Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, Long Beach, Calif.
Seventeen-year Harbor Department employee Matt Plezia was named the new director of master planning, which is part of the port’s Bureau of Planning and Environmental Compliance. Plezia will be responsible for evaluating port land use, maintaining the Port Master Plan, preparing long-range cargo forecasts and evaluating the economic impacts of port operations. The division also leads the port’s coordination with the Long Beach Gas & Oil Department regarding oil operations in the Harbor District, and works closely with other city departments, Coastal Commission staff and local and regional planning agencies. Plezia has been serving as acting director of master planning since September, following the retirement of director Larry Cottrill. Plezia joined the Port of Long Beach in 1997 as a trade analyst, moved to planning in 2002 and was promoted to manager of master planning in April 2013.