The Professional Advisory Committee consists of distinguished professionals now working in one of the fields of mass communication. Each has consented to share with the Department of Mass Communication faculty and students some of the wisdom she or he has gained from years of working experience by providing on-going advice. The panel will assemble on campus at least once a year and be available to talk with our students and provide career planning advice. The charter members of the Professional Advisory Committee are:
Allyson Floyd is the evening news anchor and assistant news director for WPDE. She has worked in the Florence/Myrtle Beach television market since 1991. She is a native of Lake City and a graduate of Clemson University. She has won several awards during her career. She and her husband Todd have two children, Reagan and Lexie.
Nicole Boone anchors the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts for WBTW News 13. She is the host and co-producer of "Count on Health," a weekly health show; reports on medical and health issues; is a weekly contributor to the Morning News newspaper in Florence, and anchors and produces daily morning health reports. Nicole has 18 years of experience in broadcast news. Before coming to WBTW, she anchored and reported for WGSE in Myrtle Beach. She graduated from Winthrop College with a B.A. in Communications. She has been voted Best TV Personality by readers of the Morning News since 1994. Nicole also has won several awards for her special health reports. Nicole is originally from Spartanburg.
Mark Haselden, is the assistant sports editor of The Morning News in Florence, where he has worked for more than a decade. He is a member of Francis Marion's class of 1991.
Cleve O'Quinnis night city editor for The (Charleston) Post and Courier. He previously served as a copy editor and editorial writer. Following a tour in the U. S. Navy, he began his journalism career as a reporter and copy editor for the Morning News. He has been city editor of The Tifton (Georgia) Gazette, managing editor of the Del Rio (Texas) News-Herald, and weekend editor of The (Sumter) Item. Cleve is a member of the Francis Marion class of 1989. Cleve's wife is Linda Hickey, formerly of Hartsville, and they have a son, Jesse.
Russell Branham, a native of Darlington, works for Pro Sports Management & Marketing in Charlotte, NC. He is a former reporter for the Florence Morning News and director of public relations for Darlington Speedway. He is a member of Francis Marion's class 1987.
Allen Smothers is a veteran of over 20 years in the sportscasting profession. Smothers currently hosts local sports talk programs in both North and South Carolina and hosted a national sports talk program on the 75-station Talk One Network for over two years (2000-2002). He served for five years as play-by-play announcer for the Fayetteville Patriots, the 2003 Champion of the NBA's Development League, and the Cape Fear Wildcats, two-time Atlantic Division Champion of Arena Football 2. Smothers also broadcasts games for Comcast Sports Southeast, CSTV, Fox Sports Net and ESPN Regional Television. In 1998-2000, he was Sports Information Director at his alma mater, the University of Charleston (WV) and was Director of the 2000 NCAA II East Region Men's Basketball Tournament. Also included in his radio play-by-play experience are stints with Coastal Carolina University, College of Charleston (SC), Western Carolina University, UNC Asheville, and pro baseball with the Durham Bulls and Myrtle Beach Hurricanes. He and his wife of 22 years, Shirley, have one son, Cameron, a student at Coastal Carolina University.
David Dykes has nearly 30 years of publishing experience, including 25 years with daily newspapers. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a journalism degree. He has worked for Gannett, Cox Newspapers, and Knight Ridder and has been with the Greenville News for eight years as business editor, city editor, projects editor and now business writer. He formerly worked at the Charlotte Observer. He and his wife, Nancy, have three daughters: Sara, Abby, and Ellen.
Chuck Crumbo is the military reporter for The State and during 2003 completed an assignment in Baghdad. He is a graduate of Ball State University and began his newspaper career more than 30 years ago at the Kokomo Tribune. He subsequently worked for the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Fort Lauderdale News, Tampa Tribune and Wichita Eagle. He has worked for The State since August 1994. Crumbo spent 20 years as an editor, including two as managing editor of the Frankfort Times, an 8,200-circulation daily that rolled up 31 national and state press association awards under his leadership.. As city editor he directed The State's award-winning coverage of Susan Smith's arrest and subsequent trial. He took first place for a series on South Carolina's unsafe highways. The series also received the SCPA's Public Service honor.
Glenda Atkinson, advertising and marketing director of the Hartsville Messenger. She is a graduate of Francis Marion University, class of 1993.
Chris Worthy is an award-winning magazine and newspaper writer who is a regular contributor for the Sandlapper magazine and Simpsonville Tribune-Times. She writes a monthly column for Upstate Parent and won the 2003 Gold Award (Profile division) Parenting. She is a graduate of USC law school and in 1987 became the youngest student to graduate from FMC. She and her husband, John, have two children, Caroline and Nolan.
