Highly respected Houstonian extends civic leadership to the Port of Houston

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Harris County Commissioners Court appointed Wendolynn “Wendy” Montoya Cloonan to serve as a member of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority. The appointment occurred Tuesday, during the Commissioners Court weekly meeting.

“I am pleased to welcome Commissioner Cloonan to the Port Commission and look forward to her leadership,” Port Commission Chairman Ric Campo said. “Her professional expertise and commitment to the community will provide a great benefit as we work together to increase jobs and generate more economic impact to the region through the Houston Ship Channel.”

“I am honored to serve in this capacity,” Mrs. Cloonan said upon her appointment. “I look forward to working with my fellow Port Commissioners, the dedicated professionals at the Port and the larger community, for the betterment of this vital economic engine.”

Mrs. Cloonan serves as Director of Legal for the Houston Endowment. Before joining the Houston Endowment in 2015, she was an attorney with Andrews Kurth LLP and Vinson & Elkins LLP.

A native Houstonian, Mrs. Cloonan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University, a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and a law degree with Honors from The University of Texas School of Law.

Committed to community involvement, Mrs. Cloonan also serves on the executive board of the Houston Downtown Management District and has been on the board of her children’s elementary school since 2014.

Mrs. Cloonan anticipates that her first meeting as Port Commissioner will be at the next regular Port Commission meeting on June 25 at 9:00 a.m. (see https://porthouston.com/)

Mrs. Cloonan fills the seat of former Port Commissioner John D. Kennedy, who has retired after serving on the commission since December 2012. Chairman Campo also acknowledged with great appreciation Commissioner Kennedy’s service to the Port Commission and community.

About the Houston Ship Channel

The Houston Ship Channel is a 52-mile federal waterway and is home to the greater Port of Houston’s more than 200 private and eight public terminals. It is considered the energy capital of the world. In 2018, the Houston Ship Channel generated nearly $802 billion in U.S. economic value, supported 3.2 million jobs, and provided $38 billion in tax revenue. In the state of Texas, it generated $339 billion in economic value - 20.6 percent of the state’s total gross domestic product (GDP), sustained 1.3 million jobs and generated $5.6 billion in state and local tax revenue. The full economic impact report is available at https://porthouston.com/.

About Port Houston

For more than 100 years, Port Houston has owned and operated the public wharves and terminals of the greater Port of Houston – the nation’s largest port for the foreign waterborne tonnage and an essential economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas, and the United States. Port Houston is the sponsor of the Houston Ship Channel, a 52-mile federal waterway. Its success is a partnership of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Houston Pilots Association, those private and public terminals, and the vessels that transit it every day. For more information, visit the website at https://porthouston.com/.

CONTACT: Lisa Ashley, Director, Media Relations, Office: 713-670-2644; Mobile: 832-247-8179; E-mail: lashley@poha.com