Managing Director of Trade Development and Port Operations
Port of Long Beach, California
Sean Strawbridge is the Managing Director of Trade Development and Port Operations at the Port of Long Beach, California. He was appointed to the post January 3, 2011, by unanimous vote of the Board of Harbor Commissioners, the five-member governing body for the Port of Long Beach.
Mr. Strawbridge has 25 years of experience in the maritime, investment banking and transportation industries in a diversity of disciplines including finance, sales, operations, information technology and corporate development.
In his role as Managing Director, Mr. Strawbridge oversees the Port's Trade Development and Port Operations Bureau, which includes the Trade Development, Security, Maintenance, and Communications/Community Relations Divisions. He reports to J. Christopher Lytle, who served in the same Managing Director role before being promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2008, and Executive Director in 2011.
Mr. Strawbridge comes to Long Beach after nearly nine years with Ports America Group (formerly Marine Terminals Corporation), the last six years as Director of Corporate Development. Ports America is one of the largest terminal operator and stevedoring companies in the United States. Mr. Strawbridge began his maritime career with Sea-Land Service, Inc in various responsibilities in Sales and Operations.
Mr. Strawbridge holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Arizona State University. He currently serves on the Boards of the Southern California Marine Exchange, the Containerization & Intermodal Institute, the California State University Long Beach (CSULB) Center for International Trade and Transportation, and the CSULB Operations and Supply Chain Management Advisory Board.
An avid traveler, Mr. Strawbridge speaks conversational Spanish and has visited over 40 countries in Latin America, Europe and Asia.
Marking 100 years of service to the community in 2011, the Port of Long Beach enters its second century as one of the world's premier seaports, a primary gateway for Trans-Pacific trade and a trail blazer in innovative goods movement, safety and environmental stewardship. A major economic engine for the region, trade valued at more than $150 billion moves through the Port of Long Beach each year, supporting hundreds of thousands of Southern California jobs.
