Learn more about the men applying to lead Horry County Government

What was expected to be an open interview process of Horry County administrator applicants turned into a closed-door meeting when council entered executive session on Wednesday.

While the interviews were out of public view, The Sun News gave each applicant a chance to talk about who they are and why they applied.

Moving forward, a final candidate will be picked in the upcoming council meeting on July 9.

Here is what was said:

William Shanahan

Most recently, Shanahan served as the administrator of York County. He is applying because it is a big region with a lot of “good stuff” already happening that he hopes to build on.

Coming to Horry County would be a step up in terms of size from York County, but Shanahan said it would be a continuation of public service for him.

“I love what I do and I care about the folks that I work for, the people, because that’s who we all work for,” he said.

Shanahan thinks he offers problem-solving skills and knows how to fix systems. A priority for him is getting the will of the people done without raising taxes.

From his perspective Horry County already has a lot going well for it. He specifically cited the Imagine 2040 Comprehensive Plan as a good road map for the county to be using.

“Horry County has already put so many pieces together. I want to come in and help council direct policy moving forward,” he said.

Fun fact: He is a supporter of Liverpool Football Club and served 20 years in the United States Air Force.

Jon Caime

Caime is applying for the job while currently serving as the county administrator from Laurens County. He is seeking the position because he loves South Carolina and wants to help lead one of the fastest-growing regions in the state.

He previously served in the private sector as an entrepreneur, which means he can help run government as a business. He wants to bring a customer-first, or people-first, mindset to government.

With an engineering background, being innovative is important for him to address problems the county is facing without the typical routes like a tax increase.

“If you really don’t understand what it takes to do the jobs, you don’t really understand what can be done and what is possible,” he said. “In government, we tend to work in silos and as a bureaucracy, which is by design, but it’s incredibly inefficient.”

For him, making sure all people can prosper in Horry County is important as it continues to grow by bringing in industry and making sure government operates as effectively as possible.

Fun Fact: While he loves South Carolina, he said he was born a “damn yankee” from New York.

Wayne Gray

Gray served on the Myrtle Beach City Council for 16 years and is currently working as a senior vice president at Synovus Bank.

“I got into my introduction to civics and local government when I was a teenager coming to Horry County Planning Commission with my dad,” Gray said. “It created a calling for public service.”

He said that to be a good administrator, you have to be dedicated to serving the people first and foremost.

Specifically, Gray comes from a long line of Horry County residents, and said he has a passion for the people living here. When he saw Horry County was looking for a new administrator, he jumped at the opportunity.

“I would relish and love the opportunity as a native of Horry County. I understand our culture and people,” Gray said.

Serving on the Myrtle Beach Council gives him experience on the other side of the council-administrator relationship. In addition, he has made policy decisions on how to handle the rapid growth in the region while still maintaining the character that defines Horry County.

He sees the role as administrator as giving council as many options as possible when making tough decisions.

Fun fact: Gray doesn’t like going to the beach. He prefers playing basketball.

Alan Clemmons

Clemmons currently serves as the District 107 representative to the South Carolina House of Representative. He said that position has been a unique honor but becoming the Horry County Administrator would allow him to serve more people.

“I see it as service at a higher level,” Clemmons said. “As I’ve watched and evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of Horry County, I find I have certain skills that will help lift Horry County to the next level.”

He said he has managed organizations with hundreds of employees working under him. He believes the principles he learned from previous jobs would help him lead Horry County Government.

In addition, while Clemmons would not be responsible for setting policy, he said his connections in the statehouse would be helpful in guiding council on what might be possible in terms of law changes. He was speaking specifically about issues dealing with the growth in Horry County.

If picked, Clemmons would no longer be the District 107 representative. If he is not given the job, he will continue his current role and will most likely seek re-election.

“I will continue to serve the people of District 107 and continue that level of service they’ve become accustom to,” Clemmons said.

Fun fact: His family has been in Horry County for centuries. He lives on the same property where his great-grandfather was born in the 1800s.

Steve Gosnell

Gosnell declined to comment after leaving his interview, but Gosnell has a long career working for Horry County that is well documented.

In the past he served as the assistant administrator over infrastructure and regulation. Combined with his engineering background, he has provided institutional knowledge about Horry County development planning and growth.

Most recently, he has been the interim administrator since the county and previous administrator Chris Eldridge negotiated his exit. Over the past few months, Gosnell oversaw the creation of a budget that gave public employees raises while avoiding a large property tax increase.

This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 1:35 PM.