For the first time, a company and its two founders are among the 2027 Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting Legends honorees.
Billy Harrison
Houston Energy Limited Partnership and LSU alums Billy Harrison and Ron Neal are being recognized for the impact of their leadership in Louisiana and beyond while inspiring future generations of leaders and innovators.
Harrison and Neal co-founded Houston Energy in 1988, transforming their entrepreneurial vision into one of the nation’s most respected independent oil and gas exploration companies, according to LPB.
“Through decades of leadership, innovation, and industry expertise, they have made a lasting impact on energy exploration along the Gulf Coast while remaining deeply committed to supporting LSU and strengthening opportunities for future generations,” an LPB news release states.
Ron Neal
For 37 years, Friends of LPB Legends has celebrated the state’s best and brightest as Louisiana Legends. The 2027 honorees have distinguished themselves across an exceptional range of fields, including diplomacy, medicine, music, technology, energy, entrepreneurship and sports innovation.
The rest of the 2027 honorees are:
Cleve Francis
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Cindy Courville, an Opelousas native who made history as the first United States ambassador to the African Union. Throughout her career, she has held senior leadership roles with the National Security Council, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Department of Defense, helping shape U.S. policy and strengthen diplomatic relations across Africa.
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Monty Chicola, a visionary Alexandria entrepreneur and founder of Real Vision Software, an IBM business partner at the forefront of document-management solutions enhanced by artificial intelligence. His pioneering work continues to advance emerging technologies, inspire future innovators and shape the expanding role of AI in business and industry.
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Dr. Cleve Francis, a Jennings native and a renowned cardiologist, country music artist, and trailblazer whose career spans medicine and music. The first Black cardiologist in the Inova Health System, he also gained national recognition as a recording artist and Grand Ole Opry performer, breaking barriers and championing greater representation in both fields.
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Jack Marucci, a nationally respected athletic trainer, sports performance innovator and founder of Marucci Sports, one of baseball’s leading equipment brands. After serving 25 years as LSU’s director of athletic training, he was named director of performance innovation in 2021 and entered his 31st year with LSU Athletics in 2026-27.
Jack Marucci
These honorees join the ranks of 179 past Louisiana Legends, including Grammy and Academy Award winners, world-renowned chefs and artists, a Nobel Prize recipient, esteemed dignitaries and legendary sports figures. Each year, the Legends are selected by the Friends of LPB Louisiana Legends board committee, composed of volunteer representatives from across the state.
The 2027 Louisiana Legends Gala and Awards Ceremony will take place April 29 at Louisiana’s Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge and will feature a dinner, an auction of items donated by the honorees, music and an awards ceremony that will be broadcast live on LPB.
For more information visit lpb.org/legends.
