In memory: Howard Reitz, former president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and father of current president and CEO Mike Reitz, died on Tuesday at the age of 96. A Korean War veteran, Reitz was appointed president and CEO in 1967 and served in the position until 1984. Prior to his work for the company in Louisiana, he had been president of Cincinnati Blue Cross in Ohio from 1946 to 1953. “My dad was president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana during an amazing time for this company. He helped to build it from 50,000 members to nearly 1 million,” says Mike Reitz, who has been president and CEO since 2009, in a prepared statement. “He was also a great man and a great dad. My family will miss him very much.”
On the block: The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Mineral Resources says it has received 40 nominations comprising roughly 40,000 acres to be included in the state’s October mineral lease sale. Nominations cover tracts of land up for lease in Lafourche, Ouachita, Plaquemines, St. Helena, St. Mary, Tangipahoa and Terrebonne parishes. The nominated tracts are just part of the total number that will be advertised for leasing. The total acreage of state land and water bottoms available to prospective bidders wanting to acquire a state mineral lease is about 6 million acres. The lease sale will be held on Oct. 14. Prospective bidders can search for available acreage in the agency’s online database.
Rolling on the river: Australia-based Incitec Pivot Ltd. today dedicated a new ammonia tank as part of its $850 million ammonia plant that is being built on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish. Company officials were joined by Louisiana Economic Development officials to mark the construction milestone, according to a news release from Gov. Bobby Jindal. The plant is now 75% complete and is scheduled to begin operating in the third quarter of next year. The plant will be operated by IPL subsidiary Dyno Nobel, which is headquartered in Salt Lake City, and it is expected to produce up to 800,000 metric tons of ammonia annually. Ground was broken on the project in August 2013. Jindal’s office has more details on the project and the incentive package the state is providing IPL.
