Drew Theodore and 11 others join South Carolina Campaign Committee for Chris Dodd
Columbia, SC - Chris Dodd for President today announced the endorsement of Drew Theodore and the addition of 11 local leaders in the political, business and education communities to its South Carolina Campaign Committee. Chris Dodd’s team in South Carolina reflects Sen. Dodd’s unique ability to attract party loyalist and newcomers to the process, as well as business leaders and working families.
“We are extremely excited about these additions to Chris Dodd’s team here in South Carolina,” said State Senator Phil Leventis and former State Representative Joe Brown, co-chairs of Chris Dodd’s South Carolina Campaign. “As his message of bold leadership takes hold, Senator Dodd is building more and more support which translates into a strong organization across the country. We look forward to working with Drew and the other leaders to bring Dodd’s message to even more people in the Palmetto State.”
Theodore is president and owner of Theodore & Associates, based in Columbia. He founded the business in 1984 and later expanded into Summerville and Greenville. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Theodore has over 20 years of business experience and is active in many civic and professional organizations. He serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board for Branch Bank & Trust and is on the Board of Directors for the South Carolina Independent Insurance Agents Association, where he was a former Chairman. From 2001 to 2004, he served on the Board of Commissioners of the State Housing Finance and Development Authority, serving as Vice-Chairman for two years. Theodore has also served on the Board of Directors for the Columbia Housing Authority the Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs of the Midlands and the Forest Lake Education Foundation. He is past president of numerous organizations including the Independent Insurance Agents of the Midlands and the Young Adult League. A rising star in South Carolina Democratic politics, Theodore was the Democratic candidate for Comptroller General in 2006.
With Senator Dodd, you get both leadership and proven experience on the tough issues of Iraq, economic stability, quality education, sustainable energy and affordable health care,” stated Theodore. “Chris Dodd understands the problems facing working families and he knows how to get things done. Chris Dodd is the Democrats’ best chance to beat any one of the candidates that the Republicans run against us.”
Theodore will join State Senator Phil Leventis of Sumter and former State Representative Joe Brown of Columbia as co-chairs of Chris Dodd’s South Carolina Campaign.
Other endorsements and campaign committee positions announced today include:
Hon. Paul Livingston of Columbia and John Presto of Rock Hill are co-chairing South Carolina Educators for Dodd. Livingston is currently a member of Richland County Council for District 4. He is a past Chairman of the Richland County Council and a former member and Chairman of the Richland County District One School Board. He is also a former member of the State Advisory Council for Vocational and Technical Education. He currently teaches psychology at Midlands Technical College, where is he is a previous recipient of the Teacher of the Year award. Presto, a former teacher, was Vice President for Administration and Planning at Winthrop College for almost ten years. He also founded and operated for 15 years Academic Challenge, a company that published quiz bowl questions. Presently, he works in real estate and serves on the Executive Committee of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
Frank Mood of Columbia will join Drew Theodore as South Carolina Business Leaders supporting Dodd. Mood is currently the Sr. Vice President and General Counsel at SCANA Corporation. A graduate of The Citadel, he was a First Lieutenant in the Army. He was the interim Dean at USC School of Law in 2003. He is also active on numerous professional and community boards, including the Columbia Urban League, Liberty Fellowship, the Citadel Foundation and American Bar Association.
Jami Koontz of Charleston and Elizabeth Vogt of Clemson are chairing South Carolina Women for Dodd. Koontz worked for eight years for former U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings in his Columbia and Charleston offices. She currently works in Charleston and is active in the community. Vogt worked for former U.S. Senator Wyche Fowler of Georgia in his Atlanta office. She is currently attending Clemson for her Masters in Public Administration and is active in local democratic campaigns.
Ike Holman of St. Matthews will join Sen. Phil Leventis to head up South Carolina Veterans for Dodd. Holman is a Vietnam era veteran and has been a community activist in Calhoun County for more than thirty years. He serves on the Calhoun County DSS Advisory Board and the Lower Savannah Workforce Development Board. Holman is 1st Vice President of the Calhoun Branch of the NAACP and the Calhoun County Democratic Party. He is retired from the SC Army National Guard and Albemarle Chemical Corporation.
Courtney Gibbes of Columbia and Peter Leventis of Columbia are chairing South Carolina Young Professionals for Dodd. Gibbes, originally from Hilton Head, is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and an inaugural graduate of the Charleston School of Law. She is the former 3rd Vice Chair of the Charleston County Democratic Party. She currently works in Columbia with the Richland County Public Defenders Office. Leventis, originally from Sumter, is a graduate of University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He was a Secret Service agent in and New York, NY for four years before he returned to South Carolina and graduated from USC School of Law. He currently is an associate at McKay Law Firm in Columbia.
Sharon Ritter of Columbia is heading up South Carolina Small Business Owners for Dodd. Ritter is the owner of Critter’s Corner which specializes in personal shopping and event planning. She is also a certified wedding director. Ritter has also worked with H&R Block for 20 years. She has served on the boards of SC State Employees Association and SC Public Health Association. She is also active in numerous community organizations and campaigns.
Michael Cooper of Charleston and Ricky Harris of Whitmire are chairing South Carolina College Students for Dodd. Cooper recently graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in English. While attending school, he served as vice-president of Sigma Tau Delta English Honors fraternity and mentored students at James Simmons Elementary School. He also interned in Washington, DC for former U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings. Currently, Cooper is a volunteer for Charleston Mayor Joe Riley’s re-election campaign. Harris is a rising sophomore at Furman University in Greenville where he was elected Class Senator his freshman year and is a member of the Mediation Project and Director of Child Recreation for the Heller Service Corps. He spent the summer interning in Columbia for the Richland County CASA office for disadvantaged children.
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