Cox Communications Inc.'s go-to guy for southern Louisiana is now New
Orleans' chief elected executive.
Ray Nagin, currently on leave as vice president and general manager of the
MSO's New Orleans regional system, was elected mayor of his hometown Saturday.
The cable executive soundly defeated his opponent, police superintendent Richard
Pennington.
In complete but uncertified results, Nagin attracted 59 percent of the votes,
or 76,469, and Pennington got 53,781, or 41 percent.
Nagin will leave Cox, where he began in the accounting department in 1985. He
was transferred to the New Orleans system in 1989, working his way up to
manager. According to press reports, Nagin will take quite a cut in pay to lead
his hometown. In official financial filings, Nagin put his Cox salary and
benefits at $400,000. The mayor's salary, recently increased by the City
Council, will be $110,000.
Nagin will take over for outgoing Mayor Marc Morial May 6.
