Port People: Bellingham, Jacksonville, Portland (OR)

Bellingham Hires New Marine Terminals Business Development Manager

Chris Clark
Photo/Port of Bellingham

The Port of Bellingham has hired Chris Clark as its marine terminals business development manager. He will be responsible for sales, marketing and business development at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal and Bellingham Cruise Terminal.

Mr. Clark has more than 30 years of experience establishing new shipping routes for bulk and breakbulk cargoes. In the 1990s, he helped launch a breakbulk service shipping frozen poultry and meat from Bellingham Cold Storage to the Russian Far East.

Mr. Clark joins the port from Navico Chartering, a ship brokerage firm specializing in the transport of bulk and break bulk cargoes. Earlier experience includes arranging the worldwide carriage of commodities such as grain, fertilizer, aluminum, steel, and logs; as well as establishing new ocean shipping lines servicing oversized container and high value project customers.

"We are pleased to welcome Chris back to Whatcom County’s maritime community," said Port Commission President Dan Robbins. "Reactivating the Bellingham Shipping Terminal in support of new family-wage jobs is one of the highest priorities for the Port of Bellingham. We have made significant capital investments to modernize the Shipping Terminal and will now be focusing our efforts on marketing this facility to attract new businesses to Whatcom County."

Bellingham Shipping Terminal offers 1,250 feet of dock space on a deepwater pier, a 550-foot barge pier, 85,000 square feet of covered storage, 40 acres of upland; and access to resources via rail, barge, rafts, trucks, containers and ocean-going vessels. Recent upgrades include a new bulkhead, renovation of the stormwater and power systems, and roof improvements.

"The Bellingham Shipping Terminal has great prospects for a variety of bulk and breakbulk cargoes," said Mr. Clark. "I look forward to bringing these prospects to reality."

Bellingham Shipping Terminal
Photo/Port of Bellingham

Brian Taylor Resigns as JAXPORT CEO 

The governing board of the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) announced March 8 that CEO Brian Taylor and the port authority have agreed to part ways. Mr. Taylor joined the authority in 2013 after a career in the maritime industry that included executive positions at SeaLand and Horizon Lines. He will now pursue other business opportunities.

During his tenure, JAXPORT completed the Mile Point project, on-dock rail facility serving the Blount Island and Dames Point Terminals; berth, and dock and rail upgrades. It also acquired three new 100-gauge electric container cranes and signed a project partnership Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin the deepening of the Jacksonville channel to 47 feet.

Effective that same day, the board appointed Eric Green, JAXPORT’s senior director of government affairs, acting CEO.

"We look forward to working with Brian in the private sector in the future. We have every confidence in Eric's ability to take our efforts to the next level and enable JAXPORT to fulfill its promise of economic development and job growth for the community," said Board Chair Jim Citrano.

Portland (OR): Kristen Leonard Returns as Port’s Chief Public Affairs Officer

Kristen Leonard returned to the Port of Portland as chief public affairs officer on February 27. She left port in November 2015 to serve as Governor Kate Brown’s chief of staff. During this time, Bobbi Stedman, the port’s chief human resources officer, also served as chief public affairs officer.

Ms. Leonard joined the port to lead public affairs in July 2014. Previously, she advised clients on communications and public affairs. She is co-founder of C&E Systems, a Portland-based company specializing in government relations, financial services, and software development. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a BA in communications.

"Kristen is a highly qualified, talented leader and has extensive expertise on critical issues for the Port of Portland," said Port Executive Director Bill Wyatt. "We are glad she was able to serve the governor over the last year and we look forward to getting her back on board."