: BEST PRACTICES
Shared prosperity through social equity
Background and context
Having joined the Port in 2014 as Deputy Executive Director and then taking on the role of Executive Director in 2017, Robinhold’s experience in both the public and private sectors has provided for a perspective that not only looks at what’s best for the community but at how to move initiatives forward by applying broad business practices. As Chief of Staff to Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, he oversaw the governor’s policy agenda, staff, and policy advisors. As CEO of an energy efficiency finance company in Portland and managing director of BP Alternative Energy’s global gas-fired power business, he was able to apply the business training from his MBA and Master of Environmental Management from Yale University. Indeed, with about 96 percent of the Port’s revenue coming from business transactions and the remaining four percent from tax dollars, Robinhold’s approach to “operating like
16 — PACIFIC PORTS — April 2021
Photo couresy of the Port of Portland
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ocial equity policies are not uncommon. Undeniably, many organizations — both public and private — hold the values that are illustrated by such policies. When it comes to actively pursuing strategies that will truly create a shared prosperity however, the Port of Portland is outshining the rest. “The Port’s goal has always been to drive economic growth and improve our region’s quality of life,” said Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director. “When we started having conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion — both internally and with the community — it opened our eyes as to who was sharing in that prosperity and led to questions about what we could do better to create opportunities for the entire community.” The Port’s journey from recognition to implementation and further, to seeing successes, stands as a lesson to others: a strong tide floats all boats.
Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director, Port of Portland.
The Port’s journey from recognition to implementation and further, to seeing successes, stands as a lesson to others: a strong tide floats all boats. a business but still focusing on our corporate mission to find the best interests of the community” is a sound strategy. The primary business for the Port of Portland is the Portland International Airport (PDX), generating about 80 percent of revenue. They additionally operate two general aviation airports, four marine terminals (autos, containers, and mineral and grain bulks), five business and industrial parks, and the dredge Oregon. It’s a sizeable portfolio for the roughly 750 employees who make up the Port’s workforce not to mention the tens of thousands who rely on it as a critical facilitator for trade and economic growth. Like ports around the world, Portland’s experience with the pandemic of the past year was “pretty rough” but Robinhold is seeing signs of recovery, especially related to their aviation portfolio. “Our volumes are still down about
60 percent to pre-pandemic numbers at PDX but our big three airlines – Alaska, Southwest, and Delta — have resumed flying to most of their non-stop destinations. Questions remain about when international will return but we’re seeing movement toward getting those routes back as well.” On the bright side, air cargo operations were up 9 percent last year. Marine operations are rebounding following the shock to the supply chain that all ports saw at the beginning of the pandemic. “We’re a relatively niche port on the container side but we have a large auto and bulk business,” he said. “SM Line started calling on Terminal 6 last year and we’ve been seeing record productivity with the container business. Auto imports and exports, while still down about 26 percent, are bouncing back so we feel good about that business.”
