Shannon Erickson

Erickson earned her B.A. from the University of South Carolina Beaufort in 1997 and attended classes at Francis Marion University. Her professional experience includes working as a state representative and President & CEO of Lowcountry Building Blocks, Inc. She has been affiliated with Beaufort AMI Kids, Mossy Oaks Drainage Task Force, CAPA, Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Lady's Island Business & Professional Association, Reconstruction Beaufort: The Second Founding of America - Advisory Board, Junior Service League, Hopeful Horizons and St. Peter's Catholic Church.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Educator & business-owner, Shannon Erickson serves SC House 124 and believes in building consensus through grassroots citizen involvement. Shannon serves on Ways & Means chairing the Transportation & Regulations Subcommittee. Her position writing the budget allows her to promote equitable funding for Beaufort County, especially education, healthcare, business support and environmental needs. Endorsed by NFIB, SC Builders Association, the Conservation Voters of SC, SC Citizens for Life, Beaufort County Realtors Associations and the NRA, Erickson leads with a strong work ethic and love of our state, especially the lowcountry. Shannon chaired the Domestic Violence Task Force which passed major reform legislation. A former Chair of the Children's Committee which passed stronger child care safety and car seat laws, Erickson serves on the bi-partisan Tax Policy Committee, Opioid Abuse Taskforce and Military Base Taskforce. She serves on the Equitable Justice & Law Enforcement Committee, chairs the Law Enforcement Officer Training & Accountability sub-committee and COVID-19 Recovery and CARES ACT Committees. Shannon grew up in Florence, graduated from USC-Beaufort (BA in ECE) and lives in Beaufort with husband, Kendall Erickson, CPA. A member and supporter of many local groups and organizations, the Erickson's are members of St. Peter's Church.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Shannon Erickson speaks out for Beaufort while serving on Ways & Means, the highest committee in the SC House. Her role on budget writing as one of only 8 subcommittee members means that Beaufort and the lowcountry has a strong voice at the table - getting results - for equitable funding for K-12 Education (14x more state $ now than when Erickson took office), higher education (USCB will reach funding parity next year), health care (telemedicine and BJH Comp Health growth each year) and more. Hunting Island State Park beach renourishment & repair funding and Harbor Island & Hilton Head bridge funding and replacements are other examples of the work accomplished by Shannon and other senior members of our Beaufort Delegation.Shannon Erickson has lived, worked, played and worshipped here in Beaufort for 35 years. She knows our various neighborhoods, local issues, schools, businesses and non-profits. She supports them all personally and professionally. When storms hit our area, she communicates every update available from the SC Emergency Management Office. When COVID-19 shut down restaurant dining, she set up a social media page for take-out, drive through and curbside pick up to support the businesses and citizens. She cares deeply and works tirelessly for ALL citizens.Shannon Erickson listens and takes action. She hears and acts on legislative and regulatory change ideas from citizens who bring her real-life experiences. She contacts state agencies on behalf of constituents who need services or who do not know who to turn to. Shannon connects the dots for all citizens with all levels of government - helping with contacts from local municipal offices and elected officials to statewide and federal offices and elected officials. She is your advocate - every day - all day.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education

Environment

Public Safety

Infrastructure

Energy

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have always looked up to my father, William Monroe Smith, because of his faith, determination, patriotism and love of family. Growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father, my daddy never knew a kind, loving father figure. While his mother did her best, the physical and emotional abuse took a toll on the family of three. His mother instilled in him a love of God, faith in the Lord, the power of prayer and a determination to make it through whatever came with the day. Unfortunately, as my daddy grew, so did the abuse and when he turned 17, his mother signed for him to join the United States Army. It was peacetime when he entered the service but not long after his basic training, the Korean "conflict" broke out and my father's Infantry Division (Indianhead) was sent overseas. From letters to his mother and his girlfriend (later his wife & my mother), he applied those lifelong lessons to each circumstance he encountered - faith and determination, love of family and country. He despised the war, the killing, the horrid conditions but he saw it as what he was to survive, make better and live through for all those counting on him. He did live through it, albeit not unscathed (wounded - Purple Heart) and eventually sent home with malaria. He and my mother, Jane, would wed and have a married life of 57 years together, three children and four grandchildren. He would work in law enforcement then in sales throughout his career with company buyouts, mergers, recessions, gas shortages, and later health issues. He never gave up, never complained, never had a moment without faith in God, in himself, in his ability to work hard and make a difference and faith in his family and country. With his children, he was the constant champion, the tender consoler, a creative storyteller, the leader of our faith development and our role model in patriotism and honor. If I can be half of the parent he was, I will count myself a success.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty

