Bio

Photo of GP McLeer

GP McLeer is a father and husband with a professional passion for policy, process, and community. He is the Mayor of Fountain Inn, Director of Public Policy & Community Engagement at Together SC, Director of the Upstate Mobility Alliance, and Co-Founder of Pecan Public Relations, LLC.

A South Carolina native, GP is currently in his second term as Mayor of Fountain Inn, South Carolina. As Mayor, he has prioritized transparency and responsible growth for his community nearly 13,000. He has led the charge on landmark investments city operations and facilities, including a system-wide sewer rehabilitation, natural gas utility upgrades, and neighborhood park revitalizations. In a city with a staff of over 200, and an annual budget of nearly $40 million, GP works with elected, community, business, and regional leaders to balance Fountain Inn’s small town charm with rapid growth.

During his tenure, the City won statewide awards for its Main Street Grant Program and Sanctified Hill Park renovation, and also secured over $22 million in funding for local projects from state and federal resources.

GP started his career in the nonprofit industry and in 2024 became the first-ever Director of Public Policy & Community Engagement for Together SC, the state’s nonprofit association. There, he monitors policy at all levels of government that impact the nonprofit sector, works with nonprofits across the state to engage them in advocacy work, and leads the planning of the state’s largest nonprofit conference.

GP also is the Director of the Upstate Mobility Alliance, a ten-county initiative of the regional nonprofit Ten at the Top, GP monitors transportation-related policy and trends to prepare the Upstate region of South Carolina for the future. UMA works across the vast transportation sector (roads, transit, automotive innovation, trails, aeronautics, and more) to ensure there is a regional approach to connectivity in one of the nation’s fastest growing metropolitan regions.

GP co-founded Pecan PR in 2021, a boutique firm that specializes in helping nonprofit organizations strengthen, or launch, their advocacy work - assisting boards and staff alike understand and navigate political landscapes, and create appropriate policies and practices that empower their teams to make an impact. Pecan PR also assists with event planning, communications, and nonprofit governance. The firm has assisted organizations in various sectors including statewide associations, early childhood, conservation, housing, homelessness, and public libraries.

GP has served on numerous boards and committees, and currently sits on the following:

  • Association of SC Mayors

  • Municipal Association of SC - Legislative Committee

  • Keep Laurens County Beautiful (Founding Board Chair)

  • College of Charleston School of the Arts Council

  • Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study Policy Committee

He has been named one of the area’s “50 Most Influential” and “Best and Brightest Under 35” by Greenville Business Magazine.

GP is a graduate of the College of Charleston where he was awarded the 250th Anniversary Young Alumnus Award.

He is married to his wife, Taylor, who is an educator with graduate degrees from Anderson University (MAT) and Clemson University (Ed.S). Taylor has worked as a classroom teacher and administrator, and now runs her own professional coaching business, The Orchard. Taylor and GP have one daughter, Albee James.