Stephen Keith "Steve" Benjamin (born December 1, 1969) is an American politician and businessman serving as 36th and current mayor of Columbia, South Carolina since July 2010. He is the first African American mayor in the city's history. Before serving as mayor, he worked in the Columbia metropolitan area as an attorney and served on various charitable organizations. On November 8, 2017, Benjamin won re-election for a third term as mayor with no votes because no other candidate filed. Benjamin was declared re-elected. Mayor Benjamin currently serves as President of the United States Conference of Mayors.
Video Stephen K. Benjamin
Early life, education, and career
Benjamin's parents are from Orangeburg, South Carolina, but relocated in the 1960s during the Great Migration and moved to Queens, New York, where Benjamin was born. Benjamin moved to Columbia to attend the University of South Carolina to study Political Science.
He was actively involved in the student chapter of NAACP, eventually becoming president. Benjamin was also elected as student body president during his undergraduate career and went on to become president of the University of South Carolina School of Law student bar association during his third year. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
In November 2017, Benjamin was the only candidate to file for mayoral election. Benjamin, therefore, did not appear on the ballot and was automatically declared to be re-elected without any votes.
Maps Stephen K. Benjamin
Electoral History
- Benjamin was the only candidate to file; he was automatically declared re-elected with no votes.
Career before mayoralty
Benjamin was the principal of the Benjamin Law Firm, LLC, in Columbia, South Carolina where his practice emphasized governmental strategic planning, administrative and regulatory work, municipal finance and general business matters.
On March 2, 1999, Benjamin was appointed to the Governor's Cabinet by Governor Jim Hodges serving as the Director of the South Carolina Probation, Pardon, and Parole Services. Benjamin has also served as the Regional Manager of Public Affairs for International Paper Company, Manager of Corporate Affairs at Carolina Power & Light Company. He additionally worked as an associate in the Administrative and Regulatory practice of the McNair Law Firm in Columbia.
Personal life
Benjamin is married to The Honorable DeAndrea Gist Benjamin, a Judge in South Carolina's Fifth Judicial Circuit. Together they have two daughters.
Recognition and awards
- The Root's 100 Influential Black Americans (2011 & 2013)
- The Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery by a Public Official (2017)
References
External links
- Official website
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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