OUR FOUNDERS

Huey Wilson (1928-2008) and his wife, Angelina (1930-2016), were both born and raised in Louisiana during the Great Depression to large families with modest means. Together they founded H. J. Wilson Co., Inc., a catalog showroom retail business in Baton Rouge in 1957. The company went public in 1971 and grew to more than 80 stores throughout the South. At the time of its sale in 1985, H. J. Wilson Co., Inc. had become the largest company headquartered in Baton Rouge, employing 10,000 people across 13 states. In 1990, the Wilsons co-founded Gulf Island Fabrication, Inc., an oilfield service business in Houma, La. Gulf Island Fabrication went public in 1997 and has grown to employ nearly 2,000 people. Gulf Island Fabrication, Inc., is a global leader in the fabrication of offshore oil and gas platforms, onshore modules, marine vessels and other specialized structures.

Blessed with substantial success, the Wilsons dedicated a meaningful part of their wealth to Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation. Their  granddaughters, Andrea and Reneé, are trustees of the Foundation. Their daughter, Dianne, recently stepped down as a trustee, and their sons John and Denver were also trustees of the Foundation prior to their deaths. The family, along with trustees appointed from the community, continues the legacy of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson through stewardship of the gift left to the community.