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The Advocate/Advocate staff photo by Bill Feigs
New Orleans businessman John Georges, right, shares a laugh with John Williams, left, and Josh Ford while campaigning before the LSU-Middle Tennessee State football game on Sept. 15. |
"I can meet with the African-American community in the morning and the titans of business in the afternoon," Georges said while tailgating at LSU before a football game after spending the morning at Southern University.
Georges said he has the business know-how to run the state much more efficiently than career politicians.
"Some people are better suited for academics and lecturing, and some people are better suited for getting their hands dirty," he said.
The Georges portfolio
Since graduating from Tulane University in 1983, Georges has diversified into many business interests, including real estate, nautical shipping, cigar shops and, until recently, video poker.
Yet Georges says he does not smoke or gamble.
Georges sold his gambling companies, which handle equipment ranging from video poker machines to jukeboxes, just before qualifying, saying a governor should not own businesses that are heavily regulated by the state.
Much of Georges' success stems from the growth of the 91-year-old family business, Imperial Trading Co., which was started as a "mom-and-pop business" by his maternal grandfather, a Greek immigrant named C.H. Pelias.
Imperial Trading, a wholesale grocery company, has branches throughout the South, distributing goods ranging from beauty and health products to vending-machine candy and cigarettes.
Georges, who is fluent in Greek, compares his leadership style to everyone from Alexander the Great (for knowing how to delegate authority) to former Chrysler automaker CEO Lee Iacocca.
Some Internet bloggers, such as Louisiana GOP spokesman Michael DiResto, call Georges egotistical and delusional. But Georges contends he is a realist and is confident he can help make needed changes in the state.
"I never really thought of myself as vain," Georges recently told a group of young New Orleans community leaders. "Maybe arrogant, but not vain. I'm just a guy who wants to get things done."
While campaigning, Georges has focused on being the only well-funded governor's candidate to endorse Blueprint Louisiana. The five-point agenda includes passing the toughest ethics law in the nation, spending an additional $570 million per year on roads and bridges and providing public school classes for all 4-year-olds.
The other well-funded candidates are Jindal, state Sen. Walter Boasso, a Democrat from Arabi, and Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, a Democrat from Bossier Parish.
Taking over the business
Growing up the youngest of three brothers in a five-sibling family, Georges said he was always the son most eager to follow in his father's footsteps. He jokes that people did not really understand his family until the hit movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" came out.
He said that as a child, he was always eager to spend time working with his father, Dennis Georges, after the elder Georges took over Imperial Trading. He would make trades with his brothers, he said, so they could have extra time off and he could work more.
"I ended up with the business," Georges said with a laugh.
Georges said the family business grew from $5 million when he was a kid to $29 million when he got out of college to about $500 million now.
Longtime friend and former business partner Gabe Corchiani said Georges is "very aggressive" but not brash. Those close to Georges know him as "kind-hearted," he said.
New Orleans Saints fans can thank Georges for often buying blocks of tickets to prevent local television blackouts, Corchiani noted.
"When he puts his mind to something, he usually gets it," Corchiani said. "Usually, he's made the best decision at the end of the day."
Lifelong family friend Christ Kanellakis, who recently succeeded Georges as president of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in New Orleans, said he remembers that even as a boy, Georges was always inquisitive and eager to work.
While most kids grew up idolizing athletes, Kanellakis said, Georges looked up to politicians and businessmen.
"He works all the time and thinks all the time," Kanellakis said.
But he still manages to reserve time to spend with his wife, Dathel, and three children, Zana, Liza and Nike, Kanellakis said.
"He's sure of himself and he's very bright," Kanellakis said. "People have been mistaking John as arrogant for years because of his assuredness when he talks."
In the days after Hurricane Katrina, Georges and Kanellakis flew to their church in a helicopter to rescue the tabernacle and other artifacts. They had the church running again by the end of 2005.
Deciding to run
Georges' father was an immigrant who fought alongside the Allies in Greece during World War II. He died of a brain tumor in 2002.
"That was the moment I decided I wasn't as interested in personal gain," Georges said.
He seriously considered running for governor in 2003 before backing out.
He said the trouble with the hurricane recovery after Katrina - coupled with long-term problems, such as economic growth - prompted him to run this year.
Kanellakis said that on his deathbed, Dennis Georges told his son that he could accomplish anything he put his mind to. John Georges was greatly influenced by that, he said.
He said it would be a mistake for people not to take Georges' intentions seriously.
"It's not a power trip," Corchiani said. "He feels like he can do a lot of good for the state."
Georges' only official political experience is as an eight-year member of the Louisiana Board of Regents, which oversees higher education.
