THIBODAUX – Clive “Rusty†Cloutier of Lafayette will serve as the 2007 Nicholls Homecoming grand marshal.
Cloutier will reign over the Thursday, Oct. 18, Homecoming parade as the second-ever Homecoming grand marshal. Dr. Cleveland Hill, retired education dean and interim dean of student life, became the first last year.
In 2006, the Homecoming committee decided that each year’s James Lynn Powell Award winner will be named Homecoming grand marshal. The Powell Award is the most prestigious honor a Nicholls graduate can receive.
Cloutier, who received the award in April, earned his degree in economics and finance in 1968. “I was part of the first class to live on campus and was involved in all of the campus politics of the time,†Cloutier said.
In the 39 years since his graduation, Cloutier said, he has had only two jobs: his present one, president and chief executive officer of MidSouth Bancorp Inc., and one in Morgan City with Citizens National Bank, later First National Bank. MidSouth began in 1985 under Cloutier’s leadership as a small community bank. Today, MidSouth has $820 million in assets and more than 30 locations in south Louisiana and southeast Texas.
Cloutier met his wife, the former Brenda Bergeron of Morgan City, while attending Nicholls. They have three children and four grandchildren.
Cloutier said of his Homecoming plans, “I’ll have my four grandkids there, and we’ll have a blast.â€
