Jim Bernhard, a well-known Baton Rouge, La., businessman who founded The Shaw Group and Bernhard Capital Partners (BCP), has died after a brief illness at the age of 71.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Jim Bernhard — beloved husband, father and grandfather and one of Louisiana’s most influential business leaders,” stated the firm on Nov. 16. “Jim was a visionary entrepreneur, civic contributor and devoted community advocate whose accomplishments and impact on the Gulf South underscore the tremendous and unparalleled legacy he leaves behind.”
Bernhard began his career on the floor of a local fabrication shop and went on to found The Shaw Group in 1987. He grew the business from a small fabrication and construction company into an international Fortune 500 company with more than 30,000 employees and $7 billion in annual revenue. Under his leadership, The Shaw Group became one of the most important industrial and infrastruct
