CHARLESTON, SC – OCT. 13, 2020 – President Donald Trump has appointed S.C. Ports Authority Board Chairman Bill Stern to be a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Council is the governing board of trustees for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The museum serves as “a living memorial to the Holocaust, designed to inspire citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide and promote human dignity,” the museum website says.
S.C. Ports Authority’s senior managers, board of directors and employees congratulate Stern on being appointed to this prestigious position in the Trump Administration.
“On behalf of our entire team at the South Carolina Ports Authority, I want to congratulate our Chairman Bill Stern on his appointment to the Board of Trustees of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council,” SC Ports Authority President and CEO Jim Newsome said. “Bill is a great leader, as evidenced by his 18 years of service on the SCPA Board of Directors. The son of Holocaust survivors, he is extremely passionate about preserving the history and memory of the Holocaust through the work of this important body. He will be a great addition to this council.”
Stern’s parents, Ben and Jadzia Stern, were held in several concentration camps during World War II, enduring the horrors of the camps and losing most of their family members.
They survived and immigrated to the United States in 1949. Ben Stern started a small construction and development business in South Carolina — work that his son, Bill, would later build on by establishing Stern Development, a commercial real estate development firm headquartered in South Carolina.
Jadzia Stern advocated for South Carolina schools to begin educating students on the Holocaust, laying the foundation for South Carolina to become one of the first states in the country to form a Council on the Holocaust in 1989. Today, much of the Stern Family continues efforts to educate others on the Holocaust.
“I am honored and humbled to be appointed to serve the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and to further support the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum,” Stern said. “As a second-generation Holocaust survivor, the museum’s mission is deeply important to me and my family. We will continue the important work of ensuring future generations never forget.”
Notable quotes from S.C. leaders
“It is a great honor to have President Trump appoint a South Carolinian to serve on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. The council’s mission to support the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is deeply important, and there’s no one more qualified than Bill Stern to further that mission.” — Gov. Henry McMaster
“I want to extend my congratulations to Bill Stern on being appointed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Bill’s leadership capabilities and dedication to service can be seen through his 18 years on the SCPA Board of Directors, and now through his commitment to further support the significant work of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.” — Sen. Hugh K. Leatherman, S.C. Senate Finance Committee Chairman
“Congratulations to SC Ports’ Board Chairman Bill Stern on his presidential nomination to serve on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council — a well-deserved honor. I’m certain Bill will bring the same strong leadership and a personal dedication that he brings to everything he does, to this incredibly important calling at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.” — S.C. Speaker of the House Jay Lucas
About the United States Holocaust Memorial Council
Congress established the United States Holocaust Memorial Council in 1980 to lead the nation in commemorating the Holocaust and to raise private funds for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Since opening on the National Mall in Washington D.C. in 1993, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has welcomed more than 40 million visitors, including 99 heads of state and more than 10 million children. The museum offers numerous on-site and traveling exhibits, leadership training programs, educational outreach and commemorations.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Council is the governing board of trustees of the museum. The council operates as an independent establishment of the U.S. government; the public-private partnership receives some federal funding to support museum operations.
The Council consists of 55 members appointed by the president, as well as five members each from the Senate and House of Representatives, and three ex-officio members from the Departments of Education, Interior and State. Presidential appointments serve for a five-year term; 11 members’ terms expire each year.
About South Carolina Ports Authority
South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport and intermodal facilities in Charleston, Dillon, Georgetown and Greer. As an economic development engine for the state, Port operations facilitate 225,000 statewide jobs and generate nearly $63.4 billion in annual economic activity. SCPA is soon to be home to the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet, and the Port is an industry leader in delivering speed-to-market, seamless processes and flexibility to ensure reliable operations, big ship handling, efficient market reach and environmental responsibility. For more information on SCPA, please visit www.scspa.com.