Florence Darlington County Commission For Technical Education Elects New Leaders

Paul Seward, Chairman of the Florence Darlington County Commission for Technical Education. Dr. Ershela Sims, Vice-Chairwoman of the Florence Darlington County Commission for Technical Education. Wanda James, Secretary of the Florence Darlington County Commission for Technical Education.

The Florence-Darlington County Commission for Technical Education elected new officers at its most recent meeting on Tuesday June 22, 2021. First Bank Area Executive Paul Seward was elected Chairman of the Commission that oversees Florence-Darlington Technical College (FDTC).
The Florence resident said, “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Board Chairman during this critical time in FDTC’s history, and I will work diligently to achieve the goals our board and staff have set forth.”
Chairman Seaward went on to say, “I am excited to share that our quest has begun to seek our next President at FDTC. The board and staff have worked extremely hard over the last few years to get our house in order and now is the time to move forward. We have several major renovation projects underway as we strive to serve the future workforce of the Pee Dee.”

Chairman Seward also said that FDTC is more than just a school, “There has never been a greater need for our technical colleges, and FDTC will be a regional leader in this space. Our Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SIMT) offers state of the art training opportunities to regional companies. We will be a leader in workforce development and will be a vital player in the efforts of our economic development partners to grow our employment base. We will work closely with our local schools and industry to deliver the product that they need.”
Interim FDTC President Ed Bethea welcomed the new FDTC Board chairman saying, “Mr. Seward is a businessperson first and foremost, and I look forward to his insights as we move FDTC forward! Mr. Bethea also praised the outgoing Commission Chairman Dr. Leroy Robinson, “We would like to thank Dr. Leroy Robinson for his service as the Area Commissioners Chair for the last two years and his leadership during the current presidential search.”

Hartsville resident Dr. Ershela Sims is the Commission’s new Vice-Chairwoman. Dr. Sims is the Executive Director of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network, Incorporated (WEPAN).
Wanda James, a franchise owner of local McDonald’s restaurants, was elected as the Commission Secretary. Ms. James is a Florence resident.