Port People: Freeport (TX), Olympia

Phyllis Saathoff Appointed Executive Port Director/CEO of Port Freeport

Phyllis Saathoff, PPM®, has been appointed executive port director/chief executive officer of Port Freeport in Texas. Her selection as the successor to retiring CEO Glenn Carlson came after a lengthy search process and with the unanimous approval of the port’s board of directors.

Phyllis Saathoff is an accomplished executive with more than 20 years of service in the port industry. Her maritime career began in 1992 at Port Freeport, where she worked as director of finance & administration, then as managing director, and finally as interim executive port director before joining the Port of Houston Authority in October 2012.  During her tenure at Port Freeport, she was successful in obtaining a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit to deepen the Freeport Harbor channel to 55 feet and in initiating and financing the development of the port’s first container terminal.

At Houston, she served as the port authority’s chief people officer and deputy executive director of corporate affairs with responsibility for public affairs, strategic planning, channel development, freight mobility and environmental affairs.

Ms. Saathoff was recognized as one of the Top 10 Women in Gulf Transportation by Gulf Shipper Magazine. She is the author of the Emergency Preparedness and Continuity of Operations Planning Manual for Best Practices for ports.

She is past president of the National Association of Foreign Trade Zones and former treasurer of the Texas Gulf Ports Association. She also served on the Port Authority Advisory Council to the Texas Department of Transportation.

A certified public accountant, Ms. Saathoff earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.   She is also an AAPA-certified Professional Port Manager (PPM®).


Phyllis Saathoff, PPM®
Photo/Port Freeport
Olympia Appoints Rachael Jamison Environmental Director

Rachael J. Jamison will be joining the Port of Olympia on May 2 as director of environmental programs.
She comes to the position with a background in environmental management, policy and sustainability, as well as strong relationships with leaders in these fields at the state and federal levels. 
 
Most recently, she worked at the Weyerhaeuser Company as manager of sustainable forestry. Earlier, she served as executive policy analyst for the Washington Department of Natural Resources, and before that as the green building program lead at the Washington State Department of Ecology.   

Ms. Jamison earned bachelor's and master’s degrees in environmental studies from The Evergreen State College in Olympia. 

"The port received many excellent applications for this position," said Port Executive Director Ed Galligan. "And while the competition was close, we found Rachael to be the best fit for the Port of Olympia. We are looking forward to having Rachael on the port’s leadership team and working with her to continue to build upon and broaden the port’s commitment to environmental stewardship throughout Thurston County."


Rachael J. Jamison
Photo/Port of Olympia