Gov. McMaster Announces Appointments to Conservation Commission

Gov. Henry McMaster announced 25 appointments to the Governor’s Conservation Commission. These appointees from the private and academic sectors will serve alongside ex officio members, including South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Director Tom Mullikin, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Duane Parrish, Chief Resilience Officer Ben Duncan, and State Forester Scott Phillips.

“The commission is uniquely talented and organized to bring broad insight and valuable guidance to matters of growth, conservation, and preservation,” said McMaster.

The Governor’s Conservation Commission, created by Executive Order 2026-24, will advise the governor and executive branch on conservation and preservation strategies, promote coordination among state and local agencies, and assist local governments in developing conservation goals. The commission will also work to increase public awareness of South Carolina’s history and culture, identify potential funding sources, and encourage partnerships among public, private, academic, and nonprofit organizations.

The appointees are:

• Dana Beach, Founder and Director Emeritus, South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, Charleston

• Matthew Cabe President and CEO, Michelin North America, Inc., Greenville

• Chief Cheryl Cail, Waccamaw Indian People, Myrtle Beach

• Fred Carter, President, Francis Marion University. Florence

• Wes Carter, President, Atlantic Packaging, Summerville

• Tripp Chavis, Milliken Advisors, Columbia

• Howard Coker, President and CEO, Sonoco, Hartsville

• Halsey Cook Jr., Milliken & Company, Spartanburg

• The Honorable Chris Crolley, Mayor, Town of Awendaw, Awendaw

• Jason Crowley, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Charleston

• Walter Edgar, Department of History, University of S.C., Columbia

• Eric Emerson, Agency Director, State Historic Preservation Officer, and State Archivist, S.C. Department of Archives and History, Columbia

• Blake Goodman, CEO, Four Stones Real Estate, Atlanta, Georgia

• Chief Brian Harris, Catawba Nation, Rock Hill

• Alex Hinson, President and CEO, Resource Management Service, LLC, Birmingham, Alabama

• Charles G. Lane, Managing Member, Holcombe, Fair & Lane, Charleston

• Mike McShane, Nemours Wildlife Foundation, Johns Island

• Thomas Mullikin Jr., President, Global Eco Adventures, Inc., Camden

• Ben Navarro, Founder, Trustee, and Chairperson, Beemok Family Foundation, Charleston

• Queen Quet, Chieftess and Head-of-State, Gullah/Geechee Nation, St. Helena Island

• Henry Swink, Co-Owner and Co-President, McCall Farms, Inc., Effingham

• Alex Taylor, Cox Enterprises, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia

• Maria Whitehead, Senior VP of Land, SE Open Space Institute, Charleston

• Rick Wise, Executive Director/CEO, SC Battleground Trust, Camden

• Jonathan Zucker, The InterTech Group, Inc., North Charleston