20 Under 40, 2012 Edition

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition

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8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition


F2 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2012 ● WWW.THESTATE.COM ● THE STATE, COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA

Building a community takes leaders who are dedicated not only to build-

ing up their businesses but also to building up those around them.

Each year, The State honors 20 rising business stars under the age of 40 in

the Midlands who are committed to bringing a brighter future to South

Carolina’s capital city.

This year, we have an outstanding class of young leaders who are making

an impact.They fight for justice for those around them – in the courtroom, in the

labor and delivery room, and even in the gymnasium. They work in their

neighborhood associations to bring harmony to the community, their

church groups to feed the homeless or mentor the young, and on commit-

tees to bring big-scale events, such at the Famously Hot New Year’s Eve

celebration, to the city.

Meet the next wave of leaders in the Midlands, the ninth annual class of

20 under 40 honorees.— Kristy Eppley Rupon

Young leaders making an

impact on the Midlands

INDEX

Bios compiled by Kristy Eppley Rupon

Photographs by Kim Kim Foster Tobin

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition


Not All Heroes Wear Capes

© 2012 Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company

Colonial Life is the marketing brand of Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company.

Steven Johnson

By Day: Assistant Vice President, Account

Management

By Night: Crusader for Ronald McDonald

House and children with serious illnesses,running enthusiast, Blue Hose fan, husband

and father of two

Mary Lynch Wagnon

By Day: Director, Actuary

By Night: Champion for United Way of

the Midlands and Palmetto HealthChildren’s Hospital, amateur photographer,

concert-goer, wife and mother of three

At Colonial Life, what our employees do when they’re not working is just as impactfulas when they are. Congratulations to two of our plain-clothes heroes, Steven Johnsonand Mary Lynch Wagnon, for earning recognition as two of The State’s “20 Under 40.”

WWW.THESTATE.COM ● THE STATE, COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA ● MONDAY, FEBRUARY20, 2012 F3

when she was only sixmonths old. Ellis lost hercourageous fight after atwo-week-long hospitalbattle that ended at DukeMedical Center. It was atDuke that we wereexposed to the great workthat the RonaldMcDonald HouseCharities does with theirhospital family rooms (arespite from the rest of the hospital, a place toeat, rest, check email,regain normalcy if foronly a few moments) andthe house (a home awayfrom home for sick andinjured children). Whileat Duke, we spent time with other familiesenduring similar crises with their children andsaw the important rolethat organizations like

RMHC fill during verychallenging times. Theexperience with losingmy daughter, Ellis,enhanced an already

Age: 37

Occupation: Assistant vice president of accountmanagement at ColonialLife

Family: Wife, Sazy Ligon Johnson; sons, Adger, 5, Wilkins, 3

Education: B.S. inbusiness administrationfrom Presbyterian

College; M.B.A. inbusiness administrationfrom University of SouthCarolina

Community/professionalhighlights: Boardmember and financechair, Ronald McDonaldHouse Charities of Columbia; board member,Main Street Crit; racedirector, Race for the

Place 5K; member,Presbyterian College Alumni Association boardof directors; activemember, Eastminster

Presbyterian Church

In my own words: I feel very blessed to have ahappy, healthy family, work for one of the bestcompanies in the stateand live in a communitythat I love. But manyothers around us are notas fortunate, and I haveseen first-hand how lifecan be fragile,

unpredictable and createchallenges that seemimpossible to overcome without a little supportfrom others.

My life changed when:The event that sparkedmy motivation to givemore was the suddenillness and unexpecteddeath of my daughter,Ellis, our first child. My wife, Sazy, and I had a

very happy, healthy littlegirl until she wasdiagnosed with anextremely rare immunedeficiency called SCID

growing sense of dutyand obligation to find

ways to lend a hand tothose dealing with similarcircumstances.

You’re an avid runner.How do you incorporatethat into giving back?Over the past couple of years, I have leveragedmy running experience tosupport several races thatraise money for localnonprofits. As a boardmember for RMHC of

Columbia, I assist ourannual Red Nose Runthrough fundraising andby promoting the event as well as participating ineither the 5k or 10k. I alsoserve as the race directorfor St. Lawrence Place’sRace for the Place 5k. St.

Lawrence Place isanother greatorganization thatsupports families in needof transitional housing. And to satisfy an urge tobring a unique runningexperience to Columbia, Iam working with a smallgroup of like-mindedrunning philanthropiststo launch a new eventcalled the Main StreetCrit, a running criteriumrace at night, that willhelp revitalize our

downtown area.How do you balance

your commitment to work, family and thecommunity with yourpersonal commitment torunning? It is not easyand I don’t sleep much!Seriously, my family

always comes first. Tominimize the time crunch

at work and home, I run while most people are stillsleeping … at 5:30amduring the week with the621 Ninjas. This group of husbands and wives andfathers and daughterslove to run but aredealing with the sametime constraints and lifebalance challenges. Weare a very dedicatedgroup that is well

organized and supportiveof each other. It takessome serious motivationto run in the cold, darkmornings, occasionally inrain, but its easier when10 to 15 of your closestfriends are there doing itbeside you.

Steven Johnson

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Age: 37

Occupation: Actuary withColonial Life

Family: Husband, Mark;children, Walt, 4, Thomas, 2,Helen, 8 weeks

Education: B.S., University of South Carolina Honors College,Fellow in the Society of Actuaries

Community/professionalhighlights: Palmetto HealthChildren’s Hospital board, United Way Young Leaders SocietySteering Committee (professionaldevelopment chair)

In my own words: I love being an

actuary. I come from a longlineage of mathematicians — myfather is a PhD, I have twoactuary uncles, two professoruncles, etc. ... I have alwaysenjoyed math, and applying it in afinancial setting is definitely anextra benefit.

Who is your inspiration? Myfather’s accomplishments are thestandard I live by. He alwaysamazes me — his work ethic, hisgenerosity, his commitment to his

family. I am one of eight children,so it was not always easy for him,I am sure, but no matter how

tired he was, he always had timeto help with chemistryhomework, coach a soccer teamor take us to the movies. He

achieved significant professionaland personal success. He is a rolemodel for all of us.

What drives your involvement inthe Children’s Hospital? I havegrown up with Children’sHospital. My mother workedthere for almost 30 years beforeshe passed away. As a family, we were always involved andregularly participated in CHactivities— sometimes willinglyand sometimes not so willingly —

but looking back, those are someof my happiest memories.Children’s Hospital hasaccomplished so much for thecommunity, and the people that work there are so passionate anddedicated; it is rewarding to be apart of something so important.

Mary Lynch Wagnon

Age: 29

Occupation: ApprenticeshipCarolina consultant with theS.C. Technical CollegeSystem Office

Family: Husband, David;sons, Alex, 7, and Aiden, 3

Education: Bachelor of Arts,Columbia College; master’sin public administration,University of SouthCarolina; pursuingleadership in educationaladministration doctorate,

University of FloridaCommunity/professionalhighlights: Board member,Reach Out and Read, S.C.Education Policy Fellowshipand Central MidlandsCouncil of Governments;Midlands Education andBusiness Alliance, Richland1 Policy Advisory Council,Logan Elementary SchoolImprovement Councilco-chairwoman, East Point

Academy SchoolImprovement Councilbusiness representative;College Summit volunteer;Columbia OpportunityResource; S.C. Women inHigher Education, S.C.Technical Education Association; completed S.C.Technical CollegeLeadership Academy in2010; S.C. Education PolicyFellow in 2011; S.C.

