Shrimp and Petroleum Festival royalty

Peter Bello Photography
Jimmy Skiles of Berwick and Emma Thomas of Morgan City were presented as the 82nd Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival King and Queen during a coronation Saturday at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Skiles, a Berwick High graduate, is an Army veteran. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nicholls State University in 1973. The former Shrimp and Petroleum Festival board member is executive vice president at Laborde Marine. Skiles has volunteered many years as a coach for baseball, softball, basketball and football, and served on many recreation boards. He is a member of the API advisory board and has served on many oil industry boards. He and his wife, the former Edie Dilsaver, have three children and seven grandchildren. Thomas, 19, is the daughter of Christy and Ruben Thomas of Morgan City. The Central Catholic High School graduate is majoring in kinesiology with a concentration in occupational therapy at LSU. They will reign over the festival which will be held Thursday through Monday in downtown Morgan City.