Webinar with Ghassan Korban of the SWB of New Orleans

Join YLC as we welcome Ghassan Korban, the Executive Director of Sewerage and Water Board New Orleans to our webinar series. Korban stepped into the Executive Director role at SWB in the summer of 2018, inheriting an organization known for its antiquated infrastructure. As a manager, how do you step into a leadership role and create dynamic cultural shifts? Join us as Korban shares his insights, challenges, and progress!

YLC Members can enjoy this webinar free as part of their membership; Friends of YLC can attend for $10.

About Ghassan Korban:

Ghassan Korban, P.E. has led the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans as its executive director since September 2018. The Board of Directors chose Mr. Korban to be this utility’s first permanent head since August 2017 because of his extensive background in infrastructure management and proven track record of innovation.

A civil engineer, Mr. Korban served the City of Milwaukee for 31 years – the final eight as director of its Department of Public Works – before heading south to trade snowstorms for hurricanes. He brought with him successful stormwater management strategies that could prove invaluable in a city mostly below sea level.

During his career in Milwaukee, he managed the planning, design, and construction of the city’s first modern streetcar system and coordinated construction of the supporting infrastructure for the new Milwaukee Bucks Basketball Arena. He also negotiated a regional water sale deal to the City of Waukesha and successfully incorporated a Green Infrastructure Matrix within Milwaukee’s Transportation Division.

Mr. Korban maintained a robust schedule of civic engagement, serving on the City of Milwaukee Capitol Improvement Committee, the Metropolitan Sewerage Board of Commission and Streetcar Review Committee, the Summer Fest Technical Task Force, the Sculpture MKE Technical Committee and the board of several community and nonprofit organizations.

As SWBNO’s executive director, Mr. Korban guides a utility of 1,500 employees as they maintain and operate New Orleans’ water, sewer and drainage systems. He will oversee the master planning process to transform this long-serving and vital organization to better respond to both steady subsidence and stronger storms. He has made it his career goal to move SWBNO away from its antiquated infrastructure and into a new era of innovation in the field of water management.

The proud father of four children, Mr. Korban holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in business administration from Marquette University in Milwaukee.