Pacific Maritime Association taps Stephen Hennessey as new president and CEO

The Pacific Maritime Association’s 11-member Board of Directors unanimously selected longtime Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Stephen Hennessey as the new President and CEO of the organization following the retirement of Jim McKenna, who led the organization for the past two decades.

Hennessey joined PMA in 2004 after holding management positions in the shipping and trucking industries. He brings to the role a tremendous understanding of the entire supply chain, the nuances of the collective bargaining agreement, and the role of the 29 West Coast ports in supporting trillions of dollars worth of trade.

The transition of leadership comes at a time of stability and potential growth on the West Coast waterfront, with a new six-year contract in place that positions ports in California, Oregon, and Washington to regain market share and continue driving value for the local and national economies. Chief Financial Officer Michael Wechsler and General Counsel Craig Epperson will continue in their roles on the executive leadership team.

“Steve Hennessey is uniquely prepared to build on Jim’s legacy and usher PMA into the next era,” the PMA Board of Directors said in a statement. “We have tremendous confidence in Steve to carry forward PMA’s mission, keep the West Coast ports competitive, and maintain their leadership role in the global economy.”

Hennesey started his tenure at PMA as vice president of labor relations in Southern California. He grew into the role of COO, where he has been responsible for providing leadership and direction in the areas of labor relations, strategic plan implementation, contract administration and arbitration, management of industry training and safety programs, and oversight of jointly operated dispatch halls.

“I am truly honored to lead PMA, which has the responsibility to keep one of the nation’s most important economic engines strong and vibrant,” Hennessey said. “Our work supports a significant percentage of the nation’s GDP, as well as millions of quality jobs nationwide across a wide range of industries. I want to express my gratitude to the PMA Board for selecting me, and to Jim McKenna for his superb leadership of PMA for the last two decades.”