Travis McNeal is the Executive Director of Oliver Gospel Mission, a respected and recognized brand within the Columbia, SC community for 135 years who is engaging and transforming lives through the power of Christ’s love. McNeal serves along side 68 creative, skilled team members who are passionately committed to guiding men, women and children through some of life’s most desperate times. McNeal has led in the development of over 60 collaborative relationships, increased funding by two million dollars since 2020, casts vision and implements strategy for an 33,000 sq. ft. Women’s Center, Toby’s Place, an 80 bed Men’s Center, a 10,000 sq. ft. Thrift Store and Oliver Gospel’s most recent innovations, the OG Coffee Roastery and Hope Shop.
McNeal has also served Golden Harvest Food Bank in Augusta, Georgia where he oversaw a 50 member staff , 3 distribution centers, a 17,000 sq. ft. Volunteer Experience facility, the Masters Table, a 12,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art soup kitchen, and a for-profit company, Golden Service Providers which generated over one million in accounts.
McNeal led the cultivation of over 13,000 donors and involved over 1000 volunteers so others would not go hungry. He built a skilled, motivated, visionary team that increased the food bank’s capacity to feed more individuals with the most efficient and innovative methods.
The food bank partnered with over 270 agencies throughout 30 counties in Georgia and South Carolina and the distributed over 17 million pounds of food annually. The food bank featured nutritious food programs such as: Senior Food Box, Mobile Food Pantries, backpacks for children and developed the Strategic Plan initiative: Healthy Plate.
Prior to joining Golden Harvest, Travis served as an Associate Pastor in churches throughout South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Tennessee were he led strategic mission projects.
McNeal earned a Bachelor of Arts from Augusta State University in Augusta, Georgia and a Master’s degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a native of North Augusta, South Carolina.
Travis is an activator, futuristic thinker, action and belief driven, has a team building spirit and a passion to connect with and help others. He is in his element when building community partnerships and seeking new ways of reaching deeper and wider through innovation, relationships and smart business practices.
McNeal is a member of The Columbia Capital Rotary Club, Leadership Columbia, City Center Partnership Board Member and Long Range Planning Committee.