James J. Reiss III, an executive at First Horizon Bank and a former Marine attack helicopter pilot who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for action in Afghanistan, is Rex for Mardi Gras 2022.
Reiss graduated from Metairie Park Country Day and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in business administration from Ole Miss in 1995. After college, he began a military career that included flying an AH-1 Supercobra helicopter. After ten years of active duty, he returned to civilian life in 2005.
According to the Rex Organization, Reiss serves on the board of the Pro Bono Publico Foundation, the Rex Organization's philanthropic endeavor, and is also a board member of the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation.
This year's Queen of Carnival is Elinor Pitot White. White is a graduate of Metairie Park Country Day and attends the University of Texas. At Country Day, she was inducted into the National Honor Society, served as editor of the yearbook, and played varsity tennis. She is majoring in public relations at UT and is a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.