Thibodeaux, La– Today, on Nicholls State University campus, Governor Jeff Landry announced that Gordy Dove will be the Chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), Glenn Ledet Jr. PE will be the Executive Director of CPRA, Tony Alford will be the Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission, Ben Bienvenu will be the Commissioner of Conservation, and Dustin Davidson will be the Chief of Staff for the Department of Natural Resources. 

 

“I am honored to be appointed by Governor Landry as Chairman of CPRA—entrusted with Louisiana’s wetlands, bayous, coastline, marshes, barrier islands, levees, floodgates, etc. I will work to ensure that the projects are expeditiously and economically built and maintained for the people of Louisiana, for our future, and for our way of life for generations to come,” said Gordon E Dove.

 

“I am thrilled to join Governor Landry’s team, and I'm committed to advancing Coastal Protection and Restoration initiatives across South Louisiana. Together, we'll shape resilient solutions, fostering environmental sustainability across the coast of our wonderful State,” said Glenn Ledet Jr. PE

  

“I appreciate the confidence the Governor has entrusted in me to be the new Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission. I look forward to rebuilding Louisiana’s coast as we have done and continue to do here at home (Terrebonne & Lafourche),” said Tony Alford.

 

“I am looking forward to working with Governor Landry’s administration by balancing conservation of our state’s precious natural resources with long term economic value creation for our communities, people, and industry partners. Value is created by a commensurate amount of risked-return and responsibility, because what is owned by no one is wasted by everyone,”  said Benjamin Bienvenu.

 

"Throughout history, Louisiana has maintained a critical role in producing, refining, and exporting energy throughout the nation and the world while also hosting a diverse coastal ecosystem that makes the Florida Everglades look like a roadside petting zoo. Whether you're a waterfowl hunter in Canada or Mexico, a farmer in Iowa, or a coal miner in Kentucky, your way of life wouldn't be possible without the tremendous resources of our great state and the people who maintain and protect those resources. I am honored to have been chosen to serve under Secretary Gray and will continue to advocate for our state and the people that make life possible for millions around the world,” said Dustin Davidson. 

 

 

Background:

 

Chairman of CPRA—Gordon E. Dove:

Gordy E. Dove was elected Louisiana State Representative from 2004 to 2016 where he served as Chairman of House Natural Resources and Environment Committee. He also served on the Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority in the House of Representatives. From 2016-2024 he served as the Terrebonne Parish President.

 

 Executive Director of CPRA—Glenn Ledet Jr. PE

Glenn Ledet, Jr., PE, is the lead and Vice President on Water Resources and Coastal Market Sector at Neel-Schaffer, Inc., after more than a decade of Coastal Engineering experience, including key roles at Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. With a track record in project management and business development, Glenn's focus spans habitat restoration, marsh creation, shoreline protection, hydrologic restoration. As Neel-Schaffer's Executive Director for Coastal Science and Engineering, he leads impactful initiatives, contributing to the firm's expansion throughout the Gulf and East Coast.

  

Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission—Tony Alford:

Tony Alford has more than 35 years in the insurance industry, bringing his experience and expertise to the customers. He is one of the founders of the firm that has grown to become Alford & Associates Insurance Services LLC. For the past 20 years he has served as president of the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District (TLCD), which builds flood protection in the parishes of Terrebonne and some in Lafourche. He has coordinated numerous projects with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA). He has also coordinated many projects with the Army Corps of Engineers. Tony is the past president of the South-Central Industrial Association (SCIA) and still a member of SCIA and Houma Terrebonne Chamber. Born and raised in Houma, he is a 1982 graduate of Terrebonne High School and attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

 

Commissioner of Conservation—Ben Bienvenu:

Ben earned his bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering then an MBA degree in Finance from LSU in the mid 90’s as well as his Professional Engineering License and later became President and owner of a Rockies-based operating company.  Ben has enjoyed a diverse industry career beginning in 1989 that has taken him from early years of offshore platforms and rigs as drilling supervisor to strategic planning, corporate finance, acquisitions, consolidating global financial statements and performing sec reserves reporting and auditing for major energy corporations.    

He has spearheaded new venture onshore shale exploration, evaluated, designed, and developed various economic and engineering aspects into deep water both domestic and foreign, been a regional asset manager for coastal development and abandonment cleanup projects, and touched on downstream domestic and international gasoline retail, pipeline, LNG and gas storage projects and facilities.    

 Chief of Staff for Louisiana Department of Natural Resources—Dustin Davidson:

Dustin most recently worked at Waterways Council Inc (WCI) where he played a critical role in helping to deliver funding to critical, large-scale infrastructure projects by working closely with Congress and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Most recently, he was involved in securing federal funding for transformational lock and dam modernization and advancing projects critical to increased flood protection to south Louisiana--while promoting waterborne commerce and ecosystem restoration through America's vast inland waterways transportation system. 

Prior to joining WCI, he was a professional staff member for the House of Representatives’ Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. At the same time, he served as a legislative assistant to Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA), focusing on energy, environment, agriculture and trade issues.  Davidson was a Legislative Correspondent for former U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-LA) in 2016, and a staff assistant on the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship in 2015. He is a graduate of Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a Minor in U.S. Public Policy. Dustin graduated from Metairie Park Country Day School in 2010. 

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