Morris leaving after 20 years at Georgia Ports

SAVANNAH, Ga., Jan. 14, 2022 – With the pending departure of Georgia Ports Authority Chief Communications Officer Robert Morris, the GPA has announced the hire of Loretta Lepore, who will assume the leadership role.

“Ms. Lepore is a seasoned communicator who will continue GPA’s tradition of professionalism in media and public relations,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. “We are happy to welcome her aboard at Georgia Ports.”

Lepore’s career spans nearly two decades as a journalist for CNN, NPR and Westwood One Radio Networks. Lepore has held roles as press secretary for the Georgia Governor’s Office, director of marketing and communications for the Georgia Department of Economic Development and as a senior advisor for strategic communications at the law firm McKenna Long & Aldridge, now Dentons. She later advised Fortune 500 companies as founding principal of a communications and government relations firm. Most recently, Lepore served as senior advisor to the director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Lepore joins the GPA on Jan. 18 following a nationwide executive search.

“This is a remarkable opportunity and I really look forward to working with the GPA team to serve Georgians and propel the state’s diverse industries,” she said. Lepore and her family will move from Atlanta to Savannah, where they will live.

Morris said it had been an honor to be a part of the Georgia Ports Authority, and to witness Savannah transform from a mid-sized regional port into an international hub for American commerce.

“After 20 years at Georgia Ports, I am excited about exploring new opportunities,” Morris said. “I am proud of the body of work our communications team has produced, and I look forward to working with Loretta as she transitions into her new role.”

Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 496,700 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $29 billion in income, $122 billion in revenue and $3.4 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy. The Port of Savannah handled 9.3 percent of total U.S. containerized cargo volume and 10.5 percent of all U.S. containerized exports in FY2020.

For more information, visit gaports.com, or contact GPA Chief Communications Officer Robert Morris at (912) 964-3855 or [email protected]