McNeese Announces Distinguished Alumnus

The McNeese State University Alumni Association has announced its 2024 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award recipients: Lake Charles attorney Brad Guillory and Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter. The Alumni Association will present the awards during halftime ceremonies at the McNeese vs. Stephen F. Austin football game on Saturday, Sept. 14.

This award recognizes McNeese graduates who have distinguished themselves in their chosen field of endeavor on a national or international level and is the highest award presented by the alumni association.

Guillory received his Bachelor of Science degree in marketing in 1998 from McNeese, where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He served as president of the McNeese Alumni Association from 2019-2023.  

He received his Juris Doctor degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston in 2002. He was admitted to the Texas Bar in 2003, the Mississippi Bar in 2005 and the Louisiana Bar in 2006. He served as president of the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association in 2020 and 2021 and as president of the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association Family Law Section from 2014-2016.  

An experienced trial attorney, Guillory has been appointed by various courts throughout the state as a mediator in family law cases and as a Special Master in the area of family law by the 14^th Judicial District Court.  

Prior to attending law school, Guillory was a police officer with the Lake Charles Police Department and was assigned to the Patrol Division. 

Hunter received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 2007. He credits his experience at McNeese for sparking his interest in public service and has established the endowed Dr. Robert Forrest History Scholarship through the McNeese Foundation. 

A small business owner, Hunter took over his grandparents’ restaurant, Harlequin Steaks & Seafood, at the age of 17. Today he is a partner in The Villa Harlequin restaurant.  

Hunter was elected to the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury in 2011 and was in his second term when he was elected mayor of Lake Charles in 2017. He was elected to a second term in 2021.  

As mayor, Hunter has successfully enacted a number of key initiatives, including increasing funding for drainage improvements, focusing on economic development and launching the Partners in Parks Initiative, where more than $1.6 million in private funds and grants have transformed several city parks and re-invigorated programming through innovative partnerships.  

Under his leadership, lakefront development has become a reality. A lakefront parking garage, which had sat damaged since 2015, was renovated and is now open. Port Wonder, a science and nature center and state-of-the-art children’s museum, will open in early fall 2024. This project was made possible by securing dozens of public and private funding partners and has been a catalyst for additional lakefront development.  

Hunter also led the community through a string of natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. His tireless efforts gave Southwest Louisiana citizens a voice in Washington, D.C., as he advocated for the community’s needs and pointed out the lack of federal response.  

The mayor continues his advocacy efforts aimed at creating a more resilient community. In 2023, he launched an effort to create a more sustainable future for Lake Charles. Voters successfully passed “LC REBOUND,” a $190 million tax neutral bond and tax restructuring proposal, paving the way to fast-track dozens of key infrastructure and quality of life projects. 

Hunter has been recognized for his philanthropy and for his support and assistance in working with children in need, active military and veterans, and animal adoption through the United Way of Southwest Louisiana and the Community Foundation SWLA.