The Redwood City Council has reappointed one of the nation’s longest serving port commissioners in history along with a newcomer to the five-member Board of Port Commissioners for the Port of Redwood City.
Reappointed to a four-year term was Dick Dodge, who originally was appointed in 1980 and reappointed seven times since. At the conclusion of his term, he will have served 38 years. Appointed to a four-year term was Simms Duncan, replacing Commissioner Tom Cronin, who did not seek reappointment.
Duncan is a senior director of project finance with Hanwha Solar in San Francisco, a global provider of photovoltaic (PV) solar solutions and flagship company of Korea’s top-10 business group Hanwha Group. Before joining Hanwha in 2011 he was managing director of corporate business development at Applied Materials, leading all corporate transactions in support of Applied Materials’ solar business unit. Before entering the solar industry, he was an investment banker for eight years with Jefferies.
He has a B.S. in aerospace engineering and a master’s in avionics and electrical engineering from the United States Naval Academy and a master’s in business from Stanford University. He flew carrier-based jets for the Navy.
Duncan has been active in Redwood City, including nine years with Redwood City Trees. He is a graduate of the Redwood City Citizen’s Police Academy and Redwood City Pact program. He and his wife have two sons.
Dodge has owned and operated T.H.E. Office City since 1976, which he grew from one employee to one of the largest office products dealers in Northern California. He recently retired as president but continues to serve as board chairman of the company. Prior to that, he was in a management position with Airborne Express for 12 years. He and his wife have three married daughters and seven grandchildren. He has a B.S. in business administration from University of Southern California.
Dodge has been involved in numerous maritime organizations, including past president of the Association of Pacific Ports. He has been called upon to make numerous presentations before the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA). He also has been involved in community activities for nearly 40 years.
In the community, Dodge has served on the boards of the Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce, the Sequoia YMCA, the Redwood City Rotary Club, a bank advisory board, and the Water Transit Authority’s Technical Advisory Committee.
In his application, Duncan said, “I am applying for the Port Commisson because I feel a strong sense of affinity for the Port and because I believe my unique skills and qualifications will allow me to make a meaningful contribution to the running of the Port. The Port is truly an asset for the City.”
Duncan said he sees key issues facing the Port include taking advantage of the recently modernized wharves to increase tonnage and revenue and coordinating closely with the new Inner Harbor Specific Plan to maximize the benefit of that planning process while avoiding any conflicts with the physical and economic activity at the Port. He also is an advocate of the Port’s long-sought ferry service, which Dodge initiated the public process more than a decade ago.
In his application for reappointment Dodge said, “While the Port is a city-owned enterprise it faces many of the same issues facing most business. Port revenue and subvention enhancement to the city council are hindered by the Port’s channel depth. Therefore it is important that the Port press on its goal of channel realignment and deepening.”
In addition, Dodge said that “instituting ferry service is still an important issue as traffic on our freeways continue to grow.” He added that his his institutional memory accumulated through his years as a Port commissioner and active in the maritime industry’s associations will be helpful as the Commission continues to tackle polices and decisions to enhance the Port during good and bad economic times.
Dodge and Duncan are joined on the Port Commission by Chair Lorianna Kastrop, Secretary Ralph Garcia, and Commissioner Dick Claire.
Tags: Bay Area, ports
