The Piedmont Technical College Area Commission has named new officers for the 2009-10 year. Bill Whitfield from Saluda has been named the new chairman, Randy Garrett from Laurens has been named vice chairman and Jane Jenkins Herlong from Edgefield has been named secretary.

Whitfield has represented Saluda County on the Piedmont Technical College Area Commission since 2000. Whitfield is a retired principal of Saluda High School and recently retired as owner of Saluda Tractor and Equipment Company. He is involved in the Saluda Young Farmers organization, where a scholarship is named in his honor. A commissioner of the Saluda Soil and Water Conservation District, Whitfield is also a member of the Capital Bank Advisory Board, the Town of Saluda Planning Commission, the Historical Society and the Saluda County Cattlemen’s Association. Whitfield is an active member of Saluda Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon, Sunday school teacher, chair of the history committee and president of the Men’s Ministry.

Garrett is currently the director of Government Affairs at Laurens Electric Cooperative and has been there for 35 years. An active member of his community, Garrett is involved with the Laurens County 100 Club, Upstate SC Alliance, SCEDA, Chamber of Commerce, IPTAY, and Laurens First Baptist Church. He has held various positions in many community organizations, including president of the Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce, president of Laurens County 100 Club 2000, chairman of Laurens County Future Initiatives Board 2002, chairman of The Board of Simpsonville Chamber of Commerce, Chief Visionary Officer of the Greater Laurens YMCA, board chair of the Regents Leadership Laurens County and Leadership Golden Strip and a member of Masonic Lodge #19 in Laurens.

Herlong represents Edgefield County on the Piedmont Technical College Area Commission and is a nationally known speaker. She is also a former Miss South Carolina, award-winning professional singer and recording artist and author. Her articles have appeared in Guidepost Magazine, Successful Farming and Baby Boomer, and she was featured in Today's American Woman magazine. Jane authored the book, Bare Feet to High Heels; You Don't have to Be a Beauty Queen to be a Beautiful Person and frequently writes as a guest newspaper columnist. Traveling the United States and abroad, Jane has recorded two gospel albums and has performed the national anthem at Radio City Music Hall and numerous national bowl games. Herlong is active in her church and community and is a member of the Miss South Carolina Pageant Scholarship Foundation Board and the Clemson University Board of Advisors. She is also chairperson of the National Speakers Association Scholarship Committee and serves on the foundation board of the National Speakers’ Association. Married to Thomas Herlong and the mother of two, Jane resides on the family farm in Edgefield County.