Board of Directors

A nine-member Board of Directors governs South Carolina Ports Authority, each appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the SC Senate, along with two non-voting, ex-officio members – SC Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Transportation.

The Board of Directors meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 1:00 p.m. at SC Ports Headquarters at 200 Ports Authority Drive in Mount Pleasant, unless otherwise noted on the meeting agenda. In addition to posting meeting notices, SC Ports announces all public meetings and provides an agenda to any interested person, organization, or news media outlet by e-mail. To receive e-mail notifications or if you would like to attend a meeting, please contact English Purcell at epurcell@scspa.com.

Public Meeting Notices:

SC Ports Board Meeting, Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. at SC Ports Headquarters (200 Ports Authority Drive, Mt. Pleasant SC 29464) – agenda

Nex Board Meeting: Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.

SC Ports Board Chairman Bill Stern is President and CEO of Stern & Stern, a commercial real estate and investment company which owns and manages real estate throughout the southeastern United States. Mr. Stern has been with the firm for over thirty-five years, and during that time he has also dedicated a great deal of time to public and community service. Mr. Stern was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the State’s highest civilian honor, in 1999. [complete bio]

 

Governor Sanford appointed Mr. Posek to the SC Ports Board of Directors in October 2005 and Governor Haley reappointed him in 2014. He was elected Chairman of the Board for the years of 2008 and 2009. In addition, he serves as the Chairman of the Bi-State Commission between SC & GA to build a new Port on the lower Savannah River. [complete bio]

Mr. Grindstaff, who joined the SC Ports Board of Directors in June 2015, is Chief Financial Officer of DBH Global Incorporated. His responsibilities include developing financial controls and implementing strategic planning and budgetary disciplines to improve profitability, cash flow and eliminate debt. He planned and managed the first audit of the company by an independent CPA firm. [complete bio]

Willie Jeffries was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley to serve on the SC Ports Board of Directors in 2010. A native of Union, South Carolina, Coach Jeffries earned his Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a Master’s degree in guidance and counseling from South Carolina State University. Jeffries has received numerous honors, including the Order of the Silver Crescent, the Order of the Palmetto, and the Patriot’s Award. [complete bio]

Captain Smith was first appointed to the SC Ports Board of Directors in 1999 by Governor Hodges. He has held every elected position within the board, and was elected as Chairman from 2001 to 2004. In this capacity, he was selected to testify to U.S. Congress on a national debate on governance of maritime issues. Captain Smith recently retired from the Charleston Branch Pilots’ Association in December 2022 after serving as its longest-standing President with 39 years at its helm. [complete bio]

Pamela P. Lackey was appointed to the SC Ports Board of Directors by Governor Haley in 2010. Ms. Lackey served as president of AT&T South from 2007 through July 2018. In that role, she was responsible for public policy, economic development and community affairs, working closely with state and community leaders to help bring new technology and jobs to the state and improve the quality of life for all South Carolinians. [complete bio]

Mr. Buyck joined the SC Ports Board of Directors in February 2020. Mr. Buyck is a member of the Florence County, South Carolina and American Bar Associations, and is a past president of the SC Defense Trial Attorneys Association. He is a permanent member of the US Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference, former United States Attorney for South Carolina, and past chairman of the University of South Carolina (USC) Law School Association. [complete bio]

William A. Coates, who joined the SC Ports Board of Directors in February 2022, is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is a permanent member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference. He is a former board member of the Defense Research Institute, and he is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and the American Board of Trial Advocates. [complete bio]

Ms. Howard joined the SC Ports Board of Directors in February 2022. As vice president of Dominion Energy’s Economic Development Strategy, Ms. Howard works to bolster the company’s local, regional and state economic development efforts to include data centers, advanced manufacturing and the clean energy supply chain. Ms. Howard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of South Carolina. [complete bio]