History of the World Trade Center of New Orleans, 1943 to Present

/ Carter McLellan

Author: Carter McLellan – Date:

CONTENTS

  1. Background Information
  2. International House (1943-1985)
  3. International Trade Mart (1945-1985)
  4. World Trade Center of New Orleans (1985-Present)
  5. Networking of Key Members
  6. Appendix I: Membership lists
    1. International House
    2. International Trade Mart
    3. World Trade Center of New Orleans
  7. Notes

Background Information

As far back as 1939, Rudolph Hecht and William Zetzmann, both high ups in the Hibernia National Bank, proposed to hold a Pan-American Fair in New Orleans in 1942 on the “450th Anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of our Hemisphere at which the products and produce of all countries of the New Hemisphere would be exhibited and thus foster trade among these nations.”1 The two men and their associates solicited through State Representative Kenneth Barranger a grant of one million dollars from the Louisiana Legislature so long as the Federal Government would grant five million dollars more.2

Hecht presented the idea to then Secretary of State Cordell Hull and it was being actively considered when war broke out in Europe on September 1, 1939. It was decided then that the Pan-American Fair had best be shelved until the war was over. Zetzmann, who had been elected President of the proposed Fair remained active in international affairs.3

During the early onset of US involvement in WWII, in 1942, the General Manager of the Port of New Orleans E. O. Jewell began to discuss ideas about the significance of trade.4 By 1943, at a Toastmasters Club dinner at the New Orleans Athletic Club’s Trophy Room, Jewell chose for the subject of his three minute speech the theme he had been developing in his mind and argued in his speech for the adoption of “a plan to consolidate the interest of all interested parties by forming an organization that would coordinate the cultural, social and commercial relationship between the people of our country with the people of other countries of the world, particularly the other American Republics”.5

Another member of the club, Alfred M. Cowen, made a motion to follow up Jewell’s idea to form a plan of action. A committee of six men was appointed by the Toastmaster Club President. C.C. “Bud” Walther, consisting of Cowen, Hebert Hiller, Alonzo G. Ensenat, Kay Blue, Joe Gumble, and Jewell, with Walther as an ex-officio member. This Committee agreed to meet weekly at KoIb’s Restaurant to develop and refine Jewell’s idea. They came up with two suggested names for the new organization: “Pan American Club” or “International House”. It was Jewell who set out the core principles.6

The group then decided to present their idea to the two previously mentioned Hibernia Bank men Rudolph Hecht and William Zetzmann. It was Walther who presented the plan to Zetzmann, who then suggested that the Committee expand and put in writing their ideas and he would invite fifteen leaders of New Orleans business life to meet with him at which time the Committee could make their presentation. That meeting was eventually held in the Board Room of the Hibernia Bank with Hecht presiding.7

With plans having been formulated, it was now necessary to secure funding. Hecht suggested inviting some 125 leading businessmen to a luncheon, which was held at the Roosevelt Hotel in mid-July 1943.8 After the concept was presented to the group of men, Hecht and Zetzmann asked the group if any would be willing to pledge funds toward the foundation of such a trade institution. The Mississippi Shipping Co. pledged $15,000. Higgins Industries pledged $25,000 and the ball got rolling.9

International House (1943-1985)

With the concept formulated and financial backing secured, William Zetzmann felt it was now necessary to secure something tangible to present. He decided on his own to buy the old Citizens Bank Building at 620 Gravier Street and tendered it to the new institution for its headquarters.10 It would be “A Center for Interchange of Culture and Trade” as its initial brochure stated. Things really began to take off from there, as brochures were prepared, meetings were held frequently headed by Hecht and Zetzmann. Committees were appointed to make critical decisions. Eventually, charter and by-laws were proposed, which settled on the name as “International House”. 11

Trade and Commerce were emphasized as the aim of the organization. But instead of being just a simple commercial office, there would be club facilities that would attract people, visitors and dignitaries to luncheons, dinners, and social functions. “Founder Members” would contribute to the capital fund of the institution. “Sustaining” and “Active” members would be another title. An Organization Committee was formed, Mr. Zetzmann as its Chairman; Hale Boggs was employed as its first Secretary and Edward F. LeBreton Sr., a Vice-President of Hibernia National Bank, acted as Treasurer.12

As the project grew, it became necessary to move into a large space. Zetzmann sold the former Citizens Bank Building and Hecht initiated efforts to purchase the former Louisiana Bank & Trust, Co. building then facing Camp St at the corner of Gravier St. Toward the end of 1943, the institution began soliciting for membership. . A list of worthwhile candidates for membership was parceled Out among the leaders of the group: Theodore Brent, Jewell, Hecht, Zetzmann and LeBreton Sr., A.B. Patterson Sr., President of New Orleans Public Service Inc., Mr. George Terriberry, attorney, as well as others. Letters were written also soliciting pledges and in they did come. Mr. Pendleton E. Lehde, a nationally known engineer and shipbuilder, and Dr. Alton Ochsner Sr., a world-renowned surgeon, were among those responding.

