Thorne promoted to deputy director at Mobile port

   H.S. “Smitty” Thorne has been named deputy director and chief operating officer of the Alabama State Port Authority, which owns and operates the state’s deep-water port facilities at the Port of Mobile.
   Thorne will have oversight of the day-to-day administration, marketing and operations at the port.
   “This move will help alleviate increasing demands on my office and the executive management team due much in part to the continued growth here at the port,” James K. Lyons, director and chief executive officer of the port authority.
   Thorne, who has more than 40 years of maritime industry experience, started in both agency and stevedoring roles with Ryan-Walsh Inc., ending his 29-year career there as division vice president of operations.
   In 1996, he joined the Jackson-Kearney Group where he rose to the position of operations vice president for the company’s warehousing and freight forwarding divisions and the second largest terminal and stevedoring operation at the Port of New Orleans.
   Thorne joined the Alabama State Port Authority in 2000, where he has served in several management positions. – Chris Dupin