Thanks for reprinting the article about Katherine Dunlap in the October 23,

2009 edition of The

Columbia Star. Katherine was known by many who had an occasion to work with the Governor’s office...more about that later.

The article brought back many fond memories of why Columbia and South Carolina have been so important to me (a Texas boy fortunate enough to “marry–into” a Columbia family).

Catherine McGregor Wilson and I were married January 18, 1964 in El Paso, Texas. The wedding announcement was carried

in The Columbia Star

a week later. Catherine and I will celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary in January.

Catherine is the daughter of Richard B. (Dick) and Mary Dale Wilson. She is the granddaughter of the late Catherine Bryan Wilson. Mrs. Wilson was the granddaughter of R. L. Bryan and served as chair of the Board of the R. L. Bryan Company until her death in 1983.

Both Dick and his brother Berkeley were involved with the company until their retirement. Another brother, Hugh, was involved with the company until his untimely death in the early 60s. Dick and Mary Dale live at Still Hopes, and he will celebrate his 91st birthday October 28, 2009.

I started my career with Texas Utilities in Dallas after graduation. Catherine and I travelled to Columbia each summer for our two–week vacation. We spent one week in Columbia and a week at Pawley’s Island. In 1971, I secretly contacted my father–in–law’s brother Berkeley and told him that I wanted to move to South Carolina...I was in love with the state and its people.

Berkeley distributed my resume and I came two weeks later for interviews with several prospects. Robert S. Davis was then president of the R. L. Bryan Company and also chairman of the Santee Cooper Board in Moncks Corner, SC. I had several employment offers but selected Santee Cooper over all of the others. I really liked the lowcountry. I spent the next 16 1/2 years there.

I was vice–president of marketing and economic development by the time I departed in January 1988. John West was governor followed by Jim Edwards, Dick Riley, and Carrol Campbell. Because Santee Cooper was a state agency and the growth and development of South Carolina was always a top agenda item, I was able to get to know the governors intimately.

Fritz Hollings and John West were in my father–in–law's class at The Citadel. Jim Edwards went to dental school with my best friend in Moncks Corner, Ken Pennington, DDS. Dick and Tunky Riley sat with Catherine and me at my going–away dinner at Wampee in Pinopolis. Governor Riley even brokered an introduction for me with the Governor of Nevada, my next stop.

I spent the next two years in Reno, Nevada, building a marketing and economic development program for Sierra Pacific Power Company. Since then I have managed economic development organizations in Virginia Beach, Va., Oklahoma City, Okla., Greensboro, N.C. and our final stop Johnson City, Tenn.

I retired last December, and we have decided to make our home in Johnson City, Tenn. (the home of Steve Spurrier). We had visions of living in or around Columbia, but the real estate market has not cooperated. We are 222 miles from Still Hopes, and that’s close enough but not too far away.

I always enjoy reading The Columbia Star when I come to Columbia. Thanks for letting me share some of my fond memories of South Carolina and Columbia

PS. I am taking my 13 year old grandson to the Tennessee/South Carolina game in Knoxville this Saturday. I’ll be quietly rooting for USC (my son graduated from USC in 1988).
Andy Burke
W. Andrew Burke
Johnson City, Tenn.
37604