As newly appointed chief financial officer of PierPass, formed to manage the off-peak gate hours at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, Thomas Stephenson becomes a key member of the Southern California shipping world.

Stephenson will be charged with making sure the new “OffPeak” program runs smoothly. OffPeak, expected to be fully operational by the end of July, will provide incentives for cargo owners to move containers during low traffic hours in order to cut down on truck pollution and reduce congestion. “It’s a very definite mission with very black and white attainable goals,” he said.

Stephenson has been chief financial officer both the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles and Forest Lawn Memorial Park Association. He had spent seven years with Coopers & Lybrand before moving into the service and non-profit sectors. He found his way to the PierPass post through an executive recruiter seeking candidates from the non-profit world. Starting out, he knew very little about the ports, but he’s made progress.

PierPass is a new organization that levies fees on containers that pass through the port during peak hours. The money will be used to pay for keeping port operators working during extended hours.

Stephenson’s accounting experience took him to Vietnam during the war years. On a trip in 1969, most of the flights out had been canceled, but he was desperate to get home for Christmas. He managed to get on a cargo plane but it had to make a stop in the middle of a firefight. “No one told me I was goint to be shot at,” he said.

Stephenson, who enjoys skiing, playing bridge and gardening, lives with his wife, Marilyn. They have two grown children.