Former Port of Vancouver CEO Todd Coleman is back in the workforce after resigning from port leadership this spring.
On Wednesday, Portland-based PBS Engineering and Environmental announced Coleman had joined its staff as the port sector manager.
“Todd’s ability to steer through engineering and regulatory hurdles made him the perfect fit for the PBS team,” principal engineer Greg Jellison said in a statement. “Todd and I had worked together on previous port projects, and we remained in close contact over the years. So I reached out to Todd and discussed the possibility of bringing him on board as our ambassador to port agencies.”
PBS, which has nine offices throughout the Northwest, said in a company release it intends to “become a full-service resource for area ports.” The company also employs Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt.
Coleman worked at the Port of Vancouver for 15 years and spent the last four as its CEO and executive director. He resigned suddenly in May amid ongoing state review of the Vancouver Energy oil-by-rail terminal proposal that he had championed and that brought the port under unprecedented scrutiny. Coleman said he had planned to only serve four years as CEO.
He previously told The Columbian he intended to take a few months off and return to work when the time was right. Coleman was last making about $212,000 per year at the port; his salary with PBS is not a public record.
The Port of Vancouver’s CEO is appointed by the port’s three elected commissioners and serves as the administrative leader. Port finance chief Julianna Marler currently holds the role on an interim basis as the commissioners mull a search for a permanent replacement.
