He’s led Georgia’s ports to unprecedented growth. Soon, he’s set to retire.
SAVANNAH ― Under Griff Lynch’s leadership, the Georgia Ports Authority has established itself as the nation’s busiest cargo hub outside of Los Angeles and New York and a “national gateway” for shipping.
His decade-long sail in a job critical to Georgia’s economy now has a disembarkation date: August 2027.
The state entity disclosed Lynch’s pending retirement Wednesday while also announcing the hiring of Kevin Price as his successor. Price joins the Ports Authority from Gateway Terminals, the organization that acts as the stevedore at the Savannah facilities, hiring the dockworkers that make up much of the port’s workforce. The dockworkers are union members with the International Longshoremen’s Association.
Price starts his new job with the Georgia Ports Authority this July and will hold the title of president until Lynch’s departure. Lynch is currently the president and CEO.
The Georgia Ports Authority is among the state’s economic drivers, with marine terminals in Savannah and Brunswick and an inland rail and truck cargo transfer facility in Murray County. A second inland port is nearing completion near Gainesville and will open later this year.
Port facilities support 651,000 jobs statewide and contribute $174 billion in sales activity annually, according to a 2025 University of Georgia study.
“Georgia Ports’ long-term approach with its employees, customers, business partners and infrastructure investments are competitive differentiators. I look forward to working closely with Griff, the board of directors and the rest of the Georgia Ports employees to keep building their future momentum and winning trajectory,” Price said.
Lynch’s tenure has been marked by growth both in cargo volumes and investment. Savannah’s container business has nearly doubled in the decade since the Panama Canal was expanded to allow for bigger ships and sparked a move away from West Coast ports.
Lynch positioned Savannah to capture market share by championing an on-terminal ship-to-rail connection known as the Mason Mega Rail, reconfiguring the main cargo terminal’s largest dock to handle even bigger ships and expanding the container storage area.
Savannah ranked as the nation’s fastest-growing port in 2025, and already, the authority is converting a multipurpose terminal on the edge of the downtown historic district to handle only containers and has announced plans for a third container terminal in Savannah. In addition, the GPA has petitioned for the raising or removal of Savannah’s iconic Talmadge Bridge and a deepening of the shipping channel.
Both of those infrastructure projects would make the Ports Authority terminals more accessible to larger ships.
The authority board has committed more than $4 billion to current and future investment.
Savannah’s sister port in Brunswick has also seen explosive growth during Lynch’s tenure. In 2024, Brunswick’s main terminal, located just off I-95, surpassed Baltimore as the nation’s busiest for autos and other wheeled and tracked cargo that rolls on and off ships.
The facility has significantly expanded its storage capacity in recent years, and crews recently began construction on a new ship berth, the terminal’s fourth.
Gov. Brian Kemp hailed Lynch’s job performance in a statement, saying Lynch provided “the leadership and vision” for the Ports Authority to “reach new heights in recent years.”
Added Kemp: “As the Georgia Ports Authority makes these long-term preparations for a smooth transition later this year, we know Kevin will carry on that approach to delivering for all hardworking Georgians.”
Lynch, who will be 61 on his retirement date, joined the Georgia Ports Authority in 2011 and spent five years as then-GPA Director Curtis Foltz’s top deputy before moving into the top job. A Long Island, New York, native, who as a child dreamed of being a tugboat captain only to discover in college he suffered from seasickness, Lynch has spent his entire career in port terminal operations.
He started as a cargo loading planner for a shipping company and worked on the terminal sales side before taking on his first port leadership role in the late 1990s at the Port of Virginia.
Lynch’s retirement preparations began well in advance of Tuesday’s announcement, and the succession plan involving Price was finalized in a special-called Ports Authority board meeting held last week.
Price, 56, began his career in 1995 and worked in several maritime trade roles before heading up Gateway Terminals starting in 2022. Like Lynch, he spent several years at the Port of Virginia, rising to the No. 2 job as chief operating officer. He is a native of Middlesex, New Jersey.
“Georgia Ports is growing with a bright future. Kevin’s leadership style and hands-on knowledge of our port operations and business model has impressed us through the years,” said Alec Poitevint, the Ports Authority’s chairman. “We’re confident he will ensure we are the most competitive and successful port in the nation for our customers.”
About the Author
Adam Van Brimmer is a journalist who covers politics and Coastal Georgia news for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
