Leonard Randall Nachman II

Leonard was born on March 5, 1945, to the late Judge Julius B. Nachman and Maryanna Lisso Nachman of Alexandria. After Leonard graduated from Bolton High School in 1963, he earned his Juris Doctorate at Louisiana State University in 1969. He later earned his Masters of Law in Taxation at New York University in 1971. During that time, he was also a member of the Army National Guard (honorably discharged).

After earning his Masters in taxation from NYU, Leonard returned to Baton Rouge to become one of the founding partners of Sklar, Nachman, Schmidt, and Bowsher, LLP. He quickly gained a reputation for thinking outside of the box to customize taxation planning for his corporate clients. Leonard went on to become a partner at Breazeale, Sachse, and Wilson, LLP for twenty plus years, forging some of his most valued personal and business relationships. These attorney/client relationships were the foundation for decades of civic and volunteer duty that would be associated with Leonard.

Leonard served as chairman of the board of the Greater Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he served as chairman of the Louisiana State Bar Association Section of Taxation. He was a founding member of the Research Park Corporation, a public support entity created by the state of Louisiana to support the commercial development of CAMD (2005). Leonard was the last surviving member of the founding board of directors group for The Pennington Biomedical Center, and he also served as the board’s first chairperson. He was one of the earliest honorees on the annual “40 Under 40” List by The Baton Rouge Business Report. He was also proud Rotary member and recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award.

No one who knew Leonard could doubt his love and devotion to our state’s Flagship University, LSU. He was so proud to have forged deep relationships with many of LSU’s leaders during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s and to be a part of that group’s effort to successfully bring the university from an underachieving period to its new and still present era of being a world-renowned institution of higher learning. Leonard served on the board of directors for the LSU Foundation during a critical time in the university’s history and helped advise in some of the most key areas of business, leading the university to make financially sound decisions, which would benefit it for decades. Leonard was also a founding member of the Louisiana Business and Technology Center at the E.J. Ourso LSU College of Business, a member of the board of trustees at the LSU School of Law and an early board Member of the Tiger Athletic Foundation. Leonard was also a former Member of the LSU Law School Chancellor’s Advisory Council, and he was inducted into the Louisiana State University Law School Hall of Fame in 1987.

A true entrepreneur and investor at heart, Leonard decided to follow a new path, outside of his law practice, at the bright and youthful age of fifty. His family saw him discover new professional passions and further unlock his uncanny ability to advise on successful investments, that not only benefited its investors, but usually went on to be of major civic benefit. A perfect example of this was when Leonard worked with a group to bring Digital Diagnostics to Baton Rouge in 1988, which was a revolutionary concept at the time and brought the Community easier access to critical imaging services.

Leonard was also proud to be a managing member of Source Capitol, LLC, and loved the opportunities he received as a witness while observing a company go from its infancy, as a mere idea, to becoming an internationally known corporation.

With a locally new and unique investment/taxation concept, Leonard was a valued advisor, founding member and managing director of Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC, another corporate relationship that would go on to become nationally recognized.

Leonard was an industrious man but loved to have fun. He was dedicated to his family, and everything he did was for them. To others he was known as a kind man, one that loved to help others, especially those that were down on their luck. Those he touched loved the way he made eye contact and made them feel his warmth and easy-going nature. He was easy to work for and to work with because he was always upbeat and never met a problem he did not feel could be solved.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 52 years, Julie Preis Nachman, and his children, Leonard Randall Nachman, III (Elizabeth), Lauren Nachman Ritchey (Sean), and Catherine Nachman Thigpen (Grady) and his adoring grandchildren, Whitney Nachman, Elizabeth “Preis” Nachman, Caroline “Reese” Nachman, Annabelle Ritchey, Scarlett Ritchey, Samuel Thigpen, Charlotte Thigpen and Thomas Thigpen, all of Baton Rouge. He is also survived by his brother, Dr. Lisso Nachman (Ellen) of Alexandria, his sister, Ann Finkelstein, of Houston, brother-in-law, E. Fredrick Preis (Sue) of New Orleans, as well as his beloved nephews and nieces, cousins, and hundreds of friends.

Leonard was a magnetic force, people gravitated toward him, and he accepted and loved them all. He was compassionate, loving, caring, attentive and hilarious.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Judge Julius B. Nachman and Maryanna Lisso Nachman and father and mother-in-law, Ernst and Sue Preis.

A private burial was held for Leonard’s immediate Family, however, his family would like to extend an invitation to all those who wish to honor him at a Celebration of Life Service, which will be held on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at The Unified Jewish Congregation of Baton Rouge, 9111 Jefferson Highway at 1:00 p.m., with visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of Flowers, please donate to the charity of one’s choice.

The family, on behalf of Leonard, would like to send a special thanks to our lifelong, devoted friend, Bettye Martin, and Liz Russell Walker, and the nurses and staff of ACG Hospice.