Sam Cook lives in Georgetown County and was recently the Business Development Consultant and Nonprofit Management expert for a couple of nonprofit organizations and the Waccamaw Community Foundation in Murrells Inlet.  In was in this capacity that ICS came to know Mr. Cook and begin work with him on early childhood issues.  In 2013, Sam became Director of the Sustainable Forestry Program of The Center for Heirs' Property Preservation. In this role, he develops and implements a system of support that allows landowners and forest landowners of all income levels to increase their income through education, technical support and implementing sustainable forestry practices on their land. 

Mr. Cook received his Associate degree from Tuskegee University and Bachelor of Science from North Carolina State University in Forest Resource Management and spent much of his career working in Forest Management and Wood Procurement for International Paper Company Forest Resources Division. Additionally, his work experience includes Real Estate Brokerage for a Eastern North Carolina Land Development Company and a Distribution and Right a Way Specialist for Duke Power/Energy.

Mr. Cook has served on many local and state nonprofit boards including: Duke Children's Hospital Board of Governors, Literacy Alive Coalition Director for Horry County, Member of the ICS Early Childhood Social Impact Finance Working Group, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, CARETEAM, INC., and the NC State Forestry Foundation Board.  Mr. Cook has served as a member of the ICS Advisory Council and is currently serving on the boards of the SC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, North Carolina State University Natural Resources Foundation, and SC Thrive, formerly The Benefit Bank of SC.

Sylvia Echols is a member of the Board of Directors of the Early Learning Partnership of York County, which is a comprehensive, results-oriented initiative, supported by public and private partnerships to help prepare children, mentally and physically, for school.   Ms. Echols has been the First Lady of Rock Hill since 1997 when her husband was first elected Mayor.

Ms. Echols is a former public school principal.  In addition to being a founding member of the Early Learning Partnership, she was also very involved in the former "Success by 6" initiative in Rock Hill. She was recently honored by Winthrop University for her many years of "tireless work in advocating for York County children and to reminding city residents to remember the effect on children's lives as policies are created."  Ms. Echols is also ambassadorial chair of the successful "The #1 Question: Is It Good for the Children" campaign in Rock Hill. Ms. Echols is an active member of St. John's United Methodist Church and serves on numerous community boards

ICS honored seven members of the South Carolina General Assembly at the Institute's annual legislative reception in Columbia on Wednesday, March 5th. These legislators were honored for their outstanding commitment to South Carolina's youngest children and for their bipartisan and research-informed efforts to implement policies to improve outcomes for children in the Palmetto State.

The honored legislators were:

Sen. Nikki Setzler (D- Lexington)

Sen. Thomas Alexander (R- Oconee)

Sen. Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington)

Rep. Jay Lucas (R- Darlington)

Rep. Andy Patrick (R- Hilton Head Island)

Rep. Jenny Anderson Horne (R- Dorchester)

Rep. Terry Alexander (D- Florence)