On December 28, 1943, the Organization Committee authorized Mr. Zetzmann to announce to all subscribers that “the minimum goal of $250,000 of subscriptions has now been exceeded”, but it was decided to make no public announcements of the definite establishment of International House at that moment, until plans for an announcement coupled with simultaneous worldwide publicity were completed. Additionally, Hale Boggs resigned as Secretary at the end of 1943 to return to his career.

By early 1944, , it was fairly certain that the project could go forward, having sufficient funds pledged to accomplish all needed remodeling and having projected income to operate comfortably in the black. So the Charter was filed in Baton Rouge. On January 25, 1944, Zetzmann arranged for the election of the first Directors of the IH. The Directors elected Mr. Hecht Chairman of the Board, Mr. Zetzmann President and the other officers elected were: Adolph E. Hegewisch, First Vice-President Theodore Brent, Vice-President Crawford H. Ellis, Vice-President William H. Trauth, Vice-President Edward F. LeBreton, Sr., Treasurer Kenneth C. Barranger, Secretary

The Director’s first meeting was held on January 28, 1944, following a worldwide radio broadcast announcing the establishment of International House. This radio broadcast was famous because it was conspicuous by its presence in the middle of a war to have merited inclusion by the networks, and featured a Washington-hookup at which Nelson Rockefeller, then Coordinator of Latin American Affairs, spoke. He referred to International House as “Our Good Neighbor Policy in Action”. He praised its aims and congratulated the men who had made it possible.

Much publicity was created by this dedication broadcast and a list of media used to spread the news includes the Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, St. Louis Post Dispatch and many others. Mr. Zetzmann’s speech at that dedication recounts the efforts and the great enthusiasm that met the idea of creating International House, which spoke well for its support and success in the future in contributing to the prosperity of our area and the Mississippi Valley.

Mr. Brent made a suggestion in early January 1944 not only as to proposed changes in the By-Laws but also as to including women in the composition of the Board of Directors. Names submitted included Mrs. Jose Banos, Mrs. Alvin P. Howard, Mrs. Crawford H. Ellis. It was decided to have these and other socially prominent ladies serve on an Advisory Committee.

While the remodeling work was being designed the Directors were busy refining the proposed By-Laws. These were adopted at a special meeting of the Directors on March 22, 1944, held in the Board Room of the Association of Commerce, now Chamber of Commerce of Greater New Orleans Area. By now regular luncheon meetings were being held by an Executive Committee elected by the Directors, usually on Tuesdays.

By May 23, 1944 Mr. LeBreton, Treasurer, was able to report that a total of $348,000 had been pledged by Founder members and $7,500 by sustaining members. Meanwhile, Herbert A. Benson, referred to in correspondence as “Our Architect”, met with the Directors and plans were developed for remodeling. In September 1944, plans had to be altered after bids were in since the latter were much higher than the original estimates. Specifications were revised and the contract to remodel was awarded to Gervais F. Favrot for $167,912, the low bid. Remodeling took place during the remainder of 1944 and many months of 1945. A contest was held for the design of an emblem “that will symbolize the activities and aims of International House”. The now well-known expanded horizontal expression of the earth resulted and it now decorates the facade of the remodeled building. Plans of the IH sister organization, the International Trade Mart, began in late 1944.

At the start of 1945, J. Stanton Robbins was elected Managing Director, after Herman G. Brock, formerly of Gauranty Bank in NYC had to withdraw for personal reasons. It was Nelson Rockefeller’s acquaintance George Healy, Jr., who helped get Robbins the job. It was George Healy Jr. who also helped get priorities during the war-time period for scarce materials needed to remodel the building International House was to use, especially the air-conditioning equipment then very scarce and requiring priorities. Nelson Rockefeller was also asked to intercede by Mr. Hecht and the result was the completion of the remodeling work on schedule.

On June 8, 1945, a formal Inaugural Dinner for Directors was held. Governor Jimmie H. Davis came down from Baton Rouge to congratulate the Directors. The local and the national press were generous in their praise of the project. The Publicity Manager of International House, Pierre Villere Sr., later was to say that the phenomenal acceptance and publicity accorded International House was just “a natural” so well received was the idea. A new board of directors was elected and by late 1945 Charles Nutter became the third Managing Director. o To promote trade, he employed Michael Mora to encourage exports. To foster imports, he employed George Ziwicky. Later these two departments were to be merged into one Trade Promotion Department headed by Mrs. Tina Ensenat Herlinger for over ten years.

