HOUSTON, March 10, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) announces that Spencer Chambers is its Government Relations Department Manager. In this position, Chambers is responsible for managing the PHA's aggressive government relations program that includes local, state and federal legislation and administrative duties associated with the day-to-day management of the department.
Ongoing priority government relations issues include securing adequate appropriations for the Houston Ship Channel project, securing funds for transportation projects important to the port and advocating for legislation that improves the PHA's ability to operate competitively and efficiently.
Chambers brings 15 years of professional experience in the government relations arena on the state and federal levels. His federal experience was as Senator John Cornyn's legislative aide, where Chambers was responsible for monitoring appropriations, energy and natural resources policy, and homeland security, including port security legislation.
At the state level, Chambers worked for Cornyn when he was Texas Attorney General. Chambers also worked eight years for State Representative Tony Goolsby as his legislative aide and committee clerk for House Administration.
"The port authority's ability to have productive relationships with its government officials is essential to PHA's continued success," says Argentina M. James, Public Affairs Division Director. "Spencer has an impressive track record that aligns nicely with PHA's government relations and which will allow him to hit the ground running as he manages the aggressive local, state and federal agendas."
The Government Relations Department is one of three departments in PHA's Public Affairs Division. The division's other two departments are communications and community relations. Chambers and the other managers report to the Public Affairs Director.
"Working for a world-class organization like the Port of Houston Authority is an exciting and challenging opportunity," Chambers says. "I am glad to be a part of the team and look forward to working with local, state and federal governments to advance the mission of the Port."
A graduate of the University of Texas with a degree in government, Chambers is married and has a son.
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://media.primezone.com/poha/pages/exec.html.
PHOTO CAPTION: Spencer Chambers, Government Affairs Department Manager, Port of Houston Authority.
About the Port of Houston Authority
The Port of Houston Authority owns and operates the public facilities located along the Port of Houston, the 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities designed for handling general cargo, containers, grain and other dry bulk materials, project and heavy lift cargo, and other types of cargo. Each year, more than 7,000 vessels call at the port, which ranks first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage, second in overall total tonnage, and 10th largest in the world. The Port Authority plays a vital role in ensuring navigational safety along the Houston Ship Channel, which has been instrumental in Houston's development as a center of international trade. The Barbours Cut Container Terminal and Central Maintenance Facility are the first of any U.S. port facilities to develop and implement an innovative Environmental Management System that meets the rigorous standards of ISO 14001. Additionally, the port is an approved delivery point for Coffee "C" futures contracts traded on the New York Board of Trade's Coffee, Sugar & Cocoa Exchange.
For more information, please visit www.portofhouston.com
To access the port's web site photo gallery, please visit http://www.portofhouston.com/publicrelations/publicrelations.html and click the link for PHA Photo Gallery.
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