JONATHAN DANIELS

DIRECTOR & CEO, PORTMIAMI, MIAMI

In June, Miami-Dade County's mayor recruited Daniels, a port veteran, to stabilize PortMiami during a tumultuous time as the county-owned port scrambles to retain a nearby fuel depot and deals with departures from senior leadership. Daniels is taking over a port facing turmoil over missteps related to a nearby fuel yard. Cruise and cargo ships use the privately owned depot on tony Fisher Island to refuel, and PortMiami failed to purchase it when it went up for sale two years ago. Luxury condo developers bought it and announced plans to shut down fuel operations in 2027, sending local leaders scrambling to undo the development plans. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava ousted port director Hydi Webb and, at press time, was attempting to seize the fuel yard through eminent domain. As for Daniels, he was most recently the executive director of the Port of Baltimore. Before that, he was CEO of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.