked for a number of years as a baseball coach at for Lakeview Boosters and as a basketball coach for the Carrollton Boosters. He would want me to tell you that in 2012 his basketball team went undefeated and won the championship at Carrollton, and that his baseball team posted the best regular season record and made it to the championship game at Lakeview. Green is also a former Member of the Board of Directors at the former Marion Central Middle School. Green was the co-founder of the Greater New Orleans Youth Soccer League, a recreational league that provided a foundation and interest in the game of soccer for many children, some of whom continue to this day their participation in the sport. Eugene has in the past served on many Boards and Commissions, including the Orleans Parish School Board, the Orleans Levee District, the Volunteers of American of Greater New Orleans, the Newcorp Business Assistance Center, and the Women’s Business Resource Center. He presently serves on the Board of Directors of the Gulf Coast Social Services, and of course, again, the Good Work Network, the Boy Scouts, and Liberty House. Eugene was nominated by Councilman James Gray to serve on the Board of Directors of the Industrial Development Board of the City of New Orleans (www.idbcno.org). His appointment was unanimously approved by the New Orleans City Council on February 7, 2013. Interestingly enough, it was during Green’s tenure as the Chief Executive Officer of the Division of Economic Development that the IDB was revitalized after years of inactivity. Eugene and four other leaders in the New Orleans community are the founders of the Alliance for Citizen Engagement. This organization was recently formed to provide education and interaction opportunities for citizens on issues of general interest to the community, and to encourage voter participation. ACE recently sponsored its first seminar, a well attended gathering of citizens to hear from panelist and to question them on issues relative to the administration of Juvenile Justice in Orleans Parish. The seminar took place at Eugene’s church, Bethany United Methodist. It was the first such activity of many to come, inclusive of a Thursday, April 4 seminar that will explore the facts regarding the issue of tolls on the Crescent City Connection. That Eugene is involved with the founding of a not for profit group that deals with civic engagement is a testament to his commitment to positive change in our City and region. I am pleased to serve with him as a founder and member of the initial Board of the Alliance for Citizen Engagement. Eugene is also the editor, with his son, of the monthly newsletter, the Green Business Report. This publication includes links to helpful business development resources and to employment opportunities in the region. Eugene is a member of the Board of Directors of Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (soulnola.org). As a request to the Board in support of his service, Eugene asked the Board of Directors to focus its immediate attention on the reforestation of the historic Pontchartrain Park community. This subdivision, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is identified as the first subdivision in the nation built to support African American middle class homeowners. With the support of volunteer efforts, SOUL is planting 750 trees, one in front of almost every home. soulnola.org/Pontchartrainpark. Eugene is married to Jennifer Green, formerly of Brooklyn, New York, whom he met while a student at Harvard University. He is the father of three children – Eugene, an honors graduate of St. Augustine and 2012 graduate of Tulane University, as well as an Eagle Scout; Melanie, a graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School and medical student student, and Jonathan, a Star Scout, and graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School, a basketball standout received citywide honors and a Finance graduate of St. John’s University in New York City. Eugene was recently elected to the New Orleans Coty Council, representing its District D. His focus will be on crime reduction, blight reduction, and providing more support for a strong entrepreneurial base that will lead to more job and wealth creation opportunities. Eugene is a citizen who has not been afraid to take on challenges. Eugene Green has chosen to invest in a business in this community while doing good for others. Along the way, he has helped other business owners to grow and to become a part of this City’s and region’s economy. Eugene’s resume is substantial. His commitment to the City is clear. He has private sector, and federal, state, and local governmental experiences and successes. Eugene would be a worthy recipient of the Times Picayune Loving Cup. Susannah Burley
Executive Director
Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL)
soulnola.org
504-616-6888
