Mount Pleasant Magazine May/June 2018

www.ChsWomenInBusiness.com | www.LCWomenInBusiness.com | www.LCwib.com 6 - WIB O ne hand grips the steering wheel of a Ford Explorer nicknamed Dora, the other waves to everyone she sees as she navigates her way around the South Carolina Ports Authority’s Wando Welch Terminal. On three or four occasions a day, Barbara Melvin leaves the confines of her office and spends some time traversing 350 acres or so of cranes and other equipment, anywhere from 17,000 to 22,000 shipping containers, trucks coming and going, and usually one or two huge ocean-going vessels. “I want to make sure I know our folks,” said Melvin, 47 years old and a Mount Pleasant resident for the past decade. “I like to be seen, I like to leave my footprints everywhere and I like to be involved.” Short in physical stature but long on experience and loaded with responsibility, Melvin has held several positions with the Ports Authority since 1998. She currently serves as senior vice president, operations and terminals, which means she’s in charge at Wando Welch. Of the port’s 580 employees, nearly 90 percent report to her, and she’s By Brian Sherman It’s All About Getting the Job Done SCPAVP BarbaraMelvin Photo by Thomas Runion.