Leadership

Board Members


Frank Hall
CHAIR


Ms. Elizabeth J. Walters
VICE-CHAIR
Harvey Hollingsworth
MEMBER
James T. Cook, III, M.D.
MEMBER
George Erwin Reiss, M.D.
MEMBER
The Port Authority

Our Charter

Port Panama City is both a landlord and an operating port, administered by the Panama City Port Authority, an agency of the City of Panama City. The Port Authority consists of five board members appointed by the Panama City Commission for four–year terms. According to the stipulations of the Port Authority’s enabling legislation, property owned or subsequently acquired by the Port Authority is held for the benefit of the City, and the Port Authority can own, acquire, or lease property only within City limits or within 10 miles of those limits.

In addition to its powers to own and acquire property by purchase, lease, eminent domain, gift, or transfer, the Port Authority is empowered to:

    • Acquire, construct, maintain, equip, and operate port terminal facilities, industrial parks, industrial and manufacturing plants, warehouses, wharves, docks, dry–docks, quays, yacht basins, ship basins, breakwaters, foundations for shipways, fitting–out docks, shipyards, marine railways, repair, shops, loading and unloading, packaging and refrigeration facilities, all other harbor and port improvements and facilities, subject to City Commission approval.
    • Enter into contracts for furthering the business, operation, and maintenance of shipping facilities and harbor and port improvements within the City of Panama City and the 10–mile limit beyond City boundaries.
    • Borrow money to implement its capital improvement program.
    • The Port’s annual budget must be approved by the City Commission, which can contribute funds for the Port’s operating expenses, if appropriate.
    • Several sections of the enabling legislation were amended slightly in 1957 and again in 1984. Day–to–day administrative and operational tasks are carried out under the direction of the Executive Director, who reports to the Port Authority. At present, the Port has approximately 70 employees.

Frank Hall

Frank Hall, of Lynn Haven, is the President, Florida Region, of Cadence Bank. He is actively involved with the Panama City Port Authority, HCA Gulf Coast Hospital Board of Directors, Florida State University Foundation, Florida State University (Panama City) Dean’s Council, Alignment Bay County, and the Value Adjustment Board for Bay. He earned his associate degree in business administration from Gulf Coast Community College, his bachelor’s degree in business management from Florida State University, and his banking diploma from Louisiana State University’s Graduate School of Banking.

Elizabeth J. Walters

Elizabeth J. Walters is the Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of The St. Joe Company. She joined St. Joe after more than 20 years with Burke Blue Hutchison Walters & Smith, P.A., a full-service legal firm based in Panama City, Florida, where she was a partner. Her areas of expertise include real estate, land use and commercial law. She holds a B.A. and M.A. from the University of West Florida, and a J.D. with honors from Florida State University College of Law. She currently serves on the Panama City Port Authority Board of Directors, The St. Joe Community Foundation Board of Trustees, Alignment Bay County Governing Board, and as a member of the Bay Defense Alliance.

Harvey Hollingsworth

Former pharmacy owner turned lighting entrepreneur Harvey Hollingsworth has been active in the Panama City community since the day he moved his company, The Natural Light, to Bay County in 1978. After growing up in a rural farming community in Belle Plaine, Kansas, Hollingsworth graduated from the University of Kansas, and went on to own several pharmacies in Missouri and Kansas. He credits his early life on the farm to helping drive his professional success. He has previously served as President of the Accessories Resource Team, a national organization focused on home accessories, and now devotes much of his community service as a member of the Port Panama City Board of Directors.

James T. Cook, III, M.D.

Retired cardiologist Dr. Jim Cook practiced cardiology with Cardiology Associates, P.A., in Panama City from 1977 through 2005. Throughout his career, he served in leadership positions with the Florida Society of Internal Medicine, the Florida Medical Association, the Florida Physicians Association, the Florida Chapter of the American College of Physicians, the Florida Chapter of the American College of Cardiology and the Bay County Medical Society. He served as Chief of Medicine at Gulf Coast Community Hospital and Bay Medical Center and served as Chief of Staff at Bay Medical Center. Dr. Cook was the Director of the Cardiac Cath Labs at Bay Medical for almost 30 years. He received his baccalaureate, Doctor of Medicine, and internship from Emory University, then served as a Battalion Surgeon with the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam, followed by a year at the Dispensary, Naval Coastal Systems Laboratory in Panama City. His Internal Medicine Residency, Cardiology Fellowship, and Chief Medical Residency was at Cincinnati General Hospital, followed by another year of Cardiology Fellowship at Emory University.

George Erwin Reiss, M.D.

Retired surgeon Dr. George Reiss devoted his career to practicing medicine in Panama City, Florida. A general surgeon with an emphasis on breast care, Dr. Reiss practiced at the Surgical Associates of Northwest Florida and served as a medical staff member of Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center, Bay Medical Sacred Heart Hospital, Panama City Surgery Center, Northwest Florida Surgery Center and Emerald Coast Rehabilitation Hospital. Prior to joining the medical field, Dr. Reiss received his Magna cum Laude bachelor’s in engineering from Princeton University Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, and was a project engineer at Intermedics, Inc., in Freeport, Texas. He received his medical degree and earned his general surgery residency from the University of Texas Southwest Medical School in Dallas. In addition to his past medical society memberships, Dr. Reiss currently serves as Honorary Commander of Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City Port Authority Board of Directors, Rotary Club of Panama City and St. Andrew Community Medical Center Board of Directors.