John Jamian

Board Member, Detroit RiverFront Conservancy 

Executive Director
Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority

Mr. John Jamian is the Executive Director of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority.

In this current position, he oversees the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority and the recently completed construction of its $15 million port and passenger terminal building, along with its $7.1 million offshore wharf in the Detroit River. The 400 foot wharf will allow nearly all vessels that ply the lakes - including cruise ships, naval frigates and tall ships - to berth there. Additionally, he works with the Port's different freight docks that serve Detroit's steel, aggregate, asphalt and automotive industry. The Port Authority also serves as the fiduciary agent for the Port's homeland security grants program.

The Port also provides revenue bonds for various projects along the river in Wayne County. They recently closed out their $40 million bonding of the General Motors Beaubien parking deck. In addition, the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority oversees the Greater Detroit Foreign Trade Zone which is one of the largest FTZ programs in the country.

The Port received federal grant funding to build a ferry service from Detroit to Windsor to help provide transportation options for the approximately 5,000 - 6,000 Canadian commuters who work at Detroit Health Care systems and automotive companies. The Port also has the capability of assisting with Brownfield Development/ Redevelopment programs and was recently awarded its first EPA revolving loan program.

Mr. Jamian is a recognized leader in international transportation, trade development and maritime issues. Mr. Jamian recently served as the Acting Maritime Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the U. S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration. His responsibilities included promoting the environmentally sound integration of the maritime industry with other modes of transportation for our nation's transportation system. Mr. Jamian also oversaw the daily operations of the Maritime Administration, its 900 employees and 276 ship assets under MARAD purveyance. In addition, he was instrumental in creating the Cabinet Level Committee on Marine Transportation and served as a member of the National Presidential Security Directive (NPSD) in creating our national maritime security initiative.

He also co-managed the Maritime Security Program (MSP) command. This program provided the Department of Defense with a designated fleet of ships in times of war or national emergencies.

Commencing In 1991, he was elected to the Michigan legislature in a special election where he served for six years. Mr. Jamian chaired the House Committee on Port and Maritime Affairs, the House Health Policy Committee and the United States Canada Relations Committee for the Midwest Council of State Governments, focusing on the mutual goals of the two nations who share the world's largest lake and transportation system.