Posted on September 30, 2024
NEW ORLEANS – Gov. Jeff Landry recently appointed Michael A. Thomas as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) for a five-year term. With the alignment of Port NOLA and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB), Thomas will also serve as Chairman of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Commission.
Thomas succeeds Joseph F. Toomy, whose most recent five-year term began on August 16, 2019, and officially concluded on August 15, 2024.
“It has been an incredible honor to serve as both a Commissioner and Chairman of Port NOLA on three occasions, as well as in those roles for the NOPB Commission,” said Toomy. “I am immensely proud of the milestones we have reached, the partnerships we have forged, and the challenges we have overcome together. As I step down from this position, I am confident that our incoming leadership will continue to build on our successes and drive progress for our region and the State of Louisiana. I want to express my deepest gratitude to my fellow board members, the dedicated port and belt staffs, our stakeholders and the community for their unwavering support throughout my tenure.”
During Toomy’s time as Chairman, Port NOLA has made significant progress on the $1.8 billion state-of-the-art Louisiana International Terminal (LIT). That includes helping to secure $300 million in landmark INFRA and MEGA grant funding to assist in building LIT, the largest federal investment in a new container terminal in U.S. Department of Transportation history as well as $230.5 million from Gov. Landry and the Louisiana Legislature for LIT and other related port infrastructure projects.
“We are grateful to Mr. Toomy for his dedicated leadership as Chairman of our board,” said Acting Port NOLA President & CEO and Acting CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB), Ronald Wendel. “His decades of experience and visionary leadership have significantly enhanced our position and made a meaningful difference in the communities we serve. He has and will continue to play a pivotal role in bringing together the five ports on the Lower Mississippi River to identify more pathways to move Louisiana forward.”
Michael A. Thomas was appointed Chairman on September 20, 2024, and his five-year term will extend through September 19, 2029.
“I am honored to join the esteemed Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad,” said Thomas. “I look forward to collaborating with my fellow commissioners, as well as with the dedicated Port and Belt staff, to continue driving Port NOLA’s momentum as a key player in the global supply chain and a vital economic engine for the region and the state. The potential growth of the Port of New Orleans and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad over the next few years may be the largest in their history and I am looking forward to working with our team along with local, state, and federal leaders to help both entities reach their full potential.”
Thomas is a native of Morgan City, Louisiana. He attended Louisiana State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree with concentration in political science in 1995 and then a Juris Doctor in 2000.
In 2000, Thomas established his law firm, Michael A. Thomas, Attorney at Law, LLC, and then became an Assistant Parish Attorney for Jefferson Parish. His public service in Jefferson Parish also included positions as Assistant District Attorney, staffer for then Councilman-at-Large Thomas J. Capella as well as a member of the Jefferson Parish Council.
In 2013, Thomas returned to the private sector to grow his law practice and title business. He currently represents several marine service companies, oilfield supply vessel companies and a Mississippi River pilots association, all of which provide valuable and unique insight to the commercial needs of the Mississippi river and its customers.
“We are thrilled to welcome Michael Thomas as Chairman of our Board of Commissioners,” said Wendel. “His maritime experience will be invaluable as we continue to advance our strategic initiatives and strengthen our commitment to economic growth. I look forward to working closely with him to further position Port NOLA as the premier gateway in the Gulf.”
The Port NOLA and NOPB Commission Boards consist of seven, unsalaried members who serve five-year staggered terms. The Governor of Louisiana appoints members from a list of three nominations submitted by local civic, labor, education, and maritime groups. The Board reflects Port NOLA’s three-parish jurisdiction with two members from Jefferson, three from Orleans and one from St. Bernard.
Chairman Michael A. Thomas and Commissioner Todd Murphy represent Jefferson Parish; Vice Chairman James J. Carter Jr., Secretary-Treasurer Sharonda R. Williams, Commissioner Darryl D. Berger, and Commissioner Walter J. Leger Jr. represent Orleans Parish; and Commissioner Jeanne E. Ferrer represents St. Bernard Parish.
