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Port of Portland selects its new executive director

By Ted Sickinger, The Oregonian
Published: May 24, 2017, 5:00pm

PORTLAND — The Port of Portland Commission unanimously selected Curtis Robinhold to succeed his boss as the Port’s executive director.

Robinhold, the deputy and Bill Wyatt’s hand-picked successor, was chosen Tuesday after a national search. He was one of 150 candidates and three finalists — who included executives from ports in New York and Mississippi — vying to replace Wyatt, who retires at the end of June.

One after the other, commissioners said Tuesday that Robinhold, 48, was the superior candidate. As the port’s deputy director since 2013, he has years of hands-on experience, a background in Oregon and internationally, experience and contacts in both politics and business, and familiarity with the issues and stakeholders around the region.

All eight commissioners present cast votes for Robinhold. And the one member absent, Tom Tsuruta, submitted a letter of support.

Bob Levy, a commissioner and farmer from the Hermiston area, said Robinhold represents the qualities the commission was looking for and understands the challenges ahead, from airport operations, the shortage of industrial lands, the idled Terminal 6, the Port’s financial sustainability and the Portland Harbor cleanup.

“The challenges ahead are daunting for the next executive director,” Levy said. “It’s not about being here and continuing the stuff that has been done in the past. It’s about a new way.”

“I am humbled by the opportunity to lead the Port of Portland and the dedicated employees who work so hard to make a difference in our region. Job number one will be to get out into the community and hear what’s on people’s minds as we set the vision for the work ahead,” Robinhold said in a statement.

The port received public comments on the search, and commission president Jim Carter said those comments represented a strong endorsement of both the process and Robinhold.

Not everyone agreed. Individual commenters and environmental groups such as the Audubon Society of Portland and Willamette Riverkeeper said they were disappointed with the port’s search process, which included only a 14-day public comment period and lacked robust public engagement through a public forum.

The two groups conducted their own interviews of the three finalists via Skype, but said: “We heard very little that gave us confidence that any of the three finalists were likely to bring a strong sense of vision or innovation to the job or was prepared to take the kind of hard look at port operations that can lead to major changes.”

They criticized Robinhold’s role in developing what they called “a weak cleanup plan” for the Portland Harbor that was unacceptable to the community.

“Our biggest concern is that we have not seen anything during Mr. Robinhold’s time as deputy director of the Port that suggests that he would significantly alter the way the Port operates,” the groups wrote. “If anything, the Port’s challenges on environmental and community engagement seem to us to have increased in recent years.”

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