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Port Commission Chairman Janiece Longoria was honored with the prestigious \u201cMaritime Person of the Year\u201d award at the Greater Houston Port Bureau\u2019s Annual Maritime Dinner August 19.<\/p>\n
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More than 700 industry executives, government officials and colleagues attended the event to support the Chairman. City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner provided a city proclamation on behalf of Longoria, and highlighted the Port of Houston\u2019s accomplishments and her leadership to the organization.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur port is the maritime port to the world, and tonight we honor Chairwoman Longoria for her leadership over the past 15 years,\u201d said Turner on his official Twitter account.<\/p>\n
Under her leadership, Port Houston has reached a historic high of handling more than 2 million loaded container units in 2015, seen steady increases in revenues, made significant investments in infrastructure, and pursued dredging projects to keep the Houston Ship Channel moving forward.<\/p>\n
Harris County Commissioner Jack Morman of Precinct 2 offered Longoria a resolution from Harris County, and U.S. Congressman Brian Babin provided a congressional recognition for her significant impact to the maritime community and the state of Texas.<\/p>\n
Along with that, Texas Governor Greg Abbott could not be in attendance, but asked the Port Bureau to present Longoria the Governor\u2019s \u201cYellow Rose of Texas\u201d award.<\/p>\n
The Yellow Rose of Texas Award is given only through the Office of the Governor to recognize women for their significant contributions to their communities and to Texas in the preservation of Texas history.<\/p>\n
Other keynote speakers at the event included Dr. Brenda Hellyer, chancellor at San Jacinto College, Neil Chapman, president of ExxonMobil Chemical, Jim Teague, CEO of Enterprise Products Partners, and Pat Studdert, president and CEO of Buffalo Marine Service, Inc.<\/p>\n
Studdert awarded Longoria with a customized glass heart, noting that she is the \u201cheart of the port,\u201d a person who cares deeply about the Houston Ship Channel and the companies and individuals who support the waterway.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am honored to have been selected by the Greater Houston Port Bureau as the maritime person of the year for 2017,\u201d said Longoria. \u201cI consider it the highest distinction for maritime industry service.\u201d<\/p>\n
Longoria is longest serving Chairman at the port is the only woman to have ever held the position on the Port Commission.<\/p>\n
The event was held at the Bayou City Event Center.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Port Chairman Janiece Longoria was honored with the prestigious \u201cMaritime Person of the Year\u201d award at the Greater Houston Port Bureau\u2019s Annual Maritime Dinner. […]<\/p>\n