2023 Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 93 BY SENATOR CORTEZ A RESOLUTION To commend the Honorable Sharon Woodall Hewitt for her years of distinguished public service and to express enduring gratitude for her outstanding contributions made on behalf of the constituents of the parishes of Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany, and the state of Louisiana, particularly during her tenure as a distinguished member of the Louisiana Senate representing District 1. WHEREAS, Sharon W. Hewitt is a public servant whose excellence as a state legislator has merited her election to two terms in the Louisiana Senate, during which time she used every opportunity to serve the citizens of her district and the state in an honorable and dedicated manner; and WHEREAS, a lifelong resident of South Louisiana, Senator Hewitt is a graduate of Barbe High School in Lake Charles, where she earned the honor of valedictorian, and of Louisiana State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering; and WHEREAS, upon the completion of her formal education, Senator Hewitt embarked on a trailblazing career path as a woman in STEM, working offshore on a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico for Shell Oil; and WHEREAS, undaunted by the challenges presented to her in the field, Senator Hewitt climbed the ranks at Shell Oil, eventually becoming an executive whose bold, creative solutions to complex problems and relentless work ethic helped the company navigate the oil bust of the 1980s; and WHEREAS, Senator Hewitt continued to leave a legacy as one of the first female executives at a major oil and gas company, managing Shell's central deepwater assets in the Gulf of Mexico where she oversaw roughly ten percent of the oil production in the United States and was entrusted with oversight of billions of dollars in assets; and WHEREAS, after many successful years at Shell, in 1999 Senator Hewitt made the Page 1 of 3 SR NO. 93 ENROLLED personal sacrifice to put her family first and dedicated herself to spending more time with her children; and WHEREAS, during the next several years as a full-time mom, Senator Hewitt became a fixture with the local Parent Teacher Association (PTA) where she was active in efforts to improve Slidell community schools and build parks and playgrounds for which she was bestowed the National PTA Life Achievement Award in recognition of her leadership; and WHEREAS, Senator Hewitt began her public service career with her appointment to the St. Tammany Parish Recreation District No. 16 Board from 2012 to 2015; and WHEREAS, motivated by a desire to improve the state's education system and economy, Senator Hewitt launched a successful campaign to represent Senate District 1 in 2015, and was re-elected without opposition four years later; and WHEREAS, during her tenure as a member of the Senate, Senator Hewitt has served as Senate Chair of the Republican Legislative Delegation, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs, vice chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works, and as a member of the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, Senate Committee on Finance, Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, Legislative Budgetary Control Council, Joint Select Committee on Louisiana Economic Recovery, Senate Select Committee on Coastal Recreation and Flood Control, Senate Select Committee on Women and Children, and the Senate Executive Committee; and WHEREAS, during her time in the legislature, Senator Hewitt has worked on many important pieces of legislation, including overseeing the state's redistricting efforts, and legislation related to STEM education and job-creation, school choice, emergency operations, coastal restoration, and a broad range of issues affecting her district in Southeast Louisiana; and WHEREAS, Senator Hewitt has been the deserving recipient of numerous honors and awards throughout the course of her public service career, including being named the National Legislator of the Year by the American Legislative Exchange Council in 2018 and leading the national Republican Legislative Campaign Committee in 2021; and Page 2 of 3 SR NO. 93 ENROLLED WHEREAS, Senator Hewitt and her husband of 40 years Stan are longtime members of Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Slidell; and WHEREAS, Senator Hewitt celebrates her distinguished career in public service with her sons Chris and Brad and granddaughter Emelia. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana hereby commends Senator Sharon Hewitt for her years of distinguished public service to the state of Louisiana and expresses enduring gratitude for her outstanding contributions made on behalf of the constituents of the parishes of Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany, and the state of Louisiana, particularly during her tenure as a distinguished member of the Louisiana Senate representing District 1. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana hereby expresses enduring gratitude to Senator Hewitt for her service to the citizens of Louisiana as evidenced by her superlative achievements as a member of this distinguished body, and hereby extends to her the best wishes of all of her colleagues for continued prosperity and success in her future endeavors. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Honorable Sharon W. Hewitt of Louisiana Senatorial District 1. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE Page 3 of 3