Abbeville's N.R. Broussard honored by Community Foundation of Acadiana.

N.R. Broussard of Abbeville was one of 10 people from Acadiana who was honored by Community Foundation of Acadiana.
CFA holds a Leaders in Philanthropy Awards Luncheon each fall to honor outstanding area philanthropists, increase awareness of the value of philanthropy and to educate the public about CFA and its mission across its 8-parish service area. It was held last week at the CajunDome Convention Center in Lafayette.
Different from a civic cup award for volunteerism, a Leaders in Philanthropy Award is primarily given to those folks who have made contributions or secured contributions to enhance the quality of life in their communities.
CFA presents the following two types of awards:
A Leaders in Philanthropy Award is awarded to an individual or couple in each of the eight parishes of CFA’s primary service area who have made a philanthropic impact in their communities through substantial charitable contributions to or by attracting substantial contributions for nonprofits, churches or schools.
Broussard received the 2016 Leaders in Philanthropy Award for his generous contributions to and support of countless charitable endeavors in Vermilion Parish.
He is a longtime supporter of Vermilion Catholic High School, Palmetto Island State Park, the Abbeville Giant Omelette Celebration and the Vermilion Parish Chamber of Commerce to name a few. He recently purchased and donated the old Abbeville Post Office to the Vermilion Parish School Board for its discretionary use. In 1983, he made one of his first major contributions to the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now ULL) by donating $30,000 to the University Endowment Fund Drive.
N. R.’s philanthropy extends far beyond Vermilion Parish. He supports Father Glenn Meaux’s Haiti Mission and has made numerous contributions to the people on the Honduran Island of Utila. N. R. has provided generators for electricity, desks for the schools, musical instruments for the churches and more.
N. R. actively participated in numerous organizations. He was an officer and driving force behind the Abbeville Harbor and Terminal’s development of the Port of Vermilion. He served on the Board of Louisiana Oilfield Contractor’s Association, the Louisiana Shallow Draft Ports and Waterways Commission, and the Louisiana Intracoastal Seaway Association. N. R. also served as chairman of the International Relations Association of Acadiana. He was honored as the Small Business Person of the Year in 1986 by the Louisiana Department of Commerce and was inducted into the Acadian Museum’s Order of Living Legends in 2013.
Born in Pecan Island in 1921, N. R. served in the United States Navy during World War II from 1942-1945. Upon his return, he and his brother started Broussard Brother’s Boat Service, a tug boat company in Chalmette. In 1959, N. R. moved to Intracoastal City and developed the Broussard Brothers Boat business with his brothers, John Huey and Joseph. He used his exceptional business acumen to serve as President of Broussard Brother’s Inc.; Guy Scroggins, Inc.; Louisiana Chemical, Inc.; Acadian Contractors, Inc.; and Home Industry Disposal Company, Inc.
N. R. has eight children, 19 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren with Bobbie Jean McCann.