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| occupation = Businessman
| occupation = Businessman
| party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse= Marcia Moorehouse Workman<br />Patti Gage Fishburne
| spouse= Marcia Moorehouse Workman<br />Patti Gage Fishburne
| children = 2 (3 stepchildren)
| children = 2 (3 stepchildren)
| relations=
| relations=
| father = [[W. D. Workman Jr.]]
| father = [[W. D. Workman Jr.]]
| education =[[The Citadel (Military College)|The Citadel]]
| education =[[The Citadel (Military College)|The Citadel]]
| branch=[[United States Army]]
| branch=[[United States Army]]
| rank=[[Lieutenant colonel]]
| rank=[[Lieutenant colonel]]
}}
}}


'''William Douglas Workman III''' (July 3, 1940 – May 12, 2019)<ref name="ourcampaigns">{{cite web|title=SC – District 04|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=46247|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|access-date=May 14, 2014}}</ref> was an American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of [[Greenville, South Carolina]] from 1983 to 1995.<ref name=archives>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenvillesc.gov/CityClerk/Archives/Mayors.aspx|title=Historical Archives: Mayors and Intendants, with photos|publisher=greenvillesc.gov|access-date=May 14, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517152315/http://www.greenvillesc.gov/CityClerk/Archives/Mayors.aspx|archive-date=May 17, 2014}}</ref>
'''William Douglas Workman III''' (July 3, 1940 – May 12, 2019)<ref name="ourcampaigns">{{cite web|title=SC – District 04|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=46247|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|access-date=May 14, 2014}}</ref> was an American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of [[Greenville, South Carolina]] from 1983 to 1995.<ref name=archives>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenvillesc.gov/CityClerk/Archives/Mayors.aspx|title=Historical Archives: Mayors and Intendants, with photos|publisher=greenvillesc.gov|access-date=May 14, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517152315/http://www.greenvillesc.gov/CityClerk/Archives/Mayors.aspx|archive-date=May 17, 2014}}</ref> He was previously a member of the city council for two years and had worked in Governor [[James B. Edwards]]' administration in the latter 1970s.


Originally from the southern part of the state, Workman began work in journalism before entering politics. After elected service, he continued work as vice president for a major regional gas utility company. He was honored as a South Carolina Economic Ambassador in 2004 and 2013. Workman returned to the state's Lowcountry in 2006 and held leadership roles in various economic development organizations.
⚫
Workman grew up in [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]] and [[Walterboro, South Carolina]]. His father, [[W. D. Workman Jr.|William Jr.]], worked for various state newspapers and ''[[Newsweek]]'' magazine. His mother, Rhea, taught English at [[Columbia College (South Carolina)|Columbia College]]. Workman graduated from [[The Citadel]] in 1961 and was a news reporter in Columbia and then Greenville in the late 1960s. He was an executive assistant for South Carolina governor [[James B. Edwards]] from 1975 to 1978.<ref name="tandd">{{cite news |url=https://thetandd.com/news/local/acclaimed-former-greenville-mayor-bill-workman-dies-in-walterboro/article_2554a45c-3907-5449-a1ab-094b1d91613a.html |title=Acclaimed former Greenville mayor Bill Workman dies in Walterboro |date=May 15, 2019 |work=[[The Times and Democrat]] |access-date=January 29, 2022 }}</ref>


