Joseph "Joe" Corte Canizaro

Joseph Corte Canizaro (Joe), a devoted husband, father, grandfather, entrepreneur, and pillar of the New Orleans business community, passed away peacefully at home on June 20, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He was eighty-eight years old and lived a life full of extraordinary accomplishments and quiet miracles.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years Sue Ellen Mattina Canizaro, his beloved daughters Joellen Theresa Canizaro and Jill Canizaro Randle (Keith), his beloved grandson Ryan Joseph Lopiccolo (Kaitlin), and his beloved great grandsons Hunter Grayson Lopiccolo and Beau Corte Lopiccolo who lovingly called him “Granddaddy.” He is also survived by his beloved brothers and sisters Anna Rose Canizaro Bacas (the late Buddy), Vito Joseph Canizaro, Jr. (Joyce), Roy Thomas Canizaro (Kim) and Vita Margaret Canizaro along with many beloved nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his brother-in-law David “Bubba” Mattina (Sharon) and sister-in-law Kathy Wright Canizaro (the late Marion). Additional survivors also include Jill and Keith’s children and grandchild: Hamilton Randle, Kate Randle Ross (Derek) and baby Louise Ross.

Mr. Canizaro was preceded in death by his beloved mother and father Dr. Vito Joseph Canizaro and Gilda Melone Canizaro of Biloxi, Mississippi, his beloved son Vito Joseph Canizaro, IV, his beloved sister Gilda Canizaro Butler Henson and beloved brothers Marion Francis Canizaro and Horace John Canizaro.

Mr. Canizaro was born on March 1,1937 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the first of eight children and raised in a devout Catholic family. He was educated by the Holy Cross Brothers and graduated from Notre Dame High School in Biloxi. He attended Canisius University in Buffalo, New York, Mississippi State University, and Spring Hill College. Mr. Canizaro was accepted to the University of Notre Dame but was unable to attend due to his father’s untimely passing. His steadfast commitment to his family kept him close to home.

A man of unwavering faith, boundless generosity, and enduring vision across a range of industries, Mr. Canizaro left an indelible mark on the city where he lived and on the city where he was raised. For more than six decades, his leadership and vision led to historic progress in both New Orleans and Biloxi. A prominent developer and banker in the City of New Orleans that he loved so much, Mr. Canizaro developed and built many of the beautiful buildings that line the city’s skyline.

He was a true visionary and as he stood at the foot of Poydras Street in the late 1960s, Mr. Canizaro determined it would become the great business thoroughfare in New Orleans. This vision coupled with his determination was instrumental in creating what has become known as the New Orleans Central Business District (CBD). His buildings always reflected the utmost attention to detail, elegance and quality.

Mr. Canizaro demanded excellence and accountability always, mentoring and employing hundreds of people throughout his distinguished life.

Some of his most recognized developments include the LL&E Tower (now BankPlus Tower) at the corner of Poydras and O’Keefe and featured often in national broadcasts, Canal Place Shopping Center and Office Tower, Texaco Center (now 400 Poydras Tower), the Crowne Plaza Hotel (now Le Meridien Hotel). His very first building in New Orleans was the Lykes Center (now the Loews Hotel).

Mr. Canizaro owned numerous other office buildings, office parks and hotels around the country within his real estate portfolio. He also developed and built the Information Technology Center Office Complex located at the University of New Orleans Research and Technology Park.

Mr. Canizaro is also the developer of TRADITION, the 4,900-acre master-planned community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a project that will create a sustainable community with residential neighborhoods, institutions of high learning, mixed-use commercial and recreational amenities centered on health and wellness, education, culture and the environment. At buildout of the project, thirty-five to forty thousand residents are anticipated to call TRADITION home. The TRADITION Medical City is home to both William Carey University’s Tradition Campus School of Pharmacy and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Tradition Campus School of Nursing. In 2025, The Vito J. Canizaro Veterans Administration Home was opened at Tradition. Named after Mr. Canizaro’s late father, it is the largest facility in the State of Mississippi to serve Veterans on the Gulf Coast.

In 1991, he purchased First Bank and Trust, the successor to First City Bank of New Orleans. Subsequently he formed First Trust Corporation, a bank holding company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1998, he purchased Peoples Bank in Amite, LA and in 2005, he purchased First Bank and Trust of Mississippi, the successor to Central Bank for Savings located in Winona, MS. In 2008, he merged the three banks into First Bank and Trust. First Bank and Trust, a community bank offering commercial, consumer and mortgage loans and deposit services throughout Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, grew to over $1 billion in assets. Mr. Canizaro was the former Chairman of the Board of First Bank and Trust and its parent First Trust Corporation. In 2022, he sold the bank and its holding company to BancPlus Corporation. Mr. Canizaro also founded Corporate Capital, L.L.C. in August 1998, a venture capital company to invest in traditional American businesses.

