Dr. Noel Hacegaba is the Deputy Executive Director for the Port of Long Beach, California. He functions as the Chief Operating Officer and is responsible for managing the day-to-day administrative and operating functions of the Port, including Commercial Operations, Finance and Administration, Engineering Services, Planning and Environmental Affairs, Human Resources, Communications and Government Relations.
In recent years, Dr. Hacegaba has also led the Port’s response to the pandemic-induced supply chain crisis, leading the Port’s internal Business Recovery Taskforce and coordinating with industry, labor and government partners to identify near-term solutions. Under his leadership, the Port of Long Beach opened the first “pop-up yard” known as STOR (Short-Term Overflow Resource) for much-needed surge capacity and supported the first 24-hour terminal operation in the nation at TTI terminal.
Dr. Hacegaba is also leading the development of the Port’s digital initiative known as the Supply Chain Information Highway, which seeks to close the gap on the lack of visibility and data sharing in goods movement by enabling end-to-end visibility and coast-to-coast connectivity. Seven other ports are collaborating with the Port of Long Beach on the development of this digital initiative.
In addition, Dr. Hacegaba has also led negotiations on behalf of the Port on major business transactions, including the sale of Long Beach Container Terminal and Total Terminals International, each multi-billion dollar assets at the time of sale.
Previously, Dr. Hacegaba served as the Port’s Managing Director of Commercial Operations and Chief Commercial Officer, the Port’s senior executive responsible for developing and executing business development strategies to drive cargo and revenue growth. In this role, Dr. Hacegaba successfully managed the Port’s commercial activities during a period of significant industry realignment and led the swift recovery of its largest container terminal following the biggest bankruptcy in shipping line industry history, clearing the path for record cargo volumes.
Dr. Hacegaba began his career at the Port in 2010 as the Executive Officer to the Board of Harbor Commissioners, a position that reported directly to the Board and coordinated the governing body’s policy, administrative and communications functions.
In total, Dr. Hacegaba has more than 25 years of public and private sector experience spanning a variety of industries. Prior to joining the Port, he managed $200 million in contracts for a Fortune 500 company. In earlier roles, he served as a senior administrator for an elected office, a business executive for a growing company engaged in international trade, a research analyst for a policy research group and as a management consultant.
He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he earned degrees in economics (B.A. and M.A.), business administration (B.S.) and urban planning (MPL). He earned his doctorate in public administration at the University of La Verne, where he continues to serve on the faculty of the school’s College of Business and Public Management.
Dr. Hacegaba is also a graduate of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs, one of the nation’s premier post-graduate fellowship programs. Additionally, he is a Certified Port Executive (CPE) and earned the Port Professional Executive (PPX) and Port Professional Manager (PPM) professional designations offered through the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA). As part of his work in the PPM program, Dr. Hacegaba authored a white paper, “Big Ships, Big Challenges: The Impact of Mega Container Vessels on U.S. Port Authorities,” which was published by AAPA and widely distributed as a reference resource within the port authority sector and the broader goods movement industry. He has written numerous other articles published in Port Technology International and the Journal of Commerce.
An active member of the community and the goods movement industry, Dr. Hacegaba serves in various leadership roles. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Intermodal Association of North America, the largest organization representing the combined interests of the intermodal freight transportation industry, after serving two terms as Chairman of the Board. He also serves as Chairman of the Professional Development Board of the American Association of Port Authorities, a member of the Marine Exchange of Southern California Board of Directors, Harbor Association of Industry and Commerce Board of Directors, St. Mary Medical Center Board of Trustees, Long Beach City College Foundation Board of Governors and the Los Angeles/Long Beach Propeller Club.