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About
David Agnew
David
Agnew is a successful businessman and community leader with
over two decades of experience in government, real estate development,
and consulting.
A piazza
at the planned Morris Square development in Charleston, S.C. |
In
2004, David and his wife Lela founded Civic Square, LLC, a real
estate development and consulting firm that works with developers,
landowners, and government officials to create and execute innovative
public private real estate partnerships. Civic Square participates
in long-term, high value projects that promote urbanism and enhance
the public realm. The firm is currently active in a number of innovative
projects, including Morris Square, 30 Mary Street, 16-18 Jasper
Street, King & Calhoun, and Concord Park. From 2001-2004, David
was a Principal in Civitas, LLC, a real estate development company
based in Charleston, South Carolina, where he helped create several
award-winning real estate development partnerships, including Morris
Square and Hammond's
Ferry.
From
1996-2001, David served as Executive Assistant to Charleston, South
Carolina Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. In his five years with Mayor
Riley, David worked on the broad range of issues that face a thriving
city, from the creation of beautiful urban spaces to the struggle
to build affordable housing to the daily operations and management
issues of an $80 million, 1300-employee organization. Through his
work with one of America's leading mayors, David developed a keen
understanding of what it takes to create a great city, especially
on the issues of urban design that have been a hallmark of Mayor
Riley's leadership. David served as a principal adviser to the Mayor,
helped manage city government operations, and represented the Mayor
on political, organizational, and community issues.
Before
moving to Charleston, David worked in Washington, D.C. as a Special
Assistant to U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, where he directed
policy initiatives and contributed to speeches and policy for the
Secretary. Previously, he was a Senior Management Consultant at
Price Waterhouse, where his assignments included one year in Czechoslovakia
advising local governments on the transition to a market-based democracy
and analyzing the potential privatization of the Slovakian textile
industry.
David
is active in politics and has worked on local, state, and national
political campaigns and government issues for over twenty-five years.
In addition to leadership on dozens of state and local races, he
served as the Upstate South Carolina Field Director for the 1992
Clinton-Gore Campaign and, in 1984, was elected the youngest delegate
to the Democratic National Convention. David is also active in many
civic organizations, serving as Chair of the Trust for Public Land
(TPL) South Carolina Advisory Board and on the Boards of the Charleston
Stage Company and the College of Charleston Riley Institute. He
recently helped raise over $135,000 to build the Memminger Park
and Playground in downtown Charleston.
David
graduated in 1990 from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School
of Government with a Masters Degree and in 1988 from Erskine College
with a degree in History and English. He attended Oxford University
as a Visiting Student (Mansfield College 1986-87). He is a Harry
S. Truman Scholar and a European Union Visiting Fellow.
David
is married to Lela Riis Usry Agnew and lives in downtown Charleston,
South Carolina with their son Dallas. They are members of Grace
Episcopal Church.
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