Some later developments included the Cordell Hull Foundation for International Peace moving its headquarters to the IH in 1954. Clay Shaw was Managing Director from 1961 to 1962. In 1968, the World Trade Centers Association started at IH. That same year the IH merged operations with the ITM.

International Trade Mart (1945-1985)

While the International House was being developed, the idea for its sister organization, the International Trade Mart, began to formulate. Ensenant explains:

“Such was the success of International House since it was first presented that not long after the initial discussions were taking place in 1944, this thought presented itself: if we succeed in drawing many Latin American and foreign buyers and sellers to our International House, what are we going to do with these traders? They will want to see the merchandise they wish to buy and to treat directly with its producer or its seller. New Orleans is essentially a port and not predominantly a manufacturing center. Why send a man to St. Louis if he wants to buy shoes or to Chicago if he wants to buy steel or to Toledo if he wants glass? Why not bring the products to New Orleans for exhibition? So the idea of an International Trade Mart was conceived in late 1944 first by leaders of our YMBC [Young Men’s Business Club] and enlarged upon in 1945 by the same group of civic leaders headed by Mr. Hecht and Mr. Theodore Brent, a close associate of Mr. Hecht’s in Mississippi Shipping Co. and head of his own Coastal Barge Line.”

By November 1945, n announcement of the creation of the International Trade Mart was made. Herbert J. Schwartz, a prime figure, said the mart would be a civic and non-profit and would operate in conjunction with the International House, the World Club, and existing civic and trade groups. It was to be called the International Merchandise Mart, Inc. Schwartz said the center is intended to “display and sell to foreign and domestic buyers emany of the things they want, under one roof and at the same time provide foreign manufactures a show place and salesroom for their products.”

On November 21, 1945, International Trade Mart, chartered as a sister of the International House (IH). The ITM had 41 founding directors. “The concept and construction of the International Trade Mart sparked the formation of a global league of trade centers, known as the World Trade Center Association [bold added]. The World Trade Center New Orleans (WTCNO) was the first of what are now more than three hundred World Trade Center organizations in nearly one hundred countries across the globe.”13

The first president of the ITM was Theodore Brent, from 1945 to 1953. The longtime managing director from 1946 to 1965 was Clay Shaw. Brent recommended Clay Shaw on January 19, 1946. Shaw traveled far and wide to obtain leases from prospects whose names were obtained from all subscribers. A list of first tenants included David Kattan, Otis McAllister Co., Hemisphere Trading Co. (of which Alonzo G. Ensenat was Manager), United China & Glass Co., W. R. Grace & Co., S. Jackson & Son, Inc., Dictaphone Corp., Lily-Tulip Co., and Lucky Tiger Co.

“By contributing $6,500 each, Messrs. Schwartz, Brent and Hecht created Mart Realty Co. Inc., in late-1945, which would be the vehicle to purchase, remodel and complete the physical Mart itself. The extent of the changes suggested for the exterior and interior of the Baldwin building have to be seen in photographs to be appreciated. Rathbone DeBuys, Architect, and Godat & Heft, Engineers, were employed by the organizers to do this job of transformation.”

Clay Shaw states “No private individual will benefit. The International Trade Mart is a non-profit, tax-free enterprise, conceived and founded by community leaders of New Orleans, to serve and stimulate domestic and international trade. The mart has the full support and co-operation of the New Orleans Association of Commerce, International House, the Young Men’s Business club, Greater New Orleans, Inc., the Port Authority of New Orleans, the Cotton Exchange, the Board of Trade, the city government, the banks, and all the civic bodies of New Orleans.” It began to contact manufacturers for the leasing of space.14

On November 22, 1946, the ITM was officially launched. “A contract could be signed with Gervais F. Favrot Co. paying them a 10% fee (maximum $50,000) and the work began to get bids. Changes had to be made in the architect’s plans and also the Directors agreed to increase their own subscriptions by 20% and to buy more stock so as to meet the higher costs indicated by the bids received. It was not till mid-1947 that everything fell into place, the Baldwin building was bought for $195,000 and Gervais F. Favrot Co. contracted to remodel it for $649,752, plus other contracts for elevators, sprinklers, and air-conditioning.”15 The New Orleans Mayor DeLesseps Morrison, Sr. supported the creation of ITM and would travel to Latin America to support international trade with the city.

