America’s Central Port- Brad Cole, the Downstate Director for U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (IL) visited America’s Central Port on January 30, 2012. As the Senator’s Downstate Director, Brad is responsible for coordinating the Senator’s office operations and policy issues in 95 counties outside of the collar counties near Chicago.
Downstate Director Cole and Executive Director Dennis Wilmsmeyer
Brad Cole, the former Mayor of Carbondale, Illinois and Deputy Governor of the State of Illinois was briefed on Port district operations by Dennis Wilmsmeyer, the Port’s Executive Director and Frank Miles, the Port’s Business Development Manager. During the overview briefing of the Port, Director Cole was given additional information on the status of the Port’s new South harbor. The region’s newest harbor was a recipient of two federal TIGER transportation grants from the US Department of Transportation. According to Wilmsmeyer, “Brad was very interested on ways the Senator’s office could assist the Port in developing further infrastructure on the property, as well as interest in upgrading our area levees and the overall maintenance of our inland river systems. He was also impressed with the transformation of the former Charles Melvin Price Army base into an economic development engine for southwestern Illinois.”
After the briefing, the Director was given a tour of the port’s north harbor, the residential and office areas and the planned south harbor facilities located adjacent to Abengoa’s Bio Energy plant. Director Cole promised to bring the Senator up to speed on America’s Central Port activities and also scheduling a visit in the future for the Senator.