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John P Laborde, offshore icon and former Tidewater CEO, dies at 97
John P Laborde, a pioneer in the offshore oil and gas industry who built Tidewater into a global offshore marine transportation leader, passed away on 21 October at the age of 97
Joining Tidewater in 1956, Mr Laborde was a founder of the company, serving as its president and chief executive for 38 years. He passed away at his home surrounded by family, Tidewater reported in a social media post. Wrote the company, Mr Laborde “was instrumental in launching the first ever fit-for-purpose offshore supply vessel for our industry, and growing Tidewater into a global powerhouse of over 680 vessels worldwide.” Mr Laborde retired in 1994.
A World War II veteran who served as a member of General Douglas MacArthur’s staff, Mr Laborde was a colonel in the Army Officer Training Corps (ROTC) while attending Louisiana State University (LSU) before his education was interrupted with his induction into the US Army in 1942.
After the war, he returned to LSU to complete his degree. “Following his graduation from LSU Law in 1949, Mr Laborde spent five years with Richardson & Bass, an independent oil and gas exploration company, then 40 years leading Tidewater Marine, an international marine service company that he co-founded,” noted the LSU Foundation. “Tidewater’s story began in 1955, when a group of investors, led by the Laborde family of New Orleans, pioneered the development of the first offshore service vessel tailor-made to support the new and growing offshore oil and gas industry. A year later, Tidewater Marine Service, Inc commenced operations as a publicly owned company with John P Laborde at the helm.”
A long-time supporter of his alma mater, Mr Laborde donated US$2M to LSU Law in 2012 to establish the LSU John P Laborde Energy Law Center. On the founding of the center in 2012, Mr Laborde said, “Given my lifetime career in the energy service industry, and recognising how my law degree served me well in navigating the complexities of running a public company in the international arena, I am pleased to give back to the school that has given me so much. My gift will establish the Energy Law Center, and, hopefully, serve as the catalyst for future growth and perfection in the energy law field.”
Mr Laborde was a founding member of the National D-Day Museum Foundation and a Trustee Emeritus of the National WWII Museum.
Commented Tidewater on his passing, “John was a pillar of the community in New Orleans and was known for his leadership and generosity. He served his community and Tidewater with passion and loyalty and those of us who had the opportunity to work with him, are better off for it.”
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