E. D. White Catholic High School Alumnus of the Year: Honoring Jerry P. Ledet, Jr. ’79 

E. D. White Catholic High School President, Tim Robichaux, proudly announces the 2024 Edward Douglas White Catholic High School Alumnus of the Year, Jerry P. Ledet, Jr. ’79. Our school community honored this esteemed graduate during the annual Alumnus of the Year Mass on Thursday, February 8th.

Jerry Ledet is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Synergy Bancshares, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Synergy Bank since its founding in 1998. Today, under the leadership of Mr. Ledet, Synergy Bank has ten locations across four Louisiana parishes with assets over $1 billion and 179 employees.

Mr. Ledet is an Honor Graduate of Edward Douglas White Catholic High School (1979) and a Magna Cum Laude Graduate of Nicholls State University earning a Bachelor of Science degree (1983). Furthering his education in the field of banking, he successfully completed the course requirements and received his diploma from the Graduate School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University.

Upon his graduation from Nicholls, Mr. Ledet began his career in banking. In 1998, he assisted with the organization of Synergy Bank and assumed the role of President and CEO at the age of 37 and has served in this capacity ever since.

Active in several civic and trade organizations, Mr. Ledet has won several awards over his tenure including the 2019 Terrebonne Parish Most Useful Citizen Award, the 2018 Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce Star Award, and the 2018 United Way of South Louisiana Hartwell Lewis Service Award.  

Mr. Ledet has served on the Board, several committees, and is the Past Chairman of the Louisiana Bankers Association – the first in 20 years to hold this position from the Bayou Region. He is also the Past Chairman and Ex Officio Board Member of the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, Past Chairman and Board Member of the Edward Douglas White Catholic High School Advisory Board, and Past President, Board Member and Campaign Chairman of the United Way of South Louisiana. He is also the Past Chairman, Board Member, and current member of the Rotary Club of Houma where he recently chaired its Centennial Committee that culminated in the creation of the Rotary Centennial Plaza. Mr. Ledet is also a current member of the Kiwanis Club of Houma, Nicholls State University College of Business Advisory Board and Facilities Committee and serves on the Priests Retirement Trust Fund for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.