Adam Tindall-Schlicht, Port Director
Adam Tindall-Schlicht was first appointed Director of Port Milwaukee in May 2018 by then Mayor Tom Barrett. Following unanimous approval by the Milwaukee Common Council, Port Director Tindall-Schlicht officially assumed the role on August 6, 2018. As Director, Mr. Tindall-Schlicht oversees and directs the Port’s multimodal and commercial operations, which generates over $100 million in local economic activity annually, and is responsible for administration of Foreign Trade Zone No. 41. In addition to his responsibilities as Port Director, Mr. Tindall-Schlicht was appointed by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers as both a Commissioner of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (in 2020) and to the Board of Directors of the Great Lakes Protection Fund (in 2022).
A longtime employee of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) at the U.S. Department of Transportation in both Washington, D.C. and Cleveland, Ohio, Port Director Tindall-Schlicht brings significant experience in marine transportation, international marketing, and Great Lakes shipping to his position. In Cleveland, Port Director Tindall-Schlicht was named a recipient of the 2016 Northeast Ohio “Top 25 Under 35 Movers & Shakers Award” for his successful effort to establish and lead the Seaway’s Great Lakes international trade office. For his work as Milwaukee's Port Director, Mr. Tindall-Schlicht has received several local and international accolodates. Mr. Tindall-Schlicht was named a "Notable LGBT Executive" by BizTimes Magazine as well as a top "40 Under 40" awardee and "Milwaukee Power Browker" honoree by the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2020. Mr. Tindall-Schlicht has also been recognized as a "40 Under 40" awardee by Antwerp XL in Belgium for his contributions to the international breakbulk and heavy lift industry.
A native of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Port Director Tindall-Schlicht holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from American University in Washington, D.C. Port Director Tindall-Schlicht has worked and volunteered abroad extensively, including in Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Kenya, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and the United Kingdom. Port Director Tindall-Schlicht is an ordained minister, and he officiates numerous marriage ceremonies per year.
Port Director Tindall-Schlicht is President of the Wisconsin Commercial Ports Association and a member of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society, the Logistics Council of Milwaukee, and other organizations. Port Director Tindall-Schlicht’s husband, Aaron, is a critical care and surgical nurse. They reside in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee with their rescue dog, Lincoln.