Bryan Townsend - GIS Administrator, York County
President 2010-2011 (Webmaster)
President-Elect 2009-2010 (Webmaster)
Director-at-Large 2008-2009 (Webmaster)

Bryan Townsend first learned of GIS while pursuing an undergraduate degree in geology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC).   He found GIS so interesting he completed the Urban and Regional Analysis graduate degree also at UNCC with a concentration in GIS studies.  During his time in the graduate program he gained further exposure to a variety of GIS uses through many internships with Mecklenburg County and UNCC.

The IT Director at York County hired Bryan in 2001 to fulfill his vision to establish a successful enterprise wide GIS program with ties to the region, state and beyond.  After just a few years the county was rewarded with the SCARC Achievement in GIS Award in 2004 and the ESRI Special Achievement Award in 2005.   Bryan was also listed on the ESRI Special Achievement in GIS awarded to the North Carolina Geographic Information Council for his contributions to the NC OneMap (ncOneMap.com) in 2005.   Bryan has taught “Introduction to GIS” at Winthrop University since 2005 and works to provide GIS as a resource for professors and staff to use on campus.

Daniel Morgan- Director, Beaufort County GIS Department
Past-President 2010-2011
President 2009-2010
President-Elect 2008-2009
Director-at-Large 2006-2008

Dan Morgan has an illustrious history with GIS that began during his studies at Utah State University.  He ran the GIS lab while studying for his Bachelor’s in Geography (achieved in 1993) and a Masters in Ag Systems Technology (1995).  Before graduating with his Masters, he secured employment with the Lowcountry Council of Governments.  But before his first year was finished, he had been recruited to take the position of GIS Director for Beaufort County.  He has held this position since 1996.

Not one to sit on his laurels, Dan has continued his training and received certificates in ERDAS remote sensing software and ArcSDE Administration for Oracle.  His diligence paid off when, under Dan’s leadership, Beaufort County received a Special Achievement in GIS award at the 1999 ESRI Users Conference in San Diego, California.  Dan has also worked with his staff to create a GIS website, providing access to Beaufort County GIS Data on the Web.

A vital member of the GIS community for over ten years, Dan has held positions on the Information Resources Council and related committees, and was one of the first members of the SC Arc Users Group (SCARC).

Connie Banegas - GIS Manager, Charleston Water System
President-Elect 2010-2011
Director-at-Large (Secretary/Treasurer/Webmaster) 2006-2008, 2008-2010

Connie Banegas has 13 years experience in the GIS field. A graduate of Appalachian State University, Connie’s career started in the consulting world as a GIS Specialist for EDAW, Inc. in Atlanta, GA. She worked with major electric and gas utilities in the Southeast utilizing GIS to conduct transmission line and combustion turbine facility siting. With a move to the City of Asheville, NC as a GIS Analyst, she remained in the utility industry but switched focus to water resources and distribution. While with the City, Connie became involved in Asset Management managing a multi-year project to implement a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for the Water Resources Department. The CMMS was eventually extended to other departments in the City. Currently, Connie is the GIS Manager for Charleston Water System in Charleston, SC, once again focusing on Asset Management and the role of GIS in establishing an effective company wide program.

Connie is a Certified GIS Professional (GISP) and is actively involved in the GIS community. When not doing GIS, she sits on the Board of Teachers’ Supply Closet, a non-profit organization that provides free school supplies to teachers in the Greater Charleston area. She is especially passionate about giving back to her community and enjoys working with others to do so.

Rich Hamilton - GIS Administrator, Town of Hilton Head
Director-at-Large 2009-2010 (Treasurer), 2010-2012

Rich Hamilton has been involved in geospatial related activities for the past 35 years.  He received his BA degree in Geography from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.  After moving to Hilton Head Island in 1973, he worked as a surveyor for 19 years, becoming a licensed Land Surveyor in 1983 and a Tier B Surveyor in 1992.  During this period he directed a wide variety of surveys in the Beaufort County area including hydrographic surveys, ground control for aerial photography, and establishing a network of beachfront vertical control monuments for the South Carolina Coastal Council.

Rich became increasingly interested in emerging GIS technology and in 1992 made a career change by taking a job with the Town of Hilton Head Island maintaining the GIS address database.  He became the GIS Administrator in 1996 and has remained in that position to the present.  In addition to the continued development of the Town’s GIS resources, he coordinated the efforts that resulted in the Town becoming one of the first in SC to incorporate aerially scanned digital imagery in its GIS and the first SC entity to adopt the use of oblique photos in the workflow of the organization.

Rich was licensed as a GIS Surveyor in 2005 and is a Certified GIS Professional.  He is also an active member of the SC Society of Professional Land Surveyors, the National Society of Professional Surveyors, the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association, and the Geographic and Land Information Society.

Crystine Rathburn - GIS Manager, Florence County
Director-at-Large 2008-2010 (Secretary), 2010-2012

Crystine Rathburn has been directly involved with GIS for the last eight years.  Initially, her GIS career began while working in Sumter City-County Planning Commission.  Acting as the defacto GIS department for the City of Sumter, Crystine gained insight and knowledge in many aspects of GIS technologies and data management.  In 2007, Crystine accepted a position to work with Florence County as GIS Manager of the newly formed GIS Department.  In less than two years, the department staff has doubled in numbers and has successfully implemented a GIS website.  Currently, Florence County is developing enterprise GIS solutions that will greatly expand the access and use of GIS data, technologies and solutions countywide.

