A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR Byron D. Putman, President of the Winthrop University Alumni Association, as he leaves his role on the Alumni Association after two terms of outstanding service, and wish him continued success in all his future endeavors.

Whereas, it is altogether fitting and proper that the members of the House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina should pause in their deliberations to express their gratitude to Byron D. Putman for his significant contributions to the Winthrop University Alumni Association; and

Whereas, a native of Belton, Mr. Putman is the son of the late Floyd W. Putman and Peggy Putman, and he was educated in Anderson County School District 2.  He graduated from Belton-Honea Path High School and earned a bachelor's degree from Winthrop University in 1994 in mass communication and minored in speech pathology; and

Whereas, in 1992, he began his professional career in radio as an intern at WRHI/WRHM Radio in Rock Hill, and he assisted the late Haney Howell, professor of mass communication, in starting WINR, Winthrop's on campus radio station; and

Whereas, later he was hired fulltime with WRHI/WRHM Radio as a producer, sports announcer, and remote engineer; and

Whereas, Mr. Putman began serving as the producer of the Gerry V Show for WBT Radio in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1999, and he was a fill-in technical producer for the Charlotte Hornets and North Carolina Tarheel Basketball; and

Whereas, in the fall of 1999, he was hired as a studio producer for the Panthers Radio Network, where he currently serves as the network studio manager and internship coordinator, and he is contracted as a fill-in technical producer for the Charlotte Hornets Radio Network by Echo II Broadcasting; and

Whereas, when the National Basketball Association awarded Charlotte its second franchise in 2004 to the Charlotte Bobcats, Mr. Putnam was hired as the executive producer of the Charlotte Bobcats Radio Network; and

Whereas, on July 1, 2019, he became the first African American president of the Winthrop University Alumni Association.  After serving two terms, he will end his tenure on June 30, 2023; and

Whereas, Mr. Putnam is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; Winthrop Foundation Board; the Community Partnership Foundation Board of Directors; and Clinton Connection Action Plan Committee; and he is the chairman of The Omegas of Rock Hill, Inc.; and

Whereas, he has been blessed with three fine children: Byron Dmitri Putman II, who is sixteen years old; Addilyn Saron Putman, who is six; and Hunter Grace Putman, who is five; and

Whereas, grateful for his distinguished service to Winthrop University, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives take great pleasure in expressing their appreciation to him for his service to the Winthrop Alumni Association.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Byron D. Putman, President of the Winthrop University Alumni Association, as he leaves his role on the Alumni Association after two terms of outstanding service, and wish him continued success in all his future endeavors.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Byron D. Putman.

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