Jess Ramirez Oxnard Harbor Commissioner
Water changed my life, and I’ve been connected to it ever since.
I was suffering from severe dehydration during a scorching Juárez summer when a young doctor saved me with some simple drops of water.
Water again shaped my life when I went to work on the docks as a longshoreman at the Port of Hueneme. When I was sent to Vietnam, I unloaded cargo that had come from this very port. Eventually, I was elected to the Oxnard Harbor District Board, where I have served as a commissioner for decades and now as Board President.
Clean air and clean oceans matter, to me and to the communities surrounding the Port. Our job is to balance commerce with environmental stewardship, and it’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly.
The Harbor District Board sets policy and guides the Port’s future; the decisions we make affect Ventura County directly. I want to emphasize that our community in the Oxnard Harbor District thrives when people remain engaged. Getting involved, whether through volunteering, service, or civic participation, supports our shared future.
The Port enters 2026 from a position of strength. Last year, we moved 408,000 vehicles, grew container volumes by 10 percent, and retired all bond debt. The Port does not use taxpayer dollars, and the millions we generate are returned to our local cities. We provide family-supporting jobs and continue to give back through food distributions and community sponsorships.
We are also investing in our future: $2 million in our S.P.E.E.D. (Sustainability, Prosperity, Education, Equity- Driven) workforce development program and more than $200 million in environmental projects as we work toward zero emissions by 2030.
Growth at the Port means smart, responsible progress. This is the people’s port- built by farmers, sustained by workers, and strengthened by community engagement. I encourage you to get to know it. Come for a tour, sit in on our board meetings, enjoy our annual Banana Festival– and most importantly, stay engaged through service, involvement, and civic pride.
Jess J. Ramirez
President – Oxnard Harbor District Board of Harbor Commissioners