Ruth Lawson is the president of the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 900 companies in working to improve the business climate and creating business initiatives and opportunities in the Greater New Orleans region. Lawson, a graduate of LSU Law School who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the same university, also served as a Senior Parish Attorney and as a Chief Administrative Officer in Jefferson Parish. She was a corporate attorney and compliance officer for Barriere Construction Company, L.L.C. following her years in Jefferson Parish government. Prior to joining the Jefferson Chamber, Lawson was the Executive Director of the Jefferson Parish Finance Authority where she managed an operating budget and portfolio of approximately $20 million in investments, cash and securities. A small business owner herself, Lawson is familiar with the challenges facing business owners face in today’s markets and works tirelessly in making a difference towards advancing our parish in many areas including workforce development, small business retention and growth, and diversifying the Jefferson Parish and greater New Orleans economy.