NC PORTS MAKING MEGA CHANGES: Sea Change of CEO and Weathering Coronavirus 

Please join us in this webinar to celebrate the accomplishments of NC Ports’ Executive Director Paul Cozza and welcome his successor, current Deputy Executive Director/COO Brian Clark, as we pick their brains about what they consider—in hindsight—the Port’s most significant achievements and how world events impacted the Port’s planning.

NC PORTS MAKING MEGA CHANGES: Sea Change of CEO and Weathering Coronavirus

The Carolina World Trade Association (CWTA) and the North Carolina World Trade Association (NCWTA) are proud and pleased to invite you to a program on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM via GoToWebinar. We will be celebrating the accomplishments of NC Ports’ Executive Director Paul Cozza and welcoming current Deputy Executive Director/COO Brian Clark who will be assuming the position January 1, 2021. Both leaders have been instrumental in steering NC Ports into an increasingly important and valuable role supporting and promoting global trade from the shores of North Carolina.

Paul Cozza was named to the top spot in April 2014. Under Cozza’s leadership, NC Ports has:

• achieved its most profitable years on record;
• embarked on a more than $200 million infrastructure investment plan;
• reintroduced intermodal rail;
• welcomed the largest container vessels in the ports authority’s history;
• increased container volumes through the Port of Wilmington 25 percent;
• increased general cargo at the ports of Wilmington and Morehead City an astounding 58 percent; and
• achieved a record Fiscal Year 2018.

Most notably under Cozza’s leadership, NC Ports has become a significant player in the cold chain sector. Since 2014, refrigerated container volume through the Port of Wilmington has more than quadrupled. In Fiscal Year 2020 alone, refrigerated cargo increased 15 percent year-over-year. In addition, Cozza was instrumental in the development of the ports authority’s annual Cold Chain Summit, which brings industry leaders and cold chain sector experts to the port city every year.

In large part due to the increased refrigerated container volume in FY20, NC Ports will continue with its expansion plans despite the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before Cozza leaves, we want to express our gratitude for his leadership and guidance at NC Ports. We also want to pick his brain about what he considers —in hindsight—the Port’s most significant achievements and how world events impacted the Port’s planning.

At the same time, we want to learn more about Brian Clark and his ambitions and aspirations following Cozza at the helm of NC Ports. Under Clark’s leadership, NC Ports has welcomed three neo-Panamax cranes, completed berth renovations, and embarked on a new terminal master plan aimed at increasing the container volume in Wilmington to more than one million TEUs.

Paul J. Cozza, Retiring Executive Director of NC Ports

Prior to his role as Executive Director of NC Ports, Paul Cozza served as the President of The CSL Group, a marine logistics company and the world’s largest owner and operator of self-unloading vessels. He also served in several executive roles for The Maersk Group, to include Senior Vice-President for Maersk Line, Limited and the Vice President for Network Planning. In addition to his experience with the world’s largest container line, Cozza has more than a decade of experience with Sea-Land Service, Inc. and CSX Corporation. He was the Vice President for Terminal Operations and General Manager, Europe with Sea-Land as well as the Marketing Director, Asia and Americas Container Services.

“It has been an honor to lead North Carolina Ports. Our organization has made tremendous strides over the last several years and it has been exciting to be a part of the progress and witness its positive impacts on our state. As I step away, I know our dedicated team will continue to build on this success and further grow NC Ports as an economic leader for North Carolina.”  ~ Paul J. Cozza, Executive Director, North Carolina Ports

Brian E. Clark, Current Deputy Executive Director/COO of NC Ports, Incoming Executive Director

Brian Clark was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the North Carolina State Ports Authority in June of 2017 and in June 2020 was selected to take over as Executive Director in January 2021 following the retirement of Paul Cozza.

Clark has more than twenty years of experience in the maritime industry having worked in senior positions on the operations side with industry leaders. Prior to his role as Chief Operating Officer, Clark served as Managing Director for APM Terminals at Port Elizabeth, New Jersey. During his time with APM Terminals, he was responsible for directing the overall operations of a 350-acre marine terminal with on-dock rail facilities, handling almost 500 vessel calls, 800,000 marine lifts, 150,000 intermodal moves and in excess of 1,000,000 gate moves annually. In addition to his time at Port Elizabeth, Clark also spent four years as Project Director for APM Terminals at Mobile’s container terminal touting a focus on design, contracting and execution of its development.

About NC Ports

North Carolina state ports are less congested and offer best-in-class waterside and landside efficiencies. In fact, the Port of Wilmington offers the fastest truck turn times on the East Coast. It is their mission to link the state’s consumers, business and industry to world markets and serve as magnets to attract new business and industry to the state of North Carolina. Port activities contribute statewide to more than 87,700 jobs and $678 million each year in state and local tax revenues.