Port of West Sacramento manager Rick Papp honored at Feb. 18 commission meeting
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Summary
At the Sacramento Yellow Port Commission meeting Feb. 18, commissioners and former colleagues paid tribute to outgoing Port General Manager Rick Papp, noted his long service dating back to 1997, named Amber Siaset as his intended successor, and approved June 4 minutes; a closed session produced no reportable action.
At the Sacramento Yellow Port Commission meeting on Feb. 18, 2026, commissioners and former port employees honored Rick Papp as he prepares to retire from his role as port general manager for the Port of West Sacramento.
Aaron (city staff) opened the tribute by outlining Papp’s tenure and influence, saying the port was a separate operation when Papp started in 1997 and later moved under city governance. "The port has been turning a profit ever since" because of changes that followed the business plan the commission adopted in 2013, Aaron said. He added: "...and thank him for his 20 years of service to the city of West Sacramento," language used at the meeting (the meeting record includes both the 1997 start date and the '20 years' formulation).
The commission noted a series of career milestones recounted at the meeting: Papp joined the port in 1997 when it was the Port of Sacramento; the city assumed governance of the port in 2006; a commission-adopted port business plan in 2013 helped move operations toward a landlord-tenant model and a long-term tenancy with SSA; and Papp was credited with helping to restore the port’s finances and advance city real-estate projects.
Tom Sheeler, who identified himself as a port engineer with 33 years at the port, praised Papp’s on-the-ground problem solving and labor-management skills, recalling that Papp frequently took difficult shifts early in his career. "Rick always worked very, very well working on the waterfront, managing labor," Sheeler said.
Bob Cars, who identified himself as a longtime port electrician, said Papp had repeatedly called him out on late-night service calls and that Papp left the port "in a pretty good place." Several other former colleagues and commissioners described Papp as a steadying presence with deep institutional knowledge.
The commission also noted succession plans discussed at the meeting: Amber Siaset was named by speakers as the staff member expected to step into Papp’s role when he retires. Aaron said Siaset "couldn't have had a better mentor" preparing her to take on the position.
Separately, the commission conducted routine business: the chair moved to approve the minutes of the June 4 regular meeting; the motion was seconded, an affirmative vote was called and the chair declared the motion carried. Earlier, Jeff reported out that the commission had met in closed session on two items and that there was no reportable action from that session.
Papp spoke briefly near the meeting’s close, thanked commissioners and staff and said he expected to remain part of the community: "It's been a great ride... the city gave me a career that I did not anticipate, and I'm grateful for that," he said, adding that people would still see him around town.
The commission adjourned after brief closing remarks.
