Susie Shannon

Sue-Ann ("Susie") Gerald Shannon serves as President & CEO of South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, a business-led, nonprofit that drives South Carolina’s long-term economic growth through managing select industry clusters and providing the research, network, and resources that clusters require to thrive. Signature initiatives and industry include SC Aerospace, SC Logistics, SC Tech, Palmetto AI Corridor, TransformSC, and SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance.  Susie has an extensive history leading innovative, forward-looking organizations and initiatives throughout South Carolina, including Teach For America, commercialization, and workforce quality. Before entering the nonprofit sector, Susie practiced for many years in administrative and regulatory law. She also served in the US Army Reserves and is a Gulf War Veteran. Susie has served on a variety of boards, community foundations, and state agency commissions, including Vice-Chair, SC State Housing Finance and Development Authority (appointed by then-Governor Nikki Haley); SC Broadband Advisory Council; EPSCOR State Advisory Committee; SC Research Authority (Chair, Program Committee); Strategic Partners Group for SC Dep’t of Commerce; and currently chairs the SC Governor’s Cybersecurity Economic Growth working group. Susie is a graduate of Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Initiative and the Nonprofit Leadership Institute of Francis Marion Univ. and is a member of Liberty Fellowship (part of Aspen Global Leadership Network).