Event information
Panelists
the value of bachelor's degrees for employees, organizations, and Spartanburg
An educated workforce is essential for success across all industries. Bachelor's Degree holders bring enhanced problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, foster innovation, and strengthen organizational leadership pipelines. Additionally, for Spartanburg County, investing in higher education drives economic growth, improves employee retention, and builds a more vibrant and prosperous community—making the Upstate a more attractive place to live and work.
The maturation of online education also means your employees can obtain an affordable, high-quality degree in their free time while continuing to contribute to your organization.
Who Should Attend?
Human Resources directors and operations leaders or any organization leaders interested in developing their workforce to meet current and future demands.
Immediately following the discussion, attendees can speak to SMC Admissions Counselors and OneSpartanburg's Re: Degree program staff to learn about available degree programs, financial aid opportunities, challenges for adult students and more.
REGISTER TO ATTEND
Panelist Bios
Dr. Russell W. Booker, Ph.D., CDE
Dr. Russell W. Booker, CEO of Spartanburg Academic Movement in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is a dedicated advocate for education and community service, boasting over 30 years of diverse experience in the field. His unwavering commitment revolves around empowering students to lead lives of distinction and service. As the leader of the Spartanburg Academic Movement, Dr. Booker is supporting an ambitious integrated economic mobility plan, Movement 2030, with the goal of providing thousands of children in Spartanburg a clear path to upward mobility.
Retired as the Superintendent of Spartanburg County School District Seven, Dr. Booker has significantly influenced the local education landscape. Beyond his role in Spartanburg, he currently serves as the Chair of the StriveTogether Board of Directors and sits on the board of directors for Purpose Built Communities. Additionally, he holds trustee positions at Wingate University, the Mary Black Foundation, Strategic Spartanburg, and the Spartanburg Regional Hospital Foundation.
Dr. Booker's contributions have garnered him numerous accolades, including the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Humanitarian Award, recognition as South Carolina Superintendent of the Year, and induction into the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Athlete Alumni. In 2020, he received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor, in recognition of his dedicated service to education. Most recently, he was honored with OneSpartanburg Inc.'s 2023 Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizen Award.
A proud member of the Spartanburg Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and the South Carolina Liberty Fellowship, Dr. Booker's roots run deep in his community. He earned his B.S. degree in Education from Wingate University and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Presently, he serves as a By All Means Senior Fellow at Harvard University's EdRedesign Lab in the Graduate School of Education. He holds honorary doctoral degrees from Converse University and the University of South Carolina Upstate.
Dr. Booker and his wife Sheryl reside in Spartanburg and count their sons to be among their greatest blessings. Grant, a graduate of the US Naval Academy, was commissioned as a US Marine Corps officer in 2023, while Maxwell is a member of the Harvard College Class of '26. The Booker family is actively involved in the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, where they find solace and inspiration in their faith community.
Allen Smith
Born and raised in Greenville, N.C., Allen Smith graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. From there, he was appointed to serve as Town clerk for the Town of Bethel, N.C.
After a time working in local government, Allen was hired as Vice President of Operations for the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. Later, he was promoted to Senior Vice President.
In 2010, Allen was recruited to South Carolina, where he began a tenure as President/CEO of the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce. During his time in Greer, he led the chamber’s financial and overall membership growth.
Allen’s success in Greer caused people in neighboring Spartanburg to take notice, In 2014, Allen was named President/CEEO of the then-Spartanburg Area Chamber of commerce – the only organization in South Carolina where the chamber, economic development, and tourism entities existed under one umbrella.
During his time in Spartanburg, Allen has led several transformative initiatives that still impact the county today.
In 2017, the Chamber, through a 52-person steering committee, launched a five-year, data-informed community and economic development strategy – the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan. The effort has enhanced and accelerated much of the work ongoing across Spartanburg County. And in 2022, the county’s second five-year strategy, the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan 2.0, was launched.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Spartanburg Chamber launched a rebrand to represent its collective and strategic vision, with Allen becoming the President/CEO of OneSpartanburg, Inc. The unified organization’s mission is to build a vibrant Spartanburg through business, economic, and tourism development.
For its work during the pandemic, including the rebranding effort, OneSpartanburg, Inc. was named the 2021 U.S. Chamber of the Year by the Association for Chamber of Commerce Executives.
With Spartanburg’s continued growth and development success, Allen and his wife, Jenni, and their two daughters, Eloise and Mary Barrett, are excited about the community’s next steps and proud to call Spartanburg home.
Scott Cochran
Scott Cochran is in his tenth year as President of Spartanburg Methodist College.
Before leading the college, President Cochran spent nearly 30 years in executive roles in business and higher education.
President Cochran holds an economics degree from Wofford College and an MBA from Duke University. His business experience includes senior positions in finance, marketing, and international operations in the United States and internationally. In addition to serving as SMC’s president, he teaches courses in finance.
President Cochran is a Liberty Fellow and serves on the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges Council of Presidents and on the Supervisory Committee for Founders Federal Credit Union. He and his wife, Teresa, have been married for 36 years and have six children and seven grandchildren.
President Cochran's current and past board and service commitments include:
· Member of the Liberty Fellowship, a South Carolina leadership initiative in association with the Aspen Institute
· Serves on the Council of Presidents for the Association of Governing Boards (AGB)
· Advisory Board member – Founders Federal Credit Union
· Supervisory Committee member – Founders Federal Credit Union
· Board member – South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU)
· Rotary Club of Spartanburg
· Past board member – National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, tax committee chair (NAICU)
· Past board member – United Way of the Piedmont (finance committee chair)
· Past Chair of the SC Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission
· Past board member – North American Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities
· Past board member – Ballet Spartanburg
Dr. Curt Laird, Ph.D.
Curt Laird currently serves as Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs for Spartanburg Methodist College. In this capacity, he is charged with providing vision and direction to the academic priorities of the institution. As a leader, Curt strives to maintain a personal connection with the campus community. He is often sited walking the campus to speak with people in their own surroundings as a means of making others feel comfortable.
Prior to his position at Spartanburg Methodist College, Curt served in a variety of capacities at Columbus State Community College. Joining his alma mater in 2015, Curt had an opportunity to return to the environment where began his academic career and revisit surroundings that felt like home. His roles included Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dean of Health and Human Services, Chair of the Sport & Exercise Studies and Hospitality Department, and Chair of the Justice, Safety, and Legal Studies Department. Curt also co-led the work of Columbus State’s Mitchell Hall building, which he considers one of the greatest professional achievements of his career.
Prior to working at Columbus State, Curt held a variety of faculty and administrator roles. These roles included working at Wingate University (NC), Winthrop University (SC), the University of Charleston (WV), and Ohio University. Although recognized throughout his career for numerous awards, Curt considers the number of longtime friendships he’s been able to maintain to be an even greater accomplishment.
Laird received Associate, Bachelor, Masters, and Doctorate Degrees from Columbus State Community College, Shawnee State University, West Virginia University, and Ohio University respectively.