At a recent Directors’ Retreat, Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba continued building on the message he shared at this year’s State of the Port, outlining the Port’s 2050 Vision – doubling container volumes to 20 million TEUs annually by 2050 and building the Port of the Future along the way. The vision sets the Port on a path toward long-term stability, success and sustainability while bringing greater alignment within the organization and with the Port’s many partners.

A highlight of the retreat was a fireside chat facilitated by Hacegaba and a special guest, Long Beach native and former NFL standout Willie McGinest, a graduate of Long Beach Poly High School and USC and three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots. McGinest shared lessons from his career about leadership, teamwork and the mindset it takes to succeed and win.

“It was a valuable opportunity to spend a day with the Port’s leadership team to game-plan around our bold new 2050 Vision and reinforce our commitment to creating a winning culture,” Hacegaba said. “I was energized by the team’s engagement and deeply inspired by our special guest Willie McGinest, who shared memorable insights of what it takes to win consistently at the highest level. Ending the day at SoFi Stadium and walking through the field and locker room of the NFL’s Rams and Chargers inspired us all to have the Super Bowl-winning mindset it will take to build the Port of the Future together.”

The leadership session, framed around football-inspired themes such as “kickoff,” “quarters” and a “playbook,” encouraged directors to think about leadership like a championship team guided by a bold vision and playing to win. Taking on the role of head coach, Hacegaba emphasized that strong workplace culture is essential to achieving the Port’s long-term goals, reminding participants that “culture beats strategy.”

The retreat concluded with a tour of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, where directors explored the field and locker rooms and learned more about the scale of the stadium’s development, including how the massive roof structure was imported through the Port of Long Beach.

Port teammates will hear more about Hacegaba’s vision for the Port and the championship culture he wants to build during upcoming Town Halls.
Source: Port of Long Beach