H*4996 Resolution, By Rutherford
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR JOAN STEWARD-STEVENS FOR HER MANY
 YEARS OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE UPON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT, AND TO WISH
 HER SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS IN ALL HER FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

   04/10/08  House  Introduced and adopted HJ-15

H. 4996

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR JOAN STEWARD-STEVENS FOR HER MANY YEARS OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE UPON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT, AND TO WISH HER SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS IN ALL HER FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are grateful to learn of the thirty-eight years of exemplary service that Joan Steward-Stevens has given to our great nation; and

Whereas, nurtured by parents strong in family and faith, Joan Steward-Stevens graduated magna cum laude from Claflin College in Orangeburg with a Bachelor of Arts in social science; and

Whereas, a member of Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society at Claflin, she pursued graduate studies at American University while she began a prestigious career in civil service; and

Whereas, in 1970, Joan Steward-Stevens began her employment as a benefit authorizer with the Social Security Administration and was accepted the next year into the Department's Management Intern Program; and

Whereas, she served in various management positions at the Food and Drug Administration until 1983 and then began five years of service as the director of the Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights Office of Human Development Services; and

Whereas, in 1988, she began serving as the administration's director in the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity for the Social Security Administration; and

Whereas, from 1991 to 1996, Joan Steward-Stevens served as the senior advisor to the deputy commissioner for the Office of Operations at Social Security; and

Whereas, beginning in 1996, Joan served as acting deputy director in the Office of Central Records Operations (OCRO), and in 1997 she was selected as the senior advisor for the Office of Disability and International Operations to provide leadership in the transition of the impending merger of that agency with OCRO; and

Whereas, after the transition in 1999, her role expanded, and she was appointed to the position of assistant associate commissioner for Management and Operations Support in the newly merged Office of Central Operations; and

Whereas, she and her beloved husband Joseph Stevens reside in Bowie, Maryland, and she serves as president of the usher ministry at Antioch Baptist Church, while actively supporting and participating in numerous community groups; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to learn that Joan Steward-Stevens plans to enjoy a much-deserved retirement after thirty-eight years of service to our nation. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Joan Steward-Stevens for her many years of government service upon the occasion of her retirement, and wish her success and happiness in all her future endeavors.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Joan Steward-Stevens.