Economic DevelopmentInstitute and LeadershipEnergy Carolina in 2012.

In my own words: Ipersonally understand theconnection betweeneducation, work forcedevelopment, economic vitality and quality of life.My parents livedpaycheck-to-paycheck, notbecause they were nothard-working, but because

without post-secondaryeducation they were unableto earn a livable wage. Mycareer allows me to make apositive impact in the lives of South Carolinians every day

by focusing on what matters

most – high quality jobs. What saying do you live by?Columbia College’s “4C’s of Leadership” – courage,commitment, confidenceand competence. I live by the“4C’s” because they “defineleadership as the choice toexercise the power of education in a way thatfulfills social responsibilitiesand embraces opportunitiesto create positive change in

ourselves and in the worldaround us.”

My life changed when:Professor Sheila Elliotttaught me the importance of taking risks by encouragingme to study abroad inPrague, Czech Republic. Idid not own a passport, I hadnot traveled outside the EastCoast, and I did not speak aforeign language! Studyingin Prague broadened my

perspective of the world andmy place in it. It alsoprepared me to serve at theUnited States Embassy inMaseru, Lesotho as agraduate fellow.

What do you aspire to? To

continuously grow as aneducation leader who fostersinnovation and linksresearch to practice.Innovation is a key tosolving 21st century globalproblems, reviving theeconomy and creating new American jobs.

You were the first in yourfamily to go to college. What drove you to do thatand then go on and get a

master’s degree and studyabroad? I realized that whatI made of my life was up tome and rather than focus onmy history, I would preparefor my future. To do that, Iknew I always had to arriveearly, be prepared and staylate. Every step of the way,caring educators helped mediscover gifts within myself.Education opened up doorsof opportunity I onlydreamed about. My life’s

journey has never been easy,but the rewards have been well worth the struggle.

Moryah Jackson

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Age: 31

Occupation: Attorney with OgletreeDeakins

Family: Wife, Silvia

Education: B.A., Duke University,political science; J.D., GeorgetownUniversity Law Center

Community/professional highlights:Previous member of United Way’sFinancial Stability Council, organizer for Voter Protection Program, vice presidentof Duke University Alumni Club,chairman of Blythewood Board of

Zoning Appeals, graduate of Blueprintfor Leadership program

In my own words: Every day at my firm we deal, almost exclusively, with civilrights and anti-discrimination statutes. As attorneys, we are there to advise ourclients on how to navigate the law in a way that promotes fairness and justice.Now, outside of work, during the lastthree election cycles I’ve been fortunate

to work with some outstanding attorneyson Voter Protection in South Carolina. Inthe weeks leading up to each election, we’ve organized and trained hundreds of volunteer lawyers from all over the stateto make sure that on each election dayevery citizen in every precinct has theopportunity to cast their vote for thecandidate of their choice. It’s awesome work that I’m really proud of.

What saying do you live by? “The worldis before you and you need not take it orleave it as it was when you came in.” – James Baldwin. Also, Romans 8:37 and

Deuteronomy 28:13.My life changed when: My earlyeducation changed my life. All childrenhave potential and whether it was myparents reading to me early on orsending me to V.V. Reid, my life changed when I was given a chance to reach thatpotential. I hope to be able to help other young people tap into their talents andabilities because, tragically, they are our

most wasted resource.

What did you want to be when yougrew up? One of the first things in mylife I committed to memory is themeaning of my name. It is Swahili for“Of noble promise.” By giving me thatname my parents set a certain standard,so I’ve aspired to meet and exceed thatmark.

Why did you choose to return toColumbia after law school? Becausethis is home. I’m a product of Columbia’s

schools, Columbia’s churches andColumbia’s citizens. This city isresponsible for everything I am andeverything I’m going to be. So I feel aneed to be here and to help make iteverything we’ve dreamed of. You can’t

just abandon the place that has investedin you, nurtured you and raised you. Andthat’s not a knock against anyone wholeaves, because I know many SouthCarolinians who live elsewhere butremain engaged in what’s happeninghere. But you do need to be engaged. Ifelt I could do that best by living here.

Tell me about building a house with your father? He and my motherpurchased the land and built the house with essentially no money. So I learnedeverything I needed to know about

self-reliance, but also faith, about being agood husband and father and aboutpersevering when people might think you’re crazy. He’d never built a housebefore. Now when I was 10 or 11 yearsold, I wasn’t such a fan of losing entire weekends to manual labor, but lookingback, those Saturdays working with myfather are among the perfect days in mylife.

Listervelt Bakari Middleton

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Age: 36

Occupation: Owner of TheTumble Tree, a mobile cheer,dance, tumble and sportsprogram for elementary-agedchildren, and of The FactoryColumbia, a 12,000-square-foot

youth fitness facility inNortheast Richland

Family: Husband, Joe; children, Joey, 10, Abby, 6, Jake, 4

Education: B.S. in geographicalinformation systems from theUniversity of South Florida

Who is your inspiration? Myfamily. They taught me toalways treat people andsituations as I would want to betreated and do everything withpassion. I feel that this has beenmy reason for success in thisbusiness. You need to reallylisten to your clients and heartheir complaints and needs.Then react to them, let themknow you truly care about whattheir opinion is.

My life changed when: I was

told I could not possibly run asuccessful volunteer programfor a nonprofit agency and at thesame time be a mother of three.

When that door closed, Idecided to begin a business onmy own terms and I did justthat. I took that negativeexperience and opened up myown door and made thingshappen for myself.

What did you want to be when you grew up? I always wanted

to own a gym and be a coach! Igrew up in the sports of gymnastics and cheer and loved

what it meant to me. … I neverdreamed that sharing what Iloved as a child with so manylittle girls could be as rewardingas it is.

Your business grew veryquickly in a down economy.How did you manage that? Webegan our business with nooverhead. We went into schoolsand paid the schools for renting

their space and payrollexpenses, but that’s it. We wereable to increase our student baseto over 500 students before weeven opened our gym. Once our

gym was opened, it gavechildren everywhere in the areaa chance to participate in ourclasses. And we kept our rateslow so families could afford it.

Also, I reaped the benefits of budget cuts within the schoolsystem. I was able to hire two

very important full-timeemployees whose educatorpositions were compromised

with the budget cuts. They reallyhelped my business turn into

what it is today. … They are young, energetic, professionaland caring coaches with thesame passion I had. This in turnenabled me to triple my studentenrollment without sacrificingthe quality of the program.

Explain why your cheerprogram is different and whatit felt like for the girls to wintheir first contest? As a mom, Iknow what parents want fortheir kids. … I also know whatkids want for themselves. They

just want to find their place;they want to learn in an

environment that is caring andnurturing. They want to bechallenged but not pushed overthat line. We want our girls to bekids and have a life outside of the gym. The No. 1 word incheerleading is LEAD and wetake pride in that word ascoaches to our girls. We arementoring young girls who willbe champions in their own livesone day. We ended our firstseason last year with twofirst-place wins in each age

division we have. The best thing was that we have been able tostick to the coaching philosophy

we began our program with, which was “winning is noteverything… but trying yourbest at everything is,” and still

win first place. We have so manystudents that we are able todevelop levels within our AllStar program. We are finding afit for every child at every skilllevel. We have learned a lotabout coaching young girls and

how important it is to build themup during their younger years.This esteem and confidence isessential to their overallpersonal growth.

