The Port of Houston Authority Commission today voted unanimously to elevate Colonel Leonard Waterworth from interim executive director to the permanent position of executive director. Listen News Release
“When we saw the need to do a search for an executive director we just didn’t need to look very far, it turned out,” said PHA Chair Jim Edmonds. Listen
“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Len for about 10 years. I have watched him lead the U.S. Corps of Engineers Galveston District as they worked on a six-year $705 million deepening and widening project for the Houston Ship Channel," Edmonds said. "I have seen him transition those leadership qualities into the private sector when he was president and chief executive officer of Dannenbaum Engineering. And I don’t think we could have found anybody in the country better suited for this position to address the needs that we have today.”
Waterworth said that he is humbled by the promotion. Listen
“I want to think back a little bit, about a hundred years ago, there were leaders in the community that had this vision and determination that they wanted to grow this whole entire region and they wanted to use a port facility as that economic engine,” Waterworth said, recalling the 1900 Storm in Galveston, Spindletop in Beaumont and the commitment to dredge the Houston Ship Channel. “And you have the Panama Canal opening up in November of 1914.”
Waterworth said with the 100th anniversary of both the port and the Panama Canal approaching, and with the expansion of the canal nearing completion, the Port of Houston is positioned for a bright future. “I believe the best is still yet to come in the next hundred years.”
Earlier, in his report on selected financial results and operational issues, Waterworth said 2012 is off to a great start. Listen
“March operating revenues were $19.7 million, which is up three percent over last year, with a year-to-date revenue of $54.4 million, a nine percent increase over 2011,” Waterworth said. “We continue to try to push operating expenses down. Operating expenses for March declined about $1.9 million, or about 14 percent from the prior year.”
Waterworth also presented his 2012 First Quarter Reforecast.
“The highlight is that the total revenues are now expected to be just under $233 million, which is $10 million, or 4.5 percent, over the 2012 original budget,” Waterworth said. “What we see in there is our container terminal is up about $2.7 million due to new business and COSCO and China Shipping; and Turning Basin is up about $4.5 million due to large steel imports that have been anticipated.”
The commission voted unanimously to award a $600,400 contract to Orion Marine, Inc. for maintenance dredging at Bayport Channel.
The commission voted unanimously to a award two-year professional services contract to perform environmental consulting services to assist with general water quality, not including storm water, to Montgomery & Barnes, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $135,000.
The commission referred two items dealing with a request by the City of Galena Park to lease port property back to PHA staff, to make clear the provisions required to end the lease in the future.
The commission voted 5-0-2, with Janiece Longoria recusing herself and Edmonds abstaining, to issue a license to CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC for one fiber optic cable over and across the port’s Northside Mainline railroad right-of-way in two locations in Galena Park.
A proposed amendment to the Small Business Development Program Policy and Procedures Manual was referred to the Small Business Task Force for review.
All other agenda items were approved unanimously. Agenda News Release
Val Thompson, president and chief executive officer of the Houston International Trade Development Council, Inc. and Houston City Council Member Wanda Adams appeared before the commission seeking support for a trade mission to the Republic of Ghana. Listen
The members of the PHA Commission, meeting as the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Ports of Harris County, were updated by Captain Marcus Woodring, the senior managing director of port security and emergency operations, on a new application process for branch pilots. Listen
Use the Share Buttons below to post this story on Twitter, Facebook and other social networks, or to email this story to others.