J. Parker Conrad founded our Company and served as Chairman of the Board from its inception in 1948 and as President from 1948 until 1994. From March 1998, Mr. Conrad served as Executive Co-Chairman of the Board of Conrad Industries, Inc., our holding company formed at that time in connection with our initial public offering, until his retirement from our Board in January 2014. In January 2017, Surrounded by friends and family, Parker died peacefully on July 6 at his residence in Morgan City. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, and will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him and the many thousands of lives that he touched in his own special way.
John P. Conrad, Jr. has been with our company since 1962, serving as Vice President since 1982, as Co-Chairman of the Board of Conrad Industries, Inc. from March 1998 to January 2014 when he became Chairman of the Board. Mr. Conrad has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since April 2004. Mr. Conrad currently serves as Chairman and CEO. Mr. Conrad founded Johnny’s Propeller Shop, Inc., a marine-related service company, in 1963 and is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of this company. In 2000, Mr. Conrad and members of his immediate family founded Summit Management Group, L.L.C., which currently owns, among other investments, all of the outstanding ownership interests in Johnny’s Propeller Shop. Mr. Conrad is currently the Operating Manager of Summit Management Group.
Cecil A. Hernandez has been a director of Conrad Industries since March 1998. Mr. Hernandez joined Conrad Industries in January 1998 and served as Vice President-Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer of Conrad Industries from 1998 until 2002. During August 2004, Mr. Hernandez returned to Conrad and served as Chief Operating Officer and interim CFO until February 2005, at which time, he assumed the position of Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hernandez assumed the position of President in November 2018. Mr. Hernandez founded Hernandez & Blackwell CPAs in 1983 and served as its Managing Partner until December 1997 when the firm merged with Darnall Sikes & Frederick CPAs in 1996. Additionally, Mr. Hernandez provided accounting and consulting services for Conrad Industries as the outside Certified Public Accountant from 1993 until 1997. Mr. Hernandez was employed by the international accounting firm Deloitte Haskins & Sells (now Deloitte & Touche LLP).
Daniel T. Conrad has been a director of Conrad Industries since January 2014. Mr. Conrad was appointed to the Board of Directors to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of J. Parker Conrad and to serve as a Class III director with a term expiring at the 2016 annual meeting of stockholders. Mr. Conrad joined the company in 1997 and has held numerous positions including Facility Manager, Sales Manager, Business Relations Manager and currently is Senior Vice President of our Conrad Shipyard, Conrad Aluminum and Conrad Orange subsidiaries. From 1989 to 1996, Mr. Conrad served in various positions with Venture Transport, Inc., a specialized carrier in oilfield and energy equipment. Mr. Conrad is the son of John P. Conrad, Jr.
Michael J. Harris has been a director of Conrad Industries since the consummation of the initial public offering in June 1998. From 2005-2014, Mr. Harris served asPresident of Hope Christian Community Foundation, a charitable organization in Memphis, Tennessee, where he currently serves as President Emeritus. Previously, Mr. Harris was a Managing Director of Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc., where he was employed since 1986. Morgan Keegan was the lead managing underwriter of our initial public offering.
Ogden U. Thomas, Jr. has been a director of Conrad Industries since April 2004. Mr. Thomas served on the Board of Directors of Cross Group, Inc., a privately held group of companies servicing the oil and gas, marine services, offshore construction and deepwater services industries from 2006 until 2016 and served as that company’s President and Chief Operating Officer from 2006 to 2011. From 1988 to 2003, Mr. Thomas served as the President of the ENSCO Marine Company Division of ENSCO International, a leading offshore drilling contractor. Prior to that time, Mr. Thomas served in various management positions with Seahorse, Inc., a world-wide operator of offshore supply and anchor handling vessels and a subsidiary of Texas Eastern Corporation, and as President of the Drilling Services Division of Texas Eastern Corporation.
Larry J. Callais was appointed as an independent Class I director and as a member of the Company’s Independent Directors Committee in November 2022. Mr. Callais served as Chief Executive Officer of M C Bank from 1999 until 2021. He joined the bank in 1977. M C Bank is a Morgan City-based commercial bank with seven locations in south Louisiana. Among his many civic and professional activities, Mr. Callais has served as Chairman of the Board of the St. Mary Parish Foundation, served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Teche Regional Medical Center in Morgan City and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Bankers Association. He is a Certified Public Accountant, on inactive status.