Port Manatee Hires Tillotson as Chief Commercial Officer

As new chief commercial officer of Port Manatee, Charles D. Tillotson looks to bolster diverse cargo growth at the global gateway of Southwest and Central Florida.

“Working with the Port Manatee team, my goal is to double the port’s volume of cargo activity over the coming 10 years,” said Tillotson, who brings nearly four decades of maritime industry experience to the position. “We are seeking to build upon Port Manatee’s current trend of record trade by advancing further diverse revenue streams.”

Tillotson most recently served as senior vice president of business development for Altamont, New York-based Carver Companies, which counts Port Manatee among its marine terminal operations. Prior positions included chief commercial officer of Jacksonville, Fla.-headquartered Diversified Port Holdings; director of business development for Metro Ports; vice president of military business development for Ports America; and vice president of military sales and business development for Marine Terminals Corp.

A U.S. Navy veteran, Tillotson served 10 years of active and reserve duty prior to his discharge in 1992 with the rank of petty officer second class. His government service included as a marine cargo specialist for the U.S. Department of Navy in Concord, Calif., and as chief of breakbulk cargo at the U.S. Army base in Oakland.

Tillotson holds a master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s in business management from St. Mary’s College of California. He is a graduate of the Army Management Staff College and earned global logistics specialist certification from the California Maritime Academy.

At Port Manatee, Tillotson is succeeding as chief commercial officer Matty Appice, who plans to retire June 30 following more than a decade as a Port Manatee executive.