Michael Hecht

Michael Hecht is President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc., the economic development organization for southeast Louisiana, a role he has held since 2008. Under Hecht's leadership the organization has been repeatedly recognized among the top economic development organizations in the United States, and he has been tasked by the Governor with leading delivery of the Louisiana International Terminal. Before GNO, Inc., Hecht led the quarter-billion-dollar Katrina Small Business Recovery Program for the State of Louisiana, and prior to returning to Louisiana he worked for Mayor Michael Bloomberg in New York City running the post-9/11 small business program. He holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and an undergraduate degree from Yale University. He serves as Honorary Consul to the Republic of Finland and on the national board of the International Economic Development Council. In June 2026 GNO, Inc. announced that Hecht will transition to the role of CEO Emeritus in 2027.