Veteran Educator to Head Anderson Institute of Technology

Anderson County School District’s Three, Four and Five have chosen Dr. Bob Couch as the executive director of the Anderson Institute of Technology, which is scheduled to open in August 2019.

Couch currently serves in District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties as the District Director of Career and Technical Education and as Director of the Center for Advanced Technical Studies. He also has extensive experience in the private sector, as well as leadership experience at the state level in K-12 education. 

“I am extremely excited to return to the Upstate in such an impactful role, and to have the ability to lead a world-class education facility,” said Couch, who also serves on the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee. “The Anderson Institute of Technology will be a critical piece in the economic development of Anderson County and the Upstate, and will provide thousands of students amazing opportunities post-graduation.”

“Dr. Couch not only has experience in managing career and technical programs, but also has been in charge of building and opening a successful school, which is critical for our success here in Anderson County,” said Anderson School District Four Superitendent Joanne Avery.

"The importance of getting Dr. Couch here now, is that he can begin building the necessary relationships with business and industry to ensure that our students will have multiple post-secondary opportunities,” said Anderson School Distric Five Superintendent Tom Wilson.

A chief architect of the landmark Education and Economic Development Act of 2005, Couch oversaw the implementation of the legislation that created a seamless career pathway for students. For 14 years, he worked as the State Director for Career Technical Education.

In addition to his career in education which spans the two-year and four-year postsecondary levels, Couch’s professional career includes business experience in marketing, sales, human resources in manufacturing and health care, workforce development, and training. He served as Chief Human Resources Officer in the manufacturing sector at Beaunit Corporation and in the healthcare sector at the Spartanburg Regional Hospital System, which employed 4,000 employees.

Couch has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including receiving the Educator of the Year award from both the SC Hospitality Association and the SC Association of Family and Consumer Science Educators. He has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators.

Active in his community, Couch is a volunteer with several non-profit and faith-based organizations, supporting projects to help the homeless as well as children in need.

The SC Education Oversight Committee is an independent, non-partisan group made up of 18 educators, business persons, and elected leaders. Created in 1998, the committee is dedicated to reporting facts, measuring change, and promoting progress within South Carolina’s education system.

“Dr. Couch has led some of the premier career and technical education facilities in the state, and we are looking forward to him bringing his leadership to Anderson County," said Kathy Hipp, Superintendent of Anderson School District Three, stated