- 30 South Carolina professionals have been selected for the 2025-2026 Port Ambassador program.
- The nine-month program offers firsthand exposure to SC Ports’ operations, highlighting their role in economic growth and global trade.
- Ambassadors will engage with port leaders, tour facilities, and build a network of informed advocates for South Carolina’s port infrastructure.
South Carolina Ports has announced its 2025-2026 Port Ambassador class, welcoming 30 community and business leaders to its flagship leadership initiative, now in its ninth year. Running from September through May, the program provides participants with a comprehensive view of SC Ports’ impact on South Carolina’s economy and the broader Southeast supply chain.
Through monthly meetings, ambassadors will engage directly with port leadership, tour inland and ocean terminals, and meet port-dependent businesses that rely on SC Ports to connect with global markets.
Leadership Perspectives
“The Port Ambassador program is a unique opportunity to connect leaders from across the state with the operations that keep South Carolina’s economy moving,” said Ashley Iseman, SC Ports’ director of executive office operations and program co-lead. “Our ambassadors will see how port infrastructure and innovation directly support business, jobs, and communities in every corner of the state.”
“SC Ports plays a critical role in ensuring South Carolina remains globally competitive,” added Michael Jackson, program co-lead and SC Ports’ director of federal and state government strategy. “The Port Ambassador Program builds a network of informed leaders who can share the Port’s story, highlight its economic impact, and champion the importance of investing in port infrastructure to benefit future generations of South Carolinians.”
Program Highlights
Participants will:
- Attend the annual State of the Port address.
- Take part in discussions on global trade, competitiveness, and infrastructure investment.
- Kick off in September with a tour of the Wando Welch Terminal and an in-depth look at the Port of Charleston.
2025-2026 Ambassador Class
This year’s ambassadors represent a diverse range of industries, organizations, and government bodies across South Carolina, including:
- 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 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 / United Cerebral Palsy of SC
- 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, South Carolina Governor’s Office
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Source: SC Ports Authority
