Category: News

‘She Means Business’ spotlights Lt. Gov. Evette

Originally published by The Lancaster News on August 14, 2023

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette was the keynote speaker at the “She Means Business” last Thursday at Catawba Falls Events Center.

She discussed how being a woman and business owner influences her political decisions at the Aug. 10 Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce event, which drew about 300 people.

The night included a cocktail hour, dinner and dessert, a welcome speech by Angelica Figueroa with Sharonview Federal Credit Union, an introduction by Scott Broome with MUSC Health — Lancaster Division and a gift from Beckee Garris with the Catawba Nation.

Evette’s background

Evette is South Carolina’s second female lieutenant governor out of the 93 in the state’s history. She is the second in command to S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster.

She is also a mother of three and owner of Quality Business Solutions, a payroll, HR and benefits services firm. She is from Travelers Rest, SC.

Evette started work as an accountant after college and then started her business. She grew it to the size of a national company, and decided to jump ship to politics through the advice of three friends.

“Those three women did a ton to get me on the path that I’m on,” Evette said. “I met the governor (McMaster), and he asked me to run as his lieutenant governor.”

“So, not only am I the first female Republican lieutenant governor, but I’m the first lieutenant governor ever elected with a governor,” she said. “Lots of firsts — it’s almost a dream when you think I’ll be in the history books for all these things. It’s so cool and so surreal.”

Evette has served as lieutenant governor for five years, and was reelected last year. She was sworn in for her second term in January. Evette said she has spent the majority of her time helping businesses around the state, including cutting taxes, create a thriving page1image54573072

her time helping businesses around the state, including cutting taxes, create a thriving environment for businesses to excel and “creating the workforce of tomorrow.”

Focus on education

“As a mom, I have three children of my own, and education is really important,” Evette said. “I think we just have to make sure that our kids know how to think for themselves, that they can critically think and that we’re giving them the tools they need.”

Evette said that no matter what she accomplishes in her career, her biggest accomplishment is her children being healthy, happy and stable. She said her success with Quality Business Solutions, coupled with her political trailblazing for women, has given her the opportunity to leave a legacy for her children to follow.

During her speech, Evette highlighted her three focus areas for political policy: businesses, education and post-COVID economic stabilization and success.

Under her watch with McMaster, teachers received the highest pay raise for teachers on the East Coast this year — a $2,500 salary raise and a $2,500 bonus.

Evette also discussed the need to change society’s view of trade schools and technical colleges, as not every student thrives in a four-year college environment. She encouraged guests to change the negative narrative around non-traditional higher education, and highlighted the amazing jobs boosting the S.C. economy from trade and technical schools. Her son attended Greenville Technical College, and Evette said she is proud to support technical colleges in the Legislature and her personal life.

McMaster and Evette implemented $75 million in workforce scholarships statewide. “We want to make sure everyone has a quality job, a self-sustaining job,” she said.

Evette also highlighted the importance of getting children to start working at an earlier age, because those lower-level jobs support small businesses and teach fiscal responsibility. Evette emphasized how pro-business she and the governor are, noting that South Carolina is fourth in the nation for women-owned businesses.

“I want to thank you all so much, and thank you to the chamber for what you do,” Evette said. “We couldn’t do what we do without you helping keep our businesses thriving and growing.”

“I love talking about South Carolina’s fingerprints,” she said. “I love talking about our amazing South Carolina spirit.”

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Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette to lead SC7 hike along Cayce riverfront this Thursday

Originally posted in The New Irmo News on July 12, 2023.

SC7 leaders Tom Mullikin, Michelle McCollum, Sheriff Leon Lott, Chief Skip Holbrook, Chief Chris Cowan, Duke Energy representatives, and others to accompany Evette

S.C. Lt. Governor Pamela Evette will join top law enforcement leaders (Lott, Holbrook, Cowan, others), Duke Energy representatives, Palmetto Pride (anti-litter campaigners), SC7 officials and others in the 4th-annual SOUTH CAROLINA SEVEN (SC7) expedition across the Palmetto State which will wind its way through the Midlands and along the Congaree Riverwalk (Cayce-West Columbia side) culminating in a brief ceremony recognizing law enforcement officials, Thursday, July 13.

