Port NOLA Names Beth Ann Branch President & CEO
20 years of experience in transportation and logistics, will also serve as CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB). She succeeds Ronald Wendel Jr., who has been serving as Acting President and CEO during a crucial transitional phase, advancing significant projects such as the $1.8 billion Louisiana International Terminal."After a comprehensive national search, it became clear that Beth Ann Branch is the visionary leader needed to help move Port NOLA and Louisiana forward," said Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. "Her deep understanding of the commercial landscape and her track
NOLA Terminal Hires Turkmen as Business Development Manager
Taylor S. Turkmen as its new business development manager.NOLA Terminal is building a facility at milepost 59 on the Mississippi River to offer a range of logistical connectivity, handling and storage options.Turkmen, a New Orleans native, attended Ursuline Academy and began her collegiate journey at Louisiana State University. In December 2015, she earned her bachelor’s degree from The University of New Orleans. Since 2017, Turkmen has gained extensive experience in the wine and spirits industry, working as a sales consultant for two of the largest distributors in the region.Although new to the
BHGI Hires Addison Pope
Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) announced it has hired Addison Pope as a naval architect. Pope holds a bachelor’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from Webb Institute. Before joining BHGI, Pope interned at Viking Cruises in Louisiana. During his time there, he created reports detailing the yard’s progress and various vendors. He collected and organized river and wave data, assembled speed trial information, performed squat calculations, and completed a concept vessel design. Additionally, he interned at Snow & Company
Bollinger Names Hinkebein Director of Government Affairs
commitment to the Gulf Coast made him an obvious choice to represent Bollinger and its 4,000 employees in the communities, counties, parishes and states where we operate. Our greatest asset is our people and Andrew will be critical to ensuring that our world-class workforce across our 13 facilities in Louisiana and Mississippi enjoy the continued support of our elected leaders across the I-10 corridor.”A seasoned government affairs leader with over 16 years of experience in navigating complex legislative and regulatory environments at the federal, state, and local levels, Hinkebein most recently
Help Wanted: US Maritime Industry Struggles to Fill Key Gaps
(NOAA), currently in the midst of expanding its fleet, is always seeking mariners to join its ranks, Chris Nichols, a professional mariner recruiter for the agency, told Maritime Reporter TV in late 2023.“NOAA has 15 scientific research vessels, and we have two more being built down in Louisiana at this time,” Nichols said. “We're hiring positions for the deck department, supply department, and we're specifically really, really looking for marine engineers. There's even a $10,000 signing bonus.”“There's a shortage of mariners in the world right now
Port of New Orleans CEO Brandy Christian to Step Down
team that Christian has assembled and nurtured to carry Port NOLA and NOPB forward. Through her vision and leadership, Christian has positioned Port NOLA to regain its place as the premier destination within the global supply chain as we embark on a transformational economic development project in the Louisiana International Terminal. We wish Brandy all the best as she begins this new and exciting challenge."Brandy Christian joined Port NOLA as its Chief Operating Officer in 2015 and was appointed its President and CEO just two years later. Within six months of taking the reins, Christian led the
Port of New Orleans Names Coates Chief Commercial Officer
The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) announced it has named Amanda Coates as its Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for leading the port’s business development strategies and real estate operations.The Port of New Orleans has the largest public footprint of Louisiana’s ports, with 24 berths, 20 million square feet of cargo handling areas, 2 cruise terminals, and 2,500 acres of industrial real estate.Coates will be responsible for driving Port NOLA’s growth initiatives, forging, and cultivating strategic partnerships, as well as identifying new avenues for revenue generation.
