George Patrick [GP] McLeer, Jr is the Mayor of Fountain Inn, SC, the Executive Director of the Upstate Mobility Alliance, and a founding partner of Pecan Public Relations, LLC.

A South Carolina native, in 2019 GP was elected Mayor of the City of Fountain Inn, South Carolina, one of the fastest growing cities in the state, at age 31, making him the youngest mayor in the city’s history. As Director of the Upstate Mobility Alliance, he works to advance transportation solutions across ten counties in the Upstate of South Carolina including public transit, vehicular innovations, walkability, trails, and other methods of connectivity. In 2021 he founded Pecan Public Relations, LLC which focuses on advocacy, communications, and governance for nonprofits across the state.

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

• Association of South Carolina Mayors
• Keep Laurens County Beautiful (Chair)
• Municipal Association of South Carolina‘s Legislative Committee
• Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study (GPATS) Policy Committee
• Fountain Inn Rotary Club

GP was recently named one of the “50 Most Influential People” by Greenville Business Magazine, and one of Greenville’s “Best and Brightest 35 & Under”.

GP holds a BA in Arts Management from the College of Charleston, where he has been recognized with the university’s 250th Anniversary Young Alumnus Award in 2020, the 2016 School of the Arts Young Alumnus Award, the Julie Jett Arts Management Citizenship Award, and placed in the School of the Arts Hall of Fame. He was also awarded the first-ever Alumni Heart Award by his high school alma mater, St. Joseph’s Catholic School, for his contributions to the arts community.

GP and his wife, Taylor, have one daughter, Albee James. Taylor earned her undergraduate degree from Coker University, and has two masters degrees in education from Anderson University (MAT) and Clemson University (EdS). She currently works as an Interventionist in Greenville County Schools and also is the founder of The Orchard, a professional and life coaching firm curated for educators.

Previously, GP was the Executive Director of the SC Arts Alliance, where he led advocacy efforts to increase public support for the arts at the state and federal level. At the SCAA, his work included leading the charge in securing historic funding levels for the arts at the state and federal level, championing stronger arts education policy, and leading the formation of a national coalition of arts advocacy organizations.

Prior to his role at the SCAA, he created and led the Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Mauldin, SC where he developed and managed the Mauldin Cultural Center, the Mauldin Public Art Trail, managed all city-wide marketing, and advised on all economic development projects.

Past positions include: Executive Director, SC Arts Alliance; Administrator, City of Mauldin Office of Cultural Affairs; Executive Director, Mauldin Cultural Center; Development Assistant, Charleston Stage Company; Arts Management Intern, Younts Center for the Performing Arts.

Past board / committee service includes: Creative States Coalition (Co-Chair), Arts in Education Advisory Council (ABC Project), Palmetto State Arts Education, College of Charleston’s School of the Arts Council, St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce (Past Chair), Fountain Inn Chorale, Mauldin Cultural Council, and Upstate International.