William S. Patout III
| William Schwing "Billy" Patout, III | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 15, 1932 New Iberia Iberia Parish Louisiana, USA |
| Alma mater | Louisiana State University |
| Occupation | Sugar grower |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Crawford Patout (married 1969) |
| Children |
William Patout, IV |
| Parent(s) | William S., Jr., and Hester Catherine Bernadas Patout |
William Patout, IV
Rivers Martin Patout
Avrill Elizabeth Patout
Catherine Josephine Patout
Hester Caroline Patout
Susan Anne Marie Patout
William Schwing Patout, III, also known as Billy Patout (born October 15, 1932, in New Iberia, Louisiana), is one of the last living Louisiana sugar barons. His family began operating M. A. Patout Enterprise in 1832. The firm is now run by a non-family member president and board of trustees, but Patout himself continues to serve as a member of the board of directors and as a consultant. The directors remain family members.
Patout is the oldest son of William S. Patout, Jr., and the former Hester Catherine Bernadas. In his eighth year, his family moved to Patoutville in Iberia Parish, where he developed his interest in the sugar industry, as had his family for nearly two centuries earlier.
In his autobiography entitled, Now You Know, he describes some of the childhood adventures that occurred while he lived on a sugar plantation. While the book is disjointed, contrived from letters that Patout wrote, certain sections transport the reader back to a different time. An excerpt:
When I was a child, the mill and quarters were surrounded by a fence with gates. There were always little boys around the gate area, and they would open them for you. Usually a 5-cent tip was given. The reason for the fence was to keep the cattle in. […] the practice was always a contention with the mill workers as the cattle would get in the factory and "mess" everywhere.
Patout served in the United States Navy from 1954 to 1955. He married Susan Ann Crawford of Indiana in 1969 and together they reared seven children: William Schwing, IV, Rivers Martin, Avrill Elizabeth, Catherine Josephine, Hester Caroline, Susan Anne Marie, and Simeon Crawford. There are fifteen grandchildren. His main hobby is aviation.
After studying Agricultural Engineering at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and sugar technology and business management in Hawaii, Patout began his career with the M. A. Patout Company in 1956. He worked there as an assistant engineer for three years before moving on to become an engineer for Brewer & Co. in Honolulu, Hawaii from 1959 to 1960. he moved from company to company to gain work experience before settling back with his family's company from 1970 until 2001. He started as an assistant general manager and worked his way up to president and chief executive officer/general manager.
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