Respected Philanthropist & Aquaculture Leader John Molina Named to AltaSea’s Board of Trustees

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, the world’s largest ocean research and development destination for the Blue Economy, is proud to announce that Los Angeles businessman and philanthropist John Molina has joined the AltaSea Board of Trustees, effective January 2024. Molina has been involved with AltaSea for the past five years as the founder of Pacific6 Enterprises that docks its one-of-a-kind aquaculture vessel at AltaSea. Molina’s extensive background in strategic leadership, finance, and commitment to community engagement aligns seamlessly with AltaSea’s mission to drive oceanic innovation and sustainability.

Molina’s addition comes at a time of significant growth for AltaSea, as they near completion of its expansive renovations of its Center for Innovation. The transformation of 180,000 square feet of historic warehouses into a new home for ocean-based solutions to climate change through groundbreaking research, education, business, and workforce development. The renovation is expected to be complete by May 2024.

“John Molina is a visionary leader with an especially important focus on our oceans. We could not be more pleased to have John join our board as we address climate change through ocean-related solutions,” said Dr. Geraldine Knatz, Chair of AltaSea’s Board of Trustees. “John brings a wealth of experience – from guiding a Fortune 150 company to national prominence, to now leading an innovative investment enterprise tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges – that will be an immense help in AltaSea’s next phase of growth.”

Molina is the founding partner of Pacific6 Enterprises, a Long Beach-based partnership venture that invests and develops important initiatives in a variety of industries, including health care, real estate, journalism, environment, and aquaculture. Currently, Pacific6 Enterprises’ aquaculture vessel, Pacific Alliance, docks at AltaSea. The vessel – called the “John Deere of the Ocean” – is the first and only aquaculture vessel of its kind in the world and was built specifically to support the first permitted offshore aquaculture farm in North America right off the coast of San Pedro. Molina was the recipient of AltaSea’s Innovation Award in 2022 for his work in aquaculture.

Previously, Molina served as Chief Financial Officer at Molina Healthcare, Inc., where he was recognized in 2016 by the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as the Businessman of the Year. During his time there, he helped grow the company from a small, privately held family business to a publicly traded national healthcare company. Today, Molina Healthcare has over 15,000 employees and revenue of over $31 billion.

Over the last three decades, Molina has served on several boards, including the Los Angeles Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank and the Aquarium of the Pacific. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Charitable Foundation of the California State University system.

“Ocean health is critical to the wellbeing of our planet, and the sustainability of our future relies on our collective efforts to understand, protect, and harness the potential of the blue economy,” said Molina. “I am proud to be joining AltaSea’s Board of Trustees, an organization at the forefront of driving innovations and solutions for a healthier and more resilient ocean. Together, we have a unique opportunity to inspire the next generation while addressing the pressing issues our ocean faces. I look forward to contributing to AltaSea’s incredible and impactful work.”

At last year’s annual art show and fundraiser, The Blue Hour: Above & Below, Molina made a $250,000 contribution to AltaSea.

AltaSea has significantly strengthened the impact and reach of its board in the past few years. In 2022, they tapped Geraldine Knatz, former executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, to lead the organization as its board chair. Knatz is a well-respected leader in the maritime industry and played a critical role in launching AltaSea a decade ago. Additionally, Dr. Melanie Lundquist, LHD joined the Board of Trustees in August 2022. Melanie and her husband Richard, two of California’s most generous philanthropists, are the second-largest donors to AltaSea behind the Annenberg Foundation.

About AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, located on 35 acres at North America’s leading seaport by both container volume and cargo value, is an ocean technology campus that has become the hub for marine science, research, and education. AltaSea has 27 tenants exclusively focused on ocean innovation and research collaborations with numerous colleges and universities, including USC and UCLA – all finding solutions to climate change through the ocean. AltaSea is dedicated to accelerating scientific collaboration, advancing an emerging blue economy through business innovation and job creation, and inspiring the next generation, all for a more sustainable, just, and equitable world.

For more information, please visit www.altasea.org.

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