Michaela K. Gonzales

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Congratulations to Karen Luchka

Fisher & Phillips LLP

attorneys at law

Solutions at Work®

Karen is a labor and employment attorney dedicated to providing

excellent legal counsel and service to her clients. The attorneys and staff

at Fisher & Phillips LLP are proud of our colleague for this well-deserved honor.

For Being Included in the Midlands 20 Under 40

Karen L. Luchka

[email protected]

1320 Main Street

Suite 750

Columbia, SC 29201

phone: (803) 255-0000

fax: (803) 255-0202

Atlanta Boston Charlotte Chicago Cleveland Columbia Dallas Denver Fort Lauderdale Houston Irvine Kansas City Las Vegas Los Angeles

Louisville Memphis New England New Jersey New Orleans Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Portland San Diego San Francisco Tampa Washington, DC

www.laborlawyers.com


Age: 29

Occupation: Labor andemployment defense attorney atFisher & Phillips

Family: Single with two dogchildren, Ranger and Tilly

Education: University of NorthCarolina School of Law, ChapelHill, J.D.; Order of the Coif,Eckerd College, St. Petersburg,Fla., B.A.

Community/professionalhighlights: Member, board of directors, Girl Scouts of South

Carolina, Mountains to MidlandsCouncil. Chair of the council’sannual Women of Distinctionevent. Member of the ACTS Metroboard of directors, an organizationdedicated to ending generationalpoverty. Serves at EastlakeCommunity Church. Legislativeco-chairwoman and member of theboard of directors for the Columbia

Society for Human ResourceManagement. Frequent lecturer.

Volunteer judge at mock trialcompetitions hosted by the SouthCarolina Bar.

In my own words: My practiceinvolves not only representingcorporations and management inlabor and employment litigation,but also providing proactive andpractical advice, throughcounseling and training, aimed athelping employers create a positive

working environment and avoidlitigation. I believe it is important

for attorneys to not only beeffective advocates for their clientsin litigation, but also to contributeto improving the overall quality of our workplaces and community.

Who was your inspiration? Mygrandfather was the mostinfluential person in my life. He

was one of the toughest men Ihave ever met; he was a war

off his back and made thehappiness of those around himhis top priority. I have alwaysaspired to share the sameselfless devotion to my family,friends and community that mygrandfather modeled every day.

My life changed when: Idiscovered my love of theoutdoors and hiking. Hikingopened up opportunities for meto not only challenge myself physically, but also to carve outtime dedicated solely toreflection, contemplation and

just enjoying the beauty of the world around me. My love of hiking has not only deepened myappreciation for the simple

pleasures in life, but has led meon great adventures, includingspending a day hiking on theGreat Wall of China.

What did you want to be when you grew up? In kindergarten, Iannounced that when I grew up I

wanted to pick oranges. Aftergentle encouragement from myparents to aim a little higher with

my career aspirations, I decidedI wanted to be a zoologist or amarine biologist. After figuringout that those careers involvedmore than just playing withanimals and required me to takemath/science courses, I resolved

to put my smart mouth to useand become an attorney.

How did you get involved withGirl Scouts? What motivates

you to stay involved? I wasasked to become involved withthe Girl Scouts by a friend andclient and was thrilled to beinvited to join the organizationdedicated to leadershipdevelopment. I was once toldthat if you cannot be a goodexample, then you’ll just have to

be a horrible warning.Therefore, I am motivated togive back to the next generationof leaders and, hopefully,contribute in a small way tobuilding girls of courage,confidence and character notonly through my service, but bymodeling those same traits in myprofessional and personal life.

Karen L. Luchka

veteran, a champion boxer and abricklayer. My grandfather didn’tboast about hisaccomplishments, his service orhis ability to knock people outcold with one punch. Rather, he

was humble, genuine, devoted,compassionate and selfless.Until his last day, he would havegiven anyone in need the shirt

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition



Age: 31

Occupation: Assistant chief counsel forthe S.C. House of Representatives

Judiciary CommitteeFamily: Husband, Gavin; son, Miles

Education: Washington and LeeUniversity, B.A. in politics and economics;University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D.

Community/professional highlights: Hascoached basketball, fed the homeless andtaught Sunday school at Trinity Cathedral;treasurer for the Junior League’s CleanSweep; spent five years as a PawmettoLifeline foster parent for abandoned dogs;

served as a law clerk for Justice John W.Kittredge

In my own words: I volunteer and workhard to strengthen Columbia because of the wonderful people here. … I wasfortunate enough to find many mentors who helped me discover ways to make adifference.

Who is your inspiration? My parents …because of their commitment to serviceand education. My folks moved to theUnited States from England 40 years ago.They lost everything they had in a fire

shortly after they arrived, but through very hard work and determination, theymade an incredible life here. My father isa chemistry professor, and he has made amindboggling subject come alive to

thousands of students. My mom taughtspecial education for years and thencounseled college students. Their formerstudents often contact them to say thank you. My parents volunteer at their church,my childhood school and with localcharities. From a very young age, theyinstilled in me the importance of service toothers. My parents do what is right, notbecause anyone is watching, but becauseit is the right thing to do. The mostimpressive thing about my parents,however, is that they never takethemselves too seriously and are alwaysquick with a joke. Simply put, anything

and everything I accomplish is due to their work, sacrifice and love.

My life changed when: I was in preschooland was standing in line when a teachertold me I needed to go to the time-out spotbecause she heard me shouting. I wasdevastated because I had not misbehaved.I certainly had gotten in trouble before,but this time was different because I wasin trouble for something I had not done.This is such a silly story, but it is the firsttime I understood the concept of fairnessand justice. Throughout my life, I have

fought for others to be treated fairly. Mybelief in justice is what led me to lawschool and it is what motivates me to helpothers today.

Your work in the community involves working with children, fostering animalsand serving the less fortunate. Whatmotivates you? Like many people, serviceto others was part of my childhood. WhenI attended Washington and Lee University,I further developed my sense of honor,fairness and duty because those are keyprinciples of the school. There, I met my

husband, Gavin. Gavin inspires me toserve our community because he isconstantly aware of the needs of othersand tirelessly seeks solutions. Mostimpressive to me, Gavin quietly helpsothers without seeking praise oracknowledgement because he believes itis the right thing to do. Gavin motivatesme, our son motivates me and thisincredible community of Columbiamotivates me. Gavin and I focus onhelping those that lack a voice, those thatlack power. We have been blessed beyond words, and we believe it is ourresponsibility to help others. The arrival of our son energized our efforts to make this world better for him and to help those thatdo not have the same advantages he has.

