NEW ORLEANS – Dennis Lauscha, president of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans, has been elected to serve as a board member for the 47-hospital Ochsner Health system. Lauscha will begin his four-year term effective Jan. 1, 2023. The Ochsner Health board of directors oversees the system’s leadership and long-range strategy.
“The Ochsner Health board of directors plays a significant role in guiding our organization and supporting our vision of inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities,” said Pete November, CEO of Ochsner Health. “With Dennis’ strong leadership and unwavering dedication to the community, I am excited to welcome him to the Ochsner board and learn from him as we work together to build a healthier region to live and thrive in for generations to come.”
A native New Orleanian, Lauscha attended Jesuit High School and received his degree in business from the University of Alabama and an MBA from Loyola University New Orleans. During his career, he has been recognized by two of his alma maters. In 2010, he was named Alumnus of the Year by Loyola’s College of Business and, in August 2022, he was named the F. Edward Hebert Alumnus of the Year by Jesuit High School, an honor bestowed to only 64 other alumni since the school’s founding in 1847. Lauscha, who began his career as a CPA, first joined the Saints in 1998 and was steadily promoted until reaching his post as president of both the Saints and Pelicans in 2012, working side-by-side with the teams’ owner, Gayle Benson.
“I am honored to have been asked to serve as a board member for Ochsner Health. At the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, we take pride in serving our community, playing a role in job creation and economic development, and making our community one that we can all be proud of. The same is true for Ochsner,” said Lauscha. “Our organization has had a longstanding relationship with Ochsner starting with Mr. Benson and that commitment remains even stronger with Mrs. Benson. We are proud of that relationship. I am thankful to have the opportunity to work alongside all the local and national leaders that make up the board as well as the system leaders throughout Ochsner.”
The Ochsner Health board of directors, led by its chair, Andrew Wisdom, consists of 11 community leaders with expertise in a variety of business interests including banking and wealth management, legal services, insurance, real estate and energy. The board also includes nine Ochsner senior physician leaders who are elected or appointed by their senior physician peers. Together, the Ochsner board of directors brings a wealth of knowledge, dedication and civic trust to their member duties.
“On behalf of the Ochsner Health board of directors, we are thrilled to welcome Dennis,” said Wisdom. “He brings decades of executive leadership to Ochsner, having led the business operations of two of New Orleans’ most iconic brands for the past 10 years. The national scale of his experience and forward-thinking corporate acumen will bring unparalleled community insights and knowledge to our organization as we embark on our next 80 years.”
In addition to his new duties as an Ochsner board member, Lauscha will remain active in the community. He currently serves as a member of the Business Council of New Orleans & the River Region, as a board member of the Audubon Nature Institute and Loyola University New Orleans, and as a trustee of the National World War II Museum. He has completed terms as board president of the Preservation Resource Center and the regional chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, and he has served as a member of the Blight Transition New Orleans Task Force, the Mayor’s Transition Committee, the Stuart Hall School Board of Trustees and the New Orleans Museum of Art Board.
Lauscha additionally takes a central role in the management of Gayle Benson’s automotive dealerships, real estate holdings, GMB Racing, Benson Capital Partners, Faubourg Brewing Co. and other investments.
“The Ochsner Board of Directors recognizes its great responsibility of guiding Ochsner Health, one of the largest health systems in the Gulf South and Louisiana’s largest private employer, and ensuring it remains a stable and successful organization delivering innovative and comprehensive care to the communities we serve. We are energized to now have Dennis’ vision and talents,” Wisdom continued. “I know he shares our commitment to building a stronger and healthier community and his collaboration will create lasting impacts for our team, patients and neighbors.”
