SC Chamber of Commerce CEO resigns after three years in job | Business

The largest pro-business advocacy and lobbying organization in South Carolina is seeking a new leader after its president and CEO abruptly resigned after about three years in the role.

Bob Morgan announced his resignation from the S.C. Chamber of Commerce on June 24. No reason was given. 

Retired banker Mike Brenan will fill the role while the Columbia-based group’s board seeks out a permanent successor.

In a written statement, Morgan said he and his wife “have become passionate about the Palmetto State and I look forward to helping the state continue to grow and prosper. I look forward to building on this experience as I pursue the next chapter in my career.”

Morgan joined the statewide organization in April 2021. Previously, he had been president and chief executive officer of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce for 13 years before going to work for a North Carolina law firm in 2018.

“South Carolina’s business community is stronger and better represented than it was when Bob joined us, and we’re grateful for his time here,” said Will Whitley of Michelin North America and the S.C. Chamber board chair. 

A six-member committee was announced Monday to find a permanent replacement. Whitley said the search will extend “far and wide for the next president and CEO.”

Morgan’s interim successor is a former longtime Midlands bank executive and civic leader and former S.C. Chamber board member. Brenan retired last year as Truist Financial Corp.’s regional president for the Palmetto State. 

The S.C. Chamber said its membership ranges “from startups to family-owned businesses to global enterprises, from the Lowcountry to the Upstate.”

Some of the group’s more recent legislative priorities at the Statehouse have included bills tied to workforce development, tax code changes and lawsuit reforms.