Port People: Coos Bay, Duluth, Houston, Vancouver USA

Coos Bay: Port Names Soderstrom and Kerry to Senior Level Positions

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay is adding two seasoned transportation executives to its senior staff: Anna Soderstrom as chief commercial officer and Patrick Kerr as director of rail operations, beginning January 30.

Anna Soderstrom comes to Coos Bay from the Tacoma (WA) area, where she has spent more than 15 years in the maritime sector, most recently as director of client relations and business development for California United Terminals and Washington United Terminals.

Earlier, she worked as a senior business development manager for the Port of Tacoma and before that as a project manager in the Port of Seattle’s cruise department. Among her degrees are a BA in international marketing from the University of Mälardalen in Sweden and an MS in economics and organizational development from the University of Washington.

Mr. Kerr has worked in the rail industry for more than 25 years. That includes 8 years as assistant general manager and assistant vice president of government affairs for CORP/RailAmerica - the company that operated Coos Bay Rail Line before the port purchased it in 2009.

Patrick Kerr (left) and Anna Soderstrom

Photos/Oregon International Port of Coos Bay

Appointments to Duluth Seaway Port Authority Board

At its first meeting of 2017, the newly seated St. Louis County (SLC) Board appointed two new commissioners to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority—Patrick Boyle and Pete Stauber. They will complete remaining terms of former commissioners Chris Dahlberg and Steve Raukar, respectively, both of whom chose not to run for reelection to the SLC Board last fall.

Mr. Boyle, a nurse practitioner, was first elected to the SLC Board in a special election in January 2014 to complete the term of the late Steve O’Neil. At the time, he was a member of the Duluth City Council. He was re-elected last November to a four-year term. As a county commissioner, he has chaired the Public Safety Committee and currently chairs the Health and Human Services Committee. His appointment to the port authority board runs through December 31, 2017.

A retired professional hockey player, Mr. Stauber in 1993 joined the Duluth Police Department, where he is now a lieutenant. He is also a small business owner in Duluth. Mr. Stauber served two terms as a Hermantown City Councilor before being elected to the SLC Board in 2012. He was re-elected to a four-year term last fall. He has been chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, is a past Board chair and is the current chair of Public Works and Transportation.

The Duluth City Council reappointed Ray Klosowski, a retired executive director of the Duluth Airport Authority, to a third, six-year term on the port authority board in October 2016. A retired brigadier general, he commanded the 148th Fighter Wing at Duluth from 1989 to 1995 and the Minnesota Air National Guard from 1995 to 1997. The city council first appointed him to the port authority board in 2004. His current term will expire October 10, 2022.

The Duluth Seaway Port Authority board consists of seven commissioners – two appointed by Minnesota’s governor, two by the St. Louis County Board, and three by the Duluth City Council.

Patrick Boyle, (left), Ray Klosowski, and Pete Stauber

Photos/Duluth Seaway Port Authority

Roy D. Mease Reappointed to Houston Port Commission

The Pasadena (TX) City Council on January 17 approved the reappointment of Roy D. Mease to the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority. The council first appointed him to the port commission in September 2013. He serves on its Procurement & Small Business Task Force and the Community Relations Committee.

Mr. Mease also chairs the Pasadena Second Century Corporation, which is the city’s economic development entity and helped Pasadena earn the annual Community Economic Development Award for 2013, from the Texas Economic Development Council.

Mr. Mease served as a member of the Pasadena City Council for eight years. He now chairs the Pasadena Second Century Corporation – the city’s economic development entity, He is also a director and past president of the Pasadena Livestock Show & Rodeo.

Mr. Mease has a private practice in Pasadena. He holds a JD degree from the South Texas College of Law.

Houston port commissioners serve two-year terms without pay.

Roy D. Mease

Photo/Port Houston

Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners selects Julianna Marler as Permanent CEO

The governing commission of the Port of Vancouver USA voted January 24 to hire Julianna Marler as the port’s permanent CEO/Executive Director. She has been its interim CEO since the resignation in May 2016 of Todd Coleman.

Ms. Marler joined the port in September 2008 as senior manager of contracts and was named chief financial and administrative officer in October 2014. Earlier, she worked nine years for the City of Vancouver.

She graduated from Washington State University’s College of Business and Economics with a BBA in business, management, marketing and psychology.

The board directed the port’s human resources director, Jonathan Eder, to negotiate terms of employment, including salary, benefits and a start date, all of which are subject to its approval. The port expects to present this as an action item at the next regularly scheduled board meeting on February 14.

Julianna Marler

Photo/Port of Vancouver USA

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