If he ever decides to retire, Joe Miller likely will leave behind many indelible marks on the Florida landscape.
Miller, 61, serves as JaxPort senior director of facilities development and served as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District commander from 1997-2000.
During that time he contributed to the development of the Everglades Restoration Plan and Hurricane Georges Emergency Recovery Operation in Puerto Rico.
The district includes Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Miller supervised nearly 1,000 employees and oversaw maintenance dredging operations for seven major port facilities and 700 miles of intracoastal waterways.
He grew up in South Miami with a father who enjoyed the outdoors.
"I had the opportunity to go fishing and enjoy the outdoors in places like the Everglades, Biscayne Bay and Key West. I was able to develop an understanding for the Everglades ecosystem firsthand," said Miller.
Miller reacquainted himself with the people and environment of South Florida when promoted to commander of the Jacksonville District in 1997.
"I spent 85 percent of my time in South Florida during that time. We were talking with everyone who could be affected by the Everglades restoration," said Miller.
He retired from the Army in 2000, then served as director of Public Works for the City under Mayor John Delaney for two years.
He then spent eight years in the private sector before returning to Jacksonville to work for JaxPort in 2010.
"Having gotten to know how the municipal government process works and then having spent eight years in private industry, I think both of those jobs, as well as the district engineer job, were critical in me being able to be effective in my current position," said Miller.
As senior director of facilities development for the port, he is involved in the development of three projects the port has identified as key to its ability to compete for shipping business: Mile Point, the Jacksonville harbor deepening and an intermodal container transfer facility.
The Mile Point Project was developed to address draft restrictions because of cross currents at ebb tide and improve the flow of the St. Johns River.
The Corps is conducting a study to increase the depth of the Jacksonville harbor section of the St. Johns River from 40 feet to 45 feet. JaxPort has requested the depth be increased to 47 feet, which would allow larger ships to enter the harbor with more cargo.
The third project is an intermodal container transfer facility, which would allow for a more efficient transfer of cargo from ship to shore.
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