Sean Strawbridge, chief of the top U.S. oil exporting port since 2015, quit amid reports of excessive spending.
Sean Strawbridge, CEO of the Port of Corpus Christi, resigned suddenly on May 16, following a heated meeting with the port’s commissioners.
Strawbridge, who has run the nation’s sixth-largest water port since 2015, built the facility into the top crude oil export facility in the U.S., with volumes averaging over 2 MMbbl/d. He is credited with helping the port to attract more than $65 billion in private industrial investments.
Strawbridge engaged in a sharp exchange with Commissioner Diane Gonzalez during a recent meeting, in which Gonzalez accused him of “exuberant spending” on travel, personal and party expenses, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported. Strawbridge denied any unethical behavior or misuse of funds and indicated the accusations were part of a political “witch hunt,” the newspaper reported.
KRIS-TV, the Corpus Christi NBC affiliate, reported on May 15 that the port has spent $200,000 to send a group of 27 to Israel to visit desalination facilities. The station also reported that Strawbridge spent an average of $10,000 per month on meals, drinks and snacks.
“He spearheaded the Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project that will render the Port the deepest and widest ship channel in the U.S. Gulf,” said Port Chairman Charles Zahn, Jr., in announcing the commissioners’ decision to accept Strawbridge’s resignation. “Despite this success, Sean never lost sight of the importance of investing in the future of energy through innovative and sustainable initiatives like scalable hydrogen and renewable energy production.”
Strawbridge’s resignation takes effect on June 2.
“From assembling the greatest team in the business to achieving record financial performance, we have accomplished many wonderful achievements together that have helped define my legacy here,” Strawbridge said in the announcement. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the fabric of this community, and now is a good time for me to pass the baton as I cheer on the continued success of the Port of Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend.”
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