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Merle Gonsoulin News

14 Sep 2007

LaForce At Full Force

The M/V Michele Gronsoulin alongside at the LaForce Shipyard in Bayou LaBatre. There isn’t much space to spare in Bayou LaBatre?s LaForce Shipyard these days. Back-to-back orders are processed on a near assembly line schedule. A half dozen or more push boats in various stages of completion surround a single OSV. In early September a towboat was alongside the fitting out dock waiting paint and finishing details. At the end of the same pier a spanking new 74 x 28-ft. boat with black hull, red house and green trim awaited her crew. On board, LaForce workers scrambled with the final touches while the owner’s representative, Mark Bourgeois, was busy checking the details in advance of leaving the yard. The boat’s crew would arrive from the LeBeouf Bros.

06 Jul 2006

Pushing It: LeBeouf Bros. Towing

Jon Gonsoulin is not one to rest on his legacy. Jon’s grandfather, Earl, began working with the LeBeouf brothers back in 1946 and soon bought into the company. In time, Earl and his two sons, Richard and Jerry, were able to buy the LeBeouf brothers' shares. Earl turned over the helms to his sons in the 1970's. From that time forward, the two brothers continued to strengthen and consolidate the company’s position. In 2005, Richard “Dickie” Gonsoulin purchased his brother's interest in the company. Today the company is solely owned by Dickie with Jon taking an ever more active role in forging the company’s present and future growth. The current fleet is comprised of 22 push boats including the recently delivered M/V Merle Gonsoulin and the M/V Sydney Ann.