The following is a list of notable people associated with Louisiana Tech University, in the American city of Ruston, Louisiana.
Presidents of LTU Arthur T. Prescott (1895–1899) W. C. Robinson (1899–1900) James B. Aswell (1900–1904) W. E. Taylor (1904–1905) C. E. Byrd (1906–1907) John E. Keeny (1908–1926) John R. Conniff (1927–1928) George W. Bond (1929–1936) Edwin Richardson (1936–1941) Claybrook Cottingham (1941–1949) Ralph L. Ropp (1949–1962) F. Jay Taylor (1962–1987) Dan Reneau (1987–2013) Les Guice (2013–2023) Jim Henderson (2023–present)
Academia George Rollie Adams – president and CEO of The Strong National Museum of Play; acquired National Toy Hall of Fame; established the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, World Video Game Hall of Fame, Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, Woodbury School, and American Journal of Play Jenna Carpenter – founding dean and professor of Engineering at Campbell University Harvey Cragon – engineer and chair emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin Cockrell School of Engineering Charles R. Embry – professor emeritus at Texas A&M Woodie Flowers – professor of mechanical engineering at M.I.T.; former host of Scientific American Frontiers Les Guice – president of Louisiana Tech University J. Barry Mason – former interim president of the University of Alabama; dean of the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration Randy Moffett – president of the University of Louisiana System; former President of Southeastern Louisiana University R. Byron Pipes – former president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Dan Reneau – former president of Louisiana Tech University Brett Riley – writer and college professor Linda Gilbert Saucier – mathematician, professor, and textbook author Dheeraj Sharma – internationally renowned marketing scholar; associate editor of Journal of Marketing Channels; editor of the Academy of Marketing Science Proceedings Rohit Srivastava – professor in the Department of Biosciences and Bioegineering at IIT Bombay
Arts, entertainment, and humanities Trace Adkins – country music singer; three #1 country music singles; one-time ACM Top New Male Vocalist; one-time CMT Male Video of the Year award Jann Aldredge-Clanton – Christian minister, author, teacher, and chaplain Hope Anderson – Miss Louisiana 2011 Leraldo Anzaldua – actor, stunt coordinator, and voice actor Elise Baughman – voice actress; former Louisiana Tech cheerleader Brady Boyd – pastor Kix Brooks – country music singer; host of American Country Countdown; 21 #1 country music singles; two #1 country music singles of the year; one-time CMA Entertainer of the Year; fourteen-time CMA Duo of the Year Sharon Brown – Miss USA 1961; Miss Louisiana 1961 Bill Doss – co-founder of the Elephant Six Collective; member of several bands including Chocolate U.S.A., The Olivia Tremor Control, The Sunshine Fix, and The Apples in Stereo Kelly Fearing – artist John Ferguson – sportscaster Hardy Fox – co-founder of the band The Residents and president of The Cryptic Corporation Eddie Gossling – comedian Joey Greco – host of the television show Cheaters Faith Jenkins – Miss Louisiana 2000, Miss America 2001 first runner-up, attorney and legal analyst Merle Kilgore – country music singer Bobby Lounge – singer-songwriter Qui Nguyen – playwright The Residents/Ralph Records – founding members Homer Flynn and Hardy Fox first met at Louisiana Tech Phil Robertson – cast member of A&E's Duck Dynasty; inventor of the Duck Commander duck call Si Robertson – cast member of A&E's Duck Dynasty John Simoneaux – singer, guitarist, songwriter Marc Swayze – comic book artist and writer Robert Tinney – illustrator Rose Venkatesan – talk show host in India Muse Watson – actor Wayne Watson – Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter in Contemporary Christian music John Corey Whaley – author Jamie Wilson – Miss Louisiana 2006
Business Nick Akins – president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power Stephen Babcock – lawyer Martie Cordaro – president and general manager for the Omaha Storm Chasers Konstantin Dolgan – entrepreneur Cindi Love – executive director and chief operating officer of the Metropolitan Community Church Michael McCallister – chairman of the board, president, and CEO of Humana, Inc. Edward L. Moyers – president and CEO of several railroads including MidSouth Rail, Illinois Central Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad Ron Ponder – senior information technology executive in several Fortune 100 companies including FedEx, Sprint Nextel, AT&T, Capgemini, and Anthem Glen Post – president and CEO of CenturyLink John Simonton – founder of PAiA Electronics; publisher of Electronic Musician Onega Ulanova – entrepreneur Will Wright – co-founder of the game development company Maxis; creator of the Sim City computer game series Charles Wyly – entrepreneur and businessman, philanthropist, civic leader, major contributor to Republican causes and Dallas art projects Sam Wyly – founder of University Computing Company, Earth Resources Company, Sterling Software, and Maverick Capital; has acquired and is the largest stockholder in several other companies
Government Activism Kim Gandy – former president of the National Organization for Women Jerome Ringo – chairman of the National Wildlife Federation
Executive Sam Caldwell – former mayor of Shreveport Lee Cooke (Class of 1966) – former mayor of Austin, Texas (1988–1991), city council member (1977–1981); CEO, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce (1983–1987) Ron Henson – treasurer of Louisiana Ibrahima Khalil Kaba – former Guinean minister of Foreign Affairs Todd Lamb – current lieutenant governor of Oklahoma Jim McBride – Wyoming superintendent of Public Instruction W. Fox McKeithen – former secretary of state of Louisiana Charles E. Roemer, II – former Louisiana commissioner of administration in the first two administrations of Governor Edwin Washington Edwards Clint Williamson – U.S. ambassador-at-large for War Crimes Issues, United Nations envoy, White House policy official
