Gayle Benson provides leadership for the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. She succeeds her husband, Tom Benson, who passed away on March 15, 2018, after serving as Owner of the Saints since 1985 and the Pelicans since 2012. The New Orleans native is an accomplished business professional and philanthropist with strong ties to the local community and is dedicated to contributing to the growth and enhancement of the Gulf South region.
Mr. and Mrs. Benson worked together to build model NFL and NBA organizations, housed in state-of-the-art facilities at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, Caesars Superdome and Smoothie King Center, while making a positive impact in the community.
With the Saints franchise under the guidance of Mr. and Mrs. Benson, the team has reached new heights since 2006, when they entrusted Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis to set the direction for the organization, responding by making important coaching hires and continually supplementing and upgrading the roster through the draft, free agency and trades. Since then, the franchise has reached its highest point of success, posting a 189-136 record, featuring 11 winning seasons, nine playoff berths, seven NFC South division titles, three NFC Championship appearances and the Super Bowl XLIV world championship.
In Mrs. Benson's first seven seasons of ownership, New Orleans has posted five winning campaigns, three consecutive NFC South division titles (2018-20) and reached the 2018 NFC Championship. 15 different Saints players have received a combined 34 Pro Bowl selections and nine separate players over the past seven seasons have received Associated Press All-Pro honors. In 2025, Mrs. Benson and Loomis hired former Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore as head coach, igniting a new era of Saints football. Under Mrs. Benson, Loomis and Moore, the Saints will continue their commitment to building a strong and exciting football team, primed to compete this season and into the future.
Thanks to her leadership, Mrs. Benson contributed $180 million to the five-year, $560 million multi-phase transformation of the Caesars Superdome that made its debut for the 2024 Saints season and Super Bowl LIX, resulting in a world-class stadium with state-of-the-art amenities for the football team and their supportive fans. The Caesars Superdome has been sold out on a season ticket basis for every campaign since 2006, with a waiting list of over 73,000 and 192 consecutive sellouts for contests played at the venue. The team's Ochsner Sports Performance Center completed the construction of a brand-new cafeteria and a complete renovation of the draft room and weight room, further upgrading one of the NFL's top training complexes.
Following in the footsteps of her husband, who played a significant role in the City of New Orleans hosting five Super Bowls during his ownership and wielded extensive influence and respect among fellow NFL owners with a 25-year tenure as Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mrs. Benson has become instrumental with her leadership in important league issues, serving on the Audit, Business Ventures and Hall of Fame Committees, as well as the Social Justice Working Group. She served as a key voice in securing New Orleans' bid to host Super Bowl LIX the 11th time the Crescent City served as a host, tied with Miami for the most Super Bowls by a host city. Super Bowl LIX generated $1.25 billion in total economic activity statewide, more than doubling the impact of Super Bowl XLVII and ranked as the second most financially impactful Super Bowl of all-time. Mrs. Benson remains committed to leading the effort to bring the Super Bowl back to New Orleans.
Immediately upon Mr. and Mrs. Benson's purchase of the former Hornets franchise from the NBA in 2012, construction began on a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility to house the entire organization together, while also rebranding as the Pelicans. Through agreements with the State of Louisiana upon the 2012 purchase, the Smoothie King Center has seen renovations, featuring a new center-hung HD scoreboard, which debuted in 2015, along with several additional fan upgrades. Through this commitment, NBA All-Star Weekend was awarded to New Orleans in 2014 and 2017, making the city one of just seven current NBA markets to host the mid-season event at least three times. In 2025, Mrs. Benson announced the hiring of Joe Dumars as the team's Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. With over 30 years of NBA experience as a Hall of Fame player, NBA champion, and respected executive at both the team and league levels, Dumars joins Mrs. Benson to lead a new era of Pelicans basketball, committed to building a winner for years to come.
Active in league affairs, Mrs. Benson serves as a member of the NBA's Labor Relations Committee and was named to the NBA Foundation Board of Directors in 2020. As a board member, she is constantly an advocate for the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Since her 2020 addition, distributions by the foundation have benefited numerous deserving New Orleans nonprofits.
Community investment and giving back have been hallmarks of Mr. and Mrs. Benson's ownership of the Saints and Pelicans. This tradition continues under Mrs. Benson's stewardship, sharing her late husband's vision and passion for helping others. She has further enriched the New Orleans community through her support to causes in the health and wellness, cancer care, education, arts and faith-based sectors.
As dedicated corporate citizens, the Saints and Pelicans annually put millions of dollars back into the community in financial support, in-kind donations, charitable appearances and donations of goods and services. Mrs. Benson's philanthropic leadership has been recognized far and wide since becoming Owner.
