Former Port of Virginia CEO John Reinhart dies at 72

Former Virginia Port Authority CEO and Executive Director John Reinhart, who is credited with transforming the Port of Virginia from a financial liability into a key economic driver for the state, died Saturday at age 72.

According to his obituary, he died at his Virginia Beach home surrounded by family after a three-year battle with cancer.

Before Reinhart took over the port authority in 2014, the state had considered selling the port after it lost $120 million over five years. But Reinhart restored profitability and led major investments, including a nearly $800 million terminal expansion in Hampton Roads and a $450 million dredging project to create the deepest and widest harbor on the East Coast, which was completed in February.

“John was a very skilled and respected leader, and he’ll be missed,” said Joe Harris, the port’s spokesperson. “He was an important figure in the creation of the modern Port of Virginia.”

Harris described Reinhart as “a tough guy to work for” because he was demanding. However, he believes Reinhart was ultimately what the port needed.

“Good organizations get the get the leaders they they get when they need them,” Harris said. “And we needed John. He came in and really changed the way we did business. And that was important, because when he took over, there were some real problems, and he addressed them immediately and just really righted the ship for the success that we’ve had for the last 10 years.”

As of 2026, the Port of Virginia contributed to $124.1 billion in total spending and $5.8 billion in state and local tax revenues, and it accounts for more than 565,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Before leading the port, Reinhart spent 23 years with Maersk Line, serving as its CEO from 2000 to 2014. He was named Virginia Business’s 2016 Business Person of the Year, inducted into the Hampton Roads Business Hall of Fame in 2017, and named a Virginia Business Icon in 2025.

He graduated from Ohio University and earned his executive MBA from the University of Michigan.

Even after retirement, Reinhart remained an active presence in the Hampton Roads region, serving on the RVA757 Connects board and the American Flood Coalition, among other organizations’ boards.

RVA757 Connects President and CEO John W. Martin said Reinhart played a pivotal role in the creation of RVA757 Connects, a nonprofit coalition formed in 2020 of senior leaders from business, higher education and community organizations across Metro Richmond and Hampton Roads.

“John Reinhart brought invaluable strategic thinking and passion for collaboration on a megaregion scale,” Martin said in a statement.

Martin said that when Reinhart led the Virginia Port Authority, he advanced efforts that led the port to lease and manage the Richmond Marine Terminal, making the then-fledgling asset part of the much larger Virginia port system. He said this was the first example of “the power of a megaregion perspective.”

“John Reinhart worked tirelessly during the formative years of RVA757 Connects, shaping our structure, bylaws and priorities,” Martin said. “His vision, impact and dedication to advancing our cause have left an enduring mark on our organization, the megaregion and the commonwealth.”

According to his obituary, Reinhart was survived by Mary, his wife of 53 years; two children, Jennifer Paparsenos and Samuel Reinhart; and four grandchildren, with a fifth on the way. He was preceded in death by his eldest son, Jacob Reinhart.

A celebration of his life and career will be held April 20 at Nauticus in Norfolk.