Columbia – Neil Willis of Duncan, SC and Charmeka Bosket, of Columbia, have recently been appointed to serve as members of the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee (EOC). Both terms begin July 1, 2008.
Willis, CEO and founder of Cynergi Systems, has been appointed to serve as the House Education and Public Works Committee’s business representative to the EOC. The appointment was made by Representative Bob Walker, Chairman of the House committee and also an EOC member. Willis fills the term vacated by Bob Daniel, whose term on the committee expired June 30, 2008.
Willis received his Bachelor of Science degree from the United State Air Force College of Engineering and in 2004, and became a (RCDD) Registered Communications Distribution Designer. He is recognized by many national organizations as a pioneer in technology for education and often speaks at national conferences on the “Trends of Technology in Education” and “Building Schools for the New Millennium.” In 2007, Cynergi Systems was recognized by Elliot Davis as was one of South Carolina’s Fastest Growing Companies and the South Carolina Chamber’s Best Places to Work.
Active in community affairs, Willis is a member of the University of South Carolina Upstate Board of Advisors and is a charter member of C12 Group Upstate.
“I am extremely excited about my appointment to the EOC. I have a strong desire to help in any way improve the means of educating our state’s children and for them to become world class knowledge workers. I hope my experience and knowledge in technology will help the EOC’s efforts and provide value to the districts of the state of South Carolina. I believe I am a South Carolinian in a true sense of the word and I believe the key to reaching the next level of education is collaboration with business and other institutions in order to bring real application to the classroom” Willis explains.
Mr. Willis will celebrate this month his 16th wedding anniversary to his wife Amy. Together they have two sons, Gunner(14) and Jacob(12), and Mr. Willis is interested in anything that involves his family. Together they enjoy basketball, mountain hiking, any watersport and participating in their church activities at First Baptist North Spartanburg.
Charmeka Bosket is Director of Legislative and Political Analysis at South Carolina Business and Industry Political Education Committee (BIPEC). She was appointed by Senator John Courson, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, as his business representative to the committee. She fills the un-expired term of Thomas DeLoach, who served on the committee from 2006 to 2008.
Bosket received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University, where she also attained a Certificate in Secondary Education. She has received a Master of Public Policy from Duke University’s Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy. Prior to her position with BIPEC, Bosket served as Education Policy Advisor to Governor Mark Sanford from 2005 to 2007.
From 2001-2005, she served as both a teacher and technology consultant in Richland School District Two. As a consultant, Bosket increased the ability of teachers to meet district technology standards, increasing the use of SMART Technologies, PowerPoint, Blackboard, and LCD technology within the district.
A native of West Columbia, Bosket is active in the community serving as a board of trustees member for Carolina Boys Home and is a member of Cayce West Columbia Rotary Club.
“The strength of business and industry in South Carolina is tied to the success of our educational system,” stated Bosket. “I look forward to joining with fellow members of the Education Oversight Committee in striving to improve the educational services provided in the Palmetto State.”
An enthusiast of South Carolina’s geography and history, Bosket enjoys hiking in South Carolina’s State Parks and exploring our state’s contributions to American History.
The SC Education Oversight Committee is an independent, non-partisan group made up of 18 educators, business persons, and elected leaders. Created in 1998, the committee is dedicated to reporting facts, measuring change, and promoting progress within South Carolina’s education system.
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