Ports of Indiana, TriMet Appoint New Executives to Steer Commercial Growth and Capital Projects

Two key U.S. transportation and logistics entities have strengthened their leadership teams, with the Ports of Indiana appointing Brady Jacoba to the newly created role of Chief Commercial Officer and Portland’s TriMet promoting Jamie Snook to Executive Director of Capital Project Delivery. These strategic appointments underscore a focused effort by both organizations to enhance commercial capabilities and ensure expert oversight of major infrastructure initiatives.

The Ports of Indiana has established a new commercial department and tapped veteran executive Brady Jacoba to lead it as the organization’s first Chief Commercial Officer. With three decades of experience spanning real estate, sales, marketing, and economic development, Jacoba is tasked with driving business growth. He joins the state-wide port authority from construction firm Volumod Indy, where he served as vice president of sales and marketing. Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock expressed confidence in the appointment, stating, “[Jacoba] will help us expand our programs to grow business and increase our contributions to Indiana’s economy.”

In the Pacific Northwest, the Portland-area transit agency TriMet has promoted from within, naming Jamie Snook as its new Executive Director of Capital Project Delivery. Snook is a long-serving leader in the region’s transit landscape, having joined TriMet in 2019 as a capital projects planning manager and rising to major projects director in 2021. According to the agency, she has been serving in the executive director role on an interim basis since September 2025. Her extensive background includes 14 years with Oregon Metro and six years at a private engineering firm, giving her a deep understanding of the region’s infrastructure needs.

Snook’s deep-rooted experience in the region’s transit development was highlighted by Clare Khouri, TriMet’s Chief Strategy and Planning Officer. “There is hardly a major transit project in our region over the last 20 years that [Snook] hasn’t been a part of or worked on directly,” Khouri noted, emphasizing the value of her institutional knowledge. This promotion solidifies leadership for TriMet’s ambitious capital investment pipeline, ensuring a seasoned expert is at the helm to manage complex, large-scale transit projects crucial for the Portland metropolitan area’s future.

Key Takeaways

• New Commercial Focus for Indiana Ports: The creation of a Chief Commercial Officer role signals a strategic pivot by the Ports of Indiana to more aggressively pursue business development and enhance its economic impact.
• TriMet Values Internal Expertise: By promoting Jamie Snook, TriMet ensures continuity and leverages two decades of direct, regional experience to guide its critical capital projects.
• Leadership for Growth: Both appointments reflect a broader industry trend of placing specialized, experienced executives in key roles to navigate economic challenges and successfully execute strategic growth plans.

Editor’s Analysis

These two appointments, though in different sectors of the transport industry—maritime logistics and public transit—reveal a shared strategic imperative: the need for dedicated, high-level expertise to manage growth. The Ports of Indiana’s move to create a C-suite commercial role is a proactive step to compete for new cargo, tenants, and investment in a complex global supply chain environment. Similarly, TriMet’s promotion of a capital projects veteran to an executive position is a clear recognition that delivering multi-million-dollar infrastructure projects on time and on budget requires singular focus and deep domain knowledge. For the global rail and transit market, this signals that organizations are moving beyond generalized management and investing in leaders with highly specific skill sets to secure their financial futures and deliver on public promises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the new Chief Commercial Officer at the Ports of Indiana?

Brady Jacoba has been appointed as the first Chief Commercial Officer for the Ports of Indiana. He brings 30 years of experience in real estate, sales, and economic development.

What is Jamie Snook’s new position at TriMet?

Jamie Snook has been promoted to Executive Director of Capital Project Delivery at TriMet, the transit agency for the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area.

Why was the CCO role created at the Ports of Indiana?

The role was created to lead the ports’ new commercial department, with the goal of expanding business programs and increasing the ports’ economic contributions to the state of Indiana.