PORTLAND, Ore. – Former Port of Vancouver USA CEO Todd Coleman has taken on the role of port sector manager for PBS Engineering and Environmental, a position that will keep him in familiar territory in Washington state.

Coleman will be tasked with providing outreach to port organizations, an effort the regional engineering firm said Coleman excelled at during his 15 years with Port of Vancouver USA through solid communication, collaboration and critical thinking.

Much of Coleman’s time will be spend in Eastern Washington with colleagues in ports throughout the state.

“Washington’s ports are more collaborators than competitors,” said Coleman. “It was pretty common to get calls from other ports about challenges and issues, particularly mid-size ports trying to expand. They all face the same tough issues and stakeholder groups with conflicting needs. They serve as sounding boards for each other.”

With its recent acquisition of engineering firm HDJ Design Group, PBS expanded its capabilities to include transportation and traffic engineering, surveying and land use planning.

“Our goal is to work alongside our ports and offer solutions that balance compliance and growth,” said PBS president Guy Neal. “Todd is a key component toward reaching that goal. His background makes him an excellent advocate for port agencies. He knows firsthand the issues that keep port managers awake at night – regulatory red tape, working within multiple jurisdictions, and balancing development with livability impacts.”

“I’ve worked with these port managers, speak their language, and understand what they face on a daily basis,” Coleman added. “They do the work of private developers, but because they’re government agencies, they have a much broader stakeholder base. My goal is to create a bridge between the challenges they face, and the practical engineering solutions that PBS provides.”

For more on Coleman, see the July issue of Truck West magazine and turn to page 17.