Bryant L. Francis, C.M.

Director of Port Control

Bryant L. Francis, C.M., joined the City of Cleveland Department of Port Control as Director in May 2023.

Director Francis is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he earned a BS in Aviation Management. He is passionate about aviation and has spent his entire professional career within U.S. Airports, with 12+ years of his 27 years in aviation spent at the Director level. Most recently, he served as Director of Aviation for the Port of Oakland.

Director Francis is active with several large industry associations, including the Board of Directors of Airports Council International - North America and the American Association of Airport Executives Policy Review Council, where he serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Airport Magazine. Director Francis also serves on the Aerozone Alliance Board of Directors, which was established to create the conditions for an “airport city” to form around Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. He currently resides in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood. 

Dennis D. Kramer, P.E., C.M.

Assistant Director, Airport Development

Dennis D. Kramer, P.E., C.M., joined the City of Cleveland Department of Port Control as Assistant Director, Airport Development in February 2020. He is currently responsible for managing all aspects of planning, grants & asset management, engineering & construction, environmental compliance & sustainability, and the Terminal Modernization Development Program.

Assistant Director (AD) Kramer is a Cleveland native passionate about serving the Northeast Ohio community. He is a graduate of both the University of Toledo, where he earned a BS in Civil Engineering, and Cleveland State University, where he earned his MBA.

With many years of engineering and construction experience, AD Kramer has worked on highways, buildings, water & wastewater treatment plants, and other large industrial facilities, in addition to many airport-based projects throughout the eastern United States. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Ohio, and currently resides with his family in Avon, Ohio, where he is an elected member of the Avon Local Schools Board of Education.

Tyson Mitchell, J.D., LL.M.

Tyson T. Mitchell, J.D., LL.M. serves as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Equal Opportunity for the City of Cleveland, where he leads the City’s efforts to advance equitable economic participation and ensure accountability in public contracting. In this role, he oversees compliance with the City of Cleveland’s codified contractor goals while also driving capacity-building, technical assistance, and support for small and historically underutilized businesses competing in the local contracting market.

Mr. Mitchell brings a strong legal and policy background to his work, holding a Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. A native of Greater Cleveland, he grew up in East Cleveland and the Hough/Wade Park neighborhoods, grounding his professional work in lived community experience.

In addition to his public service, Mr. Mitchell is an adjunct professor of Poverty Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he focuses on the intersection of law, economic mobility, and public policy. He is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Prince Hall Masons, and the 100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland, Inc., and remains deeply committed to leadership, mentorship, and community advancement.