Duane Grantham
Duane Grantham assisted in the evolution of Charleston International Ports, LLC, steering it from a fledgling company to a highly lucrative acquisition. Beginning as President and CEO in 2000, Grantham established the company’s operational structure while leading terminal operations, customer acquisitions, financial management, and marketing. A business that specialized in importing and exporting non-containerized cargo, such as steel, plywood, lumber, and frozen foods, Charleston International Ports, LLC benefited from the contracts Grantham closed with Charleston’s largest tug boat company to Homeport at the CIP facility. He also contracted with the bridge builder selected to build the new $800 million Cooper River Bridge. For both of those contracts, Duane Grantham convinced the companies to leave Charleston International Ports LLC’s competitors. Duane Grantham persuaded the bridge builder with a proposal that included improved benefits, and he also cut costs for the company by outsourcing labor.
Prior to beginning his career as a multimillion-dollar business leader, Duane Grantham attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis on Finance. After college, Grantham began a six-year tenure with United States Lines, fulfilling a variety of roles including European Division Account Manager and African Division Regional Sales Manager. With United States Lines, Grantham increased market share and conceptualized and implemented marketing and sales strategies. Additionally, Duane Grantham focused on identifying new business opportunities and maximizing existing relationships.
Duane Grantham later started a 15-year career with the South Carolina State Ports Authority, a company that provides terminal operations for steamship lines and warehousing for exporters and importers. As the Director of Marketing and Sales, Grantham redesigned his department and created targets for six other divisions and oversaw offices in New York, South Carolina, Georgia, England, Japan, and China. Under the direction of Duane Grantham, the company’s base of Charleston, South Carolina, surpassed operations in Baltimore, Norfolk, and Savannah to become the second-largest container port on the East Coast. Grantham focused his efforts on increasing revenue by securing contracts with 90 percent of existing major steamship lines. Ultimately, he led the company from a $2 million annual loss to a $25 million profit and continuously set records for company tonnage. Due to his efficiency and business acumen, Duane Grantham became Executive Vice President and CEO of the company in 1996, a position he held until moving onto Charleston International Ports, LLC.
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