The recognition ceremony will be held at Savage Craft Ale Works, 430 Center Street in West Columbia, S.C. 29169.

The event kicks off, 4:30 p.m. at Savage Craft where buses will shuttle hikers to the Cayce Riverfront trailhead. Once on the riverwalk, hikers will participate in a litter sweep – picking up trash along the route and depositing it in three environmental litter-receptacle sculptures. Following the hike and litter sweep, participants will return to Savage Craft wherein at 5:30 p.m., the Lt. Governor will briefly speak and TreesUpstate will present trees to law enforcement officials to be taken back and planted on grounds of their respective headquarters.

Sponsored by Duke Energy, the Medical University of South Carolina, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, and others, the monthlong SC7 Expedition across S.C. from the mountains to the sea is showcasing the seven natural wonders of the Palmetto State and so much more.

The seven designated wonders of South Carolina include Sassafras Mountain; the Jocassee Gorges; the Chattooga River; the Congaree National Forest; the Edisto River; the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Basin (universally referred to as the ACE Basin); and Bull Island-Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge: “Each one a unique geographical treasure,” says Dr. Tom Mullikin, SC7 leader and chair of the S.C. Floodwater Commission.

– For more information about SC7 2023 and to access the SC7 field guide’s daily event schedule, please visit http://southcarolina7.com.

Lt. Governor Pamela Evette Calls on Lander Grads to Never Fear Failure

Below is an excerpt from a story written by Karen Petit, May 3, 2023

Although many sitting in the audience already had overcome obstacles in their pursuit of a college degree, South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette called on the Class of 2023 to embrace failure without fear as Lander University conferred bachelor’s and master’s degrees to 555 graduates during its 167th commencement Wednesday (May 3).

Evette was the guest speaker for the 11 a.m. ceremony for graduates of the College of Business, College of Education, and the School of Nursing.

During a ceremony at 3 p.m.,  Dr. Lucas McMillan, dean of the College of Behavioral & Social Sciences, addressed the graduates from his college, as well as those from the College of Arts & Humanities, College of Science & Mathematics and the Interdisciplinary Program.

“Don’t allow fear to keep you from jumping headfirst toward your dreams,” said Evette, who was a successful business leader before being elected as the Palmetto State’s first Republican lieutenant governor in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.

She told the graduates to put fear into perspective. “When we fail, we learn from it,” she said, noting that she looked back on every hardship and failure with positivity and had learned to accept life’s curve balls as opportunities for growth.

Evette implored the graduates to have integrity, which she called “a precious resource.”

Living with integrity, she explained, “is something you must do every day … even when you know no one is watching or listening. To me, having integrity is and will always be one of the most valuable things that we have in life.”

The descendant of immigrants who came to the United States after fleeing the hardships of life in Poland in the early 1900s, Evette told the graduates to dream big. “Don’t pump the brakes before you even get started.”

She asked the graduates a series of questions about their future. “Will you limit yourself or will you go for it, go for the big dream? Will you let fear stand in the way or will you take risks? What will you do when no one is watching? Will you choose to be divisive or will you engage with others with open arms and an open heart? Will you be willing to put in the time and persevere, to see curve balls in life as gifts?”

In concluding her remarks, Evette said, “This education has equipped you to launch your careers and participate in the civic lives of your community, defy expectations, inspire others and make an impact that radiates through your community and beyond.”

Read the full story originally published by Lander University on May 3, 2023.

Pamela Evette: South Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor & a TR Local

Lt. Governor Pamela Evette sat down with Lacey Eibert Keigley with Travelers Rest Here. During the interview they discussed Evette’s service to the state, her priorities, her values, her family, and living in Travelers Rest. 

Please find an excerpt below. Access the full story here.

