How Georgia Ports Authority CEO Reframed His Leadership Before Taking on His Biggest Role

After nearly three decades in the maritime and logistics industry, Kevin Price (TEP ’26) knew how to run complex operations. He had spent his career overseeing complex logistics networks and building a reputation for operational excellence.

But when he accepted the role of president of Georgia Ports Authority, and also agreed to become CEO in August 2027 when the current chief executive retires, Price realized he needed more than his own experience to be prepared.

“For most of my career, I’ve been focused on the operational side,” Price explained. “Now it’s more strategic, long-term planning. I’m excited about the opportunity to focus more on vision and strategy.”

The Executive Program (TEP)—the flagship senior leadership development program offered by Executive Education & Lifelong Learning at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business—was a crucial opportunity for him to step back from his focus on day-to-day operations, develop a broader view and begin thinking differently about leadership.

The Questions That Changed Everything

Like many experienced executives entering TEP, Price expected faculty to provide solutions.

“You sit there and think the instructors are going to give you these answers,” he recalled. “But instead, they asked questions.”

At first, the approach caught him off guard. Over time, he realized that was precisely the point.

“As the faculty guided conversations and challenged our expectations, the class started giving the answers,” Price said. “Darden teaches you that you don’t have to be the guy in front with all the answers when you have a room full of knowledgeable people. You have to be able to ask smart questions, and you have to give people time to answer those questions.”

Surrounded by classmates whose backgrounds ranged from engineering and medicine to the military and space exploration, Price discovered that while industries differ, leadership challenges often do not.

“We were answering the same questions because we all have the same issues,” he said. “They’re just draped a little differently.”

The experience also changed the way he viewed his own role as a leader.

“The higher up you go, you’ve got to step away from the day-to-day,” he said. “You’ve hired people you trust to do the day-to-day. If you’re not looking ahead to where you’re going to be a week from now, six months from now, five years from now, you’re doing your company a disservice.”

A Small Moment, A Lasting Lesson

One classroom moment still stands out for Price. During a case discussion, Professor S. “Venkat” Venkataraman used the phrase “table stakes.” A classmate whose first language wasn’t English wasn’t familiar with the expression.

Rather than moving on, Venkat paused to clarify the meaning of the concept before returning to the discussion. Once they understood, the classmate offered an insightful perspective that otherwise might have been lost. For Price, that small moment has helped shape his leadership style.

“When you ask a question, make sure everyone understands it,” he reflected. “If they don’t, they may not speak up, and you may miss out on a valuable new idea or insight. Create the conditions for every voice to contribute.”

Prepared to Lead From Day One

Accepting the role at Georgia Ports Authority gave Price an opportunity to put his new leadership lessons into practice immediately. As he prepared to transition from leading a smaller organization to helping guide one of the nation’s fastest-growing port systems, he reached back to the faculty who had challenged his thinking throughout the program.

“I called Elena Loutskina and said, ‘I need some help with this transition,’” he said.

Conversations with faculty members Venkataraman, Loutskina and Professor Kim Whitler became a playbook as he prepared for his new role: 15 priorities to complete before his first day and five more to focus on once he arrived.

Among the ideas that resonated most were:

• Evaluating the organization with fresh eyes
• Intentionally shaping how he wanted to lead from day one
• Resisting the temptation to fall back into familiar habits

“I didn’t have to go in with the old branded ‘Operations Kevin,’” he said. “I could be a different Kevin. I could be more strategic.”

However, Price wasn’t trying to erase the leadership style that had carried him through three successful decades. He was building on it. The operational discipline that had defined his career would remain essential. But stepping into a broader executive role also required creating more space for long-term thinking, inviting different perspectives and resisting the instinct to solve every problem himself.

Leading Beyond the Answers

Looking back, Price says his biggest change hasn’t been learning another leadership framework. It has been learning to see leadership differently. His Darden experience reminded him that better leadership comes from inviting more perspectives, slowing down before making decisions and trusting the expertise of others.

“I don’t have to have all the answers,” he said. “There are really smart people in the world, and if you ask, many people are willing to help you do the right thing.”

Ever the operations expert, Price still believes execution matters. But today, he’s just as focused on asking the right questions, inviting different perspectives into the conversation and creating a winning culture. If he can do that, he believes he can be the kind of successful leader TEP has shown him he can become.