Star Profile
Sam Davis, public servant
By John Temple Ligon Temple@TheColumbiaStar.com

Sam Davis

Sam Davis has two profiles as a public servant. One, he is a state employee and has been for over 30 years. The other, he is Columbia's District II member of city council.

Davis was born in Charleston, and was reared in the East Side, on Cooper Street not far from the cigar factory.

Davis's father also had two career fields, the ministry and the coal business. His mother worked among the Naval weapons. His older brother is a lawyer in Buffalo, and his younger brother is a minister in Philadelphia.

Davis attended elementary school at Henry P. Archer and high school at C. A. Brown, now part of Tri-County Tech. In high school Davis played the French Horn and played trumpet in The Rayons, the band he formed.

Davis attended Benedict College, and graduated in four years with a political science major and a minor in history.

Davis always had a job while in college. He worked as a landscape technician, a guidance counselor, and his experience in the dining hall landed him a job waiting tables one summer at Charleston's Market Street Restaurant. His brother worked at Henry's, which was practically next door.

In the summer before his senior year, Davis worked in New York City at an advertising agency. His office was in the penthouse, so to speak, as he had to walk across the roof to get to it.

After graduation in 1971, Davis went right to work in corrections. He was a drug counselor who also taught music therapy. Staying with corrections, he has worked his way to the title of coordinator in the areas of abuse, neglect, and critical incidents.

Davis attended class at night to earn his master's degree in management.

Davis met his wife, Andrena, on a blind date. She was working for Seibels- Bruce, but soon shifted to the State House as a tour guide. Most recently she has been with the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Davis and his wife have three sons. Their youngest attends Eau Claire High School. The middle son is headed for S.C. State in a week or two to study engineering. The oldest is a fireman with the City of Columbia.

Before running for city council, Davis served on the city's zoning board. He has a wait- and- see attitude when asked about the potential in a combined city/county planning commission.

Although an unofficial Obama fan, Davis prefers local, non- partisan politics. The national issues he can discuss; and the local issues he can address and actually get something done.

On the side Davis is an artistic blacksmith in the tradition of Charleston's Philip Simmons, who moved into the specialized field of ornamental iron in 1938.

Davis shut down his blacksmith studio recently with the intention of eventually opening up shop in the Vista and practicing his art full- time.

Of course, Davis wll have to adhere to city codes and such before he fires up his coal- burning ironworks.