Emma Thomas Dean

Age: 31

Occupation: President,Cyberwoven

Family: Engaged to SidneyHeyward

Education: B.S. in economics fromUniversity of South CarolinaHonors College

Community/professionalhighlights: University of SouthCarolina Honors College,partnership board member since2007; The Salvation Army of theSouth Carolina Midlands, boardmember, treasurer since 2008;South Carolina Philharmonic,board member since 2009; CentralCarolina Community Foundation,

board member since 2011; SCEconomics, board member since2012

In my own words: There is much tobe excited about, both in my careeras a web jockey and in performingcommunity service in Columbia.There is nearly limitlessopportunity for the growth of theInternet – and this growth will spancommerce, communication, humanresources and innumerable otherfields. Similarly, Columbia is at a junction where it can take a giantleap forward. If our communityembraces core goals aroundeconomic development, education,public health and social services, I

think we’ll surprise ourselves with what we can achieve.

What saying do you live by? “Lifeis like riding a bicycle — in order tokeep your balance, you must keepmoving.” Albert Einstein

What do you aspire to? I’m lookingforward to the next few years.Between starting a family,continuing to grow Cyberwovenand pushing forward to help ourcommunity become stronger, it’sbound to be an exciting ride.

Why did you decide to keep yourcompany here in Columbia?Columbia has a mountain of potential. I’m excited to be a part of our city realizing its potential, andI’m excited to work with a great

group of folks at Cyberwoven whoare excited about helping SouthCarolina continually become abetter place to live and work.

What drives your work with theS.C. Philharmonic? I stronglybelieve that a healthy communityoffers a great range of professional,family, spiritual, philanthropic,educational and culturalopportunities. The Philharmoniccontributes a great deal to ourcommunity, and I’m proud to work

with the S.C. Phil to ensure that ithas a strong future ahead.

Ben Rex

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WWW.THESTATE.COM ● THE STATE, COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA ● MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2012 F9

Age: 34

Occupation: Graphic

designer; owner andfounder of websitedevelopment firmMindlash

Family: Daughter, Skyler, 7

Education: B.A. inadministrative informationmanagement from theUniversity of SouthCarolina

Community/professionalhighlights: Developing

Wine Dine & Design, anevent to help raise moneyand awareness for theSouth Carolina School forthe Deaf and the Blind;founding member of the

Lexington YoungProfessional Society sinceits inception; member of

the Hospitality Retail &Tourism Management

Association Alumni atUSC, often givingpresentations to studentson “real world business”topics. Co-foundedPalmetto Computer Labs, atechnology company thatspecializes in emergingtechnology and opensource software. Creativedirector for CarterTodd &

Associates

In my own words: Manymoons ago, while workingat a tech support companydoing ‘dialup’ support, Ifound that people were

willing to pay me for doingsomething I thought wasfun. Woah, what? You

mean, I can ‘play’ AND getpaid? The planets havealigned! Over a decadeinto it and I’m still waitingto be ousted as mayor of Phonyville, waiting for thatother proverbial shoe todrop. When will theyfigure out this scheme!?!I’m just a guy with acomputer.

Who is your inspiration?Skyler, my 7-year-old

daughter, has managed tochange my life for thebetter, forever. Before shecame into my life, I foundmyself making sure I satfurthest away from

children in restaurants,giving somewhat scoldinglooks to parents as theyallowed their children tobe seen and heard.Looking back, I feel

horrible. My mom wasright: “You won’tunderstand till you have achild of your own one day.”Boy-howdie. I’ve beenlucky enough to have achild who, no matter whatgets thrown at her, alwayshas a smile, always laughsand always gives selflessly.I’ve learned so much fromher and about myself.Skyler loves life. She really

loves it. She’s so smart andinquisitive. She hasmanners, and when shesays ‘thank you,’ she trulymeans it. She’s been met

with fear, pain, pressureand negativity and haspushed through them as if they don’t exist.

How did you come to beinvolved with the SouthCarolina School for theDeaf & Blind? My friendRick Patel had asked me tocome over to his hotel totake some pictures of somekids and their artwork fora monthly newsletter.

While there, I had thepleasure of witnessing oneof the most beautifuldisplays of unbiased,unfiltered, carefree and

joyful outpouring fromchildren I had ever seen.These children wereperforming in front of asmall gathering to unveil a

painting to be hung insideThe Vault at the Sheraton.The painting — much likethe children — was full of life, warmth, uniquenessand beauty. I made it apoint to seek out as manyof the children as I couldhandle, to individually tellthem how wonderful they

did. I had to have someassistance with the deaf children. At times I felt alittle silly giving them thethumbs-up with a cheesygrin, but that’s all I had. Itdidn’t matter, they all were

so appreciative andupbeat, it really got to me.I had never felt like that –so emotionally tied tosomething I had justfound. I had beenstruggling internally forsome time, knowing I

wanted to get involved with a nonprofit but hadnot had found the right fit.

At that moment, thatnonprofit found me. Ann

Akerman, the CEO of the Walker Foundation, whichis the fundraising arm of the school, approached meand assisted me withintroductions to thechildren. I looked at herand simply said, “I want in.

Whatever I can do, I wantto be a part of this.”

Matt Hudson

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition



Age: 32

Occupation: Executive director, Juvenile Diabetes ResearchFoundation

Family: Engaged to Scott

FulmerEducation: BA in Spanish from Wofford College; MA in PoliticalScience from USC

Community/professionalhighlights: Member,Community Health Charities of SC, Breakaway Bettys (women’scycling club), Conservation Voters of South Carolina,Columbia Museum of ArtsContemporaries, 701 CCA;adjunct professor at Midlands

Technical College What saying do you live by? At Wofford College I received aBonner Scholarship thatrequired community service in

exchange for my education.Through that program I volunteered at various placesfrom a domestic violence shelterin Spartanburg to a home forHaitian street children in the

Dominican Republic and all of itrested on my shoulders to seekout, coordinate and maintain.The motto for the program isMahatma Gandhi’s quotation:“Be the change that you wish tosee in the world.” The programtaught us that at age 18 or 20 or22 we could make a hugeimpact in the lives of otherhuman beings. … It absolutelybecame how I lead my life.

My life changed when: I moved

out of the country for the firsttime in 2000 to Latin America.Growing up in a small town andattending a small privateuniversity not far from my

hometown, my experiences were limited. During that timein Latin America, I not onlybecame aware of a cultureoutside of my own but of lifeoutside of democracy and

capitalism. That being said, oneday I was sitting outside arestaurant in the DominicanRepublic and a street child cameup to me to sell me candy. He was wearing an Irmo HighSchool T-shirt. I realized thatdespite all of our differencesand distances the world wastruly small.

What did you want to be when you grew up? I always aspiredto help, at first as a veterinarian

and then as a pediatrician. Ilearned there were many other ways I could heal people andimprove quality of life forothers, besides practicing

medicine. And to this day, Iconstantly aspire to find new,innovative ways to heal.

You have raised $1 millioneach year for the past two years for the foundation. Howdo you get folks to give youmoney in a severe economicdownturn? JDRF is an amazingorganization: efficient, focusedon the mission of curing typeone diabetes and has thousandsof dedicated and devoted volunteers. When you have thatkind of organization behind you, it makes the job of fundraising much moremanageable. The first stepthough is to ask and not assume

that the economy is preventing you from success.

