Announcing the 2025 Hall of Distinction Inductees and Outstanding Young Alum Award Winner

Kurt Ainsworth
Co-Founder & CEO, Marucci Sports

Kurt Ainsworth is the co-founder and CEO of Marucci Sports, a global leader in baseball and softball equipment. Since launching Marucci Bat Company from his backyard shed in 2004, Ainsworth has grown Marucci into the number one used bat brand in Major League Baseball and an industry powerhouse.

Under his leadership, Marucci Sports has expanded into multiple product categories, acquired several prominent brands—including Victus Sports, Carpenter Trade, Baum Bat and Lizard Skins—and established international operations. Ainsworth most recently led the sale of the company for $572 million to Fox Factory Holding Corp., positioning the brands for meteoric growth. In 2025, he finalized the agreement for Marucci and Victus to take over the designation as the Official Bats of Major League Baseball.

Ainsworth attended LSU, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in General Business (2004) and pitched for the LSU Baseball team, where he earned First Team All-American honors. He was drafted in the first round of the 1999 MLB draft. He pitched for the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles and won a gold medal with Team USA Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Patrick Evans
Senior Vice President – Wealth Management & Senior Portfolio Manager, UBS Financial Services

Patrick Evans is Senior Vice President – Wealth Management and Senior Portfolio Manager at UBS Financial Services, where he co-founded and leads the WTC Investment Group, a Texas-based team managing nearly $750 million in private client assets. Under his leadership, the team earned recognition as a Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Team for 2025. With over 32 years of experience, Evans is known for his comprehensive approach to wealth management, specializing in global portfolio strategy, estate planning and financial advisory services.

A U.S. Navy veteran, Evans served eight years in the Naval Reserve, including active duty during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm aboard the USNS Mercy. While at LSU, he trained as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman and was selected to represent LSU student veterans who served in Operation Desert Storm during the university’s official recognition ceremony following the Coalition victory in 1991.

A proud third-generation Tiger, Evans earned a Bachelor of Science in International Trade and Finance (1993) from LSU. He has held numerous leadership roles in support of the university, including serving as a current member of the E. J. Ourso College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council, the LSU Foundation National Board, and as past president of the Dallas-Fort Worth LSU Alumni Association.

Stephen Toups
Chief Executive Officer, Turner Industries

Stephen Toups is Chief Executive Officer of Turner Industries, where he has served for 28 years in multiple leadership roles. Under his guidance, Turner remains a leading force in industrial construction, maintenance and fabrication, supporting major clients across the Gulf Coast and beyond.

Toups is a recognized industry leader, serving as past chairman of the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) and holding positions on the executive committee for the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) and the board of the Engineering and Construction Contracting (ECC) Association. He also contributes significantly to Louisiana’s business and economic development, serving on the boards of the Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance, Our Lady of the Lake, the Federal Reserve’s Energy Council, and the Committee of 100 for Economic Development.

Toups is a proud LSU graduate, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance (1988) and a Master of Business Administration (1990). He maintains strong ties with the university, serving on the LSU Construction Industry Advisory Committee and was honored as an LSU Foundation Greek Excellence Honoree. In support of the Ourso College, Toups previously served as past chair of the SDEIS Entrepreneurship & Information Sciences Advisory Board, founding board member of the LSU MBA Alumni Association, and as a member of the Dean Advisory Council.

Laust Helmig
Vice President, Private Wealth Management, Goldman Sachs

Laust Helmig is Vice President in Private Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs in New York, where he co-leads a team advising ultra-high-net-worth clients, including Fortune 100 executives, private equity and hedge fund principals, entrepreneurs, and business owners. Since joining Goldman Sachs in 2012, Laust has held roles in Legal and Internal Audit before transitioning to Private Wealth Management in 2014. He is a CFA Charterholder.

Before Goldman Sachs, Helmig served as an Internal Auditor with Merck in the United States and Europe. In addition to his professional work, he serves as Treasurer of the Crown Prince Frederik Fund at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and on the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council. He previously served as President of the Danish-American Chamber of Commerce in New York.

Helmig graduated Summa Cum Laude from LSU with a Bachelor of Science in Economics (2011). He was a four-year member of the LSU Men’s Swimming team, where he was the 2010 TAF Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Helmig was the 19th alumnus of the LSU Center for Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management to be awarded the Institute of Internal Auditors’ Glenn E. Sumners Student Highest Achievement Award as the student earning the highest score globally on the CIA exam.