Ashton J. Ryan, Jr. was elected to the board of directors in December of 2004. He is a member of the board�s audit committee; the corporate governance and nominating committee; and the investment committee. He is the former president and chief executive officer of Firstrust Corporation and its lead subsidiary First Bank and Trust. He was previously vice chairman of Bank One, Louisiana and chairman of its New Orleans market. Prior to its acquisition by Bank One, he served as president and chief executive officer of First National Bank of Commerce. Ryan spent the first 20 years of his career with Arthur Andersen and Company, specializing in auditing and consulting for several financial institutions. Ryan is the current Chairman of the Board of Delgado Community College Foundation, the Capital Campaign of the Friends of the New Orleans Recreation Department and past chairman of East Jefferson General Hospital Foundation, Junior Achievement, Tulane Association of Business Alumni, Louisiana Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Comprehensive Central City Initiative. He is also on the board of many civic and business organizations, including Junior Achievement, Tulane Freeman School of Business, Orthodontic Centers of America, the University of New Orleans Foundation, Greater New Orleans, Inc., the New Orleans Economic Development, Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, Boys Hope/Girls Hope, and the East Jefferson General Hospital Board. |