Staff Writer
The Jacksonville Port Authority Board of Directors revealed Thursday that CEO Rick Ferrin has tendered his resignation.
Ferrin has been at the helm of the Port Authority for 13 years, helping the organization transition from part of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority to its own independent authority. As the port continues to evolve, its board began to review its operations and determine how it could better meet the challenges of a changing industry.
“This is a strategic move by the board to bring in the next era of leadership,” said David Kulik, board chair of the Port Authority. “You have to move at the speed of business and we need to improve the speed at which we do business.”
The board began its search for a replacement for Ferrin Thursday, according to Kulik, and named Chief Operating Officer Chris Kauffmann as interim executive director, with Roy Schleicher and Michael Poole, respectively, appointed to carry out the duties in Kauffmann’s absence.
The three were part of the senior management team that the board consulted the past year to develop its strategic plan for the future development of the Port Authority.
“For more than a year, Rick and I have been discussing the substantial challenges, opportunities and obstacles that face the port in a new and quickly changing era in the shipping industry,” said Kulik.
“This natural evolution creates a need, periodically, for new skills and a change in management’s focus in order to achieve our long-term goals,” he said.
“Consistent with these discussions, Rick has agreed to step aside and accept a new role at the port. I am confident that I speak for the entire port community when I thank Rick for his many contributions over the past 13 years. I have confidence in Chris and the JaxPort team to lead the port through this period and into its next stages of success.”
The board approved giving City of Jacksonville General Counsel Cindy Laquidara the authority to negotiate the resignation of Ferrin.
She explained to the board that there were three options: Accept the resignation with terms, terminate without cause or terminate with cause.
The first two would cost the same financially, as Ferrin would be paid for nine months of his salary ($191,000), but accepting the resignation with terms would also allow Ferrin to step down from his CEO position and accept a transitional role.
Laquidara informed the board that she expected the resignation negotiations to be completed in the next few days.
“I believe he is excited about the opportunity to be able to continue his relationship with the port and lend his talent and expertise to the transition,” said Laquidara.
Ferrin was not present at the board meeting. Both Kulik and Mitchell Legler, Ferrin’s attorney who attended the meeting, said the resignation had nothing to do with the federal investigation of the Port Authority.
“Rick has been at the Port for 13 years. That’s twice as long as the average tenure of an executive director for most ports,” said Legler. “I feel that speaks to how well he has done his job.”
The senior management team will research firms to help with the search for a new executive director and report back to the board at its Sept. 27 meeting.
Other action by the board included the decision to postpone the regularly scheduled September election of new board leadership. Kulik, Vice Chair L. Buck Fowler, Treasurer Reginald Gaffney and Secretary Herschel Vinyard Jr. will remain in leadership positions.
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