Senator John W. Matthews, Jr. and Paula Harper Bethea
Secretary Riley, Ted Riley and Samuel Tenenbaum
Chuck Saylors speaking with Nancy and Benny Walker
Secretary Riley mingling with guests
Secretary Riley with guests
SC House of Representative Chandra Dillard (c), who also serves as Furman's Director of Community Relations
Ted Riley and Secretary Riley with a guest
Jane Sosbee, AT&T
Charlotte Berry of Columbia, who will be honored with the 2018 David H. Wilkins Award for Excellence in Civic Leadership, with guests
(l-r): Theo Lane, Duke Energy, and Terrance Ford, AT&T
Rick Jiran (c), Duke Energy
(l-r): Jonathan Spitz and William Freeman
Ted Creech, AT&T
SC House of Representative William Sandifer
SC House of Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter
SC House of Representative Sylleste Davis (c)
Elizabeth Davis, President, Furman University, speaking with Brent Nelsen, professor, Politics & International Affairs at Furman
Gavin Jackson, SCETV, and Russ McKinney, SCETV
(l-r): Senator John Matthews and Theoplious Welfare
Cleve Fraser, professor, Politics & International Affairs at Furman, and Ken Peterson, Dean of the Faculty at Furman University
Senator John Matthews (c)
Ed Sellers, recipient of the 2011 Wilkins Award for Excellence in Civic Leadership
SC Senator Floyd Nicholson
Secretary Riley and Ed Sellers
Walt Tobin, Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College
Benjamin Williams and Mac Bennett, United Way
Bill Barnet, awarded the 2014 Wilkins Award for Excellence in Civic Leadership, speaking with a guest
SC House of Representative Mandy Norrell
Cynthia Keller and SC House of Representative Russell Ott
SC House of Representative Max Hyde
SC Senator Thomas Alexander (r)
SC House of Representative JA Moore (r)
(l-r): Senator Paul Campbell, the 2013 Wilkins Award for Excellence in Legislative Leadership, William Hubbard and SC House of Representative Tommy Pope
Elizabeth and Charles Davis with Minor Mickel Shaw
Elizabeth and Charles Davis speaking with Susan Wilkins
Senator John Matthews with family members
SC House of Representative Gary Clary and David Wilkins
Jill Fuson, Director of Center for Critical Issues, welcoming guests to the awards dinner
“The Star-Spangled Banner” by Amy Joye, professional vocalist and director, Vocare, First Baptist Greenville
Paula Harper Bethea and SC House of Representative Wes Newton, recipient of the 2017 Wilkins Award for Excellence in Legislative Leadership
Elizabeth Davis
Elizabeth Davis
A standing applause for Secretary Riley
Invocation by Rabbi Eric Mollo, Tree of Life Congregation, Columbia
David Wilkins
David Wilkins
David Wilkins greeting House Speaker Jay Lucas, who will share remarks on principled leadership
House Speaker Jay Lucas
House Speaker Jay Lucas
Paula Harper Bethea
Minor Mickel Shaw welcoming Charlotte Berry to the stage
Minor Mickel Shaw honoring Charlotte Berry with the 2018 David H. Wilkins Award for Excellence in Civic Leadership
Charlotte Berry sharing remarks
Charlotte Berry
David Wilkins welcoming Senator John Matthews to the stage
David Wilkins honoring Senator John Matthews with the 2018 Wilkins Award for Excellence in Legislative Leadership
Senator John Matthews making remarks
Senator John Matthews
Wilkins Award winners past and present
(l-r): David Wilkins, John Matthews, Charlotte Berry, Secretary Riley and Jay Lucas
David Wilkins, Secretary Riley and Jay Lucas with the Advance Team
Secretary Riley with the Riley Institute staff
The Fourteenth Annual Wilkins Awards Dinner
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center
January 8, 2019
Held on the first night of the legislative session each year and attended by political, community, and business leaders, the Wilkins Awards Dinner promotes citizenship, public service, and bipartisan governing. The Wilkins Awards are named for former Speaker of the S.C. House of Representatives and Ambassador to Canada, David H. Wilkins and honor the leadership, courage, vision, and integrity of one South Carolina legislator and one South Carolina civic leader. View this year’s program
Senator John W. Matthews, Jr. (D-Orangeburg)
2018 David H. Wilkins Award for Excellence in Legislative Leadership
The longest serving African American S.C. state legislator, Senator Matthews is known for his willingness to work with others across the aisle to support progress in education, healthcare and economic development, and he is held in the highest regard by his fellow members of the General Assembly. Currently, he serves on seven Senate committees: Agriculture and Natural Resources; Banking and Insurance; Corrections and Penology; Education; Ethics; Finance; and Interstate Cooperation.
Charlotte Berry, chair of Volunteers of the American Red Cross of Columbia
2018 David H. Wilkins Award for Excellence in Civic Leadership
As national chair of Volunteers of the American Red Cross, as a founding member of Women in Philanthropy, and through service on numerous boards of community organizations, Charlotte has championed the displaced, disenfranchised, and disaffected. Charlotte believes strongly in the importance and efficacy of collaboration, and she has spent a lifetime working with others in service to her community.
Many thanks to our generous sponsors of the fourteenth annual Wilkins Awards Dinner