The board of directors of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, located along the Detroit River just east of the Renaissance Center, today named Delorean Holmes as its new executive director and CEO.
Holmes rejoined the Port Authority on Oct. 5 to begin the transition process, and will assume the role full-time on Nov. 13. He succeeds Mark Schrupp, who is retiring after leading the Port Authority since March 2021.
Previously, Holmes served at the Port Authority from 2014 to 2016 and 2017 to 2022, first as economic growth manager and later as interim deputy director and deputy director, before moving on to senior economic development roles with the City of Detroit and Wayne County. He has more than a decade of experience in economic development and public policy.
“Delorean Holmes knows this port, knows the infrastructure needs of this region, and knows the people who drive our area’s maritime and economic development growth,” says Jonathan C. Kinloch, board chairman of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority.
“He helped build much of the foundation we stand on today, and he returns with the experience in city and county economic development to take the Port Authority to its next level. On behalf of the board, I also want to thank Mark Schrupp for his steady leadership and service. Mark leaves the Port Authority stronger than he found it, and we wish him a well-deserved retirement.”
Most recently, Holmes served as economic vitality director at the Wayne County Economic Development Department, a position he has held since December 2023. Before that, he was director of development for the West Region at the City of Detroit’s Housing and Revitalization Department from 2022 to 2023. He also served as chief of staff to State Sen. Ian Conyers from 2016 to 2017.
“Returning to the Port Authority is truly a dream come true,” says Holmes. “I see tremendous opportunity to position it as a leading regional economic development and workforce development organization. My focus will be on expanding cargo and cruise activity, attracting new investment, advancing maritime innovation and sustainability, and creating meaningful pathways to good-paying careers in the blue economy.”
Since 2014, Holmes has served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he currently holds the rank of Major in the Logistics Branch. Throughout his military career, he has served in numerous leadership and staff roles, gaining extensive experience in strategic planning, logistics operations, organizational management, and mission execution.
A native Detroiter, Holmes holds a Bachelor of Arts in urban studies from Wayne State University and a Master of Arts in public policy from Walden University. He is a graduate of Cass Technical High School.
During his tenure, Schrupp led the development of a Decarbonization and Air Quality Improvement Plan for the entire Port of Detroit, including its private terminals, with a goal of reducing port-related carbon emissions to net zero by 2040.
He also worked to develop a new publicly owned general cargo dock, secured a $16 million federal Port Infrastructure Development grant, and championed new uses of the Great Lakes for short-sea shipping.
The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority is a government agency advancing southeast Michigan’s maritime and related industries with the purpose of delivering economic benefits to citizens and businesses. The Port Authority oversees the Port of Detroit, which includes multiple marine terminals handling general, liquid, and bulk cargo as well as passenger traffic.
For more information, visit portdetroit.com/.
