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Mayor of Greenville, South Carolina
Knox White has served as Mayor of Greenville, South Carolina since December 1995. As Mayor he has the goal of making the City of Greenville, South Carolina “the most beautiful, livable, and welcoming city in America.
His tenure as mayor has been defined by neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and transformational projects for downtown. Over the past two decades, Greenville has earned national acclaim for its livability and has become an award-winning destination.
In 2018, Mayor White was profiled in Time Magazine as one of “31 People Who Are Changing the South.” Key strategic projects implemented during his terms include removal of a four-lane highway bridge allowing for the subsequent creation of the iconic Falls Park, recruitment of new retail to downtown, Fluor Field – a downtown minor league baseball stadium, initiation of the Swamp Rabbit Trail – a bike and walking trail system throughout the city, development along the downtown Reedy River riverfront, and public art initiatives along Main Street.
The latest project is Unity Park where a partially abandoned and once segregated part of the city has been transformed into a beautiful 60-acre park to be enjoyed by all. Adjacent to the park will be 9 acres of workforce and affordable housing which will be one of the largest footprints of affordable housing in the city of Greenville. The comprehensive plan encompasses public/private partnership, neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and affordable housing.
A graduate of Wake Forest University and the University of South Carolina Law School, Knox White is formerly a partner with the law firm of Haynsworth, Sinkler & Boyd. Mayor White is an honorary member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He is a frequent speaker on the importance of thoughtful and collaborative urban planning.
Mayor Knox White is native of the City of Greenville where he, his wife Marsha, their two adult children and their families all reside.
Chair Professor of Vehicle Automation
Prof. Venkat N. Krovi (FASME, SM IEEE) is currently the Michelin Endowed SmartState Chair Professor of Vehicle Automation at Clemson University – International Center for Automotive Research. His research focuses on intelligent modulation of distributed physical-power-interactions (motions/forces) between humans and autonomous-systems to unlock the “power of the many”. Research activities focus on the life-cycle treatment (design, modeling, analysis, control, implementation and verification) of a new generation of ConnectedAutonomy systems for realizing Human-Autonomy synergy in emerging automotive-, plant-automation-, co-robotics-, and defense- applications. He currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics and was the Founding EiC of the SAE Journal of Connected and Automated Vehicles. He has also taken significant leadership roles within multiple professional societies (IEEE/ASME/SAE) as well as supporting development of the 2020 US Robotics Roadmap. Further details are available from http://cecas.clemson.edu/armlab-cuicar
Assistant Professor
Dr. Wout De Backer, a Belgian National and US Person, is an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina (USC). He is Program Manager for the Additive Manufacturing, Composites and Design Engineering (AMCODE) team at the McNAIR Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research. His core competencies include 3D printer design, automation, and composite design and analysis, with both off-the-shelf and in-house developed FDM/FFF style printers. As part of the South Carolina SmartState Center™ for Multifunctional Materials and Structures, the AMCODE team is recognized as Center of Economic Excellence, as established by South Carolina’s senior research universities.
Vice President of Growth
Cody Thacker is the Vice President of Growth at Scout Motors Inc., a manufacturer of electrified trucks and SUVs that is currently constructing its first production facility in Blythewood, South Carolina. He leads the company’s retail strategy, go-to-market and network planning, digital product management, corporate architecture and construction, and commercial operations.
Prior to joining Scout Motors in 2022, Cody served as the head of parts business at Porsche Cars North America and as the head of electrification at Audi of America. Before entering the automotive industry, Cody served as a Judge Advocate and company commander in the United States Marine Corps. He graduated from the Terry College of Business and the University of Georgia School of Law.