How do the folks you helpthrough your organizationinspire you? Type 1diabetes is

relentless. There are no breaks,no vacations, no do-overs – butthere is hope and the ability tolead full lives. The people I workto help every day are so devotedto JDRF and its mission that it is

a constant source of inspiration.The diagnosis rocks their worldand changes everything abouttheir lives, absolutelyeverything, and then theseindividuals have to becomeadvocates for awareness,caretakers for the familymembers, fundraisers and stillbe mom and dad and husbandor wife. They do this day in andday out. Their energy seemsunending. How can I not feed

off of that? Their passion hasliterally changed the course of medicine and will continue todo so until there is a cure. I amonly a vehicle for that passion.

Dana Anne Bruce

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition



Age: 38

Occupation: Attorney,Sowell Gray Stepp &Laffitte

Family: Husband, CoryManning

Education: College of Charleston, B.A.;University of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill,

J.D.

Community/professionalhighlights: Chairman,board of directors of BigBrothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia;president, ShandonNeighborhood Council;member, advisory boardfor the Nelson MullinsRiley & ScarboroughCenter for Professionalismand the John BeltonO’Neall Inn of Court

In my own words: I amfortunate to have theeducation I have and to bein the profession I am in,so the least I can do is give

back. I also think it isimportant to stay engaged

with other people and with what’s happening in the world around us. How welive our lives and what wedo each day matters, and if everyone stopped giving,stopped serving, stoppedpaying attention, we wouldbe in a whole lot of trouble.So I’m just trying to do my

part to keep the goodgoing.

Who your inspiration inlife? My mom. She rearedand supported my brothersand me on her own (withhelp from a wonderfulneighbor) and at the sametime founded and built asuccessful business thatcontinues to this day. Icannot think of a singletime growing up when I

heard my mom complainabout going to work orhaving to “do it all.” Nomatter the challenges —and there were a lot — she

kept moving forward. Iregularly draw upon hertireless energy andunwavering enthusiasmfor life.

My life changed when: I was selected to become alaw clerk to the Honorable

Jean Hoefer Toal. I neverdreamed that I would work

with such a giant in thelegal community. Theexperience gave meconfidence and aperspective on the law andthe judicial system that

will inform my practice forthe rest of my career. As if that was not enough, onceI began working in herchambers, I gained one of the most encouraging andsupportive mentors I haveever had. The clerkshipalso changed my life by

bringing me to Columbia. Inever thought I’d live inColumbia or stay after theclerkship ended, butColumbia surprised me.

There is such a strongsense of community hereand the people areawesome.

What did you want to be when you grew up? I

wanted to be a doctor. I was a good science andmath student in highschool and thought I

would attend medicalschool some day. Then Itook organic chemistry incollege and decided that I

was better off studyingliterature.

You work with a lot of community organizations.

What is your favorite and

why? Serving on theShandon NeighborhoodCouncil has been a great

way to get involved on a very local level and hasgiven me the opportunityto meet and work withneighbors, city and stateleaders and localmerchants. It has also

made me pay moreattention to what ishappening in Shandon andto appreciate how theneighborhood and the city

work together. BigBrothers Big Sisters of

Greater Columbia is wheremy heart is. Havingbenefited from so many

wonderful mentors alongthe way, I know the powerof mentoring and what itcan do for a youngperson’s life.

After a tedious day at theoffice, how do you letloose? By taking my dog

Jo Jo to the Columbia DogPark. It is pure joy to see

how excited she gets forthis simple, routine outing.I love walking around thepark with her, talking tothe other dog ownersandcatching the occasionalsunset. I also lovepracticing yoga. … It does

wonders for my attitude.

Tina Cundari

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition



Age: 37

Occupation:

Pastor/educatorFamily: Wife, Jennifer;son, Peyton

Education: B.A. in history/ education, master’s in bib-lical studies from Grace Bi-ble College of DivinityStudies and completing amaster’s in managementfrom University of Phoenix

Community/professionalhighlights: Member, Ome-ga Psi Phi Fraternity,Prince Hall Masonic Order,Greater Columbia Com-munity Relations Council,and the Drug Alcohol andOther Drug Services Faith Advisory Council; chair-man, City of ColumbiaFaith Based Coalition; and vice chairman, Richland 1school board

In your own words: I am areturn on the investment of the many people who havehelped me become who Iam today and strive to betomorrow. Years ago, I andmy partners establishedThe Talented Tenth group

which is designed to makesure students who have adesire to be successfulhave an opportunity to doso. It is what I call “lifting asI climb.” The reason whythis was important to me isbecause someone gave mean opportunity. I am just ausual individual appointedto do unusual things. … Ihave exemplified the Latinphrase “Ad astra per aspe-ra.” It means “through therough road I found my as-piration.” All of my suc-

cesses and successful fail-ures happened here in Co-lumbia; anything is possi-ble here and it can becontagious. My challengeis for everyone to get in-fected with a purpose-driv-en life and watch what hap-pens.

What saying do you liveby? If you stay ready, youdon’t have to get ready!

My life changed when: Myfather passed away. My fa-ther was my best friendand the most authentic ex-ample of a man. A heavymantle had dropped into

my hands. It was time for

me to possess what was en-trusted in me — my fa-ther’s impeccable legacy.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Dur-ing fourth grade, an FBIagent came to speak to usabout his profession and I was immediately inspired.I could envision myself onhigh-speed pursuits tryingto catch the bad guys. Lateron, (we were told) that if we

had ever been written upfor any reason in school wecould not be FBI agents.My dream in its infancy was immediately crushed.Later on in life, I took agroup of kids to the FBIheadquarters on a field tripand asked the same ques-tion only to find out that myfourth-grade teacher fabri-cated the answer!

You are a pastor, an educa-

tor, a motivational speak-er and the list goes on.How do you juggle all of those responsibilities? Bythe grace of God and agreat support system. Ihave a wonderful wife whocompletes me. As my col-lege sweetheart, she hasseen my complete develop-ment – my positives andnegatives, success and fail-ures – and she keeps me

motivated to forge ahead. Ihave a huge familythroughout the Columbiaarea with the nucleus beingmy mother and siblings. Ihave a wonderful congre-gation at Grace ChristianChurch that have been verysupportive and a staff thathelps with the administra-tion. I call them the “A-Team.” University of Phoe-nix and Richland 1 provideme with the resources to bean effective leader and voice in education. Lastlythe three R’s: rest, readingand relaxation.

Aaron R.E. Bishop

Age: 29

Occupation: Attorney, Collins & LacyFamily: Single

Education: University of Florida, B.S.,finance; University of South Carolina, J.D.

Community/professional highlights:Initiated the inaugural School of LawCareer Week in 2007 at USC, almostdoubled attendance as chairman of theMuseum of Art’s Black and White Ballin 2010. Serves on the editorial boardfor the South Carolina LawyerMagazine and is an active member of the Shandon Neighborhood Council.

In my own words: I feel truly blessedto be a part of this great communityand take part in the manyopportunities it provides. Whetherproviding strong representation andtrusted legal advice to my clients sothey can focus on running theirbusiness, or working with communitygroups to help individuals and our cityprosper, I work as hard as I can everyday because I believe in thiscommunity, the people who live here,and the amazing potential that exists with all of us working together.

What saying do you live by?“Anything in life worth having is worth

working for.” Andrew Carnegie

My life changed: Through myrelationship with Zach Schlitt and Aaron “Arnie” Arnett – two closecollege friends whose lives were cutshort by tragic accidents. Zach was thebig brother I looked up to andadmired. He taught me to be persistentin the pursuit of my goals, neveraccepting no as an answer. Arnie wasthe example of true Southernhospitality. His profound care andconcern for others instilled in me apassion to help those in need in any

way I could. I would not be who I amtoday if it was not for Zach and Arnie.

