Nichols/Pittman/Choate Purchase Cox Interest In Mississippi Marine

John Nichols, president of Mississippi Marine Towboat Corporation, Greenville, Miss., announced recently that he and partners T.R. Pittman and Mrs.

Lilie M. (Skeeter) Choate of Greenville, have purchased the John H. Cox family interest in Mississippi Marine for an undisclosed amount.

John H. Cox, founder, established the firm in the mid-1960s under the name Mississippi Marine Corp. The late Walter L.

Choate, and T.R. Pittman joined him later as partners. In 1972, Mr. Nichols joined the firm as president and the company name was changed.

Mississippi Marine, one of the largest shipbuilding operations in Greenville, is located on Lake Ferguson, and specializes in all phases of marine construction and repair.

Messrs. Nichols and Pittman and Mrs. Choate plan to extend Mississippi Marine Towboat Corporation specialties to the construction of offshore supply boats and tugs. An additional 2,500-ton drydock and expansion of the present repair f a c i l i t y is also planned. Mr. Nichols will remainpresident, while Mr. Pittman takes the secretary-treasurer position formerly held by Mr. Cox.

Mr. Pittman, a custom agricultural machine operator and planter, has extensive agricultural operations south of the city, as well as being active in speculative petroleum prospecting. He is also owner of Pitcox Barge Corp. and co-owner (with Mrs. Choate) of Cox Towing Corp.

Mrs. Choate, in addition to her share in Mississippi Marine and Cox Towing Corp., also owns Chocox Barge Corp. and Choate Furniture Mart.

Mr. Nichols is co-owner of Nichols Propeller Company.

Other stories from June 1977 issue

Content

Maritime Reporter

First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.