By Karen Robes Meeks
International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) recently named Port of Hueneme’s Director and CEO Kristin Decas as Top Port Director of the Year.
Decas, who will be honored at the association’s annual award gala at the end of the year, is being recognized for her work in promoting economic development through international trade promotion, which include appointments by the US Department of Transportation to the National Freight Advisory Committee and the US Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council.
“Choosing Kristin for this award was an easy decision for our panel to make,” said IAOTP President Stephanie Cirami. “In a male dominated industry, Kristin is talented, bright, beautiful and brilliant at what she does and we felt she would make an amazing asset to our organization. We are looking forward to meeting her at the gala and know we will be seeing more amazing things from this amazing woman.”
Decas blazed trails in her profession when she became the first woman to run the Port of New Bedford, where she turned a port with a $200,000 deficit into a profitable port that is seeing growth in cruise and recreational boating activity.
In 2012, she became the first woman to lead the Port of Hueneme, overseeing the port’s strongest sustained trade years since its inception in 1937.