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This past week, Wofford College held its first “Roger Milliken Day” on campus in Spartanburg. A ceremony was held on the lawn of the newly named Roger Milliken Science Center. Milliken has served 48 years on Wofford's board of trustees and led the initiative to transform the campus into an arboretum that was named for him last week. Each year, another tree will be planted on the lawn sometime close to October 24th which is Mr. Milliken’s birthday. Roger Milliken may have turned 93 years old last week but he still serves as Chairman of the Board for Milliken & Company and the Chairman of the Greenville Spartanburg International Airport Commission. Most people across South Carolina are familiar with Milliken the company but not everyone may be familiar with Milliken the man.
Roger Milliken is still very active in the community and is truly a living legend in South Carolina. To get a better understanding of Roger Milliken’s positive impact on our state, we should take a quick look at Roger Milliken’s distinguished professional career (Info provided by SC Business Hall of Fame):
Roger Milliken was born October 24, 1915, in New York, the son of Gerrish and Agnes Gayley Milliken. He graduated from Groton School in 1933 and received a bachelor of arts degree from Yale University in 1937.
Through Mr. Milliken's leadership and passion for innovation and research, Milliken & Company has become one of the largest and most successful textile and chemical manufacturing companies in the world. Spartanburg-based Milliken & Company, one of the world's largest privately held companies, manufactures thousands of products, among them finished fabrics for uniforms and spacesuits, as well as textiles for tennis balls, napery items, automotive fabrics, and sails. Milliken Carpet is a world leader in the production of rugs and carpets for residential, commercial, and institutional uses. The company also makes specialty chemicals that are used in dyes, plastics, and petroleum products.
Milliken's roots go back to 1865 when Seth Milliken and William Deering founded Deering Milliken Company, a small woolen fabrics jobbing firm in Portland, Maine. Deering left the company a few years later and started the Deering Harvester Company, which is today known as Navistar. In 1868, Seth Milliken moved the company headquarters to the city of New York, at that time the heart of the American textile industry. In 1884, the company invested in a new facility in Pacolet, South Carolina, and from that basic beginning the manufacturing operations grew.
In 1945, the Deering Milliken Research Trust was established in Clemson, South Carolina, by Roger Milliken; its headquarters were moved to Spartanburg in 1958, and it was later renamed Milliken Research Corporation. Dedicated to technological advances through research, the center is the largest and most productive research organization in the world. Milliken has accumulated more than 1,500 patents.
Mr. Milliken has served as a trustee of Wofford College, Spartanburg Day School, and the South Carolina Foundation of Independent Colleges. A former president of the Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, he is a member of the advisory boards of Brookgreen Gardens and the Institute for Political Economy
He has received honorary degrees from Clemson University, Wofford College, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, Converse College, Brenau College, The Citadel, University of South Carolina at Spartanburg, LaGrange College, and Furman University.
Milliken entered the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame in 1985, in April of 2000 he was inducted into the U.S. Business Hall of Fame, and in 2001, he was inducted into the American Textile Hall of Fame.
Nearly everyone from the Upstate of SC knows of Mr. Milliken. I think that it is important to quickly highlight this extraordinary man to some of Senator DeMint’s other constituents who live outside of the Upstate and may not be familiar with the man behind the company.
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When Sen. DeMint took office in January of 2005, he quickly told his entire staff that constituent service was his highest priority in the state. Everyday, his staff strives to meet his expectations. While we all collectively do our part to help the senator serve his constituents well, one individual is responsible for ensuring that we all stay on task. She ensures that we take care of the residents of our great state who need assistance. This individual is Deb Blickenstaff.
Deb has been a member of the “DeMint Team” for over 10 years and currently serves as Director of Constituent Services. In this position, Deb oversees all casework and our wonderful team of eight constituent service representatives located in our Charleston, Columbia and Greenville offices.
On a daily basis, our constituent service representatives assist South Carolina residents who have questions about a variety of issues or problems with federal government agencies. These issues are often related to education, housing, immigration, medicare, military, passports, senior citizens, social security, taxes, veterans and visa requests.
During her tenure as a congressional staffer, Deb has handled every type of case in which our office is able to provide assistance. While her knowledge of federal issues is vast, her passion has long been adoption issues. She has become well known around the state among adoption advocacy leaders. She has helped bring many families together through adoption and is always there to help families who are going through the process.
Deb is no stranger to helping others. Prior to joining the “DeMint Team,” she received her Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of South Carolina, worked for the SC Commission for the Blind, the Council for Aging in Greenville County and as a constituent service representative for Rep. Bob Inglis.
