Jim Rothlin, the executive director of the Port of Chehalis,
has been chosen by the Port of Bremerton to be its next CEO.
The decision to hire Rothlin was approved by a 3-0 vote
during the Nov. 12 Board of Commissioners meeting.
Rothlin has been the CEO at the Port of Chehalis since 2002,
and also is the Chair of the Economic Development Committee of the State Ports
Association. He has a varied background in the business field, having
previously been the owner Lund Theatres in Chehalis from 2003 to 2009 and the
CEO of a business management consulting company from 1994 to 2001. He was also
the financial controller for National Semiconductor Corp. from 1987 to 1994.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in finance from Western Washington
University and earned a Master’s in business management from San Jose State
University in 1995.
He’s expected to begin his duties at Bremerton in
mid-December, which would give him a few weeks to work with current CEO Tim
Thomson, who announced in July that he would be retiring at the end of the
year.
Thomson, 64, has been the Port of Bremerton’s CEO since
1999. At the time of his resignation, he said he wanted to spend more time with
his elderly parents and his grandchildren.
Rothlin’s selection came after an extensive search and
interview process by the Port Commission, during which 30 candidates were
considered.
The Port of Chehalis, located in Lewis County, Washington,
halfway between Seattle and Portland, was formed in 1986, making it one of the youngest
ports in the state. The port’s district consists of 785 acres with more than
250 acres available for industrial development.
The Port of Bremerton, located in the Puget Sound Region of Kitsap
County, turned 100 in October 2013, and is the fourth-oldest port district in
the state. Its property consists of several thousand acres, including an
airport, marinas and industrial and business parks.
