Port People: Georgia, Long Beach, Metro Vancouver, New Orleans, Redwood City

James A. Walters
Photo/Georgia Ports Authority

Former FedEx Canada President to Head Port of Long Beach

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has selected Jon W. Slangerup, a veteran corporate executive with extensive experience in global logistics and environmental technologies, as the chief executive of the Port of Long Beach.

"He’s an extremely capable leader, proven team-builder and expert at managing a world-class organization. In our highly competitive, quickly changing industry challenged by major environmental and energy issues, he’s the perfect person for the job," said Harbor Commission President Doug Drummond. "With a strong operational and environmental track record, we’re confident that Jon can move us ahead as the Best Green Seaport in the world while providing experienced leadership in developing advanced cargo-handling technology and infrastructure."

Harbor Commissioners made its decision in an executive session following their regular June 23 board meeting and confirmed the appointment at a special public meeting June 30 at 6 p.m. Mr. Slangerup will succeed former Executive Director J. Christopher Lytle, who left the port nearly a year ago for a similar position at the Port of Oakland. Al Moro, previously the port’s chief engineering, has been serving as interim executive director.

With more than 30 years of corporate leadership experience, Mr. Slangerup has served the past two decades as a president, CEO and/or director of both public and private companies, having built businesses ranging from technology startups to a billion-dollar subsidiary of FedEx Corporation. During the last seven years of a 20-year career with FedEx, he served as president of FedEx Canada. He subsequently served as CEO and board director of environmental technology companies involved in in marine ballast water treatment, renewable energy and distributed power generation.

Jon W. Slangerup 
Photo/Port of Long Beach

Metro Vancouver: Anne Bancroft-Jones Reappointed to Port Authority Board

Canada’s Governor General in Council has reappointed Anne Bancroft-Jones to the board of directors of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority for a third three-year term, effective June 23, 2014. She chairs of the board’s governance committee and serves on major capital projects committee.

Ms. Bancroft-Jones is the vice president, First Nations relations and special projects, for Polygon Homes Ltd. and also chairs the Governance and Human Resources Compensation Committee of the Surrey Development Corporation.

She previously held senior positions with the City of Vancouver, including manager of real estate and assistant major projects negotiator. In addition, she has been a senior vice president, development and senior project manager.

She is a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional. She earned a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Science degree in Business Administration, both in Urban Land Economics, from the University of British Columbia.

The 13-member port authority board includes one representative each of the federal, municipal and British Columbia provincial governments, one jointly representing the prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and four federal appointees nominated by port users. Members are compensated for their services and may serve no more than three consecutive three-year terms.

New Orleans Port Board Welcomes New Member, Elects Officers

Laney J. Chouest was sworn in as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans during the board’s meeting on June 26. Appointed by Gov. Bobby Jindal, Mr. Chouest will serve a five-year term, succeeding Joseph F. Toom as one of two Jefferson Parish representatives on the board that governs the port’s operations in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes.

A native of Galliano (LA) and resident of New Orleans, Mr. Chouest is the owner and developer of NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale. A former family practitioner, Mr. Chouest joined his family business, Edison Chouest Offshore, in 1983 and served in all aspects of company operations including design, construction and operation of various offshore support vessels. He retired from the company in 2006 to focus on the motorsports business.

Mr. Chouest holds an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and earned a medical degree from LSU Medical Center in Shreveport.

He served as past chairman of the Offshore Marine Service Association and on the boards of directors for the National Ocean Industry Association and the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee. He also served on the boards of the Kaman Corporation and Deeptech International.

At that same meeting, board members elected Greg R. Rusovich chairman, Scott H. Cooper vice chairman, and William T. Bergeron secretary-treasurer. Mr. Rusovich takes the helm from Daniel F. Packer, who remains on the board. The other commissioners are Michael W. Kearney and Robert "Rusty" Barkerding Jr.

The seven-member board is unsalaried. Board members are appointed to five-year staggered terms by the governor of Louisiana from lists of three nominees submitted by local business, civic, labor, education and maritime groups. Four members are selected from Orleans Parish, two from Jefferson Parish and one from St. Bernard Parish.

 

Laney J. Chouest
Photo/Port of New Orleans

Dick Dodge Reappointed, Simms Duncan Appointed to Redwood City Port Commission

The Redwood City Council has reappointed one of America’s longest serving port commissioners and appointed a newcomer to the five-member Redwood City Port Commission.

Reappointed to a four-year term was Dick Dodge, who originally was appointed in 1980 and reappointed seven times since. At the conclusion of his term, he will have served 38 years. Appointed to a four-year term was Simms Duncan, replacing Commissioner Tom Cronin, who did not seek reappointment.

Mr. Duncan is a senior director of project finance for Hanwha Solar, a global provider of photovoltaic solar solutions. Previously, he was managing director of corporate business development at Applied Materials and, before that, an investment banker for eight years with Jefferies.

He has a B.S. in aerospace engineering and a master’s in avionics and electrical engineering from the United States Naval Academy and a master’s in business from Stanford University. He flew carrier-based jets for the Navy.

Mr. Duncan has been active in Redwood City, including nine years with Redwood City Trees. He is a graduate of the Redwood City Citizen’s Police Academy and Redwood City Pact program.

Mr. Dodge has owned and operated T.H.E. Office City since 1976, which he grew from one employee to one of the largest office products dealers in Northern California. He recently retired as president but continues to serve as board chairman of the company. Prior to that, he was in a management position with Airborne Express for 12 years. He has a B.S. in business administration from University of Southern California.

Mr. Dodge is a past president of the Association of Pacific Ports and has been a frequent presenter at AAPA conferences. Locally, he has served on the boards of the Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce, the Sequoia YMCA, the Redwood City Rotary Club, a bank advisory board, and the Water Transit Authority’s Technical Advisory Committee.

     

 Redwood City Port Commissioners Dick Dodge (left) and Simms Duncan
Photos/Port of Redwood City