Helen Rosemond Saunders, of Seneca, is Chair of the Commission and has represented Oconee County since 1993. In 1997, she was elected to serve as vice chairman of the Commission. Her current term of service is April 1, 2006 - April 1, 2009.

A veteran educator, she taught home economics in the public schools of Seneca for 20 years before becoming a guidance counselor at Seneca High School in 1986. She became Director of Guidance at the school in 1991 and retired from public education in 2005. Ms. Rosemond-Saunders is a life member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the oldest black sorority in the nation and has served as Cluster VIII Coordinator of the South Atlantic Region. She also has served as president and vice president of the Epsilon Tau Omega Chapter in Greenville, SC, and as graduate advisor of the Lambda Theta Chapter at Clemson University.

She is a member of the Oconee/Pickens Wachovia Board and a member of Tri-County Technical College's Access and Equity Advisory Board. She was secretary of that Board from 1990 - 91. She is past recording secretary of the National Alumni Association of South Carolina State University and past board member of the Oconee County United Way.

She has a bachelor's degree in Home Economics from South Carolina State University, a master's degree in Nutritional Science from Clemson University, and 30-plus certification in Secondary School Guidance from Clemson University. She is a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Westminster.

W.H. (Ham) Hudson, of Seneca, retired in 2003 as President and CEO of Oconee Memorial Hospital where he had served for 32 years. Upon his retirement, he was named President and CEO Emeritus. He represents Oconee County on the Commission. His current term of service is April 1, 2004 - April 1, 2010.

Mr. Hudson is a former board member and chair of Palmetto Hospital Trust Services, Ltd., the South Carolina Hospital Association, and a former South Carolina delegate to the American Hospital Association. He received the S.C. Hospital Association's Merit Award in 1983, the Association's Distinguished Service Award in 1992, and the PHTS Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Seneca National Bank, a Life Diplomate of The American College of Healthcare Executives, and a member of Seneca Baptist Church. He holds a B.A. in Business and Sociology from Limestone College and a Certificate in Hospital Administration.

Upon his retirement in 2003, he was inducted into The Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor in the state of South Carolina.

Pruitt Martin, of Anderson, is Secretary/Treasurer of the Commission. He was appointed to the Commission in 2004 and represents Anderson County. His appointment is through April 2, 2009.

Mr. Martin has 28 years of banking experience and is the Regional Executive for Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties and Senior Vice President for The Palmetto Bank. He holds a B. S. in Banking and Finance from the University of South Carolina and is a graduate of the School of Retail Bank Management at the University of Virginia.

He is a member of the Anderson Rotary Club. He also is the former chairman of the Board of Directors for the Anderson Area YMCA, former president of the Anderson Country Club and a member and past chairman of the Young Bankers Division of the South Carolina Bankers Association. He also has served on the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Ben Childress, of Easley, is president of AM-TEC LLC and represents Pickens County. His current term of service on the Commission is April 1, 2004 -April 1, 2010.

He is former vice president of manufacturing for Alice Manufacturing Company where he retired in 1989 after 30 years of service. He served as general manager of the company's Easley operation for 16 years prior to his retirement. He is a charter member of the College's Textile Management Advisory Committee and a former chair. He has been an active member of the Commission since 1987, serving on the Finance Committee and chairing the Master Plan and Building committees. He also has served as a member of the College's Foundation Board of Trustees.
He is a charter member of the College's Textile Management Advisory Committee and a former chair. He has been an active member of the Area Commission since 1987, serving on the Finance Committee and chairing the Master Plan and Building committees. He joined the College's Foundation Board in 1995.

A lifelong resident of Pickens County, he graduated from Clemson University in 1956 with a degree in Textile Manufacturing. He is a former member of the board of directors of the Community Bank in Easley. He is past director of the Easley Chamber of Commerce, Pickens County YMCA, and the United Way Fund. He is a member of Flat Rock Baptist Church in Liberty.

