John Henshaw, the executive director of the Connecticut Port Authority, will step down next month after less than two years as head of the quasi-public agency. His last day with the port authority will be April 21.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by the port authority on Tuesday.
Henshaw took over in September 2020 after the previous executive director, Evan Matthews, resigned amid investigations into financial irregularities and policy issues at the port authority.
Over the last two years, the port authority has also begun to redevelop the State Pier in New London to be a hub in Connecticut for the offshore wind industry. The State Pier project costs have ballooned from an original $93 million to over $235 million while working with joint development partners Ørsted and Eversource.
Henshaw leaves during an FBI investigation of a former state budget official, Kostas Diamantis, who helped with financial planning and contracts at the State Pier.
The port authority plans to hold a special meeting of its board of directors on March 22 to publicly discuss Henshaw’s resignation and identify interim leadership while a search begins for a new executive director.
Henshaw, who was previously head of the Maine Port Authority, said he will return to Maine to pursue other opportunities.
In the meantime, David Kooris, the port authority’s current board chair, has been re-appointed by Governor Ned Lamont to serve another four-year term at the agency.
