SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The Board of Port Commissioners has selected Carlsbad City Manager Scott Chadwick as the Port of San Diego's next president and CEO, it was announced Thursday.
Chadwick was selected from hundreds of applicants after a search that began in February. His contract will likely be ratified at the Dec. 10 port board meeting.
"I could not be more thrilled for the opportunity to serve all who live, work, and play on and around the beautiful and vibrant San Diego Bay waterfront," Chadwick said. "The organization's environmental leadership is trailblazing, there is incredible growth and transformation in areas that have had little to no public access for decades, and the agency's focus on building a culture of belonging is something I cannot wait to be a part of."
Chadwick joined Carlsbad in January 2018 from San Diego, where he spent five years as the Chief Operating Officer.
"It has been an honor to serve the City of Carlsbad these past seven years," he said. "I am so proud of this organization and what we have been able to accomplish.
"As I continue my own career in public service, I know I leave the city in very good hands, from the crews who start their days before sunrise to our tenured professional staff and department leaders."
He worked for San Diego for 14 years in various roles, following work with AFSCME Council 36, Local 127 and serving in the U.S. Army for eight years as an intelligence analyst.
"Scott is committed to people-focused leadership and has a reputation for building strong, high-performing teams that drive forward organizations and the communities they serve," said Board of Port Commissioners Vice Chair Danielle Moore. "The Port of San Diego is a dynamic entity and Scott's extensive background in city management, government operations, legislative affairs, human resources, labor relations, and the military, coupled with his robust networks across the region and state, position the port for success in the years ahead."
The Board of Port Commissioners accepted the resignation of former president and CEO Joe Stuyvesant in January. Chadwick is scheduled to begin at the port in mid-January, where he will oversee nearly 600 employees responsible for more than 14,000 acres of tidelands, bay, and beaches along 34 miles of waterfront in Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego.
Carlsbad Mayor Keith Blackburn thanked Chadwick for his work as city manager.
"Scott provided steady, professional leadership when our organization needed it most, and, as a result, we're a safer, more efficient city," he said. "We are sorry to see him go, but when one of the biggest public agencies in the region taps Carlsbad's city manager, you know we're doing something right. We wish him the very best."
Chadwick graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He grew up in San Diego County and now resides with his family in Point Loma.
The Carlsbad City Council will meet in closed session to develop interim and long-term plans for filling the position, a city statement read.
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