The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (NOLA) has selected new officers with the election of Charles H. Ponstein as chairman, Jack C. Jensen, Jr. as vice chairman, and Joseph F. Toomy as secretary-treasurer.
Ponstein joined the Board in March 2018, when he was appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards. He now succeeds William H. Langenstein III, whose term as chairman expired earlier this month.
Langenstein will continue to serve on the Board as a commissioner until his five-year term, which ends in February 2023, according to Louisiana’s port.
With the alignment of the Port of New Orleans and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad in February 2018, Port Commissioners will also serve on the New Orleans Public Belt (NOPB) Railroad Commission, Ponstein, as chairman, Langenstein as vice chairman and Toomy as secretary-treasurer.
“I am excited about the future of Port NOLA as we continue to work toward positive growth and developing critical infrastructure throughout our jurisdiction to keep Louisiana and the Port NOLA gateway competitive,” commented Ponstein.
Ponstein served on the St. Bernard Parish Policy Jury from 1980-1988, as a councilman-at-large from 1992-1996 and as parish president during the period 1996-2004.
He has also served as a member of the St. Bernard Parish Chamber of Commerce, St. Bernard Economic Development Commission, Regional Planning Commission and United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area.
Ponstein received his Bachelor of Science in business administration from the Louisiana State University in New Orleans (LSUNO) in 1971 after graduating from Holy Cross High School in 1967.
The Port NOLA and NOPB Commission Boards consist of seven members. They are unsalaried and serve five-year staggered terms. The Governor of Louisiana appoints members from a list of three nominations submitted by local civic, labour, education and maritime groups.
