Capital Rotary Club

If you follow South Carolina football, you know Tommy Suggs. Regarded as one of the school’s all-time greatest quarterbacks who played for the garnet and black from 1968-1970, Suggs may be more familiar to generations of fans as the color analyst for South Carolina’s radio broadcast for the last 40 years. As he begins his fifth decade behind the microphone, the 65 year old president and CEO of KeenanSuggs still has as much passion and excitement for South Carolina as the student section bouncing around to “Sandstorm.”  “It’s a lot of fun when you’re winning 11 games three years in a row,” Suggs said. “But it’s always fun. Over the years I’ve seen a lot of tremendous wins, gut-wrenching losses, great venues, and all the special things that keep you engaged.”Suggs and his wife, Jane, have been involved in philanthropic efforts for the university for many years, and there is a mutual respect between he and university administrators. “He’s a part of the family,” said athletics director Ray Tanner. “If Tommy wants to share something with me, question something that’s going on, or compliment something that’s happening, then I want to hear about it. It’s very much appreciated. I take the opportunity on occasion to ask him how he feels about certain things or get his perception of difference situations.”

Suggs led the Gamecocks to the 1969 ACC Championship and a berth in the Peach Bowl. He was named MVP of the 1970 Blue-Gray All-Star Classic and was inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989 and South Carolina State Hall of Fame in 1983. Suggs may also be famous for something fans won’t find in any of the record books as he explains he first pitched the idea for the iconic “2001” entrance for the Gamecocks after seeing Elvis Presley enter the stage to theme music at a concert in the Carolina Coliseum in the 1970s.

Source: http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082514aae.html

Our speaker at our meeting Wednesday, February 10th was Mr. John Sherrer and the general topics will be, “Remembering Columbia”.  John currently serves as the Director of Cultural Resources for the Historic Columbia Foundation.  Originally hailing from Columbia, John received both Bachelors and Masters degrees from Clemson University and a second Masters degree from the University of South Carolina.   John has published three books:

1. Fancy and Fine, Plain and Simple: Furniture in Columbia and Richland County, South Carolina, 1800-1860 in 2002;
2. The Governor’s Mansion of South Carolina, 1855-2001 in 2008;
3. Remembering Columbia in 2015

Our speaker on Wednesday, January 24^th was Mr. Carl Cox, Director of Development at Central South Carolina Habitat for Humanity. Prior to his joining Habitat in 2014, Carl was Director of Development with the Central Carolina United Way (NC), and before that, Carl served as District director for the Boy Scouts of America for several years.  Carl earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Clemson University.