Mike with his family at the 2007 Homecoming Mass & Brunch, where he was honored with the F. Edward Hebert Award, given to the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

Last week, Michael H. Rodrigue ’71 was named recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Service Award by the Louisiana Golf Association (LGA). The award was initiated in 1984 to honor individuals who have contributed to the betterment of philanthropy and golf in Louisiana.

Rodrigue, a plucky entrepreneur who started his own insurance company right out of college and a congenial restaurateur whose acumen for uniting philanthropy and professional golf has benefited numerous New Orleans area charities, was named Jesuit High School’s 2007 Alumnus of the Year. This award and the one he earned last week add to the extensive list of honors Rodrigue has received from the New Orleans community.

In 1980, Rodrigue was nominated for membership to the Classic Foundation (forerunner to the Fore!Kids Foundation), where he has worked diligently for 37 years on behalf of that organization’s mission—to raise funds for children’s charities through golf-related events. For eight years he served as Chairman of the Board of the Fore!Kids Foundation. In 2006 he joined with two other individuals to found the Bayou District Foundation (BDF) to work as the brains behind the brand new Bayou Oaks Golf Complex in City Park. BDF’s golf complex is the sustainable piece of the BDF community in New Orleans.

Mike Rodrigue joined by some of his ’71 classmates, including, Bill Donnelly (left),
Bill Brown, David Willem, and Paul Falter

He is immediate past Chairman of the Board of the First Tee of Greater New Orleans, having served on that Board since 2006, and has also served on the Board of Directors of ‘Boys Hope Girls Hope,’ since 1983.

In its announcement of the award winner, LGA listed Rodrigue’s other notable accolades in the New Orleans community and the golf community at large, including: the 1993 and 2014 Barbato/Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2009 Restauranteur of the Year of Greater New Orleans, the 2012 Homines Pro Aliis Award, “People for Others” by the Jesuits of the New Orleans Province, and more.

In April of 2014, Rodrigue was awarded with the Zurich Care Award at the Zurich Classic Golf Tournament for his dedication to revitalizing New Orleans post-Katrina. Rodrigue opened the Educare early learning facility in Columbia Parish at the Bayou District.

Congratulations to a man very deserving of this honor, Mike Rodrigue of the Class of 1971!

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LGAgolf.org — MIKE RODRIGUE NAMED AS LOUISIANA GOLF ASSOCIATION DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT