Port of Portland Welcomes New Commissioners

 

The Port of Portland Commission today welcomed new commissioners Alice Cuprill-Comas and Gary Young. Both were earlier nominated by Gov. Kate Brown and confirmed the Oregon State Senate.

Alice Cuprill-Comas
Cuprill-Comas of Portland is a transactional lawyer, and is currently legal counsel at Oregon Health & Science University. A member of the Oregon, Washington and Texas State bars, she was in private practice for more than 15 years, most recently as a partner at Ater, Wynne, LLC in Portland. Cuprill-Comas was named a Rising Star by Oregon Super Lawyers in 2010. She has also served as general counsel to Prometheus
Energy Company, an alternative fuels company with international operations headquartered in Seattle.

Originally from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Cuprill-Comas earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with honors from the University of Texas in Austin in 1992, and a Juris Doctor from Lewis & Clark in 1994. She is the mother of two, and her husband, Rick, is a teacher for Portland Public Schools.

Gary Young
Young is a native Oregonian and has lived in the Portland area all his life. Since 2013, he has been the business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48 and is responsible for the day to day operations of this 4400 member local.

Young is directly involved in contract negotiations, health and welfare and pension trusts, as well as being politically active on behalf of the membership he serves in regards to legislation that affects wages, hours and working conditions.

Young served his electrical apprenticeship through the NECA IBEW Electrical Training Center where he earned his General Journeyman electrical license. Young and his wife, Carla, live in Boring and enjoy spending time outdoors, riding dirt bikes, fishing and hunting.

Cuprill-Comas will replace Paul Rosenbaum, who has served as Commission vice president, and is CEO and board chairman of SWR Corporation. Young will replace Commissioner Bruce Holte, a longshoreman and member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Terms for both Rosenbaum and Holte have expired and both have served since 2007.

Other members of the Port Commission are: Jim Carter, Commission president; Tom Chamberlain, Commission vice president, and president, Oregon AFL- CIO; Linda Pearce, Commission treasurer, and CFO of Tillamook County Creamery Association; Robert Levy, Commission secretary, and self-employed farmer operating both Windy River and L&L Farms in Hermiston; Diana Daggett; Peter Bragdon, vice president and general counsel, Columbia Sportswear Company; and Tom Tsuruta, adjunct professor at Marylhurst University.

The nine-member commission sets Port policy during its monthly meetings. At least two commissioners must each live in one of the three counties in the Port district (Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties). The remaining members may live in any part of the state. Commissioners are unpaid volunteers who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. They serve four-year terms and can be reappointed for an additional term. Commission presidents are selected by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Commission appoints the Port's executive director.