Governor Jeff Landry has recently appointed Michael A. Thomas as the new Chairman of the Board of Commissioners for the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA), commencing a five-year term. Due to the close alignment between Port NOLA and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB), Thomas will also assume the role of Chairman of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Commission. He succeeds Joseph F. Toomy, whose final five-year term concluded on August 15, 2024, having begun on August 16, 2019.

"It has been an incredible honor to serve as both a Commissioner and Chairman of Port NOLA on three occasions, as well as in those roles for the NOPB Commission," stated Toomy. Under Toomy's chairmanship, Port NOLA achieved significant progress on the US$1.8 billion Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) project. Key accomplishments include securing US$300 million in landmark INFRA and MEGA grants, representing the largest federal investment in a new container terminal in the history of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Furthermore, Governor Landry and the Louisiana Legislature allocated US$230 million towards the LIT project and associated port infrastructure developments.

"We are grateful to Mr. Toomy for his dedicated leadership as Chairman of our board. His decades of experience and visionary leadership have significantly enhanced our position and made a meaningful difference in the communities we serve. He has and will continue to play a pivotal role in bringing together the five ports on the Lower Mississippi River to identify more pathways to move cargo more efficiently," added Governor Landry.