Steve Borklund named Travelers Rest Citizen of the Year

TRAVELERS REST, S.C. — Local businessman Steve Borklund was named the 2015 Greater Travelers Rest Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, it was announced Tuesday.

Sponsored by the Bank of Travelers Rest, the award is presented to "someone who has gone above and beyond in recent times to improve the quality of life in our community."

The award was presented by bank president Bruce White at a dinner reception at Green Valley Country Club.

Borklund has been a State Farm Insurance Agency owner in Travelers Rest for more than 20 years. He was a founding member of the (then) Travelers Rest Business Assoc. and has served on numerous boards, including for the George I. Theisen YMCA, Foothills Family Resources, and the Travelers Rest Farmers Market.

Dianne Drummond and former Travelers Rest mayor Roy Reynolds, both previous Citizen of the Year award winners, served as the keynote speakers at Tuesday night's banquet.

In addition to Drummond (2004) and Reynolds (2012), other past winners of the Citizen of the Year award include Rev. David Simmons (2014), Winn Freeman (2013), Mann Batson (2011), Dr. James E. Barnett Sr. (2010), Clyde Carr (2009), Dot Bishop (2008), Raymond and Brynda Brown (2007), Terry and Lee Cross and "Our Gang” (2006), Linda Garland (2005), Carolyn Crosby (2003) and Virginia Whitmire (2002).