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TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR LEANNE BURKHEAD FOR HER OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO SPARTANBURG COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE SPARK CENTER SC.
Whereas, for fourteen years, Leanne Burkhead has been a loyal and dedicated public servant at Spartanburg Community College (SCC) and the College's Spark Center SC, working tirelessly on behalf of the college, as well as Spartanburg County and the State of South Carolina; and
Whereas, Mrs. Burkhead was hired on October 16, 2006, to work as an administrative specialist at SCC's Tyger River campus in Duncan, where she assisted students, faculty, and staff in daily endeavors to become successful; and
Whereas, she worked with Mike Forrester, SCC's vice president of economic development, as the enterprise director at SCC's Center for Business and Entrepreneurial Development (CBED), creating a business center designed to ignite economic growth, as well as serve as a catalyst for business and entrepreneurial development for the State of South Carolina and a promoter of collaboration between economic development organizations, businesses, and all levels of government; and
Whereas, Mrs. Burkhead assisted Mr. Forrester in expanding CBED, renaming and trademarking a new name, the Spark Center, SC, where businesses "Connect, Ignite, Launch"; and
Whereas, from the Spark Center's conception, Mrs. Burkhead worked tirelessly to assist its development by visiting six incubator sites in four states and taking the best practices from all to develop the four major services offered by the center, including Soft Landings Service, Small Business Incubator, Workforce Employment Services, and Special Projects Assistance; and
Whereas, further, Mrs. Burkhead assisted in the development of by-laws designating the Spark Center and the Tyger River College as an Enterprise Campus Authority, providing greater flexibility for the college to lease space for clients. She also helped develop the Foreign Trade Zone Designation of the campus, which is strategically located near the intersection of Interstate-26 and Interstate-85, with convenient access to the South Carolina Inland Port; and
Whereas, over the years, she also helped manage millions of dollars in Spark Center construction and upgrade projects, meticulously overseeing all details, including the development of new spaces and furnishing requirements; and
Whereas, Mrs. Burkhead has been invaluable as the enterprise director throughout her Spark Center tenure, providing exceptional customer service to more than one hundred three clients. Thanks to her fortitude and professionalism, today the center is flourishing and is considered an economic game changer for Spartanburg County, being responsible for the creation of over 40,646 jobs and $2.7 billion dollars in earnings in Spartanburg County alone and $142 million dollars in combined tax revenue for the State of South Carolina; and
Whereas, Leanne Burkhead embodies the college's mission and vision of "changing lives and building the futures of students while acting as a catalyst for economic development through innovation, collaboration, and excellence in educational programs and services"; and
Whereas, grateful for the legacy of consistent commitment and excellence Leanne Burkhead has bestowed on the people of South Carolina, particularly those of Spartanburg, the House takes great pleasure in saluting her for her continuous support of Spartanburg Community College's mission of improving the lives of the citizens of this great State. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Leanne Burkhead for her outstanding service to Spartanburg Community College and the Spark Center SC.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Leanne Burkhead.
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