Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Closing out the year on significant milestones, the Port of Brownsville begins 2024 with Port Chief of Police William Dietrich succeeding former Port Director and CEO Eduardo A. Campirano as Interim Port Director.
The Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners began a national search for a new port director and CEO in August and named Dietrich as interim in December while the search continues.
“Building upon record achievements, the Port of Brownsville is on the path for tremendous growth,” said Brownsville Navigation District Chairman Esteban Guerra. “As the search for a port director continues, we are confident Mr. Dietrich will leverage his experience to steer the port and our region forward in the interim,” said Brownsville Navigation District Chairman Esteban Guerra.
A U.S. Army veteran, Dietrich served the Brownsville Police Department for 26 years as part of the Uniformed Services Command, Investigative Services Command, Special Investigations Unit, and the Hazardous Devices Unit and retired as Commander before joining the port in July 2022. Dietrich holds a bachelor’s degree in Science from the University of Texas at Brownsville (now University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) and a Master’s Degree in Leadership Management from Western Governor’s University.
“The Port of Brownsville is a beacon of economic development with private and public investments benefitting the region and state,” said Dietrich. “I am honored to work with our port staff, business community and stakeholders to contribute to the ongoing legacy for which the port is renowned.”
Throughout 2023, the Port of Brownsville has reinforced its reputation as a hub of commerce and catalyst for regional development. Current infrastructure advancements at the port include the construction of a new 118-acre business park and the historic Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement project, which will deepen the channel from 42 feet to 52 feet. Additionally, the port has continued to draw multi-billion-dollar private investments, most notably from NextDecade Corporation and the construction of its Rio Grande LNG terminal.
Annual cargo tonnage continues to climb at the port, recording a record-breaking 15.2 million tons in 2022, garnering recognition from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The port leapt to 55th position among the top 150 maritime ports nationwide for the movement of waterborne cargo movement in 2021, a significant jump from its 66th place in 2020.
About the Port of Brownsville
The Port of Brownsville is the only deep-water seaport directly on the U.S.-Mexico border and encompasses 40,000 acres – the largest land-owning public port authority in the country. The port transships more steel into Mexico than any other U.S. port. As the major multimodal transportation hub serving the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico, the Port of Brownsville supports investment opportunities and jobs. Activity at the port is responsible for adding more than $2 billion to the regional economy, $3 billion to the Texas economy, and the creation of more than 51,000 jobs statewide. For more information, visit www.portofbrownsville.
