Lexington, SC 06/07/2024 (Paul Kirby) – Lexington County business manager Todd Cockrell is running for Lexington County Council Seat 4 in next week’s Tuesday primary. He is running against Lexington Realtor Doug Leonard that is also a political newcomer. The District 4 seat is being vacated at the end of this year after the incumbent Debbie Summers decided to retire after 20 years of selfless service to the people of Lexington County.
Cockrell has been married to his wife Kimberly and the couple has 2 grown children. They live in the Oak Grove area of Lexington County between the Oak Grove community and the Town of Springdale. Kimberly is very active in Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) and Cockrell said it’s not uncommon to get a call at their home in the middle of a Friday night and be on the way with his wife to a Felony DUI hearing in Greenville, Charleston, or Anderson in the predawn hours of Saturday morning. “If we get the call that’s she’s needed by someone impacted by an impaired driver, off we go,” he said.
Cockrell spent most of his life working in commercial printing and marketing. He was the General Manager of Sun Solutions Grand Format. Just recently, he met a man from Augusta who owned a large commercial cleaning equipment and chemical operation. That businesses manager originally asked for some marketing advice. After working with Cockrell on a part-time basis, the gentleman, who had decided to open a branch in the Columbia area, offered Todd a full-time job managing the new location in Columbia from top to bottom. After considering this, praying about it, and talking with his wife about it, Cockrell accepted the offer and made a complete lifestyle change, becoming the manager of Kamo, Inc. in Columbia.
Since opening Kamo, Inc. in Columbia, Cockrell has the business running on a mixture of good old common sense, a natural love of marketing, and sales. They supply cleaning equipment to large industrial arenas, businesses, institutions, and stadiums. They service accounts like the Colonial Life Arena, the arena in Charleston, school districts, medical centers, the University of South Carolina, and other entities. He said during a recent interview with The Lexington Ledger, “If one of our customers runs out of something and needs it right now, it’s not uncommon to see me taking a few bottles of this or some other necessity in my vehicle and taking it to them. We want our customers to know we are right here for them and will do whatever is possible to keep their business running smoothly.”
Cockrell comes across as a strong, levelheaded leader who would handle the job of a county councilmember in the same way. “I like to lead by example,” Cockrell said recently. “I believe in working side-by-side with the people I’m leading to let them know I’m no better than they are.” When asked how that philosophy would mesh with a job as a county council member Cockrell said, “I think more that anything, I’d be the kind of fellow that would ask all stakeholders to roll up their sleeves, pull up a chair to the table, and work on a situation together.”
“I believe that common sense can help a great deal with the problems Lexington County faces. We apply problem solving solutions in my business every day and Lexington County is just a very large business. I think that problems like emergency services, traffic and road congestion, and housing shortages are all things that need to be our top priorities,” Cockrell said. “No matter how you slice it, we are going to have to focus on those things. It might not make us popular to cut back on some things, but these items have to be given a lot of attention and the lion’s share of funding. We have needs and we have wants. It’s important to differentiate between the 2 and spend accordingly. As large as Lexington County’s budget is, I’m sure there’s some waste in there we can cut out.”
Cockrell also is not a micromanager at work and wouldn’t be one if elected to council. “In large operations, you simply can’t know everything. I think that’s why it’s so important to hire knowledgeable people to run our departments and then let them do their jobs. I’m not going to tell Sheriff Koon how to run the Sherrif’s Department or the fire chief how to fight fires. I respect their space but if the train comes off the track, I think they need to be ready to come to us with an explanation and a plan on how they’re going to fix things so that it doesn’t happen again. Above all, I expect honesty and integrity from our leaders just as I will be honest and have integrity with them,” he stated.
Cockrell also said he’ll listen to the people of District 4. “I’ll answer and return calls and emails in a timely manner. I feel as if part of my job will be as a guide of people through the red tape of government. Often, many hours of searching for an answer on a telephone can be shortened to just one quick phone call to your council member. After doing this job a short while, I either need to be able to answer your questions or know the right person to ask.”
It didn’t take me long to spend time with Cockrell eating lunch to discover he’s really just a smart, likable guy who’s well known in the community. As we ate and chatted, working class people came over to speak to us and enquire about his family and mutual friends. He took the time to talk with each one while still answering my questions about his run for County Council. “I’m running a real low-key campaign” he said. “I don’t have a fancy website and don’t spend lots of hours on social media. That doesn’t mean I’m don’t want this job; I’m really excited about the chance to serve my friends and neighbors. I also understand that whether Doug or I win, we have some big shoes to fill. Debbie Summers really is leaving a legacy of hard work, constituent services, and building on and growing some very important county services that we need to keep moving forward with. We also have some big problems we will need to tackle. Some good friends asked if I would run and I committed to doing my best for them and the citizens of Lexington County,” he concluded.
Cockrell said he would be glad to talk with you now if you had any comments, questions, or concerns about his campaign. You can reach him by telephone at (803) 665-0025. You can also get in contact with him by email at cockrelltodd@yahoo.com.
It's exciting to see Oak Grove area business manager Todd Cockrell stepping up to run for Lexington County Council District 4. His background in business management could bring a fresh perspective to local government. It’s always encouraging when local leaders take the initiative to contribute to their community. If you’re looking for reliable office solutions, Duplicator Sales has been serving businesses in Kentucky since 1959, offering everything from copiers to IT support! Always good to support local businesses and leaders who care about their community.