The New Orleans Saints and Pelicans Owner/Chairman of the Board Tom Benson ’44 was honored on Tuesday, September 2nd by the New Orleans community for his contributions to the people of Louisiana and the City of New Orleans throughout his career. Among those in attendance were Sean Payton, Drew Brees, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, and Archbishop Gregory Aymond ’67 CJ.
The larger-than-life bronze statue features Benson holding the Lombardi Trophy won by the Saints on February 7, 2010 as his team defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17, in Super Bowl XLIV. The 13-and-a-half-foot statue was created by nationally-acclaimed sculptor Brian Hanlon of Hanlon Sculpture Studio in Toms River, New Jersey. A classically-trained master sculptor, Hanlon’s work can be seen across the country and nearby, as he created the statue of Shaquille O’Neal in Baton Rouge at LSU and the Steve Gleason statue in New Orleans. Photo courtesy of Nola.com & Times Picayune.
Click to read full article Click to watch video
