Anderson Oconee Pickens

S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell to Address Audience at Tri-County’s Annual Report Luncheon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/18/2005
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- South Carolina Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell will deliver the keynote address at Tri-County Technical College’s Annual Report to the People Luncheon on Thursday, November 10.

The luncheon annually attracts approximately 300 community, business, industrial, government and political leaders from Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties.

Earlier this year, Rep. Harrell was elected to succeed Greenville Rep. David Wilkins to lead the South Carolina House of Representatives. Harrell began serving in the House in 1992 and has maintained his focus on three key issues: education, tax reduction and economic development. Two years after he was elected he was appointed to serve on the Ways and Means Committee and later was elected to serve as Majority Leader in 1997. He became the Ways and Means Committee Chairman in 1999. He also has served as the chairman of the Economic Development and Public Education subcommittees of the Ways and Means Committee.

Numerous state and national organizations have honored Rep. Harrell. Earlier this year he received the Friend of Education Award from the S.C. Association of School Administrators for his longtime support of public education. Last year he was named House Member of the Year by the Fraternal Order of Police and Legislator of the Year by the South Carolina Solicitors Association. The S.C. Adult Education Directors named him Legislator of the Year in 2000.

He serves on the board of directors for the Boy Scouts of America, Child Abuse Prevention Center, Crime Stoppers and the Junior League Advisory Committee, among others.

Rep. Harrell grew up in Charleston and earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina. He and his wife, Cathy Smith Harrell, own and operate a State Farm Insurance Agency, in addition to Oak Haven of Charleston, an assisted living community that opened in 1999.

The Harrells have two children and are active members of First Baptist Church in Charleston.