Port of Everett Hires Search Firm to Find New Executive Director

March 5, 2014

Everett, Everett Government

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John Mohr

John Mohr photo courtesy Port of Everett

The Port of Everett Commission has hired Jensen and Cooper to conduct a search for the next executive director of the Port of Everett following the announcement that John Mohr will be retiring in January of 2015. Here’s his official announcement issued yesterday…

After 16-years of leadership, Port of Everett Executive Director John Mohr announced his plan to retire in January 2015 at the Port Commission meeting on March 4, 2014.

Mohr, who intends to retire in January 2015, reports directly to the elected, three-member Port Commission and is tasked with implementing their policy direction. He oversees a staff of more than 100 full-time employees, and executes the Port’s $64 million operating and capital budget.

“John will certainly be missed,” Port Commission President Tom Stiger said. “When he retires, he will have served the community for 17 years, and his leadership is evident in the growth of the port, particularly the seaport. John’s passion for job creation, advocating and planning for the necessary infrastructure investments to support the aerospace industry, and his vision of transforming the marina area into a commercial and recreational district does not go unnoticed. On behalf of the Commission, we wish him well in his upcoming retirement.”

During his time at the Port of Everett, he has led the strategic seaport through a major resurgence in its shipping business, moving from a declining wood products port to a key aerospace and breakbulk port. Because of the Port’s diversification and growth, it is now ranked 5th on the West Coast for export value, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Division.

A few of the accomplishments Mohr said he is most proud of is the opening of Mount Baker Terminal to better serve the aerospace industry, and the recent milestone of the shipment for the 1,000th 777 airplane. These critical infrastructure investments, along with the skilled Boeing aerospace workers, helped the community successfully compete for the 787 and 777X assembly.

“The past 16 years have gone by in the blink of an eye for me”, Mohr said. “I have been so very fortunate to have visionary Commissioners setting the direction of the Port, and to have had a great port family to make that vision a reality. With the recent announcements of Saltchuk bringing Foss Maritime to the Everett waterfront, and 777X opportunity right around the corner, we are posed for greatness. I can’t think of a better scenario under which to retire.”

“I am so grateful to this community and for the opportunity that this port has given me and my family,” Mohr said.

Beside the Port’s role in international trade, Mohr has also led the effort to start the transformation of the Marina District from an industrial site to a recreational hub. In addition to the marina enhancements over the years, the Port has been working tirelessly to cleanup legacy industrial pollution and restore the economic prosperity to the Marina District property – known as Waterfront Place.

Mohr served as Chair of the U.S. Delegation of American Association of Port Authorities, chaired the AAPA Legislative Policy Committee and the Maritime Economic Advisory Committee, and has been a member of the Board of Directors for AAPA for 14 of the past 23 years.

Mohr is the past Treasurer of the Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA), served as Chair of the WPPA Environmental Committee and Chair of the WPPA Cooperative Development Committee. Additionally, Mohr is the past port delegate to the Federal Maritime Administration Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee. Mohr has also served on numerous community service, charitable boards, intergovernmental committees and business associations during his career.

After retirement, Mohr plans to continue his volunteer work in the community, and is looking forward to being a snowbird in Arizona with his wife of 30 years Shirley. Prior to coming to the Port of Everett, Mohr was the executive director of the Ports of Olympia, Washington and Newport, Oregon. He began his career in port management at the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay in 1981.

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