Mr. Canizaro’s business ventures even embraced the world of sports when he became the owner of the New Orleans Breakers in 1983. Through his fearless ambition and belief in the city, New Orleans became home to a USFL team and The Breakers enjoyed many victories in the Superdome.

Mr. Canizaro is a Trustee and former Chairman of the Urban Land Institute, a national professional organization established in 1936 with over 30,000 members worldwide devoted to improving the quality of real estate development and its impact on the environment. He has been nationally recognized for his vision and creativity in urban and suburban real estate development and has served on the Harvard University Graduate School of Design’s Advisory Committee on Real Estate Development. Mr. Canizaro has been a member of the Business Council of New Orleans and the Tulane University President’s Council. He was the founder and former Co-Chairman of the Committee for a Better New Orleans, a privately funded group of more than 140 community, business and civic leaders committed to identifying the critical issues and opportunities facing the city and creating a blueprint for the future of New Orleans, based on mutual trust and consensus. Mr. Canizaro is a Director, former President and founder of the New Orleans chapter of Legatus, an international organization of practicing Catholic CEOs. He is also a former member and Secretary of the National Legatus Board of Directors. Additionally, Mr. Canizaro has served the Archbishop of New Orleans as a member of the Archdiocese Finance Council and as Chair of Notre Dame Seminary’s Priestly Formation Campaign. He is also a Trustee Emeritus on the Board of Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida, and formerly served as Chairman of AMU’s Finance Committee.

Mr. Canizaro has served on a variety of boards of civic and institutional organizations and holds numerous distinctions from his membership in a host of regional and national business, civic and arts organizations. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Our Lady of Holy Cross College, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Papal Honor, Order of St. Louis Medallion for work in the Catholic Church, Southern Dominicans’ St. Martin de Porres Award, and was commissioned to the highest rank of Councillor of St. Dominic on the advisory board of the Angelicum University in Rome. Mr. Canizaro is also the recipient of the 1999 Mayor’s Medal of Honor, Award, Louisiana Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame Award, American Academy of Achievement National Outstanding Achievers Award, and was named the National Italian-American of the Year. In 2015, Archbishop Gregory Aymond bestowed the Good Shepherd Award for his leadership with Notre Dame Seminary, and in 2018 Mr. Canizaro was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Notre Dame Seminary. In 2018, he was also the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Business from William Carey University in recognition of his tenacious vision, leadership and contributions to economic growth in the region. To mark New Orleans’ 300th anniversary in 2018, Mr. Canizaro was honored as one of the top 20 business icons for his influence on the city’s economic development and was also profiled in the New Orleans commemorative book Notable New Orleanians: A Tricentennial Tribute. Mr. and Mrs. Canizaro received the Saint John Paul II Award in 2023 given by the Catholic Community Foundation in honor of their lifetime of faith and generosity to the Catholic Church.

Despite his professional accomplishments, Mr. Canizaro considered his greatest achievement to be his family. He was a devoted husband to the LOVE OF HIS LIFE and BEST FRIEND, Sue Ellen, a proud father to Joellen and Jill, and a proud Granddaddy to Ryan and his two sons, Hunter and Beau. His wife Sue Ellen was the light of his life and together they had great compassion for those in need. Many churches, schools, organizations and individuals benefited from their generosity.

Mr. Canizaro’s life was a testament to the Catholic virtues of faith, love, and courage with his faith guiding every facet of his life. He was a devout Catholic and loved The Lord and His Blessed Mother with all his heart and soul. Those who knew him remember his warm handshake, his resilience, his moral clarity, and his deep belief in the power of faith. He leaves behind a legacy not only of a transformed skyline and successful business ventures, but also that of the countless lives he touched, uplifted, and mentored. Throughout his life, he made meaningful contributions that continue to inspire across countless communities. His Faith was of great importance and guided all his accomplishments, especially with the establishment of Adoration Chapels throughout the area and The Canizaro Center for Catholic Studies at Loyola University.

He often referred to his abundance of blessings as a “Gift from God,” which is why he continuously gave back to others.

Mr. Canizaro (“Mr. C” “JCC” or “Joe” as he was affectionately known) was loved and respected by many and will truly be missed.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 noon on Friday, the 27th day of June 2025, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 444 Metairie Rd. Metairie, LA. Visitation will also be held at St. Francis beginning at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be private at Metairie Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans or the Humane Society of Louisiana.

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IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

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