But he is armed with more than $7 million of his own money for campaigning. More than $2 million of that has gone to television commercials touting him as a successful family man and businessman who can turn the state around.
Though he has not been an elected official, Georges has worked behind the scenes for years and made campaign donations to candidates across the political spectrum, from U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy to President George W. Bush.
Although most of his donations are to Republicans, Georges has given to both parties, including to U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, a Democrat from New Orleans.
He also gave to Jindal's congressional campaign, according to Federal Election Commission records.
In the current presidential race, Georges has given to Mitt Romney, a Republican, and U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, a Democrat.
Gambling and politics
Georges' opponents are quick to point out his ties to gambling through the video poker industry.
Much of Georges' success in past years came from companies including AMA Distributors, which provides video poker machines and other items. He also had the gambling-licensed companies Rapid Fire, National Holdings and Sunshine Ventures.
Before qualifying for governor, Georges sold those companies - partly financing the sale himself - to Corchiani, who already was working as AMA president.
Corchiani, a former University of New Orleans basketball player, got involved in the distribution business nearly 20 years ago, starting with "pop-a-shot" basketball games.
"He can say he's out of the gaming industry if anything comes up," Corchiani said. "But he's not ducking and hiding."
Georges said he understands the gambling concerns because of the "historically negative connotations, and some believe it preys on the poor."
But he emphasizes he always ran honest and legal businesses that were heavily regulated by the state.
He also denies connections to former Gov. Edwin Edwards' allies and old Louisiana politics, arguing his family has never been in politics.
Georges downplays his business ties to former Edward's aide Andrew Martin, who was convicted along with the former governor in a riverboat casino corruption case.
"Andrew Martin was involved in a company I bought and turned around," Georges said. "He did not run the company. He was employed and terminated by me."
Georges was not linked to any wrongdoing, and that company became his highly successful Dolphin Marine International, a towing and shipping company.
Georges said he is sick of hearing attacks from Jindal supporters - from blogs to YouTube videos about his political contributions to Democrats and his video poker ties - rather than directly from Jindal.
Georges said people warned him, " 'You're spending a lot of money running against the political machinery. They're going to embarrass your family. They're going to talk bad about you.' "
All that does is deflect from what is important, he said.
He cites the future of the state's charity hospital system as a key issue deserving of debate. Another important issue is ethics reform, including laws that would require politicians to disclose more about their income, he said.
Georges said he wants to bring many experts to the table, including nonprofit policy groups such as the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, so the people making decisions are not just politicians and their donors.
Georges said that since his campaign is mostly self-financed, he will not owe anyone.
"I'm not accepting money from anyone trying to do business with the state," he said.
Georges said he is confident there are enough "independent-minded people" in Louisiana to give him widespread support.
He said too much of the governor's race early on was spent discussing Gov. Kathleen Blanco, former U.S. Sen. John Breaux and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin - none of whom entered the race.
"Maybe I shouldn't have run," Georges quipped. "I'd have gotten more attention."
He said people did not expect someone with his successful business background to become a major candidate.
"They didn't envision someone like John Georges would run," he said.
John Georges, no party, New Orleans
AGE: 46
EDUCATION: Tulane University, bachelor's degree in management, accounting emphasis
MILITARY: None
PRIVATE CAREER: CEO of Imperial Trading Co.; CEO of Dolphin Marine International
PUBLIC SERVICE: Louisiana Board of Regents (1992-1999), Metropolitan Crime Commission, New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (Commissioner, 1998-Present)
FAMILY: Married 16 years to Dathel Coleman Georges. They have three children, ages 10 to 14.
MAJOR AFFILIATIONS: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Crime Stoppers Trustee, Metairie Park Country Day School Trustee, Young Presidents' Organization Louisiana,
Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity
RELIGION: Greek Orthodox
HERO: My father, Dennis
PETS: Sandy, a Golden Retriever
HOBBIES: Travel, fishing, hiking, biking
CAR YOU DRIVE THE MOST: The campaign (Chevrolet) Suburban
WORST HABIT: Café Granitas at PJ's.
WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU FAILED AT? Basketball against my son, Nike.
Favorites
WEB SITE: http://www.google.com
BOOK: The Greatest Generation, Band of Brothers, Alexander the Great
MOVIE: "Animal House," "The Sound of Music"
TV SHOW: "American Idol," "CSI," "24," "The Apprentice"
SPORT: Football
VACATION SPOT: Greek islands
FOOTBALL TEAM: The New Orleans Saints
CAMPAIGN CONTACTS: http://www.georgesfor governor.com