Susan Gardner promoted to CIO at Georgia Ports

Susan Gardner has been promoted to Chief Information Officer at Georgia Ports

SAVANNAH, Ga., 30, 2026 – The Georgia Ports Authority has promoted Vice President of Operations Susan Gardner to the role of Chief Information Officer.

“Susan’s terminal operating expertise, systems knowledge and leadership will take us to the next level of performance for our customers and port users,” said GPA President Kevin Price. 

As Vice President of Operations, Gardner currently oversees daily port operations in the Port of Savannah, which handles 40 ships per week, 42 doublestack trains per week and 15,000 truck transactions per day as the fastest growing port in the U.S. Southeast, handling 5.67 million TEUs in fiscal year 2026. The Port of Brunswick handles over 700 ships per year.

Gardner joined GPA in 2020, serving first as Senior Director of Operations and Projects, and then as Vice President of Operations managing daily operations and the Ocean Terminal project. Prior to joining GPA, Gardner worked for the terminal operations software company Kaleris/Navis as Vice President and General Manager of Field Operations in the Americas, managing 20 on-site software deployments per year with more than 100 customers.  

Gardner brings more than 30 years of industry experience with progressive leadership roles in several port locations in the U.S. 

“This is an exciting opportunity to find new ways to constantly improve our operations. We want our GPA service levels to be the best in the industry, delivering supply chains that flow smoother and compete stronger in world markets,” Gardner added. 

Over the next decade, GPA’s strategic plan calls for $5 billion in infrastructure, including five big-ship container berths in Savannah and a fourth berth for Roll-on/Roll-off cargo at the Port of Brunswick.