Judiciary E. Joseph Bleich – former Louisiana Supreme Court justice Brandon B. Brown – current U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana Jeff Cox – judge of the Louisiana 26th Judicial District court in Bossier and Webster parishes since 2005 Luther F. Cole – state legislator and judge from Baton Rouge; attended Louisiana Tech 1943–1944"Louisiana: Cole, Luther Francis, Who's Who in American Politics, 2003–2004, 19th ed., Vol. 1 (Alabama-Montana) (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, New Jersey, 2003), p. 774 James L. Dennis – judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Terry A. Doughty – federal judge Robert G. James – federal judge
Legislative Rodney Alexander – former United States representative from Louisiana Andy Anders (Class of 1979) – former Louisiana state representative from Concordia Parish John Baine – former Arkansas state representative from El Dorado Gilbert Baker – Arkansas state senator and candidate for the United States Senate in 2010 Saxby Chambliss – former United States senator from Georgia; former United States representative from Georgia J. Frank Colbert – member of the Louisiana House of Representatives and the mayor of Minden E. Leslie Conkling – former Illinois state representative Jean M. Doerge – former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives R. Harmon Drew, Sr. – former Louisiana state representative from Webster Parish; former Minden city judge Harvey Fields – state senator for Union and Morehouse parishes, 1916–1920; member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, 1927–1936; former law partner and political ally of Huey Pierce Long, Jr. Gabe Firment – member of the Louisiana House of Representatives John Sidney Garrett – Late Louisiana state representative from Claiborne Parish; former speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives Garret Graves – current United States representative from Louisiana Mike Jackson – former president pro tempore of the Texas Senate and acting governor of Texas Tim Lemons – civil engineer from Cabot, Arkansas; Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives since January 2015 Luke Letlow – late United States representative from Louisiana Jim McCrery – former United States representative from Louisiana Newt V. Mills – late United States representative from Louisiana Billy Montgomery – former state representative from Bossier Parish Danny Roy Moore – former state senator from Claiborne and Bienville parishes Tammy Phelps – member of the Louisiana House of Representatives James P. Pope – former U.S. senator from Idaho, mayor of Boise, and director of the Tennessee Valley Authority Harold Ritchie (attended; did not graduate) – state representative from Washington Parish since 2004 Phil Short – former Louisiana state senator from St. Tammany Parish Joe Waggonner – late United States representative from Louisiana Danny Watson – Arkansas state representative Ardian Zika – Florida state representative
Military John J. Batbie, Jr. – major general in the U.S. Air Force, served as commander of the United States Air Force Reserve Command Susan Y. Desjardins – major general in the U.S. Air Force John Spencer Hardy – lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force; attended Louisiana Tech but graduated from Centenary College of LouisianaJohn Spencer Hardy obituary, Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, May 3, 2012 Campbell B. Hodges – retired United States Army major general Jack Ramsaur II – U.S. Air Force major general David Wade – lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force, former commander of Barksdale Air Force Base, state corrections director and adjutant general La Vern E. Weber – lieutenant general, former director of the Army National Guard and chief of the National Guard Bureau
Sports Football Ryan Allen – current NFL punter for the New England Patriots Joseph Anderson – former NFL wide receiver for the Chicago Bears Larry Anderson – retired NFL cornerback and kick returner for the Pittsburgh Steelers; two-time Super Bowl Champion Myron Baker – retired NFL linebacker for the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers Mike Barber – retired NFL tight end for the Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Rams, and Denver Broncos; founder of Mike Barber Ministries Adairius Barnes – retired NFL cornerback for the Detroit Lions Houston Bates – current linebacker for the Washington Redskins Lloyd Baxter – retired NFL center for the Green Bay Packers Taylor Bennett – current quarterback for the Stockholm Mean Machines George Benyola – retired NFL kicker for the New York Giants Chris Boniol – retired NFL kicker for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and Chicago Bears; one-time Super Bowl champion Jim Boudreaux – retired NFL lineman for the Patriots Cloyce Box – retired NFL end and halfback; two-time NFL champion; two-time Pro Bowl selection; one-time All-Pro selection Craig Bradshaw – retired NFL quarterback for the Houston Oilers Terry Bradshaw – retired NFL quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers; inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame; one-time NFL MVP; four-time Super Bowl champion; two-time Super Bowl MVP; three-time Pro Bowl selection; four-time All-Pro selection; Bert Bell Award; 1970s All-Decade Team; #1 overall NFL draft selection Kentrell Brice – current NFL safety for the Green Bay Packers Matt Broha – former NFL defensive end for the New York Giants Eddie Brown – former AFL offensive specialist for the Albany/Indiana Firebirds; voted best player in arena football history in 2006 Weldon Brown – current CFL cornerback for the Edmonton Eskimos Bob Brunet – retired NFL running back for the Washington Redskins Vernon Butler – first round NFL draft pick; current NFL defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers Colby Cameron – current NFL quarterback for the Carolina Panthers Roger Carr – retired NFL wide receiver for the Baltimore Colts; one-time Pro Bowl selection