The Horry County Museum presents a lecture by Col. Thomas ‘Buddy’ Styers on Saturday, May 11^th, at 1:00 PM. Col. Styers will speak on the life of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base from 1954-2024.

Colonel Styers serves as the Executive Director of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority that was established by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1994 to oversee the redevelopment and reuse of the closed Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Authority and directs the economic development of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. He developed and executed the Authority’s long and short range goals and objectives to create diversified employment opportunities and to enhance the local tax base.  He also represented the Authority with the general public and the media and maintained close liaison with local, state, and federal governmental agencies.

Colonel Styers was the driving force behind the successful development of The Market Common on the former base. The development of these 121 acres has greatly increased the tax value to South Carolina, Horry County and Myrtle Beach and has created a large number of jobs on the former base.

Colonel Styers has served in numerous volunteer positions in the community, including Past President of the Myrtle Beach Rotary Club, past member of the Erskine College Alumni Association Board of Directors, past member of the Presbyterian College Board of Visitors, past Vice Chairman of the Partners Economic Development Corporation and member of the South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper) Customer Advisory Council.

On March 25, 2024, Colonel Styers was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Governor Henry McMaster in recognition of a lifetime of extraordinary achievement, service, and contribution on a national and statewide scale. His 30 years of service to the Horry County/Myrtle Beach community in redeveloping the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base and integrating it into the City of Myrtle Beach is exceptional.  The Order of the Palmetto is the highest award South Carolina can award to a citizen for service to the State.

Colonel Styers served in the United States Air Force for 26 years retiring in September 1992 in the rank of Colonel. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Vietnam Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Device and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Colonel Styers and his wife, Penny, live in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The program is free to the public and will be held in the Museum’s McCown Auditorium located at 805 Main Street, Conway, SC 29526. For more information, call 843-915-5320 or email hcg.museum@horrycountysc.gov. The view a full list of scheduled programs, visit the museum website at www.horrycountymuseum.org.