Randy Roach

Randall Edmund Roach, known as Randy Roach (born February 13, 1951),^[1][2] has been the mayor of his native Lake Charles, Louisiana, since his victory in a special election held in the year 2000. A Democrat, Roach was the District 36 member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1988 to 1996.^[3]

Biography

Roach graduated in 1969 from LaGrange High School in Lake Charles. The obtained a Bachelor of Science in accounting in 1973 from Louisiana State University and a law degree in 1976 from Louisiana State University Law Center, both in Baton Rouge. From 1985 to 1987, he was the assistant city attorney and handled the Chennault Air Force Base consolidation project.^[4]

In 1987, Roach was elected to the District 36 seat vacated by six-term Representative Conway LeBleu of Cameron Parish. He defeated another Democrat, Orrie Canik, 9,701 (55.6 percent) to 7,738 (44.4 percent).^[5] He was unopposed for his second legislative term in 1991.

Roach has won countless accolades for his public service. In 1990, he was named "Legislator of the Year" by the Louisiana Federation of Teachers. He was named "Most Effective Legislator" by The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate and "Citizen of the Year" by Lake Charles Kiwanis International. After his legislative service, Roach was appointed by Republican Governor Mike Foster to head a task force on transportation infrastructure and economic development.^[4]

Roach won the runoff election for mayor on April 15, 2000, when he defeated fellow Democrat Samuel C. Tolbert, Jr., a city council member, 12,493 (60 percent) to 8,327 (40 percent). The special election^[6] was required when Willie Mount, the city's first woman mayor, stepped down to become a member of the Louisiana State Senate. He was elected to full terms in 2001 (unopposed), 2005 (87.6 percent), 2009 (77.8 percent), and 2013 (unopposed).

In 2002 and 2003, Roach was named president of the Louisiana Conference of Mayors. He is active in the promotion of tourism, the arts, and architecture in the Lakefront Promenade project. He has worked to revitalize the downtown and for the establishment and upgrading of numerous city parks and playgrounds, such as Riverside and Tuten parks. He pushed for the establishment of a 9-11 Memorial with beams from the former World Trade Center in New York City and granite from the Pentagon. Roach has worked to eliminate child abuse. In 2014, he received the "President's Award" from the Louisiana chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.^[4]

Roach and his wife, Nancy, have a son and a daughter. He is affiliated with the University United Methodist Church in Lake Charles.^[4][2]

References