When a member of Manson’s offshore crew needs a ride from the dock at three o’clock in the morning, Houma Warehouse Runner Ted Foret is the person for the job.
“It’s not uncommon for me to receive a call at all hours of the night because somebody needs to get picked up,” Ted explains. “Honestly, I don’t mind it because I like what I do, and it gives me a chance to meet different people at Manson.”
Ted’s day-to-day responsibilities keep him on his toes to support Houma’s ongoing operations—something that he has been successful at for more than a decade.
“I joined the Houma yard in 2008 after seeking employment through a hiring agency,” Ted remembers. “I went through a couple of interviews for the job, and I remember my second interview with [Senior Vice President and Gulf East Coast Regional Manager] John Roques went well. He was looking for somebody who was familiar with the South, and after explaining the expectations of the role, he asked me if I was game, and I gladly accepted.”
Within the first few months at Manson, Ted focused on becoming the resident “Jack of All Trades”—familiarizing himself with designated tasks and effectively communicating with coworkers.
“A day in the Houma yard is busy, and it takes several people to keep it running at a high level,” Ted says. “You work with people who respect hard work and are willing to help others when needed. I learned from people like Sam Tabor, who taught me the locations of the docks and suppliers, [Office Manager] Jennifer Jaccuzzo helped me navigate our technology, [Yard Foreman] Jimmy Marcel, [Leaderman] Earl Johnson, and [Crane Operator] Mario Ibanez taught me to properly load and unload trucks.”
As Warehouse Runner, Ted’s primary responsibilities include retrieving supplies, maintaining manifests, cleaning the warehouse, and, on occasion, chauffeuring offshore crew members in-between rotations.
“Ted is a reliable team member, waking up at any time necessary to drive employees to the dock to catch the crew boat,” Jennifer says. “He is always willing to help and has been supporting the Offshore Group since he’s been with Manson.”
Depending on the location, Ted’s driving route can take him anywhere from Grand Isle to Cameron, Louisiana, with three to six hours of travel time in between—a task that he enjoys and one that he was in search of after leaving his 25-year-plus profession as a Sales Associate.
“I worked for retailer Service Merchandise (formerly H.J. Wilson) for 16 years and then nine years with family-owned jeweler Betty White Jewelers,” Ted remembers. “I drove from my house in Houma to New Orleans to sell, repair, and clean all kinds of high-end pieces to customers from all over Louisiana.”
Feeling burned out with the jewelry business, Ted began to search for his next opportunity, which he hoped would take him from the jewelry counter to behind the wheel of a truck.
“I wanted to do something different, like drive a truck and work on the road,” he says. “I went to the nearest temp agency and told them what I wanted. Not long after, I received a call from Manson about the warehouse runner position, and the rest is history.”
Ted still enjoys the work 15 years later and has become a mainstay and active contributor to the complex inner workings of the Houma Yard.
“Ted is dependable and a pleasure to work with,” John explains. “Through the years, he has willingly accepted many last-minute assignments that have supported ongoing operations. He is a great team member and, for a long time, has been an integral part of the Manson family in Houma.”