Finalist
Oil Field Products & Services
William A. “Beau” Bisso IV was given some words to live by when he took over as president and CEO of Bisso Marine Co. Inc. in 2004: “Don’t screw it up; a lot of people are counting on you.”
Indeed, those words, uttered by his father, are true — a lot of people count on Bisso at the company that provides marine construction, pipe laying, salvage, heavy lift and diving services for the marine and energy industries. Not only does Bisso represent the fifth generation of his family in the business, but the company’s 425 employees are also counting on him for their livelihood every day.
So how did Bisso go about, you know, not screwing it up? First and foremost, he used his rapport within the business itself to gain the respect of all of his employees. He’s worked in the company in some capacity nearly his whole life, holding a variety of titles before being given the top leadership role.
Moreover, Bisso also kept the company’s three-market focus in tact. Bisso Marine focuses on three different industries — offshore, gas pipelines and marine salvage — and Bisso’s strategy to make the company a competitive player in each market helps differentiate it from its competitors. That, along with superior customer service — more than 90 percent of the company’s business is generated by sales to repeat customers — makes Bisso Marine a leader in its industry.
Bisso had his first chance to screw all that up not long after taking over in 2004, when Hurricane Katrina hit, but that tragedy helped test the company’s moxie and its performance further hardened the resolve of employees. In the time since, Bisso Marine has grown — it has more than tripled its number of employees — and Bisso has proved time and again that he heeded his father’s words and has not only avoiding screwing up, but he’s also built on the company’s success.
How to reach: Bisso Marine Co. Inc., (281) 897-1500 or www.bissomarine.com