It was in November 1948 that the ITM first opened. “Invitations could be issued for a two-day celebration on the 29th and 30th of that month on the occasion of the “Formal dedication of the International Trade Mart”. And an impressive building it had become with a global motif inserted in the mosaic floor at the entrance to its lobby, with clean, well-lighted corridors lined with merchandise of many lands and most of the amenities of a modern center of commerce.”

The second President from 1953 to 1962 was William Zetzmann. On September 17, 1959, Oswald paid $220.75 for passage on a Lykes Steamship Company vessel to La Havre, France. In 1961, Gordon Novel visits Shaw’s office for employment or negotiating a contract for the restaurant facilities for the ITM. The third President was Lloyd Cobb, from 1962 to 1972. Harvey Koch was Vice President and on the Executive Committee from the 1960s to 1970s. The Mississippi World Trade Council was located at the ITM at some point.

It was on August 16, 1963, that Lee Harvey Oswald hands out FPCC pamphlets alongside one other person he hired in front of the ITM.

About 1967, the ITM reportedly had arranged for the first visit of a trade delegation from U.S. Southern states to South Africa.16

Then by 1968, the ITM formally merged with the IH and they moved inton the building at 2 Canal Street. The fourth President was Captain J. W. Clark, from 1972 on. It was in 1985 that the ITM and IH merged completely into the World Trade Center of New Orleans.

World Trade Center of New Orleans (1985-Present)

At the moment, minimal information is recorded about the specific activities of the WTCNO. In 2005, After Hurricane Katrina, the building was unoccupied. The WTCNO is apparently relocated to a nearby building, One Canal Place located at 365 Canal Street. The building was purchased from the WTCNO by the City of New Orleans in 2012. WTCNO entered into an operational partnership with Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) in 2022. By 2026, WTCNO listed as being located at 1100 Poydras Street, Suite 3475
New Orleans, LA.

Networking of Key Members

Appendix I: Membership lists

International House

President: William Zetzmann (1944-1945) | Adolph Hegewisch (1945-) | Frederick Ingram (by 1974)

Board of Directors 1943-1945: Jewell, Ensenat, Walther, Joseph Gumble, … Rudolph Hecht Chairman of the Board, William Zetzmann President Adolph E. Hegewisch, First Vice-President Theodore Brent, Vice-President Crawford H. Ellis, Vice-President William H. Trauth, Vice-President Edward F. LeBreton, Sr., Treasurer Kenneth C. Barranger, Secretary, … Mrs. Jose Banos, Mrs. Alvin P. Howard, Mrs. Crawford H. Ellis
Board of Directors 1945-: Adolph Hegewisch was the Second President, followed by: Lloyd Cobb, Robert Elliot, C.C. Walther, Richard Jones, Joseph Rault Sr., Richard Freeman Sr., George Dinwiddie, Capt. Neville Levy, Dr. Alton Ochsner, Lawrence Molony, Zac Carter, Sterling Dunn, Arthur Jung, Jr., Richard Hindermann, Edward Rowley, Thomas Winkler, J. Luis Banos, and John Laborde.

Managing Director: J. Stanton Robbins (Jan. 1945-late 1945) | Charles Nutter (1945-) | Clay Shaw (1961-1962) | Paul Fabry (1962-)

Secretary: Hale Boggs (1943)

Others: Nelson Rockefeller (speaker; coordinator of Latin American affairs)

International Trade Mart

Presidents: Theodore Brent (1945-1953) | William Zetzmann (1953-1962) | Lloyd Cobb (1962-1972) | Captain J. W. Clark (1972-)

Vice Presidents: Harvey Koch (1960’s-1970’s)

Executive Committee: Harvey Koch (1960’s-1970’s)

41 founding board of directors: Lester F. Alexander | E.V. Benjamin, Jr. | C.A. Bertel | Durel Black | Theodore Brent | J.H. Bull | Lloyd J. Cobb | C. Earl Colomb | Theodore Dendinger | Charles I. Denechaud | A.G. Ensenat | A.B. Freeman | Charles Godchaux | B.M. Grunewald | R.S. Hecht | E.O. Jewell | Pendleton E. Lehde | Robert Lienhard | R.K. Longino | Dave Manget | S.V. Massimini | Joseph W. Montgomery, R.M. Nash, Leonard K. Nicholson, Ralph Nicholson, Frank S. Norman, Charles Nutter | A.B. Paterson | E.V. Richards, Jr. | Raphael Ross | W.H. Saunders, Jr. | George E. Schneider | Herbert I. Schwartz | C.A. Sporl, Jr. | C.G. Staubitz | E.A. Stephens | Edgar B. Stern | Percival Stern | Frank E. Toye | Seymour Weiss | William G. Zetzmann

