Randy K. Haynie Named Chair of LEH Board of Directors
The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities has named Randy K. Haynie as chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. In addition, it welcomed M. Cleland Powell III to the board through a chair’s appointment.
About Randy K. Haynie
Randy K. Haynie is the owner and president of Haynie & Associates, a government relations firm established in 1980 with offices in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. From these bases of operation, he has been lobbying the Louisiana legislature for 44 years and has served under eight Louisiana governors.
Haynie received a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry and mathematics from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette). He represents national corporations such as JPMorgan Chase, GM (General Motors), MillerCoors, Caesar’s Entertainment Inc., the New Orleans Saints, and the National Football League. His Louisiana clients include Crescent River Pilots, Louisiana Anesthesiologists, Louisiana Engineers Society, LAMICO, and Lemoine Contractors, among others.
Haynie is president of Louisiana Governmental Studies, which has published a Louisiana Legislative Directory yearly since 1984. He is the past National President of the National Association of State Lobbyists and currently serves on various boards throughout Louisiana in addition to the LEH, including Hilliard University Art Museum in Lafayette, the Community Foundation of Acadiana, and the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame. In 2018 Haynie was awarded the Lafayette Civic Cup.
Additionally, he is an avid collector of historical artifacts and art, including currency, photos of Louisiana governors and memorabilia, early maps of Louisiana, and original paintings by Louisiana and Southern artists.
“I am honored to lead an organization as transformative as the LEH,” said Haynie. “Protecting our state’s history and culture and providing literacy support is critical to the future of Louisiana, and I look forward to working with the rest of the board, Executive Director/President Miranda Restovic, and the staff on furthering that mission.”
Haynie’s appointment follows the successful two-year tenure of Melinda Mintz, who remains in service to the organization as the immediate past chair of the board.
“It has been a great honor and pleasure to serve as chair of the LEH,” said Mintz. “One of the definitions of humanities is ‘an appreciation of human values and of the unique ability of the human spirit to express itself. Humanities enables citizens to understand, preserve and sometimes challenge their national heritage and culture.’ LEH continues to challenge and teach all citizens of Louisiana, from our littlest learners through elder tradition bearers. I know the future of the organization has so much promise under the leadership of Randy Haynie as board chair and Miranda Restovic as executive director.”
About M. Cleland Powell III
M. Cleland Powell III is executive vice president and senior commercial manager at First Horizon. Prior to his role at First Horizon, he was senior vice president and senior manager of corporate banking at Whitney National Bank from 1972 to 2009. He received a bachelor’s degree in English from Tulane University and a master’s degree in economics from Emory University. Powell’s community service has extended over four decades, and in 2017 received The Times-Picayune Loving Cup award. He rejoins the LEH board after having previously served from 2008 to 2016. Additional board service includes Dillard University, the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the Louisiana SPCA, WYES, Xavier University of Louisiana, and more.
About the LEH board of directors
The LEH board is statewide, and members are residents of Louisiana. Members represent the cultural, academic, philanthropic and business communities. Board members are volunteers, and members typically serve three-year terms with the option to renew twice. Members attend four full board meetings per year, participate with subcommittees to support short- and long-term organizational goal attainment and aid in the cultivation of relationships that support organizational advocacy, fundraising and program/initiative success.