Harbor Commissioner Bonnie Lowenthal on Monday was elected president of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, which oversees the Port of Long Beach and the staff of the City’s Harbor Department.
The five-member Board also selected Frank Colonna as Vice President and Lou Anne Bynum as Secretary. Each July, Commissioners select a President and two officers to serve one-year terms. The Commission’s new officers will begin their duties on Aug. 12, at the first meeting at the new Long Beach Civic Center.
Lowenthal has served Long Beach in a public role for decades. She is a former state assemblywoman, city councilwoman, vice mayor and Long Beach Unified School District Board member. She has also worked as a licensed family counselor and mental health consultant.
“I have spent more than half my life in Long Beach, my adopted hometown,” said Lowenthal. “My fellow commissioners have honored me by electing me president, and I look forward to the challenge of improving the Port so it can continue to be an economic driver for the city we love.”
The City Charter empowers the Board to set policy for the Port and manage the Harbor Department. Commissioners also direct the Port’s Executive Director, who leads the more than 500-person staff in the development and promotion of the Port of Long Beach.
The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 175 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $200 billion in trade annually, supporting 575,000 Southern California jobs.
