Trustee David Wilkins and President Jim Clements were named among Upstate South Carolina’s top 20 influencers by GSA Business. The publication’s readership chose more than 100 influencers as part of its 2015 Power Event Series.
“It is an honor to receive this recognition, especially being named alongside such a great leader as David Wilkins,” said Clements. “However, it is really a reflection of the great work of our faculty and staff. They are the ones who are working hard to make a difference in the Upstate and across the entire State of South Carolina.”
Wilkins, a Clemson alumnus, has served on the Board of Trustees for eight years, and served as chairman of the board for six years. He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1980 to 2005 and was Speaker of the House for 11 years. From 2005 to 2009, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Canada under President George W. Bush. He is currently a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough LLP.
Clements joined the university in 2013. Under his leadership, Clemson has reached several milestones — the largest campus development initiative in university history, a record number of student applications with the strongest academic profile ever; and a record-breaking year in fundraising, with more than $250 million raised in private gifts since Clements joined the University.
Clements is a nationally recognized leader in higher education who recently completed his term as chair of the board of directors for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, North America’s oldest higher education association.
According to a study by researchers at the Strom Thurmond Institute, Clemson’s presence in the Upstate has generated more than 21,000 jobs, more than $870 million in disposable income and more than $106 million in revenue for local governments.
The university’s presence across the Upstate includes Extension offices in every county; the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville; the Advanced Materials Research Laboratory in Anderson; the Clemson University Biomedical Engineering Innovation Campus in Greenville; a partnership with Greenville Technical College to build the Center for Manufacturing Innovation in Greenville; and research partnerships with the Greenwood Genetics Center.
GSA Business will spotlight Wilkins, Clements and other top influencers in its Dec. 28 issue. Two Clemson alumni were also named to the list — Joe Erwin, co-founder and president of Erwin-Penland Advertising, and Carl Sobocinski, owner of Table 301 restaurant group.
