Consultants

The Port contracts with various individuals and firms to perform specific professional services not otherwise available through internal staff. These consultants provide specialized services to the Port including legal advice, financial consulting, and engineering. Though not Port employees, they serve to further the Port's goals and assist the Port in delivering quality results to its constituents.

	Bill Eling Port Counsel Bill Eling was appointed as the Port's general counsel in 2009. He is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law and Gonzaga University. Bill currently serves as counsel for the Port of Ridgefield and City of Woodland and has served as counsel for the City of Bingen. He is a member of the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys and the Washington Public Ports Association.
	Jan T. Fancher Financial Consultant Jan Fancher was appointed as the Port's financial consultant in 2009. She is a graduate of the University of Portland and started her accounting career at Touche Ross in Portland, Oregon. Jan currently serves as financial consultant for several Washington ports and is CPA for the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. She is a member of the Washington Finance Officers Association, the Government Finance Officers Association, the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, and the Washington Public Ports Association.
	Byron Hanke Port Management Consultant Byron has been the Port's management consultant since 1999. He holds a degree in business administration from the University of Washington and was the Executive Director for the Port of Vancouver (USA) from 1985 until his retirement in 1998. He has also been a commissioner for Clark Public Utilities (a public utility district in Clark County, WA) since 2002. Hanke is a lifetime member of the Washington Public Ports Association and has been designated a Professional Ports Manager (PPM) by the American Association of Port Authorities.
	Ben Beseda Civil Engineer Ben holds a degree in civil engineering from the Portland State University School of Engineering and joined Tenneson Engineering in 1994. He is licensed in both Washington and Oregon and provides on-call services related to development plans; cost estimates, civil/municipal development, surveying, and subdivision plats. Tenneson Engineering has served the Port at various times since the 1950s.