Port of Kennewick’s Kooiker named deputy CEO

KENNEWICK — The Port of Kennewick announced in a news release on July 11 that it had promoted CFO Nick Kooiker to deputy CEO. The release stated that Kooiker will remain CFO but also take on new responsibilities.

“Yes, with this promotion, the port now has two deputy CEOs,” the port’s CEO Tim Arntzen wrote in the release. “However, I feel that is going to give us the depth of bench necessary to meet future demands and to respond quickly to any transition in employment whether that be from a staff person leaving the company, internal adjustments, death or retirement.”

According to the announcement, Kooiker will work alongside current Deputy CEO Tana Bader Inglima, who has expressed a desire to retire in a few years. The release outlined several of Kooiker’s expanded duties, primarily increased involvement with the port’s Board of Commissioners including helping staff board meetings, setting agendas, and increased meetings with individual Commissioners and organizational partners as appropriate.

Arntzen said in the release that Kooiker’s 16 years of real estate experience are extremely useful for the port’s efforts to sell, lease and develop property, and that the promotion will allow Kooiker to cultivate additional skills with an eye toward future port leadership.