Press Release: Port of Oakland Appoints New Attorney

Port of Oakland AppointS Danny Wan as New Port attorney

Oakland, Calif.–November 21, 2012–At their November 15 Board meeting, the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners unanimously appointed Danny Wan as the new Port Attorney.  Mr. Wan’s appointment is effective December 17, 2012.  As Port Attorney, Danny Wan will be responsible for advising the Port on a broad range of legal affairs that arise in the conduct of the Port’s maritime, aviation, and commercial real estate businesses.  

Commemorating this appointment, Board President Gilda Gonzales said, “Mr. Wan brings to this position the ideal background—as public agency legal counsel and executive manager, as a public servant, and as a former Deputy Port Attorney.  He will help us fulfill our legal duties and responsibilities as a state tidelands trustee in the highly regulated and competitive environment that we face.”

Port of Oakland Acting Executive Director Deborah Ale Flint added, “Mr. Wan is an excellent addition to the Port, and I look forward to working with him as part of our new leadership team as we make progress on our path to sustainability, restoring public trust, and continuing to serve our customers and community.”

Newly-appointed Port Attorney Wan is currently the City Attorney and Risk Manager for the City of Morgan Hill and he serves as part of the City’s executive management team.  In his current position, Mr. Wan advises the Morgan Hill City Council on all aspects of municipal law, including open meeting laws, ethics, employment law and infrastructure financing and contracting.

From 2004-2008, Mr. Wan served as Deputy Port Attorney with the Port of Oakland, being primarily responsible for land use, environmental regulatory compliance, City Charter compliance and inter-agency agreements.  Prior to that, Mr. Wan was an Oakland City Councilmember and he also worked in private law practice, specializing in municipal financing and securities disclosure.

Mr. Wan’s legal experience is complemented by an extensive list of public and community service.  In addition to the Oakland City Council, Mr. Wan has served on both the East Bay Municipal Utility District Board of Directors and San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board.  He also taught school after graduating from UC Berkeley and prior to earning his law degree from the UCLA School of Law.

Mr. Wan was selected after a six month competitive recruitment process conducted by a global executive search firm that led to a diverse pool of nearly fifty applicants.

About the Port o Oakland:
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport, and 20 miles of waterfront. The Oakland seaport is the fifth busiest container port in the U.S.; Oakland International Airport is the second largest San Francisco Bay Area airport offering over 300 daily passenger and cargo flights; and the Port’s real estate includes commercial developments such as Jack London Square and hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation areas. Together, through Port operations and those of its tenants and users, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland. Connect with the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport through Facebook, or with the Port on Twitter, YouTube, and at www.portofoakland.com.

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