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New Officers for GPA

[ June 6, 2023   //   ]

The Georgia Ports Authority board has elected new officers for the coming fiscal year.

Starting July 1, Kent Fountain will serve as chairman, Alec Poitevint as vice chairman, and Chris Womack as secretary-treasurer.

“Kent’s four-year tenure on the GPA board, as well as his leadership across business and agriculture make him a solid choice to continue guiding the ports of Savannah and Brunswick through the current phase of infrastructure growth,” said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. “Along with his fellow officers, board members, and the GPA leadership team, Georgia’s deepwater ports remain in good hands.”

Fountain and Poitevint’s election represents an advancement from their previous positions of vice chairman and secretary-treasurer, respectively. Poitevint served as GPA board chairman from July 2010 to June 2012. Womack was serving as a board member prior to becoming the Authority’s next secretary-treasurer.

“At the Georgia Ports Authority, a central part of our mission is to strengthen industries and sustain our communities,” said Fountain. “While the global economy is rebalancing from the recent spike in demand, now is the perfect time to grow our terminal capacity, so that we can continue to serve as a gateway for prosperity.”

Fountain noted that outgoing Chairman Joel Wooten presided over the board during a period of historic capacity expansion. Since Wooten became chairman in July 2021, the board has approved nearly $1.5 billion in infrastructure projects. The improvements will add 3 million twenty-foot equivalent container units of annual capacity at the Port of Savannah, for a new total of more than 9 million TEUs by 2026.

“I am extremely proud of our board’s accomplishments, providing GPA employees with the tools they need to continue supporting Georgia and the nation’s economy for decades to come,” Wooten said. “The Georgia Ports Authority is well positioned to take on the new and expanding business that will mean jobs and opportunity for our fellow Georgians.”

Kent Fountain, new GPA Chairman

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