Pamela Evette has served as South Carolina’s Lt. Governor for the past four years (with a recent re-election for four more years) and she lives in Travelers Rest. She and her husband have raised their family on a farm in TR for the past twenty years or so. The family home and farm are next door to their business and when she’s not traveling throughout the state in her official capacity, you can definitely find her at home with her husband and three children and her 94 year old mother who also lives with the family.

“Everybody knows everybody,” Evette shared about TR. “That’s the beauty of small towns.” We joked about the added benefit of raising kids in small towns. “Yes, we really bonded over that,” Evette laughed. “I mean, in a small town, as a kid, all the parents knew one another. If you did something two blocks away, your parents probably knew about it before you got home.”

Her family’s farm is an operating horse farm and Evette said she still enjoys riding. “In fact, not long after I was sworn into office, I rode a horse in the Aiken Christmas Parade.”  We shared a few stories of falling off horses, something we’ve both experienced and would rather not experience again, particularly as women over forty. As far as we both know, she’s the only female elected official in South Carolina to ride a horse in a parade – and, more importantly of course, Evette is the first female Republican Lieutenant Governor in our state of South Carolina. We’re proud she’s a local – and she’s proud to be one too.

Of course, TR continues to grow and to change – and has changed dramatically during the history of both Evette’s family life here and her personal and professional career. “Back when I moved here, downtown wasn’t really a downtown. It’s been so encouraging to see how everything has grown. The wonderful history that wraps around everything,” Evette said.

She believes the growth of Travelers Rest reflects the growth of the entire state. “I think the revitalization of the Main Street here in Travelers Rest is mirrored all over Main Streets in South Carolina.” She’s proud of TR – and we are too. Evette said she frequently talks about our shared small town’s growth and improvements. “The vision of the small shops, the Farmer’s Market – they’ve done a great job going back to their roots and finding their heritage. People are yearning to connect to that. It’s the best last stop before you go to the mountains.”

[…]

I found Evette to be sincere and direct. She cares about South Carolina, its economy, its diversity, its people.

“I want our kids to be proud South Carolinians, to be so proud of being from South Carolina,” she shared. “I talk a lot to people about South Carolina’s fingerprints. Sometimes we can take it for granted – how great this place is. For example, we are building more BMWs than anywhere in the world. That’s our fingerprints. We’re building boats in Charleston. Our fingerprints. We are building planes. Fingerprints of South Carolina. We make pharmaceuticals in the midlands that go all over the world. South Carolina fingerprints. I want to explain to our kids how proud they can be of where they live, how our South Carolina finger prints are all over.”

Grab a Bag SC: Statewide Litter Pickup Challenge Started by Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette

“Litter prevention is about citizens taking ownership of their neighborhoods and making sure that trash is put in its place before it can become litter. But while there is still litter, we must pick it up. Citizens, governments and business industries all have a part to play in changing the culture that leads to litter.” – S.C. Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette

Grab A Bag SC is a statewide litter pickup challenge inspired by South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette’s own experience picking up in her home community and even during her family vacations. 

It encourages South Carolinians to grab a bag, rally friends and family, put on safety gear and head outside for a chance to enjoy the outdoors while making a difference in their communities. The campaign is usually kicked off with an event every spring in coordination with a local Keep South Carolina Beautiful affiliate.

Litter pickup events are a great way to build relationships among families, neighbors, employees and elected officials. This is an inexpensive way to improve the esthetics of neighborhoods because litter is considered a gateway crime that negatively affects quality of life and community safety.

We encourage participants to sign up for Grab A Bag SC in their own community by visiting PalmettoPride’s Events page. Safety precautions are advised. After you’ve picked up your bag, challenge three friends to do the same. Just tag them on your favorite social media platform using #GrabABagSC.

Read the press release from the inaugural #GrabABagSC event in November 2019.

SC Candidates for Lieutenant Governor Debate

By Mary Green, WCSC Live 5 News, October 12, 2022

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) – Two of the candidates every South Carolinian will see on their ballot squared off Tuesday – less than a month before Election Day.

