Retired Deb DeLuca left the Duluth Seaway Port Authority in good stead

A lot of people work past official retirement ages, so why have you decided to leave now?

My husband’s recent back surgery, along with the health challenges faced by friends, made us aware that no one is guaranteed how much time we can remain physically active. I wanted to retire when my husband and I could still hike, cycle and ski together.

I also spent about a year assessing if it was the right time to leave the organization.

We had just refreshed our strategic plan, completed an organizational assessment, and had been working hard to put additional capital funding in place.

As it happened, your retirement approached just as everyone began facing uncertainties related to changing tariff policies and trade relations… Did that give you pause?

I remained steadfast in my decision, but I also spent the last months working extensively with the American Association of Port Authorities, the Great Lakes Ports Association, and meeting with federal and state representatives to figure out how the port should position itself within these new scenarios. I wasn’t just cleaning out my office! I carried my responsibilities to the very end because I really care about the work this port’s team does collectively. Things are trickier right now, because you don’t always know where the ideal points of leverage are. So you’re always trying to figure these out, along with the types and number of voices required to bend the arc on how people regard a situation.

It sounds as if you did your best to prepare the port authority for the uncertainties ahead.

One of the things I loved about this job was the constant problem solving, whether it was how to obtain funding or to get people to be more open minded. All this involves determining the kind of information that must be conveyed and how best to message it. 

I’ve read how you consider this to be akin to a chess game…

As the head of a team, you're always trying to advance a whole range of issues. In the port’s case, the small but dynamic team has always sought to discuss matters at the local, state, federal and continental level with Canada being among our friends and key trading partners. So there’s always multiple stakeholders and possible approaches. Often you can move forward on one thing, but then you need to sit on it for a while as you strategize on how to overcome a particular challenge or deal with other matters with your finite resources. At the same time, you need to be prepared to recognize that next opportune moment to move that matter forward again.

I used to be on the U.S. national cycling team. It might have to do with why I understand the importance of teamwork. I still love the sport.

You’re always either recovering or planning your next move to get ahead or the best moment to break away from the pack…. or, if you’re a good sprinter, how you should position yourself for the sprint.

Analysis is essential to understand a port’s mission, role, strengths and limitations. A port authority gets involved in so many different types of work and sometimes is pushed by partners to be the lead on projects that aren’t really part of its mission. So you must clearly define the port’s mission and then assess if what is being asked fits.

Your involvement in industry organizations has been extensive, with you serving as chair of the Minnesota Freight Advisory Committee, president of the Minnesota Ports Association, vice president of the American Great Lakes Ports Association, and as a board member for the American Association of Port Authorities, the Chamber of Marine Commerce, and Green Marine International.

Why has this been so important to you?

At the same time, the team’s role in these discussions is significant with the Port of Duluth-Superior being the westernmost terminal and having the largest tonnage on the Great Lakes. The industry organizations help us to be effective in informing and influencing legislation beyond our state and Congressional district. And if you are involved in an organization, you should care about its governance – how it’s run. All the ones you’ve mentioned are extremely well run and have helped the port to achieve significant goals.

Green Marine is highly effective in providing the guidance to make improvements beyond environmental regulations. And David Bolduc is amazing in how he runs meetings and advances his organization, so why wouldn’t I have wanted to support that effort?

I know you don’t like to bring attention to it, but is there something to note about how the maritime industry is changing given that you were the first woman named as executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority?

Of course I’m pleased to see more women in the industry because it’s important to have a diverse workforce of both men and women from various experiential backgrounds. If you don’t have a diverse workforce, you’ll keep getting the same kinds of answers to the questions that arise. Your team won’t be sufficiently dynamic.

We saw this during the pandemic when everyone had to figure out what had to be done to keep operating. During that period, we found out what was required and created a business plan with the flexibility to continue to function and then updated it as circumstances evolved.

One of the key messages derived from the port’s recent organizational assessment is that while some minor things could be improved, its processes are solid. They’re appropriately scaled to the organizational size and financial resources. And the port’s culture is strong. A key assessment outcome underscored the importance of maintaining that positive culture for the port’s future success. I agree this is critical. It means understanding and acknowledging the strengths of different team members and their roles, how they work independently and together, and continuing to be open to new possibilities.

I’m so proud of what all the staff do and the how well the port authority works with Lake Superior Warehouse, the port’s excellent terminal operating agents, to generate port business and regional economic development by determining flexible supply chain solutions that make this port and the regional industries globally competitive.

What do you see as the challenges ahead for the Port of Duluth-Superior?

A port’s assets must be maintained, improved and expanded to continue its mission. The port authority can look at making its operations as efficient as possible, but funding is required to make the overall shift to net-zero emissions. While there’s less support for such funding at present, the port has a plan in place that outlines what it needs and will continue to pursue these goals as resources allow.