Capital Rotary Club

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 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:

• Real-time bus locators, free Wi-Fi and apps
• As many as 30 more routes people want to ride
• New park-and-ride and limited-stop express services
• A new downtown circulation system
• New rural transit systems
• Creating a 100% alternative fuel fleet

For more information about COMET, please visit: http://catchthecomet.org

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