Port Fills Open Management Positions

COLUMBIA CITY, Ore. – December 2, 2021 – The Port of Columbia County has filled three management positions with a new hire and two internal promotions. Amy Jauron Bynum joined the port in November as the new Business Development and Real Estate Manager. In this role, she will implement strategic development, marketing, and leasing plans for port assets with the aim of bringing new and expanding businesses to Columbia County.

Bynum comes to the port from Greater Portland Inc. where she was the Vice President of Business Development and led the business recruitment strategy for the bi-state region of greater Portland. She previously worked in the economic development departments of the cities of Corvallis and McMinnville.

“I see the critical role a family-wage job plays in a community and with an individual. I’m passionate about using strategic economic development as a lever to create a more prosperous Columbia County,” Bynum shared. “As a Yankton native, I’m thrilled at the opportunity to bring my professional skill set to a community I care very deeply about.”

Bynum is a St. Helens High School graduate and a proud alumna of Oregon State University. She is active in the Oregon Economic Development Association and was named “Top 40 Under 40” in economic development by the International Economic Development Council.

Elliot Levin, who joined the port in April 2021 as the Property Manager, has been promoted to North County Operations and Terminal Manager. He is filling the opening created when Sean Clark was promoted to Executive Director in October. In this position, Levin is responsible for the overall safety, security, dock management, tenant leases, and daily oversight at Port Westward Industrial Park and other port facilities in north Columbia County.

Levin has over thirty years of experience in shipping and maritime operations. Before joining the Port of Columbia County, Levin spent four years as a Vessel Manager at Transmarine Navigation Corporation, where he managed all aspects of a vessel’s call on the Columbia River. His previous positions also include Owner and President of Navi-Trek Inc., a foreign flag ship owner and operator based in Portland and Singapore, and Vice President of AFRAM Carriers Inc., a US Flag vessel owner based in Houston, Texas.

Levin earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from George Washington University and a Diploma in Shipping and Port Management from the University of Delaware and the Port of Singapore.

Gina Sisco, who joined the port in 2018 as the Public Relations Representative, has been promoted to the new position of Communications and External Affairs Manager. In this role, she will oversee the overall direction and management of communications and public affairs functions at the port.

Sisco has over 12 years of experience in the field of communications and marketing. Prior to joining the port, she held communications and marketing positions at Umpqua Bank, The Regence Group, and Westside Economic Alliance. Sisco is a graduate of Scappoose High School and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Portland. She lives in St. Helens with her family and serves on the board of the Columbia Pacific Food Bank.

“There’s been a lot of changes at the port over the past year, but we’re assembling a talented team with a lot of valuable skill sets,” said Executive Director Sean Clark. “Amy brings a wealth of economic development knowledge, Elliot brings his shipping and port operations experience, and Gina is expanding on her existing role and expertise to ensure the port’s voice and opportunities are heard throughout the region.”

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About the Port of Columbia County
The Port of Columbia County is a special district located along the Columbia River in northwest Oregon. The port’s mission is to foster local economic development opportunities to create and sustain jobs while maintaining the environmental assets of the port district. The port offers a variety of sites for industrial lease and development in its 2,400-acre portfolio. More information at www.portofcolumbiacounty.org.