Carlsbad, Calif. City Manager Scott Chadwick has been chosen as the Port of San Diego’s new president and chief executive officer, the Southern California seaport announced Nov. 21.
Chadwick, whose contract is expected to be ratified by the Board of Port Commissioners on Dec. 10, is anticipated to start leading the port’s nearly 600 employees in the top role in mid-January.
Chadwick has two decades of experience in city government, including more than six years in Carlsbad and about 14 years with the City of San Diego, where he served as chief operating officer, human resources director and labor relations director.
He grew up in San Diego County and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Purdue University. He served eight years as an intelligence analyst for the U.S. Army before working for AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) in San Diego for five years.
Chadwick is poised to take the reins from Acting President and CEO Randa Coniglio, who formerly served as the port’s first female president and CEO from 2015 to 2020. She was asked to return to the top job in 2023 after former President and CEO Joe Stuyvesant was placed on administrative leave. Stuyvesant officially resigned in January.
Board members lauded the selection of Chadwick, who was chosen from hundreds of applicants in a leadership search that started in February.
“In Scott, we have a proven leader who believes that people and relationships are of utmost importance in public service and in business,” Board Chairman Frank Urtasun said.
Board Vice Chair Danielle Moore echoed the sentiment.
“Scott is committed to people-focused leadership and has a reputation for building strong, high-performing teams that drive forward organizations and the communities they serve,” Moore said. “The Port of San Diego is a dynamic entity and Scott’s extensive background in city management, government operations, legislative affairs, human resources, labor relations and the military, coupled with his robust networks across the region and state, position the port for success in the years ahead.”