When Deb is not hard at work for the senator, Deb enjoys reading books, visiting the beach and being actively involved in her church. Deb lives in Greenville with her husband, son and their black Labrador, Shadow.
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Photo courtesy of Spartanburg Herald Journal
Over the July Fourth weekend, Spartanburg was in the spotlight as it played host to the 2008 Miss SC Scholarship Pageant. The preliminary and final competition was held at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. Fifty-one contestants from across the state competed in this year’s pageant. The contestants spent the week in the Spartanburg and the winner was announced on Saturday evening, July 5.
Photo courtesy of Spartanburg Herald Journal
Congratulations to this year’s winner, Anna Perry (Miss Lexington). Anna won a $20,000 scholarship and will now compete in the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas next January. Good luck, Anna!
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Throughout the year, but most especially in the summer, Sen. DeMint's D.C. office plays host to several interns looking to experience life in our nation's capital. Most hale from South Carolina, while a few trickle in from other parts of the country.
Introducing: Meghan Terry of Taylors, S.C.
Hey! I am a rising third year law student at Regent Law School, and a South Carolina girl born and raised. At Regent Law, I am a member of the Moot Court Board, the Council of Graduate Students Law Senator, and a Law Clerk for the American Center for Law & Justice.
I applied for a Congressional Internship with the Senate Steering Committee, so that I can combine my law education with history and politics in our nation’s capital. Through my internship, I am learning more about public policy, political strategy, parliamentary procedure, and the conservative movement. I also have the opportunity to research bills and assist with bill promotion.
As I approach my last year in law school, I am trying to decide what type of law that I want to practice after graduation. My internship with the Senate Steering Committee is already proving to be an incredible learning experience, and like the Regent Law motto says, I am daily realizing that “law is more than a profession -- it’s a calling.”
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Participants at the 2008 Upstate Homeownership Tent Event
It is often said that owning a home is a big part of the “American Dream.” Well, last week in Spartanburg, Sen. DeMint’s office tried to help individuals learn how they can take steps toward achieving that dream.
On Thursday, June 26, we worked with over 20 local, state and federal agencies to host our first Upstate Homeownership “Big Tent Event” at The Beacon in Spartanburg (please note that The Beacon made my “top 10 lunch spots” blog post a couple of months back). We partnered with 107.3 JAMZ, the Upstate’s #1 station among listeners to promote the event.
Attendees were provided information on affordable housing, mortgage loan programs, savings counseling and home maintenance. June was “National Homeownership Month” and this event was an opportunity to help potential homebuyers. Danielle Gibbs, DeMint’s state projects director, said: “Many people don’t know what’s available to them in terms of down payment and closing cost assistance, and we’re here to put them in touch with public and private agencies that can help.”
Danielle and Jessi Knight of DeMint’s staff (dressed above in green) were the brains behind the successful event. Danielle even got an opportunity to do a live interview with her favorite mayor, the Honorable Bill Barnet of Spartanburg. I know that was a treat for her.
I feel that this event was a huge success and will definitely be duplicated in other areas of the state. Danielle and Jessi have already held a similar event in Lexington. Keep an eye out for the “big tent” as it could soon be coming to a South Carolina community near you.
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Throughout the year, but most especially in the summer, Sen. DeMint's D.C. office plays host to several interns looking to experience life in our nation's capital. Most hale from South Carolina, while a few trickle in from other parts of the country. Over the next few days we plan to spotlight the interns who have joined our staff for the month of June.
Introducing Jesse Reese of Greenville, S.C.:
Greetings from Washington D.C! I am a rising senior at Clemson University majoring in history and political science. At Clemson, I enjoy participating in my sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, spending time with my friends, and being a part of all Clemson has to offer.
As I approach graduation with mixed sentiments about leaving Clemson and the excitement of embarking on the next step of life, it seems natural for me to pursue an internship in D.C., the ultimate city for those with a passion for history and politics. Such an internship proves important as I begin the process of deciding what options to pursue post graduation. Throughout the interviewing process, I soon realized that Sen. Jim DeMint’s office was the best fit. During my time here, I wish to acquire insight into the inner workings of our government and a thorough grasp of a wide variety of policy issues including foreign relations, immigration, international trade and homeland security. With excitement, I hope to embrace all this city has to offer culturally and politically. I am truly thankful for this opportunity.
