Former Tidewater Exec V-P, attorney Victor Koock service tomorrow at Temple Sinai
VICTOR IVAN KOOCK, an attorney and former executive vice president of Tidewater, Inc., passed away and will be memorialized tomorrow in a service at Temple Sinai tomorrow, April 1 at 12 noon.
VICTOR KOOCK
A native of New York, he moved to Birmingham, Alabama as a 9-year-old with his family. He earned his bachelor of science degree from the University of Alabama before traveling to New Orleans to obtain his Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola University, finishing in the Top 10% of his class.
Koock served as Law Review Business Manager; editor of the Law School newspape and earned various academic honors including Outstanding Senior Law Student.
Koock began his career as an an associate in the law firm Nelson and Nelson. He later joined Tidewater Inc. (formerly Tidewater Marine Service, Inc.), at that time the world’s largest provider of marine equipment to the offshore oil industry.
Koock retired from Tidewater Inc.in 1995 as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary and, thereafter, served as a consultant to Tidewater. He worked at Tidewater as a staff attorney, later becoming manager of the contracts department where he was responsible for the drafting, negotiation, administration and interpretation of vessel charters, operating agreements, towing agreements, oilfield service agreements, and other contracts involving the company and its vessels.
Koock became manager of the Legal Department in 1978, Chief Legal Officer in 1980, and General Counsel in 1983 and was responsible for the entirety of the company’s legal affairs including: mergers and acquisitions; securities and corporate matters; contracts; international legal matters; claims and litigation; and labor and personnel. He became a vice president in 1983 and Senior Vice President in 1986, acting as the company’s principal administrative officer and was responsible for insurance, human relations, public affairs, shareholder relations as well as real property management. This included the company’s headquarter building, Tidewater Place.
During his tenure he led the Tidewater team responsible for accomplishing the merger of Zapata Gulf Marine Corporation into Tidewater Inc.; directed the legal team responsible for negotiating and acquiring the assets of Halliburton Company Compression Services Division; provided legal leadership in the five plus years that Tidewater faced a threat (which was ultimately thwarted) from the Irwin Jacobs Group, and dealt with expansion of their real estate title insurance business by insuring non-real estate property, and, in particular, vessels, boats and ships.
He joined a subsidiary, First American Transportation Title Insurance Company as Vice President of the company and General Counsel of its Marine Division. He remained with First American until 2008 when the Company made the decision to exit the business of vessel title insurance and retired once again.
He was involved in many professional organizations including the Maritime Law Association, the Southeastern Admiralty law Institute, the Society for Professionals in Dispute Resolution, American Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association, and Louisiana Bar Association. Victor also served on the boards of Congregation Gates of Prayer, the Louisiana chapters of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, the American Corporate Counsel Association, and the American Society of Corporate Secretaries. He was a member of the YMBC (Young Mens Business Club) where he served as editor/publisher of their monthly news magazine and was the recipient of the James Kraus Award, silver pitcher, as the most active new member that year.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Barbara “Bunny” Koock, two children, Barrie Koock Stevens (Neal) and Gregory Koock, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and his sister, Lesley Koock Boone (Daniel).
Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 1, 2024 at Congregation Temple Sinai, 6227 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. followed by a service at 12:00 p.m Interment will follow at Hebrew Rest Cemetery No. 3.
Memorial may be made to the charity of your choice.
