Mayor Cavalier Johnson has selected Jackie Q. Carter to serve as Milwaukee’s Municipal Port Director, according to a press release.

In this position, Carter will direct commercial and recreational operations at Port Milwaukee, oversee a staff of twenty people, and administer Foreign Trade Zone No. 41. The appointment is subject to Common Council approval.

A lifelong resident of Milwaukee, Carter has worked in the local non-profit and public sector for more than 20 years. She most recently served as the Finance & Administration Officer for Port Milwaukee, where she provided oversight of all Port business operations, including its financial, human resource, and administrative functions. She has been integral in helping to shape the department’s strategic planning and grant funding efforts.

Upon confirmation, Carter will become the first woman, and the first Black person to serve as Director of Port Milwaukee. She will also be the only Black person to serve as director of a port authority in the State of Wisconsin.

“I am honored to select Jackie Q. Carter for this historic appointment to lead Milwaukee’s port,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. “After listening to applicants with expertise from around the world, Jackie is simply the best choice to carry out the Port’s mission of promoting commerce and supporting the local economy. I am confident Jackie will accelerate the excellent work underway at Port Milwaukee.”

Carter earned a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Public Administration from Concordia University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Alverno College, with a double major in Business & Management and Professional Communication. She is a wife, mother, and minister who plays an integral role in reshaping the spiritual and socio-economic legacy of her family and community.

Carter succeeds former port director Adam Tindall-Schlicht, who was appointed the Administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.