|
| |
Mario Cordero
Commissioner
Federal Maritime Commission
Commissioner Mario Cordero of Long Beach, California, was confirmed by the
Senate to serve as a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission beginning
June 3, 2011. He was reconfirmed on October 8, 2015, for a term set to expire on
June 30, 2019. President Barack Obama appointed him to serve as Chairman of the
Commission on April 1, 2013. He served in that role until January 23, 2017. Mr.
Cordero brings with him over thirty years of private legal practice and decades of
public service – including serving eight years on the Board of Harbor
Commissioners for the Port of Long Beach (POLB).
Prior to serving at the federal level, Commissioner Cordero was very active in the
Long Beach maritime community. While a POLB Commissioner, beginning in
2003, Mr. Cordero spearheaded the Port of Long Beach’s pioneering Green Port
Policy, a policy aimed at reconciling economic growth and environmental
stewardship to achieve long-term, sustainable port development. He also served as
President of the Port of Long Beach’s managing body.
Concurrent with his leadership positions on the POLB, Commissioner Cordero
served on the Executive Board for the American Association of Port Authorities’
(AAPA) Latin American delegation. In this role, he led efforts to develop policies
for greater cooperation, increased trade, and joint growth across the combined
North American and Latin American footprint.
Under his leadership as Chairman, the FMC underwent monumental change and
received accolades from Congress, the Administration, and, most importantly,
stakeholders, for its attentive and careful approach to facilitating solutions to
several paramount issues. These issues included concerns arising from container
weight rules that affected cargo movement, new and unsubstantiated chassis fee
proposals that affected the largest port complex in the United States, management
of the PierPass program on the West Coast (designed to eliminate congestion and
promote efficiency), and the international bankruptcy of South Korean carrier
Hanjin.
Notably, in March 2016, during his term as Chairman, Mr. Cordero was invited to
testify in the United States Senate regarding the state of the United States maritime
industry.
In 2015, the FMC received an award for being the 2015 Most Improved Small
Agency, as part of rankings released by the Partnership for Public Service and
Deloitte. The rankings are based on data from the Office of Personnel
Management’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) and provided
rankings in 14 categories. The Commission achieved positive gains in all
categories, the most significant being in Effective Leadership (Empowerment),
Strategic Leadership, Training and Development, and Support for Diversity. The
recent 2016 FEVS results again indicate increased employee satisfaction.
In May 2014, he was the recipient of the Stanley T. Olafson Award, presented by
the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce to individuals who have advanced
world trade and international relations. On September 29, 2015, Mr. Cordero
accepted the Connie Award from the Containerization & Intermodal Institute,
given to those who have contributed to the evolution of the containerized shipping
industry. Further, in February 2016, he was named Person of the Year by the New
York/New Jersey Foreign Freight Forwarders and Brokers Association. Finally, in
August 2016, Mr. Cordero received the prestigious Malcom McLean Award from
the Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers, given in recognition of his efforts to be
inclusive, encourage open dialogue on key issues affecting intermodal commerce,
and put forth forward-thinking initiatives, which facilitated progress and
partnership amongst the stakeholders at the Port of New York & New Jersey.
Mr. Cordero has taught political science at Long Beach City College. He earned
his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from California State University, Long
Beach, and his law degree from the University of Santa Clara.
|
|
