Tulane and HNOC: Honoring Major Donors and Local Cultural Figures

Tulane University President Michael A. Fitts and the university’s Board of Trustees hosted the 2026 Paul Tulane Society induction ceremony at Gallier Hall on Friday. The event recognized the university’s premier giving community, which consists of individuals and entities with cumulative gifts or pledges of at least $1 million. Guests gathered in the third-floor reception area, where tables were draped in slate or platinum cloths and adorned with off-white roses and hydrangeas.

The evening’s formalities began at 7:25 p.m. when Board Chair David M. Mussafer asked the new members to stand. Mussafer and his spouse, Marion, previously committed a gift that enabled the creation of Mussafer Hall, which opened on campus in 2018. Fitts addressed the crowd following a video about the university’s mission, noting that the opportunities for students would not exist without the people in the room.

The 2026 inductees included the Estate of James S. Bonnet Jr., MD, of Kalispell, Montana; Robert Grossman and Elisabeth J. Cohen, both physicians from New York; and the Estate of Barbara Jo Holmes from New Orleans. The list also featured Jones Walker LLP, represented in New Orleans by Bill Hines, David Edwards, Grady Hurley, and Deirdre McGlinchey.

Additional honorees were the Estate of Andrew Orestano, MD, represented by Mahlon and Karen Sanford in New Orleans; the Estate of Sonja B. Romanowski from Richardson, Texas; and the Estate of Anne Robertson Sellin from Washington, D.C. The group concluded with William Templeton from Dallas, Texas, and David T. Zhang and Yibling Mao from Hong Kong, China. Each inductee received a photo and biographical profile in the event program.

Prior to the dinner, David and Marion Mussafer hosted a Board of Tulane Lagniappe Gathering. They also hosted a performance of Bruno Mars: The Romantic Tour at the Caesars Superdome the following day. Dinner at Gallier Hall was provided by Ralph Brennan Catering & Events, featuring filet mignon, roasted Gulf shrimp, and desserts including chocolate blackout doberges and pecan tarts.

The Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) marked its 60th anniversary by hosting Bienville Circle members at the home of Amanda and Ryan Berger on St. Charles Avenue. The event celebrated the sponsor’s support for the new exhibit, “Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions.” HNOC acquired the archive of Will Bunn “Bunny” Matthews III in March 2023. Matthews, a former Times-Picayune music writer, is known for creating the cartoon strip featuring Vic and Nat’ly Broussard.

HNOC President and CEO Daniel Hammer attended the gathering, along with Bienville Circle Chair Lisa Wilson and HNOC Board President Bonnie Boyd. The musical menu was provided by The NOLA Sweethearts, and floral arrangements were designed by Urban Earth. Guests discussed the exhibit, which is currently displayed in the Collection’s Tricentennial Wing on Royal Street.

In a separate event, the Louisiana Landmarks Society (LLS) honored Rene Fransen at the Pitot House on Moss Street. Fransen is a landscape architect with over four decades of experience who transitioned ownership of his firm to partner John Mills in 2020. The firm is now known as Fransen Mills Landscape Architects.

Sally Reeves, who has extensive ties to LLS, delivered a tribute to Fransen, who was joined by his spouse, Eddie Bonin. LLS President Tony Marino prepared the food for the event, which took place in the 1799 West Indies-style Creole colonial country house overlooking Bayou St. John.

New Orleans residents also appeared in the October 12 issue of Time magazine. The publication named Arch Manning and E.J. Lagasse to its Time 100 list of the world’s most influential rising stars. Manning, a member of the football royalty, is currently playing for the University of Texas. Lagasse, a chef and co-owner of Emeril’s, was recognized as a culinary phenom.