New hires
Tim Coolidge is a Piedmont Region Pilot I (part-time). He started with the agency April 2.
Tim lives in Lexington and spent 30 years as a U.S. Navy pilot after earning a master’s degree in national security from Naval War College.
Ken Smith is a Wildland Firefighter in the Saluda/Edgefield/McCormick Sector as of April 17.
He lives in Augusta and attended West Augusta Baptist School.
Previously, Ken was self-employed and ran an equipment rental business.
Shelby Bentley is the Assistant Environmental Education Coordinator as of April 17.
Shelby lives in Gaston and has a bachelors degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University.
She previously worked four years of seasonal jobs with the National Park Service at Acadia, Yellowstone and Congaree National Parks. Before that, she worked at Table Rock State Park while she was in college.
Shelby has been hunting and fishing her whole life, and she also loves to hike, birdwatch and camp.
Brian Byrd is a Forestry Technician I at Sand Hills State Forest as of May 18.
He lives in McBee and graduated from McBee High School and Northeastern Technical College in Cheraw.
Brian previously worked in telephone and power line utilities.
Alex Kellner is a Forestry Technician I at Sand Hills State Forest as of May 18. He lives in Cheraw and attended Paul Smith’s College in New York.
Alex previously worked for Lancaster County Parks & Recreation and the SC Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.
In his free time, Alex likes to hunt, fish and split wood. His fiancée is a park ranger with SC Parks, Rec & Tourism.
Dylan Tomchik is a Forester I in Newberry and Fairfield Counties as of May 18.
He lives in Newberry and graduated from Clemson University.
Dylan previously interned for Canfor and worked as a teaching assistant at Clemson University.
Christopher Bortz is the OSHA Safety Officer at Headquarters as of May 18.
He lives in West Columbia and has a bachelor’s degree in Forest Management and Fire Ecology from the University of Idaho.
Christopher spent 35+ years working in Fire Service, the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Air Force and for the state.
Interns
We’d like to welcome back Forestry Technician I (Intern) Spencer Gause for a second year with the Forestry Commission. His current position started May 4.
Spencer lives in Columbia and attended Florence-Darlington Technical College, USC and Clemson. He was previously a Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) intern with the SCFC and has also worked for Dominion Energy.
Macey Dumas started her role as Forestry Technician I (Intern) May 18 and is staying in Columbia.
She attends the University of Kentucky in Lexington and has served as an undergraduate research assistant at UK in the DeVries Lab.
Macey enjoys birdwatching, ornithology and entomology.
On the move
Former Williamsburg Sector Wildland Firefighter Jackie Welch is now the Fire Management Officer (FMO) for the Berkeley/Charleston Sector as of May 2. Congratulations!
Farewells
Bamberg/Colleton Sector Fire Warden Foch Hiott retired May 1 after 25 years of service. We wish you the best in retirement!
Separations
General Maintenance Technician (temporary) at Sand Hills State Forest Joseph Dean separated from the agency April 6.
Kershaw/Lee Sector Fire Management Officer (FMO) Colby Blizzard separated from the agency April 24.
Headquarters IT Manager II Randy Rollings separated from the agency May 8.
Pee Dee Region Communication Specialist II Monica Ford separated from the agency May 18.
Coastal Region Communications Specialist II/Dispatcher I Caroline Altman separated from the agency May 30.
In remembrance
Retired Mechanic/Warehouse Manager Billy Cockrell passed away April 26.