Prevratil Expected to Be Chief of Long Beach Port

The president of Wrather Port Properties Ltd., who is widely credited with turning the money-losing Queen Mary and Spruce Goose into one of Southern California’s top tourist attractions, is expected to be named executive director of the Port of Long Beach today.

Joseph F. Prevratil would succeed career port executive James H. McJunkin, who unexpectedly left his $102,500-a-year post Feb. 1. McJunkin now serves as a consultant to the port, which moved more cargo last year than any other on the West Coast, 60.6 million metric tons.

Prevratil, 50, joined Wrather as vice president of operations in 1982, was promoted to vice president-general manager in 1983 and then to president in 1984.

He had been widely rumored for weeks to have been the top candidate to head the port as the Queen Mary’s future became uncertain upon the acquisition of Wrather Corp. and its subsidiaries by Walt Disney Co. There were reports recently, however, that Prevratil was unsure whether he could break his multiyear employment contract.

Prevratil declined to comment Wednesday on any aspect of his being named to head the port.

While Prevratil has never administered a port, he is one of Long Beach’s most respected business executives. He is chairman of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and active in other business and charity groups.

A graduate of Loyola University and Southwestern University School of Law, Prevratil has previously held management positions with Six Flags Inc., Entertainment Environments Inc., General Terminal Corp. and Evolution Computers Inc. He is a Fullerton resident, is married and the father of four.

The board of harbor commissioners, which reportedly made the final decision to hire Prevratil in a closed personnel session Monday, never conducted a nationally advertised search for a new executive director.

Board President David L. Hauser said the port received enough unsolicited resumes that a national search was unnecessary. Hauser said repeatedly that candidates need not necessarily have port experience. He said the board put a premium on leadership and managerial skills.

“Our preference, No. 1, would be a maritime-oriented person who knows the community and Southern California area very well,” Hauser said.

Harbor Commissioner Joel Friedland said port experience is not necessary for the next executive director because “The port is a landlord. The port does not operate trains and ships. It leases out property.”

He praised Prevratil, without saying he is being named to head the port, as an executive who guided the Queen Mary into profitability after years of losing millions of dollars under city-administered management.

Ezunial (E. Z.) Burts, the executive director of the Port of Los Angeles whose 1984 appointment caused a stir because of his own lack of port experience, said that running a major shipping center requires, first and foremost, a strong manager.

“The kind of enterprise or business we have in these major ports is similar to any other major business organization,” Burts said. “What we’ve seen taking place in many industries--a move toward professional management generalists, away from the more technical orientation--is not unusual or uncommon.”

McJunkin, who built the port into one of the nation’s tops in productivity and profitability during his decade-long tenure, said of Prevratil: “I’ve always liked him as a person and enjoyed working with him.”

Asked how he thinks Prevratil would fare in the job, McJunkin replied, “Time will tell.”