SEWE Staff



click on a date below to see calendar of events

Jimmy Huggins

President and CEO

Born in Sumter, SC, Huggins moved to the Lowcountry at age 12. He received his formal education at the University of South Carolina and The Citadel. After a tour in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, and successful construction and cable television businesses, his association with Southeastern Wildlife Exposition began in 1983, when he served as a volunteer art and staff coordinator. In 1987, his role changed drastically when he and a group of businessmen bought out the financially struggling event.

Serving as Executive Director from 1987 until 1998, Huggins became President and CEO of the organization in 1998. He currently lives in Summerville, SC with his wife, Beth.

 


Beth Huggins

VIP Coordinator/Special Projects

A native of the Charleston area, Beth graduated from Winthrop University and owned her own design company for 14 years.

Beth has two daughters, Davy and JessE, two stepdaughters, Lainey and Robyn, and one grandson, Eliott. She and Jimmy have two yellow Labs (Sioux and Chase) and two Cairn Terriers (Homer and Marge),and she is known to take in just about any other creature that Jimmy will let her bring home.


John Powell

Corporate Partners/Exhibitors Coordinator

A native of Greenville, NC, and a graduate of Davidson College, John joined the full-time SEWE Staff in April 2007.

John works with SEWE corporate partners, and is responsible for the exhibitors and layouts for venues including Marion Square, Gaillard Auditorium, Brittlebank Park, Embassy Suites and the Francis Marion.

He lives in downtown Charleston with his Border Collie, Bladen.


Lindy Shealy

Art Coordinator

Originally from Winston-Salem, NC, Lindy joined the SEWE Staff in 2004. A graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, she coordinates the artists’ participation in the Expo, from the applications through the jurying and registration processes to the set-ups in the Charleston Place, the Mills House and the Francis Marion.

In addition, she handles the details for the annual Fall Party and other special SEWE events, and coordinates the show staff for Expo weekend. Lindy and her black Labrador Retriever, Maggie, live on James Island.


Ashley Slane

Marketing Director

Ashley served as SEWE’s Marketing Director from 1998-2000, then re-joined the team as a marketing consultant in 2003 after serving as the Advertising Director for Roper/St. Francis Healthcare in the interim.

After living in Wilmington, NC, and Summerville, SC, while growing up, Ashley received a B.A. degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina. She lives in Mt. Pleasant with her husband Jeff, son Evan, Australian Shepherd mix (Chance) and cat (Foster).


Natalie Wooten

Kids for Conservation Director / Advertising Sales

A native of Burgaw, NC, Natalie joined our staff in July 2009.  Upon graduating from North Carolina State University with a B.A. degree in Communication Disorders and a minor in Nonprofit Studies, she worked for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Raleigh, NC. Natalie is currently working on her Event Management Certification from The George Washington University School of Business.