The Georgia Ports Authority has appointed Susan Garnder as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO). She currently oversees day-to-day port operations in Savannah, one of the region’s most important ports.
Gardner has been working for the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) since 2020. She initially served as Senior Director of Operations and Projects, before taking on the role of Vice President of Operations, with responsibility for day-to-day operations in Savannah and for the ‘Ocean Terminal’ project. The GPA has now appointed her as its new CIO.
“Susan’s expertise in terminal operations, her knowledge of systems and her leadership skills will take us to the next level of performance for our customers and port users,” said Kevin Price, the GPA’s recently appointed President and soon-to-be CEO.
Gardner has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry and, throughout her career, has held senior management positions with increasing responsibility at various port locations across the US. Prior to joining the GPA, she worked for Kaleris/Navis, a company specialising in terminal software, as Vice President and General Manager of Field Operations for the Americas region; there, she oversaw 20 on-site software implementations annually across more than 100 customers.
“This is an exciting opportunity to find new ways to continuously improve our operational processes,” said Gardner. “We aim to be an industry leader with our service at GPA, enabling supply chains that operate more smoothly and are more competitive on the global market.”
Savannah is the fastest-growing port in the south-east of the US. Every week, 40 ships and 42 freight trains are handled here, in addition to 15,000 lorry journeys every day. In the 2026 financial year, the throughput volume stood at 5.67 million TEU. The Port of Brunswick, which specialises in RoRo freight, handles more than 700 ships annually.
The GPA’s strategic plan provides for investments totalling $5 billion in infrastructure over the coming decade. This includes, amongst other things, five container berths for large vessels in Savannah and a fourth berth for RoRo cargo in Brunswick.
