Gary Chouest is an American businessman, the influential President of Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO), a massive, privately owned conglomerate specializing in maritime transportation, offshore support vessels (OSV), and subsea services. His career is multi-generational, rooted in the marine transportation business founded by his father, Edison Chouest, in Galliano, Louisiana, in 1960 (initially Edison Chouest Boat Rental).

Chouest's career is defined by his commitment to vertical integration (controlling the design, building, and operation of his fleet) and dominating the U.S. Gulf deepwater operations (servicing oil and gas projects). This expertise in high-tech, specialized vessel operation has cemented his family's status as a titan of the maritime industry.

Gary Chouest assumed a leadership role in the family enterprise, guiding the expansion of Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) into a formidable conglomerate. Under his leadership as President, ECO amassed a fleet of over 200 vessels (ranging from 87 to 525 feet in length), specializing in highly specialized vessels like Platform Supply Vessels, Ice Breakers, and Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles (ROVs) for subsea work.

His diversification includes shipbuilding (owning five shipyards globally) and luxury yacht construction (controlling Westport Yachts, the U.S.'s premier yacht builder since 1964). His sons, Dino Chouest (Executive VP) and Ross Chouest (racing team owner), are actively involved in the business. Gary's wealth is secured by the immense, long-term returns generated by his essential role in supporting the global offshore oil, gas, and research industries.

Gary Chouest's social impact is structural, stemming from ECO's role in providing essential support for U.S. Gulf deepwater oil and gas operations and global maritime research (operating the Icebreaker Nathaniel B. Palmer for the National Science Foundation). The company is a massive employer, providing stable, high-value maritime jobs.

His personal philanthropy supports various community and maritime industry organizations. His career is a testament to the profitability of industrial vertical integration and specialized technological expertise in the high-stakes offshore environment.

Gary Chouest maintains the professional, composed style of a maritime industrial executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic is one of serious authority, reflecting his decades of commanding a vast, technologically advanced fleet.

Residing in Palm Beach, Florida, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is defined by his commitment to maritime engineering, deepwater operations, and the luxury yacht market (owning his own Westport yacht, MY GIRL).