Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA)

2026 WPPA Port Academy Series Second Edition
2026-06-05 09:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Port of Moses Lake, 7810 Andrews St NE, Moses Lake, 98837, United States
Please join us for the second 2026 WPPA Port Academy Series event, June 5th at the Port of Moses Lake
Following a strong response to the Port Academy Series, we are pleased to invite WPPA members to the second event of 2026. This educational initiative is designed to provide port staff with an opportunity to learn from one another through hands-on, port-led forums. This session will be hosted by the Port of Moses Lake on Friday, June 5th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Port Academy Series focuses on collaboration and knowledge-sharing across Washington’s port community. This session will highlight the Port of Moses Lake and its ongoing work in aviation, industrial development, and infrastructure investment, including operations at Grant County International Airport. Participants will gain insight into how the port approaches long-range planning, economic development, and asset management in a rural setting.
Whether you are a Port Manager, Finance Officer, Environmental Specialist, or work in another area of port operations, this event offers a practical opportunity to learn from peers and explore approaches that may be applicable to your own port. The program will include a mix of presentations, facilitated discussion, and a tour of port facilities. Lunch is provided.
To support meaningful discussion, registration is limited to a small group of 25 participants. While the focus is on port staff, commissioners are welcome to attend if space is available.
Topics Covered Will Include:

Port governance and lines of business
Industrial and aviation development
Infrastructure planning and investment
Economic development strategy
Facilitated peer discussion and Q&A
And more

Registration Fee: $100 plus tax
In 2025, the Washington State Legislature passed Senate Bill 5814, which expands the types of “services” that are subject to the retail sales tax. According to guidance from the Department of Revenue, that includes “lectures, seminars, workshops, or courses where participants attend either in person or via internet.” As a result, WPPA now charges retail sales tax on applicable event registrations at the local rate for the jurisdiction in which the event is held.
Register Now
Registration Closes: May 29th

2026 Finance & Administration Seminar
2026-06-24 08:00 - 2026-06-26 17:00 | Hotel Indigo, 1028 13th Street, Everett, WA, 98201, United States
Welcome
Agenda
Registration
FAQ
Sponsors

Welcome
Agenda
Registration
FAQ
Sponsors

Dear Port Colleagues and Friends:
Welcome to the 2026 WPPA Finance and Administration Seminar!
We are excited to gather this year at the Hotel Indigo in Everett. We hope that you will be able to join us for three days of education, discussion, and networking with your port peers.
The seminar will begin on Wednesday morning with an optional tour of Port of Everett. From there, we’ll move into a robust program featuring updates and insights relevant to port finance and administration.
We invite all port finance officers and auditors, commissioners, executive directors, and our associate members, to join us in Everett for this comprehensive educational opportunity! Please click on the links above to view the seminar agenda, FAQs, sponsors, and register for the event.
Sincerely,
Tasha Cilurso
Business Manager/Auditor
Washington Public Ports Administration
Scott Goodrich
WPPA Finance & Administration Committee Chair
Chief Financial Officer
Port of Vancouver

2026 Directors Seminar
2026-07-08 08:00 - 2026-07-10 17:00 | Courtyard by Marriott, 1295 NE North Fairway Rd, Pullman, WA, 99163, United States
Welcome
Registration
Agenda
FAQ

Welcome
Registration
Agenda
FAQ

Dear Port Directors:
The Annual WPPA Port Directors Seminar is an annual highlight for WPPA, it’s one of the events our busy directors prioritize, and it’s one I look forward to all year long! Now is the time to mark your calendars and make hotel reservations so you don’t miss out on another awesome get-together.
This year, I am excited to announce our first ever trip to Pullman, where we will be holding the 2026 Directors Seminar at the Courtyard by Marriott just up the hill from WSU.
You can register by clicking on the link above. Your spouse is most welcome at our evening social events – all we ask is that you give us plenty of advance notice, so we account for them when estimating headcounts for group meals.
Thank you and we hope to see you in Pullman!
Eric ffitch, WPPA

2026 Commissioners Seminar
2026-07-20 08:00 - 2026-07-22 17:00 | Hilton Garden Inn, 25 N Worthen Street,, Wenatchee
Welcome
Agenda & Sponsors
Registration
FAQ

Welcome
Agenda & Sponsors
Registration
FAQ

Dear Port Commissioners:
Welcome to the 2026 Commissioners Seminar, hosted this year at the confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia Rivers, in lovely Wenatchee. If you are a new commissioner and this is your first Commissioners Seminar with us, the port community and I are pleased to welcome you to what we hope will be the first of many seminars with WPPA. And for those returning for their second, fifth, or fifteenth, I am thrilled to spend another great WPPA gathering with you.
This conference is always a high point in our series of educational seminars. At the Commissioners Seminar, our organization’s senior leaders get the chance to learn from each other and hear successes and challenges from ports around the state. We also welcome presenters who come and share insights and experiences from their own work that are relevant to the work of our ports. We are grateful that you all take time out of your busy lives to spend two days diving deep into port issues. And our hope is that you leave feeling it has been time well spent!
We begin the Commissioners Seminar this year on the afternoon of Monday July 20th with an optional bus tour of the Chelan-Douglas Regional Port, followed by our welcome reception. The event will conclude on the afternoon of Wednesday July 22nd.
Registration for the Commissioners seminar is $575, and you can register online through the link above. As always, your spouse is welcome at our evening social events, although we do need to know ahead of time for our internal planning purposes.
Please view the draft agenda, registration, and the frequently asked questions (including hotel information) at the links above.
Thank you and we hope to see you in beautiful Wenatchee!
Eric ffitch, Executive Director
Washington Public Ports Association

