Jesse Gomez has held a number of varying roles in the maritime industry, from working in cargo holds and managing barge terminals to supervising cargo handling and overseeing safety initiatives.

“I’ve worked on the waterfront for 15 years now and fell in love with the industry right away,” he reminisced. “It’s been an exciting and educational adventure.”

Jesse got his start in the industry by working in the hold of ships, safely loading and unloading cargo. Not long after, he transitioned to Clerk in Charge, responsible for ensuring cargo was stowed correctly and efficiently, and later to Manager of a container barge terminal where he worked with container lines to coordinate customer bookings and fulfill cargo needs.

He joined Cooper/T. Smith in 2014 as a Ship Superintendent, supervising and executing the safe handling of cargo, and later held the role of Warehouse Superintendent. When the company’s Houston operation merged with Ports America in 2016, an opportunity for Jesse to join the Safety team presented itself.

“In order to succeed, we all need to work as a team,” he said, “and that’s what we have here at C/PA.”

As Health, Safety and Environment General Manager, Jesse is responsible for building a positive safety culture within C/PA. In addition to conducting safety meetings, training and audits, he is tasked with implementing policies and procedures in compliance with local, state and federal regulations. By evaluating safety performance and identifying corrective actions, Jesse is able to make recommendations to management, executives and individual employees for ways to improve safety and efficiency.

“I love my job,” Jesse enthused. “Seeing the men and women going home to their families, safe, after their shift, it’s the greatest reward.”