Interviewer: Jason Theriot

Affiliation: University of Houston

Ken Nelson’s father and his partner founded the Waldemar S. Nelson and Company in 1945. Ken grew up working in the Gulf of Mexico offshore oil and gas community from the get-go. Much of the firm’s early work pertained to offshore sulfur extraction. The company also began to specialize in the design and build of fixed platform structures and topsides. In 1999, Waldemar S. Nelson and Company, Inc., opened up a Houston office, eventually transferring about one-third of its business there from its headquarters in New Orleans. At the time of interview, Nelson was a senior vice president for the firm.