The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, a five-member panel that controls the Port of Long Beach, has elected Commission Vice President Bobby Olvera Jr. as President.
Bonnie Lowenthal was appointed Vice President, and Frank Colonna was appointed Secretary, by the Board. Commissioners pick a President and two Board Officers for one-year terms each July.
The new officers will take office at the Commission’s next regularly scheduled meeting on 14 August, when outgoing President Sharon L. Weissman will give over the gavel to Olvera.
Olvera is a fifth-generation docker and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s (ILWU) International Vice President (Mainland).
He joined the ILWU in 1989 and has held several leadership positions, including three stints as President of Local 13. In 1991, Olvera took a leave of absence to serve in the US Marine Corps.
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Olvera has served on the boards of the Miguel Contreras Advocacy Foundation and the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Labour Community Services, in addition to his work as a labour leader and his military duty.
He has served on the Long Beach Economic Development Commission in the past. Olvera was appointed to the Harbor Commission in 2020 and elected Vice President of the Board of Directors in July 2022.
“It’s an honour to be chosen as president by my colleagues,” said Olvera.
“We are at a critical juncture in our port’s history as we accelerate our progress toward zero emissions. I look forward to collaborating with fellow Commissioners, CEO Mario Cordero, staff and all of our industry partners to build a more efficient, sustainable, and equitable port.”
Under the City Charter, the Long Beach Board sets policy for the port and directs the port’s CEO, who leads about 530 employees in developing and promoting the Port of Long Beach.
In June 2023, the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved a $634.5 million budget for the Long Beach Harbor Department.