Current Republican Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and Democrat Tally Parham Casey debated tonight in Columbia – making their cases to earn your vote.

The debate marks the only time the two women vying to hold South Carolina’s second-highest office are meeting on the debate stage – about two weeks before early voting opens across the state and four weeks ahead of Election Day.

Republican incumbent Pamela Evette and Democratic challenger Tally Parham Casey opposing each other for a job that’s main purpose is to be able to step in the governor can’t serve.

Evette – an Upstate businesswoman and South Carolina’s first female Republican lieutenant governor – is seeking to keep her job for another four years alongside Gov. Henry McMaster.

“We’ve made South Carolina better for our children and our children’s children,” Evette said.

Casey – an attorney and the first-ever female fighter pilot in the South Carolina Air National Guard – is on the ballot with former Democratic Congressman Joe Cunningham.

“Joe Cunningham and I want you to have more freedoms, not less,” Casey said.

The two women shared their goals for the limited power the lieutenant governor holds.

“I see the role as lieutenant governor for me as the opportunity to be both an ambassador and an advocate,” Casey said.

“When third-graders come through and walk through the capitol, I love that they see a woman in this position, to let girls know that nothing holds them back,” Evette said.

In the first major election following the overturn of Roe v. Wade – opening the doors for states to decide the legality of abortion within their borders – the candidates were split on what that should look like in South Carolina.

“In 2021, we passed a bipartisan heartbeat bill. We all proudly signed that bill. That bill is something I stand behind,” Evette said.

“If it were up to me, I would go back to the precedent set by Roe v. Wade, which was the law of the land for the past 50 years,” Casey said.

They also explained their campaign’s views on how to respond to the opioid epidemic, support South Carolinians with mental health needs and improve the state’s schools.

“The governor and I are very clear that we stand behind school choice,” Evette said.

“We want to make sure that our public schools are fully funded for the first time. They haven’t been fully funded since the 2007-2008 school year,” Casey said.

And in about two weeks – is the only debate currently scheduled between the two candidates for governor, McMaster and Cunningham.

That’s set for Oct. 26.

Watch the full debate on scetv.org.

DEW and Lt. Gov. Partner Through Youth PSA

Originally posted on SCDEW Website October 10, 2021

S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce and Lt. Governor Pamela Evette partner to share the number one thing employers are looking for when hiring and how to learn it

Columbia, SC – The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) in partnership with Lt. Governor Pamela Evette is touting the long-term benefits of softs skills that can be learned by young people through their first jobs. South Carolina employers report that one of the most critical requirements they seek in applicants are soft skills, and the public service announcement released by the Lt. Governor and DEW aims to help parents understand the importance of soft skills and the opportunity for their child to learn them through a first job, while still in school.

“In my time visiting businesses of every size and type throughout the state, I hear the same message over and over – the best employees are the ones that have soft skills, and there aren’t enough of them,” said Lt. Gov. Evette. “People need to have the experience from a basic part-time job as a young person to help them learn these important skills which build the foundation to a successful lifelong career, no matter what field they pursue.”

Soft skills are very different from work skills. Soft skills include things like strong communication, digital literacy, problem-solving, teamwork, the importance of attendance, following rules and more. Work skills are the experience or training in a specific type of job like accounting for financial jobs, driving for trucking, delivery and distribution, or medicine for nursing. Without soft skills, individuals will have a hard time excelling, even with exemplary work skills. Soft skills help a person’s work skills shine.

“The purpose of the PSA is to help parents understand that first-time employment is not all about money. I think people do not realize how many soft skills are learned on a job. As a young person works for a business and is responsible to someone outside of the family, they are accountable for their time management, their appearance and their communication. The skills they learn on a job are invaluable and by learning them at a young age, while in school, they will be better prepared for future employment and success,” said DEW Executive Director, Dan Ellzey.

The PSA also encourages parents to think beyond the common misconceptions of a first job. There are many employers in the state from retail to manufacturing to hospitality to distribution that have flexible schedule options and open positions for people to learn specific works skills on the job. Evette says, “I hear from employers across the state that they are willing to be flexible with students as early as middle school through college. They are willing to train on the job and offer competitive pay.”

