New Carolina: South Carolina's Council on Competitiveness

COLUMBIA, SC - September 24, 2012 - Belton Zeigler, managing partner and chair of the regulatory and utility practice at Pope Zeigler, has joined the Transportation Distribution Logistics [TDL] Council, an initiative of New Carolina. The purpose of the Council is to increase South Carolina’s competitive strength by comprehensively addressing transportation infrastructure needs.

New Carolina works to increase the competitiveness of South Carolina by fostering 15 statewide and regional industry clusters, including engineering, nuclear, tourism, automotive, and aviation and aerospace. In keeping with New Carolina's philosophy of bringing leaders together, the TDL Council includes representatives from the Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation and the SC State Ports Authority, as well as more than 20 members from around the state who serve private sector industries in air, rail, sea, and road.

"It's a great honor to serve on the TDL Council," says Zeigler. "New Carolina's strengths are in the connecting and networking that they foster, and the substantive and in-depth analysis of and strategic recommendations for our state's major industries. One of those significant industries is our infrastructure, which is the backbone of our economy and the key to continued growth and development."

"I think we've got great assets in our ports, our rail and interstate road system, our waterways and utilities, and growing airports. We need to build for the future on what we already have, and I'm looking forward to being a part of such an effort for South Carolina."

Zeigler is a founding board member of the Congaree Land Trust, as well as a member of the Municipal Association of South Carolina and the South Carolina Association of Counties. After graduating with a degree in English from Amherst College, he went on to receive a JD from USC's School of Law. He has served as chief legal counsel to South Carolina Electric & Gas, and was a founding partner of Pope Zeigler in 2008.

About Pope Zeigler

With offices in Columbia, SC, and Charlotte, NC, Pope Zeigler represents government agencies, public utilities, cities and towns, counties, water and sewer districts, hospitals, school districts, state institutions and other public entities particularly in creating cost-effective and secure structures for financing important projects.