Milwaukee’s Port Director to Take His Oath of Office

Adam Schlicht Begins His New Role Monday Morning

For release: Monday, August 6, 2018
For more information: Jeff Fleming, 414-286-8580, [email protected]

Milwaukee’s new Municipal Port Director will officially take office Monday morning when the City Clerk’s office formally swears him in during a brief ceremony at City Hall. Mayor Tom Barrett appointed Schlicht two months ago, and the Common Council confirmed that appointment in the following weeks.

In this position, Schlicht will direct operations at Port Milwaukee, oversee a staff of nineteen people, and administer Foreign Trade Zone No.41.

Schlicht brings significant experience in transportation, international marketing, and Great Lakes shipping to his new position. For the past decade, he has been employed by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). Since 2010 he has held positions at the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC), an operating administration of the USDOT. Schlicht most recently led the SLSDC’s Great Lakes Regional Initiative in Cleveland, Ohio, focusing on foreign trade, maritime and economic development activities throughout the United States and Canada, including frequent work directly with Port Milwaukee.

Schlicht is an Oak Creek native, and he succeeds former port director Paul Vornholt who was appointed Chief of Staff to Mayor Barrett.

Port Milwaukee is an economic entity of City government governed by the seven-member Board of Harbor Commissioners, a panel appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council. It administers operations on the 467 acres that make up the Port. It promotes shipping and commerce throughout the region by providing access to domestic and international ships, rail, and over-the-road transportation.