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GADC director outlines board role, candidate qualities and $725M in 2025 projects for Greenville County
Summary
Max Stewart of the GADC (Jobs Development Corporation) described the board's responsibilities, appointment process and the organization's role in negotiating incentives; he reported nine 2025 projects totaling $725 million and about 1,300 projected jobs over five years.
Max Stewart, speaking for the Greenville Area Development Corporation (referred to in the presentation as GADC/JDC), briefed the Communications and Government Affairs Committee on the board's composition, the rationale for confidential project code names and the organization's recent economic development activity.
Stewart said the board has 16 members: three county council members, nine council appointments, three chair appointments and one ordinance appointment (the county auditor). He emphasized that the board provides strategy, policy and budget oversight and acts collectively rather than through individuals.
Stewart explained three common reasons projects appear under code names in early finance committee or first‑reading materials: regulatory disclosure risks for publicly traded firms, labor relations concerns when projects come from unionized markets, and competitive confidentiality. He said the name becomes public by second and third reading if appropriate.
On outcomes, Stewart said the GADC brought nine projects forward in 2025 with projected capital investment of $725,000,000 over five years and about 1,300 projected jobs in the same window; he said the average committed wage in those projects was $33.12 per hour, roughly 13% above Greenville County’s per‑hour average. He cited Isuzu and a reported GE Aerospace $30 million local expansion as recent examples of collaborative projects that required coordination with education partners, utilities and workforce programs.
Marshall Franklin, who Stewart introduced as the board chair for the year, told the committee the board's work centers on protecting and executing the agency's mission and said he values "diversity of thinking" in candidate selection while acknowledging the board could improve gender diversity.
Committee members asked about the board's required skill mix; Stewart and Franklin said they seek business leaders (executives), legal experience and manufacturing expertise, and that the organization maintains a small professional staff that executes day‑to‑day operations while the board focuses on policy and oversight. Stewart said the JDC/GADC teams will make the group's talking points and more complete presentations available to county officials.
No formal appointments or votes were taken during the committee meeting.
