Presidents' Day - NO MEETING
2025-02-17 12:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | Newberry Hall, 117 Newberry St SW, Aiken, SC, 29801, United States
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
– Abraham Lincoln
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Ambria Abney, The Center for African American History, Art and Culture
2025-02-24 12:30 - 13:30
The Center for African American History, Art and Culture is housed in the historic Immanuel Institute, located on the corner of York Street and Richland Avenue. Reverend W.R. Coles, an African American Presbyterian missionary, moved to Aiken in 1881 and established a church and school for freed enslaved people. The Institute began as a small six room house on Newberry Street. As the student population grew, he built the Immanuel Institute in 1889. Over the years, the building has housed a variety of education and cultural schools. Among them were Coles Academy, Coles Normal and Industrial School, Immanuel Institute, Jackson School, Andrew Roberts Institute, and St. Gerard Catholic School. The restorative process began at the Immanuel Institute in 2004. A group of community leaders recognized the value of preserving this historic landmark and the potential to use it to capture the rich history of Aiken’s African American Community. The Immanuel Institute is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With the assistance of corporate, city, county, and individual support and monetary donations, renovations were completed in 2021. CAAHAC is delighted to host lecture series, art shows, traveling exhibits, special events, concert series and more in the community.
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Rotarian Paul Durban. to discuss Aiken and the Airplane
2025-03-03 12:30 - 13:30
MARCH 9, 1911
The first cross-country flight in the Southeast took place on this date in 1911 when Frank Coffyn of the Wright training school took off from a field in west Augusta and flew his biplane on a leisurely path to Aiken, a 28-mile trip that took 31 minutes.
From the aviation camp near Monte Sano Avenue, Coffyn flew across the Augusta Country Club golf course, then headed toward the Hampton Terrace hotel in North Augusta. He continued over Clearwater and then Langley, and along the flight, people came out of their houses and watched in wonder.
With a showman’s timing, he landed in front of 1,000 spectators at the Aiken polo field just as the local team concluded its championship series match with New Orleans. The mayor was there to welcome him.
Coffyn, a South Carolina native who had suggested Augusta as a training site because of its winter climate, would grow famous as an aviator. He even appeared as an actor in several silent movies.
Always looking ahead, he developed an interest in helicopters late in life. He died in California in 1960.
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Julie Keating, The Colin James Barth Outreach
2025-03-10 12:30 - 13:30
The CJB Outreach’s mission is to provide immediate and impactful assistance to women-led households.
We believe that a woman should never be in a position where her children are in jeopardy due to not having the resources to fight for custody, food, shelter, or assets. By taking the stress and pressure from a situation, women make better decisions about their, and their children’s, wellbeing rather than being intimidated, fearful, and stressed into making poor decisions out of necessity. By providing them with legal assistance to protect them, and that is paid for, they no longer have to feel coerced and can fight for what they need to protect themselves and their children.
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Dr. Bobby Donaldson, USC Center for Civil Rights History and Research
2025-03-17 12:30 - 13:30
Dr. Bobby Donaldson is the Executive Director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina, where he focuses on preserving and studying the history of the Civil Rights Movement in South Carolina, particularly through research, public outreach, and educational programs; he is an Associate Professor of History at USC as well.
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Tenor Nicklaus Porter of Moon River Opera’s
2025-03-24 12:30 - 13:30
Tenor Nicklaus Porter is an active operatic performer from Augusta, Georgia. He left his home town in pursuit of furthering his education in music, earning his double eagle from Georgia Southern University with a M.M. in Vocal Performance, under the direction of Dr. Arikka Gregory and Dr. Jonathan Murphy, and B.M. in both Vocal Performance and Music Education, under the direction of Dr. Kyle Hancock. Some of the roles that he performed includes; Siegmund (Die Walkure), Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street), The Pirate King (Pirates of Penzance), Il Re and The Woodcutter (La bella dormente nel bosco), Thomas Putnam (The Crucible), and Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro). He has also been a part of Moon River Opera’s extremely fun and chaotic Improv Opera. While not on stage, Mr. Porter can be found adjunct teaching at his alma mater, leading his private voice studio, and performing at different venues and events. Recently, he has been accepted and is ecstatic to attend Dolora Zajick’s Institute for Dramatic Voices for this summer. This program is designed to give specific training for growing dramatic voices from operatic coaches and teachers both in the United States and internationally.
