Delgado Community College Celebrates a Record-Smashing Success at the 2024 Roast of the Town

April 25, 2024

The Delgado Community College Foundation celebrated a successful 2024 Roast of the Town fundraising event. A record-breaking crowd had a delightful time at the fun-filled evening. 

The Roast, held on April 19 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, was a rollicking good time with distinguished roasters spilling all the tea about this year’s roastee, Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO, Inc. After being playfully raked over the coals by the Honorable Troy A. Carter Sr., Congressman, Louisiana 2nd Congressional District, who appeared via video from Washington, DC; Allison Hotard, executive director of the Young Leadership Council; Greg Rusovich, CEO of Transoceanic Development; and the Honorable Newell Normand, radio host and political commentator and former Jefferson Parish sheriff, Hecht took on the roasters to rebut their claims and to dish some dirt himself, keeping the crowd in stitches. Master of ceremonies Eric Paulsen kept the program humming along with zingers of his own. 

“I’d like to thank everyone who joined us for the event. The Roast of the Town is one of my favorite nights of the year,” said Lee Giorgio, chairman of the Delgado Foundation. “I am grateful to all the sponsors who helped make the event such a tremendous success.” 

Chancellor Larissa Littleton-Steib, Ph.D., addressed the guests, thanking the sponsors, roasters and roastee. She also noted some recent recognition and contributions including an $800,000 earmark for the automotive center of excellence and a $5.6 million Strengthening Community Colleges grant in partnership with other local colleges and with GNO, Inc. She said, “There is absolutely no doubt that Delgado Community College is not our grandfathers’ community college. We celebrate and exemplify a game changer mindset and economic progress for all.”