Ralph Brookner Bender is the CFO of the Manship Media, a broadcasting group in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Prior to joining the Manship family businesses, Ralph spent a number of years in public accounting with both a national and a regional firm. He is very active with both professional and industry organizations. He has been active on the board and a number of committees for the Society of Louisiana CPAs which has recognized him as a past recipient of the Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs. Currently he serves on its CFO Conference Committee and past activities include the Business and Industry Executive Committee, CPE Committee and the Private Company Audit Toolkit Taskforce.

Ralph is currently Vice-Chairman of the Media Financial Management Association and is a past president of the International Newspaper Financial Executives Association. His civic activities have earned him the Boy Scouts’ Silver Beaver Award (the highest award for local scouting volunteers)’ the Junior Achievement Bronze Leadership Award, the LCPA’s 2005 Distinguished Public Service Award as well as the AICPA’s 2005 National Public Service Award, the Jewish Federation of Baton Rouge’s distinguished service award and B’nai Israel’s President’s Award.