Leadership Grand Strand Welcomes Shannon Furtick as New Executive Director

Leadership Grand Strand Welcomes Shannon Furtick as New Executive Director

Diana Greene’s Two Decades of Impactful Leadership Commended

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.—Leadership Grand Strand (LGS), a premier leadership development program of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (MBACC), is pleased to announce Shannon Furtick, IOM, as its new executive director. Furtick succeeds Diana Greene, who is retiring after 19 years of dedicated service to the organization.

Furtick started her career with the chamber in 2008 and currently serves as the business development director of member engagement. She’ll continue in that position while starting her duties overseeing LGS on June 3.

“We’re very excited to see Shannon expand her role at the chamber by carrying on the remarkable legacy that Diana has cultivated over the past two decades at Leadership Grand Strand. Shannon brings a wealth of organizational experience and passion for the community that will carry the program into this new chapter,” said Karen Riordan, MBACC President and CEO.

Among Furtick’s notable achievements, she graduated from LGS’s Class 31 in 2011, completed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organization Management (IOM) in 2016, was recognized by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ 40 Under 40 in 2020, and received Multiplying Good’s Jefferson Award in 2022.

“I’m honored to step into the role of LGS executive director and build upon the foundation laid by Diana and those before her. I look forward to collaborating with our board of regents, alumni, future classes and community partners to advance the LGS mission and make a lasting impact in our community,” Furtick said.

Now in its 45th year, LGS has become one of the region’s preeminent leadership programs, graduating hundreds of community leaders who have made substantial contributions to the Myrtle Beach area.

“It has been a privilege to lead LGS for the past 19 years,” Greene said. “I’m immensely humbled by what the program has achieved and confident that Shannon is the right person to take the helm. Her passion for enhancing the Grand Strand is inspiring, and I’m excited to see how she’ll elevate the program to new heights,” Greene said.

Applications are now being accepted through June 30 for LGS Class 45, which will begin in August. The cost of the program is $1,499 per person and scholarship opportunities are available.

For more information and to apply for the program, visit LeadershipGrandStrand.com.

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About Leadership Grand Strand:

The goal of Leadership Grand Strand, a program of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, is to develop a corps of informed, committed and qualified individuals capable of providing dynamic leadership for the Grand Strand. Over the years, Leadership Grand Strand has created a cadre of leaders who guide the direction of change throughout the Grand Strand. For more information about the program, visit LeadershipGrandStrand.com.