Virginia Port Authority Executive Director Jerry Bridges named four new deputy executive directors and in doing so effectively completed the agency’s first major reorganization in more than 20 years.

Jeff Keever, Rodney Oliver, Jeff Florin and Russell Held, all current VPA employees, will lead the reorganized agency. The reorganization consolidates multiple departments under each deputy who then reports directly to Bridges. Keever is the senior deputy executive director and would fill in for Bridges if the need arises.

“The hard part of this project is over and because this transition has gone so smoothly, it will be easier to get back to the core task of growing this port,” Bridges said. “I had overwhelming support here for what was being done and I am glad we were able to find the necessary leadership from within the organization. I want to congratulate these people and let our customers and all those who work with the VPA that we have hit the ground running.”

Keever is the senior deputy executive director of external affairs. He will oversee media, government and community relations, environmental affairs and strategic planning.

Oliver is deputy executive director of administration and chief financial officer. He will oversee finance, human resources, information technology and contracts and real estate.

Florin is deputy executive director of operations and chief operating officer. He will oversee, engineering and security.

Held is deputy executive director of development. He will oversee port promotion, economic development and business analysis and strategy.

The other parts of the reorganization included

1) moving the VPA’s marketing staff to Virginia International Terminals Inc. [VIT], which is the port authority’s private operating company, and

2) offering an early retirement option to non-police employees age 50 or older.

Eight people accepted the early retirement offer and the transition of the marketing team to VIT was complete on Dec. 31, 2008; eleven people from the former VPA marketing team made the transition.