Commissioner Nancy Baker accepts her award at the annual WPPA conference in Seattle

Commissioner Nancy Baker accepts her award at the annual WPPA conference in Seattle

The Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) selected Port of Vancouver USA commission President Nancy Baker as this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Service to Industry Award.

The award was presented to Commissioner Baker at the WPPA annual conference in Seattle on Nov. 20.

WPPA Executive Director Eric Johnson presented the award to Commissioner Baker. He noted her 26 years of service, which includes 14 years as a Port of Vancouver employee and 12 years as a commissioner. Director Johnson also congratulated her on the tremendous accomplishment of being the first female commissioner in Port of Vancouver history.

Some other notable accomplishments in Commissioner Baker’s distinguished career include:

  • Supporting the $180 million Columbia River dredging project, which deepened the river shipping channel from 40 feet to 43 feet. The deepening has spurred more than $1 billion in public and private infrastructure and facilities investments along the Columbia and Snake rivers.
  • Authorizing the purchase of the 265-acre Rufener Farm, located across Lower River Road from the port’s administrative office. The purchase opened up 108 acres for light-industrial use.
  • Authorizing the sale of 18.9 acres to port tenant Sunlight Supply. The Vancouver-based employer will soon break ground on a 285,000 square-foot building, retaining 253 local jobs and allowing the entire company to be under one roof for the first time.
  • Authorizing the purchase of the port’s first Liebherr crane. At the time, the crane was one of the largest mobile harbor cranes in North America. A second crane was purchased in 2009, allowing the Port of Vancouver to become the Northwest leader in heavy-lift cargo.
  • Supporting and overseeing the largest capital project in port history: the $275 million West Vancouver Freight Access project. It includes a new rail entrance into the port, expanding the port’s rail corridor, and the addition of a loop track at the port’s Terminal 5, making it possible for the port to accept unit trains over 100 cars long. Completion of this project will reduce rail congestion by 40 percent and improve our region’s competitiveness.
  • Helping provide a more transparent and open public process at the port by approving live cable TV coverage of port meetings.
  • Being a passionate voice for the port’s redevelopment of 10 acres of prime waterfront property. Commissioner Baker has championed public access to the waterfront, assuring that Vancouver citizens and visitors will always be able to enjoy Columbia River vistas.
  • Approving the lease with rapidly growing biotechnology company AbSci LLC to occupy a portion of the former Red Lion hotel. Approval of this lease brings a new industry to Southwest Washington and creates a source of revenue for the port during the master planning and permitting process for the port’s waterfront redevelopment project.

The Washington Public Ports Association was formed by the Legislature in 1961. WPPA promotes the interests of the port community through effective government relations, ongoing education, and strong advocacy programs. There are 75 port districts located in our state, and because of the work they do, Washington’s products share a single market: the world.