Savannah-based Colonial Group Announces Executive Leadership Promotions

(Savannah, Ga.) Colonial Group, Inc., a Savannah-based diversified family of companies, has announced two promotions involving its executive leadership team.

Bob Kenyon has been promoted to chief operations officer of Colonial Group, Inc., while retaining his position as president of Colonial Oil Industries, Inc., and Ryan Chandler has been promoted to chief commercial officer of Colonial Group, Inc., while retaining his position as president of Colonial Terminals, Inc.

“All the companies within the Colonial family have experienced tremendous growth and change over the past several years,” said Christian Demere, president and CEO of Colonial Group. “While I am proud of the progress each company has made, I believe there is even more potential to unlock by better leveraging our synergies and strengths across the entire organization. Additionally, we have the opportunity to further strengthen our family culture. Expanding Ryan’s and Bob’s scope across the company will help us achieve our full potential and become the best in every industry we serve.”

The Colonial family of companies is represented in multiple industries and offers products and services that include energy and chemical marketing and distribution, materials storage and handling, and retail convenience stores.

In their new roles, Kenyon and Chandler will expand their involvement across the entire organization in operational and commercial strategy and standards and unite all Colonial’s business units under a new “One Colonial” approach.

Kenyon has nearly 30 years of experience in fuel operations. Prior to joining Colonial in 2022, he served as senior vice president, sales and marketing for Renewable Energy Group, Inc. He is also the former president of Atlas Oil Company, where he led the company’s nationwide sales, marketing, supply, operations, and administrative resources spanning 20 terminals and more than 900 employees. He holds a B.B.A. in business management from Eastern Michigan University and completed advanced executive education studies at the University of Michigan.

Chandler joined Colonial Group, Inc., as vice president of business development in 2011 and became president of Colonial Terminals, Inc., in 2020. Earlier in his career, he practiced commercial law and later served as vice president of operations at TICO/Terminal Services, a Savannah-based, family-owned terminal equipment manufacturing and outsourcing company, where he worked for eight years. He holds several degrees from the University of Florida: a B.A. in finance, a J.D. from the Fredric G. Levin College of Law, and an MBA from the Warrington College of Business.