TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR DR. J. CHESTER FLOYD, DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT OF LEXINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AFTER FIFTY YEARS OF DEDICATED AND EXEMPLARY SERVICE IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION, AND TO WISH HIM CONTINUED SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS IN ALL HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

Whereas, it is altogether fitting and proper that the members of the House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina should pause in their deliberations to express their gratitude to Dr. J. Chester Floyd for his significant contributions to educating children in the Palmetto State; and

Whereas, born on October 21, 1943, Chester Floyd was the second youngest of seven children of B. A. and Etta Floyd and was reared on a fifty-six-acre tobacco and cotton farm in rural Florence County. He earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics at Newberry College before embarking on his career as an educator with the ability to bring people together for the common goal of giving children the best education; and

Whereas, from 1965 to 1969, he served at Barnwell High School, first teaching mathematics and coaching basketball and then becoming the principal at the age of twenty-five, serving from 1969 to 1971. During his tenure as principal at Barnwell, he earned a master's degree in school administration and supervision from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia; and

Whereas, Mr. Floyd, a hardworking leader, became the principal of Clover High School in 1971 and remained there until he was tapped to serve as the assistant superintendent for personnel and instruction for York County School District Two in 1973; and

Whereas, after earning an education specialist degree in administration and supervision from Winthrop University in 1977, he began serving as the district superintendent of     Florence County School District Five. During his eleven years in Florence, he earned a doctorate in educational administration from the University of South Carolina and was then named District Superintendent of Lexington County School District One in 1988; and

Whereas, Dr. Floyd served Lexington for nine years before taking what he intended to be his last post as the district superintendent of Berkeley County School District from 1997 to January 2009; and

Whereas, later in 2009, he returned to Lexington County to serve the Batesburg-Leesville area as the district superintendent of Lexington County School District    Three and brought with him his keen sense of optimism and stability to the district schools; and

Whereas, deeply committed to the educational community, Dr. Floyd has served in numerous capacities over the years to offer his expertise and to mentor other school administrators. From 1977 to 2003, he served on the Superintendents' Advisory Council of the South Carolina School Boards Association (SCSBA) and as part of the organization's Strategic Planning Team in 1998; and

Whereas, he began serving on the College of Charleston School of Education Advisory Board in 2000 and remained until 2009; and

Whereas, Dr. Floyd was secretary of the South Carolina Association of School Superintendents (SCASS) from 2002 to 2003 and its president from 2003 to 2004, and he was the president of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA) from 2005 to 2006; and

Whereas, beginning in 2004, he served on the executive committee of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) until 2007, twice on the governing board and on the System Leadership Advisory Committee in 2006; and

Whereas, Dr. Floyd served on the Governor's Education Reform Council in 2005 and on the Education Oversight Committee's Common Ground Planning Team in 2005; and

Whereas, genuinely involved in his community, he served on the SCANA Corporation Advisory Board and the Charleston Regional Development Alliance Board, and since 2009, he has served on both the Batesburg-Leesville Chamber of Commerce and the Batesburg-Leesville Economic Development Committee; and

Whereas, among his numerous honors, Dr. Floyd was named Outstanding Superintendent of the Year in 1996 by the SCSBA, Large Districts, and he was honored as Superintendent of the Year for 1990 to 1991 by the Vocational Directors Association, in 1997 by SCASS, in 2006 by the South Carolina Career and Technology Education Administrators, and in 2007 by the South Carolina School Plant Management Association; and

Whereas, he also was honored as the William B. Harley Administrator of the Year in 2007 from the South Carolina Association of School Administrators, with the Distinguished Service Award from AASA in 2010, and with the prestigious Order of the Palmetto, the state's highest civilian honor, in 2009; and

Whereas, together with his beloved wife, Pamela Diane "Ann" Ward, he reared two fine children: Craig and Reggie who blessed their parents with the love and affection of six adoring grandchildren: Adeline, Cole, Ann Elizabeth, Ruthie, Luke and Gracie; and

Whereas, in his retirement, he will be able to spend more happy hours enjoying his outdoor hobbies of fishing, boating, and golf; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are grateful for the years of unparalleled dedication that Chester Floyd has devoted to the education of children in South Carolina, our state's most precious resource, and wish him many years of enjoyment in his well-earned retirement. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, recognize and honor Dr. J. Chester Floyd, District Superintendent of Lexington County School District Three, upon the occasion of his retirement after fifty years of dedicated and exemplary service in the field of education, and wish him continued success and happiness in all his future endeavors.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. J. Chester Floyd.