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'''Robert Emmet Couhig, Jr.''', known as '''Rob Couhig''' (born April 20, 1949), is an [[attorney]], [[business]]man, entrepreneur, [[Republican Party|Republican]] political activist, and a former radio [[talk show]] host from his native [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]]. His last political foray was into the 2010 [[mayor]]al election in New Orleans.​

'''Robert Emmet Couhig, Jr.''', known as '''Rob Couhig''' (born April 20, 1949), is an [[attorney]], [[business]]man, entrepreneur, [[Republican Party|Republican]] political activist, and a former radio [[talk show]] host from his native [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]]. His last political foray was into the 2010 [[mayor]]al election in New Orleans.​

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A former partner of the Adams and Reese law firm, Couhig now leads Couhig Partners. He has twice been a candidate for the [[United States House of Representatives]]. A persistent Republican in a heavily [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] city, he was defeated in a race for mayor of New Orleans in the spring of 2006 by the incumbent, [[C. Ray Nagin]]. He is also known for bringing to the city the [[minor league baseball]] team, the New Orleans Zephyrs.​

A former partner of the Adams and Reese law firm, Couhig now leads Couhig Partners. He has twice been a candidate for the [[United States House of Representatives]]. A persistent Republican in a heavily [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] city, he was defeated in a race for mayor of New Orleans in the spring of 2006 by the incumbent, [[C. Ray Nagin]]. He is also known for bringing to the city the [[minor league baseball]] team, the New Orleans Zephyrs.

 

==Background==​

==Background==​

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Couhig was born at [[John Ochsner|Ochsner Baptist Medical Center to Robert Emmet "Bob" Couhig, Sr. (1916-2014), and the former Marcelle "Nootsie" Reese (1916-1985). The senior Couhig came to New Orleans from [[Massachusetts]] after [[World War II]]. He was hired by the Orkin Company to manage two area pest-control offices and became the top executive of a four-state territory. In that position, he moved the Orkin central office from New Orleans to [[Baton Rouge]]. In the mid-1960s, Rollins Environmental Services, Inc., bought Orkin and transferred Couhig to its office in [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia]]. After a year-long relocation to Georgia, Couhig left the company and moved his family to St. Francisville in West Feliciana Parish. Bob and Marcelle Couhig were pioneers in the promotion of [[tourism]] in both West and East Feliciana parishes. In 1962, they opened Fairview Plantation, a restaurant and gift shop in an historic home in West Feliciana Parish. After Fairview burned, they established in 1966 in Jackson, Louisiana, the Asphodel Village, one of the first bed and breakfasts in the state. The Couhigs lived in one part of Asphodel Plantation and until the later 1980s operated a restaurant and gift shop in the other part of the house. Marcelle in 1980 published the popular ''Asphodel Plantation Cookbook'' with regional specialties. In 1967, the senior Couhig formed his own Couhig Pestaway Company, based in Baton Rouge, which he operated until he was in his middle eighties.<ref name=couhigsrobit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=robert-e-couhig-bob&pid=171165165#sthash.TKjpLoSb.dpuf|title=Robert E. "Bob" Couhig, Sr. obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=May 30, 2014}}</ref> ​

Couhig was born at [[John Ochsner|Ochsner Baptist Medical Center]] to Robert Emmet "Bob" Couhig, Sr. (1916-2014), and the former Marcelle "Nootsie" Reese (1916-1985). His mother's brother, Couhig's uncle, was [[George Reese]], a pioneer in the establishment of a viable Republican Party in Louisiana. The senior Couhig after [[World War II]] came to New Orleans from [[Massachusetts]]. He was hired by the Orkin Company to manage two area pest-control offices and became the top executive of a four-state territory. In that position, he moved the Orkin central office from New Orleans to [[Baton Rouge]]. In the mid-1960s, Rollins Environmental Services, Inc., bought Orkin and transferred Couhig to its office in [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia]]. After a year-long relocation to Georgia, Couhig left the company and moved his family to St. Francisville in West Feliciana Parish north of [[Baton Rouge]]. Bob and Marcelle Couhig were pioneers in the promotion of [[tourism]] in both West and East Feliciana parishes. In 1962, they opened Fairview Plantation, a restaurant and gift shop in an historic home in West Feliciana Parish. After Fairview burned, they established in 1966 in Jackson, Louisiana, the Asphodel Village, one of the first bed and breakfasts in the state. The Couhigs lived in one part of Asphodel Plantation and until the later 1980s operated a restaurant and gift shop in the other part of the house. Marcelle in 1980 published the popular ''Asphodel Plantation Cookbook'' with regional specialties. In 1967, the senior Couhig formed his own Couhig Pestaway Company, based in Baton Rouge, which he operated until he was in his middle eighties.<ref name=couhigsrobit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=robert-e-couhig-bob&pid=171165165#sthash.TKjpLoSb.dpuf|title=Robert E. "Bob" Couhig, Sr. obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=May 30, 2014}}</ref> ​

