(A) Each member of the board, except for the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Commerce, or their designees, must possess a four-year baccalaureate or more advanced degree from:

(1) a recognized institution of higher learning requiring face-to-face contact between its students and instructors prior to completion of the academic program;

(2) an institution of higher learning that has been accredited by a regional or national accrediting body; or

(3) an institution of higher learning in this State chartered prior to 1962.

(B) In addition to the requirements in subsection (A), each board member must possess a background of at least five years in any one or any combination of the following fields of expertise:

(a) maritime shipping;

(b) labor related to maritime shipping;

(c) overland shipping by truck or rail, or both;

(d) international commerce;

(e) finance, economics, or statistics;

(f) accounting;

(g) engineering;

(h) law; or

(i) business management gained from serving as a chief executive officer, president, or managing director of a business or any upper level management position with a business that is equivalent in duties and responsibilities to the positions listed in this item.

(C) When making appointments to the board, the Governor shall ensure that the diverse interests represented by the port are represented. To the greatest extent possible, the Governor shall ensure that the membership of the board includes a certified public accountant, a member representing port users such as manufacturers, shippers, and importers, a member representing the state's economic development interests, and a member who has served as a corporate chief executive officer. Consideration of these factors in making an appointment in no way creates a cause of action or basis for an employee grievance for a person appointed or for a person who fails to be appointed.

HISTORY: 2009 Act No. 73, Section 1, eff June 16, 2009.