Article: 00009

Hogan Hardwoods Surveys Damage to New Orleans Shop

Andy Jenkins (ISW Online) interviews David Hogan, CEO of Hogan Hardwoods & Moulding.

Click to see the actual story on ISW Online.com dated 9/28/2005

NEW ORLEANS – David Hogan, CEO of Hogan Hardwoods, returned to the company's New Orleans shipping yard and plant over the weekend of Sept. 9, following the city's forced evacuation caused by Hurricane Katrina. He was pleased to find no flood damage.

However, all 12 of the company's curtain-sided semi trucks were missing. Police would help Hogan recover all but three of the missing trucks; including one found nearly 300 miles north in Tuscaloosa, AL. Hogan and other employees later saw photos taken by the national news media that pictured one of Hogan Hardwood's trucks carrying 60 to 70 people out of New Orleans. Apparently, the New Orleans Police Department had commandeered some of the trucks for evacuation purposes.

"From the evacuation standpoint, we were very happy people were able to use the trucks," Hogan said.

Hogan also said he was pleased to report that all 37 of Hogan Hardwoods New Orleans employees and their families survived the terrible ordeal. Unfortunately, 19 of those 37 employees returned to New Orleans to find their homes completely destroyed.

"We're trying to get up and handle our business as best we can, but there are just so many variables involved with people in shock and everything," Hogan said. "We've just been trying to get everybody back and busy and get their minds off everything else going on."

After Hogan Hardwood's employees finished evacuating New Orleans on Aug. 27, Hogan said five days passed before he heard from all of them. Many made their way to other Hogan Hardwood plants in Baton Rouge, LA; Lafayette, LA; Destin, FL; and Houston, TX, where employees would again have to evacuate, this time as a result of Hurricane Rita.

On Sept. 9, Hogan received permission to return to New Orleans and recover materials from the company's shipping yards. Hogan led a caravan of 24 Hogan Hardwoods trucks down into the city, noting extreme damage along the way. The caravan of Hogan Hardwoods employees managed to transport nearly all of the yard's $1.9 million in inventory as well as some machinery from the 70,000-square-foot warehouse.   Continue Article...