2026 Spring Meeting

Dear Port Colleagues and Friends:

On behalf of your WPPA Executive Committee, I am excited to extend an invitation to the first even of our annual conference program: the WPPA 2026 Spring Meeting. This year we are back above the beautiful Columbia River at Skamania Lodge: Tuesday May 19th through Thursday May 21st .

With a slightly modified timeline, due primarily to lodge availability, this is the perfect kickoff to the 2026 Memorial Day Weekend!

Bringing ports and our partners together is the essence of what we do at WPPA, and it really is something the staff and our Executive Committee look forward to every year. Especially after a challenging legislative session, in an uncertain moment, seeing familiar faces and talking about the critical work of Washington ports could not come at a better time. You all continue to demonstrate the power of ports, providing civic leadership and building projects and partnerships that bring prosperity to your communities.

Each year, our Spring and Winter Meetings convene more than two hundred people to discuss the latest issues facing our ports, from exciting new ideas to longstanding challenges. This year’s Spring Meeting has an engaging agenda that includes a few adjustments to our usual format, along with a great list of speakers that reflects your ideas for what ought to be covered.  And maybe more valuable than any individual speaker: you will be there! The rolling lawn of the lodge will be full of port leaders, associate members, invited guests, and friends and family. In these off-schedule conversations you’ll find inspiration for the year ahead!

Please plan to come, be engaged, be excited, be educated, and be together!

We look forward to seeing all of you in Stevenson, WA at Skamania Lodge this May,

Jack Ng, Commissioner, Port of South Whidbey
2026 WPPA President

Eric ffitch, Executive Director
Washington Public Ports Association