Posted on November 15, 2023
The president and CEO of Tampa’s port, bustling with cargo and cruise ships, got a salary hike Tuesday that will have him making about $597,000 a year.
The governing board of Port Tampa Bay voted at their monthly business meeting Tuesday to give Paul Anderson, 63, an 8% raise above the nearly $553,000 he was making — a salary significantly higher than port leaders in Miami and Jacksonville.
Anderson also got a bonus of $350,000.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was the only port board member to vote no. Hillsborough County Commissioner Michael Owen was at a county meeting and was not present for the port vote.
Before Anderson left the CEO job at Jacksonville’s port in 2012, he was Florida’s highest-paid port leader, making $320,000 a year. He started in Tampa at $350,000. Before his raise last year, his pay had climbed to $507,000.
As part of Anderson’s performance review Tuesday, port commissioners gave him an outstanding rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Anderson has served on the Federal Maritime Commission, worked in the marine transportation industry and been an adviser to Florida governors over the years. The port he oversees along the Channel District neighborhood of downtown Tampa handles 33 million tons of cargo yearly and is considered a major cruise home port.
The current CEO at the port in Jacksonville makes $462,500 a year. PortMiami’s CEO is paid $314,150 yearly.
