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TO RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND HEYWARD BANNISTER FOR HIS LIFETIME OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE RICHLAND ONE HALL OF FAME, CLASS OF 2014.
Whereas, the South Carolina Senate is pleased to learn that Heyward Bannister, president and chief executive officer of BANCO/Bannister Company, has been selected for induction into Richland One Hall of Fame's Class of 2014; and
Whereas, the Richland One Hall of Fame was created to recognize graduates of the district's schools and others throughout the district's history who have made significant contributions to the district, their communities, their professions, and society as a whole. Induction into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor the Richland One School Board can bestow. This year's honorees will be formally recognized March 22, 2014; and
Whereas, as a youth, Heyward Bannister witnessed the unfair distribution of resources, inadequate educational and job opportunities, and lack of political representation prevalent in his community. He was motivated to develop and use his organizational and management skills in business, civic, and political arenas to challenge the status quo, with a focus on inclusion and equitable distribution of community resources to mobilize and empower underserved populations; and
Whereas, born in 1952 to James and Mary Smith Bannister of Gadsden, the young Heyward graduated from Hopkins High School in 1969. He worked three jobs simultaneously prior to enrolling at the University of South Carolina, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees. After gaining valuable work experience, he joined Blackwater and Associates, Inc., where he obtained greater knowledge in the areas of research, public relations, and political consulting. In 1986, he became co-founder of Sunrise Enterprises of Columbia, Inc., the first African American-owned public relations firm in South Carolina; and
Whereas, in 1992, he became owner of BANCO/Bannister Company, a public relations, marketing, and political consulting firm. He served as state director for the Clinton/Gore Campaign and was later appointed as White House liaison for the Department of Veteran Affairs during the Clinton Administration. In 1999, he returned to South Carolina as director of the South Carolina Community Business Center for Fannie Mae, a Fortune 500 corporation designed to remove barriers to home ownership; and
Whereas, after retiring from Fannie Mae in 2007, Heyward Bannister resurrected the BANCO/Bannister Company. He has collaborated with, and provided consulting services to, more than two hundred fifty grassroots-awareness and political campaigns that transformed policies and reformed the political landscape, including the Transportation Penny campaign, designed to improve roads and public transportation in Richland County, and the Richland Library bond referendum to improve libraries. As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) board member, he battled unrelentingly for his county's abused and neglected children; and
Whereas, in recognition of his achievements, Heyward Bannister has been granted various honors, among them induction into the Columbia Housing Authority Wall of Fame and the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame; and
Whereas, grateful for the legacy of consistent commitment and excellence Heyward Bannister has bestowed on this great State, the Senate takes much pleasure in congratulating him on this his latest accolade, induction into the Richland One Hall of Fame, Class of 2014. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate:
That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize and commend Heyward Bannister for his lifetime of accomplishments and congratulate him on his induction into the Richland One Hall of Fame, Class of 2014.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to Heyward Bannister.
This web page was last updated on March 12, 2014 at 2:35 PM