Mary “Bridgette†Parker Coates, retirement

2025-2026 Bill 5623: Mary “Bridgette†Parker Coates, retirement - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5623
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Lowe, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J.E. Johnson, J.L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G.M. Smith, M.M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow
Document Path: LC-0281PH-RM26.docx
Introduced in the House on April 30, 2026
Adopted by the House on April 30, 2026
Summary: Mary “Bridgette†Parker Coates, retirement
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

4/30/2026

House

Introduced and adopted (
House Journal-page 131
)

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legislative information
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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
04/30/2026

A
house
RESOLUTION

TO HONOR MARY "BRIDGETTE" PARKER COATES UPON THE
OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT, COMMEND HER FOR THIRTY-FOUR YEARS OF DEDICATED
PUBLIC SERVICE, AND WISH HER MUCH HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

W
hereas, the members of
the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to recognize Mary
"Bridgette" Parker Coates upon the occasion of her retirement from the Pee Dee
Regional Council of Governments after an outstanding career spanning thirty-four
years of exemplary public service; and

W
hereas, Bridgette
Coates began her distinguished career in July 1989 as a regional planner with
the Pee Dee Regional Council of Governments, demonstrating early on her
commitment to improving the quality of life for citizens throughout the region.
In 1991, at the request of Executive Director Johnny Brown, she assumed
leadership in establishing the Jobs Training Partnership Act program, laying a
strong foundation for workforce development initiatives that would evolve over
time into the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. After leading the
program for nine years, she temporarily stepped away in 1997 to devote her time
to raising her children, returning in 2000 as a workforce developer and
continuing her legacy of service for more than two additional decades; and

W
hereas, throughout her
tenure, Bridgette Coates has been instrumental in securing and managing
numerous state, federal, and private grants that have provided critical
workforce training opportunities for the Pee Dee region, always demonstrating
humility by recognizing the collective efforts of her team and the Workforce
Board; and

W
hereas, among her many
accomplishments, in 2020 she successfully authored, compiled, and coordinated a
grant proposal that resulted in an award of five million dollars from the
United States Department of Labor, providing essential training resources to
healthcare institutions, including McLeod Regional Medical Center, and enabling
countless individuals to enter the healthcare workforce and secure meaningful
employment; and

W
hereas, her work has
included collaboration with major employers such as Harbor Freight, Honda,
McLeod Regional Medical Center, Otis, and Perdue, resulting in strengthened partnerships
that have enhanced workforce training and economic development throughout the
region; and

W
hereas, in 2024, she
was again appointed director of workforce development and faithfully
facilitated local workforce development board activities, ensured compliance
with federal and state requirements, coordinated regional workforce
initiatives, and maintained effective communication with stakeholders,
including city and county governments across the Pee Dee, The workforce
programs she has helped guide or been involved with have delivered millions of
dollars in training and development funding, creating a profound economic
impact on the Pee Dee region during her tenure; and

W
hereas, a graduate of
Meredith College with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, she further
earned a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina State University, which
equipped her with the knowledge and leadership skills that have benefited the
citizens of South Carolina; and

W
hereas, she is devoted
to her family, being the beloved wife of Marty Coates and the proud mother of
two adult children, Luke Coates and Rachel Edwards Coates, and she looks
forward to retirement, when she will spend more time with her parents and her
grandson, Benson Edwards. Further, she and her husband are covenant partners at
First Presbyterian Church in Florence, where they continue to serve their
community with faith and commitment; and

W
hereas, the South
Carolina House is grateful for Mary "Bridgette" Parker Coates' remarkable
career and her lasting contributions to workforce development and the economic
vitality of the Pee Dee region. Now, therefore,

B
e it resolved by the
House of Representatives
:

T
hat the members of the
South Carolina
House of Representatives
,
by this resolution, honor Mary "Bridgette" Parker Coates upon the occasion of
her retirement, commend her for thirty-four years of dedicated public service,
and wish her much happiness and fulfillment in the years ahead.

B
e it further resolved
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Mary "Bridgette" Parker Coates.

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This web page was last updated on April 30, 2026 at 12:50 PM