General Manager: Charles G. Staubitz (1945)

Manager Director: Clay Shaw (1946-Oct. 1965)

Director of International Relations: Alberto C. Fowler

Others: Gordon Novel (visited Shaw’s office for business deals) | Lee Harvey Oswald (handed out pro-Castro pamphlets) | Goldi Naomi Moore (Clay Shaw’s secretary at the ITM 1946-1965 source: ISGP jfk article) | Alton Ochsner (source: ISGP’s JFK article; 2000, Donald Gibson, ‘The Kennedy assassination cover-up’: pp. 163-166) | Juan Valdes (worked for All Transport, Inc. located at the ITM; Source: ISGP Death List: Dr. Mary Sherman (1964), cites 2005, Joan Mellen, ‘A Farewell to Justice’, pp. 49-54) | DeLesseps Morrison, Jr. (executive vice president of Cordell Hull Foundation for International Education, located at the ITM; source: Death of Hugh F. Ward (1964) | JFK Assassination) \ Albert Osborne (reportedly visited Shaw at the ITM source: 1981-11-04-eir-permindex-cmc-jfk-oas-report.pdf) | Ed Butler (through the Voice of America located at ITM; Jim DiEugenio, ‘Ed Butler: Expert in Propaganda and Psychological Warfare’ (www.ctka.net)) | Lewis E. Hopkins (Travel Consultants, Inc. source, Exhibts XXVI, p. 29, shows Oswald paid $220.75 on Sept. 17, 1959, for passage on a Lykes Steamship Company vessel to La Havre, France; Handle’s Shaw’s travel A Record from Mary’s Database) | Sergio Arcacha Smith (met Shaw and Martin Mackaulif at the ITM https://conspiracydossiers.com/2024/12/21/rose-cheramie-witness-claims-oswald-ruby-connection/ ) | William Gaudet (Latin American Report, HQ at ITM, spotted Oswald handing out the FPCC pamphlets https://conspiracydossiers.com/2025/05/02/clay-shaw-new-orleans-man-of-intrigue/; W. G. Gaudet, editor and publisher A Record from Mary’s Database) | Alfredo Moran (ITM, board https://www.maryferrell.org/php/cryptdb.php?id=AMLUFF-1&search=%22International%20Trade%20Mart%22 / 104-10518-10306: MEMO NO.8: GARRISON AND THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION) | John Alice (Pseudonym: Garcia Gonzales, Manuel) | Josephine Hug (personal secretary of Shaw A Record from Mary’s Database) | Bloomfield Building Industries (tied to ITM A Record from Mary’s Database) | Johann Rush (filmed LHO at the ITM A Record from Mary’s Database) | J. B. Dauenhauer (Chief Assistant at the ITM A Record from Mary’s Database) | Gilberto J. Guiterez (present when Oswald was handing out pamphlets. United Fruit, A Record from Mary’s Database) | Clemencia Almeida (pictured while Oswald handing out pamphlets, worked at ITM A Record from Mary’s Database) | Delores Neeley (Secretary, ITM A Record from Mary’s Database) | James Larence (Cross Country Development Co., subsidiary of Bloomfield Builders A Record from Mary’s Database) Jesse R. Core III (PR Director, ITM; gave handbooks of Oswald to Butler and Bringuier A Record from Mary’s Database) |

World Trade Center of New Orleans

Director: James Moffett (?) | Harrison Crabtree (by 2023-)

Board of Directors by 2023: Kristi App | Chris Sullivan | Tom Spiers | Beth Walker | Paul Aucoin | Will Baldwin | Heather Hohensee | Dawn Lopez | Drew Tessier

Notes

  1. https://wtcno.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Story-of-International-House-and-International-Trade-Mart.pdf ↩︎
  2. Ibid. ↩︎
  3. Ibid. ↩︎
  4. Ibid. ↩︎
  5. Ibid. ↩︎
  6. Ibid. ↩︎
  7. Ibid. ↩︎
  8. Ibid. ↩︎
  9. Ibid. ↩︎
  10. Ibid. ↩︎
  11. Ibid. ↩︎
  12. Ibid. ↩︎
  13. https://wtcno.org/about-us/ ↩︎
  14. Mar 08, 1946, page 14 – The Times ↩︎
  15. https://wtcno.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Story-of-International-House-and-International-Trade-Mart.pdf ↩︎
  16. March 18, 1967, National Guardian, Vol. 19, No. 24, ‘New Orleans D.A. Charges Conspiracy: New Questions Raised on JFK Killing’ (cited by ISGP) ↩︎

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