Dr. Don Garrison Announces Plans for Retirement

PENDLETON --- Ending a 32-year tenure at the helm of one of S.C.'s largest technical colleges, Dr. Don C. Garrison announced August 15 his plans to retire as president of Tri-County Technical College. His last day at the College will be July 31, 2003.

Dr. Garrison announced his plans to an assembly of the faculty and staff an hour before a news conference.

"My entire professional life for more than four decades has been devoted to education in South Carolina. It will be hard to leave Tri-County, where I've given my all for the last 32 years, but the time has come," Dr. Garrison said. "There are a number of things Carol (his wife) and I desire to do, which retirement will permit.

"I leave Tri-County knowing that the College is in good shape in pursuit of its primary mission to be a tool for economic development by providing unexcelled educational opportunities for the people of Anderson Oconee and Pickens counties. Tri-County is known nationally and internationally for its contributions to economic development and for its excellence in education. Tri-County couldn't have risen to its prominence in higher education, locally and nationally, without total community involvement and support. And I am grateful to everyone for that kind of support."

"Don is a devoted professional of the highest degree, and he has placed Tri-County at the forefront of two-year colleges in the U.S," said Dr. Mendel Stewart, chairman of the College's governing board. "He has been a dynamic leader whose profound impact on the College's direction during these three-plus decades has resulted in financial stability, outstanding facilities, enrollment growth and maximum community service."

Dr. Garrison began his career in education as a teacher and coach at Pendleton High School, later went to Easley High School, and then taught at Palmetto High. He was at Greenville Technical College from 1963 - 71 serving as dean of Allied Health Sciences and Evening Dean and the last two yeas as Interim President. Excluding one year of teaching in Florida and three months as chancellor of the Texas State Technical Institute System in 1988, his entire career has been as an educator in the Upstate.

Dr. Garrison began his career as Tri-County's second president on November 1, 1971. Since then the College has expanded from three buildings covering 89,000 square feet to 14 buildings covering 389,828 square feet. Enrollment has increased from 919 during its first year to more than 5,000 degree, diploma, and certificate students and nearly 13,000 Corporate & Community Education students. He has led the College from a technical education center offering seven technical courses to today's comprehensive two-year college featuring 20 associate degree, 8 diploma and 37 certificate programs.

The College, under Dr. Garrison's leadership, is often recognized for its contributions to economic development. When Venture Packaging nnounced plans in December, 1994, to locate a plant in Anderson County to employ 400 people making plastic food packages, the president of the company said, "Our final decision to locate in Anderson was based on South Carolina's pro-business environment, Anderson's proximity to I-85 and to the guidance and professionalism of Dr. Don Garrison, whose influence proved vital to our commitment."

"Dr. Garrison has been at the vanguard of innovation in our Tech System for more than three decades and has helped to shape Tri-County's and the System's leadership in economic development and education," said Dr. Stewart. "Few people, if any, have had a more sustained or deeper commitment to improving the quality of life in South Carolina. He is known widely in the state and nationally for his commitment to advancing the quality of life through excellence in education and diligence in economic development."

Dr. Garrison holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Furman University and a doctorate from Duke University.

He and his wife, Carol, a retired teacher, reside in Easley. Their son, Donnie, teaches and coaches at Pickens High School and is a captain in the S.C. Army National Guard. Donnie's wife, Cheryl, is a part-time elementary school teacher. The Garrisons have one grandson, Bolt Stewart Garrison. Dr. Garrison's mother, Mrs. Vera Garrison, is 89 and lives in Liberty in the home that Dr. Garrison and his brothers, David and Daniel, were born in.
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