Rosemary Lindley, of Anderson, was appointed to the Commission in 2001 and represents Anderson County. Her appointment is through April 1, 2010. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University where she received a B. S. in Fashion Merchandising. She also earned a teaching certification from Clemson University. Following a career in retail, she worked as an English and social studies teacher at McCants Middle School from 1985 - 92 and served as head of the school's English department from 1986 - 90. Currently she is owner of Queen Bees, a gift business located in Anderson.

She is a member of Central Presbyterian Church in Anderson and is an adult Sunday School teacher. She is a member and past president of the Anderson Garden Club, a charter member of the Anderson Woman's Club, and a sustaining member of the Anderson Junior League. She is president of the Golden Girls Investment Club and is active with the Anderson Museum.

Larry Miller, of Anderson, is retired manager of Robert Bosch Corporation in Anderson. His current appointment is through May 24, 2008.

He joined the Commission in 1987, two years after he and his wife moved to the area when Robert Bosch opened its Anderson plant. He is a graduate of the Electrical Engineering program at Purdue University, and previously he owned and operated a tool and gauge manufacturing business. Earlier in his career, he was with General Electric Company in several locations, starting with guided missile engineering and later serving as manager of computer systems and manager of manufacturing engineering in the Gas Turbine Division. In the 1980's he was manager of tool engineering and design and automation for the Robert Bosch plant in Charleston.

Dr. Valerie R. Ramsey, of Easley, was appointed to the Commission in January, 2005, to represent Pickens County. Her current term of service is April 1, 2005 - April 1, 2008. She serves as the Chief Business Officer for the College of Health, Education, and Human Development (HEHD) at Clemson University.

An alumna of Tri-County Technical College, Dr. Ramsey holds a bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management from Southern Wesleyan University (SWU) and a master's degree in Human Resource Development from Clemson University. She earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership in Higher Education from Clemson in 2003. She currently is pursuing a master of ministry degree at SWU. She is a member of the board of the United Way of Pickens County. Dr. Ramsey is often called upon to give keynote speeches about her community college experience.

Dr. Ramsey was awarded the Tri-County Technical College Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award in 2006.

Dr. Mendel Stewart, of Sunset, represents Pickens County. He has served on the Commission since 1977. His current term of service is April 1, 2006 - April 1, 2009.

Dr. Stewart devoted his entire career to education, having coached, taught, or served as an administrator in Pickens County Schools for more than 38 years. Prior to his retirement in 2006, he served as District Superintendent for the School District of Pickens County. He began his career as a teacher at Dacusville High School and served as a teacher and coach at Pickens High School. He is a former assistant principal at Liberty High School and served for seventeen years as Principal of Pickens Junior High School. Following this position, he served as director of B. J. Skelton Career Center before moving to the district office and serving as director of Vocational Education and executive director of Secondary Programs. He had served as Assistant Superintendent of Administration for five years before assuming the Superintendent position in July 2000.

He is a member of the Association of Community College Trustees. He has served on the Pickens County United Way Board and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Peoples National Bank. He also served as Chairman of the Pickens County Council and currently serves on the economic development board of Alliance Pickens. He serves on the board of deacons at Pickens First Baptist Church.

Upon his retirement from the School District of Pickens County in 2006, he was inducted into the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor in the state of South Carolina.

Neal Workman, of Walhalla, was appointed to the Commission in 2001 and represents Oconee County. His appointment is through April 1, 2010.

Since 1982 he has served as founder and president of Trehel Corp., an unlimited licensed general contracting firm located in Clemson. He serves on several non-profit boards in the area, including serving as State Chair for the S.C. Heritage Corridor Board. He also serves on the Industry Advisory Board for Clemson University's College of Architecture and Humanities. He is a member of the executive committee for the Collins Children's Home, and is past chair of the Anderson County Economic Development Partnership. Currently he is Chairman of the newly organized Oconee Alliance, and serves on the State Commission on Higher Education. He is a board member for Upstate Forever.

In 1999, he was named the Business Person of the Year by the Clemson Chamber of Commerce. He received the annual Community Service Award from the Clemson Rotary Club in 2003. In 2005, he was named South Carolina Economic Developer representing Oconee County. He was named to the Greater Seneca Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame in 2006. He holds a B.A. degree in Economics from Wofford College.