Steve Green: Our Ship Has Come In!

November 22, 2023

South Magazine,

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Photo by Mark Staff

Of all Steve Green’s achievements, his greatest source of pride is what he’s been able to accomplish for his community. Helping build his family business in the wake of tragedy, he turned Green Distributors into the exclusive franchisee for Frito Lay, Keebler, Brach candies, and others. Frito Lay recognized the growth by purchasing the company and asked Green to manage its trade development in the Southeast USA.

His career would endure through further tragedy and a foray into the political realm before returning to his Savannah roots where he discovered success in real estate. He purchased a Brunswick warehouse to organize and capitalize the first Bank of Brunswick, later selling it to double down and found First Chatham Bank in Savannah where he remains vice chair of the bank and chairman of FCB Financial Holdings.

Expanding his business portfolio to the umbrella of Stephen Greene Properties LLC, investments included the purchase of Presidents Quarters Inn in the heart of Savannah’s Historic District and partnering with an international law firm to create Green, Morris, Manning, Martin Consulting LLC, an economic development consulting firm focused on large infrastructure projects. One of which was serving on the board of the Georgia Ports Authority during port expansion, increasing the depth of the Savannah River channel to allow larger container ships to serve the port. After three terms as chairman to see it through he says, “If I had to pick one, that would be my proudest achievement.”

Deepening the 14-mile channel in the river to 47 feet opened the port to a greater shipping influx, which made it the second largest on the east coast and third largest in the country. He currently is chairman of the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport Commission and the Savannah Harbor, I-16 Joint Development Authority. It was created to help coordinate the development efforts of the four counties where the Hyundai Motor Group is constructing electric vehicle and battery manufacturing plants, the largest economic development project in Georgia’s history. Through it all, he continued to focus on his community, serving as chair on countless boards and committees, earning notable leadership honors and lifetime achievement awards, and over decades, working multiple Governor appointed state-wide task forces and initiatives, including creating the state’s strategy to become the best state in America in which to do business, all of which landed him on a few “100 Most Influential Business Leaders” lists. His greatest partnership however is the one he shares with “the love of my life” Barbara Lynn Howell with whom he splits his time between Savannah and Atlanta where she is a judge on the State Board of Women’s Compensation and has a resume and community lead passion that rivals Green’s. “She is my life partner, my strongest booster and my most severe critic (besides myself),” he said. “My biggest mistake was not marrying her sooner.” Always looking ahead, Green has his eye on Savannah’s tricentennial in 2033 to have the $3 million plan completed and initiated and is actively working with contributors to achieve that goal.

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