Atchafalaya Intracoastal Coalition Events

October 2023 Monthly Meeting

Event Date: October 9, 2023 12:00 pm
Event Location: Petroleum Club - Morgan City, LA
Guest Speaker: Raymond M. “Mac” Wade, CPE, Executive Director of the Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District

Raymond M. “Mac” Wade, CPE, was named Executive Director of the Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District (Port of Morgan City) by the Port’s Board of Commissioners on August 28,2013. Top priority for Mac and the Port Commission is to ensure that stakeholders who transit the Atchafalaya River and Bayous Boeuf, Black and Chene have a consistent, navigable 20-foot deep by 400’ wide channel as authorized by Congress. Additionally, Mac is working, on behalfof the Commission, to foster economic development opportunities within the Port District.

Mac represented the Port of Morgan City on the Coastal Port Advisory Authority which wasestablished by Act 180 of the 2013 Regular Legislative Session. He was selected as a memberof the Project Review Committee for the LTRC/LADOTD Research Project 16-4SS (DREDGINGLOUISIANA’S PORTS) in November 2015 and continues to serve. Mac has served on the IRPT(Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals) Board of Directors from April 2016 – April 2018, and he is amember of the Navigation Focus Group for the Coastal Master Plan. Mac has served on theSouth Louisiana Security Committee for Captain of the Port Houma Zone since January of2020. He has served as a member of the Advisory Board to the Higher Education MaritimeCampus Consortium Task Force since March 2020, and was appointed to the Atchafalaya RiverBasin Restoration and Enhancement Task Force by Governor John Bel Edwards March 5,2021. Mac also represents the Port through memberships with the Ports Association ofLouisiana (PAL), National Waterways Conference, Gulf Ports Association, Gulf IntracoastalCanal Association, and others.

Mac works with the Corps of Engineers; members of our State and Federal delegations; Stateagencies such as CPRA, DNR, WLF, DOTD, and LED; landowners and numerous other local,state and federal organization to secure additional funding for dredging, to promote beneficialuse of dredge material (including the use of material for coastal restoration projects), and toprovide opportunities for business retention and expansion within the Port District.

Mac has gained a wealth of information about the operations of the port and the river systemprior to his employment as Executive Director. He was appointed as a commissioner for theDistrict in 1987, and he served for 24 years; 6 years as Vice President and his last 4 years onthe Commission as its President.

During his time served as a commissioner, the Port was involved in import/export operations forcontainer and project cargo with Mexico. As Executive Director, Mac worked with a Fortune 100company importing sea salt and exporting grains to Mexico and the Caribbean. He is currentlyworking with a natural resource company to import, mill and export high grade bauxite inLouisiana. He is also exploring the potential for establishing a Marine Highway Project withAtchafalaya and Red River Ports on MARAD’s M-49 Route.

Mac earned recognition as a Certified Port Executive, having finished the course in March of2013. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. Macis a veteran who served his Country as a Staff Sargent in the Army Reserves for 6 years.

Mac has lived in Morgan City since 1975 and has been involved in the Oilfield andEnvironmental Industry.

Mac is married to the former Karen Beadle and they have 2 children and 2 grandsons. In hisspare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing and traveling.

Raymond M. “Mac” Wade, CPE