Alissa Shay earns Port Professional Manager certification
October 24 2023
ABERDEEN, WASH. – Satsop Business Park General Manager Alissa Shay was recognized at the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) Annual Convention for completing the Port Professional Manager (PPM) program. AAPA’s PPM certification is a prestigious educational program designed to provide port professionals with a deep understanding of the multifaceted world of port operations, management, and leadership.
Mrs. Shay began the program in 2019 and completed all required courses on a range of topics including Marine Terminal Management, Executive Management, Finance, Energy & Environment, Public Relations, Facilities Engineering, IT, and Port Administration and Legal. Alissa also participated in AAPA’s Environment Committee during her time in the program. Alissa was required to complete a capstone paper on a topic that would advance port management. Alissa focused on tribal engagement and was recognized by AAPA for her capstone entitled The Intersection of Culture and Commerce in Washington State.
“We are extremely proud of Alissa’s dedication and hard work over the past 4 years,” shared Port of Grays Harbor Executive Director Gary Nelson. “I have no doubt the Port and our entire Grays Harbor community will benefit from the experience, relationships and leadership skills Alissa has gained during her time as a PPM candidate.”
“The PPM Program was a great way for me to get exposure to the broader Port industry outside of Grays Harbor,” stated Satsop Business Park General Manager Alissa Shay. “Completing the program during the pandemic also gave me the opportunity to learn more about the challenges facing our supply chain. The courses allowed me to gain more knowledge in other areas of expertise surrounding the Port industry such as engineering, IT and finance. However, the greatest learning opportunities came from my colleagues in the PPM program who hail from Ports around the nation.”
Alissa Shay is the General Manager of the Satsop Business Park at the Port of Grays Harbor where she has overseen business development and operations of the Port’s 1,800-acre business park located in Southwest Washington since 2013. The business park, sitting at the site of an unfinished nuclear power plant, is comprised of over 700,000 square feet of warehouse space, over 100,000 SF of office space, and 400 acres of developable land.
Founded in 1911, the Port of Grays Harbor is one of Washington State’s oldest port districts and Washington’s only deep-water port located directly on the Pacific Ocean. The Port of Grays Harbor operates 4 deep-water marine terminals, the Westport Marina, Bowerman Airport, Grays Harbor ship assist services, numerous public waterfront access facilities, in addition to industrial and business parks throughout the County. The addition of Satsop Business Park increased the Port’s properties to more than 1,000 acres of industrial properties and an additional 1,200 acres of sustainably managed forestland. Strategically located midway between Seattle and Portland and less than 1 ½ hours from open sea, the Port of Grays Harbor provides businesses a diverse portfolio of facilities. More information on the Port of Grays Harbor’s facilities and operations is available at portofgraysharbor.com or satsop.com.