SC Works has created a webpage that offers resources and guidance for parents to learn more and share with their children. Parents, teachers and community mentors are encouraged to share these resources with youth in their homes and communities and look at local options for first employment. To see the PSA, visit scworks.org/youth.

DEW is a core partner in the SC Works centers located throughout South Carolina that leverages the state’s workforce system by providing services such as career guidance, job referrals, and testing and training to meet the needs of jobseekers, employers and those looking to further their careers. The professionals in the SC Works centers can connect parents and their children with local employers who are actively hiring young people.

South Carolina Lt. Governor To Speak At Limestone’s Outdoor Graduation On May 29 At Gaffney High School Stadium

Limestone College is shaking things up in order to provide a commencement ceremony for its recent graduates.

For the first time in several decades, Limestone is moving its ceremony outdoors. The guest speaker will be South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette.

In what will be the final commencement exclusively for Limestone College – due to the institution’s impending name change to Limestone University this summer – the graduates will receive their degrees at Gaffney High School’s football stadium on Friday, May 29, at 10 a.m.

Two ceremonies for the Spring Term were originally scheduled for Saturday, May 2, inside Fullerton Auditorium, but those were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One combined ceremony will be held at the Gaffney High stadium.

For graduates who cannot attend the re-scheduled ceremony on May 29, they will have the option to return to campus to graduate during the regularly scheduled Fall Term commencements on December 12.

Limestone will have a total of 295 students graduating, including 267 bachelor’s degrees, 16 associate degrees, and 12 Master of Business Administration degrees.

Including those who graduated this past December, the College will confer a total of 518 degrees for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Limestone’s ceremony on May 29 will follow the one by Gaffney High School the evening prior. Both schools will practice social distancing at its respective ceremonies. The College and GHS will also use similar ceremony set-ups that will include graduates seated on the field and spectators utilizing both the home and away sides of the stadium.

More social distancing details involved in Limestone’s graduation ceremony will be released soon.

Students will receive two tickets for guests to attend the commencement. The ceremony will also be live-streamed so family and friends not in attendance can view online at www.limestone.edu.

“We are thrilled to offer a meaningful graduation ceremony to reward our students, in a time when many colleges and universities are moving to virtual ceremonies or cancelling them all together,” said Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker. “We were considering other options for a ceremony later in the summer or possibly in the fall. But this opportunity presented itself to partner with the local school district and we are grateful that it worked out. They have developed a fantastic plan that we are utilizing. We appreciate the chance to use Gaffney High School’s stadium, which is certainly not unfamiliar to our campus community because we play our football games at The Reservation. The Cherokee County School District and officials at Gaffney High have been tremendously supportive in welcoming Limestone’s graduation to the stadium.

“We certainly understand that for some graduates and their families, returning to Gaffney later this month might not be feasible,” Parker continued. “For that reason, any graduate who cannot be here on May 29th will be welcome to return to take part in a ceremony in December.”

Parker added that graduates and their families are also being encouraged to travel to the Limestone campus following the ceremony to walk the front campus and take photos.

Prior to moving its ceremonies inside Fullerton Auditorium in the 1990s, Limestone traditionally held its commencement exercises outside on the front campus.

Just over a year after welcoming South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster as its commencement speaker, Limestone will have Lieutenant Governor Evette deliver a message to its graduates on May 29.

Evette was elected as the 93rd Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina on November 6, 2018. Prior to her election as the first female Republican Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Evette founded Quality Business Solutions, Inc., a payroll, human resources, and benefits services firm headquartered in Travelers Rest. Under her leadership as President and CEO, Quality Business Solutions grew exponentially, going from start-up to one of the nation’s fastest growing small businesses.

Evette has received numerous business and professional accolades, including the ATHENA Leadership Award; the Enterprising Woman of the Year Award; the Women Presidents’ Organization 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies Award; and as a member of the Impact 50, an annual ranking of the most powerful women leaders of Inc. 5000 companies.

