Colonna elected President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners

Harbor Commission Vice President Frank Colonna was elected Monday as President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, the five-person board that oversees the Port of Long Beach.

The Board also selected Steven Neal as Vice President and Sharon L. Weissman as Secretary.

Every July, Commissioners select a President and two board officers to serve one-year terms.

The Commission’s new officers will begin their terms on Aug. 6, when outgoing Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal will hand the gavel to incoming President Colonna at the Board's meeting that day.

Colonna served two terms on the Long Beach City Council, including two years as Vice Mayor. Appointed to the Harbor Commission in 2017, he has previously served a one-year term as President of the Board, two terms as Vice President and two terms as Secretary.

“I am honored by the trust my colleagues on the Board have placed in me,” Colonna said. “I look forward to navigating our way through shifting trade policies, building the necessary infrastructure that will keep us competitive and continuing our pursuit to become the first zero-emissions port.”

The Harbor Commission sets policy for the Port and directs the Port’s Chief Executive Officer, who leads about 550 employees in developing and promoting the Port of Long Beach. Members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. They may serve up to three four-year terms, under a City Charter amendment approved in 2024 by Long Beach voters.

In 2005, the Harbor Commission enacted the Green Port Policy, which has led to aggressive, industry-leading programs to improve air and water quality, protect marine wildlife and implement sustainable practices while engaging and educating the community.