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Lyddie Hansen, Linda Strojan Discuss the Aiken Rotary Scholarship Program
2025-03-31 12:30 - 13:30
For many years, the Rotary Club of Aiken has awarded scholarships to worthy students. We awarded a $7,500 scholarship to 23 students from the Class of 2024 for a total of $172,500.
This scholarship is open to all 2025 graduating high school students who live in Area 1 or attend an Area 1 school, including homeschool students. In order to be considered, all questions on the application must be answered completely. We encourage you to provide a sufficient amount of detail that will distinguish you from other students. Each of this year’s scholarship winners will receive $7500.
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Vice Admiral Chuck Munns, who will be discussing Quantum Science: Risk and Opportunity
2025-04-07 12:30 - 13:30
Quantum science presents both significant risks and opportunities, particularly in cybersecurity and technology development. While quantum computing could revolutionize fields like medicine and materials science, it also poses a threat to current encryption methods, potentially exposing sensitive data.
Here’s a more detailed look at the risks and opportunities:
Opportunities:
Revolutionizing Industries:
Quantum computing could revolutionize industries like medicine, materials science, and finance by enabling faster and more accurate simulations and calculations.
New Algorithms and Technologies:
Quantum science could lead to the development of new algorithms and technologies that are impossible with current classical computing.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD):
Quantum technologies can be used for secure communication through QKD, which is highly secure and difficult to intercept.
Quantum Sensors:
Quantum sensors can be used for a variety of applications, including medical imaging, environmental monitoring, and navigation.
Quantum Computing as a Service:
Quantum computing as a service is gaining traction, allowing businesses to access quantum computing capabilities without the need for specialized infrastructure.
Risks:
Cybersecurity Threats:
Quantum computers could potentially break current encryption algorithms, exposing sensitive data to cyberattacks.
“Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” Attacks:
Cybercriminals could store encrypted data now, waiting for quantum computers to become powerful enough to decrypt it later.
Vulnerability of Existing Systems:
Many current systems rely on encryption that could be vulnerable to quantum attacks, requiring organizations to develop quantum-resistant solutions.
Ethical Concerns:
The development and deployment of quantum technologies raise ethical concerns, such as the potential for misuse and the need for responsible innovation.
Complexity and Cost:
Quantum technologies are complex and expensive, requiring significant investment and expertise.
Regulatory Uncertainty:
The regulatory landscape for quantum technologies is still evolving, creating uncertainty for businesses and researchers.
Quantum Supremacy Uncertainty:
The timeline for achieving “quantum supremacy” (when quantum computers outperform classical computers) is uncertain, making it difficult for organizations to plan their quantum strategies.
Skill Gaps:
There is a shortage of skilled workers in the field of quantum science and technology, which could hinder the development and deployment of these technologies.
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Will Williams, President & CEO of The Western SC Economic Development Partnership on Economic Development Process, Developments and Impact
2025-04-14 12:30 - 13:30
Each spring, the South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association (SCEDA) recognizes a local developer who has made a significant difference in his or her community. This year’s winner of SCEDA’s Local Developer of the Year award is Will Williams, president and CEO of Economic Development Partnership (EDP) — a non-profit, public-private development corporation focused solely on serving the needs of new and existing businesses in the Aiken, Edgefield, and Saluda Region of South Carolina.
Since 2005, the SCEDA Local Developer of the Year Award has been earned by hard working and dedicated developers in the Palmetto State. The award criteria include leading innovative programs, overcoming obstacles, impactful efforts in the community, consistent involvement with SCEDA, professional development and personal traits.
Williams received the award in May during SCEDA’s Annual Conference at the Sonesta Resort on Hilton Head Island. The three-day conference was attended by more than 250 industry professionals.
Will Williams (in green) being recognized as South Carolina’s 2017 Local Developer of the Year at SCEDA’s Annual Conference.
A member of SCEDA for close to 20 years, Williams has a long list of accomplishments, with “Fostering a strong apprenticeship program at manufacturing companies across Aiken, Edgefield and Saluda counties” at the top of the list. Over the past seven years, Williams has landed more than $1.8 billion in capital investment in the region with close to 2,200 new jobs. In fact, in 2011, Williams helped win a Bridgestone Americas’ $1.2 billion investment in an off -road radial tire plant in Aiken County — still regarded as the largest single capital investment in South Carolina’s history.
