Port of Long Beach Chief Operating Officer Dr. Noel Hacegaba has been honored with the coveted Stanley T. Olafson award from the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce for his impactful contributions to the advancement of international trade during his nearly 15-year Port career.

“I am extremely grateful to the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce for this honor, which has been awarded to Southern California’s most accomplished contributors to global trade for nearly a century. I am humbled to join this select group of extraordinary leaders who have shaped, transformed and elevated global trade,” said Hacegaba.

“While this award is presented to an individual, I recognize that global trade is the ultimate team sport. I am proud to accept this award on behalf of the nearly 600 teammates I have the pleasure to work with each day at the Port of Long Beach and in recognition of our collective efforts to maximize the benefits of trade and environmental leadership for the communities across our region for decades to come.”

Hacegaba received the Chamber’s most prestigious award during the business organization’s recent 99th Annual World Trade Week festivities, the nation’s longest-running event of its kind. Olafson Award recipients have been recognized every year since 1933 and include former mayors, ambassadors and business leaders.

The Port’s Chief Executive Officer, Mario Cordero, cheered the news of Hacegaba’s recognition.

“The Olafson honor is appropriately bestowed on Noel, who is an innovative leader in the goods movement industry, a powerful voice for transforming port operations and strong advocate for environmental stewardship. There is no better partner than Noel in achieving our mission to move more cargo quickly and efficiently while minimizing the impact of port operations on our great city and neighboring communities,” Cordero said.

Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal echoed the sentiment.

“Noel has been a model public servant in the City of Long Beach and the Port in a variety of capacities for more than 20 years. He sets a great example for all our employees, who are dedicated to achieving commercial success for the Port and delivering environmental improvements for our community,” Lowenthal said. “He is surely deserving of this recognition.”

Hacegaba manages the Port’s day-to-day operations and leads various high-profile initiatives, including the Supply Chain Information Highway, designed to enable end-to-end visibility across the goods movement system. In recent years, Hacegaba also led the Port’s response to the pandemic-induced supply chain crisis and managed negotiations for major business transactions totaling billions of dollars in assets. In total, Hacegaba has more than 26 years of public and private sector leadership experience spanning various industries. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he earned degrees in economics, business administration and urban planning. He also earned his doctorate in public administration from the University of La Verne.