==Early life and career==
⚫
As mayor, Workman is credited with helping to build cultural ties to Greenville and establish a sistership with [[Bergamo]], [[Italy]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://greenvillejournal.com/history/glimpses-of-greenville-1980-to-1990/ |title=Glimpses of Greenville: 1980 to 1990 |date=October 14, 2021 |work=Greenville Journal |first=John |last=Nolan |access-date=January 29, 2022 }}</ref> Under his leadership, the city acted as developer for the {{convert|45,000|sqft|adj=on}} West End Market project, which later brought an arts and entertainment district.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://saveourgateways.com/HowGreenville.php |title=How Greenville, South Carolina, Brought Downtown Back |date=Spring 2008 |work=Real Estate Review |first1=Nancy P. |last1=Whitworth |first2=Mary Douglas |last2=Neal |access-date=January 29, 2022 |via=''saveourgateways.com'' }}</ref> A city councilman credited Workman with getting corporate support for [[public–private partnership]]s such as the [[Peace Center]] performing arts center.<ref name="tandd" />
⚫
Workman grew up in [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]] and [[Walterboro, South Carolina]]. His father, [[W. D. Workman Jr.|William Jr.]], worked for various state newspapers and ''[[Newsweek]]'' magazine. His mother, Rhea, taught English at [[Columbia College (South Carolina)|Columbia College]]. Workman graduated from [[The Citadel]] in 1961.<ref name="tandd" /> He entered active duty with the U.S. Army and continued service in the Army Reserve, later retiring as a lieutenant colonel.<ref name="gnleg">{{cite news |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/greenvilleonline/name/william-workman-obituary?id=9753112 |title=William Douglas Workman III Obituary |date=May 15, 2019 |newspaper=Greenville News |via=Legacy.com |access-date=February 2, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wspa.com/news/fmr-greenville-mayor-bill-workman-dies-at-78/ |title=Fmr. Greenville mayor Bill Workman dies at 78 |date=May 14, 2019 |work=[[WSPA-TV]] |access-date=February 2, 2022 }}</ref> Workman was a news reporter in Columbia and then Greenville in the late 1960s. He was an executive assistant for South Carolina governor [[James B. Edwards]] from 1975 to 1978.<ref name="tandd">{{cite news |url=https://thetandd.com/news/local/acclaimed-former-greenville-mayor-bill-workman-dies-in-walterboro/article_2554a45c-3907-5449-a1ab-094b1d91613a.html |title=Acclaimed former Greenville mayor Bill Workman dies in Walterboro |date=May 15, 2019 |work=[[The Times and Democrat]] |access-date=January 29, 2022 }}</ref> Workman was employed for many years by [[Fluor Daniel]] in industrial relations and project development.<ref name="gnconnor">{{cite news |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2019/05/13/former-greenville-mayor-bill-workman-has-died/1194539001/ |title='Right man at the right time': Former Greenville Mayor Bill Workman has died |date=May 14, 2019 |newspaper=Greenville News |first=Eric |last=Connor |access-date=February 2, 2022 }}</ref>


==Public career==
⚫
After he lost reelection in the 1995 mayoral race, Workman continued work as a vice president of [[Piedmont Natural Gas]] and took leadership roles in various organizations to promote local economic development. On retiring from Piedmont in 2006, he moved to South Carolina's [[Lowcountry]] region, where he was [[Bluffton, South Carolina|Bluffton]]'s town manager for three years.<ref name="tandd" />
Workman served for two years on the Greenville City Council before being elected as the city's mayor in 1983.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sl0sAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA8 |title=Greenville Mayor Announces Candidacy for 4th District Seat |date=November 7, 1985 |newspaper=Spartanburg Herald-Journal |page=B1 |first=Michael |last=Leonard |access-date=February 1, 2022 |via=Google Books }}</ref>

He ran unsuccessfully to represent [[South Carolina's 4th congressional district]] in [[1986 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina#4th congressional district|1986]]. During the campaign, Workman was endorsed by [[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Reagan administration]] [[United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development|HUD Secretary]] [[Samuel Pierce]], who "stressed Workman's experience with former [governor Edwards] ... and the Greenville City Council."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=50ksAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA9 |title=HUD Secretary Gives Support To Workman |date=September 20, 1986 |newspaper=[[Spartanburg Herald-Journal]] |page=B3 |first=Mike |last=Smith |access-date=February 1, 2022 |via=Google Books }}</ref> Workman attributed his loss to home support for his challenger in [[Spartanburg County, South Carolina|Spartanburg County]] and [[List of United States presidential vetoes#Ronald Reagan|Reagan's veto of a textile bill]] important to parts of the district.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2EksAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA8 |title=Workman says he swam against tides |date=November 6, 1986 |newspaper=Spartanburg Herald-Journal |page=3B |first1=Betsy |last1=Teter |first2=Mike |last2=Smith |access-date=February 1, 2022 |via=Google Books }}</ref>

