Robert Stevens was appointed to the Commission in 2017, and was elected in 2019. Robert, who is known as Steve, was raised in the Midwest, and has lived and served in the Pacific Northwest since 1974. He holds a master’s degree from the United States Naval War College.
Steve retired from the Coast Guard after 34 years of service where he achieved the rank of Captain. He began his Coast Guard career as an enlisted man before becoming a commissioned officer. As an officer, he commanded two ships and patrolled the waters of Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Of particular note, he spent 4 years with the USCG Cutter Resolute, homeported in Astoria, where he became familiar with the waterfront, the Port of Astoria, and the local maritime community. After his Coast Guard service, he began a second career where he trained and evaluated skippers and crews of offshore energy rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.
Steve and his wife Teresa live in their home in Warrenton which they bought in 1991, retiring in the community where he commanded his first ship. They are happy to call the Astoria area and the Lower Columbia River Estuary their home. When asked about what he likes about living in the Clatsop County, Steve says that “it is fun living in a small community where you always see people you know. Small town living in a seafaring region brings out the best in those making their living in the Northwest Coast’s challenging environment.”
Steve is an active volunteer in several organizations that serve Clatsop County. He volunteers as a boating safety instructor for the Oregon Marine Board, and is active in Spruce Up Warrenton and the Clatsop County Sheriff Rural Law Enforcement District. He is also president of the Military Officers Association Lower Columbia River Chapter. When not volunteering in local organizations or serving on the Port Commission, Steve enjoys spending time on his 32ft Nordic Tug pleasure boat and spends lots of time with his two German shepherd dogs.