FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 19, 2001

CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755

CORPORAL TOM HAIR NAMED BPS OFFICER OF THE YEAR

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety today named Cpl. Tom Hair as Bureau of Protective Services Officer of the Year at the agency’s annual Employee Recognition Ceremony.

Hair has been with the Bureau of Protective Services since June 1994. BPS provides security for state government offices and the Governor’s Mansion and State House grounds. In addition to his duties as a shift supervisor at the Governor’s Mansion, he has worked with BPS Technical Security Operations installing security and surveillance equipment throughout the state. He has worked with the current renovation project at the Governor’s Mansion, the State Capitol, rest area security operations and with SLED and EPD during shipments of spent nuclear fuel. He is currently serving as the supervising officer for special security in Charleston with the Confederate Submarine Hunley Project.

"Cpl. Hair has continuously demonstrated his dedication and commitment to both the Bureau of Protective Services and the Department of Public Safety," said DPS Director B. Boykin Rose. "He has worked vigorously throughout the year with a sterling record of performance, accepting and meeting any challenge placed before him."

Hair is a Columbia native.

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JB/4/2001

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