The U.S. Census Bureau has appointed a slate of managers for a new 2010 Census office in West Columbia at 425 Sunset Blvd. The new managers, all area residents, are Earl Sasser, local census office manager; Christopher Duncan, assistant manager for field operations; Michele Shoppell, assistant manager for quality assurance; Debora Price, assistant manager for administration; Vivian Hunter, assistant manager for recruiting; Rufus Boatwright, assistant manager for technology.

The West Columbia office will support census operations in five counties: Aiken, Edgefield, Lexington, Newberry, and Saluda. Two offices opened in 2008 to carry out operations to prepare for the census in the state. They are located in Charleston and Columbia. The West Columbia office is one of six new local census offices in South Carolina, bringing the total number to eight.

The new managers bring a wealth of experience to the 2010 Census.

Sasser retired as president and general manager after 27 years at DSM Chemicals and DSM Resins. He has an extensive background in community service.

Duncan had a 26– year career in the industrial gas industry, working his way up from plant operator to regional operations manager for on–site production for the Southeast, which included 72 locations in five states. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran.

Shoppell worked in General Foods corporate headquarters before moving to Aiken. She managed the computer lab at Chukker Creek Elementary School and was executive assistant to the alumni association director at the University of South Carolina.

Price worked 10 years as an administrator of a private educational institution. She also was bookkeeper for a tax preparation firm.

Hunter has 30 years experience in sales and customer service. A graduate of Southern Wesleyan University, she was president of the Columbia Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association.

Boatwright worked 31 years for Wachovia, where he held many leadership roles in information technology development, including a key project to install a system for Internet check imaging.