Samuel Hook named executive director of the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation
January 9, 2019
The South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation has a new leader. The foundation’s board of trustees has appointed Samuel Hook to serve as executive director of the statewide, non-profit organization.
Hook most recently served as president of development for The Palladian Group located in downtown Spartanburg. In this role, he assisted non-profit clients with fundraising, capital campaigns, informational materials, special events, and donor tracking and recognition. He also served six years as executive director of the Spartanburg Community College Foundation. In this position, he led efforts to increase foundation assets from $5 million to more than $30 million.
Hook’s experience extends well beyond South Carolina having held executive level fundraising positions in five states. He began his career as a Methodist minister and served as an Army chaplain with the Tennessee National Guard for seven years. “We were fortunate to find an individual with such a broad range of fundraising experience coupled with the compassion of a former minister,” said Lynne Burton, foundation board chair. “We’re looking forward to working with Sam to meet the needs of the students attending the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind and the children served through the school’s statewide outreach division.”
In California, Hook led the FIND (Food in Need of Distribution) Food Bank and the College of the Desert Foundation. In Tennessee, he was executive director of the EAR (Education, Auditory and Research) Foundation and the United Methodist Foundation. He also served as deputy director for development of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. He was executive director of the St. Joseph’s Hospital and St. Anthony’s Hospital Foundations in Florida, and he served as vice president of development for Centenary College of Louisiana.
Hook replaces Ann Akerman who served as executive director of the school’s foundation for nine years. Akerman was recently married and is moving to the Atlanta area. “I’m looking forward to continuing the many friendships Ann and the board have developed throughout the state,” said Hook. “I’m honored to hold the position and welcome the opportunity to work with such an outstanding, active Board of Trustees.”
Hook holds a master’s of divinity from Duke University, a bachelor’s from Wofford College, and certifications in financial planning and planned giving.
The SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to securing resources that enable the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind to achieve its mission and goals. For more information, visit www.scsdbfoundation.org or call 864-577-7583.
The SC School for the Deaf and the Blind is the state’s specialized school for students who are deaf or blind. It offers pre-kindergarten – grade 12 educational programs on its main campus in Spartanburg and specialized vision and hearing services in school districts and homes throughout the state. Visit www.scsdb.org for more information.
