API names Mark Harmon as Executive Director of the South Carolina Petroleum Council
COLUMBIA, January 17, 2018 – API today announced Mark Harmon as the South Carolina Petroleum Council Executive Director.
“Mark will focus on energy priorities in the state, including generating more opportunities for economic benefits including revenue to the government, and job creation,” said API Senior Director of State Government Relations Rolf Hanson. “While most of South Carolina has enjoyed lower energy prices over the past several years, the state lags far behind in realizing what is possible with policies that embrace environmentally responsible domestic natural gas and oil resource development.”
A South Carolina native and 2001 graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Ceramic and Materials Engineering, Harmon most recently served as Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. Prior to the Chamber, he served as South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus executive director. From 2003 through 2005, Harmon worked as an application engineer, designing treatment systems for both potable water and wastewater, integrating ultraviolet disinfection and ozone oxidation into the treatment process for both industrial and municipal applications.
“Energy is critical to meeting South Carolina’s immense opportunities, and progress is happening quicker, cleaner and safer than ever in history, thanks to innovation and progress in the natural gas and oil industry,” said Harmon. “I look forward to supporting policies that encourage energy development and help to grow South Carolina’s economy, this industry has already helped to support the state economy with more than 5 billion dollars and more than $2.8 billion in wages. As South Carolina continues to benefit from the U.S. manufacturing revival, lower consumer costs, with the right policies, there’s room to grow.
“New technologies coupled with responsible best practices have led to greater domestic energy development as U.S. greenhouse gas emissions reach 25-year lows. This is just one of the ways the energy industry is helping the world to power past challenges that were thought impossible just a short time ago and South Carolina has several opportunities to embrace these benefits.”
API South Carolina is a division of API, which represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 625 members produce, process, and distribute most of the nation’s energy. The industry supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 40 million Americans.