Port People: Los Angeles, Redwood City

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The Los Angeles City Council on June 11 unanimously confirmed Gene Seroka as the new executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. Rajesh C. Sewak has joined the Port of Redwood City as manager of finance and administration, succeeding Cynthia Hampton, who retired last month after 15 years with the port.

Gene Seroka Confirmed as Executive Director Of Port Of Los Angeles

The Los Angeles City Council on June 11 unanimously confirmed veteran shipping industry leader Gene Seroka as the new executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.

"Gene Seroka is a dynamic, seasoned executive with all the right knowledge and skills to seize the opportunities and navigate the challenges of a fiercely competitive industry and ensure the Port of Los Angeles continues to thrive as a global leader in international trade," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Mr. Seroka brings to the port more than 25 years of experience in shipping, global logistics and executive management, most recently as head of commercial in the Americas Region for American President Lines (APL) Limited. After several key overseas positions for APL, he returned to the U.S. in 2010 to become President – Americas for APL Limited in Phoenix, where he managed sales for APL’s liner shipping, managed 1,000 employees and was responsible for all commercial, port terminal, intermodal and labor activities throughout the region.

Gene Seroka
Photo/Port of Los Angeles

Mr. Seroka joined APL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), in 1988 as a sales support representative in the company’s Cincinnati office after earning an MBA and Bachelor of Science in marketing from the University of New Orleans. Over the years, he has held various positions in the sales management and marketing fields with increasing responsibility and high-level assignments all over the world. Throughout his career, Seroka has played a key role in global marketing and corporate strategies for APL.

Mr. Seroka’s first overseas posting was in Shanghai where he served as director of sales and marketing for North and Central China from 1999 to 2003. He then moved to Jakarta where he was president director of PT APL and APL Logistics in Indonesia for two years before relocating to Singapore in 2005 to become vice president of APL Logistics’ business units in 26 countries in the company’s Asia/Middle East and South Asia regions.

From 2008 to 2010, he served as regional vice president for APL and APL Logistics Emirates LLC in Dubai where he managed APL’s business in the Middle East and East Africa.

The Los Harbor Board of Commissioners unanimously voted June 5 to approve Mr. Seroka for the executive director’s position. Mayor Garcetti’s May 27 announcement that he had chosen Mr. Seroka for the job concluded a global search to fill the port’s top management post.

Redwood City Port Names Rajesh Sewak Manager of Finance & Administration

Rajesh C. Sewak has joined the Port of Redwood City as manager of finance and administration, succeeding Cynthia Hampton, who retired last month after 15 years with the port.

"Rajesh has a proven track record of successfully working as an accounting manager and controller for small to mid-sized businesses in varied industries as well as almost 10 years in municipal finance," said Port Executive Director Michael J. Giari.

Mr. Sewak had worked since March 2005 for the Redwood City as a revenue services manager and senior accountant and before that served for 18 years in various positions with Qantas Airways Limited, Western Multiplex Corp, Care on-Call, Inc., and Loncar Enterprises Inc.

He holds an MBA in finance at Golden Gate University and a BS in accounting and finance from San Francisco State University.

Rajesh C. Sewak
Photo/Port of Redwood City