Moore Begins as Port of L.A. Interim Director

Gary Lee Moore, who has served as Los Angeles City Engineer and General Manager of the city’s Bureau of Engineering for the past decade, has started his duties as interim executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.

“Gary is a trusted public servant, with a 28-year track record with the City,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who appointed Moore to the position last month. “His leadership will be critical in our efforts to grow and maximize the port’s economic impact while minimizing environmental concerns in Harbor area neighborhoods and the entire Los Angeles region.”

“The port is a critical economic engine for the city and region,” said Moore. “In the face of fierce global competition, my focus will be to keep us on a path of sustained growth that generates jobs and business investment, and also assures that we retain our position as the nation’s leading port.”

Moore replaces Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D., who served as the Port’s executive director for almost eight years before announcing her retirement in October. Moore’s first order of business will be a trip to Japan, where he will meet with Japanese customers and port officials.

Moore is an experienced executive and professional engineer. In his decade-long tenure as city engineer for the City of Los Angeles, he oversaw an annual operating budget of $149 million and 400 active projects totaling $2.9 billion.  He was responsible for the completion of 1,357 projects and 3,000 emergency sewer repairs totaling more than $5.2 billion.

Prior to that, Moore served as General Manager of the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, where he was responsible for the City’s vast network of public infrastructure. His duties included the planning, design, and construction of all public facilities, management of billions of dollars of voter-approved public bond funds, and the delivery of cross-sector local government programs serving millions of residents and businesses in diverse neighborhoods and industries.  Moore has also worked closely with city leaders on efforts to revitalize the Los Angeles River.

With a proven track record in sustainable development, under Moore’s leadership, many building projects – including the Griffith Observatory and the Los Angeles Police Department Administration Building – were successfully certified according to U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.  The LEED certification incorporates advances in green design, construction, and operation technologies that reflect the highest levels of environmental quality and natural resource stewardship.