What do you aspire to? To be the truefriend, the person people know theycan rely on or look to when they needhelp on a new project or idea and theperson businesses can look to whenthey need legal advice or strongrepresentation. When I have a familyof my own one day, I aspire to be thefamily man who provides the sameunconditional love and support myfamily has provided me.

You were a key player in bringingabout Columbia’s first New Year’sEve celebration. What does it take toplan something of that magnitude? Year round, never-ending, planning,persistence and prayer. … An event of this magnitude was only possible withour committee who was willing toshed blood, sweat and tears puttingthe interest of the event ahead of theirown, our mayor who had the visionand faith that we could accomplish bigthings, our employers who allowed us

the time to work on this project,friends who were willing to support usthrough all the ups and downs of theplanning process, corporate partners who were willing to invest in the idea,and most importantly a communitythat truly believed they deserved thebiggest New Year’s Eve Celebration inthe Southeast and came out in the tensof thousands to make it happen. It willtake all this and more to continue togrow an event of this magnitude, butthis is a truly amazing city and we are

just beginning to show the rest of thecountry what we are capable of. It’sgoing to be an incredible year.

Charles L. Appleby IV

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition



Age: 36

Occupation: Social worker; executive direc-tor of the PASOsprograms

Family: Son, Elias, 7;daughter, Bella, 5

Education: B.A. in in-ternational studies and

Spanish from Universityof Georgia; master’s insocial work from USC

Community/professionalhighlights: Founder of

PASOs programs; boardof directors Good Samar-itan Free Clinic, AdvisoryCouncil of S.C. MigrantHealth Program, Pro-gram Services Commit-tee of S.C. March of Dimes, National Associa-tion of Social Workers,

American Public Health

Association, ReturnedPeace Corps Volunteersof S.C.

Who is your inspiration?My mother, Gail Smith-

wick, who gives of her-self to others freely, and

doesn’t stop first to thinkof herself. My sister, CaraSenterfeit, who foughtbreast cancer at age 32

while adopting a childfrom Russia and nevergave in to negativity. Theteachings of leaders suchas Jesus, Martin LutherKing Jr., Mahatma Gan-dhi, Nelson Mandela andMother Teresa. … Andthe many leaders thatsurround me.

My life changed when: I was 16 and went on a tripto Brazil with the UnitedMethodist Church. I re-member boarding theplane thinking I wasgoing to spend two

weeks amongst people who lived in trees andhad no TVs, and gettingoff the plane in Rio de

Janeiro, which was moredeveloped than any placeI’d ever been! The oneexperience I remembermore than anything wasmeeting with a team of (professionals) workingtogether to stop powerfulforces from “cleaning up”the street children of Rio.… They showed us pic-tures and told us the coldhard truth about what

was happening. Ourgroup of mostly middle-class American teenagers

were still struggling tounderstand this reality

when the leader abruptlystated that they neededto leave. … The localbusinessmen had hired adeath squad to kill themso they would cease withtheir attempts to defendthe street children, andthey were constantly onthe run. As I contemplat-ed and cried over thecompassion of people

who were willing to die

to give their lives to jus-tice, I let go of a lot of my

preconceived notionsabout the world, mythoughts of what wasreally important in lifeand my selfish dreams. I

joined the Peace Corpsafter college and wassent to live in an impov-erished area of Ecuador.

All the projects I startedmy first year failed, and Ialmost gave up. Duringmy second year, my Ec-uadorian colleagues andI began working with thecommunity to try andbuild a center where thechildren could study andbe safe from the gangfights on the streets.

After a year hitting thepavement every day try-

ing to get the city to giveus land, we had nothing

and it was almost time togo home. … I extendedmy service for a third

year, and almost immedi-ately things started hap-pening. The city donateda piece of old riverbed,the mayor donated thedirt to fill it in, and dona-tions started coming infor the construction. … Ilearned to listen, to stay

the course, and to learnfrom those around me-

Why did you start PA.SOs? A forward-thinkingsocial worker who direct-ed a maternal and childhealth program in theMidlands commissionedme to determine if there

were gaps in services andhealth disparities

amongst our growingLatino population. …Based on the results, Iproposed culturally ap-propriate prenatal educa-tion, taking health re-sources to the Latinopopulation in a way thatrespected their beliefs.Palmetto Health and theSC March of Dimes be-lieved in my ideas andsupported me to startPASOs (“steps” in Span-ish), which began as a

way to start filling in thegaps and connectingfamilies to education andresources. PASOs is nowin 13 counties and reach-es over 8,000 people a

year.

Julie Smithwick-Leone

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition



Age: 38

Occupation: Manager,Corporate Training andDiversity for BlueCrossand BlueShield of SouthCarolina

Family: Parents, Georgiaand Willie; brothers, Steveand Barry

Education: M.A. inhuman resourcesdevelopment, WebsterUniversity; B.S. inbusiness administration

with a minor in sociology, Wake Forest University

Community/professionalhighlights: First NazarethBaptist Church GreetersMinistry, Habitat forHumanity ReStore, AIDSBenefit Foundation of South Carolina,Leadership ColumbiaClass of 2012,ToastmastersInternational, National

Industry Liaison Group,Society for HumanResources Management, American Society forTraining andDevelopment

In my own words:Professionally, I do what Ido because it is FUN,challenging and myposition stretches me.Currently, I oversee ourcorporate training

curriculum, educationassistance, regulatorycompliance, affirmativeaction and diversityprograms. My days are amix of dealing withinternal customers,external stakeholders anddevelopment andcompliance concerns. When my telephone rings,it is like opening a box of chocolates: You neverknow what you are goingto get.

Who was yourinspiration? GeraldynePierce Zimmerman, my

former Girl Scout leaderand Federated Girls Clubadvisor, instilled in me thedesire to change situationsfor the betterment of mankind. Fondly called“Mrs. Z,” she was anexample in motionhelping with Girl Scouts,Helen Sheffield, the American Red Cross, TheSunlight Community Cluband a host of other

worthwhile organizations.Last year, at the age of 100, she transitioned fromthis earth but leavesbehind a legacy of volunteerism. I also live by

Wake Forest’s motto, ProHumanitate (or “forhumanity”).

My life changed when: InMay 2004, I received atelephone call that my dadhad been in a seriousautomobile accident and Ineeded to comeimmediately to theregional medical center.On this day, my role in myfamily changed forever.

Even though I am thebaby girl, I became theresponsible one. The one who listened to thedoctors, gave input to care

and regulated visitoraccess. More than ninemonths passed before mydad recovered, and today,seven years later, I remainthe responsible one.

What do you aspire to? Ilove working in humanresources. This is mycareer of choice. Eversince I took my first HRclass at Wake with J. KlineHarrison, Ph.D., my mind

has been sold on theprofession. I hope mycareer will continue toprogress. In the future, Ilook forward to assuming

more responsibilities andtransitioning into a seniorlevel position.

