San Francisco, CA - Mayor London N. Breed today announced the appointment of Steven Lee to the San Francisco Port Commission and the re-appointment of Willie Adams and Gail Gilman to each serve four-year terms. Mr. Lee is replacing outgoing Port Commission Vice President Doreen Woo Ho. Woo Ho served on the Port Commission from 2011 to 2022. Willie Adams is the president of the Port Commission, first appointed in 2012. Commissioner Gail Gilman was first appointed in 2018.
“I am proud to have Steven Lee serve on the Port Commission and to have both Willie Adams and Gail Gilman serving for another four years,” said Mayor London Breed. “The Port is home to some of San Francisco’s most iconic destinations and plays an important role in our city’s economy. Residents and visitors from all over come to the Port to enjoy Fisherman’s Wharf, take a ride at the Ferry Building, and eat and shop at our world-class restaurants. We are lucky to have individuals on the Commission who have the experience, and knowledge and are committed to bringing San Francisco back to life.”
Mr. Lee brings decades of hospitality and entertainment industry experience to the Port Commission. Lee has owned and operated numerous successful restaurants and nightclubs in Chinatown since first moving to San Francisco in the mid-seventies.
“As someone who has worked on issues around the entertainment and hospitality industries, I am excited to expand on my commitment in public service to focus on helping address some of the pressing issues facing San Francisco’s waterfront,” said Steven Lee. “I want to thank Mayor London Breed for entrusting me with this important work.”
Lee is a respected and recognized hospitality and entertainment industry leader whose advocacy work includes service on the California Music and Culture Association and the San Francisco Entertainment Commission. He has been a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs, restaurants, and nightclubs and worked to address the most important issues facing the industry including alcohol and public safety policy.
President Willie Adams was appointed to the Port Commission by Mayor Edwin M. Lee in July 2012. Adams previously served as the Commission's vice president from 2014 to 2015, 2018, and from 2019 to 2021, and president in 2016 and 2017. Adams also previously served on the San Francisco Film Commission.
“Thank you, Mayor Breed for your leadership and continued support for our waterfront,” said Port Commission President Willie Adams. “I look forward to working closely with my fellow commissioners and staff to ensure the organization will successfully navigate through the unprecedented financial and climate change challenges we are facing.”
Commissioner Gilman was appointed to the Port Commission by Mayor Mark Farrell in 2018. She has previously served on numerous housing and homeless tasks forces and was appointed in 2017 by Governor Brown to California’s Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council. She previously served on the commission for the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection.
“Thank you, Mayor Breed, for your continued support and confidence,” said Commissioner Gail Gilman. “I am proud of the work of the Port and look forward to continuing our work to help the waterfront recover economically while also working to advance racial equity and ensure that all people are able to enjoy the waterfront now and for generations to come.”
The San Francisco Port Commission is responsible for the seven and one-half miles of waterfront adjacent to San Francisco Bay, which the Port develops, markets, leases, administers, manages and maintains. The Port’s operating portfolio is composed of over 550 ground, commercial, retail, office, industrial and maritime industrial leases, including many, internationally recognized landmarks such as Fisherman’s Wharf, PIER 39, the Ferry Building, and the San Francisco Giants ballpark. The Port Commission is comprised of five members, each of whom is appointed by the Mayor and subject to confirmation by the City's Board of Supervisors. Each commissioner is appointed to a four-year term.
President Adams and Commissioners Gilman and Lee will each serve four-year terms, through May 1, 2026.