Gene Seroka is the Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest container port in North America. He was nominated by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on May 27, 2014, and confirmed by the Los Angeles City Council on June 11, 2014.
As Executive Director, Seroka is responsible for managing a $939 million budget, advancing major capital projects; growing trade volumes and promoting innovative, sustainable practices that strengthen the region’s economy. His duties involve interacting with a wide range of stakeholders, including Port customers around the globe, industry partners, elected and appointed officials at all levels, harbor area residents and business leaders.
Seroka brings more than 25 years of experience in shipping, global logistics and executive management to the Port. Most recently, he was Head of Commercial in the Americas Region for American President Lines (APL) Limited. After several key overseas positions for APL, he returned to the U.S. in 2010 to become President – Americas for APL Limited in Phoenix where he managed APL’s Liner Shipping business, including 1,000 employees, and was responsible for all commercial, port terminal, intermodal, land transportation and labor activities throughout the region.
Seroka joined APL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) and the world’s seventh largest ocean carrier, in 1988 as a sales support representative in the company’s Cincinnati office after earning an MBA and Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of New Orleans. Over the years, he has held various positions in sales and management with increasing responsibility and high-level assignments all over the world. Throughout his career, he played a key role in global marketing and corporate strategies for APL.
Seroka’s first overseas posting was in Shanghai where he served as Director of Sales and Marketing for North and Central China from 1999 to 2003. He then moved to Jakarta where he was President Director of PT APL and APL Logistics in Indonesia for two years before relocating to Singapore in 2005 to become Vice President of APL Logistics’ business units in 26 countries in the company’s Asia/Middle East and South Asia regions. From 2008 to 2010, he served as Vice President for APL and APL Logistics Emirates LLC in Dubai where he managed APL’s business in the Middle East and East Africa Region.