team members
Annie moved to Aiken from Chester Co, Pennsylvania, with her family in the 1980s. Growing up, Annie and her sisters enjoyed riding in Hitchcock Woods and going to local schooling shows. Annie is the daughter of Jeannie and Steve Groat, who were the founders of the Aiken Bluegrass Festival, which was established as a fundraiser
Amy moved to Aiken County in 1983 after graduating from The Ohio State University. She has worked for the Cumbee Center, Helping Hands and the Aiken Center for Alcohol & Other Drug Services. She is married to Solicitor-elect Bill Weeks. They live with their children, Megan and Little Bill, in Aiken. Megan is a longtime student
Past Chairman Wendy O’Brien is an accomplished equestrian with a lifelong dedication to equestrian disciplines, farm life, business ventures, and community causes. Her equestrian pursuits include Radnor Hunt Pony Club, horse showing, foxhunting, steeplechase racing, three day eventing, breeding and training. She is a competitive Combined Driver, and was on the U.S. Pony Team in
Vice Chairman Michael Sullivan served on Great Oak’s predecessor board and he is interested in helping Great Oak grow to a scale sufficient to serve a broad population. Michael is a graduate of Williams College and he received his MBA from Vanderbilt University. After Michael graduated, his interest in finance took him back east, where
Vice ChairpersonShawna Dietrich grew up in Houston, Texas, “on the back of a horse.” When her family moved to Kentucky, she started showing hunters and jumpers in the Midwest, graduating into teaching and training on a professional level. Personal events led to a change of direction, and into the business world of equine insurance. Dietrich
BonnieAnne Osbon Fulghum is a lifelong Aiken resident. She earned her bachelors degrees in speech communication and theater/vocal performance from the University of South Carolina and is currently working on finishing her master’s degree in special education. She grew up working in her family business, Triple O Printing Company, until it was sold. Bonnie and
Jeannie grew up in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and attended Hiram College, studying history and art history, and performing in musical theater and concerts. Her marriage to Stephen Groat brought her to Aiken, where Steve taught at the Aiken Preparatory School and Jeannie studied at the University of South Carolina. In 1971, the Groats moved
Mary Guynn was born in Aiken. She received her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary and thereafter obtained her juris doctorate degree from Emory University. She is a partner in the law firm of Smith, Massey, Brodie, Guynn & Mayes, where she practices in the areas of residential and commercial real estate
