The CITT Policy and Steering Committee proudly presented Harbor Commissioner Diane Middleton with the 2023 Domenick Miretti Award at this year’s State of the Trade and Transportation Industry Town Hall Meeting. On November 17, ILWU Local 13 President Gary Herrera took the stage and introduced Middleton not only as an esteemed labor advocate and an accomplished attorney, but as a dear friend to the ILWU and the Harbor community at large. Like Domenick Miretti, the inspiration for this prestigious award, Diane has fostered meaningful partnerships along the supply chain and facilitated dialogue among industry participants throughout her career. Her longstanding dedication to promoting healthier and more humane supply chains has earned respect and goodwill from leaders in industry, government, and labor.

Harbor Commissioner Diane Middleton Accepts Domenick Miretti Award at 2023 CITT Town Hall

Under Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Middleton currently serves as Vice President of the Board of Harbor Commissioners. Middleton is widely recognized as an expert in labor and maritime law, and as a lifelong champion of civil rights.

Middleton became a partner in the law firm of Glotta, Adelman, Dinges, Davis, Taylor and Middleton in 1973. She represented injured auto, steel and hospital workers, and advised the League of Revolutionary Black Workers and numerous wildcat strikers. In 1978, Middleton moved to San Pedro and joined the law firm of Margolis and McTernan, working in their Wilmington office representing maritime workers. There, she filed the first class-action asbestos lawsuit on behalf of workers at Long Beach Naval Shipyard and Todd Shipyards. A year later, Diane opened her own law office where she represented over 7,000 longshore and shipyard workers until her retirement in 2010. She founded the Harry Bridges Institute (HBI) with David Arian in 1993 and currently serves as Board President. Diane Middleton resides in San Pedro with her husband, retired ILWU Local 13 member Dale McConnachie. We encourage you to learn more about Diane Middleton from this press release from the Port of Los Angeles and her Port biography page linked here.

The Domenick Miretti Award was established in 2017 in honor of Domenick Miretti, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Senior Liaison to the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and founding member of the CITT Policy and Steering Committee. Miretti spent the majority of his adult life working in and educating others about international trade. Beginning in the 1970s and continuing until his passing in 2016, he helped lead exemplary efforts in bridging gaps between industry, education, and labor stakeholders. His goal was "to bring to university to the docks and the docks to the university." To view Domenick Miretti's complete bio, please click here.