The Island News
“Could you please speak into the mike?”
That was one of a few pieces of advice former state Rep. Edie Rodgers offered to Beaufort Mayor Phil Cromer and two of his fellow City Councilmembers Saturday night, Jan. 24, during the annual Foundation for Leadership Education’s (FLE) awards banquet.
Rodgers, who also served on the Beaufort City Council as well as a long list of community activities, was presented one of the Foundation’s 2026 Lowcountry Lifetime Achievement Awards along with six other community leaders who were recognized at the banquet at the Dataw Island County Club.
Rodgers was repeating her admonition to the City Council, which she has given at frequent council meetings, that the microphone system in the meeting room does not adequately magnify council deliberations for the audience. Her comments were met with applause and laughter from the audience of 263 attendees.
FLE Board of Directors President Charles Tumlin welcomed the crowd which gathered to pay tribute to past award winners and the 2026 Lifetime Achievement honorees, which included former Beaufort County school board member Earl Campbell, and former Beaufort County Public School Superintendent Herman Gaither, Dr. Gene and former Beaufort County Councilwoman Beth Grace.
Other honorees were Dr. Gordon “Doc” and Nan Kruger who were presented the Servant Leadership Award and Aly Dennnison, a Beaufort High senior who was selected as the 2026 Lighthouse Scholarship recipient.
Dr. Gordon “Doc” and Nan Krueger
A registered nurse, Nan’s professional career has spanned Neonatal Intensive Care, Community Wellness, and more than two decades with S.C. DHEC as a Newborn Home Visit nurse. She currently serves as an Outreach Nurse at Beaufort Pediatrics and a member of the Beaufort County School District Childfind team. She has provided leadership to the YMCA Board, Chaired the Beaufort County Heart Association and Together for Beaufort Adequacy of Prenatal Care Coalition, helped develop the Early Childhood Coalition while serving on the Board of First Steps, and Healthy Families America.
First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort is tremendously important in Nan and Doc’s lives, and much they do revolves around what goes on there. Nan has served previously as deacon, elder, choir member, and on Outreach and Spiritual Formation committees. From her faith and advocacy grew Beaufort’s annual Walk for Water, bringing global water awareness to local action.
Her service has been recognized with honors including Beaufort Rotary Employee of the Year, the SC DHEC Virginia C. Phillips Award, Maternal/Child Health Nurse of the Year, and First Presbyterian’s Servant of the Heart Award.
Dr. Krueger, affectionately known as “Doc” or “Krueg,” began his medical calling with service as a student surgeon at a mission hospital in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), followed by distinguished service as a U.S. Naval surgeon. He practiced general surgery in Manning, S.C., before continuing his career in Beaufort at Naval Hospital Beaufort and Beaufort Memorial Hospital, where he served as Chief of Surgery.
After retiring from surgical practice, he became Medical Director at Friends of Caroline Hospice. Through First Presbyterian Church, he has served on the Walk for Water Planning Team and served Washington Street Park community suppers, as well as helping with early planning efforts for the Spanish Moss Trail — initiatives reflecting his belief that caring for people also means caring for the community they call home.
Aly Dennison
A senior at Beaufort High School, Aly serves as the President of the National Honor Society, where she has organized impactful community service projects that amassed over 380 hours of volunteer work. For the past three years, Aly has served as the captain of Beaufort High School Varsity Volleyball team.
As Head of Recycling for the CREATE Club, Aly has championed environmental initiatives and serves as treasurer of the Spanish National Honor Society. She also serves as captain of the Club Savannah Volleyball team and mentors elementary students at Coosa Elementary through the Interact/Early Act program while also volunteering as a videographer at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.
Earl Campbell
A U.S. Army veteran of 20 years, he served two tours in Vietnam as a combat medic and Dustoff officer leading MEDEVAC missions, demonstrating early on a deep commitment to growth, perseverance, and care for others. After his military service, he continued his professional path with eight years at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).
Campbell’s most enduring legacy is his dedication to public education. He served on the Beaufort County School District Board of Education for more than 30 years as the District 1 representative, and was elected Chairman in 2017. During his tenure, he was a key initiator in the development of the James J. Davis Early Childhood Center, expanding access to high-quality early childhood education in northern Beaufort County.
In 2018, he helped secure funding for major improvements to Whale Branch Early College High School (WBECHS), including the addition of a Performing Arts Center. The school’s athletic complex is named in his honor.
Beyond elected service, Mr. Campbell has been actively involved in community life through PTA participation, serving on the School Improvement Council (SIC) and his longstanding membership in the NAACP. He and his wife Ava have six children — Todd, Natasha, Janson, Victor, Lanitra, and Edgar.
Herman K. Gaither
Gaither’s career with the Beaufort County School District spanned 45 years, during which he served in nearly every facet of public education — teacher and coach, curriculum supervisor, Director of Finance, Deputy Superintendent, and ultimately Superintendent for 10 years. He is credited with modernizing curriculum and instruction across the district, standardized academic content, and introduced personal computing and networked technology for students, teachers, and administrators. He also led critical efforts to integrate a growing non-English-speaking student population into district classrooms and established partnerships with local, county, and federal agencies to improve student health, safety, dental care, and social services.
