SC AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS ATTEND COOPERATIVE AWARENESS SEMINAR
COLUMBIA, SC……A select group of Agricultural Educators attended a Cooperative Awareness Seminar sponsored by the SC Cooperative Council, October 19, in conjunction with the observance of National Cooperative Month, at Seawell’s Restaurant in Columbia.
The Seminar was planned and coordinated by Marie Stiles, executive director of the Council, in concert with Council President Kim Hood, vice president for marketing with Pee Dee Farm Credit, ACA, headquartered in Florence, and John W. Parris, agricultural consultant to the SC Cooperative Council.
Seminar presenters included Gregg White with the USDA Rural Development Agency, Columbia, who discussed Cooperative Basics; Vicki Ringer with the SC Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Columbia, who discussed Electric Cooperatives; Paul Holder, an executive with Farmers Telephone Cooperative, Sumter, SC, who discussed Telephone Cooperatives; Miriam Pflug with AgSouth Farm Credit, ACA, Spartanburg, who discussed Farm Credit; Tom Welsh, Executive Vice President of AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, Columbia, who discussed the organization, management and leadership requirements of successful cooperatives; and Marie Stiles who discussed the programs of the SC Cooperative Council.
Participants in the Seminar included Dr. Phil M. Fravel, faculty member with the Clemson University Agricultural Education Department; M. Pat Black, Agricultural Education Teacher at Branchville High School and a Vice President of the SC Agricultural Educators Association; Chris Edge, Agricultural Education Teacher at Clover High School; Linwood Chestnut, Agricultural Education Teacher at Marion County Technical Education Center; Cliff Wilbanks, Agricultural Education Teacher at Dillon Applied Technology Center; James Ulmer, Agricultural Education Teacher at Lake Marion High School, Santee; Mindy Sandifer, Agricultural Education Teacher at Barnwell Career Center; Amanda Nichols, Agricultural Education Teacher at Saluda High School; Melanie Birchmore, Agricultural Education Teacher at Laurens District 55 High School; Darrell Ricketts, Agricultural Education Teacher at Socastee High School, Myrtle Beach; Ashli Young, Central High School, Pageland; Mark Earle, Agricultural Education Teacher at Hillcrest High School; Audie Green, Agricultural Education Teacher at Anderson I & II Technology Center, Williamston; Blake Berry, Vice President of Clemson University Collegiate FFA Organization and a senior in Agricultural Education; Kyle Hatcher, a senior in Agricultural Education at Clemson University; Charlotte Jennings, a senior in Agricultural Education at Clemson University; Kristen Mackey, a senior in Agricultural Education at Clemson University; Michael Green, a senior in Agricultural Education at Clemson University; and Ashley Granata, a senior in Agricultural Education at Clemson University.
Each participant was presented an excellent collection of teaching materials on cooperatives along with usable gifts and a Certificate of Accomplishment.
This first Cooperative Awareness Seminar conducted specifically for Agricultural Educators in South Carolina was a tremendous success.
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| Marie Stiles (left) with James Ulmer, Pat Black and Tom Welsh. |
Marie Stiles (left) with Ashli Young and Tom Welsh. |
Kim Hood with Kyle Hatcher and Audie Green. |
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Kim Hood with Linwood Chestnut and Cliff Wilbanks. |
Kim Hood and Chris Edge. |
Kim Hood and Melanie Birchmore. |
Kim Hood and Mark Earle. |
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Kim Hood and Amanda Nichols. |
Kim Hood with Darrell Ricketts. |
Kim Hood with Charlotte Jennings. |
Kim Hood and Mindy Sandifer. |
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| Tom Welsh (left) with Kristen Mackey, Blake Berry and Dr. Phil M. Fravel. | Tom Welsh (left) with Ashley Granata, Michael Green and Dr. Fravel. | ||