But despite his huge responsibilities, he seems to embody the laidback Savannah scene. Jovial and easy-going, he could be a great fishing buddy. And he is quite the fisherman.

“There’s salt water in my veins!” he laughs. Demere spends “as much time as possible fishing – in creeks and rivers, in the surf, and out in the Gulf Stream,” he says. He’s also a bird hunter and an avid golfer.

Necessarily, he also has a hardworking side. Colonial Group is no mom-and-pop operation. It employs 1,000, owns three Savannah port terminals, ships to and receives from countries around the world, and runs a network of 70-plus gas stations. He says Savannah is ideally located for those activities.

“Much of our business is import/export,” he notes. “So the port is of primary importance. But we also depend on railroads, and on I-16 and I-95 for trucking.”

Since Savannah is the western-most port in the Eastern U.S., “there’s less distance to anywhere inland,” says Demere. “Also, the port is geographically sheltered from weather.”

Another Savannah advantage is Colonial’s employees, half of whom work in its Enmark gas stations. “We have very low turnover, especially for retain,” he notes gratefully. “It’s a loyal group we have here.”