Day 55

Norman Pulliam’s commitment to the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind and the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation spans almost 40 years.  Since 1986, Mr. Pulliam has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the students served by SCSDB.  He served as a member of the SCSDB Board of Commissioners from 1986 to 2006 (Chairman from 1993 to 2006).  He also served on the SCSDB Foundation Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2016.  In 2018 he became a Trustee Emeritus of the Foundation.

Under his leadership at SCSDB, many substantial strides were made to advance the mission of SCSDB, including but not limited to:

• SCSDB’s recognition as an outstanding school by multiple educational, advocacy, and historic preservation organizations.
• Substantial facility improvements, including the complete revocation of Walker Hall.
• Increased funding from public, private, and corporate sources.
• Significantly improved school technology, accessibility, and safety.
• Expanded outreach services and statewide partnerships.
• Significant legislative initiatives to benefit SCSDB’s students and staff.

In 2006, the Norman F. Pulliam Scholarship Award was established in Mr. Pulliam’s honor at SCSDB.  The scholarship is given to help advance a student’s education.  In 2007, Mr. Pulliam was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the South Carolina Federation of the Blind.   

In addition to his service to the mission of SCSDB, Mr. Pulliam has been very involved in numerous other important matters for the State of South Carolina, including serving for 13 years as Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Spartanburg Development Council and the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce.  He is a past Chairman of the Piedmont Chapter of the American Red Cross and past President of the Spartanburg Boys Home.  Mr. Pulliam is a former Director of the Board of the Spartanburg Girls Home and the Spartanburg Arts Council, and a past Chairman of the Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.  He has, as well, held leadership positions in numerous other not-for-profit organizations.

In 1996, Mr. Pulliam was awarded the Philanthropist of the Year Award by the Piedmont Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.  Mr. Pulliam has also served as a Trustee of Limestone College.  He is a past Chairman and a current Trustee of the Spartanburg Regional Hospital Foundation.  He served as Commissioner from Update for the SC Department of Natural Resources, where was one of the state’s strongest advocates for protecting our state’s natural resources through land conservation.

Mr. Pulliam is a 1964 graduate of Clemson University where he served as the president of the Student Senate and president of the Blue Key Honor Society.  He won the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, for the most outstanding student, which honors service to campus and community.  He received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University in 1967.

Mr. Pulliam served as President of Pulliam Investment Company, Inc. from 1970 to 1999 when he was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors, and now serves as Chairman Emeritus.  He has extensive real estate experience and has developed, owned and/or managed, real estate valued at more than $500 million.  To give the same opportunity to younger generations, Mr. Pulliam provided the endowment and the initial funding for the Clemson Master of Real Estate Development program.  He is a past member of the Clemson Board of Visitors and the Clemson Alumni Association board of directors.  He is a co-founder and past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the First National Bank of Spartanburg.

In 1985, Mr. Pulliam was awarded the South Carolina Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian award for extraordinary lifetime service and achievement of national and statewide significance.  In 2015, Mr. Pulliam received the Clemson Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award, the highest award given to an alumni.  Mr. Pulliam lives in Spartanburg with his wife Jo.

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