Mobility 21 to Co-host Holiday Reception
Honoring California Transportation Commission
Please join Mobility 21, Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, Inland Action, Inland Empire Economic Partnership, Monday Morning Group, Riverside County Transportation Commission and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority on Wednesday, Dec. 4 for a holiday reception honoring the California Transportation Commission.
Wednesday, Dec. 4, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Riverside County Administrative Center
Registration
$75 Private Sector
$30 Public Sector, Nonprofits, Students, Elected Officials
Click here to register
Sponsorship
$1,000 – Host Level: Includes logo on event marketing and two complimentary tickets
$500 – Support Level: Includes logo on event marketing and one complimentary ticket
$250 – Small Businesses Level: Includes logo on event marketing and one complimentary ticket
Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Brandon Davis
Partner
Nossaman LLP
Brandon Davis, an equity partner in Nossaman LLP’s LA office, has over 20 years of experience representing public agencies in California and throughout the United States on delivery of their most important transportation infrastructure projects. Brandon’s work includes guiding clients through all elements of the procurement, construction contract drafting and contract implementation/dispute resolution processes. His experience includes the full range of project delivery methods used by public owners today, from design-bid-build, fixed-price and progressive design-build, CMAR and various forms of public-private partnerships (P3). His projects range from first-of-a-kind highway (Presidio Parkway, I-595), bridge (Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement), tunnel (Port of Miami Tunnel) and train (LAWA APM, California HSR, and BART Silicon Valley Phase II) projects to work on the world’s largest consolidated rental car center (LAWA ConRAC) and other transportation-related structures.
Brandon offers his clients a unique perspective on successfully delivering projects because he has helped grow state and local-level alternative delivery programs – including passage of enabling legislation – in various states, including California, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Nevada and Utah. This experience includes representing the Florida DOT on the procurement and successful delivery of the first two availability payment P3 transactions in the United States, and both the California Department of Transportation and the City of Los Angeles on their first P3 transactions.
Brandon was recently tapped by the United States Department of Commerce to participate in its Commercial Law Development Program, where he has been a part of two envoys to Eastern Europe to provide training to various Eastern European countries on the use of alternative project delivery methods.
Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Eugene D. Seroka
Executive Director
Port of Los Angeles
Gene Seroka is the Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest container port in North America. The Port has experienced a series of record-breaking performances since his appointment, which was confirmed by the Los Angeles City Council in June 2014. In addition to multiple monthly and quarterly cargo records, the Port of Los Angeles has set two new milestones during his tenure: The first port in the Western Hemisphere to process 10 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in a 12-month period in June 2021 and 1 million TEUs in a single month in May 2021.
As Executive Director, Seroka interacts with a wide range of stakeholders, including Port customers around the globe, industry partners, elected and appointed officials at all levels, business leaders, community organizations and local residents. A respected global trade expert, Seroka has advocated for rules-based trade agreements that benefit American exporters and manufacturers.
Seroka has distinguished himself as a leader throughout his illustrious career in shipping, global logistics and executive management. In 2024, the Los Angeles Times profiled Seroka as part of its “L.A. Influential” series, a collection of the city’s top leaders. In 2023, he received the esteemed Stanley T. Olafson Award from the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, recognizing his work in the world trade industry and leadership of the nation’s busiest container port. Also, in 2023, the Asian American Architects/Engineering Association honored him with its President Award.
The Containerization & Intermodal Institute named Seroka the 2021 recipient of the Connie Award, one the most coveted honors in the maritime industry. Lloyd’s List has recognized him as the preeminent source on the supply chain, which earned him a spot in the 2021 Top 100 most influential people in shipping. Also, in 2021, the Inland Empire Economic Partnership honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing decades of leadership and accomplishments in the supply chain, logistics and maritime industry.
Supply Chain Dive named Seroka Executive of the Year in 2020 for his leadership throughout the pandemic. He has been named one of the most influential people in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal and featured on the LA500 list each year since 2016.
As chief of America’s top port, Seroka is responsible for managing a $2.6 billion budget, advancing major capital projects, growing trade volume and promoting innovative, sustainable practices that strengthen the region’s economy. Under his direction, the Port has taken a leadership role in adopting cutting-edge technologies to improve the reliability, predictability and efficiency of the flow of cargo across global seaborne trade.
Seroka oversaw the Port’s launch of the first-of-its-kind digital information portal, Port Optimizer™, and has championed for ports around the world to share critical supply chain data and analytics. He’s leading the Port’s efforts to reach ambitious goals for zero-emission cargo-handling equipment and heavy-duty trucks over the next decade. He’s also overseeing the Port’s international green and digital shipping corridor partnerships with China, Japan, Singapore and Vietnam.
