Louisiana Businessman
Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr.
Who is Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr.?
Arlen “Benny” Cenac, Jr. is Louisiana businessman and an entrepreneur with a global reach. Benny has owned Houma Machine & Propeller since July of 2015 and is a third-generation owner of Cenac Marine Services.
He has led Cenac Marine Services through several industry hardships by focusing on the values set before him by his grandfather and founder, Jock Cenac. Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr.’s maternal grandfather, Horace “Jack” Guidry founded Main Iron Works in 1947. He has applied the same values set before him by both of his grandfathers to lead the company into the next generation. These values, combined with a focus on customer service, reliability, and quality are what separates Main Iron Works from the competition and allows them to service customers across the country.
Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr. is guided by the values and principles established by his grandfather over 85 years ago: a commitment to employee satisfaction and great company morale. Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr. takes pride in continuing this legacy and is certain that all current employees would share that the company operates as a family. More importantly, he understands that the most important thing to him is the family and friends who make Houma a great place to live.
In addition to Houma Machine & Propeller, Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr. owns several other business entities in the gulf coast region, touching a wide-range of vital sectors such as retail, manufacturing, wholesale and agriculture. As an entrepreneur at heart, Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr. enjoys seeking out new business opportunities across the region, to help cultivate a strong local economy, continuing his family’s history of supporting the local economy of Houma and Terrebonne Parish.
Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr.: A Louisiana Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Community Leader
As a dedicated leader in his community, Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr. has served on several boards and committees, including Nicholls State University College of Business Advisory Board, Nicholls State University Foundation and Restore or Retreat. Arlen Benny Cenac is also a member of American Waterways Operators, South Central Industrial Association, Bayou Community Foundation and Greater New Orleans Foundation. Community partnerships are vital both in business and in philanthropy and Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr. is proud to have formed so many strong partnerships and friendships throughout his time as head of Houma Machine & Propeller.
Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr. is also a devoted philanthropist, donating his time and money to many regional, national and international causes. He is proud of his involvement with the Terrebonne Association for Retarded Citizens, Houma-Terrebonne NAACP, O.N.E./C.H.A.N.G.E., American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Terrebonne General Health System, and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
A lifelong resident of Louisiana, Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr. continues to take a more proactive role in his community. He is always innovating and forming new partnerships to improve his local community. It is only through strong partnerships and strong community engagement that Houma and Terrebonne Parrish can continue to grow and thrive. From stimulating the local economy through his many businesses to protecting Louisiana from the negative effects of coastal erosion, Arlen Benny Cenac, Jr. is proud to serve those in the community he calls home, the friends he considers family, and the great state of Louisiana.