BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal's former chief of staff, Stephen Waguespack, has been chosen to lead the powerful lobbying group, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.

LABI's board of directors announced Waguespack's appointment as president Friday. He'll succeed Dan Juneau, who has led the organization since 1989 and is retiring.

In a statement, Jay Lapeyre, chairman of LABI's search committee, called Waguespack "exceptionally talented and well qualified to lead" the organization.

Waguespack has been working for a Baton Rouge law firm since leaving the governor's office last year. He had worked in various roles for Jindal since 2008 and currently is a Jindal appointee to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Waguespack is stepping down from BESE. He dismissed suggestions Jindal would hold influence over LABI because of his appointment.

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