It’s New Orleans: Out to Lunch

Hosted ByPeter Ricchiuti

Tulane University A.B. Freeman School of Business finance professor Peter Ricchiuti holds court over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. Peter's lunch guests are New Orleans business people, from startups to CEO's, from artists to tech entrepreneurs, musicians to movers-and-shakers. New Orleans is on everybody's list as a great place to party but it's also on many lists of the best place to start a business. Peter's deeply knowledgable and equally levity-laden approach to business conversation neatly makese sense of the Crescent City's contradictions.

French Market Film Market – Out to Lunch – It’s New Orleans

In New Orleans we have an uneasy relationship with progress. We want to grow, but not like Atlanta. Or Houston. Or Austin. Or pretty much any economically successful Southern city. 

One of the battlegrounds where we fight to retain our local identity and accommodate a changing economy is The French Market. A glance at the French Market’s website summarizes the city’s conflict: “3 centuries of history. 6 blocks of shopping.”

jon smith

The person charged with keeping the country’s oldest market true to 3 centuries of history and keeping 6 blocks of stores busy 7 days a week is French Market Executive Director, Jon Smith. 

One of the most obvious changes to the New Orleans economy is our new role as one of the world’s biggest centers of film production. Along with making movies we’re also growing a reputation for marketing movies. The New Orleans Film Festival is in its 25th year, but its only recently that it’s gone from being a locals-only celebration of indie-cinema to a showcase that established filmmakers compete to get into.

jolene pinder

Jolene Pinder is Executive Director of both the festival and the New Orleans Film Society

brendan minard, peter ricchiuti, jolene pinder, jon smith

In the You Heard It Here First segment of the show, Brendan Minard outlines his plans for his new online petcare administration business PetCareLinks.com. You can hear a longer conversation with Brendan, Peter, Jon and Jolene here.

peter ricchiuti

jolene pinder, jon smith, brendan minard

 The photos on this page were taken at Commander’s Palace by Cheryl DalPozzal.  

Realtor Tracey Moore