So Much More than a Volunteer

Bob Seidler had the opportunity to get to know TTC students long before he became chair of the TTC Foundation Board of Trustees this year. As a hotel executive with over four decades of experience in a wide variety of hospitality organizations, he has recruited and hired many TTC and Culinary Institute of Charleston graduates through the years.

“They have always come to us well-prepared and excited about working in the field,” says Bob. “We just always knew it would work out when we hired TTC grads.”

When he and his wife Margaret came to the College several years ago to provide developmental workshops to TTC employees, they were both further convinced of the valuable asset TTC represents in developing workforce talent for the region’s employers.

“We saw an entire organization that is lean, efficient and strategic and realized just how critical their role in the community is to the continued success of our growing area,” he says.

It wasn’t long before Bob and Margaret decided to create a scholarship in honor of Margaret’s late father, Tommy Thorne, who was a prominent manufacturer and employer in North Charleston. When he passed away in 2014, they agreed that an appropriate legacy would be to fund an endowed scholarship at TTC.

Since establishing the scholarship, Bob has made it a point to meet each scholarship recipient. He says it has been personally fulfilling to be engaged in their career development and help answer questions, which were the same questions he had when he was getting started.

“The hospitality industry is known for long hours and demanding schedules, so they want to make sure they are making the right decision,” says Bob. “I try to ally their concerns by telling them while that may be true early in your career, once you become the boss, it’s a much different, and better, work climate.”

He was recently pleased to see that the first recipient of the scholarship, Caitlin Simpson, was hired as an event coordinator at Wild Dunes Resort and is poised for a long and successful career.

He says, “It was pretty evident when I met her that she was destined for success, but it is so rewarding when you see it actually happen.”

Bob joined the TTC Board of Trustees in 2015 and ever since has been committed to helping with the mission of the TTC Foundation to advocate and raise funds for the college to support the region’s economy.

As chair, he would like to insure the Foundation maintains the upward trend of fundraising achievements and explore new ways to gain support in the community.

Bob says, “I am especially encouraged by the professionalism and support provided by Lisa Piccolo, VP of Development and her experienced and dedicated staff.”