While not someone who seeks recognition, Williams is very appreciative of the award. “It is very humbling to be honored by your peers,” he said. Past recognition for Williams includes the W. D. Workman III Buffalo Hunter Award, presented by the Greenville (S.C.) Area Development Corporation (GADC) for his leadership in facilitating Cytec Industries’ $150 million expansion in Greenville 10 years ago.
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Tim Hardee, President of the South Carolina Technical College System
2025-04-21 12:30 - 13:30
Hardee has served over 30 years in education in South Carolina, including 15 at Central Carolina Technical College. He has been honored by Coastal Carolina University with the Outstanding Alumni award as well as the Sumter Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Achievement Award. Prior to entering higher education administration 15 years ago, he served as a teacher, coach, counselor, principal and administrator on the K-12 level.
With a B.S. in Psychology from Coastal Carolina University, Hardee also holds an M.Ed. in Counselor Education and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina. He currently serves as a member of the South Carolina Workforce Development Board and is a graduate of the South Carolina Economic Development Institute, the Furman Diversity Leaders Institute, and Leadership South Carolina.
Last year, Governor McMaster invested $12 million in South Carolina’s technical college system to train residents in the Palmetto State for high-demand jobs.
After seeing more than 6,000 students trained through this program, the governor says technical jobs will play a large part in the state’s future economic success.
“South Carolina has the best technical college of any state in the country,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “It’s getting better and it’s getting stronger.”
The Palmetto State is home to 16 technical colleges including Midlands Technical College which currently has around 9,000 students enrolled.
“Our 16 colleges educate and train more than 134 thousand South Carolinians each year,” said Roger Schrum of the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. “Our ‘Ready SC’ program trained more than 5,300 people for new and expanding companies in our state. Our ‘Apprenticeship Carolina’ program has just over 42,000 employed apprentices across the state this year.”
To help South Carolinians find high paying jobs in technical fields and to develop the state’s workforce, the governor announced a $25 million investment into ‘Workforce Scholarships for the Future’ program. The program helps technical college students afford the training or degree necessary.
“It is our job to see that this enormous talent pool we have in our state is prepared, educated and ready to do the work,” McMaster said. “Businesses of all kinds, from manufacturing to life sciences, are looking to come here.”
Coupled with $39 million allocated by the General Assembly in this year’s state budget, the program expects to train or retrain approximately 40,000 South Carolinians.
“This will bring forth an opportunity for people to gain a skill, get a good job and work here in the state of South Carolina,” said Dr. Tim Hardee, president of the South Carolina Technical College System. “That’s what it means on an individual basis.”
One technical college president spoke about the difference scholarships make in individual students’ lives. She uses student Lynn Rogers as an example of someone who made a career move.
“Like many of our students, Lynn could not have pursued this change in her career if it had not been for the ‘Workforce Scholarships for the Future’ program,” said Dr. Hope Rivers, Piedmont Technical College president. “On behalf of the presidents of the 16 technical colleges around the state, we thank you.”

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Kaycee Mertz, Vice President, Georgia Planning Lead at WSP to discuss Augusta Regional Transportation Study (ARTS)
2025-04-28 12:30 - 13:30
The Augusta Regional Transportation Study (ARTS) requires involvement by policy makers, technical staff, and citizens in order to address the various aspects of the transportation planning process.
The Augusta-Richmond County Planning Commission, recognized as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Transportation and the South Carolina Department of Transportation, is responsible for carrying out the transportation planning process. The Study itself is arranged in a four-committees organizational structure to insure proper participation of those whose involvement is required in the Study.
The ARTS Edgefield and Aiken counties includes the urbanized portions of Aiken County, South Carolina, and Columbia and Richmond Counties in Georgia. In 1982, the original ARTS area was expanded to include the City of Aiken and the connecting corridor from Aiken to Augusta, which were added to the Augusta urbanized area by the 1980 Census.
Although all portions of the area have representation on the three committees, in the past, the level of activity has been much greater within the boundaries of the original study area. Due to increasing transportation needs in the expanded ARTS area, a complete database was recently developed for the entire ARTS area and the models have also been expanded to include the entire area.

