CHARLESTON, SC - November 16, 2018 - Today South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) announced its 2018-2019 Port Ambassadors class, consisting of 25 delegates who will complete a nine-month program that immerses participants into Port operations, economic development, and the maritime and transportation industry.
"The Port Ambassador Program offers a diverse group of South Carolina leaders an opportunity to meet and hear from experts in maritime-related industries and port-dependent businesses through a series of full and half-day educational sessions and tours," said Jordi Yarborough, SCPA Senior Vice President of External Affairs. "The program has seen great success in educating community leaders from across the state, and the small class size is ideal for in-depth discussions that lead to a better understanding of the Port's mission."
The program, which launched in 2016, was developed to increase public awareness and understanding of SCPA's strategic plan and foster support for the Port's key statewide initiatives and activities. Participants are selected from nominations by the Review and Oversight Commission on the State Ports Authority, the SCPA Board of Directors and Senior Management Team.
Each program is limited to 25 ambassadors. More information is available here.
Port Ambassador Class of 2019:
Ann Angermeier, Upstate Workforce Board, Spartanburg, SC
John Brand III, Stifel Financial Corp., Florence, SC
Van Cato, Office of Senator Lindsey Graham, Greenville, SC
Andrew Cook, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Hilton Head Island, SC
Christine Crawford, D&G Management, North Augusta, SC
Johnny Cribb, City of Hanahan, Hanahan, SC
Suzanne Dickerson, SC Council on Competitiveness, Columbia, SC
Alexander Fournil, Vista Insurance Group, Columbia, SC
Jamey Goldin, Turner Padget Graham & Laney, P.A., Columbia, SC
Sara Hazzard, SC Manufacturers Alliance, Columbia, SC
Angie Leidinger, Clemson University, Columbia, SC
Thomas Lorenzo, Domtar, Fort Mill, SC
Bill McCarthy, Charleston Gate Company, Charleston, SC
Sunny Philips, SC Chamber of Commerce, Columbia, SC
Tony Pope, State Farm Insurance, Summerville, SC
Buddy Pough, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC
Brian Rauschenbach, Sumter Economic Development and TheLINK Alliance, Sumter, SC
Anne Smith Reid, Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Charleston, Charleston, SC
Tiffany Santagati, Southern First Bank, Greenville, SC
Mark Schmidt, Daimler AG, Fort Mill, SC
Steve Sydow, Kapstone Kraft Paper Corp, Fort Mill, SC
Tom Trouche, ServisFirst Bank, Charleston, SC
Marlon Walters, PhD, Bank of America, Elgin, SC
Tom Winslow, Goldfinch Winslow Attorneys at Law, Murrells Inlet, SC
Jason Zacher, Upstate Chamber Coalition, Greenville, SC
About South Carolina Ports Authority
South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport and intermodal facilities in Charleston, Dillon, Georgetown and Greer. As an economic development engine for the state, Port operations facilitate 187,200 statewide jobs and generate nearly $53 billion annual economic activity. SCPA is soon to be home to the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet, and the Port is an industry leader in delivering speed-to-market, seamless processes and flexibility to ensure reliable operations, big ship handling, efficient market reach and environmental responsibility. For more information on SCPA, please visit www.scspa.com.
Media Contact:
Kelsi Childress
External Affairs Coordinator
SC Ports Authority
843-577-8676
kchildress@scspa.com