Under his guidance, the district undertook a major expansion and modernization of school facilities, completing 24 capital projects. His influence extended beyond Beaufort County through service as an Adjunct Instructor at Webster University for five years, work as an independent consultant, and represented education in a 2003 State Department excursion to Mexico.
Gaither has served on numerous community boards and organizations, including the Sea Island Rotary Club, Penn Center, Beaufort Black Chamber of Commerce, Boys & Girls Club, United Way Advisory Board, Beaufort /Jasper Economic Opportunity Commission and the Greater Beaufort–Hilton Head Economic Development Partnership. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., a former columnist for The Gullah Sentinel, and an inductee of the Penn Center 1862 Circle.
His many honors include South Carolina Superintendent of the Year, U.S. Congressional Black Caucus Distinguished Educator of the Year, and the Emanuel Nine Community Service Award for Education.
He and his wife, Romona S. Gaither share their daughter N’Gai, grandchildren Amber and Allen, and great-grandson Nico.
Dr. Gene and Beth Grace
The Graces settled in Beaufort in 1974, where they raised their two daughters, Chilton and Katherine. Beth served on the Beaufort County Council for more than a decade, as Council Member, Vice Chairman and Chairman. She helped guide adoption and implementation of the County’s Comprehensive Plan, advance land preservation and growth management, and strengthen local infrastructure. She later co-chaired the successful bond referendum protecting Beaufort’s rural and critical lands.
She also held founding roles Meals on Wheels, Main Street Beaufort, and the Foundation for Leadership Education as well as longstanding leadership with the Historic Beaufort Foundation and extensive service with the Parish Church of St. Helena’s including Vestry, the Tour of Homes, and Bazaar Chairwomen. She has also given decades of time and care to Beaufort Academy, supporting student life, facilities and mentorship — most memorable through years of reading to her grandchildren’s classes, including her beloved annual appearance as “Mrs. Claus.”
Dr. Grace, after establishing a dental practice in Beaufort of more than five decades, now practices alongside his daughter, Dr. Katherine Grace Hefner. He has served with the Historic Beaufort Foundation since 1974, Beaufort Historical Society and Beaufort History Museum and helped restore historic properties on The Point.
His decades of service include leadership at St. Helena’s Anglican Church, from Vestry to Sunday school teacher; Beaufort Academy, from Vice Chairman of the Board to basketball coach, Friends of Caroline Hospice. As a conservationist, he has protected 20 acres under conservation easement with Open Land Trust and is an active member of the Coastal Conservation League.
Edie Rodgers
Sarah Edith Martin “Edie” Rodgers, born in Gaffney, S.C., has devoted her life to public service, community leadership, civic engagement in Beaufort County. She is the mother of three — Matthew Legare, Cynthia Gay, and Walter Ioor.
Her professional life reflects both vision and entrepreneurship. As a co-owner of Tideland Development Company, she helped shape beloved developments such as Royal Pines Country Club Estates and Marsh Harbor. She later co-owned Lady’s Island Bookstore, further contributing to the cultural fabric of our community.
Edie’s dedication to civic life led her into public office, serving on Beaufort City Council from 1989 – 1993 and later elected to represent District 124 in 1996 in the S.C. House of Representatives. Serving as a full-time legislator for six years, Edie brought thoughtful leadership and a steadfast voice for Beaufort County.
Following her legislative service, she continued to serve the state through appointments to the South Carolina Lottery Commission and the Governor’s Mansion Foundation. She has led and supported countless organizations — serving as President of the Beaufort Council of Garden Clubs, Beaufort Area Republican Club, Beaufort Chamber Orchestra Guild, and State Executive Committeeman for the Beaufort County Republican Party.
She helped organize and served as the first president of the Friends of the Beaufort Museum, served on boards supporting historic preservation and downtown revitalization, and is a proud 52-year charter member of the Lady’s Island Garden Club. Her faith community is equally important, with long-standing service on the Altar and Flower Guilds at St. Helena’s Anglican Church.
Known for her willingness to speak up — often through letters to the editor — Edie combined strong convictions with a deep love for her community. Her lifetime of service has been recognized with the Order of the Palmetto for her contributions to South Carolina and, in 2024, the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce’s “Lifetime of Ser vice Award.”
As she humbly reflected, “Along the way I made many friends, but my only goal was to make a difference.”
The Foundation for Leadership Education
The Foundation for Leadership Education was created in 2017 to advocate for an educational curriculum for all schools in Beaufort County, a curriculum based on values and skills from which students are empowered to lead themselves and others to create positive change. The Foundation also maintains the Lighthouse Scholarship program which awards funds to high school seniors exemplifying strong leadership skills and the Gap Initiative which connects Lifetime Achievement Award Alumni with high school students to bridge the gap between local community leaders of past and present.
FLE’s Board of Directors includes W. Charles Tumlin, Denise Creech, Tracy Dolin, Brigadier General George “Barney” Forsythe, retired Beaufort County Probate Judge Ken Fulp, Lisa Gallagher, Katie Huebel and Executive Director Penny Abbott.
For more information about FLE or the Lighthouse Scholarship program, visit www.lowcountryleaders.com.
