Bray to step down from VPA

“He is stepping down on the highest of high notes,” said John G. Milliken, chairman of the VPA Board of Commissioners. “He guided this port from the early days through its most prosperous years. We were fortunate to have him when, and for as long as, we did.”

Bray began his career at the VPA in 1967 as its general counsel, and in 1978 he was appointed executive director. In mid-2006, he announced that he would retire by the end of 2007 and in November 2006, Jerry A. Bridges, then director of the Port of Oakland, was named as his successor. Bridges took over as executive director on February 5, 2007 and Bray became executive director emeritus.

“I always said I would retire when the time was right. Well, the time is right,” said Bray. “The VPA is in a set of very good, capable hands. The leadership transition went very smoothly and it is complete. I truly believe the Port of Virginia has a very prosperous future ahead of it and I look forward to watching it unfold from a bit of a distance.”