HOUSTON, Oct. 20, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- By unanimous vote, Houston City Council today reappointed Janiece Longoria to the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) Commission. Initially appointed in September 2002, Longoria also is a member of the board of Pilot Commissioners. PHA commissioners serve two-year terms without pay.
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://media.primezone.com/poha/pages/exec.html
"We eagerly welcome Commissioner Longoria's return," said Jim Edmonds, PHA chairman. "Her leadership has been exemplary to overall port issues. Janiece works diligently to serve Houston, and her dedication to her constituents has been instrumental in helping maintain the port's economic vitality. We look forward to continuing our work with her."
Longoria chairs the PHA commission's International Business Task Force. She also is a member of the commission's community relations and cruise task forces.
"It is an honor to represent the city of Houston as a Port of Houston Authority commissioner," Longoria said. "The port authority is on a sound course, building on its strengths to serve existing customers and cultivate new business relationships. As I look toward the future, I relish the challenges and opportunities that are essential to our American system of commerce. Houston's port is in an excellent position to capitalize on the opportunities in the marketplace and to help shape the future of the maritime industry. With continuous guidance from all of the port's stakeholders, I will work diligently to uphold the commitment to excellence in delivering the goods for Houston."
Mayor Bill White remarked, "Janiece has been a real asset for the Port of Houston."
Professionally, Longoria is a partner in the law firm of Ogden Gibson White & Broocks, L.L.P. She previously served as a partner for the law firms of Andrews & Kurth, L.L.P., and Hutcheson & Grundy, L.L.P. Earlier in her law career, Longoria was a city of Houston municipal court judge, a prosecutor in the Harris County district attorney's office and a law clerk for the Texas Attorney General's Office. She received a bachelor's of art degree with honors from the University of Texas and a law degree from the University of Texas' School of Law.
Longoria is a member of the American Bar Association's Securities Law Section and the State Bar of Texas. As a member of the Securities Industry Association, she has co-authored the annual survey of broker-dealer litigation. Her numerous other professional and volunteer organization affiliations include Houston Lawyer Referral Service, Houston Bar Foundation, American Leadership Forum, Houston Symphony Board of Trustees, Houston Convention Center Hotel Corp., the Heritage Society Board of Directors, Texas Accountants & Lawyers for the Arts, University of St. Thomas President's Advisory Council, Contemporary Arts Museum Board of Trustees, Cultural Arts Council of Houston, Houston Hispanic Forum, San Jacinto Girl Scout Council, Hispanic Women in Leadership and American Judges Association.
The Port of Houston Authority owns and operates the public facilities located along the Port of Houston, the 25-mile long complex of diversified public and private facilities designed for handling general cargo, containers, grain and other dry bulk materials, project and heavy lift cargo, and other types of cargo. Each year, more than 6,600 vessels call at the port, which ranks first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage, second in overall total tonnage, and sixth largest in the world. The Port Authority plays a vital role in ensuring navigational safety along the Houston Ship Channel, which has been instrumental in Houston's development as a center of international trade. The Barbours Cut Container Terminal and Central Maintenance Facility are the first of any U.S. port facilities to develop and implement an innovative Environmental Management System that meets the rigorous standards of ISO 14001. Additionally, the port is an approved delivery point for Coffee "C" futures contracts traded on the New York Board of Trade's Coffee, Sugar & Cocoa Exchange. For more information, please visit www.portofhouston.com
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