County Selects Jonathan Daniels to Lead Port Everglades

Following a national search, Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry announced that seaport and economic development leader Jonathan Daniels will be the new Chief Executive & Port Director at Port Everglades. Broward’s diverse seaport is a global gateway for cargo, cruise and petroleum that is undergoing a $1.6 billion port expansion effort.

Daniels comes to Port Everglades from the Port of Gulfport, Mississippi where he has been the executive director since 2013.

“Port Everglades is a dynamic economic engine for Broward County that will benefit from Jonathan’s business and economic development expertise,” Henry said. “The search for a director who could lead our seaport into the future was exhaustive, and I am confident that we made the right choice, as demonstrated by the Commission's confirmation of his appointment.”

"I am honored to have been selected. I look forward to working with the Board of County Commissioners, the County Administrator, the hard-working and dedicated employees of Port Everglades and its diverse business clientele," said Daniels.

In addition to his maritime experience in Gulfport, where he led a $570 million restoration and expansion project, Daniels also served as the Executive Director of the Port of Oswego in New York from 2007-2013, managing director of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and Port Director for the Eastport Port Authority in Maine.

Daniels also has an extensive background in economic development as the Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Maine Development Corporation, where he oversaw the day-to-day operations and development efforts of the six-county economic development district, and as the Director of the City of Bangor, Maine Office of Economic and Business Development. He also served as Senior Trade Advisor and Director, Maine International Trade Center, responsible for the State of Maine's international trade development efforts for eastern and northern Maine.

Daniels is active in the maritime community and the community as a whole and serves on many boards and committees, including the American Association of Port Authorities and the American Heart Association. He is a graduate of The Citadel where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, and the Maine Maritime Academy where he was a Master of Science Candidate in Maritime Management. His professional education includes studies at the U.S. Army War College, Thomas College in New England, and the University of New Orleans where he completed the International Program for Port Planning and Management.

His tentative start date with Broward County's Port Everglades is June 29, 2020.