Author: Ron

I grew up hunting, fishing, and swimming in the mighty Mississippi River. Her majesty and grace presented an incredible attraction for a young boy growing up in the River Parishes. My love and admiration was tempered with the understanding that just below her surface was an overwhelming power demanding reverence from both young and old. This beautiful, magnificent Lady symbolizes our values as citizens in Louisiana. We are elegant, gently, kind and caring, yet strong and resilient at our core. Educated from elementary through my high school years in Louisiana public schools, I was a non-traditional college student. Lacking the financial or family support to attend college as a full-time student, I completed my undergraduate degree at 28. Later after an automobile accident resulting in paraplegia, I returned to college and completed my MBA and PhD at 47 years old. My business career began when I was 7 years old delivering morning newspapers at 4:00 in the morning. When I was 14 years old, my father purchased a two-pump service station and small bar on the River Road in St. Charles Parish. I spent my evenings and weekends pumping gas at my father’s service station as I sold used tires and old motor oil to help pay for the parts on pieces on my $55 1955 Chevrolet. Finally at 21 years old I got my first real job with a small New Orleans mortgage company with 25 employees. Seven years later, now with 250 employees the mortgage company (Carruth Mortgage) was sold to the Mellon Bank. Using my experience as a mortgage banker I started my own Real Estate development company. This company built over $40 million in speculative real estate from 1978 – 1989. When the Oil & Gas economy crashed in the late 1980s, I was able to successfully liquidated my real estate holdings and returned to school to pursue my MBA and PhD at the University of New Orleans. Upon graduation I taught in Georgia and Kentucky. In the Fall 2000 semester I came to UL Lafayette where I teach Digital Entrepreneurship and Digital Business. I am passionate as an educator, mentor, lifelong supporter of my students, and I believe in Louisiana. The famous philosopher Joseph Campbell once explained “Our twilight years are the times when we give back.” It is our responsibility to future generations to reclaim.