Public Service CFO of the Year: Marla Bleavins

Marla Bleavins
Deputy Executive Director of Finance and Administration, CFO
Port of Los Angeles

Serving second-in-command at our nation’s busiest port, Marla Bleavins serves in the unique, dual capacity as both deputy executive director and CFO for the Port of Los Angeles, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles. Although a City agency, the Port is not supported by City taxes. Operating as a landlord port with more than 200 leaseholders, the Port instead generates its revenues from leasing and shipping service fees. In her role, Bleavins oversees the Port’s annual budget and Finance and Administration Bureau, which includes Accounting, Contracts and Purchasing, Debt and Treasury Management, Financial Management, Human Resources, Internal Management Audit, and Risk Management divisions. Bleavins has championed the use of online technology and digital infrastructure at the Port, acquiring software and transitioning many financial records and processes from in-person to online formats and applications.

Empowering staff to work digitally, she has spearheaded several efforts and initiatives to support this digital transition, including the redesign and implementation of a content management system for the Port website, cloud usage for employee Intranet and accounting payment systems; creating an internal financial information sharing site for her direct reports, including financial dashboards, reports, metrics, statistics and contracts.

With a goal of making the Port of Los Angeles an “Employer of Choice,” by promoting excellence and providing opportunities for professional development, Bleavins has worked to recruit, attract and retain a talented workforce, encouraging a culture that promotes excellence and provides employees with opportunities to grow and expand their careers. 

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