Johnny Gardner

Development Corporation. Recently, he was honored as Coastal Carolina Johnny Gardner is a Horry County native whose family roots in the area date back to the early 1700s. He graduated from Coastal Carolina University. He was the first officer commissioned through the university’s Army ROTC program and served honorably as a captain with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. After military service, he earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina and returned home to serve as an assistant solicitor before founding his law firm, which he has managed for over 30 years.

Johnny entered electoral politics in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022; he is currently serving his eighth year as Horry County Council Chairman. He also serves on the Executive Committee for the North Eastern Strategic Alliance and the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic University’s Alumni of the Year for his leadership and community service.