Port People: Hamilton, Port Everglades

Ian Hamilton Named President & CEO of the Hamilton Port Authority

Ian Hamilton
Photo/Hamilton Port Authority

Ian Hamilton becomes president and CEO of the Hamilton Port Authority (HPA), effective January 1, 2017. He fills a vacancy created by the retirement in September of Bruce Wood. PHA Chair Edward Minich has been serving as interim CEO.

Mr. Hamilton joined HPA in 2008 as vice president of business development and real estate. Previously, he held the positions of Transatlantic Trade Director (Europe) for CP Ships and Business Development Manager for Hapag-Lloyd. He also worked as an independent consultant for various logistics companies. At the port authority, he has been responsible for a C$500 million real estate portfolio.

Mr. Hamilton holds an MBA from Aston University in the United Kingdom, a BSc in business administration and economics from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, and is a member of the Institute of Logistics.

Agriculture has becoming an increasingly significant component of this Canadian Great Lakes port’s diversifying cargo base, which also includes steel, aggregates and bulk liquids and last year totaled some 9.2 million metric tons. During the past eight years, employment at port-based companies has grown by more than 30 percent. In recent years, the port has attracted more than C$300 million investment.

"Businesses continue to seek space for investment and growth, with access to robust multimodal transportation options," said Mr. Hamilton. "We’ll continue to build on these strengths, fulfilling our role of facilitating trade and economic growth, in a way that is socially and environmentally responsible."

Port Everglades Names Scientist, Planner and Diver to Environmental Program Manager Position

Erik Neugaard
Photo/Port Everglades

Port Everglades has hired local environmental science and planning veteran Erik Neugaard as environmental program manager. Working within the Seaport Engineering and Construction Division, he will oversee all environmental functions and procedures associated with operations and development at the South Florida cruise, cargo and petroleum port.

"Erik's first-hand knowledge of the South Florida coral reef system, as a scientist and a diver, is a real plus for Port Everglades, especially as we begin the next update to our 20-year Master/Vision Plan," said Port Chief Executive Steve Cernak, PPM.

A major component of the Master/Vision Plan is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to deepen and widen the port's entrance and navigation channels, which is currently in the preconstruction engineering and design phase.
Mr. Neugaard has 24 years of experience as an environmental scientist and planner with the Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management, Florida Department of Transportation and as a consultant.  A local scuba diver, he has also worked as a dive instructor and naturalist for a cruise line, managed a dive shop and captained charter boats and yachts.

Mr. Neugaard earned a master’s degree in marine biology from the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, where he studied Broward County's deep artificial reefs. He also holds certifications from professional associations and organizations as a planner, ecologist, fisheries professional, wetland scientist, wildlife biologist, hazardous materials manager, hazardous waste site operations supervisor, scientific diver and trimix scuba instructor. He is president of the South Florida Association of Environmental Professionals.