Port of New Orleans’s LeGrange to retire next April

Gary LaGrange, president and chief executive officer at the Port of New Orleans, announced plans to retire in April 2017, at the time his current contract expires.    Gary LaGrange, president and chief executive officer at the Port of New Orleans, announced plans to retire in April 2017, at the time his current contract expires.
   The port authority’s board of commissioners is expected to appoint Brandy Christian, currently chief operating officer, as his successor.
   LaGrange, a 40-year veteran of the maritime industry, has served as head of the Port of New Orleans since 2001. During this time, he is credited with investing more than $500 million in port infrastructure and facilities including new container, intermodal, cruise and refrigerated terminals, in addition to quickly restoring operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The port’s container throughput also topped 500,000 TEUs last year.  
   Christian joined the Port of New Orleans as COO in January 2015, after 14 years with the Port of San Diego where she served five years as vice president of strategy and business development.