Our Team

Ocean Exchange Board Member Team

Charles Hinnant

Chairman & Owner, Optima Chemical LLC

Charles (Charlie) A. Hinnant is the Chairman & owner of Optima Chemical LLC, a custom manufacturing concern in Douglas, GA.

Mr. Hinnant was also the founder of Charkit Chemical Corporation located in South Norwalk, CT. Charkit is an international trading and chemical distribution company, acquired by LLB Specialties, where Charlie now serves as a member of their advisory board. Mr. Hinnant was also the owner of Arran Chemical, Athlone, Ireland for twenty years which he sold in 2015 to Almac Group, a global pharmaceutical contract and manufacturing operation.

Prior to founding Charkit in 1982, Mr. Hinnant was employed by Fairmount Chemical in New Jersey as Vice President of Marketing. Before Fairmount he was employed by Olin Corporation formerly located in Stamford, Connecticut.

Mr. Hinnant has a BS in Chemistry from Davidson College, an MBA from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and has completed Post Graduate work at Tulane University.

He currently serves or has served on the:

  • Visitors Board of the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD)
  • Board of Directors of the Maritime Aquarium (Norwalk, CT)
  • Davidison College Board of Visitors
  • United Way of Fairfield County, CT plus Allocation Committees

Mr. Hinnant’s primary residence is Palm Beach, Florida but spends time in Connecticut, South Carolina and Nantucket as he enjoys many sporting activities especially boating with the extended family including six grandchildren ranging in age from 19 to 4.

Contact Us

Ocean Exchange invites you to learn more about Awards Program, our ecosystem and success of our award winners and participants. Together, we can chart a powerful course to help ensure the future of our oceans and the Blue Economy.

Testimonials

Ocean Exchange consistently brings together some of the most promising innovators in sustainability, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to support their work through the Solutions Review Team. Each year after attending the annual conference, I leave energized by the quality of ideas presented, the mission‑driven entrepreneurs involved, and the collaborative environment that drives meaningful progress for our oceans and The Blue Economy.

 
Rick Claar
Partner/President, The Martec Group

Participating in Ocean Exchange as an AUV subject matter expert was a meaningful way to share Anduril’s perspective on operational autonomy and AUV deployment. The event brought together diverse stakeholders focused on advancing practical, impact-driven maritime technologies, and provided a valuable platform for meaningful and inspiring discussions that delved into the complexities and opportunities spanning the full spectrum of ocean innovation.

 
Jessie Gray
Engineering Project Manager, Anduril

At Carollo Engineers, water is all we do—so we’re passionate about protecting our oceans. Attending the Ocean Exchange connected us with innovators advancing the blue economy, including those driving reuse and improving wastewater treatment and water quality. Events like this highlight how essential cross-sector collaboration is to solving global water challenges and creating a more sustainable future.

 
Dave Sobeck
Executive Vice President, Carollo Engineers

Being a voting delegate at Ocean Exchange reminded me why I do this work—watching students and industry leaders alike push the boundaries of what’s possible for ocean health and the blue economy. Deep thanks to Moffatt & Nichol for supporting our time and commitment.

 
Lynette Cardoch
Vice President Director, Resilience and Adaptation, Moffatt & Nichol

The Guy Harvey Foundation has been a proud partner with Ocean Exchange for the past few years as it provides a wonderful platform for innovations to be shared, meaningful networking to take place and overall supports the growth of the ocean economy and conservation efforts. We’ve been fortunate to provide awards for both collegiate and high school categories, participated on the judging panel and are inspired by the problem solving solutions presented by each candidate. If you want a good dose of inspiration, definitely look to supporting, attending or participating in the events!

 
Jessica Harvey
Chief Executive Officer, Guy Harvey Foundation