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SCDNR Board welcomes new member March 23, 2018

Duane Merrill Swygert

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Board welcomed a new member, businessman Duane Swygert of Hardeeville (center), at their March 2018 meeting, held prior to the opening of the Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic Outdoor Expo in Columbia. Standing with Swygert are SCDNR Director Alvin Taylor (left) and Board Chairman Norman Pulliam of Spartanburg (right). [SCDNR photo by David Lucas]

Duane Merrill Swygert of Hardeeville, S.C. has been chosen to represent South Carolina's Sixth Congressional District on the seven-member South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Board. Swygert was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster and confirmed by the state Senate in March. He attended his first meeting on March 23 in Columbia, where the SCDNR Board met prior to the opening of the annual Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic Outdoor Expo.

Swygert, a Jasper County businessman, currently serves as president of the Hardeeville Development Corporation and as the business manager for New River Enterprises, Inc. He is also a managing partner with Tillman Properties. Prior to his work in real estate development, Swygert had a long career in law enforcement, retiring from the U.S. Customs Service in Savannah, Ga. Prior to that, he served as a U.S. border patrol agent assigned to El Paso, Texas, and as a trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol. He is a veteran of the United States Army. Swygert’s background and experiences have led to his appointment to numerous boards and commissions previously, including the Jasper County Planning Commission, the Jasper County Appeals Board and the South Carolina Juvenile Parole Board. His career also includes a stint as manager of New River Plantation in Hardeeville, where he was responsible for managing wildlife, timber and agriculture operations. Swygert and his wife, Bonnie, attend Tillman United Methodist Church.

The governor appoints the members and chairman of the SCDNR Board, the policy-making body for the SCDNR, with Senate confirmation. One member is chosen to represent each of South Carolina's seven congressional districts. The Board meets on a monthly basis to discuss and set policies for the agency, which is composed of five divisions: Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Marine Resources, Law Enforcement, Outreach and Support Services, and Land, Water and Conservation. For more information about the Department of Natural Resources Board, including dates and times for upcoming meetings, visit https://www.dnr.sc.gov/admin/board.html.

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