Captain Larry Lopez started at Terral RiverService in 1998 as a deckhand, bouncing around from boat to boat.

Now, he serves as relief Captain for the M/V Anna Marie.

“I’ve always been told that when you wear out your first pair of boots, you’re on the river for life,” he said. That statement rings true for Larry.

In April of 2003, after 5 years of serving as a deckhand, he went on to get his Pilot’s license. With that, he continued to work on various boats over time.

Now, he’s on his third-issue license and has had the opportunity to watch the company grow exponentially.

“There used to be 2 people in the office,” he said. “Now, we have grown to where I can’t even keep count of how many people we have.”

One of those additions was his now-wife Adele, who works in fleet dispatch for Terral. Though the two went to highschool together, they didn’t become well acquainted with each other until after Larry was already a relief captain.

“Hearing about him working his way up to the pilot position is very respectable,” she said. “He always strives to do better, which he did by paying his way through school to achieve his license.”

Adele will celebrate her 10th year with Terral in June.

“I hope to spend many, many more years here,” she said. “I couldn’t ask for a better job.”