e-newsletter

• Foundation Elects New President
• Now Accepting Applications for Board Governance and Ethics Workshop
• Elkins Joins Foundation Staff
• Foundation Participates in Foundations on the Hill

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina elected Kevin A. Hall as president of the board of trustees. Hall, who has served on the board since 2002 and succeeds former president John Boudreaux, began his new role in March.

Partner of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP practicing in Columbia in the areas of complex commercial litigation, class actions, consumer litigation, technology litigation and utilities law, Hall has extensive experience in class action defense in both state and federal courts, and he has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for business litigation (2003-2006).

Other newly elected board officers include Dennis Dabney, vice president; Yvonne Orr, secretary and Mike McCabe, treasurer.

For more information on Lominack and Waites, click here.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina will hold a Board Governance and Ethics Workshop Thursday, May 15 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Foundation's office.

The interactive workshop is designed to address principles necessary for effective board governance and success. Special attention will be given to board roles, responsibilities, ethical issues and effective board governance strategies. There will be discussion on ethics and leadership, and how the two go hand in hand. Success principles will be shared in a hands-on format including presentation and interactive group discussions/activities. Workshop participants will leave with practical and ready-to-use ideas to utilize with their boards.

To allow more interaction and learning opportunities, each workshop is limited in size. Participation in the workshop is determined by a selective process. The selection process requires the submission of a completed application form.

To apply for the Board Governance and Ethics Workshop on Tuesday, April 29, click here. Applications are due by May 1, 2008.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina has hired Kelsey Elkins as its project coordinator for Responsive granmaking. In this position, she will be responsible for the planning and coordinating Foundation workshops, training seminars and special events.

Elkins holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of South Carolina. Prior to joining the Foundation, she worked as an intern for Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports and Tourism in Columbia, S.C.

Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina Executive Director Tom Keith and Brooke Bailey, communications manager, traveled to Washington D.C. March 4-5, to participate in Foundations on the Hill, sponsored by the Council of Foundations. There were 15 individuals representing six foundations from across South Carolina that attended. Collectively, we met with Congressmen Clyburn and Wilson, Senators DeMint and Graham and aides from the offices of Barrett, Brown and Spratt.

Requests were made that Congress consider re-establishing the IRA Charitable Rollover, which allowed taxpayers over age 70 to make tax-free distributions to charitable organizations from their traditional IRA accounts of up to $100,000 in 2006 and 2007. A request was also made to simplify the excise tax by either eliminating the private foundation tax on investment earnings or replacing the two-tiered tax with a single rate of 1%. We explained that reducing or eliminating this tax would result in increased giving for charitable causes. Lastly, to better stay informed and communicate with the philanthropic sector, members of the South Carolina delegation were asked to join the Congressional Philanthropy Caucus.

Pictured: Brooke Bailey, communications manager of Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina; Bradley Callicott, executive director of Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation; Frank Wideman, president of The Self Family; Congressman James Clyburn; Geales Sands, executive director of Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation; Tom Keith, executive director of Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina and Cookie Sprouse, executive director of The Chapin Foundation in Congressman Clyburn's D.C. office.