Raised in Clarendon County, County Council District 1 Candidate Robert A. McFadden grew up on his grandparents’ farm in Silver. By the time he was in grade school, he was helping run his grandparents’ grocery store.
After graduating from high school, McFadden went to Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina. He transferred at the start of his sophomore year to South Carolina State in Orangeburg, earning a degree in foreign language with a minor in political science.
During his junior year, McFadden joined the ROTC program, and after graduation, he entered the United States Army as a second lieutenant. He remained in the military for five years, moving to the reserves once he reached the rank of Captain.
McFadden entered Corporate America, accepting a position with PepsiCo as a manager with Frito Lay. Within a few years, he was recruited by Ford Motor Company to work in their parts and service division, and they moved him to Jacksonville, Florida, as a manager. While there, he earned a master’s degree in Business Leadership from Shorter University and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University.
After retirement from Ford, McFadden chose not to remain idle. He began consulting for the Chrysler Corporation, and eventually went back to work in the automotive industry working for Nissan Motor Company and subsequently Kia Motors Corporation. Eventually, he retired again, although he continued to consult.
“I always had a desire to come back,” said McFadden, and he returned to Manning in 2008 to be closer to his son.
McFadden has long held an interest in politics, first exposed to it as a child attending NAACP meetings with a friend’s father. It led him to minor in political science.
“I just want to give back, and I love working with people and helping people. It’s part of me. I’ve always helped people, and I still help the community,” said McFadden.
Currently, McFadden is the President of the Scott’s Branch High Alumni Association. He has been instrumental in their push to create a museum in Summerton to honor not only the primary figures in the Briggs vs. Elliot case, but also the petitioners. He met with appropriate state leadership to push for the Historic Scott’s Branch School to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
While working on this project, he encountered the Summerton Community Action Group. They were also pursuing a similar goal, and he became vice president of that organization.
McFadden has served on an advisory board for the South Carolina Commission of Minority Affairs for three years. The board provides advice to the Commission which may help improve the lives for South Carolina minorities.
If elected, McFadden would like to see more Clarendon residents involved in county business, and he feels there should be more than three county districts to give the people more of a voice. He also feels councilmembers shouldn’t wait for residents to come to the meetings. Instead, councilmembers should seek out residents to gather opinions and lists of needs.
“We need to be listening to people, listening to the citizens. If you’re not doing that, then you’re not doing the people you’re leading any justice. As a leader, you have to take initiative. You can’t just wait for people to come to you and ask for things. Find out what’s going on,” said McFadden.
McFadden would like to see more political diversity in local government. “I’m not party sensitive. I’m leadership sensitive. I’m conservative in some ways and I’m liberal in many ways. I think we need a change. If you’re not changing, you’re not going forward, you’re going backward,” said McFadden.
McFadden gained leadership and managerial skills and a high education level while representing a Fortune 500 company in Corporate America. Along with owning his own business, he feels this experience has given him a large toolbox of skills which will help him as a councilman. “I think I have the background and tools to draw on to be a good participant in making good decisions for the county,” said McFadden.
In the future, McFadden sees the county moving toward more infrastructure in regard to bringing small and large industry to Clarendon County. This would include assisting school boards with district improvements by communicating needs to the state Senate and House of Representatives. It would also encompass bringing higher paying jobs to Clarendon County.
“I have a strong desire to improve the county not only for the current citizens, but for generations to come. I believe I have the capability from every standpoint to make it happen,” said McFadden. “I’m very passionate about the leadership here. If I were not interested in improving things, I wouldn’t be running. I care, and if you care, you do something about it. I want to get involved and do things to help make better.”
