Davis, who was appointed to the board by the governor Tuesday, attended his first meeting Wednesday in Charleston.
Davis joins Beaufort resident Glen Kilgore as local representatives on the nine-member statewide board.
"I have a very clear idea of what (Sanford) expects of the people he appoints to these boards, and the State Ports Authority board is one of the most important," Davis said Friday. "He's going to expect me to bring new ideas and to be open- minded when others bring their own new ideas. He's very expectant that I watch out for the taxpayers' bottom line."
Local representation on the state board could be critical as the group deliberates the redevelopment of the Port of Port Royal and a proposed port site in Jasper County on the Savannah River.
Davis stepped down as Sanford's chief of staff in June so he could return home to Beaufort where he and his wife are expecting their third child. He attended Furman University with Sanford, also a one-time Beaufort County resident, and has known the governor for more than 20 years.
Davis' appointment has everything to do with his qualifications, not with the fact that he lives in Beaufort, said Sanford spokesman Will Folks.
"I don't think it's a regional thing with (the governor), I think it's a qualified candidate mentality that directs his decisions," Folks said. "Tom is somebody who probably has a closer relationship with the governor than anybody ... He's somebody who, when a situation comes up, is going to bring a lot of insight into what the governor might think. He's very attuned to where the governor is coming from."
Davis and Sanford also share an appreciation for the fact that the Ports Authority needs to be run like a business with the best interest of South Carolinians in mind, Folks said.
With the closure of the Port of Port Royal in the works and controversy surrounding a possible Jasper County port, area officials expressed pleasure Friday with Davis' appointment to the board.
"Hopefully it means we will have better representation of our issues and concerns on the board," said state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, D-Ridgeland, adding that he thought Davis was one of the best appointments Sanford has made to a state board during his nearly two years in office.
Jasper County continues to pursue a $450 million port with private developer SSA Marine on 1,776 acres owned by the Georgia Department of Transportation, property the S.C. State Ports Authority has been rumored to have an interest in for its long-term expansion.
"Mr. Davis is definitely a fine appointment," Pinckney said. "I hope and I believe he will have our best interests at heart, and he will be thoughtful and hopefully an advocate for the Lowcountry as far as all port activity and maritime activity is concerned."
Davis said he has a lot to learn about the Jasper issue, but hopes his 20 years practicing real estate and corporate law can benefit the board when examining the county's agreement with SSA Marine.
"Obviously it's an issue the state Ports Authority is very interested in," he said. "It's a great site for a port that obviously falls within the Ports Authority's purview."
Davis also said he was pleased at the progress of plans for the redevelopment of the Port Royal waterfront. In September Sanford signed a bill closing the small shipping terminal and instructing the Ports Authority to sell its property in the town by Dec. 31, 2006.
"There has been an amazing spirit of cooperation between the Ports Authority and Port Royal and the citizens of Port Royal, who obviously have a vital stake in how that property is developed," Davis said.
Port Royal Town Manager Van Willis said it can only help to have another local representative on the board, and that the board should be primarily made up of members from coastal South Carolina, where the Ports Authority has its biggest impact.
"We're certainly pleased that Gov. Sanford has appointed someone from Beaufort County to serve on the Ports Authority board, particularly considering the transition of the Port of Port Royal from an operating port to a completely redeveloped area," Willis said.