Florence County Economic Development Partnership Announces New CEO as Joe W. King Retires

After 18 years as the head of the Partnership, Executive Director Joe W. King will retire on June 30, 2022. During his tenure, Joe led the County through significant economic growth and has the County poised for tremendous opportunity. Selected to lead the Partnership and continue its success is a South Carolina Certified Economic Developer, C. Gregory “Gregg” Robinson (SCCED), who will take the reins on July 11, 2022. Board of Director’s Chair Rocky Pearce had high praise for the new CEO. “Gregg impressed us from the start. Throughout three rounds of interviews, Gregg continually stood apart from the field, impressing the committee with his experience and charisma. His background and regional knowledge are well-suited to the Partnership, and I know he will build upon our strong community assets and new product development initiatives right away.” In addition, King will serve as a consultant during the initial months of transition. Gregg remarked, “Economic Development is a process, not an event. It truly takes a team with dedication and commitment to develop and win in today’s competitive global market. That’s why I am very excited to have been chosen as the CEO of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership.”

Paul Seward says, “Gregg Robinson brings over 20 years of economic development experience and expertise. His experience in recruitment, working with existing industry, and product development will be a huge value to our County for years to come.” Florence County Progress Chair Jill Lewis added, “The Progress Team was very excited to be a part of this prestigious group that worked so hard to find the right leader for the CEO position of Florence County Economic Development Partnership. We believe the hiring of Gregg Robinson meets the vision and continuos growth for Florence County. This is a big win for all of us.”

Gregg’s 30-year career encompasses all areas of economic development, including global business recruitment, infrastructure development, marketing, research, and operations. For the last 17 years, he has served as the Executive Director of the Orangeburg County Development Commission. Under his guidance, the County publicly announced $1.5+ billion in new capital investment and created over 2,000 new jobs. Additionally, he took the County of Orangeburge from four to eleven industrial parks and oversaw the completion of five industrial spec buildings. His dedication led the County to boast more certified sites than any other in the state. Before joining Orangeburg, he worked as a South Carolina Department of Commerce project manager in the global development division under two governors.

Gregg received his Master’s Degree and Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Carolina and is a graduate of the University of Oklahomas Economic Development Institute (EDI).