VPA board elects chairman

The Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners elected on Wednesday the owner of Newport News-based defense contractor as its new chairman.

Jeffrey D. Wassmer, who has been vice chairman of the board since November, was elected unanimously.

“In this last year we have really come through some things, and it has been a total team effort — there are a lot of people involved with this port,” Wassmer said in a statement. “We still have a lot of work to do: we're in a great place and have a lot of advantages at the Port of Virginia and we're going to begin to focus and capitalize on those things.”

Wassmer joined the board in July 2011 when Gov. Bob McDonnell replaced all but one of the port authority’s board members.

Wassmer is president and CEO of Spectrum, a defense contractor based in Newport News, which provides technology solutions to the Department of Defense and other federal agencies.

Wassmer will replace William Fralin, who was appointed chairman of the board in November.

Commissioner Scott R. Bergeron, CEO of the Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry, was elected vice chairman.

The board also welcomed Wednesday its newest member, Martin J. Briley, who became a member of the board on July 1. Briley is president and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.