Chris McKinney has been selected as the Executive Director of the Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments (SLRCOG).
McKinney will facilitate the strategic vision and oversee all assistance provided to the four county region, consisting of Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee and Sumter Counties and all of the associated municipalities. Based in Sumter, South Carolina, the SLRCOG has a professional staff of 30 people who serve a population of approximately 223,000 people.
McKinney will assume the role of Executive Director on October 16, 2017.
In September 2017, he retired from active duty in the United States Air Force after over 30 years of service. Prior to retiring, McKinney served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant for the 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina where he was an executive advisor to the Wing Commander and the installation's senior enlisted leader. He was responsible for the training, professional development of 8,500+ military personnel, and the morale and welfare of over 31,000 families and retirees at the nation's largest F-16 fighter wing in the Combatant Air Forces.
From April 2013 until June 2015, McKinney served as the Group Superintendent in the 33rd Operations Group at Eglin AFB, Florida where he was an executive advisor to the Operations Group Commander. He helped provide oversight to facilitate the training of F-35 pilots, F-35 intelligence professionals and Air Battle Managers. He was also responsible for the training, professional development, morale and welfare of 368 military personnel.
His military service includes combat tours of duty in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq and Afghanistan.
A native of Texas, he has an Associate's Degree in Meteorology from the Community College of the Air Force. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management (Leadership Focus) from American Military University and a Master of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership from Columbia Southern University.