The American Association of Port Authorities inducts officers; California businessman is sworn in; and longtime employee is promoted.
William D. Friedman, president and chief executive officer of the Port of Cleveland, last week began his term as the 2018-19 chairman of the board of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA).
Friedman succeeded Steve Cernak, chief executive and port director of Port Everglades in Broward County, Fla.
The entire slate of 2018-19 delegation officers and board of directors were inducted as part of AAPA’s 107th annual convention in Valparaiso, Chile.
Other U.S. officers are Chairman-elect Gary G. Nelson, Port of Grays Harbor in Washington, and Vice Chairman Mario Cordero, Port of Long Beach in California.
Canadian delegation officers are Chairman Carl Laberge, Saguenay Port Authority in Québec; Chairman-elect Sean Hanrahan, St. John’s Port Authority in Newfoundland and Labrador; and Vice Chairman Denis Caron, Belledune Port Authority in New Brunswick.
Chairing the Caribbean delegation this year is Glenn Roach, Barbados Port Inc. The chairman-elect is John Bishen, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority, and the vice chairman is Orlando Forbes, Freeport Harbor Company in the Bahamas.
Officers of the Latin American delegation are Chairman Giovanni Benedetti, Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena S.A. in Colombia; Chair-elect Francisco Javier González Silva, Empresa Portuaria Arica in Chile; and Vice Chairman Angel Elías, Ente Administrador Puerto Rosario in Argentina.
Yui Hay Lee was sworn in Thursday to serve on the Port of Oakland’s Board of Port Commissioners.
Lee, president and CEO of Oakland, Calif.-based YHLA Architects, was nominated by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and appointed by the City Council. He replaces eight-year board veteran Alan Yee, whose latest term expired.
Lee served as a commissioner on the Oakland/Alameda County Coliseum Authority from 2007 to 2018. He also served on the Oakland Planning Commission from 1991 to 1994.
The board of the South Carolina Ports Authority this week approved the promotion of Barbara Melvin to chief operating officer.
Melvin had been the senior vice president of operations and terminals. She will begin in her new role on Jan. 1.
Melvin has been with the port for 20 years. Previous roles include senior vice president of external affairs and vice president of government relations.
