SULPHUR, La, June 20, 2006 – West Calcasieu Port officials recently announced that the facility’s board of directors
has contracted with Lynn E. Hohensee to serve as the facility’s new port director, effective June 1, 2006.
“The West Cal Port has been a viable part of the parish’s maritime community infrastructure for many years,” said
Larry Mashburn, president of the West Calcasieu Port board of directors. “We are now on the threshold of
tremendous growth opportunity, and the creation of the port director position is a critical step in our expansion plan.
“We know that Lynn’s experience in economic development, marketing communications and community relations will
prove critical to our strategic growth as a progressive shallowwater port facility,” he added.
Hohensee, a sevenyear resident of Calcasieu Parish, owns and operates LEH Communications, LLC, a
communications consulting company specializing in marketing communications and public relations support for
private business, government entities and nonprofit organizations.
“I’m very excited to join the West Cal Port as its port director,” Hohensee said. “Southwest Louisiana is entering into a
time of great potential for growth and development as the region rebuilds following Hurricane Rita, and the West Cal
Port needs to be well positioned in the emerging maritime industry of the parish if it is to grow with the region.
“The port already benefits from the sound leadership of a solid board of directors,” he added. “Now, the port must
gear itself to better serve its existing tenants of today – and the new clients of tomorrow.”
Strategically positioned on the busiest stretch of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway midway between Houston and New
Orleans, the 170acre West Cal Port is located 12 miles south of Interstate 10 on Highway 27. The West Cal Port
offers 2,500 feet of waterfront property on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway with 12 foot water depth.
Current tenant activity includes barge operations, maritime fueling service, dry cargo barge cleaning, diesel repair,
heavy equipment contracting and maritime supply operations. Hohensee served as executive director of The Chamber
Foundation/Southwest Louisiana in Lake Charles prior to opening his business in August 2005. He joined The
Chamber/Southwest Louisiana in June 2003 as the Director of Economic Development & Investor Relations
for the Chamber/Southwest Louisiana. Prior to joining the local chamber, he worked for ConocoPhillips
(formerly Conoco) for 22 years and Shell Oil Company for eight years. His final position with ConocoPhillips
was regional director of public relations for the company’s Gulf Coast Business Unit headquartered in Lake Charles,
from March 1999 to February 2003.
Hohensee is a 1971 graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in
journalism/geography (double major). In 1999, he retired as a lieutenant colonel after 28 years in the U.S. Army and
U.S. Army Reserve. Locally in Southwest Louisiana, Hohensee is a member of the Propeller Club of Lake Charles, the Southwest
Louisiana Economic Development Network Group, and the Ports Association of Louisiana. He is a 2000 graduate of
LeadershipChamber/SWLA and serves as president of the Board of Councilors at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital.
He is on the advisory board for the Department of Mass Communications at McNeese State University and serves on
the board of directors for the Southwest Louisiana Chapter of the American Red Cross. He is a member of the
communications committee for the United Way of Southwest Louisiana, having served as the committee head for
three years. He also is a member of the Lake Charles Ad & Press Club board of directors and the Public Relations
Society of America.
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6/20/06
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