With Election Day about 2 months away, candidates for
political office are reaching out to voters to provide information on their
background and to explain their reasons for running. One candidate, local
entrepreneur Warner Bouzek, came over for a video interview to highlight some
of his reasons. As the owner of King Tut Grill in Simpsonville, Mr. Bouzek, a
longtime resident of the city, talks about some of the issues that motivated
him to run for the office.
In addition, Mr. Bouzek talks about his business career, as
well as his career as a championship wrestler. His local involvement includes
Hillcrest Booster Club, raising funds for various sporting activities. Among the
issues he talks about is the traffic problems in the city, and wants to improve
the infrastructure, mainly the roads. He is financing his own campaign, so he
doesn’t foresee any need for fundraisers.
Election Day is November 7. Voters can obtain information on
registering, early voting, absentee voting, etc., by clicking on South Carolina
Election Commission: www.scvotes.gov
After 33 years living in Flower Mound,
Texas, my wife Annette, and I moved to South Carolina to be closer to family.
For many years, while living in the Lone Star State, we filmed video interviews
of prominent people in all walks of life, including elected officials,
entrepreneurs, CEOs of charitable organizations, and others who were part of
the community landscape.
Now that we’ve settled in our new home, in
the Parklynn Hills development of Fountain Inn, we look forward to continuing
to contribute to our new community, including cities and towns contiguous with
Fountain Inn. Annette is the videographer for the interviews, which will be
posted online at the Simpsonville Sentinel newspaper and widely distributed on
local social media platforms. On Monday, we interviewed Fountain Inn Mayor
George Patrick Mcleer. Earlier today (Wednesday), we interviewed Simpsonville
Mayor Paul Shewmaker.
This interview of Mauldin Mayor Terry
Merritt took place Wednesday afternoon.
Mayor Merritt sent the following short bio:
Native
of the great state of South Carolina and a full-time resident of Mauldin since
1969 (Except for 4 years USAF service and 2 years in southern Greenville
County); Graduate of Hillcrest High School.
Married
for 55 years to Dianne Roberts Merritt, 3 children; Terri Lynn(deceased),
Stephen and Jeffery, all graduates of Mauldin High School; and 6 grandchildren.
1982 graduate of FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Veteran
of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) during the Vietnam War, 4 years active (1969 –
1973) plus 2 years Inactive (1973 – 1975) Reserves (USAFR). Now retired, after
32+ years as IT professional.
Member
of Mauldin 1st Baptist, where he currently serves as a Sunday School Teacher.
Former
member of Mauldin Rotary Club. Charter Board Member of Mauldin Civitan Club.
Volunteers
at Ronald McDonald House, Greenville.Member of Carolina Corvette Club. Member of American Legion Post 271.
Served
5 years as City of Mauldin Councilman, Seat 3 (2015 – 2019).
Currently
serves as Mayor of the City of Mauldin (2020 - ).
Member
of Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC):
Municipal Elected Officials Institute Graduate
Advanced Municipal Elected Officials Institute
Graduate
Current
Member of Association of South Carolina Mayors.
Current
Member of Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study (GPATS)Policy Committee.
January
25, 2022, recognized by the Greenville Business Magazine as one of the 2021 Top
50 Most Influential People in the Upstate of South Carolina.
After 33 years living in Flower Mound, Texas, my wife
Annette, and I moved to South Carolina to be closer to family. For many years,
while living in the Lone Star State, we filmed video interviews of prominent
people in all walks of life, including elected officials, entrepreneurs, CEOs
of charitable organizations, and others who were part of the community
landscape.
Now that we’ve settled in our new home, in the Parklynn
Hills development of Fountain Inn, we look forward to continuing to contribute
to our new community, including cities and towns contiguous with F.I. Annette
is the videographer for the interviews, which will be posted online at the
Simpsonville Sentinel newspaper and widely distributed on local social media
platforms. On Monday, we interviewed Fountain Inn Mayor George Patrick Mcleer.
Our guest today is Simpsonville Mayor Paul Shewmaker.
Mr. Shewmaker sent the following short bio:
“Mayor Paul Shewmaker, elected in 2019, currently
serves with distinction in his inaugural term as mayor, demonstrating his
commitment to Simpsonville’s progress. Alongside his mayoral responsibilities,
he holds a significant role on the Board of Directors for the Association of
South Carolina Mayors, showcasing his dedication to fostering collaborative
leadership.
“Before assuming his civic role, Mr. Shewmaker enjoyed
a long professional career in safety, production management and human
resources. He retired in 2019 from his role as Director of Human Resources for
National Carbon/Morgan Advanced Materials. His professional journey encompassed
diverse roles in industrial management, including a nine-year tenure as a
production manager. His expertise extended to pivotal areas such as
environmental health and safety, benefits, and HRIS.
“Paul has a Bachelor of Science degree in Safety
Management from Indiana State University. Commencing his career as a safety
manager at Union Carbide and AT&T, he later joined KEMET before culminating
his journey with 15 years of service in Human Resources for the Electrical
Americas Division of Morgan Advanced Materials. Beyond his professional
endeavors, he speaks a bit of Italian, loves to travel, enjoys yard work, and
one time he decontaminated nerve gas bombs for the Navy.
“Shewmaker is a proficient wild bird expert, reflecting
his passion for and connection to the outdoors. His enthusiasm extends to
pursuits such as hiking and golf. Shewmaker served as a long time Scout leader
for the Boy Scouts of America, where he guided and mentored young minds. His
most cherished accomplishment was serving as Scoutmaster and helping his two
sons achieve the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. His Scouting career stands as
a testament to his exceptional values and leadership.
“In summary, Mayor Paul Shewmaker's trajectory from a
distinguished industrial career to his present role as mayor illuminates his
unwavering dedication to community service.”