⚫
As mayor, Workman is credited with helping to build cultural ties to Greenville and establish a sistership with [[Bergamo]], [[Italy]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://greenvillejournal.com/history/glimpses-of-greenville-1980-to-1990/ |title=Glimpses of Greenville: 1980 to 1990 |date=October 14, 2021 |work=Greenville Journal |first=John |last=Nolan |access-date=January 29, 2022 }}</ref> Under his leadership, the city acted as developer for the {{convert|45,000|sqft|adj=on}} West End Market project, which later brought an arts and entertainment district.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://saveourgateways.com/HowGreenville.php |title=How Greenville, South Carolina, Brought Downtown Back |date=Spring 2008 |work=Real Estate Review |first1=Nancy P. |last1=Whitworth |first2=Mary Douglas |last2=Neal |access-date=January 29, 2022 |via=''saveourgateways.com'' }}</ref> A city councilman credited Workman with getting corporate support for [[public–private partnership]]s including the [[Peace Center]] performing arts center.<ref name="tandd" /> He oversaw construction of [[Greenville Municipal Stadium]], continued Main Street redevelopment, and was involved with partnership negotiations for the [[Bon Secours Wellness Arena]].<ref name="gnconnor" />

==After mayor==
⚫
After he lost reelection in the 1995 mayoral race, Workman continued work as a vice president of [[Piedmont Natural Gas]] and took leadership roles in various organizations to promote local economic development. After retiring from Piedmont, he moved to South Carolina's [[Lowcountry]] region in 2006, where he was [[Bluffton, South Carolina|Bluffton]]'s town manager for three years.<ref name="tandd" />

In 2004, U.S. Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] acknowledged Workman's accomplishments in attracting new industries to his city and region: "There is no doubt Greenville is now one of the Southeast region's premier cities for business. Bill Workman played a leading role in this evolution and has made many noteworthy contributions to Greenville and upstate South Carolina."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/public-statement/29431/ |title=Bill Workman |date=February 2, 2004 |website=Vote Smart |first=Lindsey |last=Graham |author-link=Lindsey Graham |access-date=February 1, 2022 }}</ref> Months later, Workman was honored in the state capital as a "South Carolina Economic Ambassador",<ref>{{cite news |title=A Workman-like Effort: Bill Workman honored as S.C. Economic Ambassador |date=April 17, 2004 |newspaper=Colleton Today }}</ref> and received the designation again in 2013.<ref name="gnleg" />


Workman died on May 12, 2019, in Walterboro.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.foxcarolina.com/news/bill-workman-former-greenville-mayor-passes-away-at/article_f743572c-75ea-11e9-8769-7bbde6ee69c7.html|title = Bill Workman, former Greenville mayor, passes away at 78|last = Wilkie|first = Ella|date = May 13, 2019|access-date = May 14, 2019|work = [[WHNS]]}}</ref>
Workman died on May 12, 2019, in Walterboro.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.foxcarolina.com/news/bill-workman-former-greenville-mayor-passes-away-at/article_f743572c-75ea-11e9-8769-7bbde6ee69c7.html|title = Bill Workman, former Greenville mayor, passes away at 78|last = Wilkie|first = Ella|date = May 13, 2019|access-date = May 14, 2019|work = [[WHNS]]}}</ref>
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist}}


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Revision as of 07:56, 2 February 2022

Bill Workman
33rd Mayor of Greenville, South Carolina
In office
June 13, 1983 – December 11, 1995
Preceded byHarry B. Luthi
Succeeded byKnox H. White
President of the Municipal Association of South Carolina
In office
1994–1995
Preceded byStephen M. Creech
Succeeded byLessie B. Price
At-large member of the Greenville City Council
In office
1981 – June 13, 1983
Preceded byClifford Gaddy Jr.
Succeeded byKnox H. White
Personal details
Born
William Douglas Workman III

(1940-07-03)July 3, 1940
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
DiedMay 12, 2019(2019-05-12) (aged 78)
Walterboro, South Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Marcia Moorehouse Workman
Patti Gage Fishburne
Children2 (3 stepchildren)
Parent
EducationThe Citadel
OccupationBusinessman
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
RankLieutenant colonel

William Douglas Workman III (July 3, 1940 – May 12, 2019)[1] was an American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Greenville, South Carolina from 1983 to 1995.[2] He was previously a member of the city council for two years and had worked in Governor James B. Edwards' administration in the latter 1970s.

Originally from the southern part of the state, Workman began work in journalism before entering politics. After elected service, he continued work as vice president for a major regional gas utility company. He was honored as a South Carolina Economic Ambassador in 2004 and 2013. Workman returned to the state's Lowcountry in 2006 and held leadership roles in various economic development organizations.

