On Aug. 14, longtime labor leader Bobby Olvera Jr. is slated to begin a one-year term as the new president of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, the entity that governs the Port of Long Beach.
Olvera, who previously served as board vice president, takes over for outgoing President Sharon L. Weissman. Meanwhile, Bonnie Lowenthal has been selected as vice president and Frank Colonna as board secretary.
Olvera, who was appointed to the commission in 2020 and elected the board’s vice president in 2022, said it was an honor to be chosen as president by his colleagues.
“We are at a critical juncture in our port’s history as we accelerate our progress toward zero emissions,” he commented. “I look forward to collaborating with fellow Commissioners, CEO Mario Cordero, staff and all of our industry partners to build a more efficient, sustainable and equitable port.”
A fifth-generation longshoreman, Olvera is the International Vice President (Mainland) of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. He started with the ILWU in 1989 and served in various leadership positions, including three terms as ILWU Local 13 president. In 1991, he temporarily left to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Olvera has also been a part of several boards, including the Miguel Contreras Advocacy Foundation and the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Labor Community Services and as well as the Long Beach Economic Development Commission.
