2016 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 45
BY SENATOR BISHOP
A RESOLUTION
To commend and congratulate Bernardine Dupré upon the occasion of her retirement from
the Louisiana Workforce Commission and to recognize her exemplary public service
during her extraordinary forty-nine year career with the agency.
WHEREAS, Bernardine Dupré graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans
with a bachelor of arts degree in history; and
WHEREAS, she started with Louisiana Department of Labor in August of 1967
working in testing, training, job placement and claims taking, eventually becoming regional
manager over all placement and unemployment insurance activities for the New Orleans
area; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Dupré joined the Incumbent Worker Training Unit at the
Workforce Commission in 2008, and her work in this unit has been instrumental in awarding
training grants that have resulted in thousands of Louisiana workers upgrading their job
skills; and
WHEREAS, she has announced her retirement on May first from the New Orleans
Incumbent Worker Training Office; and
WHEREAS, she is a role model and friend to hundreds of co-workers, and is greatly
admired for her grace under pressure and dedication to improving the lives of workers and
jobseekers; and
WHEREAS, she was married for forty-eight years to Emilo Dupré (1945-2015), a
founder and president of the Community Organization for Urban Politics (COUP), and
former president of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation; and
WHEREAS, she looks forward to spending time in her retirement with her daughter
Monica, and son-in-law Mohammed Witherspoon, and grandchildren, Monet and
Montgomery Witherspoon; and
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WHEREAS, she is a dedicated parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church, whose
ministry to the homeless will be a focal point of her post employment activities.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend and congratulate Bernardine Dupré upon the occasion of her
retirement from the Louisiana Workforce Commission and acknowledge with tremendous
gratitude her outstanding contribution to the furtherance of employment and training in her
community.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
hereby extend to her all the best wishes for success and happiness in her future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Bernardine Dupré.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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