Mr. Gary P. LaGrange

President & CEO

Gary LaGrange has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Port of New Orleans since 2001.  Under LaGrange’s direction the Port made great expansions in spite of facing great adversity.  During his tenure the Port opened new state-of-the art container and cruise terminals. Also notably and certainly most publicly, LaGrange’s leadership brought the Port of New Orleans back into operation within two weeks after Hurricane Katrina, the most extensive natural disaster in U.S. history. 

Under LaGrange’s leadership, the Port of New Orleans opened the award-winning $101 million Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal in January 2004. In October 2006, the Port opened the Erato Street Cruise Terminal and Parking Garage. This new $37 million cruise terminal boasts a 1000 car parking garage and 90,000 square foot terminal. The Port has also received preliminary funding for another cruise ship terminal at the Poland Avenue Wharves, and will soon begin renovations to its Julia Street cruise terminal. Additionally, the Port has just recently unveiled its $1 billion 2020 Master Plan, currently in the early stages of implementation. 

LaGrange’s commitment to the maritime industry is reflected in the numerous leadership positions he has held at state, regional and national levels. He is the Chairman of the National Waterways Conference and serves on the Board of the Waterways Council, Inc.  He is Past Chairman of the American Association of Port Authorities, an alliance of 350 ports in the Western Hemisphere. He also serves on the boards of the Gulf Ports Association of the Americas and is past chairman and past president of the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association. He was named to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Advisory Council on Trade and Transportation, in addition to having earned the esteemed Professional Port Manager Certification (PPM) from the American Association of Port Authorities. 

LaGrange was named the Maritime Person of the Year by the Propeller Club of New Orleans in 2003, and the Maritime Person of the Year by the Propeller Club of the Port of Gulfport in 2001. He received the “Man of Steel” Award by the American Institute for International Steel (AIIS) in 2006. He received the Leadership Award for his administration of the Port of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and was named to the Hall of Fame by the International Maritime Association at the United Nations.  He was also named to the Natural Rivers Hall of Fame in Dubuque, Iowa.  

Before taking leadership at the Port of New Orleans, LaGrange served as the Executive Director of the Mississippi State Port Authority in Gulfport, Miss., and Executive Director of the Port of South Louisiana on the Mississippi River as well as the Port of West St. Mary. 

Mr. LaGrange attended Louisiana State University. He received his B.A. in Geography/Economics from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He completed a Master of Arts in Urban Planning, with honors, at ULL in 1975 and taught Economic Geography and Urban Planning at the university through its University College.  

September 09

Mr. Joseph G. Cocchiara, Jr.

Project Manager, Business Planning & Commercial Development

Mr. J. Michael Orlesh, Jr.

Special Counsel

Mr. Mark P. Williams

Director of Internal Audits

Mr. Christopher W. Richard

Executive Assistant for Special Projects

Mr. Chris D. Bonura

Manager, Communications