Review Executive Staff contact information.
Eric Green
Chief Executive Officer
The JAXPORT Board of Directors unanimously named Eric Green as CEO in September 2017. Under his leadership, the port has attracted $1 billion in investment over the last five years, including a series of multi-million-dollar public-private partnerships leveraging outside investment to upgrade terminal infrastructure, enhance sustainability, and build the port of the future.
Most notably, Green led the successful effort to gain authorization and funding for the Jacksonville Harbor Deepening Project to take the federal shipping channel to 47 feet. He designed an innovative funding model for the deepening resulting in the commitment of more than $420 million in state, federal, local and private sector investment. The project is the first of its kind in the nation to include funding from a private business.
Green joined JAXPORT in 2005 and was responsible for the port’s government affairs, community outreach, media relations, grant application and environmental advocacy programs.
Prior to joining JAXPORT, Green served in numerous leadership roles for the City of Jacksonville, including Deputy Chief Administrative Officer. In this position, Green managed several city departments and was instrumental in the successful development, passage and implementation of the $2 billion Better Jacksonville Plan.
A Jacksonville native, Green has received widespread government and industry recognition. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis named Green to serve on his Transition Advisory Committee on Economic Policy. Florida Trend magazine named Green on its Florida 500 list of the state’s most influential business leaders six years in a row, and he is a 2022 Jacksonville Business Journal Ultimate CEO honoree. JAXUSA Partnership also recognized him as the Individual International Industry Leader in 2018.
Green is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Transportation and Logistics Advisory Council and serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, JAX Chamber, and Tiger Academy of Jacksonville. He is an alumnus of both Leadership Jacksonville and Leadership Florida and is active with youth programs at Bethel Baptist Institutional Church.
Green holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Saint Andrews Presbyterian University.
Linda Williams
Chief, Administrative Officer
Linda Williams is Chief, Administration and Corporate Performance for JAXPORT, responsible for corporate performance, employee relations, audit and compliance, and ethics. In 2016, Williams assumed the additional responsibility of directing JAXPORT’s Human Resources programs, including employee compensation, benefits and labor relations.
Williams has been with the port for 30 years and also serves as JAXPORT’s Ethics Officer in support of the City of Jacksonville’s ethics ordinance.
Williams holds certifications in Transportation and Logistics (CTL), Corporate Compliance and Ethics (CCEP) and Green Belt Six Sigma. She is also a certified Florida Public Sector Labor Relations Professional and is a member of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics as well as the Society for Human Resource Management. Williams was inducted into Delta Mu Delta, the International Honor Society for Business in 2014.
Williams holds both a Bachelor of Science in Business and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
Beth McCague
Chief of staff
Beth McCague is Chief of Staff, responsible for overseeing JAXPORT’s strategic planning processes and ensuring the timely and successful implementation of key growth initiatives. In this role, she ensures the organization has the strategies and tools to improve efficiency and enhance the workplace. Prior to this role, McCague served JAXPORT for five years as Chief Financial Officer.
Before joining JAXPORT, McCague managed the $1.6 billion Jacksonville Police & Fire Pension Fund through a transition in leadership, stabilizing and modernizing the organization. She is a current corporate board member of Ameris Bancorp and has served in many high level positions with major banking and investment firms.
McCague is a former member of the UF Health Jacksonville Board of Directors, and served as finance committee chairperson.
McCague holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Jacksonville University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Florida.
Robert Peek
Chief Commercial Officer
Robert Peek is the Chief Commercial Officer for JAXPORT. He leads the port’s Marketing and Sales Department, overseeing all market research and sales initiatives to retain and attract cargo business at JAXPORT. Robert also works closely with area economic development offices to attract new transportation, logistics and manufacturing industry to Northeast Florida.
Robert has worked at JAXPORT since 1995, serving in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility, including as Director of Corporate Communications, Director of Marketing and as General Manager of Business Development. He has been Chief Commercial Officer since 2022.
Robert has a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of North Florida. Robert also holds a Certification in Transportation and Logistics (CTL) from the American Society for Transportation and Logistics.
He is a former board member of the North Florida District Export Council; past president of Jacksonville Sister Cities Association; former Chair of the Business Advisory Council for International Business and Marketing Career Academy at Ponte Vedra High School; and a graduate of both Leadership Jacksonville and Leadership St. Johns County. He now serves in leadership positions for numerous public sector Boards and nonprofit organizations throughout Northeast Florida.
