The Board of Commissioners
for the Port of Vancouver USA has approved a salary for the port’s new executive
director. Todd Coleman, who was promoted from the position of assistant executive
director, will make over $186,000 annually, almost $17,000 a year more than his
previous salary.
The amount is also more
than $16,000 a year higher than what the man he replaces earned. Larry Paulson,
who retired April 29 after having been executive director since 1999, was paid about
$169,500 a year.
In making the decision during
a July 24 open session, the three-member commission said the salary amount was chosen
based partially on reviewing the salaries of high-level executives at comparable
ports in the Pacific Northwest.
For example, Port of Tacoma
executive director John Wolfe is paid about $220,000 a year, while the recently-named
new director of the Port of Longview, Geir Kalhagen, is expected to earn about $150,000
annually. His predecessor, Ken O’Hollaren, who’s retiring in late December, earned
about $135,600 a year.
Coleman first joined the
Port of Vancouver USA five years ago after previously being a partner in an engineering
consulting firm, Coleman & Davido Engineering Consultants, in Estacada, Oregon.
He also previously held positions with two other Oregon companies, URS Inc. and
Parametrix Inc.