A native of Ohio, Evette is the granddaughter of Polish immigrants. Her parents were first generation Americans who she credits with teaching her the value of hard work and the importance of getting involved and giving back.

Evette holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Accounting from Cleveland State University.

“Limestone was founded in 1845 as an institution of higher learning for female students,” Parker said. “And now we have the highest-ranking female official from the state of South Carolina speaking at our final graduation ceremony as Limestone College. We are truly honored to have Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette addressing our graduates. We’re looking forward to an exciting and historical day for Limestone.”

New to politics, SC Lt. Gov. Evette reflects on 1st year

Story by Meg Kinnard. Initially published by AP News on January 7, 2020.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — It’s not a path she predicted during her decades founding and running a successful business. But, wrapping up her first year as South Carolina’s lieutenant governor, Pamela Evette said she’s energized by the progress she and Gov. Henry McMaster have made as the state’s first-ever jointly elected executive team.

“I have been so warmly received across the state,” Evette, 52, told The Associated Press of her time spent as McMaster’s emissary, particularly in South Carolina’s business community. “It’s just been amazing how … willing they are to sit down and share their thoughts and ideas with me.”

Evette’s efforts have relied heavily on her business acumen to forge partnerships she and McMaster hope will benefit the state.

It’s an approach the two initially laid out during the 2018 campaign where they handily defeated another male/female duo, Democratic State Representatives James Smith and Mandy Powers Norrell. The election, thanks to a change in South Carolina’s law, was the first in which hopefuls for governor and lieutenant governor could run on a joint ticket. Previously, separate campaigns for the state’s top two slots had at times yielded officeholders of differing parties and priorities, making for political stagnation.

“I think it just doubles our power to listen, learn, get the facts, understand things and present the message,” McMaster told the AP ahead of the 2018 general election.

Over the past year, Evette says that’s exactly what’s happened, her presence having doubled the potential footprint of the Governor’s Office in terms of the ability to hold meetings with various entities across the state. Starting with a summit focused on transportation, Evette said the year also included progress in strengthening technical schools so they can produce the talent needed in South Carolina’s growing manufacturing sector.

“Any time somebody stops at your company, tours around and sits across from you and asks, ‘what can we do for you?’ — that makes all the difference in the world,” she said.

In years past, South Carolina’s lieutenant governor was a part-time position, with much of the occupant’s time spent presiding over the state Senate. Starting with Evette, that duty has been removed, and while the job is technically still part-time, Evette has opted to devote her full efforts to the role, stepping away from the helm of her company and turning the leadership of Quality Business Solutions over to her husband, David.

Some of her duties, though, still involve dealing with lawmakers, with whom the state’s governors haven’t always had smooth relations — even when Republicans controlled both branches of government. McMaster’s two immediate predecessors, GOP Govs. Nikki Haley and Mark Sanford, both repeatedly feuded with Republican lawmakers on funding issues.

During his tenure, McMaster has made good on a promise to cooperate with lawmakers he felt were making good-faith efforts to work with him. Part of that work, the governor has noted, involves deploying Evette to forge relationships with lawmakers in both parties, a role she says she’s found less daunting than she’d feared.

“Another thing I’ve done this last year is really formulate great relationships with people in the House and in the Senate,” Evette said. “I think that’s really important — making sure that you don’t have somebody fighting against you all the time.”

Evette said that attitude led to achievements in education reform, which the administration and legislative leaders jointly presented as a top priority last year. 

“Over and over again, the common theme from the Legislature was, this was the first time we’ve had a governor’s office that is willing to work with us, in a long time,” she said. “We might not always agree on the same route to get there, but we’re very respectful of each other, and I think that’s important.”

Although she may not have envisioned herself in the world of politics, Evette seems well-positioned for the future. Despite rumors she might mount a bid to challenge her current boss — who, now 72, is the oldest person inaugurated as South Carolina’s governor — Evette told the AP she remains committed to running alongside the governor when he seeks a second full term in 2022, as his campaign says he will. But, she said, she’s leaving open the possibility of seeking the office — or even a higher one — for herself someday.

