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Port of Portland Chief Gets Raise, Turns Down Bonus by James Mayer The Oregonian, September 8, 2010

The Port of Portland Commission gave Executive Director Bill Wyatt a glowing job evaluation Wednesday, and raised his salary to $321,000 a year.

The move comes amid an upward swing in the Port, which relies mostly on revenues from running Portland International Airport and income from Columbia River barge shipments. The agency was hit hard in 2009 by the global economic slowdown that sparked a falloff in air passengers and international trade.

Last year, Wyatt gave himself a 10 percent pay cut as part of salary reductions and furloughs throughout the organization, but the current raise is a 7 percent increase from his salary before that reduction.

The four-member leadership committee of the commission also wanted to give Wyatt a $29,210 bonus, but Wyatt declined.

"We're not quite out of the woods yet," he said.

Commission President Judi Johansen praised Wyatt for his regional leadership on economic development issues, his shepherding of the organization through the recession, managing to save 40 jobs. He also led the Port through construction of its headquarters and parking garage at PDX, a $241 million project that created 380 construction jobs.

"It's fair to say, the region is very fortunate that Bill Wyatt is executive director of the port," Johansen said.

One area that needs more policy development, she said, was the Portland harbor, and the Port's plans to develop West Hayden Island.

(bluefish: remembers that Judi Johansen was the Administrator, CEO, of the Bonneville Power Administration in 2000.)

Related Pages:
BPA Letter "Short-term Price Volatility" by Judith Johansen, Bonneville Power Administration, 8/1/00