Posted on October 7, 2025
Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero will retire in December, following an eight-and-a-half year run in the job.
Cordero led the port through an era of rapid cargo growth, a global pandemic and major modernization. His retirement at the end of the year caps a varied career with seven years on the Federal Maritime Commission in Washington, D.C. and eight years as a member of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners.
“I could not be more grateful for what has been the opportunity of a lifetime to lead the Port of Long Beach over these past several years,” Cordero said in a statement. “While I’ll miss being in the center of action for international trade, I know that I’m leaving the port in the very capable hands of our Board of Harbor Commissioners and the exemplary staff.”
“It’s been a very rewarding experience and I have amassed wonderful memories that I will cherish forever,” he added.
The board is expected to determine a process for replacing Cordero in the coming months.
“It’s been an honor to work with Mario. His vision, experience and enthusiasm have served him — and the port — very well during his time as CEO,” Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna said in a statement. “He will be missed at the port, but I’m very happy for him to soon begin enjoying his well-deserved retirement.”
Cordero, the Los Angeles-born son of Mexican immigrants, was the first in his family to attend college. His father had urged him to pursue engineering as a career, but Cordero studied law. Cordero wanted to become a lawyer to make a difference in society, influenced by activism in the early 1970s.
