Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonVance Breaux is president and part-owner of Breaux Brother's Enterprise. He and his brother, Ward Breaux, broke away from their father's shipyard, Breaux's Baycraft, and started their own business in 1982. They have carried the tradition of custom built aluminum crew boats for the offshore oil and gas industry. Breaux began working with his father at a very young age. He learned to build boats, sell boats,...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonJim Danos grew up on a farm in southeast Louisiana on Bayou Lafourche. He got involved in the tug boat industry through his father. Danos made his career hauling barges for the oil industry through the coastal waters of southeast Louisiana. He started a boat company with his wife in the 1950s to build and operate tug boats. Later, his family owned and operated company diversified into OSVs for the offshore...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonJohn Deblieux is the Human Resource Director/Risk Management Director for Chet Morrison Contractors (CMS). He is also a member of South Central Industrial Association, a group of industry representatives who work to solve the labor crisis. Worked on lay barges during summers with Tennessee Gas, who his father worked for. He worked in risk management at Torch International with Phil Thibodeaux then came to...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonDressel was raised on a sugar cane farm in Loreauville, LA. Started in the oil field in 1964 working for J&L Engineering, Big Mac Welding, and Avondale Ship yard. He opened his own welding business and contracted to National Supply and Texaco. In 1979, he opened Regional Fabricators at the Port of Iberia with three other welders. He runs the refurb and new construction of shallow water drilling...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonJohn Estes worked for Bethlehem Steel from 1949-1982. He is a former manager and engineer at Bethlehem Shipyard in Beaumont, former President of Bethlehem Singapore, and former assistant VP of Bethlehem Steel in Pennsylvania. He was born in Alabama and received a degree from the University of Texas in 1943. He worked in shipyards in New Orleans and Port Arthur before joining Bethlehem Shipyard in Beaumont...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonMark Foret is yard supervisor for Chet Morrison Contractors (CMC) fabrication division in Houma, Industrial Canal location. He has worked in the fabrication industry for 30 years. His father was a welder and he grew up in the industry. Began in fabrication at Delta Services Industries as a helper and worked his was up. After the bust, he was self-employed, later worked for Dolphin Fabricators and then came...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonLen Hartman is president of Burton Shipyard in Bridge City, TX. He has been in ship building for 40 years. Hartman started at Burton Shipyard in Port Arthur, TX in 1962. Went to work for Zapata Marine. Started a company with his uncle and bought land in Bridge City from O.W. Burton. He later partnered with Mr. Burton and the yard was renamed Burton Shipyard. Currently, Burton Ship yard has 45 employees and...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonBill Jackson is the Houston region sales manager for Gulf Offshore Logistics, a boat owner, operator, and broker that services marine transportation industry in the GOM. He first began in the offshore industry as a roughneck and welder, fabricating platforms at the Port of Iberia. In 1983 he went to work for the pioneer of the telecomm industry offshore. He has been in the GOM oil and gas industry for over...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonTom Kelly was a long-time boat builder. He was vice-president of operations at Seward Seacraft in Morgan City in the early 1970s. He owned and operated his owned companies, mostly for boat repair. He was also a commercial fisherman and served on the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. Kelly grew up in Shell Oil's Black Bayou community and learned at a very young age (5 years old) how...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonNorman McCall is an 83-year-old crew boat owned and operator. He owned an operated McCall Boat Rentals for several years before merging with SEACOR International in the 1990s. He is one of the pioneering operators of the aluminum crew boats built in South Louisiana beginning in 1950s and has seen the industry progress for half a century--in many ways he has helped to lead that progress.Company...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonHouma-native Chet Morrison is the CEO of Chet Morrison Contractors (CMC). He started his company during the 1980s downturn and has integrated into marine fabrication and refurbishing, pipeline construction and transmission, diving, and international operations.Company significance/history: CMC does topside and pipeline work, and construction work OCS offshore oil and gas. CMC prides themselves...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonLeroy Molaison is the owner and president of Main Ironworks in Houma, LA. He bought the company in 1986 during the downturn. He came into the company through his father-in-law, who was co-founder of the ship yard. Main Iron works specializes in tug/push boat new builds and repair.Company significance/history: Main Ironworks was started in 1947 as a welding shop by Jack Guidry and Lawrence...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonRandy LeCompte is co-owner of Geo Marine Incorporated at the Port of Iberia. Geo specializes in aluminum catamarans and shallow water crew/seismic boats. The company was started by Mac LeCompte in 1979 and is now operated by his two sons, Randy and David LeCompte.Company's significance/history: Geo Marine Incorporated started in 1979 at the Port of Iberia by Mac LeCompte to service the shallow...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonKerry Neuville was born and raised in Loreauville, LA and started a shipyard, Neuville Boat Works, on the Bayou Teche with his father and brother in the late 1960s. Neuville Boat Works is one of the leading builders of aluminum crewboats. Kerry started out as a welder and fitter at Breaux's Baycraft and began building airboats on the side before his family started their own shipyard.Company...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Jason TheriotAffiliation: University of HoustonPhil Thibodeaux heads up the Domestics Operations for Chet Morrison Contractors (CMC). Thibodeaux worked on pipe laying barges for four summers while attending LSU. He graduated in 1975 in civil engineering and worked for a handful of contractors before joining CMC in 1991 to start up a pipeline division.Company significance/history: CMC has specialized in refurbishing old ABS class supply...