How has yourinvolvement with the GirlScouts helped shape yourlife? As a lifetime GirlScout member and a Gold Award recipient, I havebeen fortunate to havemany growth experiencesin scouting. I am also aformer professional Girl

Scout and previousmember of the Association of Girl Scoutexecutive staff.Throughout the years,

scouting has presented memany wonderfulopportunities from the world of outdoors to visiting the White House.Through scouting, Ienjoyed my first white-water rafting trip, ahobby I still enjoy today.The program provides valuable life skills such asbudgeting, projectmanagement and leading

others — the very sameskills I use today.

Vida A. Jennings

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition


Danielle Holley-Walker Associate Dean for Academic AffairsUSC School of Law

The University of South CarolinaSchool of Law congratulates

our members of the 2012 Class of 20 under 40.Charles L. Appleby IV

School of Law Class of 2007, Collins & Lacy Tina Cundari, Adjunct Professor, School of Law 2004-2005

Sowell Gray Stepp & Laffitte

Emma Dean, School of Law Class of 2006 SC House Judiciary Committee

Travis Wheeler, Adjunct Professor, School of Law Nexsen Pruet


Age: 37

Occupation: Associatedean for academic affairsand professor at theUniversity of SouthCarolina School of Law

Family: Husband, John;parents, Joyce andDannye; mother-in-law,Gladys; brothers, Kenanand Quentin; nephews,Quan, Zayd and Micah;niece, Elle; and EnglishBulldog, Billie

Education: Yale, B.A. inhistory; Harvard, J.D.

Community/professionalhighlights: On the boardof directors of the SouthCarolina HIV/AIDSCouncil; member of theexecutive committee of theEducation Section for the

American Association of

Law Schools; activemember in the Midlands

chapter of the Yale Alumni Association.

In my own words: I ampassionate about learningand teaching. Both of myparents are academics andso being in the classroom,teaching students anddoing my research allseem very natural to me.I’m equally passionateabout the law and theimportant role that

lawyers play in society. Ihave the privilege of helping to educate thenext generation of lawyers, and I am gratefulevery day for thatopportunity.

Who is your inspiration?My parents have alwaysbeen my inspiration. They

both believe deeply infamily, faith, community

and education. Theytaught us to be kind andloving toward other peopleand to strive to be the bestat anything you set out todo. One of my favoritesayings is a Martin LutherKing Jr. quote:“Intelligence pluscharacter — that is thegoal of true education.”

My life changed when: Ileft home for college. I met

people from everydifferent background andall of them hadextraordinary aspirationsand they were working ongaining the skills andknowledge to make theirbig dreams come true. At

Yale, I discovered a whole world of possibilities that I

had never imagined. Inever looked back.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Ialways wanted to be alawyer. Very early in mylife I heard about the workof Thurgood Marshall,Constance Baker Motley,Charles Hamilton Houstonand other civil rightslawyers. That is always the

work I aspired to do.

What is your mostrewarding work in the

community? I enjoy doingany community work

where I spend time withkids talking about theimportance of education.Education unlocks thedoor to infiniteopportunities, and anytime I get to share thatmessage, it’s a great day.

Danielle Holley-Walker

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition



Age: 34

Occupation: Teacher

Family: Daughters, Cielo andNicole

Education: B.A. in Spanish;M.Ed. in EducationalTechnology; Ph.D. inEducational Psychology &Research from the University of South Carolina

Community/professionalhighlights: Serves atNewSpring Church in Irmo; volunteer web coordinator for

the TEDxColumbiaSCconference; state constable(volunteer police officer) withlocal sheriff’s departments.

In my own words: There is nobetter way to impact the futureof our country, our state and ourcommunity than by inspiringchildren to fulfill their purposeto the fullness of their potential.I get the remarkableopportunity to get to know andlearn with some of the smartest

and most caring students in thecountry. It is my job to cherishand challenge them, and I lookforward to each day and theunique challenges it brings as young people walk into myclassroom.

Who is your inspiration? JesusChrist. Since coming to knowChrist, I have striven to live alife of surrender. The people who inspire me the most arethose that live fully surrendered

to Jesus: my parents, pastor Ken Jumper and friends at theHarvest, and pastor Perry Nobleand friends at NewSpring. “Notby might nor by power, but bymy Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6 (NIV)

My life changed when: Igraduated with a bachelor’sdegree in 2004 after a long road.I was at a crossroads, trying todetermine if I wanted tocontinue in a career of public

safety or pursue a new career.My mother taught for many years, and she suggested Iconsider a career in teaching.

What do you aspire to? Since I

was younger I’ve had anunquenchable thirst forknowledge. As I’ve gotten olderthis desire to learn … now burnsbrighter than ever before. Thisis what led me to go back toschool to complete my master’sand doctoral degrees. I havebeen fortunate to work in manydifferent areas, such as in thefast-food industry and in retailand later as a paramedic and volunteer firefighter. … I havelearned more than I everimagined I would.

How important is technologyto learning? My friend Chris

Lehmann, principal of Science

Leadership Academy inPhiladelphia says thattechnology should be likeoxygen, “ubiquitous, necessaryand invisible.” To determine theimportance of technology weneed only look around at ourconnected world. I can recallfirst learning to drive andcarrying a quarter at all times incase I needed to use a payphone. My use of technologyhas changed so drastically overthe last few years and I mustremember daily that ourchildren are growing up in a very different time than I did. Tothat end, it is imperative that the

teaching methods I employ

mirror the realities of everydaylife so I can help our studentsbecome connected andcontributing members of society.

Do your students ever surprise you with their response totechnology? My studentssurprise me every day … withtheir passion for learning andtheir hearts for others. Theysurprise me with their willingness to embrace new

technologies without hesitation, with their creative ideas, withtheir perseverance when theproject gets difficult and how

they overcome personal

challenges and rise to thechallenges of school. Over the years, I’ve watched 11- and12-year-old students record andedit high-definition video, buildphone and tablet apps, creategames, make original electronicmusic and build websites. Thebest part of it is that on manyoccasions, the students havelearned so much about aprogram that they have becomethe teacher and I became thestudent.

Christopher Craft

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition


The McKay Firm and McKay PublicAffairs would like to congratulate Ashley

Hunter on being named one of the

honorees for “20 under 40.”

1303 Blanding St. Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: 803-256-4645

Congratulations Ashley Congratulations Ashley


Age: 31

Occupation: Director of public affairs at TheMcKay Firm

Family: Husband,Michael; stepsons, JohnDavid, 12, Blake, 10,Bayly, 10, Ellis, 8;daughters, Lillie, 15months, Cate (due in

March)

Education: Bachelor of arts, University of SouthCarolina

Community/professionalhighlights: Volunteerguardian ad litem,Richland County CASA;public relationscommittee, S.C. Chamberof Commerce; marketingand membership

committee, S.C. Workers’CompensationEducational Association;golf committee, S.C.Society of Association

Executives; S.C. Chapterof the Public RelationsSociety of America

In my own words: Eventhough I’ve worked inpolitics and variouslegislative consultingpositions for over adecade, I love what I dobecause it provides me with a new challenge eachday and allows me toconstantly learn newthings. Very few peopleare fortunate enough totruly enjoy their job ortheir career. I have beengiven a great opportunityin my current position atThe McKay Firm. My bestcareer advice is to findsome thing you arepassionate about and thenbe fearless about giving it

100 percent.

