Upon graduating from Loyola University New Orleans, Robert LeBlanc started a record label, Renaissance Records, that evolved into an event planning and guerrilla marketing firm called The Renaissance Initiative. His first hospitality project was music venue Republic New Orleans, with hotel bars LePhare and Loa New Orleans following shortly thereafter. LeBlanc opened his first restaurant, Sylvain, in October 2010. In 2014, he created LeBLANC+SMITH, which is a boutique hospitality portfolio that now also includes Barrel Proof Bar, The Will and The Way, Anna’s Bar, Barracuda Taco Bar, Barrel Proof Nashville and boutique hotels The Chloe and The Celestine. There are projects currently under development in Nashville, Atlanta and Houston. A James Beard Semifinalist for “Best Restarauteur,” LeBlanc currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Loyola University New Orleans. Robert is married to Danielle Webb LeBlanc and has two sons, Bear, 14 years old and an 8th Grader at Jesuit High School, and Will, 11 years old and a 5th Grader at Newman, and calls Uptown New Orleans home.