Director
Dr. Ramy Harik, a Fulbright Alumni, is the Director of the Clemson Composites Center and a Professor of Automotive Engineering at Clemson University. Previously, Ramy was a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of South Carolina and a researcher at the McNAIR Center. Ramy holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering (BS/MS), Automated Manufacturing (MS), and Industrial/Mechanical Engineering (PhD). His teaching focuses on Manufacturing, Smart Manufacturing, and Composites Manufacturing. Dr. Harik serves as an Associate Editor for SME Manufacturing Letters and authored the “Introduction to Advanced Manufacturing” textbook published by SAE. He has secured over 15 million USD in funding from NASA, Boeing, and others. Recognized as one of the top 20 influential professors in Smart Manufacturing by SME’s Smart Manufacturing Magazine in 2020, he has extensive teaching experience globally and has supervised over 20 graduate students and founded research initiatives. His book “Manufacturing vs Corruption: Who Wins?” won the 2023 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite for Social/Political Change books. In June 2024, Dr. Harik received the SC Governor’s Award for Excellence in Scientific Awareness, South Carolina’s highest honor for promoting science education and supporting the future workforce.
Director of Data Science Graduate Program
Dr. Navid Hashemi is the director of the graduate program in Data Science and Analytics at the College of Charleston. He joined the Computer Science department in 2020 as an assistant professor and founded the Data Mining and Connectivity (DMC) research lab. He is an active researcher in spatiotemporal data mining, machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT) analytics, and crowd-sensing. Prior to joining the College, Dr. Hashemi held a visiting faculty position at Emory University. He holds a doctorate in computer science from the University of Georgia.
Assistant Professor of Sustainable Packaging
James Sternberg is an assistant professor of sustainable packaging at Clemson University. Having a background in chemistry, James completed his PhD studying biobased and recyclable polymers in the Department of Automotive Engineering at Clemson University. Dr. Sternberg’s work focusses on redesigning common packaging materials to increase bio-content, compostability, and recyclability. His work also includes studying lifecycle assessment and helping local businesses transition to more sustainable materials through self-auditing and sustainability transition plans.
CEO
Leslie is the CEO of Sustain SC, a nonprofit organization connecting sectors across South Carolina to optimize the use of our natural resources in a way that is sustainable for both our economy and our environment. With a business development background and passion for sustainability, Leslie unites smart growth with conservation to sustain South Carolina’s economic prosperity.
Prior to joining Sustain SC, Leslie built and executed strategies to drive business growth for Fortune 500 companies, governments, non-profits, and institutions. As a strategic communications and public affairs professional, Leslie specializes in advising purpose-driven clients to uncover strategies to meet business goals while positively impacting their communities.
Leslie is a community leader. She was recently named as South Carolina’s Top 50 Women to Admire and was selected to be in the 2023 Lowcountry Class for the Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Initiative. Leslie was appointed to be a Commissioner on the City of Charleston’s Commission on Women, founded Charleston Civil Rights and Civics (C3), and serves on the Charleston Chamber of Commerce’s Regional Policy Committee. Leslie completed her MBA from Georgetown with a focus in Non-Market Strategy to help businesses be a force for good in the world.
Academic Dean
Kelvin Byrd holds a pivotal role as the academic dean for the School of Advanced Manufacturing & Transportation Technology programs at Greenville Technical College in Greenville, S. C. His significant contributions to educating individuals and preparing them for the global industry are instrumental in shaping the academic landscape.
Kelvin’s journey is a testament to his thirst for knowledge and growth. He served in the United States military, graduated from the prestigious Greenville Technical College, Clemson University, and further honed his skills by earning a Master’s in educational leadership from Jones University.
With over 25 years in education, his teaching philosophy is to provide education in cooperation with the local community, which prepares students for lifelong learning and productive participation in society and the community.
Director of Regional Workforce Advisors
Laura Cox is the Director of Regional Workforce Advisors (RWAs) at the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW). Laura supervises the twelve RWAs across the state who work with business and industry partners to bridge the gap with education by providing unique solutions to workforce development impacting students, educators, parents, and the community at large. Prior to her role at DEW, Laura was the RWA for Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens County at the South Carolina Department of Commerce. Laura is a passionate workforce and economic development professional with over 15 years of leadership experience in business services and employability initiatives, as well as over a decade of experience in the recruiting sector.
Laura is actively involved in local Society for Human Resources Management Chapters and Boards, and several workforce partner and school district Advisory Boards. She is a graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor’s in Marketing and holds an MBA from Anderson University. In her free time, Laura enjoys long drives with her husband and watching their two kids in all of their sporting endeavors.
