Beaufort County Black Chamber turns the page with hiring of new executive director
Marilyn Harris, who’s held various leadership roles in the United States and Europe for the federal government, has been hired to head the local Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce. The-24-year-old chamber’s mission is to promote economic empowerment of Black communities and small businesses.
Harris’ charge is to launch a new chapter in the history after recent years that saw board members raise concerns about the not-for-profit’s finances and attempt to check the power of former executive director Larry Holman.
Located on Bladen Street in Beaufort, the Chamber also runs the Gullah Art Gallery and Gullah Jazz Cafe. It assists businesses through networking, business development and referrals, marketing assistance and loans.
Holman headed the not-for-profit for 22 years. In June, the board cut ties and refused to renew his contract.
Harris began work July 3.
Leroy Gilliard, chairman of the Board of Directors, described Harris’s hiring as a new chapter in the history of the chamber, which was launched in 1999 and serves small, minority-owned businesses.
“With more than 35 years of service leadership experience spanning military, Beaufort County government and civil service, Marilyn has proven experience in uplifting others,” Gilliard said. “We are confident that she will help us to not only continue our Chamber mission, but also to expand on it.”
Harris, who relocated to Beaufort County in 2015 and lives on Dataw Island, has master’s degrees in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College, public administration from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and in human relations from the University of Oklahoma. She holds a bachelor’s in education and lifetime teaching certification from the University of Missouri.
Before arriving in Beaufort, Harris served as an investigator with the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee and as a policymaker for the Department of Veterans Affairs. She also has held positions with the Department of the Army and White House. Her various positions took her across the country and Europe.
She is currently serving as a Commissioner with the Beaufort Housing Authority. Harris is also a board member of the Coastal Community Foundation and a member of Women United, a committee of the United Way of the Lowcountry.
During an unsuccessful run for the Beaufort County Council in November, Harris touted her strong leadership skills and financial acumen in addition to long-range planning expertise.
Harris said she is eager to get started.
“The opportunities to support the community are almost unlimited and I am excited to partner with the city, county and community to further the mission of the chamber,” Harris said. “I am dedicated to making sure that our entire community understands the BCBCC is a trusted partner.”
Gilliard and fellow board members Bernard McIntyre and John McCoy sued Holman in November 2020. The lawsuit alleged Holman mismanaged money, paid himself a salary that had not been authorized, hid financial documents and improperly fired them and appointed his own board. They argued that Holman’s alleged mismanagement had cost the organization millions in potential funding while threatening its not-for-profit status. The lawsuit also said Holman hired family members as staff and independent contractors.
Holman, who had been CEO for 22 of the organizations 24 years, steadfastly denied the allegations, arguing in court documents that organization has become stronger under his leadership.
Harris has served on the boards of other local non-profit organizations including Second Helpings, SCORE, and the Boys and Girls Club of the Lowcountry. She helped to launch Mimi’s Closets, an education support initiative created to provide supplies to Lowcountry schools.
