News Release
FOR RELEASE - October 19, 2018
Contact: Aaron Ellis (AAPA) / Jade Davis (Port of Cleveland), aellis@aapa-ports.org
(703) 684-5700 / (216) 377-1366
American Association of Port Authorities
Phone: (202) 792-4033
www.aapa-ports.org
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| William D. Friedman, President & CEO, Port of Cleveland |
William D. Friedman, president and chief executive officer for the Port of Cleveland, began his one year term on Oct. 10 as the 2018-19 chairman of the board for the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) -- the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas.
The Port of Cleveland is a growing international gateway serving Midwestern industries on the Great Lakes while spurring job creation and economic vitality in Ohio’s Cuyahoga County.
As AAPA’s chairman, Mr. Friedman succeeds Steve Cernak, chief executive and port director for Broward County, Fla.’s Port Everglades, who began his one-year term on Oct. 4, 2017.
The entire slate of 2018-19 delegation officers and board of directors were inducted as part of AAPA's 107th Annual Convention in a membership meeting in Valparaiso, Chile.
“AAPA’s new chairman will provide strong leadership as AAPA continues to educate stakeholders, provide services, and advocate policies that strengthen the ability of member seaports to serve their global customers and create economic and social value for their communities,” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA president and CEO.
Mr. Friedman was elected chairman of the board in a March 2018 vote of AAPA's board of directors, representing port officials throughout the Americas.
“I look forward to representing the AAPA in our efforts to inform policymakers about the importance of maritime trade in the Western Hemisphere,” said Mr. Friedman. “Our ports are the linchpins in the global supply chains that generate jobs and economic prosperity for our regions and our nations. I look forward to working closely with port leaders and stakeholders to strengthen our vital industry.”
“With his valuable experience as a port director involved with diversified cargo, his background in real estate development, multimodal transportation and the international supply chain, and his longstanding active engagement with AAPA and our member ports throughout the hemisphere, Will Friedman will be of enormous value as our member ports work together to address common challenges and legislative priorities,” said Mr. Nagle.
As AAPA’s board chairman, Mr. Friedman also serves as the association’s U.S. delegation chair, whose other officers include: Chairman-Elect – Gary G. Nelson, Port of Grays Harbor (Wash.); Vice Chairman – Mario Cordero, Port of Long Beach (Calif.); and Immediate Past Chair - Steve Cernak, Port Everglades (Fla.).
Canadian delegation officers are: Chairman – Carl Laberge, Saguenay Port Authority (Québec); Chairman-Elect – Sean Hanrahan, St. John’s Port Authority (Newfoundland and Labrador); and Vice Chairman – Denis Caron, Belledune Port Authority (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 (Bahamas).
Officers of the Latin American delegation are: Chairman – Giovanni Benedetti, Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena S.A. (Colombia); Chair-Elect – Francisco Javier González Silva, Empresa Portuaria Arica (Chile); and Vice Chairman - Angel Elías, Ente Administrador Puerto Rosario (ENAPRO; Argentina).
Also during the convention, AAPA presented PPM® (Port Professional Manager) Latino certificates to 13 graduates of the 2018 Latin American program. AAPA’s PPM® Latino is specially adapted to the needs of port professionals in Latin America and is aimed at senior management and professionals working in port entities affiliated with the AAPA, including port authorities, port administrations, private terminals and companies providing port services.
About AAPA
Founded in 1912 and recognized as the unified voice of seaports in the Americas, AAPA today represents 140 of the leading seaport authorities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean and more than 250 sustaining and associate members, firms and individuals with an interest in seaports. According to IHS Markit’s World Trade Service, combined international sea trade moving through Western Hemisphere ports in 2016 totaled 3.49 billion metric tons in volume and US$3.01 trillion in value. Of that total, ports in Central and South America handled 1.71 billion metric tons of cargo valued at US$941 billion, while North American ports handled 1.79 billion metric tons of goods, valued at US$2.07 trillion. To meet the growing demand for trade, the AAPA and its members are committed to keeping seaports navigable, secure and sustainable. For more information, visit www.aapa-ports.org. On Twitter: http://twitter.com/AAPA_Seaports
About Port of Cleveland
The Port of Cleveland is one of the largest ports on the Great Lakes. Over 20,000 jobs and $3.5 billion in annual economic activity are tied to the roughly 13 million tons of cargo that move through Cleveland Harbor each year. The Port of Cleveland is the only local government agency whose sole mission is to spur job creation and economic vitality in Cuyahoga County. The Port is an economic engine for our community, a key to Northeast Ohio's global competitiveness, and a crucial partner in building Cuyahoga County's future. For more information, visit www.portofcleveland.com. On Twitter: https://twitter.com/portofcleveland
