Mayor Michael J. Glaser

Mayor Michael J. Glaser is a life-long Kenner resident. His family is deeply rooted in the establishment of our great city. Following in the footsteps of his great, great grandfather, Kenner’s first Mayor, Antoine E. Wattigny, he has dedicated his career to public service in Kenner.

Mayor Glaser began his career with the Kenner Police Department in 1990 and dedicated thirty-two (32) years as a first responder, focused on the protection and safety of the City’s residents and businesses. He came on board with KPD as a patrol officer, but it was not long before his leadership skills were recognized and he quickly rose through the ranks of the Department. Mayor Glaser was promoted to Sergeant in 2005 and assumed new duties as the Legal Affairs/Professional Standards Officer. He was the Department’s chief policy and procedure writer, emergency preparedness coordinator, and an Internal Affairs Division supervisor. In 2013, he was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police, serving alongside former Chief Steve Caraway, and assumed the duties of Commander of Operations and Chairman of the Department’s Administrative Review Board.

Upon Chief Caraway’s retirement from KPD, Mayor Glaser was elected Police Chief in 2014 without opposition. He was re-elected once more in 2018 without opposition and served as Chief until his retirement in 2022. However, he was not finished with his commitment and passion for public service in the City of Kenner.

Mayor Glaser saw the vital need for a leadership change in Kenner and entered the mayor’s race in 2022. He was elected on March 26th of that year, defeating the incumbent with an overwhelming seventy-five percent (75%) of the vote. The trust he established with the residents of Kenner as Police Chief was evident, and his primary promise as Mayor-elect was to restore public trust in Kenner’s local administrative government.

Taking office July 1, 2022, Mayor Glaser and his team immediately got to work, making several restorative and impactful changes throughout the city. He began by moving all city offices and public meetings from the Macy’s building to city owned buildings. This initial change streamlined city operations and exhibited moral stewardship of city funds. He and his team presented a new budget to the Kenner council that included thousands of dollars of savings in operational costs. 

Mayor Glaser prioritizes the importance of teamwork between the Kenner Administrative Offices, the Kenner City Council, and the Kenner Police Department. He has successfully re-established a healthy and successful working relationship amongst these public servants.

Still an ongoing and monumental undertaking, the Glaser administration has focused on breathing life back into the Kenner Recreation Department, which was completely shut down and negatively impacting a vital component to the City’s quality of life. 

The Glaser administration has overseen the completion of outstanding capital projects that were neglected or left dormant. Projects including the completion of the West Esplanade Ave. and Duncan Canal improvements, the restriping of major thoroughfares such as Joe Yenni Blvd. and Loyola Dr., and the complete renovation of 6 of the 8 railroads crossings in South Kenner. His team continues to work with all levels of government to obtain funding to initiate new projects as well.

Another major focus was bringing a sense of community back to Kenner. He brought back beloved community events including Rivertown’s Farmers Market, Music and Movies in the Park, and the Christmas Village. To celebrate Kenner’s rich culture and community, Mayor Mike Glaser launched inaugural events such as The Hispanic Heritage Festival and the Food Truck Fest. 

Mayor Glaser’s team is proud of a new city website and enhanced social media outlets that has improved communication channels and maintains an open dialogue with constituents. 

While proud of the notable progress made thus far by his administration, Mayor Glaser recognizes there is still much work to do and he looks forward to making more impactful changes to advance the city overall. 

Mayor Glaser is a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans and The Center for American and International Law’s School of Police Supervision. He is a certified law enforcement instructor, former S.W.A.T. Team member, and Field Training Officer. He was selected as the Kenner Police Department’s “Top Cop” in 1997 by the American Society for Industrial Security.   

He has been married to his wife, Angela Congemi Glaser for over 32 years. He is the proud father two children, Michael Jr. and Nicole, and a proud grandfather to his grandson, Jayden. He resides in the Cannes Brulees Subdivision, where he has lived for over thirty (30) years.