COLUMBIA, Md. - Marylandian -- The mayor of a Louisiana city devastated by four major disasters over an eleven-month period is receiving nationwide recognition for his leadership during the multiple crises.

Lake Charles Louisiana Mayor Nic Hunter will be the third recipient of the Tommy Longo Disaster Leadership Award, a new nationwide award to honor city and county officials who lead their communities well through a major disaster.

The award was created by LeadersLink, a nonprofit that harnesses and shares elected officials' disaster lessons learned to help other communities better prevent, prepare for and recover from major crises.

Nominations for the award came from around the country, with nominees leading recoveries from wildfires, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes.

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The three-judge panel said Mayor Hunter was chosen because he'd done an extraordinary job leading Lake Charles through Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020 and Winter Storm Uri and a major flash flood in 2021.

"Not only did Mayor Hunter guide Lake Charles through a nightmare of a year that included four federally declared disasters, but he guided the recovery efforts and implemented innovative infrastructure improvements that will mitigate future weather disasters while expanding the economic horizon for Lake Charles," they wrote.  "His ability to onboard others to believe in his lofty vision for his battered city is a testament to his collaborative leadership and understanding of governmental process."

The award is named after the late mayor of Waveland, Mississippi, John "Tommy" Longo.  Longo led the city's successful recovery from Hurricane Katrina and volunteered to serve as one of LeadersLink's first mentors, sharing what he had learned with other mayors whose towns had been damaged by hurricanes.

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LeadersLink Founder and Executive Director Kathleen Koch will present the award January 28 at the Louisiana Municipal Association's Mid-Winter Conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  LMA nominated Hunter for the award.

"As disasters become more frequent and severe, leaders like Mayor Hunter are a brain trust for those who follow," said Koch.  "Sharing what disaster veterans like him have learned can help speed the recoveries of other communities struggling after major disasters."

When:  January 28, 2025 / 12 noon

Where:  LMA Mid-Winter Conference

Crowne Plaza

4728 Constitution Ave.

Baton Rouge, LA

CONTACT:

LMA Communications Coordinator Anita Tillman

Phone: 225-324-5444

Email: atillman@lma.org