Barnes Named Chair of MEBA Board

Sep 07, 2011

John Barnes

John Barnes Named Chair of MEBA’s Board of Directors

John Barnes has been named chair of the Midlands Education and Business Alliance Board of Directors. Barnes assumed the role at the organization’s September meeting.

Barnes first became involved with MEBA because of his interest in education and workforce development and a desire to make a positive difference in the Midlands community. His interest and desire are both professional and personal. As Chief Operating Officer for WHM Capital Advisors, Barnes oversees implementation of clients’ financial strategies. He has seen clients who cannot find skilled employees for their businesses, and he has also worked with clients who after saving to send a child to college are concerned when after graduation that child cannot find work in his or her field. “This disconnect between unfilled jobs and unemployment needs to be rectified,” explains Barnes. “The work MEBA does to connect education and business can help do that.”

Barnes believes there needs to be a paradigm shift in what people see as opportunities for education and employment after high school. “A four-year degree is not the only path to success,” says Barnes. “There are so many opportunities out there for today’s students, as well as for adults looking for employment. We just need to do a better job helping people see what’s possible and how to get there.”

For Barnes, a crucial, yet missing link is that many people simply do not know about available opportunities. Opportunities such as the Midlands Middle College and Navistar education program at Richland One’s Heyward Career and Technology Center are doing great things and achieving remarkable success, but too many people are not aware of their existence. “We need to shine a light on these opportunities, to promote what’s possible and to help more people reap the benefits,” emphasizes Barnes. “When you visit the Midlands Middle College, you see in students’ facial expressions, posture and demeanor -- once at risk of dropping out, these students have been shown what’s possible and are now excited and confident about their futures.”

Originally from North Carolina and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Barnes, along with his wife and three small children, now call Columbia home. “This is our community, and as a father especially, I want to do everything I can do make this a better place for my children and to increase and improve their opportunities here. For me, that starts with being involved and making a positive difference.”

Midlands Education and Business Alliance (MEBA) is a non-profit organization that works to connect students, parents, educators and employers to education and career opportunities in Richland, Lexington and Fairfield Counties through programs and partnerships of business, school, college, faith and other community leaders. MEBA is proud to be a model for building partnerships between education and businesses to create pathways for students from school to work. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.mebasc.com.

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