Commissioners have appointed Wayne Darbeau as president and chief executive officer of the San Diego Unified Port District, filling a seat abruptly vacated in September by Charles Wurster. Darbeau has served as interim president and CEO of the port authority since October.
Darbeau, who has served in several key executive position since joining the port in 1998, most recently served as the port authority's vice president of administration prior to being named interim president and CEO.
"We considered a nationwide search for this position, but we realized that the person who has the best qualities to move this organization forward was right here," said Robert Valderrama, Chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. "We're elated that we found someone of such high caliber within the organization to lead us into the future."
In his new role, Darbeau will oversee the 600-plus member staff of the port authority, which manages the Port of San Diego and the public lands along San Diego Bay. The port authority manages two primary cargo facilities, a cruise terminal and more than 400 leases with various port-property tenants. Last year, the port reported revenues of $134 million.
Former port authority president and CEO Wurster resigned abruptly and without explanation on Sept. 24. The board later said the departure was a mutual decision between the commission and Wurster.
