South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture-elect Cody Simpson has announced the first members of his transition team following his victory in the Nov. 3 general election, naming two business leaders to help guide preparations for his administration.
Simpson, a fifth-generation farmer from Clarendon County, announced Thursday, Nov. 5, that Henry Swink, co-owner of McCall Farms in Effingham, and Thomas Rhodes, a partner at Rhodes Companies, will serve as co-chairs of his transition team.
The two will help oversee the transition process, identify leadership priorities and assist in assembling a team to lead the South Carolina Department of Agriculture under Simpson's administration.
“I am honored to have received the voters’ confidence on Tuesday as South Carolina’s next Commissioner of Agriculture, and I look forward to serving our people and our farmers,” Simpson said. “We’ve had a great team that helped us achieve our campaign objectives, and I look forward to building the best team of any agriculture agency in America.”
Simpson said selecting experienced business leaders is an important first step in preparing to take office.
“That begins today with the naming of key leaders who bring strong business experience and share my love for South Carolina,” he said. “I’m thankful for their willingness to serve.”
Rhodes expressed confidence in Simpson's leadership and emphasized the importance of establishing clear priorities during the transition.
“Cody understands the importance of agriculture to South Carolina’s economy, and I’m excited about what he can accomplish,” Rhodes said. “I’ve always believed in setting clear goals, building strong teams, and delivering results. I look forward to bringing that same approach to this transition and helping Cody get off to a strong start.”
Simpson also acknowledged the department's existing employees and their contributions to South Carolina's agricultural industry.
“I’m thankful for the dedicated staff at the Department of Agriculture and the work they have done for agriculture and for serving South Carolina,” Simpson said. “I look forward to working with them to bring the people back to their department.”
Additional transition team members and updates on the process will be announced at a later date. Questions or comments regarding the transition may be directed to transition@codyforsc.com.
