Three days after San Diego Port President and CEO Joe Stuyvesant was placed on paid istrative leave for undisclosed reasons, port commissioners on Friday brought former chief executive Randa Coniglio back to the port’s top spot.
After a nearly three-hour session that was closed to the public, commissioners made the selection on a 5-0 vote. Coniglio will assume her new role of acting president and CEO on Monday.
A 20-year veteran as a port official, Coniglio held the agency’s top position from 2015 to 2020 before retiring. She was the first female CEO in the organization’s history.
“As acting president and CEO, she will provide continuity of operations and ensure stability for our organization, constituents and businesses during this period,” acting chair Danielle Moore said in a statement.
Few details were disclosed, and port spokeswoman Brianne Page declined to give any specifics about Stuyvesant’s status, citing confidentiality requirements in personnel matters. Coniglio, she said, will serve “at the pleasure of the Board in an acting capacity for an undeterimined amount of time.”
Stuyvesant ed the 551-person agency as chief executive in early 2021 after a military and civilian career in the U.S. Navy.
According to port policy, istrative leave is imposed only in an “emergency or extraordinary situation” that necessitates removing an employee from work to avoid damage to the staffer, other employees or the agency itself, as well as maintaining the integrity of an investigation.
According to Friday’s agenda, the closed session included appointing an acting CEO, as well as “conference with legal counsel —anticipated litigation.”
Sandy Naranjo, vice chair and commissioner from National City, recused herself Friday, saying, “I have been advised that I may be a witness to some of the events that will be discussed in closed session.”
Chairman Rafael Castellanos was excused from the meeting for personal business reasons.
Established in 1962, the San Diego Unified Port District includes 34 miles of waterfront property stretching from Shelter Island to the border. Port officials manage everything from cargo and cruise terminals to hotels, restaurants, marinas, museums and 22 public parks and events along the coastline.
The Board of Port Commissioners is made up of three commissioners from San Diego and one each from National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and Coronado. Each member of the body is appointed by their member cities and the board is responsible for setting port policy, enacting laws, approving lease agreements with major tenants and making important, waterfront real-estate decisions.
In her statement, Moore said Coniglio “brings a wealth of experience with this organization and a deep understanding of our agency’s mission, which will be instrumental in moving forward with our commitment to serving the public without disruption.”
Stuyvesant’s paid istrative leave comes after the recent departure of the port’s longtime chief financial officer, Robert DeAngelis. That departure, Page said, is unrelated to the action placing Stuyvesant on istrative leave.
Taking over during the pandemic, Stuyvesant inherited budget shortfalls as port tenants struggled with rent payments. However, the agency has since rebounded.
The board’s next public meeting is scheduled for Aug. 8.
Union-Tribune staff writer Jennifer Van Grove contributed to this story.
