Robert J Guidry Investments
When recently requested to remark on the beginning of his career Mr. Guidry, known to many as Bobby, took the crowd back to 1958, when during school vacations as a boy of only 12, he worked 60 miles off shore on a tug boat owned by his dad. His duties, during the 14 day long shifts at sea comprised being oiler a deckhand, and cook. In 1963, after high school, he went to work full time helping run the tug company; something he would do for the next 45 years of the family.
Robert J. GuidryIn a classic tale of American bootstrapping entrepreneurial success, Bobby Guidry began earning $300 a month from the tug company. With his monthly rent at $90.00, car note at $50.00, and a wife and kid at home, his finances were exceptionally tight. But Bobby and his brother maintained and built the family business over the decades to become the clear industry leader having a fleet of vessels that were offshore unmatched in power and quality.
In sharing what he was most proud of regarding the years at Harvey Gulf International Marine, Bobby said, "it is really two related accomplishments, first we avoided having any significant debt on the business, which in turn allowed us constantly to be lucrative from 1963 to 2008."
In the event the profit record was ever in danger given his response shocks most to all of the ups and downs of the oil business when asked. "No, in fact, we were lucrative each and every month; that's 490 consecutive months of profitability in the oil field business; not too many companies can match us on that one."
When asked about the keys to his success in company his response flows quickly, "I worked harder than my competitors. When most others were asleep, I was already at work, when others were away playing on a Friday afternoon, I used to be still making sales calls or in the shipyard making sure our boat was first back to the water ahead of our rivals". He went on to convey that "without my brother and my faithful employees, the companies would have never reached the success we enjoyed."
While Robert Guidry might be best known for Harvey Gulf International Marine, he has enjoyed tremendous success as a businessman crossing multiple sectors offering Real Estate Development, Maritime, Hospitality, Gaming, and Lodgings.
His career has seen him develop relationships with several of the world's most recognizable and respected corporations including Shell Oil, Chevron, Texaco, GE, Caterpillar, Marriott, Wyndham Worldwide, Hilton, and IHG and spans six different decades.
