Commissioners

John Hiers was raised on a dairy farm in Ehrhardt but has called Bamberg home for over 30 years. He and his wife, Susan Dalton Hiers, both graduated from Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School and are proud parents of two sons, Lan and Colby Hiers.

John earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from The Citadel, followed by a Master of Business Administration. He began his career as a Project Engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he worked for seven years in the Construction Division before joining The Okonite Company as a Process Engineer in electrical power cable manufacturing. Over the years, he has held various leadership roles, including Manager of Compound Engineering, and currently serves as the Manager of The Okonite Compound Facility.

Deeply committed to his community, John spent over two decades coaching the youth of Bamberg County in football, soccer, wrestling, and baseball. He is an active member of Bamberg First Baptist Church, where he serves as a Deacon, and he dedicated 12 years to serving on the Bamberg County School Board.

Leroy “Bo” Griffin is a graduate of Blackville Hilda High School, the University of South Carolina, the South Carolina CFI School of Banking, and has been a resident of Bamberg his entire adult life.

Bo was President and CEO of Home Federal for 36 years and continues to serve on the bank’s Board of Directors. During his banking career he served on the Board of the SC Community Bankers’ Association and various other boards and civic organizations having been most recently appointed to the Advisory Council to the Federal Reserve of Richmond.

In the public service area, Bo was elected to City Council in 2010 and while on Council also served as Police Commissioner. In 2017, he was elected Commissioner to the Bamberg Board of Works and has served in that capacity for the last six years.

Bo currently serves on the deacon board at his church, is married to Cathy and has three daughters and five grandchildren.

Ronald W. Bunch Jr (Buzzy) was born and raised in Bamberg. Married to Bobbi Foster Bunch they have three children, Blaze now married to Mallory Chavis Bunch, Ray Ellen, and Roxy. Buzzy attended Wofford College on a football scholarship for one year and transferred to USC to play football and Graduated with a BS degree in Biology. After several career moves, “Blaz n Buz Catering Company” was born and has continued to grow over the past 15 plus years. He has been heavily involved in youth football and baseball for the past 20 years and for the past 15 years served as the director of the Dixie Youth Baseball and softball program in Bamberg.  Buzzy’s grandfather John Candy Bunch was also a BPW commissioner. Buzzy says “My passion and love for Bamberg pushes me to help serve and guide the BPW to continue to give our customers the very best service possible.”