Mr. Howard Stoffer has been Director for Administration and Information of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate since July 2005. He previously served as the Minister-Counselor in the Management and Reform Section of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations from 2001-2005. He was also Counselor for Political Affairs of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations from 1997-2001.

Other assignments in the U.S. Foreign Service include: Tel Aviv (1994-1997) where he was a member of the peace process team, Moscow (1991-1993) during the fall of the Soviet Union, the Soviet and China desks in the State Department during the mid to late 1980’s, and the Sinai peacekeeping mission -- the Multinational Force and Observers – from 1987 to 1988. In the early 1980’s, Mr. Stoffer was an advisor to the U.S. Delegation to the Strategic Arms Talks in Geneva and later the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Negotiations in Geneva. He also served as a member of the U.S. Delegation to the Conference on Disarmament in Europe. His first assignment was in Oslo, Norway, from 1981-1982.

Mr. Stoffer earned a BA from Columbia College in 1971, an MA and Certificate from the Russian Institute of Columbia University’s School of International Affairs in 1974, and a PhD from Columbia University’s Graduate Faculties in Political Science in 1980. He was an adjunct professor during the 1970’s at Columbia, Baruch College and the New School for Social Research and is the author of a number of articles and monographs on arms control and disarmament.

Mr. Stoffer is married to Jane Rosenberg, an attorney, and they have one daughter, Hannah Rose-Jing.

Gary LaGrange took leadership of the Port of New Orleans in September 2001. A native of South Louisiana, Mr LaGrange came to New Orleans after serving as Executive Director of the Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport.

Mr LaGrange worked tenaciously to bring the Port of New Orleans back into operation after the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. His commitment to the maritime industry is reflected in the numerous leadership positions he has held at state, regional and national levels. He recently served as Chairman of the American Association of Port Authorities, an alliance of 350 ports in the Western Hemisphere. He also serves on the boards of the Gulf Ports Association of the Americas and is past Chairman and past President of the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association. He is Chairman of the National Waterways Conference and serves on the Board of the Waterways Council.

He recently earned the esteemed Professional Port Manager Certification (PPM) from the American Association of Port Authorities.