John F. Schwegmann
Encyclopedia
John F. Schwegmann is a Metairie
businessman, who was elected as a Democrat
to the Louisiana Public Service Commission
in 1981 to succeed his father, John G. Schwegmann
. In 2002, Schwegmann declared himself an independent. He served for 15 years on the PSC, the public body which regulates rates of utilities and motor carriers. In 1996, however, he was unseated by the young Covington
(St. Tammany Parish) Republican
Jack Arthur "Jay" Blossman, Jr.
John F. Schwegmann is married to Melinda B. Schwegmann
, a former Louisiana lieutenant governor (1992–1996) and a former state representative from Orleans Parish (1997–2004). They have three children, John Guy Schwegmann, Heidi Schwegmann, and Laurie D. Schwegmann, and two grandchildren.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans agreed with the Louisiana state appeals court and held that John F. Schwegmann failed to "administer the trust for the best interest of the beneficiary [his half-sister], and as such was personally liable for the losses sustained by the trust. . . . [Schwegmann] failed to administer, segregate, and protect trust funds, failed to account annually to the trust beneficiary . . . and failed to distribute the trust funds to the beneficiary when he learned that the partnership managing the family business was in financial trouble, and made loans to himself through the family business by using trust funds."
It was the adverse publicity over the turmoil surrounding the management of the Schwegmann companies that many believe contributed to John F. Schwegmann's defeat in the District 1 PSC race in 1996. In that race, Blossman (born 1964) polled 133,455 votes (55 percent) to Schwegmann's 108,957 (45 percent).
. Schwegmann, still a Democrat, ran second in the jungle primary
to incumbent Democrat Irma Muse Dixon. Schwegmann polled 29,619 votes (31 percent) to Dixon's 42,911 (45 percent. A third candidate, Democrat Bernard L. Charbonnet, Jr., held the remaining 23,322 votes (24 percent). In the general election Dixon defeated Schwegmann by a large margin: 124,921 votes (70 percent) to Schwegmann's 53,420 ballots (30 percent). She is the first African-American
member of the PSC.
Blossman defeated John F. Schwegmann again in 2002, 104,963 votes (68 percent) to 49,643 ballots (32 percent). It was in the October 2002 primary that Schwegmann was first listed as an "independent" or officially "no party" on the Louisiana ballot.
Schwegmann thereafter ran in a June 2005 special election for the state senate seat vacated earlier by the death of popular veteran Republican John J. Hainkel
, but he failed to gain a runoff berth. The seat is outside Schwegmann's domicile. He polled only 252 votes (1 percent). Two Republican women, Diane Winston
and Julie Quinn
went into the second round of balloting, and Quinn emerged the winner, 51-49 percent.
Schwegmann has lost four consecutive elections in the past decade, and Melinda Schwegmann has lost the last two of her three statewide races.
For related articles, see John G. Schwegmann
and Melinda Schwegmann
.
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
businessman, who was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Louisiana Public Service Commission
Louisiana Public Service Commission
Louisiana Public Service Commission is an independent regulatory agency which manages public utilities and motor carriers in Louisiana. The commission has five elected members chosen in single-member districts for staggered six-year terms...
in 1981 to succeed his father, John G. Schwegmann
John G. Schwegmann
John Gerald Schwegmann, Jr., was a pioneer in the development of the modern supermarket. He owned eighteen stores in the Greater New Orleans area, based from Metairie, a large unincorporated city in Jefferson Parish...
. In 2002, Schwegmann declared himself an independent. He served for 15 years on the PSC, the public body which regulates rates of utilities and motor carriers. In 1996, however, he was unseated by the young Covington
Covington, Louisiana
Covington is a city in and the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,483 at the 2000 census. It is located at a fork of the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte River....
(St. Tammany Parish) Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Jack Arthur "Jay" Blossman, Jr.
Jay Blossman
Jack Arthur Blossman, Jr., known as Jay Blossman , is a Mandeville, Louisiana, attorney who is a former Republican member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Blossman was named PSC chairman by his colleagues early in 2007....
Early years and family
Schwegmann was born to John G. Schwegmann, Jr. (1911–1995), and his first wife, the former Mary Elizabeth Geisenheimer (1917–1994). His parents divorced when he was a toddler, and he was reared primarily with his younger, developmentally-challenged brother, Guy Schwegmann. The first Mrs. Schwegmann was also close to her ex-husband's daughter by the second marriage to the former Melba Margaret Wolfe (1926–1994). Margie Schwegmann Brown is hence a half sister of John F. Schwegmann, but the siblings have been at odds since the sale of the Schwegmann supermarket chain in 1996.John F. Schwegmann is married to Melinda B. Schwegmann
Melinda Schwegmann
Melinda B. Schwegmann was the lieutenant governor of Louisiana from 1992–1996 – the first woman to hold the position. She made an unsuccessful run for governor of Louisiana in 1995...
