Camarillo, Calif., Sept. 29, 2015 – Business leaders from the automotive and port industries will share their unique perspectives at the next series of free presentations offered by the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics at CSU Channel Islands.
The “Contemporary Topics in Business and Technology” series is free of charge and includes lunch. Each presentation begins at noon in Malibu Hall 100 on the CI campus at One University Drive, Camarillo.
The next presentation will be held on Friday, Oct. 2 with guest speaker Dean Evans, vice president/chief marketing officer for Hyundai. Evans, former chief marketing officer of Subaru of America, Inc., is responsible for all Hyundai marketing and advertising activities in the United States.
The speaker for Friday, Oct. 9 will be Kristin Decas, CEO and Port Director, Port of Hueneme. Recently appointed by the U.S. Department of Transportation to the National Freight Advisory Committee and the U.S. Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council.
Decas was the first woman to run both the Port of New Bedford and the Port of Hueneme. Since joining the Port of Hueneme in 2012, the Port has achieved its strongest fiscal numbers in history, with over $14.3 in gross operating revenue.
Decas said she is pleased the Port has been successful as well as environmentally responsible, with the electrification of the docks, allowing incoming vessels to plug in rather than running their diesel engines.
“The key is balance,” she said. “You need a balance between the environment and social responsibility, but you also need to be competitive.”
Decas will also touch on what it’s been like for her as a woman in a male-dominated profession, a trend she sees continuing as more women enter the maritime industry.
She said some of the most valuable advice she ever received was from one of her first mentors, the mayor of New Bedford, Massachusetts. In New Bedford, Decas directed more than one team of men.
“He would say ‘make a fist’ whenever I had to go deal with five burly guys,’” Decas said. “That’s my philosophy when it comes down to it. You gotta have a thick skin.”
To RSVP for any one of the series, click on: http://business.csuci.edu/events.
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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.