Our Commission

Major General William Grimsley, U.S. Army Retired, serves as Chairman of the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission. A 33 year Army veteran, he held command and leadership positions at every level from platoon through corps while serving both stateside and overseas. His military service earned numerous awards and decorations, including the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat.

Following his retirement from active duty, Chairman Grimsley served in senior leadership roles in the private sector and as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation. He later became South Carolina’s first Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs, continuing his lifelong commitment to public service. A recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, he now leads the Commission in advancing its statewide mission to commemorate South Carolina’s pivotal role in the American Revolution and to strengthen heritage tourism, education, and preservation initiatives across all 46 counties.

William S. “Bill”  Davies, Jr. brings decades of leadership in law, military service, and historic preservation to the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission. A graduate of The Citadel and the University of South Carolina School of Law, he served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps before practicing law with Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough for more than 35 years.

Davies has long been active in preserving and promoting South Carolina history. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Commission and is Immediate Past Chair of the South Carolina Historical Society Board of Managers. He has also served as President of the South Carolina Archives and History Foundation and President of the Palmetto State Military History Foundation. His leadership with The Liberty Trail and numerous preservation organizations across the state reflects his lifelong commitment to honoring South Carolina’s Revolutionary War legacy.

Duane Parrish serves as Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, bringing more than 35 years of leadership in hospitality and destination marketing to the Commission. Appointed to his position in 2011, he has led statewide efforts to strengthen South Carolina’s tourism economy and elevate the state’s profile as a premier travel destination.

Under his leadership, South Carolina has expanded heritage tourism initiatives that highlight the state’s pivotal role in the American Revolution, promoting Revolutionary War battlefields, historic sites, and cultural experiences across all regions of the state. Prior to his appointment, Parrish held senior leadership roles in the hospitality industry and destination marketing. He has also served as an adjunct professor and as Chairman of the South Carolina Hospitality Association. His career reflects a sustained commitment to advancing tourism as a driver of economic growth and to sharing South Carolina’s Revolutionary era story with national and international audiences.

Dianne Tucker Culbertson is a tenth-generation South Carolinian and a dedicated leader in historic preservation and lineage organizations. Appointed by Governor Henry McMaster to the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission in 2019, she also serves on the Laurens County 250 Committee. Her longstanding involvement with the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution includes service as Vice President General and Honorary State Regent of the South Carolina Society.

Culbertson has held numerous leadership roles in state and national heritage organizations and has proven lineage to fifteen American Revolutionary War patriots. She is President and co-founder of the Gray Court Owings Historical Society and has served on the boards of several preservation and conservation organizations across South Carolina. Her work reflects a deep commitment to honoring and safeguarding the state’s Revolutionary era history.

Laurie Slade Funderburk is an attorney, businesswoman, and former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives with a distinguished record of public service. During her tenure in the General Assembly, she served on the House Judiciary Committee and as Chairwoman of the General Assembly Women’s Caucus, bringing thoughtful leadership and bipartisan engagement to statewide policy discussions.

A native of Camden and graduate of the University of South Carolina, where she earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees, Funderburk has long been active in civic and community leadership. Her service has included roles with regional planning, arts, agricultural, and nonprofit organizations across Kershaw County and beyond. Her experience in legislative affairs, community development, and public policy provides valuable perspective to the Commission’s work in commemorating South Carolina’s pivotal role in the American Revolution and advancing heritage initiatives statewide.

State Representative Neal Collins is an attorney in Easley and a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. Since his election to the General Assembly, he has served on key legislative committees, including the House Education and Public Works Committee, contributing to policy discussions that impact communities across the state.

A graduate of Furman University and the University of South Carolina School of Law, Representative Collins is active in civic and professional organizations throughout the Upstate. His experience in state government, legal practice, and community leadership provides valuable perspective to the Commission’s work in highlighting South Carolina’s pivotal role in the American Revolution and promoting statewide engagement in the commemoration.

1. Brett Bennett is President of SC250 Charleston and Treasurer of the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission. He has been a research associate for the American Battlefield Protection Program and is a periodic contributor to the Journal of the American Revolution. He also serves as President of the Friends of Charleston National Parks, advancing preservation and interpretation of nationally significant historic sites.

Bennett holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Wake Forest University and a graduate degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He has held senior leadership roles in the healthcare technology industry and currently advises emerging growth businesses. His professional expertise and longstanding commitment to preservation support the Commission’s efforts to promote education, heritage tourism, and public engagement surrounding South Carolina’s pivotal role in the American Revolution.

