It is my distinct pleasure to assume the role of District Council Chair of ULI South Carolina through June of 2018. Along with the Governance, Management and regional Executive Committees, our District Council Leadership represents a network of dedicated ULI members working together to improve the communities in which we live.

We have been very fortunate over the past few years to have sustained membership growth and engagement, increased sponsorships and continued to build our financial reserves. This is a direct reflection of our statewide leaders and you, our members.

These successes are also a reflection of the extraordinary leadership of our outgoing District Council Chair, Phil Hughes. By all measures, ULI South Carolina grew immensely under Phil’s leadership—hosting the 2015 Carolinas’ meeting in Charleston in 2015 and attracting over 600 attendees, increasing member representation at key local and regional events, and continuing ULI South Carolina’s efforts towards developing and diversifying our membership base. On behalf of our members and leadership committees, I would like to thank Phil Hughes for his excellent service to the mission of ULI South Carolina. We look forward to Phil’s continued involvement as Chair of the Governance Committee.

This year, we also welcome three new members to our Governance Committee—Steve Dudash, Thomas and Hutton; Matt Norton, K & L Gates; and Joe Pazdan, McMillan Pazdan Smith. Each bring a wealth of experience and strong professional relationships to our ULI South Carolina District Council.

This summer we also welcomed Amy Barrett as Executive Director of ULI South Carolina. Many of you know Amy as a long-time ULI member and from her previous work at the City of Charleston and Permar Inc. Please join me in welcoming Amy in her new role.

Amy succeeds Heather Foley who provided exceptional leadership for ULI South Carolina for over five years. In July, Heather moved to California to become Executive Director of ULI San Diego-Tijuana. On behalf of our members and leadership committees, please join me in thanking Heather for her hard work on behalf of ULI South Carolina. We wish her much success in her new endeavors.

As we move into fiscal year 2017, ULI South Carolina is well-positioned to provide more leadership opportunities and innovative member engagement opportunities. Our program of work will continue to drive member experience, build community consensus and focus on the latest trends and expectations for the future. We will also set forth initiatives to foster a more diverse and inclusive membership and District Council Leadership.

As developers, designers, financiers and public officials among others, ULI South Carolina is uniquely positioned to galvanize a working forum across the state to address the most-pressing and relevant land use issues. I am personally very excited about the role that ULI SC will play in overcoming obstacles and identifying solutions.

Please accept my invitation to become more involved with the many facets of ULI South Carolina’s program of work.

Very truly yours,

Robert Morgan
Chair, ULI South Carolina