Thomas E. Barton Jr., is President of Greenville Technical College, the third largest higher-education institution in South Carolina offering university transfer and technical programs to 44,000 (headcount) students annually. He is recognised internationally as a leader and pioneer in community based technical education.

Tom Barton graduated from Clemson university in 1953 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and received his Ed.D. in higher education administration from Duke University in 1972. After serving in the public schools of South Carolina and Georgia as teacher, coach and school superintendent for nine years, he became president of Greenville Technical College in 1962 and has continued in that position, with the exception of one year spent as Interim Director of the South Carolina Technical Education System.

Tom received the Thomas J. Peters Award for Leadership excellence in the Community College in 1989. He was named to the "Blue Chipper List" of the top fifty Chief Executive Officers in community colleges by the University of Texas at Austin in 1988. In 1987 he was elected to both the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and the Clemson University Hall of Fame.

Some of his civic activities include Board of Directors, Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce; Board of Directors, Textile Hall Corporation; Board of Governors, Historic Greenville Foundation; Commissioner, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: Chairman, Donaldson Air Force Base Museum Board of Directors; YMCA Board of Directors; Executive Committee, Friends of the Greenville Hospital System; Governor's Task Force on Education in South Carolina; Honorary Chairman, March of Dimes Team Walk for Greenville; Greenville Rotary Club.

Tom Barton was named one of the top 25 Leaders in the community by the Greenville News in 2001. He was named one of the 50 most influential residents of Greenville by Greenville Business and Living Magazine 1997through 2000 and in 1995 named Business Person of the Year. He received the Whitney M. Young Humanitarian Award from the Greenville Urban League.

End of June this year, 2008 will see the retirement of this man from his position as President of Greenville Technical College, his job for the last 40+ years, in fact his retirement from the full-time workforce. We specify "full-time workforce" because it is hard to imagine this man just stopping and sitting back to rest with a fishing pole in his hand. His skills are sorely needed, so it will be interesting to see where and how he "pops up" in the future but keep watch out for him!

Near this monumental moment of retirement Dr Nathan M. Jones C.I.O.M. Honorary Consular representative of the Principality of Hutt River to South Carolina and Inspector General of I-3 Unit of the Principality Consular Security Division nominated Tom for recognition of his services to education and his community and a potential Award in the Anniversary Honours List, April 2008 from HRH Prince Leonard, Sovereign of the Principality of Hutt River. HRH and the Board received the testimonials concerning Thomas and were only too happy to not just Honor him with any award but in fact Awarded him with a Knighthood in the Order of Wisdom and Learning, a most befitting Award for such great effort in the community.

Sir Thomas is to be additionally honoured by his peers and community with a $100.00 per person dinner on 26^th June 2008 at the Carolina First Center in Greenville, South Carolina.