The Lorain Port and Finance Authority has a new director of operations and now is searching for a new executive director.
But, while both positions may feature a new person in the role, both likely are quite familiar faces as Tom Brown has assumed the operations director role, while Tiffany McClelland, assistant director, has moved into the acting and possibly permanent executive director position.
The director of operations position is an entirely new position with the Lorain Port Authority.
The move largely was precipitated by the recent purchase by the Port Authority of the popular Rockin’ on the River brand, which brings live music to Black River Landing throughout the summer.
With a new stage in the works, new amphitheater on the horizon and the recent soft retirement of longtime Rockin’ on the River promoter Bob Earley and his wife, Sandy, Brown seems to be the logical person to fill the post.
Per the agreement as part of the purchase of Rockin’ on the River, Earley will remain with the brand to assist in the business operations and logistics of putting on the popular summer weekly shows.
The operations director will oversee Rockin’ on the River, but also endeavor to bring in additional entertainment, conventions, festivals and grow the Port Authority.
The goal is to find ways to utilize the new stage and Black River Landing in new, innovative ways and for more year around activities, Brown said.
“We as an agency have been looking at this for about three plus years knowing that Bob and Sandy (Earley) wanted to retire,” he said. “So, we’ve kind of pitched this out and we needed someone to have some of this knowledge.
“We started talking about it at the board level and they said, ‘hey would you consider this?’
“And, you know I was happy. I’m excited. I’ve had a great time being Bob’s free intern for the last decade, and I think I’ve learned a lot about the industry and meeting people and made the connections.
“It’s exciting stuff. It’s fun. I have a great deep appreciation of music, and I know the site. I was basically at every show anyway I’ve been there from day one as the executive director and I’ll basically serve as those agencies’ construction manager.
“I will still be working on the fundraising so there’s a lot to do.”
And Brown said he is not only looking forward to this move, but he sees it as an excellent opportunity to shake up the Port Authority as well, bringing in fresh ideas and enthusiasm with a new executive director.
While McClelland has assumed acting executive director duties, Brown said he hopes the Port Authority board will make her permanent.
Currently, the board is conducting an open search.
“My greatest wish is that Tiffany gets that promotion,” Brown said. “She’s been with us for a decade, and she’s very bright.
“She started as an intern, worked as an economic development specialist, moved up to business director, and quite honestly, I’m excited if we can promote from within and keep that going.
“I’ve had a wonderful working relationship with her. I’m obviously not on the steering committee, but if I had my druthers, she would get that job.”
Hit the ground running
Brown said he has hit the ground running in his new role, already working to book live entertainment for the 2025 season.
He admits there is a lot of logistics involved in the management and promotions of the bands that will grace the Black River Landing stage, but also in the coordination of various vendors, sound and lighting, and food and drink merchants.
Brown’s also dealing with partnerships, sponsorships and actual ships as the Port Authority looks to promote not just the Black River Landing, but the entire area, particularly the lakefront and other local attractions that benefit from these events.
“There’s a multitude of issues that people don’t realize when we open the gate here,” he said. “That’s why everybody’s so worried about rain.
“You need people to come and enjoy it. You want people to leave here happy and then bring back some friends. Now that we own Rockin’ on the River, it’s going to be easier for us as an agency to now flex the site.
“So, if I’ve got a different promoter who wants to come in on Saturday, we can just leave the site in place and then use our equipment or rent our equipment and then have someone else run a different promotion or a different concert on Saturday. That’s what our Saturdays and Sundays may become.
“Maybe Wednesdays and maybe Thursdays. We want to just keep adding and I’m currently working with two different promoters about two completely new unique weekend long events that will bring a lot of people to the site as well.
“If we do 20 events this year, I want to get to 40. We want this place to be alive more than one night a week.
“When we break ground next fall and build this amphitheater. We’ve got to extend the seasons. We’ve got to do other things to attract new artists.
“We’ve spent the last part of the decade with Bob and Sandy’s leadership creating that Black River Landing and they got this thing ignited. We secured the asset, and now it’s time to make it even brighter.
“We created this atmosphere, and we’ve got to keep it going. Leading into 2026 with the new amphitheater, we’re going to take it to the next level.
“People are going to be amazed. People are going to say ‘Wow, I didn’t think Lorain could do it,’ and we’re going to get it done.”
Brown said the entire complex is good for Lorain, all of Lorain County and surrounding region as an attraction.
The events bring in patrons for the shows who in turn buy merchandise and food from local providers, stay in hotels and frequent area businesses.
Brown also thanked the Lorain Police Department for all of its work in creating a safe atmosphere for guests and added that patrons also will start to see several technology upgrades in 2025 that will make the overall experience that much better.