Who is your inspiration?My greatest inspiration would have to be my dad.He taught me the

importance of hard workand of putting family first.He taught me how to be aleader, to be responsiblefor my actions and to value a job well done. Healso taught me to havecompassion for those lessfortunate than me –something that hisparents also valued. Most

importantly, he led byexample. He spent qualitytime with his children andmade sure that each of usknew how important we were as his children andas individuals. He is myinspiration not only in mycareer, but also as aparent and a friend. I lookup to him to this day andam incredibly thankful forthe values, the confidence

and the work ethic he hasinstilled in me.

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was very young, I

wanted to be a tightrope walker. With fourstepsons, a youngdaughter, a baby on the way, a husband and afull-time job, I think Ithink my life is still quite

the balancing act!

What drives yourinvolvement with theGuardian Ad Litemprogram? Being a volunteer GAL issomething I am incrediblypassionate about andproud of. The biggestthing that drives myinvolvement is thedifference you make forabused and neglectedchildren. You may be theirsingle source of comfortand stability. I hope thatthe recommendations and work I can do with themand with their families will have a lasting andpositive effect in theirlives.

Ashley Hunter

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition



Age: 38

Occupation: Informationtechnology director, S.C.Retirement System InvestmentCommission

Family: Wife, Donna; daughter,Taylor

Education: University of SouthCarolina, B.S. in athletic trainingand master’s in teaching

Community/professionalhighlights: Richland 2 boardtrustee, secretary; BrookfieldNeighborhood Association,president/founder; Decker

Boulevard Business Coalition,president; Spring Valley Rotary,Member; 2008-2011 MidlandsInformation Systems Security

Association, vice president

In my own words: Mymotivation for public serviceoriginates from one very simplemotto. It is the Rotarian motto of

“service before self.” Hard work,service to others, and publiceducation are the foundations

upon which America was builtand I can’t think of anything thatI would rather devote my time tothan these principles. I have alsobeen motivated by a formersupervisor who taught me theimportance of taking ownershipover your surroundings. Hetaught me to ask why and to beaccountable regardless of

whether it was my directresponsibility or not. This hasalways stuck with me and has

been a great guide. Who is your inspiration? Myfamily. My wife gives me theencouragement I need tosucceed, helps to keep mebalanced in my family life andservice, and is the best mothermy daughter could ever have.My daughter gives me my daily

inspiration to be the best I canbe.

My life changed when: My life

has been impacted by threesignificant events. The first wasin high school when a teacher,Coach Jake Brock, approachedme about becoming involved

with school athletics as anathletic trainer. I was anextremely shy student who wasnot involved with any school

activities. That opportunity gaveme confidence. The secondevent came after leavingteaching and beginning my workin the information technologyfield with Richland County. I hadthe misfortune of seeingstudents that I formerly taught in

the Richland County DetentionCenter. The impact was lifechanging. The third event wasthe death of a man at my home.My wife and I were having treesremoved from our yard, when Ireceived a call that an accidenthad occurred. I came home tosee and experience that tragedyin a very personal way. After thatexperience, I decided that Ishould do something that wasbigger than me and I committed

my life to community service. You went from working withstudents with special needs tobecoming a networkadministrator and ethicalhacker. How did you make thatleap?

After graduating with anundergraduate degree in sports

medicine, I began working onmy master’s degree in educationand was given an opportunity toserve as a teaching assistant forstudents with special needs

while also serving as a graduateathletic trainer for the same highschool. After completing my

graduate studies, I continued fulltime. I will never forget myspecial needs student whoattended all of the footballgames with me as an honoraryathletic trainer. It was somethingthat benefited all of the students,athletes and adults that had theopportunity to be touched bythat young man! While teaching,I met my wife. After we wereengaged, I realized that it wouldbe difficult for us to live on the

salary of two teachers. So Idecided to make a hobby acareer choice by beginning workin the information technologyfield. It was a huge risk and leapof faith that has paid dividendsin the form of a stable career

which allows me to betterprovide for my family and toserve the community.

James A. Manning

8/3/2019 20 Under 40, 2012 Edition


RALEIGH GREENSBORO CHARLOTTE GREENVILLE

COLUMBIA MYRTLE BEACH CHARLESTON HILTON HEAD

www.nexsenpruet.com

TRAVIS WHEELER“20 UNDER 40”

Nexsen Pruet salutes Travis Wheeler for his commitment to helping

businesses in the region succeed while enhancing a healthy

competitive landscape for South Carolina commerce. His recognition

as one of The State’s “20 under 40” reinforces his dedication to our

community, and underscores his leadership and ongoing work on

competition-related legal issues of all sizes.

Congratulations, Travis!

CONGRATULATES

1230 Main Street, Suite 700, Columbia, SC 29201

JohnA. Sowards, Chairman


Age: 37

Occupation: Antitrustattorney, partner atNexsen Pruet

Family: Wife, Lisa; son,Cameron, 3 (currentlyanswering only to “Darth

Vader”); daughter set toarrive March 31. And

one golden retriever.Education: B.A., WoffordCollege; J.D., DukeUniversity School of Law

Community/ professionalinvolvement: Formerpresident, RosewoodCommunity Council; vicepresident, CentralRosewoodNeighborhood

Association; adjunctprofessor, University of South Carolina School of Law; vice-chair,

Columbia Parks andRecreation Foundation;member, Charles R.Drew Wellness Centerscholarship advisorycommittee.

In my own words: I lovethe practice of antitrustlaw. Each case requires

you to become an expertin a new industry, andthe damages caused byconspiracies to violatethe antitrust laws (e.g.price-fixing) can bemassive. The facts arealmost always intriguingand complex.

Who was yourinspiration? I had twoprofessors at Wofford –Bernie Dunlap and

Richard Wallace – who,more than anyone,shaped the course myprofessional life would

take. Professor Dunlapinstilled in me the joy tolearn for learning’s sake,and Professor Wallaceintroduced me to theintersection of law andeconomics. I also did anindependent study underProfessor Wallace in

which I read all of Blackstone’sCommentaries on theLaws of England duringmy last semester at

Wofford. If nothing else,it made the law schoolcasebooks I encounteredthe following fall seem(relatively)comprehensible.

My life changed when: A friend in law school, in

the second week of classes my first year, saidI should drop Evidenceand take Antitrust Law.

He said I would love themixture of white-collarcrime, economic theoryand intriguing facts, as

well as the challenginglegal issues presented byantitrust cases. So I

dropped Evidence,signed up for Antitrust,and within a month Iknew I wanted to be anantitrust lawyer.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Fora good while (and wellinto college) I wanted tobe an English professor.

After reading Ulysses incollege, I worried I’d

have to take onFinnegan’s Wake if I

went to graduate school,so that got scratchedfrom my career “bucketlist.”

Tell me about your work with the Rosewood

neighborhoodassociation. What is

your most successfulaccomplishment inheading that group? Ithink our most importantaccomplishment wasgetting interim measuresprotection for Rosewood(which placed certainparameters on newdevelopment withincommunity). It was along process, butCouncilwoman BelindaGergel was a strongadvocate. Rosewood hasa unique character andcharm to it, and that

character and charm is worth preserving. My wife and I have lived inRosewood for six years.It is a great place to raisea family, and we lookforward to many more

years there.

Travis Wheeler

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