Dennis Wilmsmeyer began his career as a planner for the East-West Gateway Council of Governments in St. Louis, Missouri in 1988. In 1992, he moved to Kansas City, Missouri to become an aviation planner for the City of Kansas City, Missouri where he later worked for a private consulting firm. In 1999, he moved back to the St. Louis area to become a planner for America’s Central Port District where he was appointed as general manager in 2004 and executive director in 2010.
Wilmsmeyer’s responsibilities at the Port District include managing day-to-day operations, developing the Port’s 1,200-acre industrial park and business campus, redeveloping a former military base, marketing the many benefits of the Port, attracting new tenants to the property and retaining their numerous current tenants. The Port has grown from 12 tenants in 2001 to over 75 tenants today.
Wilmsmeyer credits the enormous success of the Port District’s growth and development to a dedicated and extremely talented team of 35 employees all working toward a common goal of bringing business to southwestern Illinois.
Wilmsmeyer served as president of the national association of the Inland Rivers Ports and Terminals from 2012 to 2014, president of the Board of Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois in 2014, and its chairman in 2015, and president of the Board of the World Trade Center-St. Louis from 2013 to 2015. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors of Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals, Chestnut Health Systems, and the Southwestern Illinois Planning Commission. He is active in several community organizations and his church.
