Paul Anderson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Port Tampa Bay, Florida’s largest and most diverse port. Mr. Anderson serves on numerous boards, often federally appointed to positions that directly benefit non-profit organizations, the state of Florida, and the Tampa Bay community.
Prior to Mr. Anderson’s appointment to 21 & Change’s Advisory Council, in late 2018, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced Mr. Anderson’s appointment to the DOT’s Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking. He joined 14 other leaders from around the country.
As a Former Federal Maritime Commissioner, Mr. Anderson joined Port Tampa Bay as CEO in December 2012 after holding a series of high-profile leadership positions in the public and private sectors. Prior to joining Port Tampa Bay, Mr. Anderson was the CEO at the Jacksonville Port Authority.
Nominated to the Federal Maritime Commission by President George W. Bush in 2003, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2004, Anderson served a five-year term ending in 2008. In addition, the president designated Anderson as the Commission’s Chairman and re-nominated him for a second five-year term. A highlight of Anderson’s service included his appointment to the Committee on Marine Transportation, a cabinet-level strategy group responsible for the nation’s seaports and reporting directly to the president.
Anderson spent 10 years with JM Family Enterprises; a diversified automobile business headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and was previously a senior director of Seabulk Marine, Inc., an international marine transportation company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He has also served as an advisor on intermodal issues to former Florida governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist.
Anderson recently completed a second term as the Chairman of the Florida Ports Council, having been reelected by his fellow Florida port directors. He also serves multiple national leadership positions including the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) and serving as Vice-Chairman of the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC). Anderson also serves on the board of directors for the Florida Chamber of Commerce; Associated Industries of Florida; Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation; Leukemia Lymphoma Society; The Florida Aquarium; Visit Tampa Bay; Tampa Bay EDC; and the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). He has also held numerous community leadership positions including Chair, Board of Trustees, Broward (FL) Community College; Chair, Broward Alliance; Chair, Broward Health Foundation; Board of Directors of The Orange Bowl Committee; Board of Advisors of the South Florida PGA; and the National Executive Committee of the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Anderson has lived in Florida for over 35 years and relocated with his family to Tampa, except during the period of his public service in Washington, D.C. Anderson is a 1982 graduate of the University of Florida and completed the Senior Managers in Government program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
