More new members appointed to SCAC board
Arts Commission announces three new board members
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Arts Commission is announcing the appointment and confirmation of three new members joining its nine-person board of commissioners, each for a three-year term.
The trio joins the board after their gubernatorial appointments and state senate confirmations and begin serving along with a pair of new commissioners announced in April, giving the agency five new commissioners in 2025.
- David Hodges of Columbia.
- Jessica Rourke of Columbia.
- Danielle Thompson of Sumter.
David Gregg Hodges, a native of Columbia, is married to the former Susan Tennent Graybill, also of Columbia. He has four children and nine grandchildren. He has been in the life insurance industry for 48 years with the MassMutual Life Insurance Company.
A graduate of Anderson University, Jessica Rourke has worked as a wedding planner for close to 20 years both in the Carolinas and across the world. In addition to her primary business, Jessica has served as an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management. Jessica also is an artist who utilizes her training in graphic design to craft invitations. Outside of work, Jessica can be found nestled in her favorite Columbia coffee shop or scouring the local antique shops. She is a member of First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, and lives in a classic 1920s Tudor Revival house with her husband and two children.
Established and successful in real estate and development, Danielle Thompson pivoted to pursue a flourishing Sumter. After more than 10 years, her new businesses have helped transform downtown Sumter. Hamptons, a restaurant of which she is managing partner, opened during a recession and has since won numerous awards and been named a Top 100 restaurant in the U.S. A second restaurant, Sidebar, is a valuable addition to the city’s Main Street, and she is an investor in the downtown Hyatt Place hotel. She maintains involvement in several key community fundraising events, has multiple local business awards and was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Gov. McMaster in 2020.
About the South Carolina Arts Commission
The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission is to expand access to the arts and foster the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences.
A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC works to increase public participation in the arts through grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in artist development, arts industry, arts learning, creative placemaking, and folklife and traditional arts. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @SCArtsComm on Facebook, Instagram, and X for #Arts4SC and #SCArtists content.
