Earle Morris to Address Tri-County Graduates

CONTACT: LISA GARRETT, EXT. 2315

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4/15/2002
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- Earle Morris, Jr., one of the founders of the S.C. System of Technical Colleges and the state's retired Comptroller General, will address the graduating class of 2002 at Tri-County Technical College's 39th annual commencement at the Anderson Civic Center.

Around 350 graduates will be recognized at the annual spring commencement scheduled for Monday, May, 13, at 8 p.m. In addition to families and guests of the graduates, alumni and friends of the College are invited to attend the ceremony.

A native of Pickens County, Mr. Morris currently serves as chairman of the board of directors for Carolina Investors, Inc. in Pickens.

He has held numerous offices in State government and the Democratic Party since his initial election to the S.C. House of Representatives in 1951. He served in the House of Representatives from 1951 - 54 and the S.C. Senate from 1955 - 70. He was a member of the state legislature who, in 1961 voted to create the Technical College System. Mr. Morris played an active role in establishing Tri-County and the State Tech System, and he became the sixth initiate into Tri-County Technical College's Order of the Trilon in 1982. The Order recognizes individual who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of the College.

Mr. Morris served as lieutenant governor from 1971 until 1975 and was elected by the General Assembly in 1976 to fill the unexpired term of Comptroller J. Henry Mills, who had resigned. He was elected to the position in the general election in 1978.

As comptroller general, Mr. Morris was responsible for supervising the expenditure of all state funds and sat on the State Budget and Control Board. He also supervised the collection of property taxed for the state, utilities assessments for the public service commission and administration of the homestead exemption program.

He is a member of the Rose Hill Presbyterian Church in Columbia where he serves as an elder and clerk of session and is a former deacon. He is a trustee and former chair of the Board of Insurance, Annuities and Relief, for Presbyterian Church of America.

He was a member of the S.C. Mental Health Commission from 1975 - 76 and served as the chairman of the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Mental Retardation from 1959 - 70.

His awards and recognitions include serving as vice president of the Financial Accounting Foundations in 2000, being appointed honorary consul by the Republic of Korea in 1999, and receiving the Clemson Medallion by Clemson University and the Living Legend Award by the S.C. Historical Foundation in 1997.

He received the Frank Greathouse Distinguished Leadership Award by the National Association of Government Accountants in 1995; was named the Nation's Most Valuable Public Official by City and State Magazine in 1993; and was awarded Distinguished Service Awards by S.C. Mental Health Association, the S.C. Association for Retarded Children; S.C. Rehabilitation Association, S.C. Aurora Clubs for the Blind; and the S.C. Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Professionals.

In 1985, he was honored with the Donald L. Scantlebury Memorial Award from the federal government. The award is given to a state or local government financial official and specifically recognizes exceptional and distinguished leadership in governmental financial management.

Mr. Morris's military service includes serving as president of the State Guard Association of the United States, a major general and past commander in the South Carolina State Guard, past president of the S.C. National Guard Association, and State Director of the Selective Service System. He was a member of S.C. Army National Guard from 1951 - 87 and is a retired brigadier general.

He and his wife, Carol Telford, reside in Lexington.
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