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Port of Pensacola Names New Director

Pensacola News Journal

There’s a change at the top at the Port of Pensacola – one that is making history.

Amy Miller is the new Port Director – and the first woman to hold that position since the port began operating in 1743. She's also the lone female port director in Florida.
 

Mayor Ashton Hayward made the appointment, following the resignation of Clyde Mathis last week. In his letter, Mathis give no reason for stepping down.

Miller believes ports should evolve to keep up with the inevitable changes in commerce. Her priorities are jobs and revenue for the port, in that order.

Gov. Rick Scott and other state officials have led trade missions in hopes of increasing business in Latin America and the Caribbean. Miller says that’s their focus as well.
 

Mayor Ashton Hayward says it’s a matter of making the most of the port and going after business both foreign and domestic.

Any expansion of the port appears to be on the back burner for now. But new Director Amy Miller says there’s a possibility that the facility could play host someday to what she calls “non-traditional, maritime-related uses.”

Amy Miller takes over a facility that contains – among other things -- seven warehouses with 265 thousand square feet of available indoor storage area; four acres of open, outside storage, eight berths ranging in depth from 16 to 33 feet, and on-dock rail service provided by CSX Transportation and three other railroads.