Press Releases

NEW ORLEANS, LA – The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) today announced two finalists for the position of Executive Director following a national search led by executive recruitment firm Raftelis.

A total of 68 candidates applied for the position. After a comprehensive screening process, the Board’s Ad Hoc Committee was presented with nine candidates and recommended two finalists for in-person interviews.

The finalists are:

• Bethany Bezak, PE, LEED AP, who currently serves as the City of San Diego’s Transportation Department Director. Bezak brings extensive experience in stormwater management, infrastructure financing, and delivering large-scale capital programs. She previously held leadership roles at DC Water and Tetra Tech, where she focused on green infrastructure and regional operations management. She holds a Master of Science in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech and dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Civil Engineering and Architecture from Lawrence Technological University.

• Randy Hayman, Esq., who is the current Commissioner and CEO of the Philadelphia Water Department, oversees utility operations for the nation’s sixth-largest city. With more than two decades of legal and executive experience in the water sector, he has served as General Counsel for DC Water and the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District as well as a partner at the environmental law firm Beveridge & Diamond. Hayman holds a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Both candidates are nationally recognized in their fields and bring deep experience working in complex urban systems and leading large organizations tasked with delivering critical infrastructure and services.

The full SWBNO Board of Directors is expected to conduct interviews with both candidates in the coming weeks and anticipates making a final selection by the end of April. 

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