GALVESTON, Texas (Dec.13, 2017) – The Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves is pleased to announce that Rodger E. Rees has been appointed as Port Director for the Port of Galveston. Mr. Rees will assume his new role at the Port of Galveston effective Jan. 15, 2018. Mr. Rees was selected following a nationwide executive search for a business leader with the skill sets the Board of Trustees felt were needed to address the Port’s opportunities and challenges. 

“It was imperative that the Port Director position be filled and having interviewed a number of strong and highly qualified applicants, the Board decided that Mr. Rees has the right mixture of maritime experience, and leadership skills, particularly in the financial area, to fill such a vital position within the organization,” said Ted O’Rourke, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.  

Mr. Rees is an accomplished Certified Public Accountant with over 25 years of executive management experience and currently serves as the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer for Port Canaveral, which is the world’s second busiest cruise port.  In this executive role, he is responsible for the management and safeguarding of the Port’s financial assets as well as all financial functions of the port.

Rees is a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. In addition, he is a Certified Public Accountant and has completed the Certified Port Executive Program.

                                                                                                                   About the Port of Galveston

The Port of Galveston is the region’s gateway to the Gulf for cruise ships and international trade. Located at the entrance to Galveston Bay, the Port leases and maintains facilities on both Galveston Island and Pelican Island. The Galveston Island operations are a diversified mix of cargo including roll on-roll-off cargo, dry bulk, export grain, refrigerated fruit, general cargo, and project cargo. In addition, the Port handles over 1.7 million cruise passengers annually. The Port’s Pelican Island facilities comprise a combination of undeveloped property, an active ship and rig repair facility, and liquid bulk operations. The Port is a self-supporting enterprise utility with operating revenues of approximately $33 million. It does not rely on tax dollars for operations.

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