Featured Family Member - Ronald "Ron" Cambre - 2020

Ron has had an active role and affiliation with The J. M. Burguières Co., Limited, since the 1960s, and continues to do, so. Ron was introduced to the JMB Company upon the encouragement of his father-in-law Jules Martial Burguières, the father of his bride, Gail Burguières, to serve as his proxy at the monthly, JMB Shareholder Meetings. As Ron attended more meetings, learned the personalities of the family and the structure of the business, Ron dedicated himself and used his business skills into saving and leading the JMB Company to, today's, success story.

What was his drive? At first, it was the commitment he had made to Jules to take care of his mother-in-law upon his death. For over 40 years, Ron upheld his promise as the JMB dividends were Elodie Burguières' sole source of income, and Ron made sure it was enough to sustain her.

As President and CEO of Freeport McMoRan Resource Partners for approximately 30 years, Ron had more financial freedom to volunteer his skills in reorganizing the JMB Companies, Ltd. "You become addicted to saving the Company," he said, and, "...you had to be financially independent because everyone was a volunteer."

For almost 20 years, Ron along with Philip J. Burguières, cleaned up all outstanding loans, utilized the land, and restructured the Company. First task? Stop the shareholders from selling their shares despite no dividends. The next, was to begin anew with another Board of Directors. Together, with Philip Burguières, they grew the JMB consortium from a small, sugar farming and salt dome operation in south Louisiana, to a substantial company with land and mineral interests in 3 states. It was not just diversification, but a program of targeted reinvestments that would make an enormous difference in business dealings such as the purchase of the 1889 Greek revival home in Franklin, LA to serve as the JMB home office, and the purchase of 58,000 acres of land known as the Texas ranches. Those reinvestments continue to this day.

From 1993 to 2001, Ronald Cambre was Chairman, President and CEO of Newmont Mining Corporation. He has served on several Boards of Inco Limited, Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc., the W. R. Grace and Company, and as Chairman of McDermott International, Inc.

Ron has been active in numerous industry organizations, and has chaired the National Mining Association, and the World Gold Council. In fact, in 2000, Ron Cambre was inducted into the National Mining Hall of Fame!

Ron is a native of New Orleans. He received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University, and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development. In 1995, Ron was inducted into the LSU Engineering Hall of Distinction, and serves on the Engineering Advisory Council, and the LSU Foundation.

Also, Ron has served on the University of Colorado’s Institute for International Business Global Advisory Board, the Denver University Business School Advisory Board, Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Advisory Board, the Bretton Woods Committee, and the Florida Council of 100.

His community activities include serving on the Executive Board of the Denver Area Boy Scouts, and the Mile High United Way where he chaired the de Toqueville Society.

Ron is married to the former Gail Burguières, and they have three grown daughters: Robin Cambre, Susanne Cambre Dwyer, and Trudy Cambre Sandefer, numerous grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Currently, their daughter, Susanne Cambre Dwyer serves as the Chairman of the JMB Board of Directors much like her father. She is the first woman to run the family company.

Gail and Ron reside in Covington, Louisiana, but also maintain residences in New Orleans, Louisiana and Seaside, Florida.

Gail Burguières Cambre and Ron Cambre