Mayor Villaraigosa and relevant supporting characters will appear at Berth 87 in the harbor to announce the new appointee to run the Port of Los Angeles.

* 1:15 pm update: The Cunningham Report, which covers the shipping and transportation sectors, has alerted its readers that the choice is Geraldine Knatz, managing director of development at the Port of Long Beach. She was on the list of finalists published last week in the Breeze.

** 3:25 pm update: The mayor's press release is after the jump:

MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA NOMINATES

NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES

A critical step toward making the gateway
to the Pacific Rim environmentally sound

(Los Angeles, CA) - Following an exhaustive national search, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today announced that he is recommending Geraldine Knatz to be executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, the largest shipping port in the country.

“This is a new day for the Port of Los Angeles,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Ms. Knatz not only brings vast knowledge of the industry and stellar credentials, but also the leadership and high energy that will make the Port of Los Angeles the most desired port for trade in the world. She shares my belief that making the Port of LA greener is not only right for surrounding neighborhoods, but also good business for Los Angeles," said the Mayor.

As the gateway to the Pacific Rim, the Port of Los Angeles is a critical economic engine for the city, but historically it has been a major contributor to pollution. Mayor Villaraigosa firmly believes that strong economic commerce and a clean environment are not mutually exclusive. The mayor and his appointees to the Harbor Commission, which oversees the Port of LA, is undertaking efforts to green the port. Plans include converting trucks, trains and other vehicles to clean fuels; requiring all new shipping contracts to mandate that visiting ships turn off their diesel engines and use alternative electric power when in the port; requiring the Port to establish a runoff control program to reduce pollutants in harbor waters; and to work in tandem with the communities of San Pedro and Wilmington to develop strong mutually beneficial relationships.

The nomination of Ms. Knatz is a capstone to the Mayor's long-term vision for the port.

Geraldine Knatz is currently Managing Director of the Port of Long Beach, a position she has held since 1999. Ms. Knatz is the principal architect of the green port policy in Long Beach, and she oversees a $2.3 billion capital improvement program. She assesses strategic issues and recommends policy, leading to port initiatives such as the “Truck Trip Reduction Program,” dedicated to reducing traffic and the “Green Port Policy,” an environmental improvement program. Ms. Knatz currently oversees 150 employees.

Ms. Knatz’s nomination is historic in that she would become the first woman to be appointed Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles. If confirmed by the harbor commission, she will become the only woman in the country to serve as Director of a major U.S. port.

Prior to being managing director, Ms. Knatz was the planning director for the Port of Long Beach for 11 years. She was responsible for developing land use, transportation and air quality compliance programs, hazardous waste assessment as well as wildlife enhancement projects.

Ms. Knatz received a B.A. in zoology in 1973 from Rutgers University, and an M.S. in environmental engineering in 1979 and a PhD in biological sciences in 1981, both from USC. She also teaches in the civil engineering department at USC. She is married and has two children.