Under Seroka’s direction, the Port created a Public Access Investment Plan in 2015 and has funded more than $230 million in public-serving waterfront infrastructure. He’s overseen an unprecedented number of community and visitor-serving projects along the LA Waterfront, including the public-private partnership with West Harbor, a major retail and dining development project.
While serving as Executive Director, Seroka has been appointed to serve on five federal committees to enhance the speed and efficiency of cargo movement and supply chain optimization, including the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee, U.S. Department of Commerce Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness, U.S. Maritime Administration Marine Transportation System National Advisory Committee, Federal Maritime Commission Supply Chain Innovation Team and U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation’s former Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group.
Seroka has also prioritized training and workforce development in the goods movement sector. He has spearheaded the planned Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach Goods Movement Training Campus, which will provide a centralized location to attract, recruit and retain workers in the logistics industry.
Seroka currently serves as Vice President for North America of the International Association of Ports and Harbors and on the Board of Directors for the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority. He is Chairman of the Executive Board for the USC Global Supply Chain Institute and serves on the Northwestern University Transportation Center Business Advisory Council.
Seroka’s footing in the maritime industry was established as a sales support representative at American President Lines (APL) Limited’s Cincinnati office in 1988. After several key overseas positions in China, Indonesia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, he returned to the U.S. in 2010 to become President – Americas for the shipping line in Phoenix where he managed APL’s Liner Shipping business, including 1,000 employees, and was responsible for all commercial, port terminal, intermodal, land transportation and labor activities throughout the region.
Seroka holds an MBA and Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of New Orleans.
OCTA Awards More Than $10 Million to Improve
Orange County’s Water Quality
The Orange County Transportation Authority’s Environmental Cleanup Program has awarded $10.6 million to support water quality improvement projects across Orange County that offset transportation-related pollution.
The OCTA funding, provided through the voter-approved Measure M half-cent sales tax for transportation, helps cities and the county remove pollutants from streets in cities across the county before they reach waterways and the ocean.
“Along with improving transportation on our streets, freeways and the bus system, I’m also proud that OCTA supports these water-quality projects to benefit our communities,” said OCTA Chair Tam T. Nguyen. “This shows that we can continue to move people safely and efficiently while protecting our environment at the same time.”
OCTA’s environmental commitment fulfills a promise to voters who overwhelming renewed Measure M in 2006. The measure includes a multi-pronged approach to the environment, including a program to purchase undeveloped land from willing sellers to preserve wildlife and habitat – more than 1,300 acres has been preserved so far.
And the local sales tax funds the Environmental Cleanup Program, which provides two types of grants on a competitive basis to help cities and the county capture roadway trash and pollutants and improve overall water quality.
Tier 1 projects are designed to reduce the more visible forms of pollutants, including trash that collects on roadways and in storm drains before entering waterways and oceans. Funding goes toward equipment purchases and upgrades for existing catch basins and related best management practices and other street scale low-flow diversion projects.
2024 Water Quality Improvement Project Funding Awards Tier 1
With the most current funding awards, approximately $40 million has been awarded to 233 projects throughout Orange County for the Tier 1 projects since the program began in 2011.
Tier 2 provides funding for regional, capital-intensive projects, including constructed wetlands, detention/infiltration basins and bioswales that reduce trash and heavy metals, organic chemicals, sediment, and nutrients.
2024 Water Quality Improvement Project Funding Awards Tier 2
So far, three rounds of the Tier 2 grant program have been allocated, totaling approximately $35 million for 26 projects in 16 cities and the County of Orange.
The most recent funding to improve water quality was announced during OCTA’s first Board meeting in October.
For more information about OCTA’s environmental programs visit, www.octa.net/water
Call for Nominations: SCAG’s 2025 Sustainability Awards
Nominations are now open for SCAG’s 2025 Sustainability Awards. The SCAG Sustainability Awards recognize projects for contributing to the goals of the Connect SoCal Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy and for achieving progress toward a more mobile, sustainable, and prosperous region.
The 2025 Sustainability Awards are open to governmental agencies, non-governmental agencies, community-based organizations, nonprofits, universities, and more. For projects that span multiple agencies, sectors, and geographies, applicants are encouraged to submit a joint entry. Projects completed or adopted between Jan. 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2024, are eligible for nomination. The deadline for applications is Dec. 13, 2024. More information about the awards and the nomination guidelines is available on the SCAG website.
SCAG will announce the winners of the 2025 Sustainability Awards at the 2025 Regional Council Conference and General Assembly at the JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Desert on May 1.