2026 WPPA Port Academy Series – Fall Edition
2026-09-17 09:00 - 15:00 | Port of Grays Harbor, 111 S. Wooding Street, Aberdeen, Washington, 98520
Join us for the final Port Academy Series event of 2026 at the Port of Grays Harbor.
The Port Academy Series brings WPPA members together for hands-on, port-led sessions that explore how ports operate, plan, and address real-world challenges. Each session highlights a host port and provides an opportunity for practical learning, peer exchange, and discussion grounded in day-to-day port work.
This session will feature one of Washington`s most diverse and strategically important public ports. As the state`s only deep-water port on the Pacific Coast, the Port of Grays Harbor supports international cargo shipping, industrial property development, and a world-class marina. Participants will gain insight into how the Port balances economic development, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure investment while serving as a major gateway for global trade and supporting the regional economy.
Designed primarily for port staff, the Port Academy Series is ideal for those looking to deepen their understanding of port governance, operations, environmental stewardship, and long-range planning. We welcome commissioners who may benefit from the event as well—just reach out to us to see if there’s space!
Agenda Highlights

Welcome and introductions
Overview of port governance, operations, and development strategy
Current Port of Grays Harbor projects and initiatives
Facilitated peer discussion and Q&A
Interactive tour of port facilities
Strategic planning discussion

Optional Activities – Wednesday, September 16th
Satsop Business Park Tour
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Kick off the Port Academy experience with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Satsop Business Park, a nationally recognized redevelopment success story. Once home to the unfinished WPPSS nuclear power project, the nearly 2,000-acre campus has been transformed into a thriving center for advanced manufacturing, technology,
and industrial development. Attendees will learn how the Port leveraged long-term planning to create new economic opportunities for the region.
Welcome Gathering
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Mount Olympus Brewing
105 W. Heron Street
Aberdeen, WA 98520
Connect with fellow attendees and Port of Grays Harbor staff before the Academy begins. This informal networking event features a no-host bar and food available for purchase.
Registration Information

Registration Fee: $100 plus applicable sales tax*
Registration Deadline: September 4, 2026
Capacity: Limited to 25 participants, so early registration is encouraged.
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received after the September 4th registration
deadline will incur a $25 cancellation fee.
Lunch: Included
Parking: Complimentary on-site parking is available.

*In 2025, the Washington State Legislature passed Senate Bill 5814, expanding retail sales tax to include
events such as workshops and seminars. As a result, WPPA is required to apply retail sales tax to event
registration fees.

Register Here

Hotel Recommendation
Best Western Plus
701 E. Heron Street
Aberdeen, WA 98520
Located just a short drive from the Port of Grays Harbor offices.
We encourage attendees to arrive on Wednesday, September 16th, to take advantage of the optional Satsop Business Park tour and welcome gathering before the Academy begins. We look forward to seeing you in Aberdeen for another engaging, hands-on learning experience.

2026 Environmental Seminar
2026-09-24 08:00 - 2026-09-25 12:00 | Renaissance Seattle Hotel, 515 Madison Street, Seattle, 98104, United States
Welcome
Registration
Agenda
FAQ
Sponsors

Welcome
Registration
Agenda
FAQ
Sponsors

Dear Colleagues,
It’s time to gather for WPPA’s Environmental Seminar! As you know, this event provides
participants with a relaxed venue to learn about important environmental issues, share
experiences, and reconnect with friends in the port community. In addition to
presentations by experts, this year’s agenda is full of the peer-to-peer interactions that
have proven so valuable. Our Environmental Committee Co-Chairs have taken care to
put together a great agenda for us this year!
The 2026 Environmental Seminar will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown
Seattle. The meeting officially begins the morning of Thursday, September 24th and will
conclude by noon on Friday, September 25th .
We are planning an optional rsvp-only tour of the Port of Seattle on Wednesday,
September 23rd followed by an optional networking happy hour open to everyone who
will be in Seattle the evening before the Seminar begins.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in Seattle!
Sincerely,
Carly Michiels
Sr. Director of Environmental Policy

2026 Small Ports
2026-10-22 09:00 - 2026-10-23 12:00 | Campbell’s Resort Lake Chelan, 104 W Woodin Avenue, Chelan, WA, 98816, United States
Event registration and agenda information will be posted 8 weeks prior to the event.

2026 Winter Meeting (formerly known as the Annual Meeting)
2026-12-09 08:00 - 2026-12-11 17:00 | Hilton Vancouver, 301 W 6th St, Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

2027 Spring Meeting
2027-05-19 12:00 - 2027-05-21 12:00 | Historic Davenport Hotel, 10 S Post Street, Spokane, WA, 99201, United States
Event registration and agenda information will be posted at least 8 weeks prior to the event.

2027 Finance & Administration Seminar
2027-06-23 08:00 - 2027-06-25 12:00 | Courtyard by Marriott Richland, 480 Columbia Pt Drive, Richland, WA, 99352, United States
