The embattled Utah Inland Port Authority has a new boss. The organization’s board has announced that Jack C. Hedge has accepted the position as executive director to replace acting director Christopher Connabee, who was appointed by the board in January as interim director. Hedge will assume his new position on June 24.
“Hedge’s experience at the Port of Los Angeles will be a valuable asset as we guide the development of the Northwest Quadrant,” said Derek Miller, co-chair of the Utah Inland Port Authority board. “His knowledge will be insightful as we expand economic opportunity and international trade while mitigating the impacts to air quality, traffic congestion and recreational habitats for our great state.”
Hedge was previously the director of cargo and industrial real estate for the Port of Los Angeles. In this role, Hedge led the development, leasing and asset management functions of the largest container port complex in North America, managing a $4 billion portfolio and more than $270 billion in cargo annually. Hedge’s roles before that included director of real estate and asset management for the Port of Tacoma, managing director for North American Energy Services Capital and development manager at Enserch International LTD.
“I am honored to take on this new role and to work with the UIPA board and all interested stakeholders,” said Hedge. “The Utah Inland Port is an important project and we must be strategic and innovative to solve the growth challenges that will impact the state of Utah.”
As the Inland Port’s executive director, Hedge will oversee all operations, including creating a strategic plan for the Utah Inland Port Authority under the direction of the UIPA board as well as coordinating development and working with community stakeholders to ensure the state of Utah benefits from the growth of cargo movement and logistics in the western U.S., the organization’s board said in a release.
The Utah Inland Port was created in 2018 by the Utah Legislature for the development of a major shipping and freight-handling hub in Salt Lake City’s Northwest Quadrant. It has come under fire from various entities, including Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, who has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the formation of the port based on its “usurping the city’s taxing and land-use authority.” Since Biskupski’s announcement that she will not seek reelection this fall, the pursuit of the lawsuit has become a major subject of debate ahead of the Aug. 13 primary election among the eight candidates who have filed to replace her.