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Aiken Rotary Scholarship Program, 2025
2025-05-05 12:30 - 13:30
For many years, the Rotary Club of Aiken has awarded scholarships to worthy students. We awarded a $7,500 scholarship to 23 students from the Class of 2024 for a total of $172,500.
This scholarship is open to all 2024 graduating high school students who live in Area 1 or attend an Area 1 school, including homeschool students. Each of this year’s scholarship winners will receive $7500.

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Rotarian Gary L. Stooksbury, Chief Executive Officer of Aiken Electrical Cooperative, Inc.
2025-05-12 12:30 - 13:30
Gary Stooksbury has been CEO of Aiken Electric Cooperative since 1995. Aiken Electric serves around 52,000 members in a nine-county service territory in rural South Carolina. He has more than 50 years of experience with management and finance/administration positions in the electric utility business. AEConnect, Aiken Electric’s broadband provider, delivers fiber optic internet throughout its service area. Gary is a past chairman of NRECA’s Community and Economic Development Committee, among other rural electric industry positions. In his free time, Gary enjoys spending time with his family, especially his grandson Taylor.

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Marty Sawyer, Aiken County Sheriff
2025-05-19 12:30 - 13:30
Marty has 40 years of experience in public service which began in 1985 when he joined the G.V.W. Volunteer Fire Department. He remained a member until 2000, when he departed with the rank of Captain.
Marty started his Law Enforcement Career as a Public Safety Officer at the Aiken Department of Public Safety in 1989. Marty graduated the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in 1990 and was assigned to the patrol/fire division for 8 years. After assignments in the Special Operations Divisions, Narcotics Division, and the ATF RAGE Task Force, Marty was promoted to Captain of Investigations in 2012. Marty’s duties as Captain included supervising adult and juvenile investigations, narcotic investigations, victim services, property and evidence, school resource officers, and school crossing guards.
Marty has received numerous awards and recognitions for his exemplary service, including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officer’s Medal of Valor (2012) and CSRA Narcotics Officer of the Year. The Aiken Department of Public Safety has recognized Marty with the Medal of Valor (2012), Distinguished Service Award (2015), and Officer of the year (1994). Additionally, Marty is a 2016 graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia and received the 2024 Strom Thurmond Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement.
Marty is married to Kimberly Sawyer. They have two daughters Kelsey Sims and Brynna Pilon. Marty and Kim have one grandson, Boone.

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Memorial Day - NO MEETING
2025-05-26 12:30 - 13:30
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy
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Club Assembly
2025-06-02 12:30 - 13:30
Club President, Forest Mahan, will give us an overview of Rotary, Avenues of Service, Club background and demographics, brief SWOT overview. He will also discuss goals for 2024-25, and list of officers and board members. He will give out Service Awards from last year.
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Capt. Michael Good, Salvation Army
2025-06-09 12:30 - 13:30
Homelessness is growing in Aiken, and the Salvation Army’s shelter is reaching capacity every night.
With the growing need of people looking for a place to rest their heads, the Salvation Army of Aiken is working to bring those numbers down under new leadership.
Capt. Michael Good is new to the area, but not to the Salvation Army itself.
His family once needed assistance.
He says the shelter has been at capacity each day since 2022.
“We are seeing a rise in the amount of seniors that we serve, we are seeing a rise in the amount of individuals that have mental health concerns, we are seeing a rise in families that are coming to us for assistance,” he said.
He says they are pushing their Lifenav Program, which partners their clients with a case worker who takes a look into what brought them here to need help.
“It could be education, it could be budgeting, it could be even mental health, so what we strive to do is to partner that individual with resources internally or externally with other partner agencies to help bring that individual to self-efficiency, re-housing them, as well as breaking cycles of poverty in their life,” said Good.
They have a soup kitchen at their shelter which serves almost 200 meals daily.

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Leadership Aiken County
2025-06-16 12:30 - 13:30
Leadership Aiken County (LAC) is a program designed to identify, develop, and motivate new leadership for the Aiken County community.
Established in 1981, LAC seeks to develop a group of informed, committed, and qualified individuals capable of providing dynamic community leadership for Aiken County.
