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(Off the record)

THE CHAIRMAN: Ms. Kinard, how are you today?
MS. KINARD: Fine. Thank you, sir.
THE CHAIRMAN: Good to have you with us. Before we begin, we're going to let Mr. Johnson, who is our staff attorney, ask a few questions after he puts you under oath and following that, if any of the committee members have questions, they would ask you at that time.

And as we've told you before what we're going to do is hold the record open, so that if something comes back from an inquiry report or something, we have the right to look at that before we actually make a decision which should be in the next couple of days.
MS. KINARD: All right.
THE CHAIRMAN: Okay. Mr. Johnson.
ROBIN LEWIS KINARD, having been duly sworn, testified as follows:
MS. KINARD - EXAMINATION BY MR. JOHNSON:
Q. And you are Robin Lewis Kinard?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Ms. Kinard, do you affirm the information that you sent
-- the Summary that Carleen McQueeney sent you for your review and then you were to send back, do you affirm that information is correct and

1. Robin Lewis Kinard
235 North Valencia Road
Ridgeway, South Carolina 29130

2. She was born in San Diego, California on 11/15/52. She is presently 42 years old. Social Security Number:***-**-****.

5. She was married on 12/10/82 to Bruce Lee Kinard. She has four children: Robyn Elizabeth, age 22 -Manager of Hair Cuttery in Aiken; Jonathan Barrett, age 19 - Construction; Christopher, age 10; Andrew Lee, age 6.

7. Education: USC-Lancaster Full time nursing student currently enrolled in the ASN 1993-1995 program and Criminal Justice major also - Approved Scholarship at USC; Richland School District I Licensed Practical Nursing Program, graduated 1978; 1970 graduate from Winnsboro High School.

8. Public Service: Ridgeway Zoning Board of Adjustments Chairperson (appointed) 1990 to 1994; Board member from 1989 to 1990.

10. Her professional experience includes:
September 1993 to present: Columbia Health Care Services as a Temp for nursing positions on the weekends while in school.
January 1992 to August 1, 1993: Blue Cross and Blue Shield Insurance Company of South Carolina - Nurse Case Manager
July 1991 to January 1992: Moncrief Army Community Hospital - Health Risk Coordinator

21. Five (5) letters of recommendation: Dean John Arnold, Professor Ralph Garris, Bo Harwell, Father Chris Clements, Mrs. Laura Thomas.

Q. Ms. Kinard, your SLED records check is negative. Your Department of Transportation driving records check is negative. Your Personal Data Questionnaire indicates negative on responses for Items 11 through 20. Your State Ethics Commission form indicates negative on Items 13 through 20.

And, then, I'm just going to briefly review questions similar to those that were on both of those forms with you.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you or any member of your family own or operate any business which contracts with the state or federal government?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do you or any member of your family own or operate any business which receives state or federal funds or any funding from the Consumer Affairs Commission?
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you ever been arrested, charged or held by a federal, state or other law enforcement authorities for violation of a state or federal or local law?
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you, to your knowledge, ever been under federal, state or local investigation for possible violation of a criminal statute?
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics or unprofessional conduct by any court, agency, association or professional group?
A. No, sir.

I bring knowledge of several fields -- medical, computer technology, health insurance, criminal justice. I personally kept two convicted murderers in for 21 years, since 1973.

I have great negotiational skills. I'm able to see both sides of a situation and I research the situation. I have been in the public service for over 20 years in nursing and with the criminal justice system. I see this as a continuation of public service for South Carolina.
THE CHAIRMAN: Members of the committee?
EXAMINATION BY SENATOR HAYES:
Q. You said you kept two murderers -- can you explain exactly how you keep them in there?
A. Yes, sir. I have to go in front of a parole board twice a year to protest parole for two convicted murderers. My brother was killed in 1973. These two men received the death penalty. At the time it was unconstitutional and so the life sentences were commuted to life in prison. Within five years, they were eligible for parole and I have been going back ever since.
Q. Is that in California?
A. No, sir, it's here.
Q. Here in South Carolina?
A. Yes, sir. We have -- my father was in the Marine Corps, retired from there and decided to live in Ridgeway, South Carolina, of all places, and my brother was killed in Columbia in 1973.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any questions from the committee? Representative Bailey.
EXAMINATION BY REPRESENTATIVE BAILEY:
Q. I was going to ask about the same questions. What denomination are you, religion?
A. Episcopal.

You -- it was just country folks, so to speak, and that's where I grew up, in the country community, but I was exposed to every type of ethnic group there ever was being in the military and my father and my mother, the teaching that a person is a person and you go from that value. You do not judge by the color of skin or religion and you go with the person's values.
Q. Thank you. I have no further questions.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any other questions?
EXAMINATION BY REPRESENTATIVE WHIPPER:
Q. How do you interpret the mission of the commission?
A. All right. I see the -- personally, not having been on the board, but having worked with the zoning committee as chairman, I can understand the type of negotiations that have to come about on the commission and I see it as being like a mediator between two certain parties or the parties involved regarding the situation. It needs to be researched and you have to negotiate to see the term -- how it will effect short term and long term, depending on what the situation is.

