Rick Nowlin

Infobox_State Representative
name= Rickey L. "Rick" Nowlin
caption= Rick Nowlin
office= Louisiana State Representative from District 23 (Natchitoches and Winn parishes)
term_start=January 14, 2008
term_end=
preceded=Thomas Taylor Townsend
succeeded=Incumbent
birth_date= birth date and age|1948|07|30
birth_place= Ferriday in Concordia Parish
death_date=
spouse= Widower of Brenda Barr Nowlin (1950-2000)
children= Jennifer Lauren Nowlin (born 1980) and Matthew Louis Nowlin (born 1983)
party= Republican
religion= Baptist
occupation= Engineer; businessman
education= Louisiana Tech University in Ruston

Rickey L. "Rick" Nowlin (born July 30, 1948) is a prominent Natchitoches engineer and businessman who is a freshman Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. Nowlin and State Senator Gerald I. Long are the first Republicans since Reconstruction to represent Natchitoches Parish in their state's legislature. [List of Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives Since 1812: http://www.legis.state.la.us/members/h1812-2008.pdf; List of Members of the Louisiana State Senate Since 1880: http://www.legis.state.la.us/members/s1880-2004.pdf#search='c.c.%20taddy%20aycock'] The two took their oaths of office on January 14, 2008, the same day that Republican Governor Bobby Jindal was inaugurated.

Nowlin was born to Louis M. Nowlin (November 16, 1918 - July 18, 2001) and Jocie R. Nowlin (May 21, 1921 - August 30, 2000) [ [http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi Social Security Death Index Interactive Search ] ] . He, his brother, and two sisters were reared in Ferriday, a city in Concordia Parish near the Mississippi River. Nowlin graduated from Ferriday High School in 1966. One of his classmates was Dan Richey, who served as a Democrat in the Louisiana House (1976-1980) and the Louisiana Senate (1980-1984, and is now affiliated with the Louisiana Family Forum, a conservative interest group which supported Nowlin in his legislative campaign. Richey is also a member of the Republican State Central Committee. Nowlin also secured the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business. [ [http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35299.html NFIB.com - Small Business Endorses Rick Nowlin in House District 23 ] ]

Nowlin, with the pledge of "A Time for Reform", won a stunning victory in District 23 (Natchitoches and Winn parishes) on November 17, 2007, over the Democrat Joseph Michael "Joe" Sampite (pronounced SAM PUH TAY), who served as the Natchitoches mayor from 1980-2000. Sampite is also an inductee into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield. [ [http://www.cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html Winnfield, La - Old L&A Depot, LA Political Museum ] ] Nowlin polled 4,609 votes (55 percent) in the general election to Sampite's 3,766 (45 percent) [ [http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=111707i Louisiana Secretary of State-Multi-Parish Elections Inquiry ] ] In the primary on October 20, Nowlin led a four-candidate field with 4,849 votes (35 percent) to Sampite's 4,598 (33 percent). Two other Democrats, Ralph Wilson and Mack James, polled, 2,847 (21 percent) and 1,459 (11 percent), respectively. Hence, Nowlin and Sampite were thrust into the runoff, called the general election in Louisiana. [ [http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=102007 Louisiana Secretary of State-Multi-Parish Elections Inquiry ] ] Nowlin succeeded Thomas Taylor Townsend of Natchitoches, a Democrat who gave up the House seat after two terms to run unsuccessfully against Gerald Long for the state Senate. Townsend is a nephew of former State Senator Donald G. Kelly of Natchitoches.

Nowlin attended Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, from which he received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering in 1971. [ [http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=93694 Project Vote Smart - Representative Rick Nowlin - Biography ] ] He was a member of Eta Kappa Nu honor electrical society, Sigma Nu social fraternity (which endorsed Nowlin in the campaign) [ [http://www.sigmanu-etazeta.com/article/193 Rick Nowlin for state representative | Sigma Nu Fraternity at Louisiana Tech University | Eta Zeta Chapter ] ] , and Omicron Delta Kappa honor society. He was listed in "Who's Who in American College and Universities". The next year, Nowlin procured a Master of Business Administration degree with honors from Louisiana Tech and was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma honor business society. [ [http://www.ricknowlin.com/ Rick Nowlin for Louisiana State Representative - District 23 ] ]

Nowlin married the former Brenda Barr (February 12, 1950 - May 21, 2000) [ [http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi Social Security Death Index Interactive Search ] ] . The couple's two children include daughter Jennifer Lauren Nowlin (born 1980), a graduate student at Ohio State University in Columbus, and son Matthew Louis Nowlin (born 1983), a 2007 graduate of Texas A&M University in College Station. Nowlin is a widower. [ [http://www.ricknowlin.com/ Rick Nowlin for Louisiana State Representative - District 23 ] ] He lost his wife and both parents in a period of fourteen months. The Nowlins moved to Natchitoches in 1979. He has been involved in many community affairs, including the National Rifle Association, Masonic Lodge, Boys and Girls Clubs of Natchitoches, and, formerly, the National Historic District Commission. He is a member of the First Baptist Church of Natchitoches. [ [http://www.ricknowlin.com/ Rick Nowlin for Louisiana State Representative - District 23 ] ]

Nowlin is president of N&A, Inc., Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors, with offices in Natchitoches, Pineville in Rapides Parish, and Jena in La Salle Parish. He owns Ducournau Restaurant and Townhouse in Natchitoches. He is a five-time board member of the Consulting Engineers Council of Louisiana. He has twice served as president of the Consulting Engineers Council of Louisiana, Alexandria chapter. He is affiliated with the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers. [ [http://www.ricknowlin.com/ Rick Nowlin for Louisiana State Representative - District 23 ] ]

Nowlin describes his political philosophy as (1) "Pro-business and Pro-job-creation, (2) Educational reform with emphasis on early childhood development, (3) Fiscal conservatism, (4) Limited government and reduced taxes, (5) Pro-life, (6) Pro-family, (7) Pro-Second Amendment. [ [http://www.ricknowlin.com/ Rick Nowlin for Louisiana State Representative - District 23 ] ]

On his website, Nowlin says that "There will be a new legislature and a new governor who must not waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put Louisiana back on track. We must lead with a bold purpose and have the courage to correct the problems that have plagued our state for far too long." [ [http://www.ricknowlin.com/ Rick Nowlin for Louisiana State Representative - District 23 ] ]

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