Up Close with Brian
May 07, 2019
As a former US Air Force member, we learn many things while serving our great country. Some of which entail learning a trade, working individually and as a team, communication skills, commitment, dedication, attention to detail, professionalism, and leadership. I had the privilege of serving our great nation for 15 years and upon separation from the Air Force, my family and I could have moved anywhere we wanted. Being that Shaw AFB was my favorite assignment, we fell in love with the town of Sumter, and decided to call Sumter our permanent home to live, play, work, and raise our children.
Service is all about passion and commitment and I cannot think of a better community to serve as we all work together to make our communities the best they can be. Upon transitioning from serving our nation, I had the privilege of serving our great state of SC, followed by currently serving our local communities as a member of Sumter Economic Development and TheLINK.
As we work to make the place we call home wonderful, we have a choice to speak positively or negatively about our community. If we each take a moment and look around us, our community has so much to offer compared to 20 years ago, and that is worthy of positive comments and excitement. The world is watching us. Companies looking to expand or start-up in the US are watching us. They are wanting to invest their money and resources in the communities that provide the best chance for success, not just for making products or providing services, but also in having great success in finding the hardworking and qualified people to work for them. People that serve our military are watching us. Those that are assigned to Shaw AFB have preconceived notions about our community. We want the preconceived notions to be positive ones, thoughts and facts that make them excited to move here, not worried about moving here. When it is time for the airmen and soldiers to leave the military, we hope they are excited to stay in Sumter or move back here to join our community as a civilian. When our children graduate high school or college, we want them to be excited to call Sumter home because great jobs and an amazing quality of life awaits them. It is my pleasure to serve my community with excellence and to represent out great town with pride and positivity. We can do great things if we work hard, are intentional, focused, positive, and make the hard decisions. We are Team Sumter and we have a bright future. Let’s all work together and serve/represent our great community with excellence! The best is yet to come!
Hometown: Pickens, SC
Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, watching college football
Favorite Place to Eat: Sidebar/Hampton’s/Rafters
Favorite Place to Shop: Simpson’s
What’s most Rewarding about your Job: Seeing people find great jobs and being able to have a wonderful quality of life. Additionally, helping our manufacturers grow, expand, and be successful.
Why is this Region Simply a Great Place: Our region is filled with many outdoor adventures, beautiful sights, and great places to eat and socialize. Plus, we are two hours from the coast or the upstate. Lastly, we have great people, people that truly care about our community.
Pets and People: I am married to an amazing woman, Kimberly Rauschenbach, and I have two wonderful children, Calla who is 16 and Brooks who is 12. I love my family and I am so proud of them. We also have two dogs, Daisy and Lucy, which are great furry family members.