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, 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 of nearly 13,000 residents. He has led the charge on landmark investments city operations and facilities, including a system-wide sewer rehabilitation, natural gas utility upgrades, neighborhood park revitalizations, and Main Street renovations and preservation. With a staff of around 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 has won statewide awards for its Main Street Grant Program and Sanctified Hill Park renovation, and has 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 co-founded Pecan PR in 2021, a boutique firm that specializes in helping nonprofit organizations strengthen, or launch, their advocacy work, plus event planning, governance, and communications. The firm has assisted organizations in various sectors including associations, early childhood, conservation, housing, homelessness, and public libraries. Notably, through Pecan PR, GP manages the Upstate Mobility Alliance, an initiative of Greenville Connects, where he works to advance mobility solutions across the region.

GP was appointed by Governor Henry McMaster in 2025 to South Carolina’s State Workforce Development Board and also serves as Vice Chair of Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study (GPATS - the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization). He is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s Rural Investment Collaborative Steering Group and a board member of the Association of SC Mayors.

Additional current board and committee service includes:

  • Municipal Association of SC - Legislative Committee

  • Keep Laurens County Beautiful (Board Chair)

  • College of Charleston School of the Arts Council

He is a 2025 Riley Mayor Design Fellow and 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.