Early life and career

Workman grew up in Columbia and Walterboro, South Carolina. His father, William Jr., worked for various state newspapers and Newsweek magazine. His mother, Rhea, taught English at Columbia College. Workman graduated from The Citadel in 1961.[3] He entered active duty with the U.S. Army and continued service in the Army Reserve, later retiring as a lieutenant colonel.[4][5] Workman was a news reporter in Columbia and then Greenville in the late 1960s. He was an executive assistant for South Carolina governor James B. Edwards from 1975 to 1978.[3] Workman was employed for many years by Fluor Daniel in industrial relations and project development.[6]

Public career

Workman served for two years on the Greenville City Council before being elected as the city's mayor in 1983.[7]

He ran unsuccessfully to represent South Carolina's 4th congressional district in 1986. During the campaign, Workman was endorsed by Reagan administration HUD Secretary Samuel Pierce, who "stressed Workman's experience with former [governor Edwards] ... and the Greenville City Council."[8] Workman attributed his loss to home support for his challenger in Spartanburg County and Reagan's veto of a textile bill important to parts of the district.[9]

As mayor, Workman is credited with helping to build cultural ties to Greenville and establish a sistership with Bergamo, Italy.[10] Under his leadership, the city acted as developer for the 45,000-square-foot (4,200 m2) West End Market project, which later brought an arts and entertainment district.[11] A city councilman credited Workman with getting corporate support for public–private partnerships including the Peace Center performing arts center.[3] He oversaw construction of Greenville Municipal Stadium, continued Main Street redevelopment, and was involved with partnership negotiations for the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.[6]

After mayor

After he lost reelection in the 1995 mayoral race, Workman continued work as a vice president of Piedmont Natural Gas and took leadership roles in various organizations to promote local economic development. After retiring from Piedmont, he moved to South Carolina's Lowcountry region in 2006, where he was Bluffton's town manager for three years.[3]

In 2004, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham acknowledged Workman's accomplishments in attracting new industries to his city and region: "There is no doubt Greenville is now one of the Southeast region's premier cities for business. Bill Workman played a leading role in this evolution and has made many noteworthy contributions to Greenville and upstate South Carolina."[12] Months later, Workman was honored in the state capital as a "South Carolina Economic Ambassador",[13] and received the designation again in 2013.[4]

Workman died on May 12, 2019, in Walterboro.[14]

References

  1. ^ "SC – District 04". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  2. ^ "Historical Archives: Mayors and Intendants, with photos". greenvillesc.gov. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d "Acclaimed former Greenville mayor Bill Workman dies in Walterboro". The Times and Democrat. May 15, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "William Douglas Workman III Obituary". Greenville News. May 15, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Legacy.com.
  5. ^ "Fmr. Greenville mayor Bill Workman dies at 78". WSPA-TV. May 14, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Connor, Eric (May 14, 2019). "'Right man at the right time': Former Greenville Mayor Bill Workman has died". Greenville News. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  7. ^ Leonard, Michael (November 7, 1985). "Greenville Mayor Announces Candidacy for 4th District Seat". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. p. B1. Retrieved February 1, 2022 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Smith, Mike (September 20, 1986). "HUD Secretary Gives Support To Workman". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. p. B3. Retrieved February 1, 2022 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ Teter, Betsy; Smith, Mike (November 6, 1986). "Workman says he swam against tides". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. p. 3B. Retrieved February 1, 2022 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Nolan, John (October 14, 2021). "Glimpses of Greenville: 1980 to 1990". Greenville Journal. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  11. ^ Whitworth, Nancy P.; Neal, Mary Douglas (Spring 2008). "How Greenville, South Carolina, Brought Downtown Back". Real Estate Review. Retrieved January 29, 2022 – via saveourgateways.com.
  12. ^ Graham, Lindsey (February 2, 2004). "Bill Workman". Vote Smart. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  13. ^ "A Workman-like Effort: Bill Workman honored as S.C. Economic Ambassador". Colleton Today. April 17, 2004.
  14. ^ Wilkie, Ella (May 13, 2019). "Bill Workman, former Greenville mayor, passes away at 78". WHNS. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
Political offices
Preceded by 33rd Mayor of Greenville, South Carolina
1983–1995 		Succeeded by
Knox H. White
Preceded by
Clifford Gaddy, Jr.
 At-large member of the Greenville City Council
1981–1983 		Succeeded by
Knox H. White
Preceded by
Stephen M. Creech (Sumter)
 President of the Municipal Association of South Carolina
1994–1995 		Succeeded by
Lessie B. Price (Aiken)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Workman&oldid=1069429580"