Port of Seattle Commission names 2004 officers

Paige Miller was elected President and Chair of the Port of Seattle Commission by her fellow Commissioners at the Port’s regular meeting today. Other Commission officers for 2004 are: Bob Edwards, Vice President; Lawrence Molloy, Secretary; Alec Fisken, Assistant Secretary; and Patricia Davis, Commissioner.

Miller succeeds Davis, who served as Chair of the Commission in 2003.

"Two thousand three was the culmination of a three-year series of shock waves - the Nisqually earthquake, energy-cost spikes, recession, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and continued threats to our nation’s security," Davis said. "We’ve made real progress in improving the Port’s bottom line and in making the investments that underlie our fundamental purpose of creating jobs and economic vitality in our region and strengthening our partnerships with business, labor and the communities we serve."

Commission President Miller, an attorney, first became involved with the Port while serving as president of the Queen Anne Community Council, where she negotiated an agreement that allowed for the expansion of the Port’s Terminal 91 facility and protected neighbors from adverse impacts. She was elected to the Commission in 1987.

"If the last three years were a time of retrenchment and slow recovery, then I believe that 2004 will be a year of rebuilding and recommitment," Miller said. "The economic signs are positive - an improving world economy means more trade and more airline travel. That bodes well for the region’s economy, for job growth and for the Port’s financial health."

"Seaport business is growing, and the Port has a bold strategy to attract more maritime business by improving service and marketing," she said. "But, like every other major port, we will consider redevelopment opportunities on vacant and underused properties."

Miller also said the Port needs to do a better job of engaging with the public and informing communities about the Port’s policies and activities. "That’s our challenge," she said.

Miller is a trustee of the Washington Public Ports Association and sits on the board of PortJOBS, the Trade Development Alliance, the Downtown Seattle Association, the Seattle Chinese Garden Society, the Housing Partnership, the Annie Casey Jobs Initiative and other civic organizations.

Vice President Bob Edwards was elected to the Commission in 1999. Edwards is an investment analyst and is serving as President of the Washington Public Ports Association in 2004. He is a former Renton City Council member.

Lawrence Molloy, Secretary, was elected in 2001. A Technology Officer with EBARA Corporation of Japan, Molloy serves on the Board of the Transportation Choices Coalition and the Rainier Valley Transit Advisory Committee.

Assistant Secretary Alec Fisken was elected in November 2003. He is a strategic policy advisor for the City of Seattle. Fisken has worked as a bank executive and publisher, and is on the board of Town Hall Seattle, Metrocenter YMCA and other civic organizations.

Commissioner Patricia Davis is a 17-year veteran of the Commission. She was President of the Washington Council on International Trade from 1994 to 2001 and is currently a member the Council’s Board of Directors. She serves on the Board of Governors of the National Center for APEC and a number of other trade and development related organizations.