Interviewer: Jacob Campbell

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Mr. Savoy was referred by Emory Beltaine, who refused to be interviewed but said Mr. Savoy would provide good information. He has a wide network of contacts in the oil industry in the region, due to his decision to work only for himself throughout his career – he ran a welding and construction business, working for many different companies. He spoke about working through the challenge of not being from Houma, and competing for contracts in the tight-knit community. Mr. Savoy has bred and raised beagles for rabbit hunting since retiring.

Mr. Savoy was born in Cameron, LA, in 1928. His father was a farmer, and served as a French interpreter in WWI. In 1948, Mr. Savoy started with McDermott as a roustabout, working between Sulphur and Cameron, LA. He joined the military, serving in Guam and California from ’50 to ’54. In 1955, he returned to the region and began again working for McDermott, laying pipeline and driving piling. He quit in 1972 due to problems with new management, and that year started a welding and pipe fabrication yard. He capitalized on contacts with major companies accrued through his time with McDermott, and had work right away, mainly with Conoco. He built a reputation for good work, and got contracts this way rather than through payoffs, which he said was common. Mr. Savoy sold his company in 1982, just before the bust hit, saying he saw the writing on the wall.