PANYNJ Director Ruda to depart; Rooney named successor

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey yesterday announced that port department director Sam Ruda is stepping down. Deputy Director Beth Rooney will succeed him on May 2.

Both Ruda and Rooney are credited with leading the East Coast’s busiest seaport through record-breaking volumes while navigating the pandemic and subsequent global supply chain disruptions. The pair also oversaw the implementation of the port master plan, which focuses on a strategy to guide port growth over the next 30 years, PANYNJ officials said in a press release.

"Sam Ruda has led the port department during one of the most critical periods in its history,” said PANYNJ Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “He has provided superior leadership during his years as director and has helped build an extraordinary team, starting with Beth Rooney, whose vast experience and expertise will continue to be a tremendous asset for one of the country’s most significant gateways."

Ruda has been with PANYNJ since 2015 after spending 29 years in transportation, including 12 years as a member of the Port of Portland, Oregon, management team. He is leaving to return to his home on the West Coast, PANYNJ officials said. He was tapped to lead the port three years ago after five months of serving as interim director.

Rooney joined PANYNJ in 1993 and climbed the ranks since then, having been appointed deputy port director in April 2019 after serving as the port’s assistant director. She was the "architect" of the Council on Port Performance, which facilitated collaboration among key supply chain stakeholders through the pandemic, officials said. Rooney is an accredited marine port executive from the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives.

The port has experienced major growth in recent years, setting a new record of 759,248 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in February. The port moved nearly 9 million total TEUs in 2021. It is served by the $600 million ExpressRail program, which provides connections to CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway through four terminals located south of Newark.