Port of New Orleans Elect Daniel Packer Chairman

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans has elected Daniel F. Packer chairman; also Gregory Rusovich as Vice Chairman, and Scott Cooper as Secretary-Treasurer.

Gov. Bobby Jindal appointed Mr. Packer to the Board in January of 2010. He succeeds Mr. Joseph F. Toomy, whose term as chairman expired this month but will continue to serve as a commissioner.

Mr. Packer, who will serve a nine-month term as chairman, is a native of Mobile, Ala. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Charter Oaks College and a master’s degree in business administration from Tulane University and served in the U.S. Navy Nuclear Program from 1969 to 1975.

“I am honored to be elected to serve as chairman by my peers and hope to lead as well as Mr. Joe Toomy has done in guiding the Port through the past year,” Packer said.

Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange expressed great confidence in Mr. Packer, citing the businessman’s experience in management and executive leadership positions. “Mr. Packer brings a wealth of experience to his new position,” LaGrange said. “He is a strong voice for the entire region and the entire Port community. We look forward to working closely with him as we break ground on several critical infrastructure projects and position the Port for growth in the coming years.”

Mr. Packer, who retired from Entergy in 2007, is currently President and CEO of Urban Solutions Inc., a multi-faceted firm involved with projects associated with an urban environment. He began his career with Entergy in 1982 as Waterford 3 Nuclear training manager. He later served as Waterford’s plant manager, becoming the first African-American to manage a nuclear plant in the United States. He was named the company’s CEO in 1998 and led the company through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.