Officials with the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame last week announced that Cecilia native Paul J. Hardy will be among the 2019 inductees into the Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Baton Rouge next month.
A former state senator, secretary of state, lieutenant governor and secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation, Hardy is one of seven Louisiana residents receiving this year’s honor.
Hardy, 76, is a graduate of Cecilia High School, USL (UL-Lafayette) and the Loyola University Law School.
After receiving his law degree he began practicing law in St. Martinville in the Willis and Hardy firm.
His political career began in 1971 when he was elected to the state senate from the parishes of St. Martin and Iberia.
In 1976, he was elected secretary of state in one of the greatest upset victories in Louisiana history.
Fluent in French, Hardy represented the United States at an international government seminar in Quebec that year.
He ran for governor in 1979 but missed the runoff by only 4 percent of the vote.
During his tenure as Louisiana’s secretary of transportation (1980-84), the state spent $2 billion on highways.
In 1987 he was elected lieutenant governor.
As an entrepreneur and businessman, Hardy assisted (and played a bit part) in producing the movie “Belizaire the Cajun.”
Hardy is a retired banker having served on the board of St. Martin Bank for over 45 years, and is currently president and managing partner of St. Agnes Healthcare in Breaux Bridge.
His honors have included the “Man of Achievement” award from the Phi Kappa Theta National Fraternity, the “Order of the Plimsoll” from the New Orleans World Trade Center and he was inducted into the Living Legends Hall of Fame of the Acadian Museum in Erath.
Hardy presently resides in Baton Rouge with his wife of 53 years, Colfax native Sandi Gatlin. They have two children, attorney Greg Hardy and Mrs. Darrell (Yvette) Gross, both of Baton Rouge, and two granddaughters.
Induction activities begin Saturday, Feb. 23 with a reception at the Cajundome Convention Center Festival Ballroom in Lafayette. A banquet follows. Tickets for the banquet can be purchased from the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame for $125 each by calling 318-628-5928 prior to Feb. 1.
