Cooper will serve a five-year term, succeeding Thomas D. Westfeldt, one of four Orleans Parish members on the regional Board, which governs Port operations in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes.
Cooper oversees Crescent Towing, which operates a total fleet of 26 harbor tugs on the Lower Mississippi River, in Mobile, Ala., and in Savannah, Ga. Cooper also manages Cooper/ T. Smith’s midstream operations in Darrow, La.
Cooper comes from a family with strong roots in the maritime industry. Cooper/ T. Smith traces its history back to 1905, when Scott’s great-grandfather Angus Royal Cooper, who had worked on the docks in Mobile, started his own company. Later, the founding Cooper was joined by his son Ervin. Scott’s father, Angus II, and his uncle, David, helped build the company into the second-largest stevedoring firm in the United States. Today, the fourth generation of Coopers, including Scott, his brother Angus III and his cousin David Jr. are leading the company into the future.
“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to serve on the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans,” Cooper said. “I’m eager to help continue to grow the Port as it plans for the future and in turn help the city of New Orleans.”
“Mr. Cooper has a wealth of hands-on experience of maritime operations and a great sense of understanding of the trends in the industry along the Gulf Coast and around the world,” said Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange. “The Port of New Orleans will profit from his leadership, and we are happy to welcome him to the Board.”
