Plezia Named Port’s Managing Director of Engineering

Suzanne Plezia, P.E., POLB managing director of engineering services. Photo courtesy of POLB.

The Port of Long Beach has promoted Suzanne Plezia, P.E., to managing director of engineering services to succeed Sean Gamette, P.E., who earlier this spring announced his retirement. Plezia has been the port’s senior director of the engineering services bureau and chief harbor engineer since April 2017.

Plezia will lead the port’s engineering bureau, which comprises more than 300 employees across six divisions – program management, construction management, project controls, survey, engineering design and maintenance. In her new role, Plezia will oversee a 10-year $3.2 billion capital improvement program to enhance the port’s capacity, competitiveness and sustainability.

“We’re building the Port of the future in Long Beach, and we are going to rely on experts and leaders like Suzanne,” said Port Chief Executive Officer Mario Cordero. “We will miss Sean Gamette and we bid him a fond farewell, and we know that Suzanne will fill his shoes.”

The port has $3.2 billion in planned modernization projects over the next 10 years, which includes the completion of the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility and the infrastructure needed to support the transition to zero-emissions operations. The port has also proposed to develop “Pier Wind,” which would be the largest port-based offshore wind turbine assembly site in the U.S.

Port executives consider Plezia a trailblazer. She joined the port in 1996 as an intern, just after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from University of California, Irvine. She eventually rose to deputy chief harbor engineer before being named director of construction management and had also worked in the program management and design divisions. She became senior director/chief harbor engineer in April 2017.

Plezia has led many of the port’s strategic projects including Pier Wind, the redevelopment of the Pier G container terminal, and the construction of the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge.

Plezia will replace Gamette shortly after his last day on June 11 and will report to chief pperating officer Dr. Noel Hacegaba.