GMK Welcomes Jack Stuart to Its Business Development Team

GMK Associates, Inc., a design and construction services firm based in Columbia, South Carolina, has announced that John Phillip Stuart, Jr., has joined the firm’s business development team. John “Jack” Stuart brings a robust background in successful economic development and marketing to this critical role in expanding GMK’s client base in key new markets.

“Jack’s proven leadership, ties to the region, and diverse background in business recruitment and marketing strategy is a perfect fit for our sales team and long-term company vision as we move forward in our 60th year of business operations,” said company president Tom Weiland, AIA. “He will easily step into a prominent role in identifying new business opportunities and cultivating positive client collaborations.”

Stuart's most recent role prior to joining the firm was serving as the lead economic developer for the Town of Lexington, South Carolina, where he spearheaded the Town’s strategic business and industry recruitment and public relations strategies in alignment with the Town’s brand image and growth objectives. Prior to then, Jack held multiple marketing executive roles with multimedia, specialty brand, and product manufacturing organizations located within the Midlands.

A native of the Lexington, SC, area, Stuart is graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne University with a bachelor of arts in marketing. He is further a 2025/2026 graduate of the South Carolina Local Government Leadership Institute and a 2024 graduate of the South Carolina Economic Development Institute. Stuart was member of the 2024 Class of Leadership Lexington and was a Top 20 Under 40 honoree in 2024. He is also active in multiple industry, civic, and leadership organizations that include the South Carolina Economic Development Association (SCEDA), the South Carolina City and County Managers Association (SCCMA), the South Carolina Municipal Association (SCMA), the Lexington Rotary Club (current Board Member), and F3 Midlands.