History of PLANO - The 1960s
The year 1963 was one of landmark changes and events in the history of PLANO. In July, 1963, The New Orleans Landmen's Association, originally formed in 1953, changed its name to the Petroleum Landmen's Association of New Orleans. The PLANO membership roster for that year contains the names of 214 active members and dues were $12.00 per year.
In 1963 and throughout the early 60's, the Roosevelt Hotel, the New Orleans Petroleum Club and Kolb's Restaurant were popular sites for monthly lunch meetings of the general membership. Usually, there was a speaker, and The Times-Picayune was contacted to photograph and report on these events, which were to be included on the Oil Page of the Sunday Edition. Speakers during 1963 included The Honorable Walter B. Hamlin, Louisiana Supreme Court Associate Justice, Austin Lewis, of the firm Liskow and Lewis, as well as Dave Dixon, who spoke on efforts to bring professional football teams to the Deep South. The cost of a typical lunch meeting held in the Blue Room of the Roosevelt Hotel was $2.50 per person in November, 1963. Meetings of the Board of Directors were usually held at luncheons in various restaurants, such a Arnaud's. An Ex-President's Luncheon was also held to exchange ideas relating to the association.
The first annual Executive Night was held on October 14, 1963, at the New Orleans Petroleum Club. Originally, membership in PLANO was limited to landmen and scouts. Executive Night appears to have been instituted in order to provide an opportunity for members to network with non-member executives and public officials, who were invited to the event as guests of PLANO. The event was so successful, attracting the largest crowd ever for a PLANO meeting (145 people), that it was voted to become an annual event.
Social events in 1963 included a Luau, a Fall cocktail party, a golf tournament, and a Christmas dance, all of which events were, or after this year became, annual events. In 1963, the Luau was a wildly popular full day and evening event held on Memorial Day and attracted 222 members and guests. The memorandum sent to the membership in advance of the Luau promised "positively no twist numbers!" Approximately 112 people attended the fall cocktail party, and the Christmas dance was held at the Monteleone Hotel. Other popular events included football film night, which later became a father and son event.
During the years of 1963-65, it was the practice of the organization to send one or two representatives to the annual AAPL convention, which was held in a different city each year. In 1964-65, PLANO worked toward efforts begun in 1963 to bring the annual AAPL convention to New Orleans in 1967. Other initiatives discussed during this time were to establish a Petroeum Land Management curriculum at LSU similar to the one at the University of Texas, and to establish a freshman scholarship fund.
By 1966-67, PLANO membership had risen to 242 members and the dues remained $12.00. the idea of opening the PLANO membership to men who supervised landmen was first broached in 1966. This new category of associate membership was to be dues paying, but non-voting. In 1967, the PLANO membership unanimously approved the associate membership category and the initiative to establish a freshman scholarship fund. A non-resident membership category of PLANO membership was suggested. Plans for the AAPL convention were in full swing and the site of the convention was changed from the Roosevelt Hotel to the Jung Hotel.
In 1968, at a board meeting held at the Lamplighter Club of the Rault Center, it was agreed that PLANO annual dues would be raised from $12.00 to $20.00. Shortly thereafter, the board agreed to a $5.00 late fee for dues not timely paid. Moon Landrieu spoke to the PLANO membership concerning the Dome Stadium, and in 1969, spoke again concerning the problems of New Orleans. In 1969, PLANO established a public relations committee with the goal of improving the image of the petroleum industry and adopted a resolution opposing a cut in the oil depletion allowance, which resolution was sent to President Nixon.
New Orleans was the site for the Annual AAPL Convention held on June 21-23, 1967 at the Jung Hotel. In preparation for the Convention, PLANO hosted the AAPL Director's Meeting at the Jung Hotel on March 10 and 11, 1967. Among the topics discussed at the meeting were plans for the Convention, which included a Dinner Dance aboard the riverboat "President" and a tour of the city for wives of AAPL members.
The PLANO freshman scholarship fund was established in 1968. The fund's purpose was to award a maximum $500.00 scholarship to a Louisiana high school graduate entering a PLM curriculum, with the recipient to be selected by the PLANO Board.
By June 1969, PLANO membership stood at 205 regular and associate members and 13 honorary and life members. When, in August 1969, the family and property of a PLANO member living in Waveland were lost in Hurricane Camille, PLANO established an assistance fund to which other landmen associations, including the Lafayette Association of Petroleum Landmen, generously contributed.
History of PLANO