Ryan Newton was elected to Council in 2023. He previously served on the Forest Acres Zoning Board of Appeals and uses his love of running to help children at The Therapy Place participate annually in the Miracles in Motion 5k.
Ryan grew up in Seneca, a small city in the upstate of South Carolina. He attended Wofford College and graduated in 2002. He moved to Columbia after college to attend the University of South Carolina School of Law. He graduated law school in 2005 and began working in Columbia as a commercial real estate attorney immediately after graduating law school and passing the bar exam.
He received a great education at Wofford, but more importantly, it was there where he met his best friend and now wife, Kenzie (Brunson) Newton. Ryan and Kenzie got married in 2005 shortly after Ryan finished law school. They had their first child, Mary Mac, in 2009 and in 2010 moved to Forest Acres, and bought the house Kenzie’s grandfather built. Their second child, Will, came shortly after in 2011 and they have been raising their family in Forest Acres for 13 years. Mary Mac is now in eighth grade at Crayton Middle School and Will is in fifth grade at Satchel Ford.
Ryan is a partner with the law firm of Graybill, Lansche & Vinzani, LLC and continues to practice commercial real estate representing various clients in real estate development projects, leasing, and acquisitions in the Midlands throughout the Southeast. Ryan’s role as an advisor and counselor to his clients is what he enjoys most about his job. His wife, Kenzie, was previously the secretary/bookkeeper at Satchel Ford Elementary and is now the owner and operator of Forest Acres Needlepoint, a needlepoint boutique located in Forest Acres near the corner of Forest Drive and Beltline Boulevard.
The Newtons are members of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral where both Ryan and Kenzie have served on the Vestry and in other leadership roles within the church. Ryan is a past president of the Men of Trinity, an usher team captain and volunteer with other ministries within the church. His daughter, Mary Mac, sings in the Trinity Girls Choir as well. He regularly attends weekly men’s bible studies with other men of faith in the community.
Mary Mac and Will are involved with school, sports and other activities and Ryan enjoys spending time watching and coaching his children in their various activities. Ryan is also active with F3 (Fitness, Fellowship & Faith) and enjoys running and working out early in the morning with his fellow F3 brothers.
Ryan is also a former member of the Forest Acres Zoning Board of Appeals, a graduate of the Columbia Chamber’s Leadership Columbia program and served on both the Leadership Columbia Advisory Board and the Leadership Columbia Alumni Association Advisory Board, serving as chair of the alumni board. He is also a member of the International Conference of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute.
On council, Ryan wants to work to build and continue to strengthen the Forest Acres community.