Henry H. Taylor of Lexington became chairman of the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Commission on Dec. 3, succeeding F. Hugh Atkins of Spartanburg.

Atkins, whose term on the commission ends in February, has represented the 4th Congressional District as an SCDOT Commissioner since 2006 and was first elected Chairman in June 2008. He previously served on the commission from 1998 to 2002.

Because Taylor had been serving as vice chairman, he automatically became chairman when Atkins stepped down.

The commission unanimously elected 6th Congressional District Commissioner Marvin Stevenson to fill Taylor’s position as vice chairman.

Taylor has represented the 2nd Congressional District on the SCDOT Commission since March of 2007.

Taylor used his training as a mechanical engineer in design division at the former Charleston Naval Shipyard in Charleston. He primarily prepared and coordinated test programs for mechanical systems on Polaris submarines.

Taylor spent 18 years practicing civil and criminal litigation with firms in the Midlands. In 1990, he moved into the corporate arena as vice president of legal affairs for Laidlaw Environmental Services, and later with the Safety Kleen Corporation.

In 2001, Taylor returned to private practice as senior partner in the Taylor Law Firm in West Columbia where his practice consists primarily of civil litigation and commercial and business matters. Taylor is licensed to practice in South Carolina, the United States District Court for South Carolina, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Stevenson served as a Social Studies teacher at his high school Alma Mater for 24 years (1961 to 1985) and became the attendance supervisor of Marion County Schools in 1985.

In 1968, Stevenson was appointed by the Marion County Delegation to the Marion County Board of Commission and served until September 1976. In 1976, he was elected as a member of the Marion County Council. He served as chairman of the Marion County Council 1982 to 1987 and from 1994 until Aug. 29, 2003.

Stevenson has served his community in various capacities including as a member of St. James A.M.E. Church, Sunday School superintendent, chairman of the Steward Board, elected as a delegate to the General Conference of the A.M.E. Church from 1972-2004.

Stevenson has been honored with citations for distinguished service by several organizations including: the 1976 Citizen of the Year Award by the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.; 1990 Outstanding service Award by the Community Action Agency; 1987 Appreciation Award for Outstanding Service to the Clemson Extension Service; 1999 Community Service Award for Outstanding Community service by the Community Awareness Association; and was listed in the book of Outstanding Personalities of the South. Stevenson has received citations for Outstanding Community Services from the Marion County Council, City of Marion, City of Mullins, and the Marion County Board of Education.

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