EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair
Pastor Paul Bush is a graduate of Aiken High School. He earned a master’s degree in Christian Psychology and a bachelor’s degree in Divinity from Jacksonville Theological Seminary. In addition, he holds a Certificate of Degree in "The School of The Prophets" from Lahairoi Bible College in Augusta, Georgia, an associate degree in Theology from Christian Life School of Theology in Columbus, Georgia, and an associate degree in Human Services; with Certificates of Degrees in Criminal Justice and Alcohol and Drug Abuse from Aiken Technical College. In April 2015 Rev. Bush was honored as “Man of the Year” for South Carolina at the 35th Annual Partnership, Collaboration, Courage and Leadership Achievement Award Gala. Rev. Bush currently serves as the president of the Concerned Ministers Fellowship of Aiken and on the Center for African-American History, Art and Culture board of directors. He is a NAACP Silver Life member and a member of the African-American Ministers Leadership Council. Rev. Bush has served as an Ambassador for the Aiken Chamber of Commerce since 2015. Rev. Bush is married to the former Ms. Michelle Page. They have four children and nine grandchildren.
Chair-Elect & Membership Services
Julie Whitesell is proud to be raising her two children Baxter (8) and Shyla (6) with her husband, Jimi, in her hometown. Whitesell has been a REALTOR® for 17 years and is currently the Broker in Charge of the Downtown Meybohm Real Estate office.
A graduate of USCA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Whitesell enjoys the vibrant art community in Aiken. She has been involved with Heart Show, an original musical comedy written and directed by her father Jim Moore, for over 20 years. It has raised over 2 million for the American Heart Association. She also co-directs Act It Out Theatre Camp at the ACT with Brooke Lundy and Casey Young. She is a lifelong member of St. John’s United Methodist Church where she volunteers with the youth and children’s ministries. Whitesell serves on the Executive Committee for SC REALTORS® Association, Broker Involvement Council for National Association of REALTORS®(2019), Augusta Board of REALTORS®(2019), Kevin & Brittany Kisner Foundation Board, ADDA Board, & the Aiken Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
A graduate of USCA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Whitesell enjoys the vibrant art community in Aiken. She has been involved with Heart Show, an original musical comedy written and directed by her father Jim Moore, for over 20 years. It has raised over 2 million for the American Heart Association. She also co-directs Act It Out Theatre Camp at the ACT with Brooke Lundy and Casey Young. She is a lifelong member of St. John’s United Methodist Church where she volunteers with the youth and children’s ministries. Whitesell serves on the Executive Committee for SC REALTORS® Association, Broker Involvement Council for National Association of REALTORS®(2019), Augusta Board of REALTORS®(2019), Kevin & Brittany Kisner Foundation Board, ADDA Board, & the Aiken Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Vice-Chair Business & Community Development
Dr. Sandra Jordan is the fourth Chancellor of the University of South Carolina Aiken and is the chief executive officer and principal representative for the University. Over the past 30 years, Dr. Jordan has served in many leadership positions at universities, including Department Chair, Dean, Vice Provost and Provost before becoming Chancellor. Dr. Jordan received her Ph.D. and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Georgia. Dr. Jordan attended the Management Development Program at Harvard University’s Institute for Higher Education; the 21st century Leadership Institute sponsored by ALIA and AASCU, and was a summer fellow at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Higher Education Management. An active member of the community, Dr. Jordan serves on numerous local, state, and national boards and is active in developing future higher education leaders by mentoring cabinet level professionals through the American Academic Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C. Dr. Jordan and her husband Michael reside in Aiken. They have one son, Matthew.
Vice-Chair Public Affairs
E. Ryan Reynolds moved to Aiken with his family in the late 1980s. He graduated from South Aiken High School in 1997 and from Clemson University with a B.S. in construction science and management in 2011. Reynolds serves on the Construction Industry Advisory Board for the Construction Science Department at Clemson University. Reynolds began his career building new schools with his family’s Aiken based general contracting business, H.G. Reynolds Company. After traveling across the state of South Carolina as a project superintendent with the family business, he moved back to Aiken in 2013 to take an ownership role in the business. Reynolds and his wife, Kelly, are members at St. John’s United Methodist Church. They have three daughters, Elizabeth Grace (6), Anna Bryce (4), and Evelyn (2). He coaches youth sports at Citizens Park and volunteers with various other local charities.
Treasurer
Richard Harmon is the president of Security Federal Bank where he leads the institution’s retail banking, commercial lending, trust, investment and insurance areas. In addition, he serves on the Security Federal Corporation and the Security Federal Bank’s respective boards of directors. Harmon has more than 30 years of banking experience covering a broad range of services, particularly those in community banking. He has been with Security Federal since 2007 and served as executive vice president and chief lending officer before assuming his current position. Originally from Columbia, Tennessee, he has lived in Aiken for the past 31 years. He serves on the board of the United Way of Aiken County and was a prior board member of Aiken County Habitat for Humanity. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of South Carolina.
Immediate Past-Chair
Joshua Stewart, PE is the principal and engineer of J.E. Stewart Engineering, Inc. as well as a project manager with J.E. Stewart Builders, Inc. before his current dual role, he was a structural engineer with Britt, Peters and Associates, Inc. in Charleston, South Carolina. An Aiken native, Stewart is active in the Aiken community. He serves on the boards of the Friends of the Aiken Railroad Depot and Aiken Technical College Foundation. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Aiken and the Aiken Chamber of Commerce where he served as the 2010 chair of the Chamber’s Aiken Young Professionals (AYP) group. Before that, he was a recipient of the AYP Most Valuable Young Professional award. Stewart received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Clemson University and holds a SE Level II Professional Engineering License in the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina.
President/CEO
David Jameson, a native South Carolinian, is the President/CEO of the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce. He has more than 40 successful years of Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development leadership and management in South Carolina and North Carolina. He has led the Aiken Chamber through two 5-Star Accreditations with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – Only 105 of the nation’s approximately 7,000 chambers nationwide currently hold this distinction. In November 2014, the Aiken Chamber was named the Outstanding Large Chamber of the Year for South Carolina and North Carolina. He currently serves on several boards, including Aiken Downtown Development Association, the Aiken Corporation, and is both a past chair (2011) and incoming chair for 2018 for the Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization, a nonprofit organization representing five counties in Georgia and South Carolina that surround the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site. He is the past-chair of the Greater Aiken Integrated Trails Foundation (GAIT), the Woodwinds Estates Homeowners Association and the Rotary Club of Aiken.
In 2017, Jameson was honored with the Distinguished Citizenship Award by the Boy Scouts of America and also was recognized by Concerned Ministers Fellowship with the Stuff that Legends are Made Of Award. He has been recognized as a Notable Alumni of Armstrong State University and is a recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor awarded by the Governor of South Carolina.
In 2017, Jameson was honored with the Distinguished Citizenship Award by the Boy Scouts of America and also was recognized by Concerned Ministers Fellowship with the Stuff that Legends are Made Of Award. He has been recognized as a Notable Alumni of Armstrong State University and is a recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor awarded by the Governor of South Carolina.
