COLUMBIA, S.C. — May 1, 2024 — The South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (SCMA) has elected Kevin Brown, senior vice president of Global Operations for the Textile Division at Milliken & Company, as the chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. The election took place at SCMA’s two-day annual meeting.
“I am honored to be elected by my colleagues to serve as Chair of the SCMA,” Brown said. “Manufacturing is the backbone of South Carolina’s economy, and the SCMA has served a significant role in advocating policies and initiatives that drive our industry towards continued prosperity and growth. I look forward to continuing this work and advancing our industry throughout the Palmetto State.”
Brown currently serves as the senior vice president of Global Operations for the Textile Division at Milliken & Company, where he oversees Manufacturing, Sourcing, and Supply Chain across the firm’s 26 textile manufacturing sites worldwide, leading a team of over 4,000 employees. As he steps into his 30th year with the company in 2025, Kevin takes pride in working towards enhancing Milliken’s comprehensive lean-based, continuous improvement program applied across their global network.
His journey with Milliken began in 1995 as a process engineer at the Enterprise Plant. Over the years, he has held various leadership roles, including his time as the Nonwovens Commercial Director and multiple plant leadership positions. Throughout his tenure, Kevin has been instrumental in driving cost improvements, ensuring better safety measures, and fostering diversified product development both domestically and internationally.
Brown is a proud alumnus of Clemson University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 1994. He served as vice president of Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers for the SC Chapter and has served as a member and past chairman of Clemson University’s Industrial Engineering Advisory Board, contributing to his long-standing relationship with the University.
The full slate of SCMA Board Members that were elected include:
Executive Committee
- Chair – Kevin Brown, Milliken & Company
- Immediate Past Chair – Tommy Preston, The Boeing Company
- First Vice Chair – Grant Burns, AFL
- Second Vice Chair – Andrew Dill, Lockheed Martin
- Treasurer – Curtis Hutto, Thompson Construction Group, Inc.
- Textile Council Chair – Ellis Fisher, Inman Mills
Council Chairs
- Automotive Council Chair – Matthew Hamrick, Mercedes-Benz Vans
- Chemistry Council Chair – Nicole McCracken, BASF
- Lowcountry Manufacturers Council Chair – Nate McGaughey, Nucor Steel Berkeley
- Tire Council Chair – Chris Gullott, Bridgestone
Terms Expiring 2025
- Dex Battista, Magna
- Matthew Bowers, Sage Automotive Interiors
- Ron Freed, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. South Carolina Manufacturing
- Keller Kissam, Dominion Energy
- Jason Meredith, Continental
- Hunter Mottel, Sleep Number
- Michael Tschantz, Ingevity
Terms Expiring 2026
- Scott Craig, JTEKT
- Cameron Hamrick, Hamrick Mills
- Mike Lee, Nucor Steel Berkeley
- Jann Moore, Caterpillar Inc.
- Francesca Mosteller, Michelin
- Dan Royston, A.O. Smith
- Katie Yehl, Volvo Cars
Terms Expiring 2027
- Bill Alexander, Celanese Polymer Products, LLC
- Blair Belk, Coca-Cola Consolidated
- Michelle DiMaio, Tetramer Technologies
- Kate Konopasek, Toray Composite Materials America, Inc.
- Scott Medley, BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC
- Tim Pearson, Duke Energy
- Mark Whitten, Spartanburg Steel Products
Ex Officio
- SC Future Makers Chair – Sidney Locke, Sage Automotive Interiors
Posted: May 1, 2024
Source: The South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (SCMA)