Program objectives are accomplished through a competitive selection process, intensive team-building activities, and exposure to local issues, regional resources, and various city, county, state, and federal leaders. Participants learn more about the critical issues of the community than many lifelong residents.
LAC offers an intensive and up-close look at various sectors/areas of the community, from the larger cities of North Augusta and Aiken to the rural towns and unincorporated areas. Participants in LAC have the opportunity to explore and analyze issues that impact their county, while focusing on fundamental leadership principles.
In addition to examining leadership roles in political, social and economic affairs, participants will get the chance to interact with a variety of community leaders. LAC guarantees increased understanding and change within each participant.
Leadership graduates join a growing network of alumni who are valued participants in the community and in the governmental activities that will determine the future of Aiken County.

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End of the Year Celebration
2025-06-23 12:30 - 13:30
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Installation Ceremony
2025-06-30 12:30 - 13:30
We will take the opportunity to reactivate the ceremony to install our new president, officers, and board members at the June 30 meeting.
Long-term members will recall the ceremony in which all past presidents participated. An invitation has already been sent to our past presidents requesting their participation if available.
In addition, incoming District Governor Dave Brenner plans to attend the June 30 ceremony.

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Gary Bunker, Aiken County Council Chair, with an Aiken County Council Update
2025-07-07 12:30 - 13:30
Gary has been appointed to several committees. He served on the Mattie C. Hall Healthcare Commission (appointed by Councilman Rick Osbon) from 1997 through 2002, and served as chairman during the last year. He was on the Aiken County Board of Appeals (appointed by Osbon) in 2003 and the Aiken County Transportation Committee (appointed by Sen. Greg Ryberg) in 2004.
After his service on County Council, Gary served on the Board of the Economic Development Partnership (appointed by Councilman Scott Singer) from 2013 through 2014 and is currently serving a second stint on the Board of Appeals (appointed by Councilwoman Camille Furgiuele) from 2015 to the present.
Gary also has been active in the Aiken County Republican Party. He was president of the Aiken Republican Club in 2004, Chairman of the Aiken County Young Republicans in 1995, Executive Committeeman of the Aiken County Republican Party from 1997 to 1999, and chaired every Aiken County Republican Party Convention between 2003 and 2017. He’s held precinct level positions (variously precinct president and precinct committeeman) in Hollow Creek 53, Gem Lakes 60, and Gem Lakes 77 over the last 20 years.
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Superintendent of Education: Ellen Weaver
2025-07-14 12:30 - 13:30
Ellen Weaver was elected as South Carolina’s 19th State Superintendent of Education on November 9th, 2022. Born in Greenville, Ellen has spent her career as a passionate advocate for educational excellence and opportunity for every student in her beloved home state, because she knows first-hand that a great education is the front door of the American Dream.
Ellen graduated from a great public school and earned her B.A. in Political Science, as well as a Master’s in Educational Leadership, from Bob Jones University. After graduation, she worked in Senator Jim DeMint’s office for 12 years in a variety of roles, finishing her time as his State Director. She founded Palmetto Promise Institute, a leading state public policy organization, in 2013. As President of Palmetto Promise, she worked tirelessly to improve the lives of her fellow-South Carolinians, with a specialized focus on education policy.
Between her research at Palmetto Promise and her work as a member and chair of the SC Education Oversight Committee, Ellen’s deep experience in education policy in South Carolina gave her a relentless passion for ensuring every child the hope and freedom found in an excellent education.
Ellen is focused on prioritizing the instruction of foundational skills, recruiting and retaining the best educators, and partnering with parents—as well as business and other community leaders—to prepare students for their personal path to success.
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Western Golf Assn / Evans Scholars Foundation
2025-07-21 12:30 - 13:30
The Western Golf Association conducts championships for professional and amateur golfers, promotes the use of youth caddies and supports the Evans Scholars Foundation’s efforts to award full tuition and housing college scholarships to high-achieving caddies with limited financial means
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Rotary Readers Update, Melanie Starks and Lisa Fallaw
2025-07-28 12:30 - 13:30
Started in 2013, Rotary Readers is a signature program and joint literacy project between Aiken Rotary Club and East Aiken School of the Arts. Rotarians and other volunteers work with small groups of students to improve reading skills. Volunteers are assigned to groups of four, and at least one member of each group works with a small group of students (usually four) for thirty minutes each week to improve reading, reading comprehension and vocabulary. This program encourages a love of reading and provides the students with positive role models. Throughout the school year, relationships are built, and volunteers are invited to attend school programs.
