Port of Corpus Christi Announces New Chief Executive Officer, Following Competitive Nationwide Search
Sep 06, 2023
Corpus Christi, TX, USA – After a rigorous three-month search that contemplated candidates from across the country and industry, the Port of Corpus Christi Commission voted in a special meeting on September 6 to promote Chief Financial Officer Kent Britton to the position of full-time Chief Executive Officer. Britton has served as Interim CEO since June 1, 2023.
“The Port of Corpus Christi is an incredible asset to the Coastal Bend region, and I am honored to continue its stewardship with the support of our world-class leadership team,” said Kent Britton, Port of Corpus Christi Chief Executive Officer. “As the global energy industry evolves in response to massive demand and rapidly advancing technologies, the ability to move fuels and chemicals safely and efficiently from Texas to destinations around the world will continue playing a make-or-break role in the creation of jobs and prosperity across the Coastal Bend region. The sky is the limit for our customers and this community, and we’re excited to be partners in that growth.”
Prior to joining the Port of Corpus Christi in 2017, Britton worked as Chief Financial Officer for the Glencore-owned Sherwin Alumina Company. He honed his collaborative leadership style over more than 30 years in accounting and finance, including executive roles at Alcoa, the world’s leading integrated aluminum company, and Blackbaud, Inc., the premier software provider to non-profit organizations. Britton was named Chief Financial Officer for the Port of Corpus Christi in 2019.
During Britton’s tenure, he was part of a team that led the Port to achieve tonnage records for five consecutive years and secured federal funding to advance the history-making Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project.
“Kent Britton has played a key role on a leadership team that guided the Port of Corpus Christi through six transformational years of milestones,” said Charles W. Zahn, Jr., Port of Corpus Christi Commission Chairman. “He not only brings a keen financial mind and three decades of experience to this critical position, but also a humble leadership style rooted in listening and building bridges. My fellow Commissioners and I vetted a number of remarkable candidates from across the country during this search, and Kent emerged as the clear choice to steward the Port of Corpus Christi into a future of strong partnerships with our shipping clients and the communities we serve.”
Britton officially takes office as full-time Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Corpus Christi on September 6.
About Port Corpus Christi
As a leader in U.S. energy export ports and a major economic engine of Texas and the nation, the Port of Corpus Christi is the largest port in the United States in total revenue tonnage. Strategically located on the western Gulf of Mexico with a 36-mile, soon to be 54-foot (MLLW) deep channel, Port Corpus Christi is a major gateway to international and domestic maritime commerce. The Port has excellent railroad and highway network connectivity via three North American Class-1 railroads and two major interstate highways. With an outstanding staff overseen by its seven-member commission, Port Corpus Christi is “Moving America’s Energy.” www.portofcc.com
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Kent Britton, Port of Corpus Christi Chief Executive Officer