"S" is for South Carolina Department of Commerce

"S" is for South Carolina Department of Commerce. The South Carolina Department of Commerce administers South Carolina’s economic development program. In 1945 the General Assembly created the Department of Research, Planning, and Development-- later known as the State Development Board, it had five governor-appointed members. Governor Fritz Hollings was the first governor to make economic development a central concern. He increased board membership and it began concentrating its efforts on industry recruitment. In 1993 the Development Board became the S.C. Department of Commerce. Today the department has divisions dedicated to industry recruitment; export development, existing industry and small business support, community and rural development, and workforce development. The South Carolina Department of Commerce maintains overseas offices in China, Germany, India, Japan, and Korea to aid international recruiting and to help state companies reach foreign markets.