engineering executives

Left to right: Suzanne Plezia and Tom Baldwin. Photo courtesy of POLB.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners promoted two Harbor Department Engineers to the chief harbor engineer and director of program management positions, port officials announced Tuesday.

Suzanne Plezia, who previously worked as the port’s director of construction management, was promoted to senior director of the engineering bureau’s program delivery group, a position which also includes the title of chief harbor engineer.

Plezia is the first woman to hold this position.

She first joined the port in 1996 as an intern while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UCI and was hired into her previous position in December 2014. Plezia has worked in the design, program management and construction management divisions and in 2012 she managed construction for the Pier G Container Terminal Redevelopment project.

The program delivery group Plezia is now in charge of will oversee program management, construction management, survey and project controls in addition to the port’s capital programs, including the replacement of the Gerald Desmond Bridge.

This year, the port is investing $4 billion in capital improvements.

The new director of program management, Tom Baldwin, previously worked as the assistant director for program management.

He will oversee the port’s capital improvement program, which includes dredging, terminal, wharf, building, railroad, bridge, utility and safety projects.

A graduate of Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Baldwin joined the port in 2002 and was appointed assistant director of program management in January 2015. He specializes in leading large harbor development projects including terminal renovations, such as the Middle Harbor Terminal Redevelopment project.

Plezia’s and Baldwin’s appointments go into effect April 29.

Stephanie Rivera is the community engagement editor. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @StephRivera88.