Congaree Land Trust welcomes two new members to board of directors
August 20, 2026
Congaree Land Trust (CLT) welcomed two new members to its board of directors: Margaret Ellen Pender and Warren Duncan. Both join the board with a shared love of the outdoors and a commitment to protecting the land that defines South Carolina’s Midlands.
“We are thrilled to welcome Margaret Ellen and Warren to our board,” said Stuart White, Executive Director of Congaree Land Trust. “Their professional backgrounds and genuine passion for conservation will strengthen our work protecting land across the Midlands for generations to come.”
Margaret Ellen Pender
Margaret Ellen Pender is a principal at Anchor Investment Management, LLC in Columbia. A graduate of Presbyterian College, she began her career in retail banking before joining Anchor as the firm’s first hire in 2002. Over the past two decades, she has helped grow the firm and now focuses primarily on client relationships. Pender is an alumna of Hammond School, where she serves on the alumni board, and she also serves on the boards of the Scotsman Club at Presbyterian College and the South Carolina Ballet. An avid outdoorswoman, she is often found in the woods or on the water.
“I was introduced to Congaree Land Trust by my mentor Pat Dorn many years ago,” Pender said. “Because of my love of the outdoors, I have developed an interest in land protection. It is a great honor to me to serve on this board, and I look forward to learning and contributing.”
Warren Duncan
Warren Duncan serves as Director of Forest Operations and Portfolio Management at Milliken Advisors, where he leads strategic field operations, forestry services, and corporate business development. With deep expertise in rural property ownership and long-term land stewardship, he works closely with private landowners and institutional investors to balance sustainability with financial performance. Duncan holds a Bachelor of Science in Forest Resource Management and Wildlife from Clemson University and remains active in regional forestry industry groups and community organizations. He lives in Lexington, SC, and in his free time he enjoys working and hunting on his family’s tree farm in York County.
“I have joined the Board at CLT because I want to support land conservation and help protect special places in one of the country’s fastest growing states,” Duncan said.
Pender and Duncan join CLT’s board at a pivotal time for land conservation in the Midlands, as the organization continues its work protecting farmland, forests, and significant habitats across its 15-county service area.
About CLT
The Congaree Land Trust (CLT) is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization committed to conserving the natural and scenic lands of central South Carolina. To date over 100,000 acres have been conserved, representing 227 individual conservation easements across 15 counties. Conservation easements help protect the natural areas that fuel our state’s natural resources based economy and define our way of life.
