18 May 1958, New Orleans Times-Picayune, p. 1
Capt. Neville Levy Chosen to Receive T-P Loving Cup
Service for Bridge, Other Civic Activity Cited
Capt. Neville Levy, a guiding force behind the construction of the Greater New Orleans river bridge, has been selected to receive The Times-Picayune Loving cup for 1957.
For more than 50 years, the loving cup has been awarded annually with the except of two years when no recipient was chosen.
Traditionally, it has gone to New Orleanians in recognition of outstanding altruistic work on behalf of the community.
Capt. Levy was chosen by the 1957 committee of award for many community services through the years, but particularly for his leadership and unselfish efforts as chairman of the Mississippi River Bridge Authority.
The members of the 1957 committee of award were E.M. Rowley, representing the Chamber of Commerce of the New Orleans Area; T. R. Spedden, representing the New Orleans Board of Trade, Ltd., and Harold S. Grehan, representing the New Orleans Cotton Exchange.
In announcing its selection, the committee of award said:
“Traditionally, The Times-Picayune Loving Cup has been awarded for outstanding services to the community, without thought of personal sacrifice of time and effort.
“It is the committee’s decision that Capt. Levy’s service is of such distinguished nature as to be eminently in keeping with this tradition.
“Particularly significant in this respect were his vigorous and intense efforts in guiding to completion the Greater New Orleans bridge, whose benefits to our community for generations can hardly be exaggerated.
‘SERVIC E EXCEPTIONAL’
“Under his leadership of the Mississippi River Bridge Authority, the bridge was properly financed, efficiently constructed, and accomplished in a superior manner.
“But beyond this outstanding accomplishment of bringing a community dream to reality, Capt. Levy’s cumulative service to the community through the years is exceptional.
“He was one of the first public spirited citizens to work for the creation of the Alvin Callender Field, the nation’s only Joint Air Reserve Training Center, which recently was dedicated.
“He figured most importantly in the establishment of the Naval Reserve Training Center on the lakefront, a permanent establishment.
NAMED STAR SALESMAN
“Capt. Levy this year was recognized for this unflagging zeal in the activities for the betterment of the city of his birth. The Sales Executive Council of the Chamber of Commerce of the New Orleans Area selected him as Star Salesman-at-Large.
“The record of service and achievement by Capt. Levy has been such that almost every conceivable activity aimed at civic improvement found him in the forefront, ready to work with vigor for its success.
“In this regard he was one of the founders of International House and the International Trade Mart. He served, and still serves, in various capacities on the boards for the Chamber of Commerce, the New Orleans library board and the Audubon Park commission.
“His variety of interests in worthwhile matters is further reflected in his participation in the work of the Propeller Club, the Petroleum Club, the Louisiana Forestry Association, the New Orleans Board of Trade, the National Defense Committee, the Southern States Industrial Council, the Navy League of the United States, and the Bureau of Governmental Research, among many other groups.
CHALLENGE TO OTHERS
“Capt. Levy is a splendid example of fine citizenship, one which is both an inspiration and a challenge to others.”
Capt. Levy was born in New Orleans on August 14, 1892. He attended Jackson Boys school and the old Boys High school.
Ironically, the old Boys High school was demolished because it was in the path of the bridge he helped to create.
In 1913 Capt. Levy received degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering from Tulane university, where he was a member of Zeta Beta Tau academic fraternity, and Tau Beta Pi, honorary engineering fraternity. He is a member of the Tulane Society of Engineers.
In 1917 he completed his studies at the United States School of Military Aeronautics.
He entered the Navy in World War I and was admitted to the US Naval Academy, Annapolis for special training. He was commissioned an ensign in the Navy in 1918 and assigned to submarine duty.
SERVED IN WORLD WAR II
He was promoted to lieutenant junior grade in 1921, but resigned that commission to join the Naval Reserve that same year. He remained in the Reserve until 1941, when he retired.
When World War II broke out, he was recalled, and served form 1941 to 1946. He now is on the retired list.
Accompanying Capt. Levy’s long service in the Navy was his great interest in Reserve affairs. His was a vital role in the establishment of the Naval Reserve Training Center on the lakefront, a permanent installation.
Capt. Levy was one of a small group of leading citizens who foresaw the merits of a joint air reserve training center years ago, a dream which recently came rue with the dedication of Alvin Callender Field in Belle Chasse.
BRIDGE ‘GREATEST SERVICE’
His connection with the bridge, however, was his greatest community service, one which ahs already won for him the honor of being selected “Man of the Year in Louisiana Construction,” and of the first “Man of the Year” award to be given by the Brotherhood of Temple Sinai.
The Sales Executive Council of the Chamber of Commerce of the New Orleans Area has picked him as Star Salesman-at-Large.
Capt. Levy contributed much of his boundless energy to the crusade to span the Mississippi river with a bridge at New Orleans, for many years before the creation of the bridge authority.
When the authority was created, he was a natural choice for membership, and just as natural was his selection as chairman at the organizational meeting of authority in 1952.
In its nearly six years of existence, the authority has met more than 100 times—seldom for less than two and half hours a meeting—and Capt. Levy has attended many other meetings.
Additionally, as a member of the authority’s engineering and utilities committee, he has attended many other meetings.
Through his dynamic, dedicated spearheading efforts, the bridge—described as probably the largest single construction project in Louisiana history—bears traffic today, months before the estimated time for its completion.
The bridge is the vital vein in the Greater New Orleans transportation system, dwarfing other great projects designed to ease the area’s traffic flow.
Its construction fulfills a dream which people of the New Orleans area have had from the earliest days of New Orleans’ history.
HEADS OWN COMPANY
Capt. Levy heads the Equitable Equipment Company, a boat building and marine supply company with plants in New Orleans and Madisonville. He founded the firm 37 years ago, shortly after he left the naval service.
In addition to the bridge project, with which he has “lived” for the past several years, his large business and his activities in behalf of the Naval Reserve and Alvin Callender Field, Capt. Levy manages to devote time to much other civic work.
He is a founder member of board of directors of International House, the board of directors of International Trade Mart, and of the board of Greater New Orleans, Inc.
He is vice-chairman of the board of New Orleans Library, a member of the advisory committee of the National Council on Patriotic Education, Inc.
He is a member of the Audubon Park Commission, the Louisiana Library Association, the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the Propeller Club of New Orleans, the Petroleum Club, the Louisiana Forestry Association, the New Orleans Board of Trade, Ltd., the New Orleans Bureau of Governmental Research and the Southern States Industrial Council.
ACTIVE IN NAVY LEAGUE
He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and has been active in affairs of its highway committee. He is a past chairman and a present member of the chamber’s national defense committee.
Regarding his military interests, he is a member of the executive committee of the Greater New Orleans Council of the Navy League, a member of the Navy Leage of the United States, member fo the Naval Reserve Advisory Committee, past president of the Army and Navy Club of New Orleans, pasat commander of the Military Order of World Wars, past president of the Coalition of Patriotic Societies and a long-time member of the American Legion.
His active memberships include also the board of administrators of Hotel Dieu, the Southern Yacht Club and the New Orleans Athletic Association. He is a 32nd degree Mason. He is an honorary citizen of Boys’ Town, Boys Town, Neb.
In business he is an executive committee and board member of Jefferson Lake Sulphur Company, board member of the National American Bank of New Orleans, board member of the Pokorny Development Company, board member of the Roosevelt Hotel Corporation and board member of Coleman E. Adlers and Sons.
Capt. Levy resides at 6306 Prytania st.
1892 - 1974