Valls reappointed to full term on port commission

Rick Valls Jr. was unanimously reappointed to the Port of Corpus Christi commission by the city council Dec. 8 to serve a full three-year term. His original appointment two years ago was to serve out the remaining term of resigning commissioner Bob Kostelnik. 
Valls is the owner and vice president of Valls International, a customs brokerage and international freight forwarding firm. He told the city council his top priority would be further deepening and widening of the ship channel for bigger ships — the most important issue currently facing the port today, he said.
"I think with all the new investment  — $40 billion in new investment — we're going to have congestion issues,” he told the council.  “If we don't get in front of that, five years from now we might see some delays.”
The commission is made up of seven members appointed by different government entities: three from the Nueces County Commissioners Court, three from the city council and one from the San Patricio County Commissioners Court. 
The Valls shipping company was established by Ralph Valls in 1950. Richard R. Valls Senior opened an office in the Port of Corpus Christi in 1960. Valls Shipping Company opened in Corpus Christi in 1978. The company has continued to grow with multiple locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. 
Rick Ralph Valls Jr. was born in Laredo and has a BBA degree from St. Mary’s University. He became a licensed U.S. Customs Broker in 1989. Aside from his appointment to the port of Corpus Christi, Valls serves as a member of the executive board for Driscoll Children’s Hospital Foundation Board, is on the board of directors of Foster Angels of South Texas as well as the board for the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center.