Tom Imeson Leaving Port of Portland for NW Natural

Tom Imeson
By NIGEL JAQUISS

Port of Portland public affairs director Tom Imeson is moving to a similar position at NW Natural, Port Executive Director Bill Wyatt announced today.

Imeson is one of the best-connected figures in Oregon. A former longtime aide to the late U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield (R-Ore.), he later served as chief of staff to Gov. Neil Goldschmidt and also as lead the transition teams for Govs. John Kitzhaber (twice) and Ted Kulongoski.

At NW Natural, Imeson will be reunited with the gas utility's CEO, Gregg Kantor, who served worked for Imeson as Goldschmidt's gubernatorial spokesman.

Imeson also has longstanding ties to two key NW Natural board members, John Carter and Mark Dodson. Imeson was business partners with Carter in the consulting firm Goldschmidt Imeson Carter prior to taking his job at the Port; and he and Dodson, another longtime Goldschmidt ally, owned a vacation home in California together. Dodson preceded Kantor as NW Natural's CEO. 

Here's the announcement Wyatt sent out today: 



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