Port of Houston Authority Names Mary Margaret Hamilton Senior Government Relations Manager.

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HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 1, 2003

The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) today announced the appointment of Mary Margaret Hamilton as Senior Manager of Government Relations. Hamilton will manage the government relations department within the Public Affairs Division. Hamilton's principle responsibilities will be to manage the government relations department staff and prepare and lead the implementation of PHA's legislative strategies on local, state and federal levels.

"As the Public Affairs Division increases its government relations initiatives, we greatly value Mary Margaret's strong capabilities to work with a diverse group of elected officials, particularly state and federal legislatures," said Argentina James, PHA public affairs director. "Mary Margaret has over 16 years of experience of hands-on governmental involvement and environmental issues that will strengthen the public affairs division and help us to proactively position the port authority in its outreach efforts among the various levels of government," James added.

Hamilton previously served as government relations manager for Columbia Gulf Transmission Company in Houston where she coordinated activities in four states. Prior to joining Columbia, Hamilton was a legislative representative for United Gas Pipeline Company where she directed governmental and legislative affairs in Louisiana and Florida. Hamilton also has been head of her own law firm where she handled cases involving foreclosures, real estate transactions, bankruptcy, business, family and criminal law.

Hamilton holds a Juris Doctorate from the South Texas College of Law where she graduated in the top 35 percent of the 1984 class. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University in Tallahassee where she double-majored in government and criminology. Her professional affiliations include Texas Bar Association, Florida Bar Association, Association of Louisiana Lobbyists (immediate past president), U.S. Oil and Gas Association, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, Texas Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, Louisiana Independent Oil and Gas Association, Tennessee Association of Business, Tennessee Gas Association and the Southern Gas Association.

The Port of Houston Authority owns and operates the public facilities located along the Port of Houston, the 25-mile long complex of diversified public and private facilities designed for handling general cargo, containers, grain and other dry bulk materials, project and heavy lift cargo, and other types of cargo. Each year, more than 6,600 vessels call at the port, which ranks first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage, second in overall total tonnage, and sixth largest in the world. The Port Authority plays a vital role in ensuring navigational safety along the Houston Ship Channel, which has been instrumental in Houston's development as a center of international trade. The Barbours Cut Container Terminal and Central Maintenance Facility are the first of any U.S. port facilities to develop and implement an innovative Environmental Management System that meets the rigorous standards of ISO 14001. Additionally, the port is an approved delivery point for Coffee "C" futures contracts traded on the New York Board of Trade's Coffee, Sugar & Cocoa Exchange. For more information, please visit www.portofhouston.com

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