TO CONGRATULATE TOMMY PRESTON, JR., ON HIS APPOINTMENT AS VICE PRESIDENT FOR ETHICS AT THE BOEING COMPANY AND TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, the members of the South Carolina General Assembly are pleased to hear of the appointment of Tommy Preston, Jr., to the position of Vice President for Ethics at The Boeing Company; and
Whereas, in this role, Mr. Preston leads a global team of professionals focused on articulating, amplifying, and embedding the company's values across the enterprise; and
Whereas, for the past six years, Mr. Preston has served as Director of National Strategy & Engagement and Government Operations for The Boeing Company where he has helped advance the company's interests in South Carolina and helped establish Boeing as an important corporate citizen in the State; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston played a major role in the consolidation of the Boeing 787 program from Washington state to its North Charleston facility in 2021, which further positions the State as an important aerospace region in the world; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston has served as one of the company's liaisons to the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing golf tournament, which has been a major sports event and economic driver for this State since 1969; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston has been a strong advocate for building the future pipeline of Boeing workers through partnerships with the South Carolina Technical College system, S.C. Department of Commerce, and the S.C. Department of Education, among others; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston partnered with the S.C. Department of Commerce and its regional workforce advisors to create the Boeing Days program that has visited all forty-six counties in the State and met with K-12 students, elected officials, economic developers, and the community to increase awareness about the aerospace industry, as well as careers in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and Boeing's South Carolina supplier network; and
Whereas, the Boeing Day program has reached over 250,000 participants throughout the State and has been a catalyst to increase industry engagement in the community among other companies in South Carolina; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston has been a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, helping Boeing to expand efforts into diverse communities in the State including faith-based communities, civil rights organizations, and historically Black colleges and universities; and
Whereas, these efforts also include creating the Center for Civility at Allen University, which will be a national hub for teaching and provide programming aimed at advancing civil discourse in America and across the globe, and leading Boeing's partnership with Clemson University to help create pathways to higher education for Black and Latino youth to build the diverse and highly skilled workforce necessary for the jobs of tomorrow; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston's work at Boeing extends beyond South Carolina, including supporting the company's Space and Launch System and Missile and Weapon Systems programs, and serving as Co-Chair of the company's Racial Equity Task Force; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston started his professional career as an attorney at Nexsen Pruet, where he represented companies and organizations, including Boeing, on economic development, public policy, compliance, and regulatory matters and served as the firm's Co-Diversity and Inclusion leader; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston was raised in Clemson, S.C., graduated from D.W. Daniel High School, and became a proud graduate of the University of South Carolina, where he was a Bill and Melinda Gates Scholar and served as Student Body President and student member of the university's Board of Trustees; and
Whereas, as an undergraduate student, Mr. Preston founded the popular Cocky's Reading Express™ program that has provided nearly 150,000 books to children across South Carolina and continues to engage students in schools and libraries across the State and now reaches students through virtual programming; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston furthered his education at the University of South Carolina by earning a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston continued his connection to the University of South Carolina by making history in 2016 as the youngest person, and first African American, to serve as president of the university's Alumni Association and alumni member of the university's Board of Trustees; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston also made history in 2018 by becoming only the second South Carolinian to serve as National Chair of the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division, representing the nation's young and early career lawyers, and bringing national attention to the State; and
Whereas, even in his new global role at Boeing, Mr. Preston will continue to serve his home state and promote economic development through serving as a leader and future chair of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance, as a member of Clemson University's Diversity Advisory Board, and as a member of the Charleston Wine and Food Festival; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston and his wife, Felicia, and their three children, Charlotte, Benjamin, and Asa, remain residents of the State; and
Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly is profoundly grateful for the unparalleled contributions that Tommy Preston has made to the economy and quality of life in the Palmetto State throughout his life; and
Whereas, Mr. Preston continues to make his State proud with his professional and personal accomplishments. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, congratulate Tommy Preston, Jr., on his appointment as Vice President for Ethics at The Boeing Company and recognize and honor his contributions to the State of South Carolina.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Tommy Preston, Jr.