LSUA, which is the number one choice for Avoyelles college students, has chosen an Avoyelles native who has risen to the top of the LSU chain as the commencement speaker of the graduation ceremony.

Bunkie native and bank founder Blake Chatelain, chairman of the LSU Board of Supervisors, will be graduation speaker at the LSU Alexandria spring commencement May 13 at the Alexandria Riverfront Center. There are 137 candidates for graduation at the 10 a.m. ceremony.

Chatelain, is an LSUA alumnus himself, earned a degree in finance from LSU. He recently served on the Postsecondary Education Review Commission established by the Louisiana Board of Regents. Chatelain was a principal founder of Red River Bank, for which he is president and chief executive officer, and has a branch in Marksville.

“Blake Chatelain’s leadership statewide in higher education, his prominent role in the Central Louisiana business community, and his personal relationship with LSUA make him an extremely relevant commencement speaker,” said Dr. David Manuel. “We are very pleased that he will take this role at the first of two graduation ceremonies as we celebrate our 50th year of existence.”

Chatelain also is a past chairman of Caring People’s Free Pharmacy and a former board member of Working People’s Free Clinic. He is a licensed real estate broker and a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria.

The LSU System will be represented at LSUA’s commencement by Dr. Michael Gargano, vice president for student and academic support services.