CLICK HERE for the Complete Conference Agenda.

Conference Agenda At A Glance

Conference Schedule Port Finance & Economics Committee Communications and Community Relations Committee Port Safety & Security Committee Environment Committee Legal Committee Port Planning and Development Committee Port Operations & Logistics Committee Trade Facilitation & Port Community Systems Committee Trade Facilitation & Port Community Systems Committee



CLICK HERE for the Complete Conference Agenda.

Kathleen Brown

Chairman, Midwest Region, Investment Banking Division Goldman Sachs

Ms. Brown has had an extensive career in both the public and private sectors. In addition to practicing law from 1985-87, she has served as Public Works Commissioner for the City of Los Angeles, an elected member of the Los Angeles Board of education and was treasurer of the State of California from 1990-94. She was President of Bank of America’s Private Bank from 1997-2000. Ms. Brown has been with Goldman Sachs since 2001 and has been in leadership roles in public finance since 2003.

Sung Won Sohn, PhD


Dr. Sohn is on the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners, is Chairman of the Board of multi-national retailer Forever 21, and currently an Endowed Professor of Economics at California State University. In 2006, 2010 and 2012 The Wall Street Journal has ranked Dr. Sohn among its Top Five most accurate economists and economic forecasters. Dr. Sohn will be a featured speaker in the "New Realities in the Global Economy" session.

Mr. Chang Dechuan


Mr. Chang is considered one of the leading pioneers in the development of China’s modern port industry. Over the past three decades, Mr. Chang has successfully directed the growth of Qingdao Port, China’s second largest international trade gateway. With a workforce of 24,000 employees, Qingdao has added three new port areas under Mr. Chang’s leadership. Author of the book “Managing Chinese Enterprises,” Mr. Chang will provide a global industry outlook and perspective on world port development.

Dr. Don Walsh


Mr. Walsh will be the keynote speaker at the conference lunch on May 8 with the topic "Farewell to Ice -- Emerging Maritime Commerce in the Arctic Ocean." Mr. Walsh is a noted Arctic and Antarctic explorer making 50 polar journeys over the past four decades, five of them to the North Pole. He has written more than 200 ocean-related publications and is the recipient of the French Jules Verne Aventures organization's "Etoile Polaire" medal celebrating "The Greatest Explorations of the 20th Century".

Captain Richard Phillips

Captain of the hijacked Maersk Alabama


For five days in April 2009, the world was glued to their TV
screens as Captain Richard Phillips became the center of an
extraordinary international drama when he was captured by
Somali pirates who hijacked his ship.