Audio: Morgan City Businessman Greg Hamer to Reign Over Washington D.C. Mardi Gras This Weekend
Washington D.C. will turn Purple, Green and Gold as the annual Washington D.C. Mardi Gras festivities are held this weekend. This year’s Mystick Krewe of Louisianians will have a local touch as Morgan City businessman, Greg Hamer, will reign over the festivities as king. This year’s queen is Madeline Noble of Lake Charles. KQKI News spoke with Hamer on Monday, a day before he will depart for Washington D.C., and he explained what led to him being chosen as king and what the Washington D.C. Mardi Gras Ball and Celebration is all about.
Gregory J. Hamer, Sr. is the CEO of B&G Food Enterprises, LLC. Brenda and Greg Hamer created B&G Food Enterprises, LLC in 1982, with their first Taco Bell in Morgan City, LA. Their almost 3,000 employees operate over 140 restaurants in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. B&G Food Enterprises continues to maintain their corporate headquarters in Morgan City, LA.
The Hamers met at Morgan City High School and have been married since 1967, they have three children and nine grandchildren. After graduating from Louisiana State University in 1968, Greg was active in the oilfield service industry for over twenty-five years. His public service includes twelve years in elected office at both the city and parish levels. He has served on numerous boards and commissions including a public hospital board and several boards for the State of Louisiana including being a Trustee of the University of Louisiana System.
He is an Emeritus Director of the National Restaurant Association and the 2017 Chairman of the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. His long tenure with the Louisiana Restaurant Association has seen him honored as President in 2000, a member of the LRA Hall of Fame, Active Member of the Year, and Chapter President of the Year.
In addition to serving on the Taco Bell Foundation Board he serves on the Community Foundation of Acadiana Board and has served as Chairman of the Community Foundation of Acadiana’s St. Mary Affiliate. He is a board member for the Mardi Gras Krewe of Hephaestus, and is a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of Legatus International. In 2017 Greg was the St. Mary Parish Citizen of the Year and in 2019 was the Morgan City Rotary Citizen of the Year.
He is a longtime supporter of several organizations related to Louisiana State University. Greg is currently a member of both the Dean’s Advisory Council of the E.J. Ourso College of Business and board member of TAF the LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation. He has been a guest speaker at LSU’s Flores MBA Program’s Distinguished Speaker Series. In 2014, Greg was inducted into the E.J. Ourso College of Business Hall of Distinction. Greg and Brenda are also LSU Foundation Laureate Society Members.
In 2010, B&G Food created their scholarship fund for the family members of their employees through the corporate scholarship fund at Community Foundation of Acadiana. B&G Food has also established a charity fund to help the communities that they serve when tragedy strikes. The company matches any donations made to the B&G Charity Fund.