At the beginning and end of the school year students are tested and annual program results are presented to the club to monitor the success of the program. Over the seven years, the annual results have been overwhelming positive of the impact of the program on the participants. The program is modified each year to better serve the students and continue to improve results. Over five hundred volunteers have participated over the seven years the program has been in existence.
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Mark Ward, the Walk to End Alzheimer's Walk Organizer
2025-08-04 12:30 - 13:30
Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. This inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to join the fight against the disease.
Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk® ; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk
While there is no fee to register for Walk, all participants are encouraged to raise critical funds that allow the Alzheimer’s Association to provide 24/7 care and support and advance research toward methods of prevention, treatment and, ultimately, a cure.
How to Participate in 3 Easy Steps:
Register
Register for your local Walk.
Start or join a team and invite others to walk with you.
Fundraise
Start fundraising and spread the word.
We’ll provide tips and coaching every step of the way, including easy ways to recruit others and raise funds.
Walk day
Join us on Walk day.
Come together for an inspiring community event that celebrates our commitment to ending the disease.
Have a question? Please refer to our FAQ/Website Help page.
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USC Aiken Chancellor Dr. Heimmermann with an USC Aiken Update
2025-08-11 12:30 - 13:30
USC Aiken Chancellor Dr. Heimmermann will give a USCA Update, including Advanced Manufacturing Center. The facility will provide accessible, modern and flexible laboratory space for EM’s SRNL and its collaboration partners.
Dr. Daniel J. Heimmermann became the fifth Chancellor of the University of South Carolina Aiken on July 1, 2021.
Originally from Wisconsin, Chancellor Heimmermann received undergraduate degrees in history and Spanish before earning Master of Arts and Ph.D. degrees in early-modern French history from Marquette University.
Before coming to USC Aiken, Dr. Heimmermann served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas Permian Basin (2014-2021) where he ranked as the most senior chief academic officer in the University of Texas System. Prior to this, he held the same role at Mississippi University for Women from 2012-2014, and from 2008-2012 he served as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Brownsville (presently The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley).
Dr. Heimmermann began his academic career at the University of North Alabama (1994-2008) where he served as a Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History and Political Science (2001-2008). As a faculty member, Dr. Heimmermann was a recipient of a number of research fellowships and was recognized for excellence in teaching.
A historian of early-modern France, Dr. Heimmermann has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in early-modern European history and the French Revolution and Napoleonic periods. Dr. Heimmermann’s area of research is French social, economic, and cultural history, specifically the history of preindustrial labor. Dr. Heimmermann has conducted extensive archival research in Paris, France at the Archives Nationales and Biliothèque Nationale and in Bordeaux, France at the Archives Départementales de la Gironde and the Archives Municipales de Bordeaux. His scholarly work has been presented at both national and international conferences on French and European history, and his research has appeared in published scholarly articles and his book, Work, Regulation, and Identity in Provinical France which explores the preindustrial manufacturing economy and craft worker culture of eighteenth-century Bordeaux.
Throughout his administrative career, Dr. Heimmermann has taken a leading role in conceiving, creating, advocating, and implementing innovative and accessible undergraduate and graduate academic programs which address student, industry, and societal needs. Among other academic initiatives, he has led the creation of signature programs in engineering, business, Spanish, nursing, as well as numerous industry-aligned graduate and undergraduate certificate programs in emerging areas such as cyber security, data science, gaming and simulation, network administration security, software development, and website design and development. In support of building synergistic opportunities, Dr. Heimmermann established colleges in health sciences and human performance, engineering, nursing, business, a school of nursing, as well as academic and research centers/institutes in biomedical science, cyber security and information, natural resource management, and water and energy whose applied research focus on solving the nation’s most pressing challenges.
Laser focused on student success, Chancellor Heimmermann supports high-quality academic advising and high-impact and engaged teaching and learning. He aims to instill in his colleagues an awareness and responsibility for student success.
In addition to his work on campus, Dr. Heimmermann has devoted his career to establishing impactful relationships and partnerships with local and state organizations, businesses, and industries in support of local communities and economies.
