CHARLESTON, SC—MAY 8, 2026—South Carolina Ports recently celebrated 30 business and community leaders who completed the 2025-2026 Port Ambassador program. The group, who represent organizations throughout South Carolina, spent the past year getting a firsthand look at SC Ports' daily operations, meeting with port-dependent businesses, and seeing how port activity drives economic growth in the state.
“Serving as an Ambassador for SC Ports has been such a meaningful experience,” Payton Lang with the City of Columbia said. “It showed me that the port is not just a place, it is a driving force across our state. From transportation to economic growth and innovation, its impact reaches every corner of South Carolina and truly connects our communities.”
The class engaged with teams across the organization through leadership discussions, Port Police updates, terminal tours, and firsthand experiences with ship-to-shore crane operations at Wando Welch Terminal. Participants also attended the State of the Port and visited Inland Ports Greer and Dillon.
Port-dependent businesses including BMW Manufacturing, C&M Farms, and Frontier Logistics offered the group behind-the-scenes insights that fostered a deeper appreciation for South Carolina’s interconnected supply chain.
“Serving as a Port Ambassador has been an invaluable experience, providing a deep, behind-the-scenes look at the complex operations driving our deepwater and inland ports,” Matthew Hamrick with Mercedes-Benz Vans said. “I’ve gained a profound appreciation for how SC Ports and its partners serve as a primary catalyst for economic growth across South Carolina.”
Launched in 2016, the SC Ports Port Ambassador Program was created to increase public awareness and understanding of SC Ports’ strategic initiatives, statewide economic impact, and critical role in South Carolina’s supply chain. More than 250 participants have completed the program.
2025-2026 Ambassadors:
- Brenton Brown, South Carolina Commission for Community Advancement and Engagement
- David Chinnis, Dorchester County Council
- Rob Godfrey, Godfrey Communications and Public Affairs
- John Gregory, NAI Columbia
- Matthew Hamrick, Mercedes-Benz Vans, LLC
- Joseph Maybank Howell, Sopris Capital Private Equity
- Toni Rice Huston, Macatuck
- Thomas J. Johnson, Conway Ford, Inc.
- Michael “KJ” Kearney, Jr., Charleston Promise Neighborhood
- Payton Lang, City of Columbia
- Dylon Ligon, South Carolina Department of Commerce
- William McCall, Santee Cooper
- Peden Brown McLeod, Jr., Bank of the Lowcountry
- Carter McMillan, Charleston County Government
- Brooks A. Melton, Beacon Community Bank
- Campbell Mims, Tompkins Thompson & Brown Government Affairs
- Christopher Austin Murphy, Samet Corporation
- Jennifer Necker, South Carolina Department of Transportation
- AJ Newton, South Carolina Technical College System
- Trey Pennington, CBRE, Inc.
- Sigrid Phinney, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
- Derrek Pugh, Richland County Council and Allen University
- Edward Rawl, The Boeing Company
- Mary Sale, Dominion Energy South Carolina
- Richard Sturm, Ameris Bank
- Chase Talbert, Bank of the Lowcountry
- Erika D. Williams, The LINK Economic Development Alliance
- John O. Williams II, Berkeley County Government
- Erica Wright, Municipal Association of South Carolina
- Saluda Zemp, The White House, formerly with the South Carolina Governor's Office