Michel Bechtel was appointed by the Harris County Mayors and Councils Association as Port Commissioner for the Port of Houston Authority in February 2026. He serves on the Strategic Sourcing Committee, the Community Relations Committee, the Governance Committee, and Dredge Task Force.
Bechtel previously served five terms as mayor of the City of Morgan’s Point. He is president of Bechtel Exploration and Blue Moon Exploration and has extensive experience in the energy sector and coastal protection efforts across the Houston Ship Channel region.
Bechtel serves on the Board of Pilot Commissioners for Harris County Ports. He is also a board member of the Bay Area Coastal Protection Alliance, the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, and the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership. He is a past president of the Harris County Mayors and Council Association and a current member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the New Orleans Geological Society.
Bechtel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Geophysics from Louisiana State University and a Master of Science degree in Petroleum Geology from the University of New Orleans.