Having grown up only twenty miles from the “Frozen Tundra” of Lambeau Field, Dr. Heimmermann is a diehard Green Bay Packers fan. In fact, he is one of 360,760 owners of the publicly owned team! An avid sports fan, he naturally supports Pacer Athletics as well.
Above all, Chancellor Heimmermann spends his free time with his family. He is married to Claudia, and they have one daughter, Lucie, and two dogs, Ollie and Sofie.
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Dominique Bunton of Bridge 2 Home
2025-08-18 12:30 - 13:30
The mission of The Bridge 2 Home (The Bridge) is to provide a safe and loving home for girls who have experienced child sex trafficking, where they can find healing and growth and can experience the love of a perfect Heavenly Father who pursues them. This means that they will experience love and acceptance at The Bridge regardless of their faith and beliefs. The girls will have opportunities to participate in youth focused activities to support their spiritual growth and experience community. The girls will never experience discrimination due to different beliefs or lack of belief. If they choose not to participate in faith driven activities, alternative activities will be offered based upon the individual interests of each girl.
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Scott Weiss, Music Director and Conductor of the Aiken Symphony Orchestra
2025-08-25 12:30 - 13:30
Scott Weiss is the Music Director and Conductor of the Aiken Symphony Orchestra and the Director of Orchestras at the University of South Carolina School of Music. In demand internationally as a guest conductor, Scott has conducted recent performances with the orchestras of Shenzhen, Tianjin, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, and Nanchang and at major international venues including the Taipei National Theatre and Concert Hall, the National Centre for the Performing Arts Concert Hall in Beijing, and the Hangzhou Grand Theatre Concert Hall. Soloists he has recently shared the stage with include Elena Urioste, Angelo Xiang Yu, Zuill Bailey, John O’Conor, Marina Lomazov, and Paul Jacobs.
Scott has several critically-acclaimed recordings on the Naxos Records and Summit Records labels. His latest offering is the world premiere recording of Nico Muhly’s Reliable Sources, released on the Cantaloupe Music label in October 2021. The piece is one of dozens of new works that Scott has commissioned from many of today’s leading composers, including Samuel Adler, Jennifer Higdon, Zhou Long, Cindy McTee, and Joseph Schwanter.
At the University of South Carolina, Dr. Weiss is the Sarah Bolick Smith Professor of Music. In addition to conducting the UofSC Symphony Orchestra, Professor Weiss leads the master’s and doctoral programs in orchestral conducting at UofSC, and his studio is a destination for talented young conductors from around the world. He is frequently invited to conduct performances and teach masterclasses at leading conservatoires and music schools, including the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the Central Conservatory of Music (Beijing), the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and the University of Western Australia. Each summer, he teaches at the Los Angeles Conducting Workshop and Competition.
Born in Monterey, California in 1967, Scott holds degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the University of Illinois, where he studied conducting with Donald Schleicher. Before joining the faculty at the University of South Carolina in 2010, he held conducting posts at the University of Kansas and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Scott and his wife Teah are intrepid travelers and enjoy hiking, surfing, and fine wines. They are the proud parents of John, a chemical engineer in Los Alamos, NM.

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Labor Day Holiday - NO MEETING
2025-09-01 12:30 - 13:30

Laura Warren, Community Development Regional Manager for Meta
2025-09-08 12:30 - 13:30
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and other social media platforms, is building an $800 million data center in the Sage Mill Industrial Park.
Laura Warren, Meta’s Community Development Regional Manager, brought the importance of data centers to the personal level. She explained that everything an individual does on their computer or smartphone is processed in a data center to be shared as intended.
“If you ask AI to envision you on a beach with a margarita, and then it sends you back a picture, that information isn’t processed on your phone,” she explained. “It is processed behind the scenes at one of our data centers, which has thousands and thousands of servers. Each server that we have, we have tens of thousands in each of our data centers, can hold more information and process more information than the entire Library of Congress holds.”
She said Meta currently has 28 data centers globally, with 24 of them in the U.S. She said a number of factors brought the company to Aiken County, including a “shovel-ready” site, infrastructure and zoning in place, and a strong pool of local talent from which to hire.
Another factor was access to reliable and renewable energy. Data centers have been a target of criticism for the amount of power they require. “That’s why,” said Warren, “Meta puts an emphasis on building sustainable data centers.”

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