Our speakers on Wednesday morning, May 13th were Mr. Rob Perry, Richland County Transportation Director and Mr. David Beaty, PE, who oversees the ICA Engineering and Richland County’s $750,000,000 roads improvement program.
Our speaker on Wednesday morning May 6th was Mr. Ken Bible, Deputy Director CIO at the United States Marine Corps. From March 2013-2015, Ken served as the Chief Technology Advisor to the USMC. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech and his Master’s degree in Engineering from the University of South Carolina.
Our speaker on Wednesday morning April 15th was Columbia Fire Chief, Mr. Aubrey Jenkins. Chief Jenkins has been fighting fires for over 30 years and has served Columbia in the chief’s role since 2011.
About the Columbia Fire Department (from the CFD website): The CFD has over one hundred years of proud history serving the residents of the City of Columbia and Richland County. The CFD has changed along with the communities it serves over the years. We will continue to adapt our service delivery model to best meet the challenges we face each day. The personnel of this proud department pledge to continue to provide the best possible service to meet the needs of our citizens and visitors. We stand ready to put ourselves in harm’s way to protect life, property and the environment.
More information about Chief Jenkins and the Columbia Fire Department
Courtesy: CFD
Our speaker on Wednesday morning April 8th was Dr. Bob Sneider, Executive Director of The COMET, the Central Midlands Transit organization. Dr. Sneider earned his Ph.D. in Political Science and his Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Tennessee. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Political Science and History from Western Carolina University. Prior to The Comet, Bob worked as General Manager of ValleyRide in Boise, Idaho – while he also served as Adjunct Professor in Political Science at Boise State University. From 2005 through 2007, Bob served as Chief Operating Officer at Knoxville Area Transit.
According to The Comet website, here’s just some of what’s in store for the near future:
For more information about COMET, please visit: http://catchthecomet.org
Our speaker on Wednesday morning April 1st was Mr. Nelson Lindsay, Richland County’s Economic Development Director. Mr. Lindsay took his position as Richland County’s first-ever director of economic development in 2011.
He came to us from Kershaw County, where he was the economic development director for the prior 14 years. While in Kershaw County, more than $860 million in capital investment was announced and more than 3,200 jobs were added.
Mike Montgomery (second from left) and Perry Lancaster (far right) have been admitted to membership in Columbia’s Capital Rotary Club. Their sponsors were David Boucher (left) and Jenks Mikell (second from right). Montgomery, in private law practice since 1985, is a University of South Carolina graduate and was formerly in Spring Valley Rotary, where he was honored as the top fund-raiser for 2009. He’s also been a school board member for Richland District Two, served on Richland County Council, was a district chairman for Boy Scouts and is on the board of the Columbia City Ballet. He’s married to the former Victoria Ann Jakes and the couple has three grown children. Lancaster has worked at Brittons of Columbia (men’s and women’s fine clothing and furnishings) for 40 years, where he’s been active in community outreach and support for local charitable organizations. He attended Irmo High School and is married to Stacy Levinson
Our speakers on Wednesday morning March 25th were Dr. Kenn Apel and Danielle Vernedoe, both of USC’s Knowledge of Orthographic Learning Lab. Dr. Apel serves as Professor and Chair while Ms. Vernedoe is the Senior Clinical Instructor. The USC Center for Speech & Hearing, “provides quality diagnostic and treatment programs for individuals of all ages with communication disabilities.
Our speaker on Wednesday morning March 11th was Ms. Karen Brosius, Executive Director of the Columbia Museum of Art. Karen began her tenure with the Museum in early 2004 and came to the museum from Altria Group, Inc., New York, New York, where her most recent position there was Director of Media Relations. She has served as a senior philanthropic, arts, and communications executive at the company.
Her 21 years with Altria — parent company of Kraft Foods and Philip Morris — included tenures as Director of Corporate Affairs and Director of Corporate Contributions and Public Affairs. Prior to Altria, Ms. Brosius served as Public Affairs Officer for The Pierpont Morgan Library in New York and as Researcher for Research Foundation of the City of New York. Ms. Brosius received a master’s degree, from City University of New York, Hunter College. She also attended the Juilliard School of Music; Ecoles d’Arts Americaines, Fontainebleau, France; Bryn Mawr, Avignon, France; and Butler University, Indiana.
Our speaker on Wednesday morning March 4th was Mr. Michael Briggs, CEO of Central SC Alliance. Since 1997, Mike Briggs has been the President and CEO of the Central South Carolina Alliance, a regional public-private partnership dedicated to representing the economic development efforts of the nine counties in the Central Region of South Carolina. Born in High Point, North Carolina, Mike came to Columbia in 1972 to attend the University of South Carolina receiving a BA in English in 1974. For the next few years Mike pursued graduate studies and taught at USC in the Government and International Studies Department, receiving a Master’s Degree in Political Science.
After completing course work and examinations toward the Ph.D., Mike left the University in 1981 to pursue a career at Anchor Continental Inc., a manufacturing company in Columbia. Mike lives in Columbia with his wife, Lilla Ann, and they have four daughters. Throughout his years in Columbia, Mike has been actively involved in Shandon United Methodist Church as well as numerous civic and professional organizations.
Our speaker on Wednesday morning January 25th was author Andra Watkins. She will be discussing her book, To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis. Andra lives in Charleston with her husband Michael T. Maher.
A non-practicing CPA, she has a degree in accounting from Francis Marion University. Andra is the author of three books and counting. Her acclaimed first novel To Live Forever was published by Word Hermit Press on March 1, 2014. Another of her books, Natchez Trace: Tracks in Time is a book of photography, shot during her 15-mile daily hikes on her 444-mile Natchez Trace walk.
| © Copyright 2013-2026 by Capital Rotary Club | Website by POSITUS Consulting, llc |