Mrs. Benson has always quickly responded and taken action to conditions that affect the local community adversely. Following the 2025 New Year's Day tragedy on Bourbon Street, funds were immediately used by the Greater New Orleans Foundation from a $1.25 Million donation over the summer to the foundation's "Gayle and Tom Benson Disaster Relief Fund" to support the victims and their families by providing each affected family the necessary resources and vital assistance needed. Following the terrorist attack, Mrs. Benson, the NFL Foundation and Ochsner Health immediately answered the call, collaborating on a $1.5 Million donation to further support the community's relief efforts for the victims.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida providing multiple challenges to the New Orleans area and its citizens over a two-year period from 2020-21, Mrs. Benson donated over $2 million, partnering with the Greater New Orleans Foundation to assist local organizations and individuals in need to help the region and its residents recover from difficult circumstances. In 2020, utilizing the platform of the Saints and Pelicans to harness the unifying power of sport to advance race relations across both the Gulf South and the country, she formed the Social Justice Leadership Alliance to advocate for issues of change in minority communities.
In 2014, Mrs. Benson was honored by the New Orleans Council for Community and Justice with its Weiss Award, recognizing achievement for exceptional civic and humanitarian contributions. In 2015, the couple were honored by the regional chapter of the Anti-Defamation League with the A.I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award. In 2018, she and Mr. Benson (posthumously) were honored by two of the city's leading higher education institutions. They received a Dermot McGlinchey Lifetime Achievement Award from Tulane University, honoring those who have demonstrated service, volunteer involvement and commitment to Tulane and their hometown communities and were inducted into the University of New Orleans' Hall of Distinction.
In 2019, Mrs. Benson received several important honors. She was honored by Xavier University of Louisiana with the Sister Maris Stella "Women of Faith" Award and was recognized by the UNCF with the group's MASKED Award for her support of educational opportunities for all. Additionally, Mrs. Benson was honored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl Chapter of the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame with its Distinguished American Award. The National World War II Museum selected her as an American Spirit Medallion recipient. The Greater New Orleans Foundation also honored Mrs. Benson with the organization's Spark Plug Award, given to an individual whose philanthropy in the greater New Orleans community has been exemplary.
In 2021, Mrs. Benson was presented by the University of Holy Cross with its Spes Unica Award, the educational institution's highest honor, based on her support of the university's mission to educate the mind and heart. She was the Times-Picayune's 2021 Loving Cup award winner, an honor which has been presented since 1901 to men and women who have performed exemplary service to the community without expecting material recognition.
In 2022, Mrs. Benson was recognized by the local charity, Clover, as a co-recipient of the Reverend Beverley Warner Ward, for her extensive work with the non-profit whose mission is to educate children, strengthen families and build community. Mrs. Benson was honored by the American Cancer Society's Louisiana Chapter with their 2022 Heart & Soul Award for her constant support in the fight against cancer through the services provided to cancer patients, families and caregivers at Ochsner's Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center. She was also recognized by the Southeast Louisiana Council, Boy Scouts of America with their 2022 "Distinguished Citizen" Award.
In 2023, Mrs. Benson was honored as a "Louisiana Legend" by Louisiana Public Broadcasting for distinguishing herself in the sports field and through her philanthropy. Realizing the need for the commitment to people with disabilities by her sports organizations and business ventures, whether enhancing their fan experience or providing employment opportunities/support, she was selected for the 2023 Human Highlight Never Moment Award by the KultureCity organization. With Mrs. Benson's encouragement, the Saints became a founding partner of the HBCU Legacy Bowl all-star game held in New Orleans, establishing financial support for the contest and its week of events, which includes hosting a scouting combine for participants at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center and a career fair for both players and HBCU students. The career fair attracts over 100 regional and national employers to help provide opportunities and networking for HBCU students. In recognition of her support of the events, Mrs. Benson received the 2023 Black College Football Hall of Fame Founders Award. Mrs. Benson was also inducted into the Louisiana Center for Women in Government & Business (LCWGB) Hall of Fame alongside former Louisiana first lady, Donna Edwards. Mrs. Benson also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the LCWGB, which recognized her remarkable achievements in business and her unwavering generosity toward various causes across the state of Louisiana.
In 2024, at Washington Mardi Gras, Mrs. Benson received the Humanitarian of the Century Award from U.S. Senator John Kennedy, which recognized her continuous philanthropic efforts throughout New Orleans, the state of Louisiana, and the Gulf South region. In November, Mr. and Mrs. Benson were inducted into the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Hall of Fame for their instrumental work in leading the efforts with the Sports Foundation to bring five Super Bowls, four NCAA Men's Final Fours, three NBA All-Star Games, and several other major sporting events to New Orleans. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance, introducing Mrs. Benson with the honor.
In addition to serving on the boards of several local educational institutions and the New Orleans Museum of Art, Mrs. Benson is also a member of the Audubon Commission, which oversees the Audubon Nature Institute.
Mrs. Benson has been a longtime trusted and valued member of the local Catholic community, reflecting her deep religious faith. She has worked tirelessly with the Archdiocese of New Orleans' Catholic Charities organization and its umbrella agencies that feature almost 50 programs and three affiliated ministries. These organizations deliver health and human services to those in need in the eight Southeast Louisiana parishes, which the Archdiocese serves, as well as food and nutrition services throughout the state. Mrs. Benson has worked closely with St. Louis Cathedral's Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) program. She also serves on the Board for the Friends of Notre Dame de Paris, which serves as the official the official charity leading the international fundraising efforts to rebuild and restore Notre-Dame Cathedral. Currently, she is in the midst of leading an unprecedented effort to repair and restore the St. Louis Cathedral with the Our City, Our Cathedral campaign, which aims to restore the city's most iconic building after suffering from nearly two centuries of wear and tear, water damage and settling.
