Leadership Southeast Georgia is pleased to announce the 2018 board of directors. The new executive board consists of the following community leaders:

Chair: Lee Beckmann, manager of governmental affairs with the Georgia Ports Authority, Chatham County

Vice Chair: Brynn Grant, chief operating officer of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, Chatham County

Treasurer: Sherrie Struble, vice president of the Heritage Bank in Hinesville, Liberty County

Assistant Treasurer: David Boland, Glynn County

Secretary: Margaret VanHouten, Records Management Specialist with Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas, Inc., Liberty County

Immediate Past Chair: Ruel Joyner, 24e Design Co., Chatham County

Leadership Southeast Georgia is a regional five-month program designed to equip and empower community leaders to work effectively to promote positive growth while improving the quality of life in the southeast Georgia coastal region. The executive board, as with the program’s participants, represent a variety of industries across Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and Screven counties.

Beckmann, who has been the manager of governmental affairs with the Georgia Ports Authority since 2003, oversees government relations and a statewide outreach campaign. Prior to joining the GPA, Beckmann served as a legislative assistant to former U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah. Beckmann received his B.A. in history from Wake Forest University. He is a member of the Metro Savannah Rotary Club and a graduate of both Leadership Southeast Georgia and Leadership Savannah.

A native of Liberty County, Grant has been with the Savannah Economic Development Authority for 17 years, serving as Chief Operating Officer since 2013. Grant is also vice president of the World Trade Center of Savannah, tapped to lead the startup of the organization when it was founded in 2011. She graduated from the University of Georgia with an A.B. in journalism. She is also a graduate of Leadership Savannah, Leadership Southeast Georgia and Leadership Georgia.

Other board members include:

Freddy Howell, Bryan County Emergency Services

Jon Seagraves, South State Bank, Bryan County

Frank Fortune, The Fortune Image, Bulloch County

Jeff Davis, Ogeechee Technical College, Bulloch County

Jeff Grant, City of Statesboro, Bulloch County

Alyce Thornhill, Georgia Department of Economic Development Region 12, Camden County

Bill Gross, W. H. Gross Construction, Camden County

Joe Marchese, Joe Marchese Construction, Effingham County

John Henry, Effingham County

John Scott, Glynn County Development Authority

Jared Downs, Savannah Chamber of Commerce, Glynn County

Jason Coley, Community and Economic Development Project Manager at Georgia Power for Coastal Region