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The Port of Los Angeles is one of those places most of us only notice when something goes wrong, yet it quietly touches nearly everything we buy, build, or ship. I sat down with Gene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, to get past the headlines and into the real work of leadership inside the busiest container port in North America, where global trade, local community impact, and public accountability collide every day.

Gene shares the personal story behind his leadership style, from growing up in New Orleans with working-class and union roots to spending years overseas in shipping and global logistics. We talk about what surprised him when he took the port job, how he navigates stakeholders across city government, state and federal partners, and neighborhood voices, and why he values a team that will challenge him instead of a “yes factory.”

We also dig into the future of the supply chain: cleaner fuels, the push toward zero-emission cargo handling equipment and trucks, and how sustainability ties directly to public health near the harbor. Gene lays out an ambitious workforce development vision too, including plans for a first-of-its-kind training campus that looks like a real port terminal so people can learn safely and build careers in goods movement, technology, and equipment maintenance.

If you care about California jobs, trade policy, the future of shipping, or simply becoming a better leader, you’ll walk away with practical lessons, including Gene’s straightforward framework: be visible, be mobile, and be durable. Subscribe, share this conversation with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

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🎙️ Host: Christopher Luna
🌐 Website: https://www.californialeaders.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caleadersofficial/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/californialeaders/
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/caleadersx
📧 Email: cluna@californialeaders.com

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We wanted to capture the kind of leadership talk that usually disappears the moment the check comes. So we tried a new After Hours format, poured a Negroni, and got honest about how careers actually get built: through small roles done well, relationships that last, and the daily choice to make people feel seen.

Nick takes us from showing up in Los Angeles with $100 to learning the real meaning of an elevator pitch while working the “secret elevator” for major talent. From there, the story moves through live events, the Greek Theatre, Disney confidence, The Grove, the Santa House, experiential marketing, and eventually leadership in real estate tech at Compass. The through line is hospitality as a professional advantage: being intentional, reading the room, raising your hand for the overlooked work, and creating exceptional experiences that people remember.

We also talk marathon mindset, work-life integration, and why emerging leaders face a tougher challenge in a 30-second content world. Then we bridge into marketing strategy, brand consistency, and why print media still matters when it’s part of a true omnichannel ecosystem that matches the lived experience. If you care about leadership, networking, mentorship, customer service, and authentic human connection, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe, follow, and share California Leaders After Hours with someone building their next chapter, and if something hits home, leave a review and tell us what “small moment” changed your career.

📌 ABOUT Nick Belardo
🔹 Title: Director of Operations, Compass
🔹 Guests Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-belardo-69264666/

🔹Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickybelardo/

Support the show

🎧 New episodes every Month. (Dark in July & December)

🎓 Powered by California Leaders Workshops – advancing leadership through immersive learning experiences.

🌐 Learn more at: https://www.californialeaders.com/workshops
Let’s build a city of leaders — one story at a time.

🌟 SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Want to sponsor a future episode or provide gifts for our guests?
👉 Email cluna@californialeaders.com

🔗 CONNECT WITH CALIFORNIA LEADERS

🎙️ Host: Christopher Luna
🌐 Website: https://www.californialeaders.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caleadersofficial/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/californialeaders/
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/caleadersx
📧 Email: cluna@californialeaders.com

🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories from leaders shaping California and beyond.

#CaliforniaLeaders #CaliforniaLeadersPodcast #Networking #CaliforniaBusiness #PodcastInterview #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipDevelopment #BeyondNetworking #ChristopherLuna

Leading California Leaders - Real stories. Real leaders. Real impact.

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A single moment of bad luck can become the best break of your career. Dr. Noel Hacegaba, CEO of the Port of Long Beach, tells the story of how his assigned seat at a major event was taken, how he ended up next to the Port’s HR director, and how that one conversation helped launch a journey that now places him at the center of global trade, goods movement, and supply chain leadership.

We go deeper than job titles to talk about what leadership really looks like day to day. Noel connects his immigrant roots, a Spanish-speaking blue-collar upbringing, and a life shaped by faith to a servant-leadership style built on trust, respect, and compassion. He shares practical lessons from early jobs, managing people who knew more than he did, and learning that real influence comes from advocating for others and helping teams succeed.

From there we zoom out to the big picture: the Port of Long Beach as a major economic engine, the public’s new awareness of ports after COVID-era supply chain disruption, and what it takes to lead through uncertainty when there is no playbook. Noel explains his bold vision to double container throughput by 2050, why building a “championship culture” matters, and how global conversations like Davos shape the future of supply chain resilience and sustainable trade.

If you care about leadership, workforce development, logistics, or the future of California’s economy, this conversation delivers both inspiration and concrete takeaways. Subscribe, share this with a future leader, and leave a review with your biggest lesson from Noel’s story.

📌 ABOUT OUR GUEST:
🔹 Name: Dr. Noel Hacegaba
🔹 Title: Chief Executive Officer, Port of Long Beach
🔹 Guests Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-noel-hacegaba-60b7894/

Support the show

🎧 New episodes every Month. (Dark in July & December)

🎓 Powered by California Leaders Workshops – advancing leadership through immersive learning experiences.

🌐 Learn more at: https://www.californialeaders.com/workshops
Let’s build a city of leaders — one story at a time.

🌟 SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Want to sponsor a future episode or provide gifts for our guests?
👉 Email cluna@californialeaders.com

🔗 CONNECT WITH CALIFORNIA LEADERS

🎙️ Host: Christopher Luna
🌐 Website: https://www.californialeaders.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caleadersofficial/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/californialeaders/
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/caleadersx
📧 Email: cluna@californialeaders.com

🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories from leaders shaping California and beyond.

#CaliforniaLeaders #CaliforniaLeadersPodcast #Networking #CaliforniaBusiness #PodcastInterview #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipDevelopment #BeyondNetworking #ChristopherLuna

Leading California Leaders - Real stories. Real leaders. Real impact.