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Gayle Benson provides leadership for the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans as Owner, succeeding her husband, Tom Benson, who passed away on March 15, 2018, after serving as the Owner of the Saints since 1985 and the Pelicans franchise since 2012. The New Orleans native is an accomplished business professional and philanthropist with strong ties to the local community and who is dedicated to contributing to the growth and enhancement of the Gulf South region.

Gayle Benson provides leadership for the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans as Owner, succeeding her husband, Tom Benson, who passed away on March 15, 2018, after serving as the Owner of the Saints since 1985 and the Pelicans franchise since 2012. The New Orleans native is an accomplished business professional and philanthropist with strong ties to the local community and who is dedicated to contributing to the growth and enhancement of the Gulf South region.

Mr. and Mrs. Benson worked together to build championship-level NFL and NBA organizations, housed in state-of-the-art facilities at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, Mercedes-Benz Superdome and Smoothie King Center, while making a positive impact in the community away from the football field and basketball court as well.

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 Manger Mickey Loomis to hire Sean Payton as head coach and sign quarterback Drew Brees. Since those moves, the franchise has reached its highest point of success, posting a 146-93 record from 2006-19, featuring eight playoff berths, six division titles, three NFC Championship appearances and the Super Bowl XLIV title. Off-the-field, the Mercedes-Benz Superdome has been completely renovated and is currently undergoing a multiple-phase enhancement. Saints games have been sold-out on a season ticket basis for every campaign since 2006, with a waiting list of over 73,000 and 145 consecutive sellouts going into 2020. The NFL's League Observation Program and third party Expert Review Audits of all 32 teams has resulted in the Saints being ranked with the highest overall score for Fan Gameday Satisfaction each of the past three seasons.The club has also positioned itself as a leader in the community, assisting with the recovery from several natural disasters as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, while also working to enhance the region as a whole.

In Mrs. Benson's first two seasons of ownership, New Orleans has posted back-to-back 13-3 campaigns and NFC South division titles, reaching the NFC Championship in the 2018 campaign. No team has matched their 14 road victories since 2018. Their 27 wins (regular season and postseason) rank second in the NFL during the two-season period. Twelve Saints have received a total of 19 Pro Bowl selections, including a franchise-record eleven players in 2019. Eight Saints over the past two seasons have received Associated Press All-Pro honors, three – defensive end Cameron Jordan, tackle Ryan Ramczyk and wide receiver Michael Thomas, both seasons. In 2019, Thomas set the NFL single-season record for receptions in a season as he was selected as the Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Over the past two seasons, Brees has become the league's all-time leader in completions, passing yardage and touchdown passes.

Following in the footsteps of her late 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 owners with a long tenure as Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mrs. Benson has become instrumental with her influence and leadership in league issues, serving on the Audit, Business Ventures and Hall of Fame Committees.   She helped the city land a future Super Bowl, which will mark the 11th time that Louisiana and the Crescent City will serve as a host, tying with Miami for the most Super Bowls by a host city. The economic impact of Super Bowl XLVII, played in 2013, which Mr. Benson successfully campaigned for, was $480 million, not to mention the exposure and charitable contributions the NFL makes during Super Bowl week that extends for generations. Mrs. Benson's committed to continuing to bring Super Bowls 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 and the franchise would also be rebranded as the Pelicans. Through agreements with the State of Louisiana upon the purchase of the Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center has undergone a complete renovation since the 2012 purchase, 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 six current NBA markets to host the mid-season event at least three times. Mrs. Benson, recently appointed as a member of the NBA's Labor Relations Committee, oversaw a significant overhaul of the Pelicans organization in 2019. She hired Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin. Through the support of these organizational improvements by Mrs. Benson, combined with New Orleans winning the NBA Draft Lottery and selecting the 2018-19 Associated Press College Player of the Year in Duke forward Zion Williamson with the first overall pick, the Pelicans have established a solid foundation for the 2019-20 season, where they are competing for a playoff spot and beyond.

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 as 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 responded to conditions that affect the local community adversely, becoming quickly involved and taking action. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic this March, she personally donated $1 million to create the Gayle Benson Community Assistance Fund, partnering with the Greater New Orleans Foundation to help local organizations and individuals in need with donations and distribution of both monies and goods. In June, used 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 Coalition. The coalition, with key front office executives and players from both franchises in leadership positions, will advocate for issues of change in minority communities.

In March, 2018, she and Mr. Benson (posthumously), 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. In September, 2018, she was inducted into the University of New Orleans' Hall of Distinction, along with her late husband (posthumously). 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 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 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 United Negro College Fund with the group's MASKED Award, for her support of educational opportunities for all. 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 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 addition to serving on the boards of several local educational institutions and the New Orleans Museum of Art, Mrs. Benson also is a member of the Audubon Commission, which oversees the Audubon Nature Institute.

Mrs. Benson's been a longtime trusted and valued member of the local Catholic community, reflecting her deep faith. She's worked tirelessly with the Archdiocese of New Orleans' Catholic Charities organization and its umbrella agencies that feature nearly 50 programs and three affiliated ministries that deliver health and human services to the poor and vulnerable in the eight parishes which the Archdiocese serves, as well as food and nutrition services statewide. Mrs. Benson has also worked closely with St. Louis Cathedral's Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) program. Mrs. Benson's support of the Church has been recognized on numerous occasions. She has received the Medal of the Order of St. Louis Award for her dedication to the Church. In 2010, she became an Honorary Oblate of Mary Immaculate. She holds a leadership role after being inducted as Dame Commander with Star in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. In 2012, Mr. and Mrs. Benson received from Pope Benedict XVI the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award-for outstanding service to the Church and the Pontiff, the highest Papal award granted to a lay person. In recognition of their longstanding support of Catholic education, the couple also received the 2010 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award from the National Catholic Educational Association.

Mrs. Benson began her professional career in 1968 as a manager for noted New York-based costume jeweler Celebrity Jewelry, 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 several more properties, primarily in the city's Uptown district.

In 1975, Mrs. Benson began a 30-year career in the design industry, a business 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 Mercedes-Benz Superdome, several of the city's most prestigious hotels, local supermarket chains and automobile dealerships.

In 2000, Mrs. Benson worked with the Mercedes-Benz 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 during her career as one of the "Ten Best Dressed Women in New Orleans".

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. Her Lone Sailor horse ran in the 2018 Kentucky Derby and Preakness. She owns Benson Farm at Greenwood Lodge in Lexington, Ky, a 1,000-acre farm. She also serves as the Owner of three local automotive dealerships, Best Chevrolet, Cadillac of New Orleans and Mercedes-Benz of New Orleans, Benson Tower, Benson Capital Partners and also owns the Hyatt Regency New Orleans as part of a partnership.

Mrs. Benson was born in New Orleans and grew up in Old Algiers. She began her education in Catholic schools and in 1966 graduated from Martin Behrman High School. In 2019, she received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Loyola University New Orleans, where she was the commencement speaker. She also received an honorary degree, serving as Our Lady of Holy Cross College's 2015 commencement keynote speaker. Mr. and Mrs. Benson married on October 29, 2004 at the Immaculate Conception Memorial Chapel in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Benson died on March 15, 2018.