Randy Roach

Randall Edmund "Randy" Roach
Mayor of Lake Charles Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana
In office April 2000 – April 2017
Preceded by	Rodney Geyen (interim)
Succeeded by	Nicholas Hunter
Louisiana State Representative for District 36 (Calcasieu and Cameron parishes)
In office 1988–1996
Preceded by	Conway LeBleu
Succeeded by	Dan Flavin
Born	February 13, 1951 Lake Charles, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Political party	Democrat
Spouse(s)	Nancy Roach
Children	Two children
Alma mater	LaGrange High School (Lake Charles) Louisiana State University Louisiana State University Law Center
Occupation	Attorney
Religion	United Methodist

Randall Edmund Roach, known as Randy Roach (born February 13, 1951),^[1] served from 2000 to 2017 as the mayor of his native Lake Charles, Louisiana, a post that he first won in a special election. A Democrat, Roach was earlier from 1988 to 1996 the District 36 state representative for Calcasieu and Cameron parishes in the far southwestern portion of his state.^[2]

Biography[edit]

Roach graduated in 1969 from LaGrange High School in Lake Charles. He then obtained a Bachelor of Science in accounting in 1973 from Louisiana State University and a law degree in 1976 from the LSU 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.^[3]

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).^[4] 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 Internationa. After his legislative service, Roach was appointed by Republican Governor Murphy James "Mike" Foster, Jr., to head a task force on transportation infrastructure and economic development.^[3]

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 votes (60 percent) to 8,327 (40 percent). The special election ^[5] was required when Willie Mount, the city's first woman mayor, stepped down to become a state senator. Roach 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.^[3]

Roach did not seek a fifth term in 2017. Republican Nicholas "Nic" Hunter, with 12,207 votes (56 percent), defeated the Democrat Wilford Carter, Sr., who polled 9,768 (44 percent).^[6]

Roach and his wife, Nancy, have a son and a daughter. He is affiliated with the University United Methodist in Lake Charles.^[3][1]

References[edit]