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SCBIZ Daily reports the Carolina First Center, Greenville's convention center, will host its first event this week since renovations began back in 2005. Here are a few excerpts from the articleGREENVILLE — Over the next three days, Greenville’s convention center will play host to more than 450 attendees, including delegations from China, New Zealand and Canada, for the Transforming Local Governments conference, a co-production of the City of Greenville and the Alliance. [...]
Since 2005, the Carolina First Center has undergone a $22 million series of renovations and upgrades. Formerly known as the Palmetto Expo Center, the facility was purchased by the city in 2001. A subsequent hospitality tax provided $13 million for a facelift and internal improvements such as a new entrance, expansion of the ballroom, and improved accessibility between exhibit halls. Other improvement funds came from state and private sources.
[Greenville City Manager Jim] Bourey said the Carolina First Center has an annual economic impact of $50 million and he expects that to increase. Located on a 39-acre campus, it is one of the largest convention and conference centers in the Southeast.
“We are already seeing a lot of interest to book the new space over the next several years,” he said.
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Congratulations to the Boiling Springs High School baseball team as they captured their first-ever boys state championship by defeating Conway High School 5-1. The Bulldogs beat Conway in two straight games to claim the 4A crown. Hundreds of students, family members and fans made the trip from Spartanburg County across the state to cheer on their team.
Kelly Long, 5th District regional director
Congratulations are also in order for Kelly Long, 5th District regional director for Sen. DeMint and a Boiling Springs alumnus. I know Kelly is a proud Bulldog this week. Congratulations, Boiling Springs and congratulations, Kelly!
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Legendary coach Vincent Lombardi once said, “The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.” This statement is true in almost every organization that I’ve been a part of, and I’ve found it certainly applies to working in a congressional office.
I think that it is important, from time to time, to use my blog to spotlight a different member of our state staff and highlight the valuable contributions that they bring to this office as well as to the constituents of South Carolina.
Jessi Knight
Jessi Knight serves as grants coordinator for our office. She is originally from Columbia, graduated from Furman University and now resides in Greenville. Jessi may work out of Upstate office, but a good bit of her time is spent traveling across our great state holding grant workshops. For example, last week a grants workshop was held in Hartsville and this week a grants workshop will be held in Kingstree.
Jessi works very closely with Danielle Gibbs, our state projects director, to ensure that leaders across South Carolina are aware and knowledgeable regarding competitive funding at the federal level. They often travel throughout S.C. to meet with non-profit organizations and local municipalities to assist them in looking at potential federal grant opportunities and other sources of funding. This is critical to ensure that S.C. remains competitive with other states.
Each member of the DeMint team may handle an entirely different issue and work in a different office and different area of the state. However, we all work together as “Team DeMint” to help the senator serve the constituents of South Carolina. Jessi is a invaluable member of our team.
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The 4th Congressional District of South Carolina only consists of Greenville, Spartanburg and Union counties. However, after traveling across our state and the southeastern United States many times during my life, I would argue that these three counties have some of the best local lunch eateries found not only in our state but also throughout the southeast. It is fairly easy to find a lunch spot that provides exceptional food. But I would also argue that not only do many of my picks provide good food, but they also have character and provide a good feel for the local community. I like to walk through the door and see familiar, friendly faces that make lunchtime an experience and not just a meal. Therefore, I have compiled my “Top 10 Lunch Spots” in the 4th Congressional District. They are listed below in no particular order. These are 10 locations that everyone should visit if they are anywhere near the Upstate of S.C. around lunchtime. I promise you that you will not be disappointed.
Sen. DeMint speaking to a lunchtime crowd at Wade's in Spartanburg
Northgate Soda Shop in Greenville
Sen. DeMint with Tommy at Tommy's Country Ham House
 
Midway Barbecue in Buffalo and Henry's Smokehouse in Greenville
Sen. DeMint with Gene at Gene's Fine Foods in Union
Pete's Spero's Original in Greenville
 
Sugar-n-Spice and The Beacon, both in Spartanburg
Ike's in Spartanburg
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Regional Director
Mark Cothran |
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105 North Spring St
Suite 109
Greenville, SC 29601
Map It!
P: 864-233-5366
F: 864-271-8901
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About the Regional Director
Mark Cothran was born and raised in the Upstate of South Carolina and proudly represents the senator in the 4th Congressional District. Mark, a 2000 graduate of Clemson University (a.k.a. "God's Country"), is an avid Tiger fan and cannot be reached on football Saturdays. Mark resides in Greenville with his wife, son and their 82 lb. chocolate Labrador. |
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Greenville
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Union
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Spartanburg
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