Integrity

Intelligence

Empathy

Relationship Building

Strong Work Ethic

Strong Communication Skills

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Honesty

Integrity

Empathy

Strong Work Ethic

Relationship Building

Strong communication skills

Knowledge of my community and state

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was hired at age 15 by Mrs. Julia Schnibben, the owner of the Crown Movie Theater in Florence SC. Mrs. Schnibben owned all of the theaters in town and was a wise, some might say "shrewd", business woman. She spent over an hour interviewing me and then simply said "you'll do". She personally trained me and explained that my job was to sell concessions to movie-goers, pitch "package deals" and keep the work space neat and clean - and remember that the customer was always right. I was given a price sheet to memorize and shown the cash drawer and end of shift balance report. There was no cash register or calculator and you were expected to be strong in mental math and making change. For the first week, she sat back behind the counter and watched me work. I quickly picked up that when she was pleased she'd click her fingernails in a rhythm on the counter and when she was displeased she'd suck on her teeth. My goal was to keep the fingernails tapping. My mental math got pretty strong, I could assemble a cherry-sprite/large buttered popcorn pack in seconds and went from rookie to seasoned staff. Mrs. Schnibben grew to trust me, giving me a key to the concession area and I was allowed to oversee some new employees. She was always close at hand and words of praise did not come easily but her compliments were in the form of extra duties and responsibilities. I learned much from her attention to detail, her consistent management of her business and that most of the individuals she hired stayed on for quite a while. I held that job through my first year of college working breaks as I could but eventually resigning to work at Bruce Hospital in the Admissions and Emergency Departments which allowed for more flexibility for my class schedule. I have never forgotten Mrs. Schnibben and my lessons at her side. God has blessed me with several strong women to learn from and I count her as one for sure.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Lovely Day" by Bill Withers

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

South Carolina has a bicameral system with different election terms and operating rules designed for responsible governance. The Senate hinges most decisions on seniority, while the House members have the ability to show their skills and leadership attributes for decision making opportunities. With the Senate serving four-year terms and the House serving two-year terms, elections come frequently for some and the public can approve (re-elect) or disapprove (remove) legislators in some way every two years. While this system often allows the Senate to grow it's members seniority more quickly than the House, the operating rules in the bodies keep the system in check. In the South Carolina Senate, seating in the chamber, assignments to committees and committee chairman positions all hinge on seniority. In the South Carolina House, this is not the case. Members draw space by County delegations for seating in the Chamber, committee assignments are made by the Speaker of the House regardless of years of service and committee chairmen are elected by the members of the committee. Additionally, the House has as strict calendar rules regarding debate and movement of bills. The Senate has rules but allows for filibusters that can disrupt any piece of legislation. Additionally, the SC Senate has a rule whereby one senator can stop a bill by simply requiring that they be there and approve before the bill can be heard/debated. This one rule means that one elected official out of 170 can effectively stop legislation that is favored by the other 169. All of these factors make up a system whereby passing legislation is challenging. Making laws ought to be difficult and public vetting is the preferred way to govern. The bicameral system allows for that and while not perfect, is the best system known for citizen involvement throughout the process.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I do not believe that state legislators must have previous government experience to be effective but they must possess key characteristics and knowledge to be successful. First, a candidate should know their community and current state issues that affect them. Secondly, they should possess empathy and have a strong command of reading, writing and communication skills. They should also have basic knowledge of the bicameral governing system, how a bill becomes a law and how the House and/or Senate rules apply in the Legislative Chamber, in the Committee Rooms and in hearings. Having these key skills will allow the new legislator to focus on reading proposed legislation, navigating the various schedules of the various committees, building relationships with other legislators and learning the various agencies and connections that their constituents will need them to have.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Success in the SC General Assembly comes from a strong team of legislators working together for a common goal. Legislators have the ability to build relationships within their local delegations, their regions, their committees, caucuses, areas of interest, expertise or common need. A successful legislator uses all of these to advance good legislation. Working across the aisle, across counties and regions is vital to building consensus. When you arrive as a newly elected member, you have your word and your vote. Both should be sacred and guarded because once you give your word or your vote, you have made a commitment that can only be withdrawn with deliberate conversation and work to rectify the repercussions of changing that agreement. Honor is key and honesty a must. If a legislator wants to be effective, relationships must be made and your honor and honesty are vital to that goal.