Foltz on GPA resignation: ‘It’s time to move on’

Curtis Foltz, current executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority, tells American Shipper the ports of Savannah and Brunswick are performing at a high level, making it a good time to hand the reins to current COO Griff Lynch and try something new.    Curtis Foltz said Wednesday he is stepping down as executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority to pursue new career challenges, which remain uncertain at this point since he doesn’t have any job lined up so far.
   Following the announcement that he will be replaced by Chief Operating Officer Griffith Lynch after the end of the fiscal year on June 30, Foltz, 56, told American Shipper he feels that the timing is good for a transition because he has accomplished his goals and left the GPA in a strong position to continue growing into the future.
   “It was never my intention to retire here,” Foltz said in a phone interview yesterday.
   The port director said he and his wife decided in December that he should try something different and that he informed the board of directors’ leadership in early January about his intentions. Naming a replacement so quickly was possible because the port authority had a succession plan in place.
   “The succession was not a surprise, but the timing was earlier than most expected,” Foltz acknowledged.
   “I’m not a fan of these being jobs for life. If you’re a forward-thinking leader, once you come in and change the organization, impart your expertise on it, I just believe after a period of time, you’ve effected the major changes you can effect and then it’s time to move on. It’s the right time for someone else to come in and introduce their style and keep this port in top position,” he said.
   The East Carolina University business graduate said he will look for employment in the maritime or logistics sector. Before joining the GPA in 2004, he held various management positions at CSX World Terminals (now part of Dubai Ports World) and Sea-Land Service.
   The GPA operates the ports of Savannah, the fourth largest – and fastest growing (9.4 percent compounded since 2000) – container port in the United States, and Brunswick, which specializes in automobiles, machinery, bulk agriculture and wood products. Foltz, building on the work of predecessor Douglas Marchand, is credited with implementing efficiency measures, solidifying port finances and investing in long-term infrastructure, in partnership with state officials. Prior to taking over as executive director in 2009, Foltz spent six years as the GPA’s chief operating officer.
   During his dozen years managing port affairs for the state of Georgia, container volumes have more than doubled to 3.74 million TEUs, tonnage has nearly doubled (up 80 percent) to 31.5 million tons, auto throughput has nearly doubled to 699,327 units and revenue has more than doubled to $362 million. The port authority last year also increased its profit to $118 million from $81 million in fiscal year 2014 and $33.6 million in fiscal year 2013.
   The port authority has modernized its terminals and recently completed another 10-year capital plan. Plans call for $1.4 billion in port upgrades over the next decade, on top of $807 million during the past 10 years. 
   The GPA is investing $142 million during the current fiscal year to build an empty container yard for 15,000 TEUs, a new truck gate with eight extra interchange lanes, four ship-to-shore cranes and 30 rubber-tired gantry cranes.
   Future investments and reconfiguration of the Garden City Terminal is designed to increase container capacity from 4.5 million TEUs to 6.5 million TEUs and by 2024 the Port of Savannah is scheduled to have about 30 ship-to-shore cranes and 169 stacking cranes in the yard.
   Last year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began work on the $706 million project to dredge the Savannah River to 47 feet to handle larger cargo ships. Foltz, along with other leaders in the port industry, was a strong advocate in Washington for more federal investment in freight transportation infrastructure. That work paid off with the Water Resources Reform and Development Act reauthorization in 2014 and the FAST Act highway bill last year, which included $11 billion for freight projects for the first time.
   “Curtis has helped raise the recognition and awareness, here in Washington and beyond, of the vital role that seaports play in our economy, as well as the need and value of federal investments in port related infrastructure to enhance America’s international competitiveness in global markets,” Kurt Nagle, president of the American Association of Port Authorities, said. “He’s done great things in Georgia.”
   Savannah’s container volumes in calendar year 2015 set a record and were up 11.4 percent from the prior year. Much of the gain was due to cargo diversion from the West Coast as shippers sought to avoid backlogs associated with labor slowdowns and poor productivity, but despite the cargo surge the Garden City Terminal remained fluid to the satisfaction of port users.
   Foltz said the GPA appears to be holding onto more of that growth than anticipated as shippers discover Savannah meets their import and export needs in the eastern United States. Growth will be slower for all U.S. ports, including Savannah, in 2015 Foltz said because of the strong U.S. dollar suppressing exports, low demand around the world and retailers coming out of the holiday season with inflated inventories that will take time to sell off.
   “We’re on everybody’s radar screen. If you’re doing business in the Southeast and shipping goods internationally, you want to have a position in Savannah or Brunswick,” Foltz said.
   “In addition to record cargo growth, GPA, under Curtis’ leadership, modernized its terminals and developed operational practices that increased efficiency, improved safety and focused on environmental stewardship. The Board is grateful for the many contributions he made to the Authority during his distinguished career,” Jim Walters, chairman of the board, said in a statement.
   Foltz will continue to provide consulting services to the GPA for a year after his departure.
   Nominating Committee Chairman Jimmy Allgood praised Lynch for his role as COO. “Griff’s extensive operational and port management skills make him the perfect candidate to replace Curtis and continue the success the Authority has achieved.”
   Lynch also comes from a terminal background, having worked as an executive at APM Terminals prior to joining the GPA.