SC Humanities is pleased to announce the FY2015 Board of Directors who begin their terms on November 1, 2014.
Six new members will join the Board of Directors in 2015: John H. Busch of Chapin, Daniel J. Ennis of Conway, Walter Fiederowicz of Charleston, Belinda Gergel of Charleston, Tom Mack of Aiken, and William Mathews “Bubba” Self of Greenwood.
Since 2008, John H. Busch has been involved in founding and managing businesses engaged in genomics research–founder of EnGenCore, LLC; and co-founder and business developer for Selah Genomics, Inc. The scientific work done in these labs support university research, health care providers and the pharmaceutical industry with advanced molecular and genomic diagnostic services. With a B.S. degree from the College of Charleston, a masters in Strategic Studies from the US Air Force War College, and an International MBA from the University of South Carolina, Busch flew as a Delta Airlines pilot and served in the SC Air National Guard as an F-16 mission commander and Instructor Pilot. He served in Operation Enduring Freedom soon after 9/11 and Operation Iraqi Freedom during major combat operations of that war. Colonel Busch was Commander of the 169th Operations Support Flight team charged with the mission of organizing and training for worldwide employment in combat and support operations. Currently he serves as a Trustee of the College of Charleston and on the Advisory Board of the Challenger Learning Center of Richland County School District One. He is a member of the College of Charleston Friends of the Library and Historic Columbia Foundation.
Daniel J. Ennis is Dean of the Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts at Coastal Carolina University. He has also served as Chair of the Department of English and Co-Director of the University Honors Program. A Ph.D. graduate (English) from Auburn University, Ennis is a scholar in Eighteenth Century Studies, particularly British drama. He has organized and led study-abroad courses in Oxford, London, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, and Heidelberg. Under his leadership the University started the Athenaeum Press, a student-centered publishing lab whose projects engage communities; the Institute for Leadership and Public Policy; and the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. He is a visionary leader, scholar, and advocate for the humanities.
Walter Fiederowicz, a graduate of Yale University and the University of Virginia School of Law, spent most of his professional career in Connecticut as a lawyer in a major law firm, followed by a career in financial services. Fiederowicz was Chairman of the Board of Covenant Mutual Insurance and the Connecticut Surety Company. He organized the HCG Investment Trust which served as a corporate investment vehicle for Lloyd’s of London. He is founder of several venture capital funds. Fiederowicz served on the boards of the Connecticut Humanities Council, Connecticut Culture and Tourism Commission, Connecticut Film Commission, Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, the Litchfield Historical Society, and was founder of the Connecticut Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Now residing in Charleston, he serves on the board of the Preservation Society of Charleston.
Belinda Gergel has an outstanding record as an academic and public servant. During her time in Columbia, she served as a Professor of History at Columbia College and was contributing author and editor of a major book on Judge Matthew J. Perry, Matthew J. Perry: The Man, His Times, and His Legacy. She also co-authored a book on the Jewish history of Columbia. Her community service includes her election as a City Councilwoman for the City of Columbia, former President of the Historic Columbia Foundation, and former board member of Columbia Green. She is a member of the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. For her work in strengthening Columbia’s neighborhoods, she was a 2011 recipient of the Cooperative Ministries GOOD Night Honoree award and a 2012 recipient of the Sustainable Champions Extraordinary Achievement Award. She now resides in Charleston with her husband, Judge Richard Gergel.
Tom Mack began his career as a member of the English Department at the University of South Carolina Aiken in 1976. He has served as Department Chair since 1990. For his “enviable record of teaching excellence as well as outstanding performance in scholarship and public service,” the USC Board of Trustees awarded him the prestigious Carolina Trustee Professorship in 2008. He has received the Amoco Foundation Outstanding Teaching Award and the 2010 SC Center for the Book Award in Teaching. He is a recipient of the 2014 Governor’s Awards in the Humanities. He has published over 100 articles on American literature and cultural history and four books, including Hidden History of Aiken County and The Sou th Carolina Guide to South Carolina Writers. Since 1990, Mack has contributed a weekly column to The Aiken Standard—over 1,000 columns contributed to date devoted to the arts and humanities. He also has served as a member and chair of the Board of Governors of the SC Academy of Authors. In the Aiken community, Dr. Mack serves on local boards including the Historic Aiken Foundation, and the advisory council of Etherredge Center for the Performing Arts. He has managed the annual Oswald Distinguished Writers Series, bringing nationally known literary figures to the USCA campus.
William Mathews “Bubba” Self is President and CEO of Greenwood Communities and Resorts, Inc. He holds a BA in Business Administration from Furman University and an international MBA from the University of South Carolina, which included study time at the Wirtschafts Universitat of Vienna. His record of community and statewide service includes membership on the boards of the Self Family Foundation; SCETV Commission; Self Regional Healthcare Foundation; Lander University Foundation; Upper Savannah Land Trust; Greenwood Family YMCA; Self Regional’s Board of Visitors; and the Furman University Paladin Club Board of Directors. He also has served on the CapitalBank Greenwood Community Advisory Board. In college, he was Captain and All Southern Conference on Furman University’s Men’s Varsity Soccer Team. Self and his wife Leigh are parents of three daughters. He is a member of First Baptist Church of Greenwood.
(L to R: John H. Busch, Daniel J. Ennis, Walter Fiederowicz, Belinda Gergel, Tom Mack, and William Mathews “Bubba” Self)
Board Members continuing to serve are: L. Andrew Westbrook III (Chair) of Greenville, Ghussan R. Greene (Vice Chair) of Orangeburg, J. Herman Blake of Charleston, Marie C. Boyd of Columbia, Portia Cobb of Edisto Island, Courtney Tollison Hartness of Greenville, Samuel M. Hines, Jr. of Charleston, Kim Shealy Jeffcoat of Lexington, Billy Keyserling of Beaufort, D. Delores Logan of Columbia, Randolph R. (Randy) Lowell, Esq. of Blythewood, S.C. (Cal) McMeekin, Jr. (Secretary) of Columbia, H. Graham Osteen, II of Georgetown, The Honorable Elizabeth D. (Betty Jo) Rhea of Rock Hill, David E. Rison of Summerville, G. Garrett Scott of Spartanburg, and Revonda L. Spratt of Inman.
SC Humanities bids a sad farewell to six outstanding Board Members who are retiring from the Board. Virginia Friedman of Charleston, Thomas R. Gottshall of Columbia, Paul Horne of Rock Hill, Walton J. McLeod of Little Mountain, Maggi M. Morehouse of Conway, and Sara Sanders (Past Chair) of Conway each served the Council with great diligence and passion and will be sincerely missed.
The Board of Directors of SC Humanities consists of volunteer academic and public members. Board members initiate and develop projects, seek to make the humanities accessible statewide, and take active roles in Council fundraising.
