SEN. APPEL TAKES OATH OF OFFICE AS NEW DISTRICT 9 STATE SENATOR

  Conrad Appel is the new state senator for Senate District 9. Sen. Appel officially took the oath of office Thursday morning. The Metairie republican won a special election earlier this month to replace Senator Steve Scalise who now serves in the U.S. House of Representatives representing the 1^st Congressional District.

  Sen. Appel comes to the Louisiana Senate after years of hard work as an activist in his community promoting economic development, workforce, public safety and infrastructure initiatives through various civic endeavors and organizations. He plans to continue those efforts as an elected public servant.

  "I have spent 30 years working outside of government through civic and community organizations to improve the lives of our families and children in Jefferson Parish and all of southeast Louisiana with better job opportunities, an improved education and workforce training system and safer communities," Sen. Appel said. "I want to try to put that experience in the community and in the business world to use inside government, working with Governor Jindal and my fellow legislators to make a difference for Jefferson Parish and the state of Louisiana.

  Sen. Appel, a businessman with over 35 years of experience in construction management and real estate, has a special understanding of the need to retain and create good jobs in the region and the necessary government reforms, education improvements and infrastructure improvements needed to make that happen.

  "I believe we have tremendous opportunities in Louisiana right now to build on our strengths to make Southeast Louisiana the economic engine that fuels new job growth for our state and I look forward to making the best of those opportunities," Sen. Appel said.

  Sen. Appel is president of ConstructionSouth, Inc. which specializes in industrial and commercial general construction and a graduate of LSU with a degree in electrical engineering. Among his many community and civic endeavors, he has served as chairman of the Port of New Orleans and chairman of the Jefferson Economic Development Commission. He and wife Carol have two children.

  Senate District 9 includes most of west Metairie, Elmwood and part of Old Jefferson in Jefferson Parish. The Senator's district legislative office is not yet in operation. Until the office is up and running, citizens in Senate District 9 needing assistance should call 225.342.6627 or toll-free 866.946.3133 or email websen@legis.la.gov .