Cynthia C. Jenkins

Cynthia Jenkins received her Bachelor of Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro , Tennessee and is the first individual in America to receive an undergraduate degree in Historic Preservation.

Her forty-year career in historic preservation began at Lowcountry Council of Governments in Yemassee, South Carolina in 1974. The regional planning council serves the four counties of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper. She surveyed, researched and wrote Historic Resources of the Lowcountry: A Regional Survey that was published in 1979.

One of Mrs. Jenkins proudest accomplishments is her long association with the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Auldbrass Plantation near Yemassee, South Carolina. She played an instrumental role in encouraging and securing its listing on the National Register of Historic Places in1976 And served as an advisor and directed the monitoring of covenants for restoration called for in the preservation easement held by Historic Charleston Foundation.

Mrs. Jenkins was the first full time director of Historic Beaufort'Foundation in Beaufort, South Carolina. She worked closely with the City of Beaufort to develop The Beaufort Preservation Manual, 1979, that is still recognized nationally as one of the most successful preservation design manuals for owners as well as the city's Board of Architectural Review.

In 1996 the Preservation Society of Charleston recruited Cynthia to be its Executive Director. Her leadership at the During her tenure saw the Society's endowment increase  from less than $20,000 to over two million dollars and the membership increased by almost one third.

Mrs. Jenkins served on over two dozen boards and commissions while at the Preservation Society including; president of the Charleston Heritage Federation, a member of the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Governors, the City of Charleston's Civic Design Center Board of Directors and as a member of the City of Charleston Tourism Management Committee and Historic Preservation Plan Advisory Committee, A few key issues addressed during her terms on these boards include development of the city's new Preservation Plan, cruise ship management and the impact of tourism on the livability and economic viability of historic neighborhoods and downtowns.

After leaving the helm of the Preservation Society of Charleston Mrs. Jenkins served. as an Adjunct Professor in the Masters of Historic Preservation program jointly operated by Clemson University and the College of Charleston. Her work in the graduate program focused on Historic Preservation Administration

and Management, a component of preservation education that is often overlooked in preparing students for careers in historic preservation.

In addition to her long career in preservation Cynthia has continued to volunteer her time to preservation causes. Mrs. Jenkins served three terms over twenty years on the Board of Directors of the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation now Preservation South Carolina, South Carolina's statewide non-profit preservation, membership organization. Including most recently serving as President of the Board. I want to say that though this is a lifetime achievement award, her life in preservation is far from over as she not only currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History Foundation and has returned to as Executive Director of the Historic Beaufort Foundation.