Tuesday, October 16, 2012

San Diego, Los Angeles Port Execs Named to Federal Panel


Port of San Diego Executive Director Wayne Darbeau and Port of Los Angeles Deputy Executive Director for External Affairs Cynthia Ruiz have been named to a new supply chain advisory committee formed by the US Commerce Dept.

The Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness, headed by Acting US Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank, is comprised of 40 senior-level representatives of multiple industries and supply chain experts, will advise the Secretary, the U.S. Department of Transportation and other U.S. agencies on issues that affect the international competitiveness of US businesses.

The committee, according to Blank, “will provide crucial input on issues related to national freight infrastructure and policies so that we can best support millions of US businesses, export goods, compete domestically and globally and support American jobs.”

Others named to the committee include Dean Wise, vice president of network strategy for BNSF Railway; W. Scott Brotemarkle, director of transportation policy and program development Organization for the American Association of Port Authorities; and Leslie Blakey, president and executive director of the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors.

The committee is intended to act as a liaison between industry and government, and is a step toward ensuring regular contact with the supply chain industries, including manufacturers, distributors and exporters. It’s scheduled to hold its first meeting Oct. 19 at the US Department of Commerce headquarters in Washington DC.

The group’s advice will be considered in the development of a national freight policy and in executing Pres. Obama’s National Export Initiative, which aims to double US exports by the end of 2014.