Richard Lazer, who has served as executive director of the Philadelphia Parking Authority since 2022, has been unanimously selected as the next CEO and executive director of the Port of Philadelphia, writes Ryan Mulligan for the Philadelphia Business Journal.
He will be the successor to Jeff Theobald, who is set to retire from the role after a decade at the helm on June 1, 2026.
Lazer’s final day at the PPA will be May 31.
As he prepares to start a new chapter of his career with PhilaPort — where he has been a longtime board member — Lazer said he will focus on capitalizing on the port’s momentum and leveraging relationships across the city.
Under Theobald’s stewardship, PhilaPort has aimed to transform its nationwide standing with a 15-year strategic plan to create $2.84 billion in new business revenue, create 9,000 new jobs, and triple its capacity by 2040.
The plan also includes investing approximately $2 billion in capital projects and land acquisitions, as well as the construction of two new berths for ships.
The latter will be Lazer’s top priority when he starts his tenure.
“We want containers, we want breakbulk, and we want vehicles. … we want to continue to grow,” he said. “It’s about building that job base and continuing to kind of lift people up.”
Read more about Richard Lazer and PhilaPort’s future in the Philadelphia Business Journal.
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