James H. Hartung
President and CEO

James H. Hartung is president of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. As president, Mr. Hartung is responsible for all operations involving the Port of Toledo, Toledo Express Airport, Metcalf Airport, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza -- the region’s passenger rail station -- and the administrator of innovative financing programs. He also oversees a staff of 72 employees and an annual operating budget of more than $13 million.

Mr. Hartung joined the Port Authority staff May 2, 1994 after 11-years as port director at Burns International Harbor on Lake Michigan. Mr. Hartung holds the distinction of having served three terms as president of the International Association of Great Lakes Ports, the organization representing U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes Ports. He was the principal author of the Declaration of Indiana, the first agreement to unify the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system’s maritime industry. In 1992, he was founder and first president of the Northwest Indiana World Trade Council and he formerly served on the boards of the Northwest Indiana Forum, Indiana State Chamber of Commerce, and Leadership Northwest Indiana.

From 1970-1980, Mr. Hartung served in leadership posts under three mayoral administrations in Chicago. From 1980 thru 1983, he served as Director of Economic Development for the Port of Chicago. He was responsible for economic development activity in the Port and South Chicago area. He served on Governor Thompson’s task forces to create Illinois Enterprise Zones and maintained lead responsibility for the expansion of Foreign Trade Zone #22.

Mr. Hartung is the recipient of numerous awards. In 1999, he was honored with the first “James Hartung Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Northwest Indiana World Trade Council, which was named for him for his contributions and dedication to stimulating international trade in Northwest Indiana. In 1991, Indiana Governor Evan Bayh proclaimed him “Sagamore of the Wabash,” Indiana’s highest achievement award. The Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Maritime Forum also named him Person of the Year.

Mr. Hartung serves as chairman of the Transportation Council for the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, as an Advisory Board Member of The University of Toledo’s College of Business, former Chairman of the U.S. delegation of the American Association of Port Authorities, and is on the Advisory Board of the National Aviation Transportation Center. He serves as President for ICHCA International Limited, an international cargo handling and coordinating association. He was also reappointed in 2006 to the Greater Toledo Urban League Board of Directors as Executive Vice Chair.

A Chicago native, Mr. Hartung received his bachelor’s degree in sociology, history and literature from Andrew’s University, Berrien Springs, Michigan, and did graduate study work in public administration at Georgia State University, Atlanta and DePaul University, Chicago. He and his wife Anna have two grown children, Heidi Lynn and Howard Eugene. They also have three grandchildren, James, Olivia and Jacob.