Collection:LPB

Genre: Interview

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1997-07-25

Duration: 00:24:08

Subjects: STEIMEL, ED | Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, Inc. | Louisiana Association of Business and Industry | Business | McKeithen, John J. (John Julian), 1918-1999 | RIGHT TO WORK | Leslie, Jim, 1937-1976 | School integration. | Desegregation | Education | Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature

Contributors:

• Weill, Gus Host
• Fowler, Ken Producer
• Steimel, Ed Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana Legends” from July 25, 1997, features an interview with Ed Steimel conducted by Gus Weill. Steimel served as the executive director of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) from 1954-1975 and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) from 1975-1989. He discusses: his move to Louisiana at age 27; his first impressions of the state; his role as executive director of PAR; how he became the head of LABI in 1975; the problems LABI tried to address; his work with Governor John McKeithen; bringing right to work to the state in 1976; the murder of LABI’s public relations consultant Jim Leslie; the desegregation of public schools; the current problems facing Louisiana’s business climate; his current part-time work as the development director of LSU’s College of Engineering; and the importance of public education.