Mrs. Benson's support of the Catholic Church has been recognized numerous times locally, nationally and on an international level. In 2002, she received the Medal of the Order of St. Louis Award for dedication to the Church. In 2010, she became an Honorary Oblate of Mary Immaculate and in recognition of longstanding support of Catholic education, Mr. and Mrs. Benson received the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award from the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). In 2012, Mr. and Mrs. Benson received from Pope Benedict XVI the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award, which recognizes outstanding service to the Church and the Pontiff, the highest Papal award granted to a lay person. She holds a leadership role after being inducted as Dame Commander with Star in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and is a commander of the Order of St. Lazarus, a confraternity of Christian faithful who profess their commitment to Jesus Christ.
In February 2024, she was recognized by FADICA, the leading Catholic philanthropic network of foundations and donors supporting Catholic activities and initiatives, with the Mary Magdalene Medal of Service, which recognizes someone who shares their time, talent and treasure with the Church. She was also the recipient of the Catholic Community Foundation's 2024 St. John Paul II Award, a prestigious honor presented by the Archbishop and the foundation to an outstanding Catholic layperson who exhibits unwavering faith, inspirational generosity, and a deep commitment to the New Orleans community. In December, Mrs. Benson was also honored by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA), a papal agency for humanitarian and pastoral support, at their annual "Healing & Hope Gala" in New York City with its Faith & Culture Award, annually given to a prominent advocate for the presence of faith in culture.
Mrs. Benson began her professional career in 1968 as a manager for a noted New York-based jeweler. She was responsible for overseeing and managing the daily operation of over 40 sales associates. She then branched out into real estate development, which allowed her to successfully integrate her passion for interior design with property management. Her first real estate transaction occurred in 1978 when she purchased a home in New Orleans's Irish Channel and then sold the property eight months later after extensive restoration. She would go on to purchase, manage and eventually sell numerous properties, primarily in the city's Uptown district.
In 1975, Mrs. Benson began a 30-year design industry career where she achieved tremendous success. Throughout the course of her interior design career, she was recognized with numerous professional awards and served as an inaugural member on the Louisiana State Board of Licensing for Interior Designers for four years. She directed numerous major design efforts with her clients, including the Caesars Superdome (formerly Louisiana Superdome and Mercedes-Benz Superdome), several of the city's most prestigious hotels, local supermarket chains, automobile dealerships, yachts and many others.
In 2000, Mrs. Benson worked with the Superdome on renovations to the iconic New Orleans landmark's third and fourth level public spaces, in addition to renovations on select suites. She also owned and developed a commercial real estate building on the corner of Laura and Octavia Streets, a women's clothing private enterprise called "Toujours la Ligne" and a designer's showroom called "Designers Resource" which served as a wholesale location for designers and architects seeking to purchase fabric, wall coverings and accessories. The Men of Fashion Committee recognized Mrs. Benson as one of the "Ten Best Dressed Women in New Orleans" in 1983.
In addition to her ownership of the Saints and Pelicans, Mrs. Benson established GMB Racing Stables in 2014 with an initial purchase of seven colts and hiring three veteran trainers, all with Louisiana ties. In 2016, two of the thoroughbreds, Mo Tom and Tom's Ready, participated in the Kentucky Derby. Another thoroughbred, Lone Sailor, ran in the 2018 Kentucky Derby and Preakness. She owns Benson Farm in Paris, Ky., a 1,000-acre farm with nearly 50 horses. As part of her passion for horse racing, she is a member of the esteemed Jockey Club of New York. Mrs. Benson also serves as Owner of seven automotive dealerships (Best Chevrolet, Cadillac of New Orleans, Mercedes-Benz of New Orleans, Mercedes-Benz Van Center, Mercedes-Benz of South Mississippi, Porsche New Orleans, Volkswagen of South Mississippi, Infiniti of South Mississippi), three premier collision centers across Mississippi and Louisiana, Benson Tower, Benson Capital Partners, Corporate Realty and is also a co-owner of the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.
Mrs. Benson was born in New Orleans and grew up in the Old Algiers section of the city. She began her education in Catholic schools and in 1966 graduated from Martin Behrman High School in Algiers. She received a Doctorate of Letters from Notre Dame Seminary in 2014. Serving as keynote speaker at their respective commencement ceremonies, Mrs. Benson has been awarded honorary degrees from University of Holy Cross (2015), Southern University of New Orleans (2021), Delgado Community College (2022) and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Loyola University New Orleans (2019).
Mr. and Mrs. Benson married on October 29, 2004 at the Immaculate Conception Memorial Chapel.
