Port People: Long Beach, New Orleans, St. Bernard

Colonna, Lowenthal Confirmed for Long Beach Harbor Commission

The Long Beach City Council on July 18 unanimously approved Mayor Robert Garcia’s appointments of Frank Colonna and Bonnie Lowenthal to the Board of Harbor Commissioners, the five-member body that oversees the Port of Long Beach.

Both are former City Council members. Ms. Lowenthal is also a former state assembly member and Long Beach Unified School District Board member. Their first meeting as harbor commissioners is set for August 14.

Mr. Colonna will fill the seat of Commissioner Doug Drummond, who was appointed to a partial term of four years in 2011 and reappointed in 2015 with the intent to retire in August 2017. Mr. Colonna’s term runs into 2021. Ms. Lowenthal is appointed to a six-year term, replacing Commissioner Rich Dines, who joined in 2011.

Harbor commissioners are eligible to serve a maximum of two six-year terms.

Frank Colonna and has been a real estate professional and business owner in Long Beach for more than 30 years. He served two terms as council member and two years as vice mayor. He currently sits on the Economic Development Commission.

Bonnie Lowenthal has been an active leader in the Long Beach community for decades. A licensed family counselor and mental health consultant, she served as vice mayor while on the City Council. She also chaired the Select Committee on Ports and Transportation Committee as a California State Assembly member.
 

New Orleans Port CEO Christian Appointed to Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council

Brandy D. Christian, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans, has been appointed to the Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council (RSTAC).  

The council provides advice on regulatory, policy and legislative matters to the Surface Transportation Board, (STB) the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Appointed by the STB Chairman, the 15 RSTAC members include senior officials representing large and small shippers, and large and small railroads. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation and the seven STB members serve ex-officio.  

Ms. Christian’s appointment follows the approval last month by the port’s board of commissioners of a resolution to begin negotiations with the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad and the City of New Orleans to realign the Public Belt and its assets under the port.

"It is an honor to contribute maritime industry insight from a port’s perspective on railroads and the shipping community while representing New Orleans and the Gulf region," said Ms. Christian. "I look forward to working with the board members and council members to develop the best practices to benefit all rail and shipping partners involved."

Ms. Christian will attend her first RSTAC meeting August 2 in Washington, D.C.

Brandy Christian
Photo/Port of New Orleans

Drew Heaphy Named St. Bernard Port District Chief Executive

Drew Heaphy, PPM®, an employee of the St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District since 1995, is now its executive director. He succeeds Robert Scafidel, who retired June 30 after 19 years at the port’s helm.

Mr. Heaphy had served just over 18 years as the port’s director of administration at the time of his promotion.  Earlier, he was employed by the St. Bernard Parish Government as chief administrative officer, director of finance, and assistant director of finance.

He holds a BS in accounting from Southeastern University of Louisiana, an MBA from the University of New Orleans, and has been a certified public accountant since 1991. He completed AAPA’s Professional Port Manager (PPM®) program in 2013. His research paper, The Louisiana Port Construction and Development Priority Program and the Affects of the Program on the Port of St. Bernard, is available on the AAPA website.

Mr. Heaphy is a member of the AAPA Finance Committee. He is also vice president and an executive committee member of the Port Association of Louisiana.