, a former Louisiana lieutenant governor (1992–1996) and a former state representative from Orleans Parish (1997–2004). They have three children, John Guy Schwegmann, Heidi Schwegmann, and Laurie D. Schwegmann, and two grandchildren.
Collapse of the Schwegmann empire
The sale of the Metairie-based Schwegmann chain had a big impact on the economy of New Orleans as well as on the Schwegmann family personally. The company ceased to exist within a year of founder John G. Schwegmann's death. John F. Schwegmann denied responsibility for the sale of the company. He compared his situation to "no good deed" going "unpunished." Margie Schwegmann Brown and 200 retired Schwegmann employees launched separate lawsuits against John F. Schwegmann in the years after the company's demise. Each won multimillion-dollar judgments against him.The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans agreed with the Louisiana state appeals court and held that John F. Schwegmann failed to "administer the trust for the best interest of the beneficiary [his half-sister], and as such was personally liable for the losses sustained by the trust. . . . [Schwegmann] failed to administer, segregate, and protect trust funds, failed to account annually to the trust beneficiary . . . and failed to distribute the trust funds to the beneficiary when he learned that the partnership managing the family business was in financial trouble, and made loans to himself through the family business by using trust funds."
It was the adverse publicity over the turmoil surrounding the management of the Schwegmann companies that many believe contributed to John F. Schwegmann's defeat in the District 1 PSC race in 1996. In that race, Blossman (born 1964) polled 133,455 votes (55 percent) to Schwegmann's 108,957 (45 percent).
Failed political comeback attempts
In 1998, John F. Schwegmann sought a comeback in the neighboring, predominantly black, District 3 seat on the PSC formerly represented by Louis LambertLouis Lambert
Louis Joseph Lambert, Jr. , is a Louisiana attorney, businessman, former member and chairman of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, and a former Louisiana state senator....
. Schwegmann, still a Democrat, ran second in the jungle primary
Jungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
to incumbent Democrat Irma Muse Dixon. Schwegmann polled 29,619 votes (31 percent) to Dixon's 42,911 (45 percent. A third candidate, Democrat Bernard L. Charbonnet, Jr., held the remaining 23,322 votes (24 percent). In the general election Dixon defeated Schwegmann by a large margin: 124,921 votes (70 percent) to Schwegmann's 53,420 ballots (30 percent). She is the first African-American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
member of the PSC.
Blossman defeated John F. Schwegmann again in 2002, 104,963 votes (68 percent) to 49,643 ballots (32 percent). It was in the October 2002 primary that Schwegmann was first listed as an "independent" or officially "no party" on the Louisiana ballot.
Schwegmann thereafter ran in a June 2005 special election for the state senate seat vacated earlier by the death of popular veteran Republican John J. Hainkel
John Hainkel
John Joseph Hainkel, Jr., was a gregarious, ruffled, and raspy-voiced legislator from New Orleans who died in office after thirty-seven years of service...
, but he failed to gain a runoff berth. The seat is outside Schwegmann's domicile. He polled only 252 votes (1 percent). Two Republican women, Diane Winston
Diane Winston
Diane Grisham Winston is a businesswoman from Covington, Louisiana, who served as a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1996 until term-limited in 2008. Her District 77 includes parts of St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes in suburban New Orleans. In 2012, the district...
and Julie Quinn
Julie Quinn
Julie Ann Unangst Quinn is an attorney from Metairie, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate...
went into the second round of balloting, and Quinn emerged the winner, 51-49 percent.
Schwegmann has lost four consecutive elections in the past decade, and Melinda Schwegmann has lost the last two of her three statewide races.
For related articles, see John G. Schwegmann
John G. Schwegmann
John Gerald Schwegmann, Jr., was a pioneer in the development of the modern supermarket. He owned eighteen stores in the Greater New Orleans area, based from Metairie, a large unincorporated city in Jefferson Parish...
and Melinda Schwegmann
Melinda Schwegmann
Melinda B. Schwegmann was the lieutenant governor of Louisiana from 1992–1996 – the first woman to hold the position. She made an unsuccessful run for governor of Louisiana in 1995...
.