Directors & Officers
Executive Director
Michael Gillen, Executive Director
Michael S. Gillen is a native of Louisiana with strong ties to the New Orleans community that date back to the 1800’s. As an avid boating enthusiast for over five decades, Mike’s childhood memories include many years of sailing a small 8ft dingy when not spending weekends aboard his parents or other family member’s larger boats in the Lake Ponchartrain area. Before entering into a twenty year investigative career in law enforcement, Mike’s experience included working with elected state and local officials as well as lobbyists during legislative sessions in the Louisiana State Senate, including the State Constitutional Convention.
Board of Directors
Steve Oubre, Board Member
Steve is a board certified architect with over 34 years of experience in commercial design, master planning and development with work throughout the Gulf Coast Region. He holds an architecture degree from UL-Lafayette, where he teaches as an adjunct professor. In addition, Steve lectures extensively on urban design. Included among the many successful and award-winning projects brought to fruition through his firm, Architects Southwest, are developments such as “River Ranch”, “Sugar Milll Pond”, “Acadiana Center for the Arts” and the “Crossroads Church”. Steve and his wife Sarah, a banking executive, are both avid sailors. They own a 45’ Beneteau sailboat and have been tenants of South Shore Harbor since 2011.
Al Herrara, Board Member
A native of New Orleans and a successful small business owner, Al is the Vice-President of IPS of Louisiana, a full service industrial product supplier incorporated in Louisiana since 1988. A graduate of Rummel High and the University of New Orleans, he is the President Elect of the UNO International Alumni Association and a member of the Harvey Canal Industrial Association. Al also serves on the advisory board of Jefferson Parish Transit Authority. He is actively involved in the promotion of UNO’s Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department and has been successful in negotiating contracts with the Federal government, including the Department of Defense. His company was instrumental in rebuilding of the drainage pumps for the east bank of Orleans Parish after Katrina along with barge offloading and delivery of material used for levee construction in St. Bernard. In his spare time, Al enjoys relaxing aboard his 30 ft. cabin cruiser with his wife, their two children and their friends. Al has been a tenant at South Shore since October 2012.
Gerald Pellar, Board Member
Prior to his retirement, Gerald served as the Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of EMCO Technologies in Baton Rouge. EMCO is a Motorola Two-Way Radio dealer and Information Technology service provider. Gerald and his wife Janice enjoy relaxing aboard their 56 ft motor yacht ProPellar II and are actively involved in giving back to the community through efforts that include their commitment to improved healthcare facilities and sponsorship of cultural events. Gerald and Janice have been tenants at South Shore since 2008.
Caroline Goetze, Board Member
Caroline is a transplant from Michigan and is currently attending the University of New Orleans as a graduate student. She grew up sailing in California and currently lives aboard her 36ft power boat. Caroline and her husband Gene selected South Shore Harbor Marina for its convenient and scenic location. Prior to relocating to New Orleans, Caroline had a 20-year career in the U.S. Navy. She has worked as a technical writer and has drafted successful grant proposals, the most recent of which secured significant funding for a thriving farmers market in rural Michigan.
Joe Signorelli, Board Member
Joe is a New Orleans native and has enjoyed boating in the Lake Ponchartrain area since before the construction of South Shore Harbor Marina. A retired supervisor with ENTERGY with over 36 years of service, Joe now works part-time as a consultant to the energy industry. When not relaxing with his wife Barbara Ann aboard their 42ft Chris Craft sport-fishing yacht, Joe focuses his meticulous attention to detail through a regimented schedule of maintenance and constant updates to their boat. Joe has been a tenant of South Shore since its inception in the late 1980’s.
Officers
Caroline Goetze, Treasurer
Caroline is a transplant from Michigan and is currently attending the University of New Orleans as a graduate student. She grew up sailing in California and currently lives aboard her 36ft power boat. Caroline and her husband Gene selected South Shore Harbor Marina for its convenient and scenic location. Prior to relocating to New Orleans, Caroline had a 20-year career in the U.S. Navy. She has worked as a technical writer and has drafted successful grant proposals, the most recent of which secured significant funding for a thriving farmers market in rural Michigan.
Steve Materne, Secretary
Steve grew up enjoying Lake Pontchartrain from his childhood home in Bucktown. After graduating from the University of New Orleans in 1977 he started his career in public accounting with Arthur Anderson & Co. and later cofounded the local CPA firm of Legier & Materne, CPA’s and Consultants. In 2004 Steve sold his interest in the firm to work on his own and provide he and his wife Gayle with a more flexible lifestyle, which includes more time on their 44ft Marine Trader. Steve and Gayle also own The Transportation Revolution, a European motorbike dealership which their sons Zach and Max run. Check it out at TTRNO.com.