ALEXANDRIA - The Office of the Chancellor at Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA) recently unveiled the new LSUA Wall of Distinction in a special ceremony, naming Retired Major General Bennett C. Landreneau as its 2025 honoree. Established this year, the Wall of Distinction honors individuals whose extraordinary dedication, professional achievements, and community service have significantly impacted both the university and the broader Central Louisiana region.
Induction into the LSUA Wall of Distinction represents one of the highest honors bestowed by the university, recognizing individuals of outstanding character, leadership, and service whose legacies inspire future generations. General Landreneau exemplifies these qualities through more than four decades of dedicated service, notably serving as the 48th Adjutant General of the Louisiana National Guard from 1997 until his retirement in 2015. In that role, he guided over 11,000 Soldiers and Airmen through critical events, including the Guard’s crucial response during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and its transformation into an operational force during the Global War on Terror. His distinguished military career earned him honors including the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and induction into the Louisiana National Guard Hall of Fame in 2017.
General Landreneau’s legacy extends beyond his distinguished military career, encompassing more than 30 years of service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. He also championed a longstanding partnership between LSUA and the Louisiana National Guard, leading projects that constructed vital campus facilities such as the athletic complex, baseball and soccer fields, Guard Lake, and a crucial drainage canal as part of a recent $12M infrastructure project. Even in retirement, he remains an active supporter of LSUA, recently facilitating the acquisition of a decommissioned National Guard tank for display near the LSUA Fort.
During the ceremony, Chancellor Paul Coreil and Provost Liz Beard recognized General Landreneau’s lasting impact alongside previous honorees from the university’s Distinguished Service Award, whose names were also retroactively added to the Wall of Distinction. These distinguished community leaders include Roy O. Martin, Jr. (1994), Virginia Martin Howard (1995), Vinita Johnson Martin (1997), Frances Davis Bolton (1998), Scott O. Brame (1998), Howard & Eloise Mulder (2000), John W. “Jock” Scott (2003), Charlie Dewitt (2003), Joe McPherson (2003), H. Rouse Caffey (2008), R. Blake Chatelain (2010), Michael L. Jenkins (2010), Charles S. “Charlie” Weems, III (2013), Robert Cavanaugh (2019), Glenda Stock Smith (2021), Roy O. Martin, III (2023), and Mary Boone Treuting (2024).