The Patriots Point Development Authority (PPDA) Board, in conjunction with the Patriots Point Executive Director, is responsible for the long-term planning and day-to-day management of the agency, including the museum and all of its ancillary services. This includes stewardship of over 350 acres of property on Charleston Harbor, much of which is currently under lease for a golf course, a hotel, and a collegiate athletic complex.
The PPDA Board is made up of nine members. Selection of three members of the Board, including its chairman, is at the discretion of the governor; four appointed members are legislatively mandated, appointed by a combination of the Speaker of the House, Senate Pro Tem and Senate Finance Chairman; one member is appointed by The Adjutant General; and the Mayor of the Town of Mount Pleasant serves as an ex-officio member. This Board meets regularly to approve strategic planning initiatives, revisions to development plans and contracts, long-term leases, etc.
•Ray E. Chandler, Chairman •Wayne Adams, Vice Chairman •Lin Bennett •Susan Marlowe •Lanneau Siegling •Darwin H. Simpson •Edwin S. Taylor •Zeb C. Williams •Mayor Billy Swails, Ex Officio
Edwin Taylor is a former Commissioner for Charleston County Parks and Recreation. During his tenure, the Commission raised and spent approximately $100 million building the current county parks while going from 30 employees to over 300. Projects included most all the county park facilities such as the James Island County Park, North Charleston Wannamaker County Park, the Mt. Pleasant and Isle of Palms Parks, the Charleston Maritime Center, as well as ‘Caw Caw’ and several others. The Commission also took on the boat landings, started the Christmas Festival of Lights show, built the water parks, led with the re-nourishing of Folly Beach, built the Folly Beach Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier, and acquired around 4,000 acres of land. His last state appointment was as a founding member of the SC Renewable Energy Infrastructure Development Oversight Committee. This committee worked in conjunction with the South Carolina Department of Energy and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. Taylor is a member of numerous civic and Republican organizations and an advisor to The Citadel Republican Society and serves as a South Carolina State Licensed General Contractor and a SC Real Estate Broker. He is a Vietnam Veteran (US Air Force) and a graduate of The Citadel, with a Business Administration Degree. For the past 25 years, Taylor has been married to Mary Ann Taylor, a retired Charleston County School Teacher and former county school board member. He is the father of one son, Kyle, an honors student at The Citadel majoring in Civil Engineering.