Jan 9, 2023

Horry County Schools would like to congratulate the recently elected members of the Horry County Board of Education and welcome the three of them who are new to the board. 

On January 9th, 2023, HCS held a ceremony in which the recently elected Horry County Board of Education members took their oath of office.

The members who took the oath of office are as follows:

• David Cox, Chairman (formerly representing District 4)
• David Koch, District 1 (new)
• Debbie Edmonds, District 2 (new)
• Tracy Winters, District 3 (re-elected)
• Pam Dawson, District 6 (new)
• Janet Graham, District 7 (re-elected)
• Melanie Wellons, District 8 (re-elected)
• Neil James, District 10 (re-elected)

The HCS website has a page about the Board of Education where you can find information about the districts, board member contact information, board meeting times and agendas, recordings of board meetings, and other information about the board. While board members’ biographical information is available on the website (including for board members who were not up for re-election), we wanted to take the opportunity to share some information about those who were recently elected.

• As chairman of the board, David Cox represents all of Horry County. He was first elected to the Horry County Board of Education in November 2008 as the representative for District 4, which includes parts of St. James and Socastee within the Burgess community. This is his first term of office as the chairman. He and his wife, Karen, live in the Market Common area on the south end of Myrtle Beach. Together they have eight children and 16 grandchildren. Mr. Cox graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in journalism and is presently employed by Elliott Realty as a realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Elliot Coastal Living.

• David Koch (pronounced “cook”) was elected in November 2022 as the representative for District 1, which includes parts of Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach. He is the director of young adult services at Sea Haven, serving youth and young adults who are experiencing housing insecurity or crisis situations. Previously, Mr. Koch has worked with Shoreline Behavioral Health as a substance abuse specialist and Brunswick Christian Recovery Center as an interim director. In addition, he completed his internship at Teen Challenge of Georgetown County. Mr. Koch is very active in Waterbrook Community Church and is also on the leadership team of North Strand Celebrate Recovery as a training coach. He also serves as a board member of the North Myrtle Beach High School Band of Chiefs Boosters. 

A native of Michigan, he and his wife, Jeanne, have been residents of Horry County since 1985. They have three boys, their youngest graduating from North Myrtle Beach High School in 2023. Mr. Koch earned a bachelor’s in human services from Purdue University with a concentration in family/youth services and administration.

• Debbie Edmonds was elected in November 2022 as the representative for District 2, which includes parts of Carolina Forest and Myrtle Beach. Formerly an educator and school administrator, she is currently the owner of Integra Fabrics, located in Loris, SC. She received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in K-8 education from the University of Georgia and a specialist degree in education administration from Clemson University. She and her husband, Ron, have one child and three grandchildren.

• The Horry County Board of Education appointed Tracy Winters in November 2021 to fulfill the unexpired term of her late husband, Ray Winters. She was officially elected to be the representative for District 3, which includes parts of Carolina Forest and Myrtle Beach, in November 2022. Mrs. Winters was the office manager for The Law Offices of Ray H. Winters, P.C. in Myrtle Beach, and she received her associate degree from Faulkner University in Bay Minette, Alabama. She has one daughter, Alyssa.

Tracy Winters served on the School Improvement Council at Ocean Bay Elementary School, was an active member of the PTO, and supported the Booster Club at Carolina Forest High School. 

• Pam Dawson was elected in November 2022 as the representative for District 6, which includes parts of the Carolina Forest, St. James, and Socastee attendance areas. She is a retired professional telecommunications program manager with a focus on the defense industry with companies in the aerospace sector. She has previously served on the Horry County Planning Commission, the Horry County Parks and Open Space Board, the Greater Burgess Community Association, and the Prince Creek West Road and Parks Association. She received a bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration from the University of Alabama.

• Janet Graham was appointed to the Horry County Board of Education in September 2012 and was elected in November 2014. She represents District 7, which includes parts of Carolina Forest and Conway. Ms. Graham is an area manager for the Myrtle Beach Area Small Business Development Center at Coastal Carolina University. She received a bachelor’s degree in finance from Coastal Carolina University in 2000 and a Master of Business Administration degree from Winthrop University in 2004. She and her husband, Gregory, have three children and nine grandchildren.

• Melanie Wellons was appointed to the Horry County Board of Education in April 2021 as the representative for District 8, which includes parts of the Carolina Forest, Conway, and Forestbrook attendance areas. She was officially elected to the position in November 2022. Ms. Wellons is a Coastal Carolina University graduate and the vice president of Arnold’s Pools. In addition, Ms. Wellons served five years on the Carolina Forest High School Improvement Council and five years on the Carolina Forest Advisory Board. She and her husband, David T. Wellons, Jr, have two children: Madalyn Wellons and David T. Wellons, III.

• Neil James was appointed to the Horry County Board of Education in November 2009 and elected to office in 2010. Since then, he has represented District 10, which includes parts of the Carolina Forest, Conway, Green Sea Floyds, and Loris attendance areas. He served as interim chairman from May 2018 through January 2019 and as vice chairman from January 2019 until January 2023. Mr. James is a professional engineer with two Bachelor of Science degrees in agricultural engineering and electrical engineering from Clemson University and a master’s degree in business administration from Webster University. He is employed by Santee Cooper. He and his wife, Felicia, have two daughters.