Maritime Partners Hires Two In Executive Leadership Roles
Maritime Partners,a Louisiana-based provider of maritime financing solutions primarily focused on Jones Act vessels, announced the addition of Stephen J. Bordes and Greg Chase to its executive leadership team.Bordes joins Maritime Partners as its chief financial officer, and Chase as as the firm’s chief legal officer.Bordes brings to the company more than 20 years of experience in the fields of finance and fund management. Prior to joining Maritime Partners, he served as the CFO for New York-based American Industrial Partners, a middle-market private equity firm that invests in industrial
Bristol Harbor Group Hires Kyle Pagan
and marine engineering frim Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) announced it has hired Kyle Pagan as a naval architect.Pagan holds a Master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of New Orleans and a Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University. For his graduate research, he conducted an in-depth study of the performance of 3D printing materials under the influence of water exposure, investigating their potential effects on ship models utilized in towing tank testing.Prior to working at BHGI, Pagan worked as a naval architect
Texas A&M to Reduce Tuition For Merchant Mariner License Students
earn their U.S. Coast Guard license while completing one of several license-option four-year bachelor’s degree programs at Texas A&M at Galveston.Effective September 1, under a new three-tiered fee structure approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, students from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Puerto Rico and Panama will save $300 per credit hour under in-state classification; students from Arkansas, New Mexico, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Oklahoma will save $150 per credit hour under in-region classification. Students outside these regions
Talos Energy Names Spath EVP & Head of Operations
served as an independent consultant on deepwater drilling and completion projects at Mariner Energy, Stone Energy, Deep Gulf Energy, and Helix Energy Solutions Group before joining deepwater drilling operations at Talos. Spath holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Talos Energy President and CEO Timothy S. Duncan said, "I am very pleased to announce John Spath's appointment. John has a demonstrated track record and experience at Talos and has earned the respect of his peers in Talos and the industry. We are confident he will do
Dave Lee Joins Maritime Partners as VP of Tech and Innovation
Dave Lee has joined Louisiana-based maritime leasing and financing company Maritime Partners as its new vice president of technology and innovation.Lee joins Maritime Partners from ABB, where he was most recently vice president of sales for the workboat sector. A 20-year maritime industry veteran, Lee has previously held leadership positions at American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) and Jeffboat.
DSC Dredge Hires Casey as Project Manager
Louisiana based dredge manufacturer DSC Dredge announced it has welcomed to its team Navy veteran, Keith Casey as its new project manager.With over 20 years of experience in construction and project management, Casey brings a wealth of expertise as he directly manages all construction projects from its early development through project completion. He will also be responsible for overall cost, schedule and budget evaluation, as well as all construction coordination.Recently retired after serving 22 years with the U.S. Navy, Casey stated, "I am very excited about working back home in Louisiana with
Port of New Orleans Names Wypyski COO
experience to the Port of New Orleans global gateway,” said Brandy D. Christian, President and CEO of Port NOLA and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. “His strong terminal operation background will be an asset to current operations and to the development of the new $1.8 billion Louisiana International Terminal.”Most recently, Wypyski served as Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for the Mississippi State Port Authority in Gulfport. During his 13 years there, he assisted in managing the port’s $600 million HUD-funded expansion and improvement project
Metal Shark Hires Marshall as Executive VP
Louisiana-based boat builder Metal Shark announced it has expanded its executive team with a newly recruited appointment from the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense Naval Surface Warfare Center – Carderock (NSWC). Jason Marshall joins Metal Shark as Executive Vice President – Programs, following a 30 year career with NSWC’s Combatant Craft Division (CCD).Marshall most recently served as CCD’s In-Service Systems Engineering Branch Head (2019-2023), managing the team of project managers and systems engineers responsible for the Navy’s sustainment combatant craft, high
Crowley Hires Coplen as Wind Services VP
industry leader in providing full lifecycle services to our customers, his expertise in driving successful projects with a collaborative approach benefits Crowley Wind Services, and our near- and long-term goals.”Crowley is underway with development and planning for wind terminals in California, Louisiana and Massachusetts. In addition, the company’s CREST Wind joint venture with ESVAGT recently announced the construction of a service operations vessel for Coastal Virginia’s major wind energy project, in addition to Crowley providing feedering vessel services and other supply chain solutions
Port of New Orleans Board Elects Jensen as Chairman
. He and his wife, Cindy, have seven children, six of whom assist with managing the family businesses.“We are so appreciative of Charlie Ponstein’s leadership and dedicated service as Chairman of our Board. He has been instrumental in our work in St. Bernard Parish and in moving forward the Louisiana International Terminal project,” Christian said.In his term as Chair, Ponstein played a pivotal role in guiding future maritime and infrastructure investments in St. Bernard Parish. That includes securing Capital Outlay funding for the St. Bernard Transportation Corridor and, most recently