Dr. Eddie Lee has devoted more than four decades to higher education, public service, and historic preservation.. A longtime professor of history at Winthrop University, he is an award-winning educator and an early pioneer in distance learning. He has authored 22 books on a wide range of historical topics, including four notable works on America’s Vietnam War experience, and has lectured internationally in the United Kingdom, France, Russia, India, and Vietnam.

In addition to his academic career, Dr. Lee served for 22 years as an elected official in South Carolina and received the Order of the Palmetto for his service to the state. A former president of the South Carolina Historical Association, he currently serves as Chair of the State Archives Commission. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to preserving and advancing South Carolina’s history.

Pam Melton Cazel has served on the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission since her appointment in 2019 and currently chairs the Commission’s Marketing Committee. She is Executive Director of the Cherokee Historical and Preservation Society, which operates the Cherokee County Museum, and in 2023 led the opening of a new museum wing that more than doubled the facility’s exhibit space.

Before entering nonprofit leadership, Cazel built an award-winning career with Fortune 500 companies. She has worked closely with statewide and national preservation partners to advance recognition of Revolutionary War sites in Cherokee County, including securing designation of the Cherokee County Museum as a Gateway to the Liberty Trail and supporting the development of Fort Thicketty within the Liberty Trail network. Her career reflects a strong commitment to historic preservation, community engagement, and public history in South Carolina.

Senator Darrell Jackson Sr. has represented Richland County in the South Carolina Senate since his election in 1992, becoming at the time the youngest African American elected to the Senate. Over more than 30 years in public office, he has remained deeply engaged in civic and community leadership throughout South Carolina.

A graduate of Benedict College, where he served as Student Government Association president and received the Most Distinguished Student Award, Senator Jackson also holds a Master of Arts degree from Columbia International University and has received multiple honorary doctorates. In addition to his legislative service, he is Senior Pastor of Bible Way Church of Atlas Road and has served on numerous boards across the state, including Benedict College, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and United Way of the Midlands. His career reflects a sustained commitment to public service, faith based leadership, and community advancement in South Carolina.

Kenneth Scarlett is a Revolutionary War author, historian, and preservation leader focused on South Carolina’s pivotal role in the War for American Independence. He is the award winning author of Victory Day — Winning American Independence: The Defeat of the British Southern Strategy, recognized with the 2023 Fraunces Tavern Museum Honorable Mention Book Award. His research highlights the final months of the war centered in Charleston and draws extensively on the papers of General Nathanael Greene. He has authored numerous articles and lectures widely on the Revolutionary era.

Scarlett serves as President of Charleston 250 and the City of Charleston History Commission. He is the former President of the Nathanael Greene Freedom Monument Foundation, which funded and produced the statue of General Greene in Greenville. He holds a master’s degree in intelligence and security from The Citadel and a business degree from the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business. His career reflects a strong commitment to historical scholarship, preservation, and public commemoration across South Carolina.

Colonel Frank McClary, U.S. Army Retired, is Mayor of Andrews, South Carolina, and a distinguished military leader with a career spanning more than two decades of service to the nation. A native of Andrews, he completed a decorated Army career that included overseas deployments to Kosovo, Korea, Kuwait, Iraq, and England, as well as senior leadership assignments in Washington, DC, and battalion command at Fort Jackson.

A graduate of Benedict College and the Army’s Senior Service College, Colonel McClary earned numerous military honors, including the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star with Valor. His career reflects a sustained commitment to leadership, public service, and national defense. As a community leader and public servant, he brings to the Commission a deep appreciation for South Carolina’s military heritage and its enduring connection to the state’s Revolutionary War legacy.

Ben Zeigler is a Florence native and shareholder with the law firm of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, where his practice focuses on public finance, economic incentives, and nonprofit and government law. His professional experience includes advising public entities and organizations on matters that support economic development and community growth across South Carolina.

Zeigler is deeply engaged in historic preservation and cultural leadership in the Pee Dee region. He serves as President of the Florence County Historical Society and Chairman of the Board of the Wright Foundation for Southern Art, and has held leadership roles with the Francis Marion Trail Commission and the Pee Dee Land Trust. A graduate of The University of the South, Oxford University, and Harvard Law School, he brings both legal expertise and a strong commitment to preserving and promoting South Carolina’s Revolutionary era history through regional heritage initiatives.