Scope and Contents Interviewer: Laura EkAffiliation: University of ArizonaI was referred to Jill Chiasson-Jordan through Dennis Sullivan. Dennis and Jill used to work offshore together (Dennis was Jill’s boss), and he thought Jill would be a good person for me to talk to regarding work offshore in the 1970s.Jill graduated from high school in Lafayette in 1974. She was born and raised in Lafayette; her parents are both from Lafayette as well. She went to University of...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Victoria PhaneufAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Patrick Keene at his house on Beach Blvd. It's actually a double wide trailer, the house was destroyed in the storm. The garage is still standing, but is damaged. I was met out front by a little fluffy dog, I learn later a Bichon Frise. His wife decided it was her turn to pick the dog after generations of labs. We settled in the living room with our glasses of ice water and he asked a number of...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Jacob CampbellAffiliation: University of ArizonaMr. Kelly was referred by John Monteiro, who had hired Mr. Kelly to work for him briefly in the mid 80s. He has wide ranging experience in construction, operations and sales with numerous sectors of the oil industry. As a result, he knows many of the contractors and service companies that have risen up in Houma since the 1960s. Mr. Kelly provided insightful comments on the transitions in the industry...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Jacob CampbellAffiliation: University of ArizonaMr. Monteiro was referred by Bill Ellzey, who described him as a major contractor and businessman in the region for the past forty years. We met at his house on Bayou Black west of Houma. He was living in the small house on the front of the property, because a fraudulent woman had offered to buy the massive house on the back of the sizable acreage, causing the old man to move his furniture out while his wife...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Victoria PhaneufAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Sean Kennedy on board his yacht which was in Pascagoula at a dry dock for a coast guard inspection. I had been given a tour of the yacht by the captain. Mr. Kennedy showed up in the afternoon after doing some errands around time. He is energetic, bouncy, always appears to be thinking about 100 things at the same time and jumping from subject to subject. While I had been visiting with the crew in the...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Laura EkAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Sheila Nelson while mapping the oil center with Lillian Miller back in September. We were walking around and stopped in the MedcoEnergi office to look at their paintings in the lobby, and Sheila was introduced to us. She seemed very willing to talk and I stayed in touch with her in the hope that we could set up an interview upon my return to the area.Sheila Nelson was born and raised in...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Preetam PrakashAffiliation: University of ArizonaPreetam had met Wayne Lagrone while visiting the Workforce Development Program associated with Meridian Community College in Meridian, MS. Wayne was currently the workforce project manager at the community college. He had spent the greater part of his career in management in a variety of industrial settings, but had been introduced to Preetam by one of the instructors at the Workforce Development Program...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Preetam PrakashAffiliation: University of ArizonaI had stopped at Mr. Luke’s ice and fuel plant before to speak with him, his son, and wife about how their business had been since the oil spill. Mr. Luke’s son ran a business unloading shrimp out of the same location as the ice and fuel plant. I had spoken with Mr. Luke a few times after this initial meeting about getting together to do an oral history interview. I decided to stop by the plant today to see...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Jacob CampbellAffiliation: University of ArizonaMr. Prosperie was referred by his friend Leland Crochet, who sat in on the interview and makes several comments through the course of it. We met at the Jolly Inn, a Cajun restaurant and dance hall owned by Mr. Prosperie. The dance hall is decorated with photos and artifacts from Houma’s early days – oilrigs and crews, hunting and fishing in the bayou, and the town itself. Retired from work in the oil...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Victoria PhaneufAffiliation: University of ArizonaI had spoken to Robert Lynn, Jr. on the phone and we set up a time to meet. His machine shop is tucked in next to part of Flechas' shipyard, behind a large overgrown fence. I arrived and parked next to one of the doors. The shop is in a large metal building and surrounded by overgrown vegetation and some small piles of scrap metal. Inside the shop there are a number of very large machines and piles and...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Jacob CampbellAffiliation: University of ArizonaMr. Rhodes contacted me after seeing the Courier article, stating that he would like to participate in the study. He said that he wanted to be sure I was getting people to “tell it to me straight” about the role of the oil industry in the area. He spent his entire career working in the industry, and wished to share his perspective. We met at his house in Houma. Mr. Rhodes was considerably more critical of...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Laura EkAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Gary McGoffin through David Goodwyn. David referred me to Gary because he sees him as an active community member (he’s been involved in boy scouts his whole life), is a civic award recipient, and has worked in the oil center since the 1980s.Gary’s parents moved him and his family to Lafayette, Louisiana from Kansas when he was 10 years old in 1962. He graduated in 1970, but went back to law...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Victoria PhaneufAffiliation: University of ArizonaI arranged to meet Mr. Spencer on the last day of classes for the year at Moss Point High School, where he instructs students in welding. He had played some of the students the CD of his previous interviews that I had given him the week before, and they were interested in meeting the woman who did the interviews. During the first interview he discussed his working life and during this interview he...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Jacob CampbellAffiliation: University of ArizonaMr. 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...

Scope and Contents Interviewer: Victoria PhaneufAffiliation: University of ArizonaI dropped in on the Bayou La Batre office of Rodriguez Boat Builders. It's a small trailer set at the edge of the parking lot, cream and wood inside. I knocked and walked in, there was only one person there when I showed up. It was Joseph Rodriguez, the president, I explained the study and gave him the description. He said he had just a few minutes to talk with me before lunch, and then I could come back...