Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Port of Coos Bay CEO Stepping Down

By Mark Edward Nero

After five years at the port and three years in his current position, Port of Coos Bay CEO David Koch is stepping away from the job at the end of July.

Koch originally came to the port as chief operating officer in October 2010 before being promoted to CEO in 2012.

“I told the commission when they hired me that I could get it (the port) so far, then it was important for me to step aside and hire a professional port manager to get in here, who has the experience,” Koch said in a statement explaining his imminent departure. “For me, it’s the recognition that it’s time for me to step aside and bring in that experienced port manager that can take us to that next level.”

Prior to joining Coos Bay, Koch was one of the port’s contract attorneys with the Stebbins & Coffey law firm. He was named the port’s interim CEO in December 2011, replacing Jeff Bishop, who resigned that November after seven years in the position in order to accept a position as city manager of an Oklahoma town.

Koch has an agreement to continue as a consultant for the port for 90 days after his departure, an arrangement that Bishop also had with the port after his 2011 resignation.

Koch’s departure means the port’s top two executive positions will soon be vacant; Chief Commercial Officer Martin Callery turned in his resignation last summer and, after originally planning to leave in January, is set to depart at the end of this month.

Callery has cited the port’s evolution and its shift from his focus of rail issues to maritime commerce among the reasons why he’s stepping down.