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Bollinger Shipyards got new leadership in December 2014 when Ben Bordelon assumed the duties as company president and CEO, and he and the Chouest family (of Edison Chouest Offshore) acquired all of the company’s assets and stock.
But while things at the top may be shaken up, Bollinger’s overall goal has remained the same: to remain an industry leader in shipbuilding.
Since taking over five months ago, Bordelon has kept Bollinger moving busy, spearheading several projects, while maintaining a working relationship with the U.S. Coast Guard to churn out cutters locally.
The grandson of Bollinger’s original founder Donald Bollinger, Bordelon said he can’t wait to keep his family’s legacy going strong – a tradition that dates back to 1946 when the company opened its doors.
“I am happy and humbled to be taking over as president and CEO of the company that I have loved all of my life,” Bordelon said in his statement when the leadership change was announced. “Fishing with my grandfather, Donald Bollinger, near the family marsh near Leeville gave me a lot of time to hear stories about his vision, as well as his personal and business life. … I am especially excited to assume the leadership of Bollinger Shipyards.”
Bordelon’s ascent to Bollinger President marks the third generation in the almost-70-year-old business.
Donald Bollinger started the shipyard in 1946 – a company then-named Bollinger Machine Shop & Shipyard, Inc.
He was the chairman of the company for 39 years, retiring in 1985 after the company had evolved to its current name. After 1985, Donald Bollinger’s son Boysie Bollinger took over as chairman. During that time, Boysie’s son Chris Bollinger also had a major role, serving on the board of directors during his time with the company.
Bordelon is the grandson of Donald Bollinger – a move that will keep the business family owned.
A former LSU football player who had a short run in the NFL, Bordelon took over as president and CEO with lots of experience. He’s been on the Bollinger Board of Directors since 2002, and he’d served as the company’s executive vice president of repair and also as COO.
Together with the Chouest family, Bordelon said the new leadership are in a position to take Bollinger to new heights, while also still following the principles and values that were put in place by Donald Bollinger many years ago.
“I look forward to building on the values set out by my grandfather all those years ago,” Bordelon said. “With a commitment to our customers, a deep appreciation for our workers, a strong focus on safety, the clean environment and quality service, we will grow this company as we build on a great base.”
The past few months show that Bollinger is aiming to do just that.
On April 14, Bollinger delivered the CGC Richard Dixon – the 13th Fast Response Cutter the Lockport-based shipyard has delivered to the United States Coast Guard in recent years.
The 154-foot patrol craft is a marvel – a true beauty on the water. Once completed and turned over to the Coast Guard, the cutter headed to Puerto Rico to begin its duty.
“The ship is a game changer,” a senior Coast Guard official said in a release when the cutter was introduced. It has a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art command, control communications and computer technology. It also features a stern launch system for the vessel’s 26-foot cutter boat.
But perhaps more important than the steady work flowing through Bollinger’s Shipyards is the company’s success in workplace safety – a staple of Donald Bollinger’s original business plan.
Two weeks ago, Bollinger Shipyards was presented the 2014 “Award for Excellence in Safety” – an honor that the business earned for the 10th-straight year. At the same award ceremony, Bollinger also won the 2014 “Award for Improvement in Safety,” as given by the Shipbuilders Council of America during its spring general membership meeting in Washington, D.C.
The “Award for Excellence in Safety” is given to SCA member companies with the lowest total recordable incident rates. The “Award for Improvement in Safety” is given to those with a 10 percent or more reduction of their total recordable incident rate from one year to the next.
Bordelon said he’s proud of the achievement, touting that it’s a testament to the hard work the company’s employees do on a day-to-day basis.
New leadership? Yes. But even with that in place, Bollinger is still aiming to do the things that have made the company successful – 69 years running.
“Our company is proud of its accomplishments and looks forward to the future as we continue our mission of exceptional achievements in worker safety,” Bordelon said. “These awards would not be possible without the hard working men and women of Bollinger who have made safety a priority in all of our facilities.”
Repeated attempts to reach officials with Edision Chouest Offshore and the Chouest family regarding their role in Bollinger’s future were not successful throughout the past week.
Since taking over as Bollinger Shipyards’ President and CEO, Ben Bordelon has been a busy man. The local shipbuilding company was recently honored for its employee safety.
