On The Move
Senate President Pro Tempore John Courson named 2012 Public Servant of the Year
Sep 11, 2012
COLUMBIA, SC - September 11, 2012 - Senator John Courson (District 20) has been named the 2012 Public Servant of the Year by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. Courson, who was recently elected to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, will be honored at the 33rd Annual Summit on November 8, 2012.
“During the 2012 legislative session, John Courson was key to the passage of critically important economic development legislation to help protect businesses from the frivolous lawsuits that can cripple our economy,” said Otis Rawl, president and CEO of the South Carolina Chamber. Rawl said Courson worked tirelessly with senators from both sides of the aisle to reach a compromise the business community could embrace. “What Senator Courson helped us achieve is paramount to restoring regulatory certainty and fostering a pro-job creating business climate,” Rawl said.
Sen. Courson has also been instrumental in a host of workforce development initiatives as chairman of the Senate Education Committee. During his tenure, many priorities to improve education and workforce development were passed, including passage of the Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA). The EEDA has been instrumental in improving South Carolina’s graduation rate.
Sen. Courson supported other critical initiatives on the South Carolina Chamber’s 2012 Competitiveness Agenda, including eliminating unemployment benefits for workers fired for misconduct and dedicating $77 million in unemployment insurance tax relief for employers. Sen. Courson also understands that the Charleston Port is vital to the state’s long term economic success and worked through the Senate Finance Committee to ensure that $300 million was dedicated to the deepening project.
Senate President Pro Tempore John Courson, representing District 20 that includes Lexington and Richland Counties, was elected to the Senate in 1985 and elected Senate President Pro Tempore in March 2012. He is chairman of the Senate Education Committee and also serves on the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, Ethics Committee, Finance Committee and Medical Affairs Committee. Senator Courson is a senior vice president at Keenan and Suggs in Columbia. He and his wife, Elizabeth Poinsett Exum, are the parents of three children.
The South Carolina Chamber’s Public Servant of the Year award recognizes an individual who has served, or currently serves, as a key official in state government and has contributed to the overall well-being and health of the state.