Sometimes not everybody is happy, but you can make certain negotiation agreements to make it reasonably acceptable. I see the commission as being a mediator more or less.
Q. I notice that you -- and I guess this will have to be answered, that you are presently serving on a board. Is that -- would that be a dual --
A. I was under the impression that when I received the commission appointment that I would have to stop serving as the zoning chairman. And I understand that.

My daughter is manager at a haircutters. She does have her license in cosmetology and she's pursuing her business degree. She is very young. She's just -- will be turning 23. My son is working for Keebler and he will be pursuing his education.

The younger two, 10 and 6, are enrolled in school at this time, first grade and fourth grade, and they understand their responsibilities. Mother and dad are at home, I'm the principal caregiver of them also, but it's a family situation where everybody has to work together.

You have to work together or you'll have chaos. Now, it's a little loose sometimes, but it's in control. And so there would be no problem with that. I've handled it thus far, I can handle it again.
THE CHAIRMAN: Anything else? Okay, Ms. Kinard, thank you very much. Thank you for coming today and we have to ask you to wait because we're going to have executive session at the end in case any specific questions come up that we need to discuss out of the presence of everybody, so if you'd make yourself comfortable, we'll try to get this through.
A. I would like to add one other thing. While working with the insurance company as a nurse case manager, I was in the position where I had to negotiate a great deal of money between provider, client and the insurance company to make sure certain guidelines, protocol, policies were maintained, level of care, continuity and to make sure everybody was reasonably happy and that was a tough job. I did receive one of the

And then following that, we're going to ask you to wait around a little bit more because we need to have an Executive Session at the end of the complete meeting because we may need to bring you back for some other questions, so we'll have to do it all in one day and try to make it as easy for you as we can. Okay. Mr. Johnson.
MR. JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
ROBERT JOE LEAPORD, having been duly sworn, testified as follows:
MR. LEAPORD - EXAMINATION BY MR. JOHNSON:
Q. Mr. Leapord, the summary that Carleen McQueeney sent back for your review and then you sent back to the committee, do you affirm that the information is correct on that summary and agree to have that summary entered into the record of the transcript here today?
A. As far as I know.

1. Robert J. Leapord
Home Address:
506 Hackney Road
Greer, SC 29936

2. He was born in Greer, South Carolina, on January 16, 1935. His is presently 59 years old.
Social Security Number: ***-**-****

5. He was married to Claudine Fowler Leapord on June 24, 1967. He has two children: Cynthia Lee Leapord, (Teacher at Brook Glenn Elementry); Candace Ann Leapord, (student at Lander University, Greenwood, SC).

6. Military Service: Army - December 4, 1957 to December 4, 1959; Sp-5 with Honorable Discharge; Ft. Meade, Maryland.

7. He attended Furman University from 1952-1954; attended Greenville Technical School completing several courses in Real Estate during 1977; 1965 he attended Whirlpool Sales & Marketing in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

8. He has served as a Commissioner for the SC Consumer Affairs since 1992.

9. He is a member of: Taylors First Baptist Church in Taylors, SC and Hejaz Shrine Temple in Mauldin, SC.

10. He has owned and operated Greenville Ice Skating, Greenville, SC 1960-1966; Southeastern manager for J. M. Fields, Inc., a division of Food Fair, Inc. (1966-1977); District manager, Southern Radio Corp., 1977-1990; Have owned Yogurt Delights since 1985, currently leased to Mr. A. L. Pringle, 75 Orchard Park Dr., Greenville, S.C.

21. Five (5) letters of recommendations:Ms. Shelby Williams, Mr. C.L. Howell, III, Mr. Jack Cochran, Mr. LeRoy Fowler, Mr. Dan Howell.

Mr. Leapord, do you or any member of your family own or operate any business which contracts with the state or federal government?
A. No.
Q. Do you or any member of your family own or operate any business which receives any funds from the Consumer Affairs Commission?
A. No.
Q. Have you ever been arrested, charged or held by federal, state or other law enforcement authorities?
A. No.
Q. Have you to your knowledge ever been under federal, state or local investigation for possible violation of criminal statutes?
A. No.
Q. Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics or unprofessional conduct by any court, agency, organization or professional group?
A. No.
Q. Are you now or have you ever been employed as a lobbyist or acted in the capacity as a lobbyist principal?
A. No.
Q. Are there any reasons that you can think of why you may have difficulties performing the duties of this appointment should you receive it?
A. No.
Q. If you'd like to now, Mr. Leapord, you may briefly explain to the committee why you want to serve on the Consumer Affairs Commission.
A. Well, I filled out the last term, the last year and a half, I think, and I've enjoyed it and I think it's a very efficient, productive agency. And as all of you know that we're -- Steve Hamm resigned and it's time to be looking for a new man. I'd like to continue to be a part of it.

It's a very efficient agency, I think, and I'd like for it to continue to be. And I have the time and it's -- it's of interest to me and all the people of South Carolina really.
MR. JOHNSON: That's all.

| Printed Page 5820, May 10 | Printed Page 5840, May 11 |