Joey Greive
Chief Financial Officer
Patrick “Joey” Greive is the Chief Financial Officer for JAXPORT, responsible for the port’s budget and accounting, treasury, payroll, and external auditing functions. In addition, he oversees JAXPORT’s $600 million capital program and serves as the port’s primary liaison with bondholders, lenders and credit rating agencies.
Greive is a finance and administration executive with more than 15 years of experience, most recently serving the City of Jacksonville as the Director of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer. In that role, he led 350 employees across several divisions and collaborated with city leaders and policymakers to develop financial initiatives to achieve strategic goals. As a result, he advanced economic policies and practices resulting in over $500 million of debt reduction, reformed pension systems, and a tripling of operating reserves since 2015. Greive also held other roles at the City, including Treasurer, Chief Investment Officer, and Pension Administrator.
Before his career in public service, Greive served as a lead investment advisor for Merrill Lynch, where he led a team of advisers managing client assets, investments, relationships, and sales strategies.
Greive is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and holds a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) designation through the CFA Institute, a not-for-profit organization comprising the world’s largest association of investment professionals. He holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Real Estate from Florida State University.
Nick Primrose
Chief, Regulatory Compliance
Nick Primrose oversees the port’s regulatory compliance in the areas of maritime law, environmental policy, safety and risk management, and governance. He also serves as JAXPORT’s liaison with the City of Jacksonville’s Office of General Counsel.
Primrose is an experienced public policy professional and licensed attorney.
Prior to joining JAXPORT, he served as Deputy General Counsel for Florida Governors Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott, and General Counsel for the State of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management. In these positions, he provided oversight and regulatory strategy on transportation, emergency preparedness, the economy, and other matters impacting the people of Florida.
Primrose is a member of the Florida Bar and holds a Juris Doctor from Barry University, a Master of Public Administration from DePaul University, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and communications from Lake Forest College.
Since 2021, Primrose has served on the Florida Department of Transportation’s Freight Advisory Committee, currently holding the role of Chair. In 2023, he was appointed to join the SelectFlorida Board of Directors, the state of Florida’s official international commerce organization, which serves as a catalyst for economic development and high-wage job creation for Floridians. He is also a member of Leadership Florida Connect Class 11 and the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network.
James Bennett, P.E.
Chief Operating Officer
James Bennett, P.E., is Chief Operating Officer, responsible for overseeing the port’s three operational divisions as well as its engineering and construction department. Bennett also oversees the implementation of a capital growth program in excess of $250 million annually. Major projects under his area of responsibility include the expansion of Blount Island’s container and auto-handling capabilities.
Bennett joined JAXPORT in 2017 as Senior Director of Engineering and Construction, responsible for the port’s marine and landside infrastructure development and engineering and construction operations. In this role, he managed the completion of JAXPORT’s major growth initiatives, including the 47-foot harbor deepening project, a $100 million berth modernization project, and renovations to improve operational efficiencies at the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal.
An Accredited Maritime Port Executive (AMPE) and licensed professional engineer, Bennett has extensive experience in senior transportation positions in both private and public sectors, including over 20 years with the Florida Department of Transportation. He is a recipient of the Propeller Club – Port of Jacksonville’s Maritime Person of the Year award.
Bennett is currently an elected official in Baker County, where he serves on the five-member Board of County Commissioners. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida.
Chelsea Kavanagh
Chief Communications Officer
Chelsea Kavanagh oversees communications initiatives in support of growing JAXPORT’s position as a leader in global trade. As the port’s primary spokesperson, she serves as a liaison with journalists, broadcasts and publications from around the world. She also assists JAXPORT leadership in communicating with its stakeholders, including citizens, elected officials, port tenants, and employees.
Prior to joining JAXPORT, Kavanagh spent nearly a decade producing television news programming for the citizens of the state of Florida, most recently at Jacksonville’s WJAX-TV.
She is a recipient of Florida Associated Press (AP) and Edward R. Murrow awards for journalism excellence, and American Association of Port Authorities and Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) awards for outstanding public relations programs.
Kavanagh holds an Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) certification from the Public Relations Society of America and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science from the University of Central Florida. She is a member of Leadership Florida Connect Class 13 and former Board member of the FPRA Jacksonville Chapter.