On Friday, November 4, 2022, the White House announced President Biden’s appointment of former Milwaukee port director, Adam Tindall-Schlicht, as the next administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS). Tindall-Schlicht resigned from his position at Port Milwaukee on October 19.

An agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the GLS is responsible for operation of U.S. portions of the St. Lawrence Seaway. It works in partnership with its Canadian counterpart to maintain a safe, reliable and environmentally responsible deep draft waterway connecting Great Lakes ports with world markets and global trade. The agency also works closely with ports to market the Seaway system, develop trade, and enhance commerce in the region.

The U.S. Seaway has been without an Administrator since 2016 when former Ohio Congresswoman Betty Sutton left the post. In April, 2022, 40 members of the House and Senate wrote to President Biden urging that the position be filled. Tindall-Schlicht will be the first Great Lakes port director to serve as Administrator since Dave Oberlin, former executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.

“My position as port director has been the greatest experience of my professional life thus far,” said Tindall-Schlicht. “Serving the residents of the City of Milwaukee and promoting statewide economic growth through the Port’s commercial, recreational and cruise operations has been a privilege.”

Tindall-Schlicht served as director of Port Milwaukee since August 2018. An interim port director will be announced in the weeks ahead. A nationwide search will soon commence to identify a permanent replacement for the position.