Stephen Edwards tapped for national port association board

The American Association of Port Authorities announced Thursday that Stephen Edwards, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, which runs the Port of Virginia, has been elected to a two-year term on the AAPA’s board.

Members elected the board during the AAPA’s Oct. 28 convention in Boston, which had more than 800 attendees. The AAPA serves as the unified voice of the seaport industry, representing more than 130 public port authorities in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America with over 4,000 members.

Edwards, according to the AAPA release, brings to the board “global maritime expertise, focusing on strategic growth and operational excellence.” Other new members include Steve Ribuffo, director of the Port of Alaska and a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, and Kristine Zortman, executive director of the Port of Redwood City in California.

“I am thrilled to work with this exceptional group of leaders over the next two years,” Cary Davis, AAPA president and CEO, stated. “Their diverse expertise and commitment to the industry will be instrumental in driving progress, overcoming the challenges and seizing the opportunities in front of our ports.”

Edwards joined the port in 2021 after serving as CEO of TraPac, Global Container Terminals and Ports America. He also serves on the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s board.

In fiscal 2024, the Port of Virginia processed 3.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units, a 2% increase over the previous year.

In fiscal 2024, the port reported its second-best fiscal year performance ever in twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) movement, processing 3.5 million TEUs for a 2% increase over fiscal 2023.