Early Life
Robert Maestri was born in New Orleans on December 11, 1889, the son of two Italians, Francesco Maestri and Angele (Lacabe) Maestri. He inherited his father’s furniture store at an early age, and quickly built it up into one of the city’s largest. After investing in real estate, Maestri was able to amass a considerable fortune. He also had political ambition, and after allying himself with governor Huey Long, he was appointed to head the state’s Conservation Commission, which allowed him to control production quotas in the state’s oil industry. He served as conservation commissioner from 1929 to 1936, and was a powerful member of Long’s inner circle.
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