Richard W. Parsons, BS, MPA
Dredging Consultant to Ventura Port District
Ventura Port District
Ventura Harbor, CA





Richard Parsons has over 40 years of professional experience in Port and Harbor Administration. He understands the complexities involved in successfully designing, permitting, building, operating and maintaining mixed-use waterfront facilities with such components as municipal piers, commercial fishing, recreational marinas, restaurants, retail stores, hotels, yacht clubs and boatyards. He has a thorough understanding of government funding sources and the utilization of local, state and federal resources to effectively further projects. His capabilities include the successful integration of a wide range of public and governmental priorities into project design. In addition, Mr. Parsons has been involved in all aspects of regulatory agency permitting for waterfront facility projects. He is familiar with individual agency requirements and permit procurement and over the years has developed working relationships with many agency representatives.

Mr. Parsons served as General Manager of the Ventura Port District, an independent agency established by the California Harbor and Navigation Code, for 14 years. In this role, he was responsible for obtaining over $30 Million in congressional funding for ongoing harbor dredging as well as $7.7 million for a navigation improvement project. In addition, he served as the Harbor Director for the City of Redondo Beach for 6 years. Mr. Parsons is a retired Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and while on active duty served as the Commanding Officer of LORAN Station, Marcus Island.

Selected Work Experience:

  • The securing of funding and regulatory clearances for the dredging of numerous California waterways as well as overseeing the execution of those dredging projects.
  • Dredging Program Manager, City of Ventura and the Ventura Port District. Achievements included securing $300 million to support dredging operations.
  • Coordinated Ventura Harbor operations. Components of this 275-acre facility included 1,500 leased boat slips and eight restaurants; oversaw operations for commercial fishing facilities, retail stores, a hotel, yacht clubs and boatyards.
  • Coordinated planning/permitting for removal of over 20,000,000 cubic yards of dredged material from Ventura Harbor over a 30 year period required coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Coastal Commission, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board and the APCD and various other environmental and citizen groups.
  • Harbor Director; King Harbor Facility, city of Redondo Beach, CA. Administration and coordination for a harbor facility composed of 1,600 boat slips, 24 restaurants, hotels, apartments, and retail stores. Responsibilities included direction of all land and water leased areas including the Redondo Beach Municipal Pier, Harbor Patrol and City facilities.

Education:

  • Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Bucknell University, 1966
  • Master of Planning, University of Southern California, 1973
  • Master of Public Administration, University of Southern California, 1973

Affiliations:

  • Member and Past Chairman, California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference
  • Retired Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Reserve