Bringing Leadership from PDX Next
Chair Jessica Vega Pederson announced that after a highly competitive national recruitment and hiring process, she has selected Christopher Neal as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Multnomah County and Director of County Management.
The Chair said she will ask the Board of County Commissioners to confirm her selection at their Thursday, March 13 regular Board meeting. As Chief Operating Officer, Neal will oversee the County’s daily operations, its more-than-6,000 employees, and guide and support the County’s senior leaders to ensure effective administration, financial management and operational consistency. He is also charged with the continued implementation of the Workforce Equity Strategic Plan and the ongoing development of the County’s strategic plan.
The Multnomah County COO is held to a high standard for employee and community relations, and is responsible for ensuring an organization-wide commitment to maintaining an effective, respectful and inclusive workplace. The COO collaborates with internal and external partners and stakeholders to advance equity, diversity and inclusion as a shared value throughout the organization.
Multnomah County recently implemented a strategic restructuring of the Office of the Chief Operating Officer to enhance leadership effectiveness. With the creation of three Deputy COO positions and a Director of Strategic Initiatives role, all of which report directly to the COO, the COO is poised to strengthen operational oversight.
Neal comes to the County from the Port of Portland, where since 2020, he’s been the Director and Sponsor of Operations for PDX Next, a series of five projects to renovate Portland International Airport’s main terminal, expand the concourses and make the airport more earthquake resilient. The new main terminal that opened August 2024 was the largest public works project in the state and doubled the airport’s capacity. More than 30,000 local craftspeople are expected to contribute to PDX Next by the time the terminal is complete in 2026.
Prior to PDX Next, Neal had been Director of Public Safety and Security at the Port of Portland since 2016, where he oversaw the Port of Portland police, fire and airport communications center. He first became a director at age 27, leading the Transportation Security Administration’s 850-person Colorado workforce before rising to TSA positions at Ronald Reagan Washington National, Dulles International and Portland International airports.
“Chris Neal is a problem-solver whose breadth of operational experience and ability to inspire, collaborate, and motivate his colleagues and partners were obvious,” the Chair said.
The Chair reached her decision after months of work with Karras Consulting to recruit executive candidates with demonstrated success in strategic thinking, creative problem-solving, day-to-day administration, successful employee relations and cultural competence. Of 84 applicants, 52% self-identified as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. The pool was also broad: Although 41 applicants were from Oregon, 43 came from out of state (two of whom were international candidates).
The selection process included a county employee engagement process to determine what qualities were essential in a COO. More than 90 people participated in the selection process, including equity managers, Employee Resource Group members and each County Commissioner. During one part of the evaluation process, Neal revealed he had watched dozens of presentations to the Board of County Commissioners given by the people he will be leading.
“These last five years have been rough for the County, but I want people to know I recognize the work you are doing,” he told department directors and other managers during the interview process, “I see and acknowledge you and your work and the opportunity we have to serve this community.”
Neal said he became interested in Multnomah County after realizing how much of its mission and values were shared by the Port of Portland and their efforts to promote health and safety, provide equal opportunity, and build a strong community.
The son of parents who both served in the U.S. Navy, Neal grew up on military bases in Puerto Rico, Japan and Germany, and the East Coast. After graduating high school just south of Atlanta, he enlisted in the U.S. Army before his 18th birthday — his parents cosigned on his enlistment.
In the Army, he was assigned to serve on the Presidential Honor Guard in Washington, D.C. in the high-profile precision unit escorting President George W. Bush at the White House.
After six years in the Army, Neal worked for U.S. Rep. Kendrick B. Meek, D-Florida, and earned a Bachelor of Science in international and government relations at George Mason University.
At the Port, Neal oversaw rigorous budget assessments, quality control and consistent value engineering on the PDX Next project; improved hiring practices and broadened recruitment and retention in public safety; and moved security and communications agencies under one roof to improve response times in emergencies and relationships between workgroups.
Neal replaces Deputy Chief Operating Officer Travis Graves, who stepped in as Interim COO in September 2024.