About Mick A life long Carolinas resident, Mick lives in Indian Land, Lancaster County SC. Mick graduated from Charlotte Catholic High School, where he wrestled (not well) and golfed (better than most). He attended Georgetown University and majored in International Economics, Commerce and Finance. He was an Honors Scholar, the highest level of academic achievement awarded to members of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, and ultimately graduated with honors. He counted Madeline Albright among his professors (although her politics didn’t rub off). After graduation, he took advantage of a scholarship opportunity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a candidate for the Chancellor’s Scholarship. His standing earned him a full scholarship to attend law school, where his focus was on anti-trust law. From 1992 until early 1997, Mick practiced law with the highly regarded firm of James, McElroy & Diehl in Charlotte. While originally trained in corporate litigation, his area of concentration turned in large part to commercial transactional work. In 1997 he forwent the partnership track in order to to start his own firm, where he continued to mix transactional work with the occasional commercial trial. Mick and Pam got married in 1998, and are the proud parents of triplets. As much as he enjoyed running his own law firm, Mick knew that if he wanted to be home with his new wife and quickly-growing family, a career change would be in order. So, he sold his firm in 2000, quit the law, and joined the family homebuilding and real estate business. While there he participated in the Owner’s and Presidents Management Program at Harvard Business School, which he completed in 2006. Mick added restaurant operations to his resume when the real estate slump forced another change in his professional career. He had been a minority shareholder in Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina, a privately held regional restaurant chain, for many years, but became an owner operator within that same organization in early 2009. Mick was elected to the SC House in 2006, his first foray into politics, becoming the first Republican ever elected to that position in his District. In 2008 an unexpected retirement created a vacancy in the SC Senate, and Mick ran for and won that office in what was widely regarded to be the hardest fought legislative race in South Carolina that year. Mick serves on the Judiciary, Labor/Commerce/Industry, Medical Affairs, Agriculture/Natural Resources, and Corrections Committee. He was identified as the Freshman Legislator of the Year in 2006 by the Palmetto Family Council for his work on the South Carolina ultrasound bill. In 2010 he was named Legislator of the Year for his work in support of the State’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS). He has received one of only a handful of A+ ratings in the entire legislature. His previous endorsements for office include the NRA and NFIB. He is active locally, as a founding member of the Indian Land Rotary, a youth baseball coach for Lancaster County Parks & Rec, a former Board member at Springs Memorial Hospital, a member of the Board of Visitors at USC-Lancaster, a member of the Fort Mill Area Chamber of Commerce, and a member of St. Philip Neri Catholic Church and Our Lady of Grace Catholic Mission. Mick is 43. Pam is (has been, and shall remain for many years) 29, and the triplets are now 10.