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A champion for economic opportunity across South Carolina for more than two decades, Sara Hazzard is President and Chief Executive Officer of the South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce (SCMC).

SCMC, the State’s Chamber, is the new organization born of the merger between two of South Carolina’s strongest business advocacy groups, the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (SCMA) and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

Sara, a well-known advocate and voice for the state’s business and manufacturing community, was appointed to SCMC’s top leadership role after serving as President and CEO of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance for nearly a decade. Prior to serving as SCMA’s President and CEO, Sara led government relations for the organization for 13 years.

A member of the Presbyterian College Board of Trustees, Sara previously served on the boards of the South Carolina Economic Developers Association, Sustain SC, and the Palmetto Center for Women, which she also chaired. Governor Henry McMaster appointed Sara to the statewide accelerateSC task force charged with responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sara is also a Port Ambassador for the South Carolina Ports Authority, a graduate of Leadership South Carolina, and has served as an Elder in her church.

Her leadership and impact have been recognized statewide, including by media outlets which have named her among the 50 most influential leaders in South Carolina. She is also a recipient of the Columbia Regional Business Report’s Women of Influence Award.

A native of South Carolina, Sara earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Presbyterian College, where she also minored in Business Administration and History. She lives in Columbia with her husband, John, and their two children.