New hires
Kathy Joshi is an Senior Administrative Assistant in Forest Management at Headquarters. She started Nov. 3. Kathy comes to us with over 20 years’ experience as a policy analyst in the private sector and is knowledgeable in customer service, databases, spreadsheets, and billing. She can be reached at 803-896-8824 (office) or 803-360-3407 (cell). Kathy lives in Red Bank and enjoys gardening, camping and traveling.
David Camp is a Wildland Firefighter in Beaufort County. He started Nov. 3.
Morece Hamilton is a Wildland Firefighter in the Edisto Unit (Hampton). He started Nov. 3 and lives in Estill. In his free time, he enjoys motorcycle riding and fishing.
Brooke Jones is a Human Resources Assistant at Headquarters. She lives in Columbia and grew up in Elgin, SC. Brooke joins us with years of state agency admin experience. She previously served as an Administrative Assistant at Dept. of Social Services (DSS) from 2020-23. She most recently worked with Department of Environmental Services.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and friends and family, traveling and going to concerts.
Michael Brown is a Temporary Pilot in the Pee Dee Region. He started Nov. 3 and lives in Timmonsville.
On the move
Andy Johnson started as the IMT/VFA Coordinator Nov. 3.
Kevin Garner became a Vehicle/Equipment Repair Supervisor Nov. 3. Kevin has 24 years of state government experience. He has been the Spartanburg mechanic with the SCFC for the last 12 years. His call sign will change to Piedmont-6, but his cell phone number will remain the same.
Brian Moran is a Vehicle/Equipment Repair Technician III/Mechanic in the Piedmont Region (Newberry). He started Nov. 3. He lives in Prosperity and attended the Nascar Technical Institute in Mooresville, NC.
Farewells
Clarendon/Sumter Sector Wildland Firefighter Billy Green won’t officially retire until the end of the year, but the Clarendon/Sumter Sector firefighters held a dinner to celebrate Billy’s 36-year career Nov. 20. Current and former employees from Sumter, Lee, Clarendon, Williamsburg, Georgetown, Kershaw, Chesterfield, Manchester and the Pee Dee Regional office attended the dinner at Eric Brown’s shop near Pinewood.
Billy started in December of 1989 as the Sumter/Lee FEMA coordinator who set up clearing firebreaks and woods roads that had been blocked by Hurricane Hugo. A few months later he accepted a full-time dozer operator position in Sumter County. Billy has been in that firefighting position since 1990.
Billy received cash and a handmade helmet/torch lamp made by Manchester State Forest Technician Wayne Eaddy. Everyone signed the metal helmet for Billy. Billy will continue to hunt, work around the house and build wooden furniture. We wish you the best in retirement, Billy; you will be missed!
Thad Wimberly, Sector FMO for Orangeburg and Dorchester counties, celebrated his retirement. He started working with the Forestry Commission in 2000, marking 25 years of service. We wish you the best in retirement!
Forestry Warden I Roger Horton retired Oct. 6, 2025, after 25 years of service. We wish you the best!
Both of the agency’s environmental education staff left for other opportunities this fall, leaving a large void in one of the Forestry Commission’s strongest areas of outreach. Environmental Education Coordinator Matt Schnabel took a position as Resident Scientist with Lexington-Richland School District 5 in September, and Assistant Environmental Education Coordinator Leslie Wilson moved to St. Louis, where her fiancé found a job after completing his Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina. We can’t thank Leslie enough for all she did to manage the remaining Wood Magic Forest Fair event at Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center in her last week at work!
Richard Newkirk, Pilot I in the Pee Dee Region, separated from the agency Nov. 13.
Justin Nonnenmacher, Intern Forestry Tech I at Headquarters, separated from the agency Nov. 7.
Debbie Kiser, Senior Administration Assistant at Headquarters, separated from the agency Oct. 29.
Roger Horton, Forestry Warden I, separated from the agency Oct. 6.
Recognition
SC State Fire Marshal Jonathan Jones presented a plaque of appreciation to SCFC Protection Section Chief Darryl Jones with the SC Forestry Commission to recognize the agency’s ongoing partnership and support.