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HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Aug. 10, 2012 – R. Howard Coker, Hartsville, and Cindy Hartley, Charleston, S.C., have been elected to serve as the chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Coker College Board of Trustees.

“Howard and Cindy exemplify commitment and expertise that are hallmarks not only of liberally educated leaders but of the traditions and values that place Coker College among the finest institutions in the nation,” said Coker College President Robert Wyatt. “We are extremely fortunate to be able to count on their counsel and leadership.”

Coker is vice president of Global Rigid Paper and Closures at Sonoco and serves on the company’s executive committee. Previously, he has held several leadership positions within the company, including division vice president and general manager, Sonoco Phoenix; director of sales and marketing, Rigid Paper and Plastics North America; and general manager, Rigid Paper and Plastics Asia/Pacific.

Coker is a graduate of Wofford College with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration. He also received an MBA from Wake Forest University.

Hartley is member of the board of directors of the South Carolina Bank and Trust and was recently appointed to the South Carolina Public Employees Benefit Authority, which oversees state retirement and health insurance programs.

With more than 40 years of human resources management experience, Hartley retired as Sonoco’s senior vice president of human resources in 2011. While at Sonoco, Hartley was responsible for the company’s global human resources function.  Under her direction, Sonoco was recognized three consecutive times by Fortune Magazine/Hewitt as one of the top 25 companies in North America for developing leaders.

Prior to joining Sonoco, Hartley served as vice president of human resources for Dames and Moore, an international engineering and consulting company, headquartered in Los Angeles, and National Gypsum.

Hartley holds a bachelor’s degree from Roosevelt University, a master’s in organizational behavior from George Williams College and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Coker joined the Board of Trustees in 2008 and succeeds Goz Segars, who served as chair of the Board of Trustees since 2010. Hartley joined the Board of Trustees in 2011.

The Coker College Board of Trustees maintains broad responsibility for the mission, long-range direction, policies and financial condition of the institution.

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