Each year the Port of Oakland’s Board of Port Commissioners elects its top three officers. On July 6, 2004, the Board elected Commissioner Patricia Scates to serve a one-year term as President of the Board. Commissioner Frank Kiang was elected to serve as First Vice President and Board member Anthony A. Bartarse, Jr. will serve as Second Vice President.

Board members acknowledged outgoing President Protopappas for his leadership and inspiration. He was praised for his ability to foster fairness and objectivity during significant financial challenges and the recent transition period in the Port organization with the appointment of a new executive director and chief financial officer.

Commissioner Scates will replace John Protopappas as President of the Board of Port Commissioners. She is currently Senior Vice President and Regional Manager of Wells Fargo’s East Bay commercial banking office. As an Oakland native, Ms. Scates serves on a number of boards: National Board of the Urban Financial Services Coalition Foundation (UFSCF); Corporate Advisory Board of the California Black Chamber of Commerce; Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce; and YMCA of the East Bay. Among her awards and recognitions, Scates was honored by the San Francisco Business Times as one of 2002’s 75 Most Influential Businesswomen, and she also received the 2000 Corporate Community Leadership Award from the California Black Chamber of Commerce.

Board members elected Commissioner Frank Kiang to serve as First Vice President. Commissioner Kiang is currently Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Metropolitan Bank and its holding company, Met Financial Corporation. He was appointed to the Port Commission in 1998 and serves on numerous boards: Alameda County Medical Center Authority, California Export Finance Office; California Independent Bankers; and Economic Development Alliance for Business of Alameda County. He served as President of the Port Board in 2002.