Edwards to step down as Port of Virginia CEO

Stephen A. Edwards is stepping down at the end of the year as the Virginia Port Authority‘s CEO and executive director to take a new job in the private sector, the Port of Virginia announced Monday.

According to port spokesperson Joe Harris, Edwards did not share his future employer but said in a memo that he will be moving to New York City and that his position is in a different field of operation.

Edwards joined the port in 2021, and oversaw its $1.4 billion capital investment program, including the dredging work to make the Port of Virginia the East Coast’s widest and deepest harbor.

Sarah J. McCoy, the authority’s chief administrative officer, will serve as the port authority’s interim CEO upon Edwards’ departure.

“I cannot be more thankful for the wonderful team and leadership at the Port of Virginia,” Edwards said in a statement. “This team is among the strongest in the nation, and it has a true purpose to help our customers and port users succeed and to bring economic value to the commonwealth. I am confident in their continued success, and I look forward to monitoring their future contributions to global trade and securing Virginia’s prosperity.”

Edwards succeeded John Reinhart as the port authority’s CEO at the start of 2021. He was previously CEO of TraPac, Global Container Terminals and Ports America.

The Port of Virginia is one of the state’s economic drivers, and accounts for more than 565,000 jobs, more than $124.1 billion in total spending and $5.8 billion in state and local tax revenues. Under Edwards, the port completed a $220 million improvement project that upgraded 72 acres of the Portsmouth Marine Terminal and 1,500 feet of wharf to support Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project as a staging area.

“We cannot overstate the contribution that Stephen has provided during his tenure,” said John W. “Bill” Kirk III, chairman of the VPA Board of Commissioners. “Under Stephen’s guidance, the Port of Virginia has been widely recognized as the highest performing port by customers and users. He has built a strong commercial and operating culture that will serve us well moving forward.”