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Rob Couhig matriculated at the [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic]] Jesuit High School in New Orleans. However, after moving to West Feliciana Parish, he graduated from St. Francisville High School in 1967 and procured a scholarship to study international [[economics]] at the [[Georgetown University]] Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in [[Washington, D.C.]] He completed his [[Bachelor of Arts]] from Georgetown and then obtained his [[Juris Doctor]]ate from the [[Tulane University]] Law School in New Orleans.<ref name=couhigpartners>{{cite web|url=http://www.couhigpartners.com/OurTeam.aspx|title=Rob Couhig|publisher=couhigpartners.com|accessdate=May 31, 2014}}</ref>​

Rob Couhig matriculated at the [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic]] Jesuit High School in New Orleans. After moving to West Feliciana Parish, he graduated from St. Francisville High School in 1967 and procured a scholarship to study international [[economics]] at the [[Georgetown University]] Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in [[Washington, D.C.]] He completed his [[Bachelor of Arts]] from Georgetown and then obtained his [[Juris Doctor]]ate from the [[Tulane University]] Law School in New Orleans.<ref name=couhigpartners>{{cite web|url=http://www.couhigpartners.com/OurTeam.aspx|title=Rob Couhig|publisher=couhigpartners.com|accessdate=May 31, 2014}}</ref>​

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Couhig married the former Susan Mullins of [[New York City]]. The couple has two sons, Robert E. Couhig, III, and Benjamin Couhig. Over time, Couhig said that the pressures of politics, business, and travel adversely affected his family life. He and Susan first separated and then divorced. After being single again for some fifteen years, Couhig married Michelle "Missy" Aleman in 2003.​

Couhig married the former Susan Mullins of [[New York City]]. The couple has two sons, Robert E. Couhig, III, and Benjamin Couhig. Over time, Couhig said that the pressures of politics, business, and travel adversely affected his family life. He and Susan first separated and then divorced. After being single again for some fifteen years, Couhig married Michelle "Missy" Aleman in 2003.​

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Couhig practiced law in the areas of antitrust, casualty and personal injury litigation, products liability, class-action litigation, and appellate matters. He was a partner in the firm Adams and Reese from 1975 until 2003. He was involved in the expansion of the firm into Baton Rouge, [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Jackson]],  [[Mississippi]], and Washington, D.C. ​Couhig was also the principal owner of Couhig-Southern Environmental of New Orleans, Inc., one of the largest Louisiana-owned pest and [[termite]] control companies. This was the company begun by his father, whom Couhig bought out before he himself sold in 2001 to a firm based in [[Lafayette]], Louisiana. ​

Couhig practiced law in the areas of antitrust, casualty and personal injury litigation, products liability, class-action litigation, and appellate matters. He was a partner in the firm Adams and Reese from 1975 until 2003. He was involved in the expansion of the firm into Baton Rouge, [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Jackson]],  [[Mississippi]], and Washington, D.C. ​

Couhig was also the principal owner of Couhig-Southern Environmental of New Orleans, Inc., one of the largest Louisiana-owned pest and [[termite]] control companies. This was the company begun by his father, whom Couhig bought out before he himself sold in 2001 to a firm based in [[Lafayette]], Louisiana. ​

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Though continuing to practice law, Couhig left Adams and Reese on the day after Labor Day 2003. With two other attorneys, he started Couhig Partners in September 2003 as a firm that works with entrepreneurs. As of 2006, the firm had more than twenty lawyers, a consulting group, and an office in Baton Rouge headed by former state Attorney General Richard Ieyoub. Couhig is also the managing partner of Couhig Investments, LLC which invests in small businesses in Louisiana.<ref name=couhigpartners/>​

Though continuing to practice law, Couhig left Adams and Reese on the day after Labor Day 2003. With two other attorneys, he started Couhig Partners in September 2003 as a firm that works with entrepreneurs. As of 2006, the firm had more than twenty lawyers, a consulting group, and an office in Baton Rouge headed by former state Attorney General Richard Ieyoub. Couhig is also the managing partner of Couhig Investments, LLC which invests in small businesses in Louisiana.<ref name=couhigpartners/>​

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==Sports businessman==​

==Sports teams==

In the early 1990s, Couhig decided to bring a minor league baseball former  team to New Orleans (which had been without a baseball team since the demise of the former New Orleans Pelicans). He negotiated with the owner of the Zephyrs in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], to bring the team to New Orleans. He lobbied three governors for a stadium off Airline Highway in Jefferson Parish. In 1995, Couhig put together an investor group to buy the team at an undisclosed price. The new Zephyr Field opened on April 11, 1997, and the team has since been a household name.<ref name=couhigpartners/> ​

In the early 1990s, Couhig decided to bring a minor league baseball former  team to New Orleans (which had been without a baseball team since the demise of the former New Orleans Pelicans). He negotiated with the owner of the Zephyrs in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], to bring the team to New Orleans. He lobbied three governors for a stadium off Airline Highway in Jefferson Parish. In 1995, Couhig put together an investor group to buy the team at an undisclosed price. The new Zephyr Field opened on April 11, 1997, and the team has since been a household name.<ref name=couhigpartners/> ​

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