City Subscriptions

[DULUTH, MN] – Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert was elected to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLCI) by its membership at the organization’s 2026 annual meeting last week. The Cities Initiative is a bi-national coalition whose communities, population, and economy rely on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence seaway. The membership is comprised of over 425 US and Canadian municipal and regional members.

“I’m honored to have been elected to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative’s board of directors,” said Mayor Reinert. “It was good to spend time with other mayors from the United States and Canada, and to represent Duluth as both a Great Lakes city and home to the largest port on the Great Lakes. The gathering underscores the importance of cross-border collaboration on shared priorities like strategic economic investment, infrastructure renewal, and long-term stewardship of the world’s most vital freshwater system. 

“The Great Lakes system was once the economic backbone of North America, and is poised to be so again driving manufacturing, shipping, and regional transformation.” 

The annual GLCI meeting provided leaders with the opportunity to contribute to and learn from peers about how other port cities are adapting, investing, and positioning themselves for the next generation of Great Lakes commerce and stewardship.

President and CEO of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Jonathan Altenberg, expressed his appreciation for Mayor Reinert’s willingness to serve and lead with the organization. “Duluth is the largest port on the Great Lakes, and we are thrilled to have Mayor Reinert on our Board. I know he is eager to support our policy, legislative, and organizational goals,” said Altenberg. “He will bring a unique expertise of shipping and commerce to our efforts to make the Fresh Coast economic corridor a reality by growing our regional economy responsibly.”

 Learn more about the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative at their website.

###