Ruth Remolacio joined the Port of Long Beach’s scheduling division in 2017, after working for Kiwiet Infrastructure, a national contractor in the construction industry. In her current position, Remolacio often has to negotiate with contractors before settling on a schedule for the ports construction and engineering projects and it’s not always easy, she pointed out. “Agreeing with the contractor is probably the biggest challenge, but it’s also exciting,” Remolacio said. Together, her team and the companies hired to work on the project come up with its “story,” as Remolacio put it, from the initial idea to the various design stages and eventually, the finished road or structure. The public service aspect, creating infrastructure that serves the community, is something Remolacio is especially proud of. “That’s what I enjoy: being there for the community,” she said. One project Remolacio was especially excited to be a part of, however, did not involve any shovels or cranes. She was the only scheduler asked to provide input during a process to upgrade the ports scheduling system, which she and her colleagues use regularly. “It was nice to know that I was accepted and acknowledged for my expertise,” Remolacio said. (Photograph by Brandon Richardson)