“I don’t know,” Evette told the AP. “I kind of just see, wherever God opens a door, maybe try to walk through it if it’s not too overwhelming, right? I would have never thought two years ago I’d be here as lieutenant governor today. But I’m really happy where I am right now, and really focused on being the best lieutenant governor I can be for the state of South Carolina. There’s a lot to do.”

South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette visits Anderson and talks education reform

Story by Kirk Brown published in March 4, 2019 edition of Anderson Independent Mail

This story has been updated to identify Pamela Evette as the state’s first Republican woman lieutenant governor.

Pamela Evette, South Carolina’s first Republican woman lieutenant governor, traveled to Anderson Monday to visit the AIM charity, attend a law enforcement appreciation banquet at Anderson University and tout an education reform bill during a speech to the 1st Monday Club of Anderson.

The Republican businesswoman from Travelers Rest is holding elected office for the first time. She and Gov. Henry McMaster were elected in November, the first time that the governor and lieutenant governor ran on the same political ticket.

Here are key takeaways from Evette’s visit.

Pamela Evette says SC’s education reform bill ‘is going to be good for everyone’

Speaking to the 1st Monday Club of Anderson at Master’s Wok Chinese Restaurant on North Main Street, Evette said there has has been an unprecedented level of cooperation in the Statehouse on an education reform bill. The measure is scheduled to come up for debate Wednesday in the state House of Representatives.

“This is a new dawn of a new day where the executive branch, the House, the Senate are working together,” she said. “We know that education is something we have to get better on here in South Carolina.

“This is going to be the year that we help education. It is going to be good for everyone.”

In an interview with the Independent Mail after her speech, Evette said the most important aspects of the House reform bill would provide public school teachers with pay raises and lessen their paperwork burden. She said these steps would help “retain and attract the best and brightest” instructors.

Evette has three children who have attended private schools. She said her daughter attended parochial schools before graduating from Blue Ridge High School in Greer. She said her oldest son graduated from a parochial school and that her youngest son also attends a parochial school.

“I wanted to have faith wrapped around their education because my faith is very important to me,” she said. 

Some, including Greenville County Schools Superintendent Burke Royster, have complained about a provision in the House reform bill that would create a Zero to 20 committee to monitor and recommend ways to modernize the state’s education system. According to the legislation, Evette would lead the committee.

“I’m not looking for another bureaucracy,” Royster said.

Evette said the Zero to 20 Committee would not serve as an oversight panel. Instead, she said, it represents “something new to the approach we’ve taken in education.”

“We’re not just throwing money at something and hoping it’s going to get better,” she said. 

Pamela Evette: ‘I want to be your cheerleader’

In the past, South Carolina’s lieutenant governor presided over the state Senate and oversaw the state Office on Aging. But as result of the changes that took effect after last fall’s election, Evette is forging a new path in an office that no longer has clearly defined duties.

“What I want to do is set a bar for all lieutenant governors to come,” she said.

Evette said she has spent the past eight weeks since taking office “getting out and listening to people.”

She said she wants to call attention to positive things that are happening throughout South Carolina.

“Every day something great happens,” she said. “I want to be your cheerleader all around the state.”

Praise from an Anderson legislator for Pamela Evette

State Rep. Anne Thayer, a Republican from Anderson who accompanied Evette on her visit Monday, had kind words for the new lieutenant governor.

“She’s genuine, she’s sincere, she’s smart,” Thayer said.

Thayer also said that McMaster and Evette make a good team. She said they have shown a willingness to work closely with members General Assembly.

Unlike former Gov. Mark Sanford and former Gov. Nikki Haley, Thayer said, McMaster and Evette aren’t looking to use their positions “as a stepping stone to go somewhere else.”

“This is their destination,” she said. “This is their home.”

Follow Kirk Brown on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM and email him at

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