Governor Moore Appoints New Maryland Port Commissioners

ANNAPOLIS MD - Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointment of John D. Brewer, Jr. and Adam J. Neuman as the two newest members of the Maryland Port Commission. Brewer and Neuman join commissioners Karenthia A. Barber, David M. Richardson, Sandy A. Roberts, and M. Scott Webb to establish policies to improve the competitive position of the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore within the international maritime industry.

“I'm excited to welcome John Brewer and Adam Neuman to the incredible team at the Maryland Port Commission," said Gov. Moore. “This is a critical time for the Port of Baltimore, and their vision and expertise will help us secure the future of the Port, grow Maryland's economy, and come back stronger than ever."

John D. Brewer, Jr.
John D. Brewer, Jr. serves as the director of the office of insular affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior, where he coordinates federal policy for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Brewer also supports the assistant secretary for insular and international affairs in administering and overseeing U.S. federal assistance to the freely associated states of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Prior to joining the U.S. Department of the Interior, Brewer served 14 years in various leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He has also held senior posts at the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, and U.S. Department of the Treasury.  Mr. Brewer holds bachelor's degrees in history and English from Morehouse College and a master's degree in international history from the London School of Economics and Political Science. 

“The Port of Baltimore is a major economic engine for the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland," said John D. Brewer, Jr. “I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners, as well as port Executive Director Jonathan Daniels and his leadership team, to ensure the Port of Baltimore's continued growth for the benefit of our state and nation."

Adam J. Neuman
Adam J. Neuman is chief of staff and special advisor to the president of the Baltimore Ravens, where he serves as strategic counsel and manages all administrative, operational, financial and legal activities under the team president. He plays a leadership role in developing ownership presentations and organization-wide strategic initiatives, constructing annual reports, and bridging Baltimore's football operations and corporate strategy.     

Previously, Neuman served as the Big Ten Conference chief of staff, strategy and operations and also deputy general counsel. He played a significant role in helping the conference navigate the pandemic by establishing a taskforce for emerging infectious diseases and he negotiated and implemented a comprehensive COVID-19 testing program to help student-athletes, coaches, and staff return to competition safely. Neuman also played a key role in the expansion of the Big Ten from 14 to 18 institutions and the conference's record-breaking media rights agreements. He was recognized in The Athletic's College Sports 40 Under 40, featuring top young coaches, players, executives, and influencers. He is a licensed attorney and attended Yeshiva University for his undergraduate degree and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

"I am deeply honored and incredibly excited to join the Maryland Port Commission," said Adam J. Neuman.  “This is a critical time for the Port of Baltimore and I look forward to working with my colleagues to drive growth, innovation, and sustainable development for the citizens of our state and beyond."

The Port of Baltimore generates about 20,300 direct jobs, with more than 273,000 jobs overall linked to port activities. The port ranked first in 2023 among the nation's ports for volume of autos and light trucks, roll on/roll off heavy farm and construction machinery, imported sugar, and imported gypsum. It ranked ninth among major U.S. ports for foreign cargo handled and ninth for total foreign cargo value.