A native of Syracuse, New York, Crystine has lived in South Carolina for the past sixteen years with her son Brian and daughter Nicole.   She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and is a Certified GIS Professional (GISP).  Crystine stays active in the GIS community by serving on the South Carolina ARC (SCARC) User Group Conference Committee, Geospatial Administrator Association (GAA-SC) Board of Directors, and several regional and local GIS User Groups.

Kevin Whaley - GIS Analyst, City of North Augusta
Director-at-Large 2009-2011

Kevin has 11 years experience in the GIS field.   He received his BS degree in Computer Science from the University of South Carolina-Aiken.   Kevin began his career with an earth science organization at Savannah River Site in 1998 as a database administrator.  He quickly became very interested in GIS and the capabilities of the technology.  Working with the GIS group he was able to generate GIS interface to access the well inventory data spatially.

Kevin worked for South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G) as GIS systems analyst for electric operations.  He was one of five on a team of GIS application developers with a primary responsibility for SDE administration.  In addition, he helped to develop a gas infrastructure data model for gas operations to migrate gas GIS from ArcINFO / ArcSTORM to SDE environment.

Kevin is currently employed with the City of North Augusta, his hometown, as a GIS analyst.  He is actively working towards an enterprise solution to support all departments within the city.   Eventually, he plans to develop individual GIS applications to address specific department needs.

Kevin is a certified GIS Professional (GISP) and enjoys introducing GIS technology to local schools.  He is a member of CSRA Arc Users Group.

Carmen Durham – GIS Senior Analyst, City of Greenville
Director-at-Large 2010-2012

Carmen Durham’s professional career did not start in the field of geography or GIS, but in the field of actuarial science!  If you haven’t heard of it, don’t worry, you are not alone.  Carmen’s education began with an undergraduate and graduate degree in Mathematical Sciences from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.  After working in pension planning and administration and studying for actuarial exams for four years, she realized she needed a career change.  Carmen went back to ASU to earn a graduate degree in Geography.  She has been working in the field of GIS ever since.

Carmen began her GIS career with ESRI-Charlotte as an instructor in ARC/INFO (old command line days) and training coordinator.  Since moving to Greenville, SC, she has worked with the Appalachian Council of Governments, an environmental consulting firm, and with the City of Greenville.  She has been with the City of Greenville for 8 years as a GIS Senior Analyst.  Carmen is a Certified GIS Professional (GISP) and an authorized ESRI Instructor.

Other interested include volunteer mapping and trail work for Paris Mountain State Park, assisting with adoptions for Lab Rescue of NC, hiking and mountain biking.

Shawn Carson – GIS Manager, City of Rock Hill
Director-at-Large 2010-2012

Past Officers

Frank Bishop, Jr – GIS Manager, Aiken County

Director, 2006-2007 (Treasurer/Secretary)
President Elect, 2007-2008
President 2008-2009
Past President 2009-2010
Frank Bishop Jr. has 13 years experience in the GIS field. Frank’s career started and continues in Aiken County.  After graduating from Aiken Tech in 1990, he started as a simple mapper (pen& ink on mylars) and progressed up the ladder while helping build the current GIS from the ground up. He now manages the GIS Division of Aiken County.

In January 2005, Frank and his staff had the unfortunate task of dealing with a train derailment with a chlorine spill in Graniteville. They put in countless hours creating maps and queries to aid the emergency personnel responding to the accident. Frank learned many lessons from the real life accident and has since shared his knowledge with the GIS community to help them better prepare for future disasters. Frank has been involved with SMAC since 1991, and SCARC and the CSRA Arc Users Group from their creation.

Bruce T. Harper - Technology Director, Colleton County
Director-at-Large 2009-2010

Bruce has been working with GIS over the last 12 years from both schooling and career perspectives.  His schooling started at the Community College of Southern Nevada where he earned two AAS degrees.  He continued his education at Indiana State University where he earned a BS in Geography and a MA in Geography, both emphasizing on GIS technologies, but focusing on Cartography and Remote Sensing.   Due to helping his wonderful wife raise three children (now has 4), Bruce wasn’t able to gain experience from summer internships, but was able to gain experience with real world projects and is co-author in ‘Geo-spatial Technologies in Urban Environments (2 chapters)’, and two scientific journals (Journal of Arboriculture, and Ecology & Society).  He took his first job out of school as a GIS Technician for Whiteside County in northwestern Illinois.  While there he learned the inner workings of County Government, which enabled him to come to Colleton County, SC in April of 2007 as the GIS Manager.  With both GIS and IT knowledge he was able to work with his boss and combine both the GIS and IT functions of the County, creating the Technology Department and become the Director as of January 1, 2008.

Bruce is very active in his Church and works a great deal with the youth in his congregation.  He currently has the privilege of working with his wife as Cub Scout leaders while also working with his two sons.  Bruce also, is taking a community leadership class to become more involved within the community he works.