Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2019

61 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.BestOfMP.com feature J immy Bagwell , raised in Mount Pleasant, first tasted town politics in 1976 because the Royall Street tennis courts where he played needed to be repaired. He didn’t get a chance to speak at a town meeting, so he instead ran for town council, where he served for 12 years. A Navy veteran, he shrimped for two years before starting Regional Materials Handling in 1984, which he still runs. He has chaired nearly two dozen boards and volunteer organizations throughout his life, some of his most memorable being Mount Pleasant’s sesquicentennial celebration and the Ravenel Bridge Celebration Committee. He also serves on the board of directors for MUSC Children’s Hospital Foundation and is the chairman of Save Shem Creek Corp. “The town was growing fast, and people weren’t happy, but they didn’t have a voice. I like to think Save Shem Creek made a difference in the town. We got involved, we worked to get certain people elected and, in a way, we’ve made an impact.” Though his involvement in town politics and community runs deep, he is most grateful for his family. He married his high school sweetheart, and their son’s wife and triplet grandchildren call East Cooper “home” as well. Photo by Jess Wood. .I l . | . f .